Ch.9696. The Second-Worst Happy Ending

A Saintess losing her divine power.

It wasn’t simply a matter of having to pass on the position because the gods had prepared someone else.

Some people wondered if that Saintess had some hidden agenda.

Perhaps the gods took away her power because they knew about it?

While celebrating her retirement, people questioned her too-early departure.

But all she could offer them was a smile.

Though she understood why they might be suspicious, she was grateful for the opportunity to reflect on whether she had done something wrong.

And then she left.

Because her divine power had disappeared, the gods’ protective veil was also gone.

After giving her utmost blessing to Lucia Saint, the new Saintess, she departed for a remote place where no one lived.

The demons found her in some unnamed forest somewhere in the Griffin Kingdom.

For days on end, she was treated as a plaything for demons.

The pain was more excruciating than she had imagined, and her body was damaged beyond comparison to anyone else’s.

But even the demons’ grudges couldn’t last forever.

The demon who bit off and took her hand left, saying it was fully satisfied.

The demon who made her legs rot abandoned her, saying she was no longer entertaining.

The demons who plucked out her eyes left while happily chewing on them.

When she thought everything was over,

one demon remained by her side.

“How curious.”

The one who stayed until the end was quite deeply interested.

In me.

“Aren’t you in pain?”

Of course I was.

It hurt too much.

I screamed countless times, fainted repeatedly, and shamefully, even soiled myself.

I still remember turning my body forcibly while splashing in a pool of blood.

It was the first time I regretted not being able to see. I couldn’t tell if the sun or moon was out.

My skin was so hot that I couldn’t properly feel the air around me.

“Is it day now? Or night?”

So I asked the demon.

The demon snickered and clicked her tongue.

“It’s night. However, the moon is so bright that everything around is clearly visible.”

I see.

“That’s a shame. I wish I could see it too.”

Even though my head was turned toward the sky I would never see again, a smile formed on my lips.

“What’s so funny?”

To the demon who asked irritably, I answered gently.

“Because Lucia has been given enough time to become the new Saintess.”

“Ha.”

The demon clicked her tongue in disbelief and slowly approached, and I was certain this would be the end.

What would she take?

My remaining right hand?

Or perhaps my life altogether?

I waited for the demon, ready to accept whatever came.

But she was more unique than I had imagined.

The pain in my body disappeared.

After healing my wounds, she placed her hand on my head.

“Saintess Stella. I’ve met many saintesses, but never one like you.”

“Is that a compliment?”

“Well, I’m not sure. Anyway, I’ve become curious about you.”

“What?”

In that moment, I felt something being forced into my head. The shock was more painful than any torture; I couldn’t even scream or think to breathe.

“My name is Vellica. One of the 10 Great Demons on the continent, in charge of deformities.”

Great Demon?

My body tensed at those words, but I was already unable to resist.

“I will savor you, a woman who is close to a deformity even among saintesses.”

* * *

How long has it been?

Since I lost my eyes and Vellica dwelled within me, fumbling through my memories.

The citizens who always praised and cheered for me as a Saintess wouldn’t even look at me now that I had lost my hands, my legs were rotting, and my eyes had been plucked out.

Their actions were likely because they didn’t know I was the Saintess, but it was certainly a deep wound for me.

But it’s alright.

The people who smiled brightly because of the path I had walked.

Those who bowed their heads in gratitude and proudly declared they would live new lives still remained in my heart.

Rather, because I was blind, I could live in past memories.

I could always smile while recalling their smiles.

That’s how I lived.

Though the gods took away my divine power and I instantly fell to rock bottom, crawling along the ground, I thought I had already accomplished everything I could.

Even if I couldn’t be embraced by God after death.

Actually, I thought it would be okay even if they didn’t receive the dead.

But that wasn’t the case.

One day, Vellica, who was with me, said:

“If you die like this, there will be no peace.”

“What?”

“A demon’s grudge runs deep. Even now, many demons are watching you, waiting for your death.”

In that moment, thanks to the sense Vellica opened for me, I could feel those eerie gazes.

Countless creepy eyes were watching me from all directions.

Watching me as I broke down, crawled on the ground, roamed the alleys, and became filthy.

They were watching and laughing like an audience watching a play in a theater.

“Demons aren’t usually interested in human souls, but you’re different. A purity that far surpasses ordinary humans. That will be the greatest entertainment for demons.”

“…”

“After death, all that awaits you is life as a demon’s plaything.”

So.

Pain that continues even after death.

It meant that hardship and tribulation would never end.

“Ah.”

It was the first time.

Hot tears flowed from my plucked-out eyes.

No, since I couldn’t shed tears anymore, it was blood flowing in place of tears.

The sticky blood that seeped through the bandages wet my hands, and the pain of my heart being crushed distorted my chest.

The end of life wasn’t peaceful oblivion, but only despair at the hands of demons.

Was this truly the path that God had prepared for me?

If so, what meaning could it possibly have?

“Why… did you tell me this?”

