Chapter 939
Episode 233: Ayula (1)
Jin looked up at Ayula.
Upon closer inspection, he saw hundreds of golden threads of divine power radiating from her entire body, all connected to the light that Jin had left with Lani.
But unlike before, Ayula no longer radiated that overwhelming strength. Instinctively, Jin knew what choice she had made.
“Ayula-nim, you don’t mean…”
[From the very moment I decided to save these two, I could no longer maintain my divine status. For a god like me to intervene so deeply in the mortal world without any cost—that would be far too dangerous.]
Death.
Ayula had sacrificed her own life to save Dante and Hedo. The moment Paelito’s sword struck them, she had summoned them into her inner realm.
Countless immortals in this world could summon or teleport without much restriction, but for a god to do so in order to save someone was an entirely different matter.
Only after hearing this did Dante and Hedo realize the true extent of Ayula’s sacrifice.
“Ayula-nim!? You chose to vanish yourself to save us?”
[Yes, Dante Hiran, Sword Sovereign.]
“I am… a knight of the empire! Knights are humans who fight and die for their beliefs. For you, a god, to throw away your life for me and Lord Hedo—how can that be?”
The joy of being alive and seeing Jin and their comrades again quickly faded into shock. Dante almost shouted in anger.
“If we disappear, someone else will take our place. But if Ayula vanishes, what will happen to the Holy Kingdom? To the order she governs? I… I never imagined a god would abandon all that just to save us!”
[So you hate it?]
“I do. If it could be undone…!”
[Ha ha, it cannot be undone. So don’t be so angry, Sword Sovereign. It’s endearing, but if you hate it that much, how do you think I feel?]
“…I share your thoughts, Ayula. Though I never fully trusted you, and I value my lady and comrades’ lives more than yours, your choice… I don’t know if I’m worthy of it. May I ask—if you had saved only the Sword Sovereign, could you have avoided vanishing?”
[Yes, I could have. If I had saved only the Sword Sovereign, I would still exist as a god.]
“In that case, with all due respect, you should have saved only the Sword Sovereign…”
Jin remained silent, unsure of what to say.
[Listen, Jin, Dante, Hedo. Children, hear me. I helped and saved you because I am certain that you have more to do in this world than I do.]
“How could we possibly have more to do than you, Ayula-nim…?”
[Sword Sovereign, I am a god.]
Ayula met Dante’s gaze.
[And gods are immortal beings bound by fate. Though gods possess far greater power than mortals, they cannot transcend destiny.]
-[Unlike mortals, immortals are subject to fate. That is the burden of immortality.]
Jin recalled what Ameris had said the first time they met.
“You asked what would happen to the Holy Kingdom and the peace I oversee if I disappeared. I will answer. The Holy Kingdom will rise again by the strength of humans. And as always, it will pray daily for peace. Even if I can no longer hear those prayers.”
At that moment, Ayula’s voice trembled slightly. The god was grieving.
[But does that mean the concept of peace itself will vanish from the world? No. I once believed that would happen, but no longer. Even if I disappear, someone—children like you—will fight to protect peace. In some ways, you have struggled more fiercely for peace than I ever did. I merely existed in its name.]
Ayula gently moved her wings, stroking the heads of the three.
[So at moments like this, for people like you, it is right—one hundred, one thousand times right—for an immortal like me to sacrifice herself. Perhaps this was the very purpose of my existence.]
Tears welled in Dante’s eyes. Ayula’s last remaining power shimmered in his tears. She smiled, clearly proud of him.
[That should answer your questions about my choice. And now, my time is short. I hope you will help me accomplish what I have resolved to do until the very end.]
Dante and Hedo no longer spoke of Ayula’s sacrifice. It would only waste her remaining time.
“We will help in any way, anything.”
“What should we do?”
[For now, Dante and Hedo, there is nothing you need to do. Soon, because of Jin’s decision, Lani will awaken. Focus on her recovery. After that, you will have many tasks.]
