Read Novel Full Chapter 320: Will of a Goddess
Chapter 320: Will of a Goddess
Throwing prudence to the side, Vale stepped onto the holo platform. Salome did as well, scowling at the blue-haired woman without pause.
‘She’s horrifying…’
The Holy Maiden of Celestia exuded an insidious aura much like the one Vale had felt when he’d met Diligence. Only, her pressure was much more grounded in reality.
While Diligence made him feel a crushing sense of helplessness and inferiority, Rivania made him feel fear.
Simple, terrifying fear.
A fear that cared not for [Defiance].
Yet Grady steadily marched along her bridge without care.
Eric and the other two knights stayed behind — Cole maintaining his transformation — meaning once they met in the middle, it would be just the three of them facing Rivania.
While Vale hadn’t even glimpsed a morsel of Grady’s strength, he could tell it wasn’t enough to come close to defeating the Holy Maiden.
If Rivania decided to kill Vale, Vale had doubts whether Grady could, or would, protect them. The only measure of solace he’d been granted was that the white knight had left her blade behind.
After a dreadful, silent march, Grady halted, prompting Salome and Vale to stop as well.
About twenty paces away, Rivania stopped as well. Gritting her teeth, the knight glared at Grady while pointing at Vale.
“Would you care to explain the meaning of this, Iron General?”
‘Iron General?’
Vale hadn’t heard that nickname for Grady yet…
‘Is that what Celestia calls him?’
Grady boisterously laughed.
“Akkuron sought an ally to help us in this dire time of war… is that meaning truly too hard for you to grasp on your own?”
Rivania lowered her arm, still scowling at Grady.
“Yes, it is. You should know better than anyone the threat of the calamity standing at your side.”
‘Better than anyone…?’
Vale, struggling to breathe, couldn’t help but let his eye twitch at her words. Rivania’s words, which suggested something: Grady had encountered a Vice of the past.
And not just in passing.
That encounter must have mattered if it had gotten to Rivania’s ears.
Grady smiled, then placed a hand on Vale’s shoulder.
“Calamity? Vale here has feelings too, you know.”
Rivania clicked her tongue.
“But it appears you do not. Have you forgotten—”
Grady let go of Vale’s shoulder, placing his hand on the pommel of his blade.
“Now… there’s no reason to go there.” After a sigh, Grady added, “But surely you didn’t call us here to say that. Tell us, Holy Maiden. Tell us your holy decree! And we’ll tell you of our unholy defiance.”
‘Do you have to provoke her?!’
Vale’s mind was grappling with a terrible paradox.
Vale wanted to run — he felt he’d suffocate from her anger alone. But moving with purpose was impossible.
Not that he’d flee even if his body began to listen.
His choice to stay by Grady’s side wasn’t a choice, but something necessary if he wished to live.
Thankfully, [Defiance] was helping him not to show it outwardly — keeping it contained entirely within.
But Salome, without that Trait, was looking a little worse for wear.
Rivania glanced at Grady’s blade.
“There were initially only two things I wished to impart. Now, there are four, seeing as you’ve joined hands with a Critter of the Void. First…”
‘Well that’s a new title.’
Vale didn’t get it, but at the same time, he didn’t like being called it!
Not that he was going to say something…
Rivania continued:
“I will only give you this chance once. Surrender. Surrender and you will be spared Celestia’s fury.”
Grady smiled and scoffed.
“Hmph.”
“As expected of an ingrate who soils the ground that birthed us with rotten ingenuity.”
The Iron General shook his head.
“If the ground birthed us, do we not have the right to suckle on it?”
‘What the hell are these analogies?!’
Rivania ignored his comment, instead saying:
“Second: Seeing that you’ve refused a peaceful surrender, prepare to face the Will of the Goddess.”
Grady stayed silent for a moment, his smile fading. But, as quickly as it faded, it grew back.
“I take it those are the initial two things you meant to tell us!”
Vale looked at Grady, studying his calm demeanor. Yet behind the proud exterior was a look of remorse. Or maybe regret?
No…
That look on his face was one that knew Rivania’s words were not groundless or weak. He knew that his forces would have to face their goddess’ will — Celestia’s will. Something that would cost mortals dearly for daring to defy.
Not only that…
But daring to win?
Daring to succeed in that defiance?
The cost would be one paid in blood. Enough blood to fill the Scar.
‘I see…’
Vale felt he also discerned something major about how the war was going to play out between the two titans.
Akkuron would use naval supremacy to attack from the sea, where Celestia would be locked into defense. The only hope for Celestia to mount a true counterattack would be on land.
Meaning…
This was only a staring contest for as long as Celestia willed it. They were destined to become the aggressors trying to cross the gorge.
‘And my dungeon would be stop number one for them!’
However, Vale’s dungeon was also Akkuron’s most useful outpost at the moment, so Vale felt some relief in that regard.
Celestia’s eyes stayed locked on Grady.
“Third…” Her teeth chattered, eyebrows furrowed, and glare tightened. “You will pay. You will pay for daring to lock arms with a Vice! Has Akkuron no shame?! To hold hands with a foul, repugnant beast! And that one at that?!”
Vale’s eyes widened while still reeling from fear.
‘I see your plan now, Grady! Pissing them off worked!’
Sadly… it was to Vale’s expense.
Rivania continued her screaming:
“It’s unforgivable! Vile and loathsome! For daring to enlist our enemy — the world’s enemy — we have vowed to off your sovereign’s head and offer it up to our goddess! That is the only way this transgression may be righted! No, that’s not enough! Death! You all must die! The only way Akkuron and its citizens will find any pardon is in the afterlife!”
Grady clapped.
“How passionate!”