I asked Vellica, breathing heavily. Her voice was unusually gentle for a demon.

“From now on, I will devour your memories.”

“…”

“You can’t endure any more. As someone who has been with you for years, I know. If I don’t do this, you will eventually break.”

“Why on earth…”

Why are you looking out for me?

But I couldn’t bring myself to say those words. She wouldn’t have answered my question anyway.

And so I.

Every day.

Began to lose my memories.

* * *

Why was I here yesterday?

Asking that became like a daily routine to start my day. I asked Vellica where I was, and she told me what I had been trying to do.

At the end of that long journey, I returned to the Elia Convent.

There, I just prayed.

Though I feared what came after death, I prayed for the courage to overcome it.

I just prayed and prayed.

But.

“Hng, ugh.”

I couldn’t overcome it.

The thought of pain continuing eternally even after death was beyond what human willpower could endure.

Amidst their humiliation and torture.

Being unable to lose consciousness in a state where even death was gone brought overwhelming terror.

But thanks to Vellica.

Yesterday’s pain didn’t carry over to today.

I lived in the same agony every day, but when the next day came, I would forget the pain I had experienced and start anew.

Then one day.

When I thought I had fallen asleep, I realized my hands were wet.

When I woke up again, I was surprised that my memory from yesterday was intact.

And Vellica said:

“I’ve called someone who can give you the end of everything.”

I didn’t understand.

I didn’t know what she meant.

But soon after, when I heard from the Mother Superior about the murder at the convent and demon summoning, I realized.

That Vellica had done something with my body.

Perhaps because she had been with me for so long?

She could move my body without my knowledge.

That day, I argued with Vellica, raising my voice for the first time.

“You shouldn’t have done that! I don’t know what your intentions are, but you shouldn’t have killed innocent children!”

“They weren’t innocent. Their eyes were full of greed. Believe me, a demon.”

“But…!”

“They were blind fools who would even summon demons to become saintesses.”

“They might be foolish, but they can repent and reform! Humans can change!”

“Stella.”

It was the first time.

That Vellica’s voice was so caring.

“You’ve shouldered too much pain.”

“…”

“I am your only confidant. Stella, your end shouldn’t be like this. You shouldn’t be played with in the hands of filthy demons like me at the end.”

“Vel, lica?”

“Even if I want to protect you, other Great Demons are targeting you. They must be envious because I’ve been with you for so long.”

Vellica apologized that, though unintended, her presence had attracted other great evils.

“I cannot give you peace.”

“…”

“But there will be no pain after death either.”

Grin.

Why?

Though I couldn’t see, I felt that Vellica was smiling.

“I am Vellica, the Great Demon of deformities.”

“…”

“Perhaps even my demonic qualities are strangely twisted.”

I tried to call out to her, but no words came from my mouth.

I just felt rough hands gently embracing me.

“You’ve won, Stella.”

* * *

But the situation became complicated.

It seems Vellica tried to lure the Saintess Lucia to the convent.

But the one who came was a man I’d never heard of before.

The spiritmaster, Deus Verdi.

After the nuns died, even though Vellica didn’t take away my memories, I continued to pretend I had lost them.

Because I couldn’t explain the reason to the Mother Superior.

But quite coincidentally.

Because of the excuse of losing my memories, I had many conversations with the spiritmaster, and he uncovered my secret.

No, I and Vellica guided him to find it.

With Vellica’s help, my legs healed, and by then I had realized what Vellica’s intentions were.

So I decided to act according to her plan.

It was truly fortunate that Deus had the Holy Grail. We could naturally die together.

And now.

I am facing my end in a truly beautiful scene.

Countless souls filled with divine power cling to me, offering salvation in the name of death.

“Stella.”

To me, who was just taking in this beautiful sight, Vellica spoke.

“Yes?”

Even though she was a Great Demon, if she left my body, the shock would kill me immediately, but she could survive.

But Vellica didn’t leave.

She just stayed with me.

“It seems I can only be a companion on this journey. Only God will know the title of the first Saintess to destroy a Great Demon.”

“…”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t prepare a better ending.”

You really don’t understand.

“No.”

Many souls are working hard for me. I was sorry they had to give up their peace.

But I too will be swept away by the divine power and perish with them.

At least I can be with them.

“Only at this end could I become myself again.”

The souls that showed me that everything I had done wasn’t wrong, and Vellica.

And Deus Verdi.

“I am simply grateful.”

Pain that continues even after death.

To break that, my soul itself needed to be annihilated.

Thank you for saving me.

Thank you, everyone.

Thank you, Vellica.

And thank you, Shinwoo Kim.

My eyelids gradually grew heavy with fatigue.

I slowly smiled.

Everyone.

Goodbye.

Grip!

At the edge of annihilation.

I opened my eyes involuntarily at the rough sensation grabbing my wrist.

“If calling the lesser evil that avoids the worst a happy ending.”

The spiritmaster gave a faint smile as he pulled me back from annihilation.

“I won’t let you go.”