My Husband Has Changed - Chapter 164



Only Krnovel

#164. Finale
2024.03.12.

“What a pity, you.”

Those eyes that gave up everything in an instant.

“Tears, you little… … .”

The last desperate breath that could not be held spread from the tip of his pale, petrified lips.

He existed for a split second like a carved stone statue. Soon, he slowly turned to ash and collapsed from his shoulder.

Not a single magic stone, not a single trace of his existence in the world.

“… … .”

All that remained was the black blood soaked into her hands. The end of someone who wanted to be remembered by everyone was so insignificant.

* * *

She stood up and slowly began walking north.

How long had it been since Morrig’s death? It seemed like she had forgotten her hunger for so long.

She didn’t even need sleep, so the distinction between night and day was meaningless.

At least one thing Morrig had said was right. After paying for his blood as a sacrifice, her power had become even stronger and more complete.

The monsters no longer came near her, and even the wind held its breath so as not to disturb her.

After so many days, she finally reached the sanctuary.

“… … .”

With each step she took, memories of this place came to mind in a haphazard manner.

The day she arrived here as a newly adult priest, the garden where she first encountered Valentin, the library where they piled up books and read together, the table where they shared their daily routine, and… …

She raised her head at the top of the stairs. She saw a vast lake, and beyond it, a gigantic being that seemed to reach the sky.

He was groaning in pain, having lost most of his remaining form.

All of his elegantly shiny black scales had turned into a dull gray.

[Valentin.]

At Adele’s call, the dragon that had been groaning in pain stopped moving. He raised his head and slowly straightened what looked like a broken wing.

[Ah. Adelheid.]

The dragon’s body, with its pure white bones exposed, was horrifying to look at. The beating heart was revealed between the splayed ribs.

Stabbed by a long ‘thorn’, spitting out corruption.

It was impossible to take its eyes off that horrifying sight. Adel excitedly stepped on the accumulated corruption and stood in front of the dragon.

[I came to keep my promise, Valentin. I told you I would definitely come see you.]

Valentin bowed his head as if obeying her.

[Yes. I’ve been waiting, Adel.]

Her clothes and hair fluttered delicately at the dragon’s tired breath.

[There is only one way to save me. Stab me with that dagger.]

The dragon’s earnest gaze turned to the dagger in Adel’s hand.

He seemed to already know that the black liquids clinging to it were Morrig’s blood.

Valentin exposed his heart so that she could stab him. His will poured into his head one after another.

[I have to die to stop the corruption. If I seal this forest and time passes, the corruption will naturally disperse. So please don’t worry about the world’s destruction.]

[Yes. It will hurt. I know, I’m sorry. But it will only last a moment. You have now perfected the power of the gods. You can endure it.]

[Stab. Adele. Please.]

The end was a plea. Adele slowly lowered the hand that was holding the dagger.

Only after seeing his obsessive attitude of begging for death did she become completely convinced.

[This is it.]

She walked closer to Valentin.

[This was your and Morrig’s bet.]

She felt sad that her will sounded so dry.

If she could clearly convey her feelings to him, he would feel how much pain she was in.

[You win if I kill you. If you don’t kill him, Morrig wins. Whether I choose you or not… … you will disappear.]

Adele bit her lips tightly.

Morrig’s cruelty was a well-known fact, but it was hard to understand why he would accept such an unreasonable bet.

[Why on earth did you accept that bet? You already knew what purpose I was created for. You already knew what choice I would make.]

As power blossomed in response to Adele’s anger, Valentin instinctively crouched.

It seemed as if he wanted to run away from her as far as possible if he could. The corruption had already dug deep into his bones.

[I know without you having to say it. You believed that I would stab you. That’s why you wanted me to become a god in a world where Morrig and you disappeared.]

[That.]

[Right?]

Valentin never answered. But sometimes silence was more powerful than any affirmation.

Adele let out a hollow laugh.

Ah. What a disgusting way of thinking the gods had. The greatness of treating human emotions as worse than an ant that could be kicked underfoot.

She was overcome with indescribable sadness. She hated him but loved him, and felt sorry for him but his blindness was terrible.

Adele carefully placed her hand on the bridge of the dragon’s nose where its scales had begun to fall off.

He flinched but did not dare to reject her touch.

[At first, I had intended to give this body to you. Just as you once wore the body of the Grand Duke of Ansgar, I thought that this ‘doll’s’ body could give you life again.]

