episode_0090

Excluding the fact that she was confined, life was unexpectedly peaceful. The typical punishment for a high-profile criminal would entail being locked in a pitch-black underground prison, fed scraps worse than leftovers, and subjected to horrific torture.

Compared to that, how had she been treated lately? Though detained in a single room, it was a spacious guest chamber complete with an attached bathroom. The view of the palace grounds outside the window, the meals served, even the bed—far superior to any village inn. There was nothing lacking.

It was a fitting treatment for a hero who had suffered for the world—yet wholly inappropriate for a condemned criminal.

And the moment to pay the price came abruptly.

“Literally so. You must choose one among us to bear his child. In the case of the kingdom, it would be Kyle. But the Emperor and the Pope have no sons, so you understand what that means, don’t you?”

She would have to serve a man in his forties and an old man past sixty. Of course, Kyle would be the lesser evil. The king looked confident, yet the choices themselves were horrific.

“Wh-what…? Wasn’t I supposed to return to the hero’s party?”

Upon closer inspection, the hero’s party—who should’ve had significant say in her treatment—was nowhere to be found.

They hadn’t even been informed from the start. As long as they kept silent, only Demon Tower and the capital’s citizens would still believe Riel Frost had been captured.

They had already decided among themselves how to use Aria.

“Who told you that? Of course, that was the initial plan. But as time passed and your deeds piled up, a new opinion emerged. Your power is too valuable to use once and discard.”

“So you’re telling me to bear a child…? Because you need a strong successor to protect your power?”

“That’s a disappointing way to put it. It’s for the peace and stability of our era.”

“It’s the same thing!”

Peace and stability? Aria had never once seen a ruler who genuinely cared for the people in her life.

In the end, everyone was too busy protecting their own interests. The fact that they’d secretly brought her here without informing the hero’s party made their intentions obvious.

She vaguely remembered receiving a similar proposal before. The catch was, the other party had been the Demon King. Were all kings like this? How could humans come up with the same twisted idea as the Demon King?

No—maybe the Demon King was better. At the very least, he had proposed a deal to her, his enemy. He hadn’t planned to rape his own subordinate to breed an heir.

They saw her as nothing more than a tool for childbirth. A prize stallion to produce exceptional offspring. To them, that was all Aria amounted to now.

“Do you truly believe this is a righteous act?”

“Sometimes, justice becomes a trivial matter in the face of reality.”

King Cal Foldragon answered without hesitation. Given the circumstances, he seemed to be the driving force behind this. Emperor Aetre, aware he wasn’t exactly blameless, maintained a cautious stance, while the inscrutable Arkazhal, despite being a devout follower, was anything but saintly.

It had been suspicious from the start. After hunting her down like starving beasts, their subsequent actions had been eerily calm.

They deliberately isolated Aria, maintained her meetings with Kyle, and slowly conditioned her to rely on him.

The unexpectedly good treatment, the immediate execution of the soldiers who had harassed her—all of it had been for this.

No, even that incident could have been staged. Prodding a few to set the mood would’ve made it easy to provoke the rest.

And by punishing the fools who took the bait, the kingdom could cement its stance as her ally.

In the end, though their attempt to seize the upper hand had failed, all of it had been groundwork to make Aria choose the kingdom.

“You cowardly—!”

“There’s only one thing we need to hear from you now. Whether you’ll bear Kyle’s child, the Emperor’s, or the Pope’s.”

“How could I possibly choose something like that?!”

“Then the conclusion is simple. You must bear the heirs of all three nations.”

With each word from the king, Aria’s legs trembled as if she might collapse. Every sentence was too shocking. It felt like her heart was being torn apart with each syllable.

“Ha… Haha… So if I don’t choose, you’ll just force yourselves on me anyway? Is that why you dressed me up in these flashy ornaments and makeup? Gifts for a whore. Garnishes on a dish?”

Even as she glared at him with furious eyes, the king remained unmoved. Not even a flicker of anger at her insolent words or gaze. As if he truly lacked emotions.

Appealing to him was no different from shouting at a wall. She shifted her eyes slightly toward the Emperor.

“Your Majesty. Do you truly agree with this?”

“It shames me. But after much deliberation, I concluded this is necessary.”

Don’t spout nonsense. Did he really think such excuses justified this?