“Jin’s decision…?”
Jin knew exactly what that meant.
“Now it’s my turn to make the same choice as Lord Ron did in the past, Ayula-nim.”
Ayula nodded.
Just as Ron saved the dying Jin with the light of Changseong during the Sword Sovereign War, now it was Jin’s turn to save Lani.
[In saving those two, I could not save Lani. As I grieved, I sensed you left the light of Changseong with her.]
When Lani became transparent, Jin thought the light had remained on its own.
But that light was definitely his. The moment he ascended to Changseong, what he unconsciously desired most was the survival of his comrades—and that had settled within Lani.
[You know, Jin. If you want, you can reclaim that light and bind it back to yourself.]
“That would restore the full power of Changseong to me.”
[Yes. But you won’t choose that.]
“Of course not. I will save my friend.”
Objectively, Lani was just a Holy King with exceptionally strong divine power.
Though she had incredible healing abilities, she was not worth more than the completeness of the power Jin had gained from Changseong.
But to Jin, saving Lani was the more valuable choice.
What the future—and the world—would demand beyond transcending fate was not power, but people.
“Power can always be regained. Even if I lose it all, I will still be Changseong. Even if I lose everything, my choice would be the same.”
Ayula imagined Jin keeping the full power of Changseong for himself, without saving Lani.
He was not Azmil, and even Azmil could not perfectly foresee Changseong’s future.
But she sensed that such a path would surely end in corruption like Paelito’s. Yet she could not picture Jin becoming such a monster.
[Heh, honestly, I was a little worried you might say otherwise. That’s why I made sure to say in advance that you saved Lani. It would be awkward if you made a different choice. Of course, I never doubted you.]
“You were aware of Changseong’s unique charm.”
Charm.
Ayula worried not about Jin, but about the charm Jin would now carry.
[You will probably overcome even that. Now that I see it, I cannot imagine you becoming a monster of charm.]
Jin stepped closer to the light connected to Ayula’s power. It pulsed like a beating heart.
Ayula didn’t need to give any instructions. Just as a newborn breathes and moves instinctively, Jin naturally handled the light.
As he gently cupped it in both hands, the light that slipped through his fingers gathered upward.
It soon took the shape of a person—and after a moment, it became Lani.
Though unconscious, Lani was merely asleep. Dante slowly descended to the ground and caught her in his arms.
[She will awaken by tomorrow. Until then, my vanishing will not be complete, so I will have a chance to say farewell to her.]
Resurrection originally required the Tears of Numerus.
Now, Ayula was substituting those tears with her remaining body, will, and the light of Changseong passed on by Jin. The group looked up at Ayula, who had grown noticeably dimmer than before.
Lani would grieve deeply.
But she would not collapse under sorrow. She would rise the Holy Kingdom again and fight to protect peace.
“Now, I must finish what remains and depart.”
Ayula landed on the ground and spoke. Her voice no longer carried the divine resonance of a god. She had completely lost her divinity.
“Jin.”
“Yes, Ayula-nim.”
“What scares you the most?”
Despite the sudden question, Jin did not hesitate.
“I fear that even after gaining such great power, something like this will happen again. I’m afraid the events that unfolded today in the Holy Kingdom will repeat.”
Failing to protect those he must, unable to prevent the deaths of those he loves.
That was still what frightened Jin the most. If the moment came when his charm exploded, it would surely be because of that.
“When great battles continue, tragedy inevitably follows. You fear it more than anyone else because you understand this well.”
“Yes.”
“I will show you a way to ease that anguish, even if just a little.”
Jin’s eyes widened.
“What… way?”
“Why so surprised? You have always agonized over the deaths of innocent, powerless people. You never stopped agonizing, even in battle. Naturally, that will be closely tied to the formation of the power of Changseong you have gained.”
“Ah…!”
“I just examined the nature of the Radiance’s power you had reached right before losing your divine status. One of its key traits was… regeneration, exactly that.”