And that was also the wish of ‘First Morrig’. To give her son a new life.

After all, from the beginning, she was created to function as a tool for him and humans… … .

[After I found out, I tried to fully awaken the power. I wanted to give a more complete and clean vessel. That’s why I gathered as much power as I could and used it as little as possible to come here.]

She took a deep breath. Then she looked straight into his golden eyes and conveyed her will.

[To make you a god again.]

[You don’t have to do that, Adele. There’s no way to do that. No matter what I heard from anyone, it was all a lie. Whatever you do, please don’t hurt yourself.]

Valentin’s will was filled with anxiety and impatience. He was almost begging.

Adele slowly walked towards his heart.

The closer she got, the hotter the heat warmed her skin, and the beating of his heart was transmitted through the air.

Adele saw a long, sharp, black blade embedded in the fragile organ. The corruption falling down that blade… …

She gripped the dagger tightly and slowly charged her power. Soon, the magic stone embedded in the dagger began to emit an intense blue light.

She raised her head in that light.

[Valentine. I sometimes imagine what it would have been like if we had met as normal humans.]

[… … .]

[Did we recognize each other at first sight? Maybe we had met as neighbors. You might have hated me at first. I might have been afraid of you.]

She was silent for a moment, as if imagining the scene. Then she smiled brightly.

It was a smile so beautiful that even Valentine, who was writhing in pain, lost his mind for a moment.

[Still, we would have chosen each other in the end. Whether it was a small cabin or a huge castle. Whether we were nobles or commoners. We would have recognized each other no matter how we met. We would have grown a small garden together by a lake similar to this one. We might have even had children… … .]

Her will, which had continued like a dream, sadly subsided.

She grabbed the dagger she had been hanging down with both hands. Then she slowly aimed it at her heart. Only then did Valentin realize the situation and growled, spreading his wings in a hurry.

[What are you doing?]

He felt the sanctuary vibrate with his anger. He tried to raise his body and grab Adele.

However, his body, which had been neglected for a very long time, would not move as he wished.

[Valentin. I wish for a world where there is no longer a need for God. I came up to your eye level, but it wasn’t very good… … .]

Adele burst into a relieved laugh. As if she had no regrets left.

[So now, wherever you are, no matter what terrible hell it is, I will gladly fall there.]

[Adeleheit!]

Please stop. Before his will, which was like a roar, could even reach her, Adele stabbed the dagger into her heart with all her might.

As soon as she did, an incomparable pain pierced through her entire body.

It hurt.

It wasn’t her heart, but the terrible pain that felt like her entire body was being torn to pieces made her convulse without even screaming.

As the vessel shattered into pieces, she felt the power she had barely held onto raging inside her, seeking an escape route.

In an instant, she had fallen from the status of a god to that of a human.

[Ah, Valentine… … .”]

She held onto the raging power with all her might. She

barely held onto her mind, which seemed ready to snap at any moment, and focused only on drawing out the power as thin as a thread.

From her slender back, which trembled intermittently in pain, a bluish light eventually burst out. It looked like giant wings made of thin thread.

[Don’t. No, please. You’ll get hurt. You’ll die. Please… … !]

Adele firmly grabbed the hateful sword embedded in Valentine’s heart and pulled it out in one go. Then, with both arms outstretched, she enveloped the bursting corruption with her entire body.

The moment the unbearable pain surged through her body, her vision flashed white.

* * *

They were facing each other in the fragrant garden.

Adele quickly remembered that day. It was the memory of the moment when they first met.

She burst into a delighted laugh at the sight of him.

Valentin, grimacing fiercely, strode over to her and hugged her. A suppressed rebuke burst into her ear.

[Are you laughing now?]

“Yeah. I’m so happy right now.”

He groaned as if he couldn’t stop himself. Adele hugged Valentin’s back.

“Valentin. Why did you give me the source? There were ways you didn’t have to do that.”

[Because I didn’t want you to be treated like a puppet for me.]

“… … .”

[When you become a god, you can choose your own fate. Then you can become the master of the world and live forever. I could stay by your side even for a moment.]

“The conclusion is selfish. You could have told me in advance.”

[Yes. It was an act of selfishness on my part. I didn’t want you to endure anything. I wanted you to be able to choose everything freely and live.]

“Was it pitiful that I was made and born like this… because of you?”

[No, Adele.]

He cupped her cheek with his large, warm hands.

[Because I love you.]
　

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