ter 8
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“I’ve always loved you. If it weren’t for that wretched woman’s tricks, I never would’ve hurt yo Serin, you have to belleve me!”
I replied slowly, “Aether, do you really think I don’t know about aphrodisiacs?”
“If she truly wanted to control you, she’d need to be stronger. But you’re a god. Even if you didn’t complete the Sacred Flame trials and failed to awaken your divine power, you are still a god.”
“She’s just a lowly Feathergale. How could she possibly overpower you?”
Aether quickly added, “Yes, her powers are weaker. But she secretly cut your hair and used it to redirect my feelings for you onto herself.”
He was desperate to explain, shifting all the blame onto Shael.
He thought I still had feelings for him–that if he coaxed me enough, I’d fall for it again.
But he was wrong.
I raised my hand and slapped him hard across the face.
His head snapped to the side, eyes wide with disbelief.
I sneered. “So what if it’s true? Do you think your betrayal can just be wiped clean?”
“Aether, let me tell you this–whether you were deceived or willing, it makes no difference to me
now. You and Shael are tied together for life. Go rot in the gutter where you belong.”
His whole body trembled. Just as he reached for me, a crushing divine pressure pinned him in place.
Ethan stepped into view, expression grim.
Under the weight of a true god’s might, Aether’s back bent involuntarily. He collapsed to his knees
in complete disgrace.
Ethan’s voice was cold. “Get out.”
They were thrown out without mercy.
Only then did Ethan withdraw his divine power. He gently took my hand.
“Are you all right?”
I nodded and gave him a smile.
As he often did, he came to check on me afterward.
Chapter 8
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Then, a little nervously, he glanced at me and suddenly said, “L… I have something for you.”
Curious, I followed him outside.
After only a few steps, I stopped, eyes wide.
In the distance stood a red cedar, taller than two men.
Its green leaves were lush and vigorous.
Ethan explained, “I asked the Starfire family for this red cedar sapling. Sadly, I could only get it to grow this tall. But Serin, give me some time…”
His unfinished words were swallowed by my kiss.
Ethan froze, eyes wide. After a moment, he came back to his senses and held me tightly.
Beneath that not–yet–fully–grown red cedar, we shared our first kiss.
“I love it. Thank you,” I whispered.
My heart felt warm. He knew how much that tree meant to me–and so he cherished it, too.
Later, we held our wedding with great fanfare in the Dravon family. Golden light rained from the sky in divine blessing.
With the new King of the Gods appointed, the other gods returned to their rivers, lakes, and seas to
fulfill their duties.
Even Aether was no exception.
Unfortunately, due to the Sacred Flame trials, he had lost most of his power. In the end, he was only assigned to a tiny territory.
Shael, of course, was dissatisfied.
She harbored dark thoughts–she tried to murder him and steal his remaining power.
No one knew how she managed it, powerless as she was.
By the time Aether was discovered, he had long been dead, his divine power completely gone.
To prevent unrest, the nearby gods cremated his body on the spot.
As for Shael, her corpse was found not far away, already beginning to rot in a ditch.
When I heard the news, I smiled softly.
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Oh, Aether…
He never truly understood how terrifying a woman can be.
I remembered the divine artifacts he once gave Shael–among them, there was a god–slaying rope
When they left that day, I took back all the artifacts–except that one.
And now, thinking of it, I smiled again.
“What are you smiling at?” Ethan’s gentle voice called.
I looked up with a grin. “I just remembered a joke. They say the roses are in bloom down in the
mortal world. Shall we go take a look?”
Ethan smiled lightly. “Let’s go.”
