Chapter 160: Exposing Emir

Bullshit.

"What games are you trying to play at here? This is part of your plan?" He asked with a frown.

She was momentarily surprised. "What are you talking about? How can this be my plan from the start when I’m clearly not benefiting from anything here? I’m giving you the option and opportunity to save your mother and world without asking for anything in return."

"Yeah, right. It’s just a coincidence that you mentioned no intimacy before marriage, and another coincidence that you sent Valerie away after you saw us talking."

"What? What does that have to do with anything—" The words had barely escaped her lips when he slapped her hand away from the contract paper and picked it up.

"You never planned to have anything to do with me from the start, and you took Valerie out of the picture to prevent her from exposing you."

"What? That’s not..."

"I didn’t want anything of this either. But you of all people should know better than that when the lives of my loved ones are involved, I don’t play around. I only got involved with you because of our first deal, and I shall see it through to the end. It’s up to you if you do or do not want the founding successor. That’s fine by me. But you don’t get to rewrite the rules whenever you feel like it, and whatever your plan may be, it best not involve anything that might hurt me or any of my loved ones, because then... I wouldn’t hesitate to fight with everything I’ve got."

As Kaelen said this, his eyes ran through the contract paper with razor precision, using both his Sharp Senses and mana perception to look out for hidden texts or clauses in the contract. A few things made his eyes widen in surprise, and his brows furrow deeply.

It took him less than a minute to cover the entire contract, and as soon as he confirmed it was legitimate and didn’t go against his will, he bit his thumb and pressed it against the paper to solidify the agreement.

"W-What? Wait, no..." she trailed off as the contract burst into flame particles and a thin red thread materialized around her and Kaelen’s ring fingers and connected in the middle across from each other before it slowly disappeared.

The automated contract materialized in Kaelen’s vision in a system prompt before he swiped it away.

Emir must’ve seen the same thing, because she was caught in a deadlock, staring at the empty space before her.

Kaelen exhaled softly. "That’s settled then," he said in a flat tone. "I’ll take my leave now." He stood up and headed for the door without sparing her a second glance.

"Kaelen..." she blurted just as his hand reached the doorknob, making him pause. But now she didn’t know what to say or why she’d stopped him in the first place.

For a moment, there was only silence between the two before Kaelen chose to say something. 𝑓𝑟ℯℴ𝓂

"Emir, last time, you asked what I’d do if I was utterly defeated by the enemy after building for years..." he trailed off slightly, Emir’s eyes widening slightly as she steadied her breath to hear his response.

"I didn’t have an answer back then, but I’ve also been thinking for the past few days, and I think I have an answer now."

"If the so-called Creator was to kill my mother and everyone that I ever cared about, then utterly break me and toss me aside to wallow in pain and regret, I’d be devastated. Maybe for a while, or even longer... But that single act of divine retribution would be the worst mistake the goddess will ever make."

Emir’s breath hitched.

"For the lives of all those who put their trust in me and died to see my vision come through, I shall avenge them, even if it’s the last thing I do. As long as my hands can hold a sword, I shall swing it at the enemy. I shall sacrifice my soul to the pits of hell for even a minuscule amount of strength to aid me in battle. Until I draw my last breath, I shall not rest till I see to it that I win—or die trying." He tilted his head to stare at Emir, his eyes burning like the endless winter curse of the Frost Dragon God.

His gaze sent a chill down her spine.

"But you know the one thing I wouldn’t do after facing such defeat?" He paused for a moment, as if searching for something in her eyes. "That is to kill myself."

His words made her eyes widen in shock and disbelief.

"That’s the most pathetic thing I’d ever do, because that’s the height of mockery for the countless lives lost for my cause. And any leader who genuinely thinks of that is better off dead long before they chose to sacrifice the lives of many for their foolish ideals they couldn’t even see to the end. Fighting to the very end is the only thing that could ever make up for the restless souls watching and putting their faith in you from the underworld... and that’s what I’ll do." He said and twisted the doorknob without waiting for a reply and shut the door behind him, leaving Emir sitting there with wide eyes that had turned red to the point of tears.

Kaelen didn’t stop till he reached his room and shut the door behind him. But even then, the tension on his shoulders didn’t ease up.

He pressed his back against the door as he slowly banged the back of his head against its hard surface.

"What the hell was that?" He mumbled to himself with a heavy feeling.

He might’ve just blown his one and only chance to gain the power he truly needed to save Akkad and to protect his mother for eternity.

That’s right. Because at some point during his conversation with Emir, he had figured out her plan from the start.

That was the only reason he chose to sign the marriage contract, because everything she planned benefited him and him alone in every way possible, and if only Kaelen had kept his mouth shut, he just might’ve walked away with the Lordship of her entire kingdom.

The same kingdom that boasted the strongest army in the entire universe, that had wiped out 20% of the universe’s population by simply marching across it.

Emir never planned to have any intimacy with him or conceive of the next founding successor. Just like she’d said, they both had so much in common, which was a great start that shook the universe. So she specifically chose him to transfer the Lordship of her kingdom into his hands... before killing herself.

Kaelen hadn’t understood the meaning behind Valerie’s words the last time, but he’d come to understand that she tried to kill herself multiple times after her encounter with Goddess Zemira out of grief over losing everyone she held dear and leading them all to their deaths. All she wanted to do was to end her life as well, but Valerie stuck close to her and was always there to stop her when she got triggered.

After Emir stopped attempting and began smiling, it wasn’t because she had healed, but because she had found someone to look over what she had left, which had weighed her down and discouraged her many times. But transferring ownership to Kaelen, which she wanted to believe would be in good hands, would lift the burden off her chest to fully take her life to join her comrades in the afterlife.

That was the reason she sent Valerie away, because once Kaelen signed the contract, which contained a clause that gave him ownership over her domain in her absence, then she’d finally be free without any hindrance.

But at the last moment, she’d hesitated... and she’d pitied him for the fate she was about to pass onto him. That was the reason she asked if he wanted to withdraw.

Kaelen’s resolve sharpened.

He’d genuinely done his part by giving her a piece of his mind before leaving. If she still chose to go ahead with it, then the kingdom would become his.

If that was the price of power, he didn’t mind, knowing he did something to prevent it.

But if she chose to repent from her suicidal ways, it was also a win for him. Because then, she’d choose to recover from her trauma and stop neglecting her legs, which she intentionally left damaged to remind her of her painful past.

If that happened, then Kaelen might’ve just won her over to his side. Except this time around, she wouldn’t be known as the crippled villainess.

She’d be remembered as the War Demon who stood against the strongest being of the universe, and her enemies shall tremble once more at the mention of her name.