A fierce clash of swords where no one seemed to be giving ground.
The flow of the battle appeared evenly matched.
However, the reality was different.
Though very slight, Lucia was gradually being pushed back in the contest of strength.
“Ugh…!”
It wasn’t because Evan was holding back.
Lucia was already giving it her all.
And not just her current strength, but the full power she had as the Demon King when her horn was intact.
Yet, the reason Lucia was being pushed back by Evan was because he was using the same power he had used to defeat her—the power he had received from the Infernal Dragon of Destruction.
Of course, as it was divine power, fully manifesting it was impossible…
Nevertheless, Evan was able to fight on equal terms with Lucia in her full Demon King state.
*Clang!*
Unable to withstand the force, Lucia’s body was pushed back.
“This is troublesome…”
If her opponent had been a monster, she could have simply cut them down.
But since her opponent was Evan, she couldn’t fight with her full strength.
Using more destructive power in her attacks was out of the question.
That didn’t mean she could only defend.
Her swordsmanship was specialized for aggressive attacks, and if she didn’t overwhelm her opponent early on, her strength would wane.
The only solution was to quickly subdue him…
But with Evan using divine power, even that was impossible.
It was a truly frustrating situation.
“Sigh…”
Lucia let out a deep sigh.
She adjusted her grip on her sword and slowly approached Evan.
“I have no choice.”
She withdrew the power she had infused into her sword.
Instead, she coated her body with power, just as Evan had done before.
This way, she would be less of a danger to Evan than if she had infused her sword with power.
“If I want to draw out even a little more strength, I’ll have to use this method.”
The two clashed once more.
Lucia’s body, reinforced with the Power of Doom, collided head-on with Evan’s sword, infused with the Power of Destruction.
“Ugh…!”
Though excruciating pain shot through her, Lucia didn’t stop facing Evan.
If she backed down now, she didn’t know when she would be able to save him.
She fought on without retreating.
*Boom! Crash!*
With each exchange, the sound of their clash echoed through Lunaria.
The collision of immense magical powers created shockwaves that blew away everything nearby and shook the entirety of Rohendel.
In a way, it was only natural.
The battle between the Demon King and one blessed with divine power was no longer something that could be considered human.
“Gasp…!”
Lucia’s sword, filled with the Power of Doom, concentrated her magical energy into her fist.
The gathered energy twisted the surrounding space before being launched toward Evan.
“……!”
A sonic boom erupted, followed by a deafening roar.
A strike powerful enough to erase any ordinary life form from existence.
Yet, Evan remained standing, unharmed, even after taking the direct hit.
This was because his body was also enveloped in the Power of Destruction.
“Tsk.”
Lucia clicked her tongue.
Though she hadn’t used her full power, even after unleashing more than half of her strength, Evan remained unscathed.
Determined to subdue Evan, Lucia gathered more magical energy into her fist and struck again.
Another powerful sonic boom erupted, and the buildings in the direct path of her punch were obliterated.
Yet, Evan only had a trickle of blood at the corner of his mouth, showing no significant damage as he swung his sword at Lucia.
*Slash!*
Evan’s sword cut through Lucia’s skin, splattering blood.
But in an instant, Lucia’s wound healed, and she drove her fist into Evan’s abdomen.
A relentless exchange of destructive attacks, each disregarding their own bodies.
Yet, neither could land a decisive blow.
In the blink of an eye, over fifty exchanges passed, then a hundred, and by the time two hundred had gone by, Evan’s body suddenly froze, and his mouth opened.
“…King.”
He muttered something.
“Evan…?”
Lucia thought he might have regained his senses, but that wasn’t the case.
Within the magical energy of the power Evan wielded, a murderous intent began to seep in.
“…Demon King.”
As the word left his mouth, Evan’s demeanor changed.
His once-loose eyes filled with rage, hatred, and resentment, and the sword he swung at Lucia became even more vicious.
“Demon King…!”
A voice thick with hatred called out to her.
