Chapter 54 15: After The Storm
Inside a tall palace, a woman with dark brown hair and a pretty face, although not world-ending, was a beauty and beside her was a slightly average girl with a mole on her nose as the pair watched a crystal ball excitedly.
"Do not worry, my lovely daughter, that bitch Gwendolyn will die today, and you will have no obstacles in your path." The brown-haired woman said, combing the knotty black hair of the younger woman.
On the screen, a group of knights held their bows as they approached the village.
"Mother... w-who is that silver-haired man?" asked the princess with a slight blush on her cheeks, seeing him fight so bravely, destroying such a large amount of bears himself... her chest was tight, and she couldn't help but feel excited.
"Him...? I am not sure... but there is no way a man so elegant and refined in combat could be a commoner... What's the matter, my dear? Do you like him? If so, maybe we should snatch him for your collection..."
"Mmm... I want to stuff him with cotton and wool, then have him warm my bed forever..." A strangely deranged smile on the princess's face as she smiled at the orb.
The orb cracked A moment later, signalling that the mission was starting. To avoid other people watching or finding evidence, the Queen insisted this was completely secret, even using unwanted soldiers and commoners with the false promise of becoming a knight.
"Well, let us wait—I am sure the hero will not like such a handsome man die. Let us ask when he visits the capital next month."
"Yes, Mother... What about her... is she finally gone?"
"Mmmm, that damn mutant from his former wife, she's gone and dead for sure—the throne is yours, I cannot become the ruling queen due to not having his blood, but you can make the pact with Celestia and become the Queen!"
"Yes, Mother... I will do anything you wish; thank you for going so far for me."
***
"Lucifer?" Gwen's soft voice sounded gentle and comforting, her hand stroking the back of his soft hair.
Right now, they were having a funeral for Jeffory—at first, the church refused, but Irina and Estella stepped forward and pleaded for his proper sending off.
The hero seemed to have vanished during the scuffle and never saw the whole incident, while the guards and old men were bitter, feeling that the kingdom had once again caused damage to Gwendolyn.
Most of the residents of this town were those loyal to the king and former Queen, moving here for Gwen's sake and protection.
She was a kind princess who would help the young, poor and disabled, although, at the time, it might have been mere politics to raise her to the throne. Thus, some didn't follow, instead switching sides with the new Queen and her ugly daughter.
Yet Gwen, even to this day, continues her kind gestures of donation and help for the less fortunate, and that is why she became so adored by the entire town.
Only the church members were distant due to being "neutral."
"Gwendolyn, thank you for always being there when I hit rock bottom... and sorry for letting your old friend and brother-like existence be removed."
They sat in the quiet room with pure white walls, although Lucifer felt a slight burning tingle on his flesh—this was nothing to oversee Jeff taking his new journey towards his new life.
"Don't be stupid..."
"It hurts you, too, right? I've known you so long that you are so damn stubborn and hate making friends... So that when you finally accept one they are like family to you..."
"Haha... what a good wife."
"I am, so pamper me."
Life went on in this world, and because someone died, it was nothing like their former world, with families gathering huge goodbyes, some lasting days, weeks or months...
In Celetisa, they would be bid a small goodbye by most people, and then that was it.
However, the closest family would normally stay to watch as their bodies were burned in the holy chamber, allowing their soul to return to Celestia so she could gently return them to the world and allow them to be born once more.
Thankfully after Lucifer burned his corpse, the bones remained, allowing him to perform this ceremony—because he was too drunk on the memory of Jeff and Brad, he got confused as to which world he was in...
Thus he started the fire.
In the room were Bernard, Lucifer and Gwendolyn, and hidden in the back, Irina watched the downcast Lucifer, her eyes gleaming with an azure light holding her hands to her chest, feeling a sense of pain and sorrow whenever Lucifer looked so mournful.
She soon left, not wanting to alert the bishops and make things difficult.
However, Estella already knew the truth, yet despite this, she didn't threaten or blackmail but rather asked if she could meet with Lucifer in private.
Thus worried for the future, after he agreed, Irina said yes.
Lucifer looked at the huge silver divine tool used for this task, worried that his corrupt and dark flames might have ruined Jeff's chances to ascend...
"Oh?"
"Beautiful..."
That was when a beautiful light began to flow from the chamber. His bones were left, brilliant colours of green, blue and purple dancing as they ascended into the sky.
Unlike his former world, they ascended visually; there was no mystery because Celestia existed and sometimes even walked among the people of her planet.
Lucifer saw the truth, though...
Jeff's figure... looking at them as he slowly floated around the room, the annoying stubble on his damn face, the smirk he made when mentioning Gwen and him...
"..."
The image looked at Lucifer, the pure prana of Jeff's body giving him one last smile and a sudden feeling before he vanished into the sky...
The feeling to love and protect Gwen forever...
He took that to be Jeff's last message to him, the mournful look slowly turning into a gentle smile, no tears would fall, but Lucifer felt a sense of closure from his past and future.
From now on, he would use the daggers he loved, not letting some scum ruin it for him and would be sure to love and protect Gwen, even if the entire world turned against them.
Noticing his glance, she turned to look at him, smiling as Lucifer held a dagger in his hand and showed a smile for the first time since she left.
Her little face was smiling, "Hey... you know I suddenly felt I needed to protect and love you forever... it's funny right?" Gwen said to him with a slightly weak voice, stroking along Lucifer's hand that held the dagger, closing it tight in her grasp.
"Ah... it is funny, but it seems like Jeff."
"Tonight... Shall we drink together?" Gwen's fingers stroked the back of his hand while closing her eyes, taking a deep breath as she tried to keep the memories of the little brothers she lost today... One who saved her beloved... the other who betrayed her.
She wanted a release...
"Let's drink, to remember the good... Of both of them..." Lucifer said, knowing that although he had turned down a bad path... Matthew probably truly cared for Gwen in his way.
***
Outside the doorway, a green-haired elf with several bruises and a strange black-haired woman with red eyes watched as Lucifer and Gwen held hands tightly.
"Are we going to wait for him to recover or reveal ourselves now, Fel'zim?" The black-haired woman had beautiful pale skin, and under her bangs, there was a slight glimpse of what seemed like 6 rubies on her forehead...
But they were eyes...
"Marina, I do not wish to force him. His declaration was not ordinary—it was a soul oath. He will take his rightful place in the 72nd seat."
"But why not watch his growth slowly from the shadows? We already killed those that knew too much from today... Or those that might spill his secrets."
"For now, that is enough."
Marina looked at Fel'zim with a gentle look, the woman born to become the 72nd lord's weapon and only that.
Every lord had one such existence—before they awakened, there was their steward/maid, Marina, for Lucifer...
Then their weapon was a creature born from a special race, their heart, soul and spirit linked to the one they would serve and could never change this link.
However, this wasn't something Lucifer or Gwen would know...
Because the game didn't detail this lore...
"Let us follow them and support them in secret. Fel'zim, his cheerful smile and casual life. I do not dislike such a Lord."
"Me either... even if his wife beats me and shaved my pubic hair into the words "Slut" as punishment."
***
The two figures vanished completely like a gust of wind as a priestess came close to the mourning room while Lucifer merely smiled and bid farewell to Brad, Jeff and his old life again.
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