Chapter 139: One Broken Ego

Chapter 139. One Broken Ego

"That was unexpected..." I muttered.

My eyes remained fixed on the coastal road above the cliffs, where six women had been watching me only moments earlier.

How did I know?

[Abyssal Eye]

I’d noticed them the moment their horses stopped. Their armor, weapons, and the holy mana circulating through their bodies had made their identities rather obvious.

Light Temple warriors. Six women. And every single one of them was S-Rank. The Temple certainly wasn’t playing around if it had dispatched six elite warriors just to drag me back to the Holy City.

Well, I supposed that meant my peaceful afternoon was officially coming to an end. I should probably finish bathing before they arrived.

I reached into my dimensional ring and retrieved the herbal soap Lily had given me before I left. Its familiar floral scent brought a brief warmth to my chest.

[Abyssal Water Manipulation]

Fresh water gathered around me, washing away the salt and remaining dirt. Since there wasn’t a single spot on the beach that wasn’t covered in sand, I used Obsidian Earth Manipulation to create a smooth stone platform. Once I’d finished washing, Voidwind Manipulation dried my body and hair within seconds. Then I retrieved a fresh set of clothes from my dimensional ring and got dressed.

I adjusted my cloak and looked toward Lumenford.

[Voidwind Manipulation]

A current of wind gathered beneath my feet, lifting me from the beach. I rose above the rocky cliffs and headed toward town, enjoying the last few moments of freedom before the Temple’s representatives inevitably started bothering me.

The afternoon sun warmed my face as I flew over the terraced houses. From above, Lumenford looked peaceful. I was about to head straight toward the administrative building when something caught my attention. A gathering. Near the cemetery overlooking the western cliffs. Several dozen people stood among the gravestones, their heads bowed while a priest spoke before a freshly prepared grave. White flowers surrounded a coffin. And beside it stood Theo.

Elena’s funeral.

Earlier than I’d expected.

Then again, considering the condition of her remains, there wasn’t much reason to delay it. Even after my inspection confirmed that the necromantic contamination had disappeared, keeping her body aboveground for too long would only create unnecessary problems.

I descended toward a large tree near the cemetery’s edge. My feet touched the grass without making a sound. I remained there, far enough from the gathering that my arrival wouldn’t interrupt the priest’s prayers.

This wasn’t an occasion where I needed to make an entrance. I was merely observing. Cassian and Chief Marr were nowhere to be seen.

I supposed they’d already received word that the Light Temple’s representatives were approaching Lumenford. As the town’s authorities, they would be expected to welcome the visitors and explain the investigation’s outcome.

My gaze returned to the funeral. There were several townspeople, a few distant relatives, and some of Elena’s former coworkers from the Smiling Fish. The local priest stood before the coffin, reciting a prayer for her soul.

And Theo... He looked terrible. Not physically, although the exhaustion was obvious. His face was pale, and dark circles remained beneath his eyes.

But it was his expression that bothered me. Yesterday, he’d cried until he could barely breathe. He’d begged me to spare Elena’s body, held her through the night, and watched her crumble into dust when the sun rose.

Now? Nothing.

His face was completely blank. He stood beside the coffin with his hands clasped before him, staring at the flowers without showing the slightest emotion. No tears. Not even sadness.

I’d seen that expression before. People sometimes reached a point where their emotions became too overwhelming to process. Their minds simply stopped responding, leaving them numb to everything around them. Theo had reached that point. He’d cried until there was nothing left. And now he was standing at his wife’s funeral, looking as though some essential part of him had been buried alongside her.

I exhaled slowly. Poor guy.

My attention wandered across the gathering. Then I spotted someone standing near another tree.

Adrian.

He wasn’t standing with the mourners. Instead, he’d positioned himself far enough from the ceremony that he could watch without actually participating. Rather similar to me. Except I had a reason for keeping my distance.

He’d already announced that he wanted nothing to do with Elena because their wedding hadn’t taken place. So why was he here?

I narrowed my eyes. I noticed him approaching a young woman. She looked to be around Theo’s age, with light brown hair and a modest blue dress. I’d seen her earlier among Elena’s relatives. A cousin, if I remembered correctly.

Adrian leaned toward her and whispered something. The girl frowned. He laughed. My expression hardened. Then Adrian moved closer to her, and the girl visibly stepped back. Perhaps I should listen.

[Void Shift]

I reappeared behind another tree, close enough to hear their conversation but far enough that neither would notice me.

Adrian’s voice reached me almost immediately. "...never loved her anyway."

My eyes narrowed.

"I just wanted to see that assistant get his heart broken," Adrian continued.

The girl stared at him. "What?"

He smiled. "Come on. Don’t look at me like that. The only girl I’ve ever really wanted is you."

She recoiled slightly. "Adrian, Elena just died. And you’re saying this now?"

"Why not? She’s gone. There’s no point pretending anymore."

The girl looked toward the funeral, where Theo remained standing beside the coffin. "So you were going to marry her just because you didn’t want Theo to have her?"

Adrian shrugged. "Elena is mine." He paused. "Well, was mine. Past tense. She’s dead now."

The girl stared at him in disbelief. "Are you seriously talking about her like that? Like she was some kind of trophy?"

Adrian tilted his head. "Maybe." He sounded completely unconcerned. "I mean, think about it. I’m the most handsome man in Lumenford. Obviously, I need a beautiful wife who matches my status."

Oh, okay. He hadn’t wanted Elena because he cared about her. He’d wanted her because Theo did.

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