“I will tear you to pieces. Even if I have to burn my entire life here…!!”
His face twisted with malice, and his eyes, filled with anger, locked onto her.
“I will kill you, Lucia von Astrea, for ruining everything I had!”
“Evan…!”
*Crash!*
Their bodies and swords clashed, and excruciating pain shot through her.
But what hurt more than the physical pain were the words of resentment and hatred from the person she loved, piercing her heart like a dagger.
“Everyone is dead.”
Evan swung his sword fiercely as he spoke.
“My parents, my comrades, even nameless knights…!”
His sword swung wildly, driven by his emotions.
“All because of you!!”
His words stabbed deep into her heart, leaving wounds all over Lucia’s body.
*Slash!*
Blood splattered endlessly, dyeing the streets red.
The wounds kept appearing faster than they could heal, leaving her body covered in injuries.
Yet, Lucia stood still, enduring Evan’s attacks.
She couldn’t move easily, facing the fact that the person she loved had been broken because of her.
“Evan…”
Her heart ached as she cried out.
Though her heart wasn’t the part being cut by the sword, it was the most painful part of her at that moment.
“How… how can I beg for your forgiveness?”
How can I atone for the immense pain I’ve caused you?
It’s truly agonizing.
Seeing you broken like this because of me is indescribably painful.
“Die, Lucia von Astrea.”
A sword filled with indescribable hatred approached.
Aimed at her heart, with the sole intent of ending her life.
Lucia, who had been quietly watching, released the power coating her body and spread her arms wide.
She didn’t dodge the sword.
*Thud!*
The sword pierced her skin and drove into her heart.
Blood gushed up her throat, choking her, and a painful sensation overwhelmed her body.
Yet, Lucia embraced Evan, who had stabbed her.
“Evan…”
Lucia gasped for breath as she spoke.
“I… I don’t want you to suffer anymore…”
When was it?
She had noticed that the days when she didn’t think about seeking revenge on the Apostle of Fiction while being with Evan had become more frequent.
The time spent with him was so precious and happy…
She had hoped he felt the same way.
But that couldn’t be.
To him, she was a sinner, and at the end of this tale, she had to pay for her evil deeds.
Yes, it was just that the end had come a little sooner.
Not because she sought death…
But because she didn’t want the person she loved to suffer any longer because of her.
“I will bear all your hatred, so please keep smiling.”
Lucia held Evan even tighter.
As she did, the sword dug deeper into her heart.
“…Gasp!”
Bright red blood poured endlessly from her mouth.
Death was approaching.
“Evan. I… I hope you can live a happier life…”
A life that had to be lived as evil.
A false world where I couldn’t live as myself.
In that world, only this feeling was true.
So, if you ever regain your senses…
Please don’t feel guilty for killing me.
And live a happier life than you do now.
“I hope you can move forward…”
Her last words, spoken with her final breath.
With those words, Lucia’s consciousness faded into darkness.
***
Shortly after Lucia’s consciousness faded, Evan finally broke free from the Apostle of Dreams’ influence.
‘…It feels like I had a terrible nightmare.’
As he closed his eyes and tried to make sense of what had happened, the strong scent of blood reached his nose.
Evan opened his eyes and looked around.
Rohendel, with many buildings destroyed.
The streets dyed red with blood.
And… Lucia, impaled by his sword, lying in his arms.
“…Lucia?”
He called her name in a panicked voice.
But there was no response.
Her consciousness was already gone.
“Lucia…!”
Evan quickly separated from Lucia and checked her condition.
No consciousness, but a faint pulse still beating.
He hurriedly looked around for a healer, but there was no sign of anyone nearby.
‘…Is she going to die like this?’
A wave of fear washed over him.
Evan slapped his own cheek hard to regain his composure.
‘No. In the dream world, as long as you don’t die, you can wake up.’
In other words, if he left her as she was, she wouldn’t die.
Having made a quick judgment, Evan began slapping his own cheek repeatedly.