“Your Holiness. Is this the doctrine of the Goddess’s Church? Capturing an innocent woman to rape her?”

“When I learned Riel had become a woman, I was truly disheartened. I had prayed for you and our saint—who is like a daughter to me—to find happiness. I even prayed to the Goddess, wondering why things turned out this way. Your becoming a woman was no accident. This must all be the Goddess’s will.”

“So… are you saying the Goddess gave you a divine revelation ordering you to impregnate me?”

Say no.

This can’t be happening.

Is this… really my destiny, as decided by the Gods?

That’s… too cruel. How much further must you push me toward the edge before you’re satisfied?

“Yes.”

“Why… why would the Goddess do such a thing?”

“I understand this is difficult for you, Riel. It must be agonizing. But since it is the Goddess’s will, we have no choice but to obey.”

BANG! Aria slammed the table in front of her with all her might.

“If the Gods are unjust, then why should we worship them?!”

What am I supposed to say now?

A human abandoned by the Gods. Why? Before all this, I was at least a sincere believer, if not devout.

I sacrificed for the world, for the people.

“Why… why are you doing this? What did I do wrong…? I-I tried so hard… endured so much… never once complained… Why does everyone hate me? Why are you tormenting me?”

Uncharacteristically, tears streamed down her face.

Her words were disjointed, devoid of logic—just the weeping pleas of a child.

There was no other choice. That was all she could do. She had reached her limit.

The onlookers watched as Aria, reduced to a pitiful mess, shed tears without even attempting to defend herself. None showed even a hint of emotion. They seemed uninterested in her tears.

Ah, I see now.

I’m just a tool.

People praised me as a hero, and I believed it too—but to the true masters of this world, I was nothing more than a slightly capable guard dog.

To them, I was a clown who foolishly believed myself a hero. If that’s the case, then the tragedy I thought was my life might’ve just been a farce all along.

“Pfffft.”

How ridiculous.

No—how sad.

No—how shameful.

What have I been doing all this time? Lost in self-delusion, drunk on applause, unaware I was the butt of the joke, putting on a grotesque performance.

If this is all that remains of what I tried so hard to protect…

“Then what… what have I been struggling for?”

I lost people I cherished, my youth, my life—all for this?

The one thing I took pride in, the pillar of my strength—everything about Riel Frost—meant nothing anymore.

“I have nothing more to say. Since you refused to choose, the right to the first heir goes to the kingdom—given our merit in capturing Riel Frost.”

No one objected. As discussions began over who would take second place, Kyle approached Aria.

“Told you. You’d regret it.”

Now she would have to surrender her body to the man she had once refused. She’d turned down his offer to become queen—now she was just a sex slave. He’d treat her far rougher in bed.

As if that wasn’t despair enough, she’d then be raped by the Emperor and the Pope until she was pregnant.

Was this karma? Payment for throwing around words like “whore” and “slut”?

She’d become far worse than the women she’d once despised. By the end, they might even toss her into a brothel. Even Ian wouldn’t be able to look her in the eye and would run away.

“No!”

At that thought, Aria violently slapped away Kyle’s outstretched hand.

“No! I said no! I’m human! Not some breeding mare!”

A child should be the product of two people’s love. Not some calculated combination like livestock.

I’m not a broodmare. I’m not a tool to produce superior offspring!

The gazes of those watching her desperate struggle were chillingly cold.

“I can’t… I can’t take this anymore…”

She whispered, muttered, begged for help. From the man she had trusted and relied on more than anyone.

“Riel…”

If it were you—if it were the flawless me from back then—how would you have escaped this hopeless situation?

Tell me. I don’t know. I can’t even imagine.

I’ve slipped too far, fallen too many times, shattered beyond repair.

I can’t be you anymore.

So I just cried. Because there was nothing left to do. Because I had no answers left.

Tears poured endlessly, as if all the emotions she’d held back were flooding out.

“Riel… Riel…”

The sight of her calling her own name, begging for help, bordered on madness.

But the reply came from the most unexpected source.

[You seem in need of assistance. Riel Frost.]

A voice that should never have reached her. A voice forbidden. Yet in this moment of desperation, it was her only hope.

“Nai… Ard…?”

The lingering remnants of the Demon King—whom she had tried to erase—were whispering in her ear.