episode_0023

Arachne follows Helios to somewhere.

As she left the palace through the wide, clean hallway and walked down a dark alleyway, a look of tension began to appear on Arachne’s face.

At first, I was happy just to be given the opportunity.

As time goes by, what will be at the end of this?

Not knowing how difficult the test would be, she began to feel increasingly nervous.

Elios walked silently and headed towards the basement of a small building guarded by soldiers.

As she walked through the place that instinctively made her feel something was off, Arachne swallowed slightly without realizing it.

And after a while, the scene that began to appear in her eyes was…

“!…”

A place that feels dark and gloomy,

Arachne could easily tell where she was.

prison.

A place where criminals of the principality are imprisoned, interrogated, tortured, and even executed outright depending on the situation.

While feeling very uneasy about what to do here, Arachne began to try to steel herself again.

‘You shouldn’t be anxious about something like this. In order to avenge those children…’

Arachne continues to follow Helios while controlling her emotions.

Next, the place Elios arrived at was in front of a room blocked by a solid iron door.

“Open it.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Soldiers carefully open the door at Elios’ command.

Immediately after, Arachne began to see something trapped in the room.

that..

“Ouch!”

“… .”

Arachne inhales heavily without realizing it due to the unexpected scene.

A group of people in her sight.

Arachne knew very well who they were.

There was no way I could forget.

They are the ones who have been the objects of her hatred all this time.

Orphanage director Garnold and her subordinate teachers. And… Desley and her gang.

Arachne began to tremble without realizing it as she looked at the sight of them, whom she had thought she would never see again.

However, it wasn’t simply because of anger towards them.

Those ugly, hideous people she sees in front of her eyes.

Because their physical condition was so miserable that I couldn’t bear to open my eyes and look at it.

All of his fingers had been cut off, and his arm was completely broken with the bones broken.

The situation was so tattered that the expression “the feet and legs were barely attached” was appropriate.

Arachne began to feel a chill down her spine as she saw at a glance that the torture was so horrible that it was beyond words.

And, looking at Arachne shaking like that, Helios slowly held something out.

“!”

“This is the test I give you.”

At Elios’ words, Arachne could not take her eyes off the thing she had offered her.

dagger.

A weapon that can easily end a person’s life.

From Elios’s action of handing over the thing that was sharply sharpened, Arachne was able to understand what test she had been talking about.

And, to such Arachne.

Elios spoke in a cold voice, confirming his words.

“Take this, and take revenge on me just as you said.”

“… .”

At those words, Arachne moved her trembling hands and slowly picked it up.

Immediately after, a dagger that gave her a cold feeling.

Holding it, Arachne slowly began to approach the people lying on the ground.

They are already completely bound, and are not even fully conscious due to the aftereffects of the severe torture.

It wouldn’t be that difficult to stab them in the body, even for Arachne, who lacked physical strength.

‘It’s simple.. It’s just.. beheading monsters, not humans. It’s just giving a proper punishment to those who are worse than beasts.’

They are evil beings who sent their friends to their deaths. They are trash who are not even worthy of feelings like pity.

Since it was a matter of taking the lives of those who had long wished to disappear from this world with her own hands, Arachne thought she could do it easily.

Arachne slowly raises her dagger in front of the fallen orphanage director, Garnold.

however..

“Huh… ”

The next moment, Arachne’s hand did not move as if something was holding it.

There wasn’t anything physical.

It’s her mind that’s stopping her actions.

Even if they were beings who deserved to die, the unease that made her unable to bring herself to kill someone was stopping her hands.

‘What are you doing… This is… It’s such a simple thing. No… It’s something to be happy about! It’s about taking revenge on my friends… It’s about erasing the trash that deserves to die from this world!’

The moment of revenge that I have longed for countless times is right before my eyes, but I am hesitating.

At this, an unexpected feeling of discomfort began to settle in Arachne’s heart.

Contempt for oneself.

A feeling of self-loathing for being so weak that I can’t even do something like this properly.

“Ah..ah..”

Feeling that, tears began to flow automatically from Arachne’s eyes.

Something I didn’t know before coming here…

As I finally realized that my determination was much more trivial than I had thought.

And then, she realized that the revenge she wanted was much more painful than she had thought.

Arachne began to feel the strength draining from the hand that had been holding the dagger.

and..

-Clang!-

A dagger that falls to the floor.

Immediately after, Arachne felt her legs give out and she sat down on the spot and began to cry.

“Sob… sob… eueuugh… ”

I was so pathetic and helpless, unable to protect my friends or even properly avenge them.

Tormented by this fact, Arachne began to shed tears without stopping.

‘I’m sorry… I’m sorry… everyone… because I… because I’m such a pathetic guy… a piece of trash who can’t do anything…’

So, Arachne begins to suffer, overcome by despair.

at that time..

“!..Ah..”

Behind her back, a warm sensation began to appear.

A feeling as if someone is gently embracing you as you struggle through your pain.

The moment she realized who that person was, a look of surprise began to appear on Arachne’s face.

“Go.. Princess..?”

“… I’m sorry. But I wanted to let you know this. That on this path, there is no salvation like you think. ”

“… Ah… ”

At Elios’ words, Arachne finally understood why she had set this as a test.

This was not only to make him realize his own weaknesses.

It was to show that, contrary to what one might think, revenge would only bring one pain and joy.

*

-Clang!-

The iron gate closes tightly again.

Before him, Arachne bowed her head respectfully toward Helios.

“Really… thank you, my lady. I feel a little bit lighter.”

“I’m glad it helped. I’ll say it again, it’s up to people like me to deal with what’s next. You’re still young. You deserve to experience more and enjoy more happiness. Holding onto a poison like revenge will only hurt you in the end.”

“..Yes, I’ll remember that.”

Arachne once again expressed her gratitude to the princess.

And looking at her like that, Elios smiled lightly and said.

“Oh, and.. This is a story about my personal recommendation, separate from the revenge you asked for.”

“..Huh?”

Next, Princess Elios says something unexpected.

At this, a wonderful light began to appear on Arachne’s face.

At the same time, there is also the expectation of a new future that has been lost for some time.

*

After sending Arachne away, Elios is still standing in front of the iron gate.

Then she opened the door again and went into the room.

The sight of humans still unconscious, unaware of what happened a moment ago.

Looking at this, a cold smile began to appear on Elios’ lips, completely different from before.

“Revenge… doesn’t suit you right now.”

With those words, Elios slowly stretches his hand forward.

At that moment…

“! Ugh… Ugh!”

“Huh! What.. what is.. this.. this..”

“! Go.. Princess.. Save.. Save..”

“We…we were wrong…I…please…forgive me…”

They wake up from fainting and begin to writhe in pain.

However, there was not a hint of hesitation on Elios’ face as he looked at this.

Even the basic hesitation that a human being has when taking a human life was not felt by her.

The emotions contained within it, that is…

Pleasure.

“It’s still too early for a child like you to realize this feeling… this joy.”

“Ugh!”

-Paaaak!-

With those words, countless streams of blood began to spurt in all directions.

Meanwhile, Elios left the room with a very refreshing smile.

Without even a shred of interest left in that place where not a single breath of life remained.

“So, please continue living in that pure state for now. This world will let you enter after you grow a little more.”