Chapter 81: Return to Okhema
When the last wanted poster dissipated into the night wind, the entire city of Dolos seemed to tremble. The common folk hid in their homes, not daring to light candles. They secretly peeked through window cracks, only to see a slender figure slowly walking down the street. Wherever that figure passed, corruption and greed were purified. The night in Dolos had never been so quiet. Even the most arrogant ruffians, who usually caused trouble, were now cowering in corners, not daring to make a sound. They had witnessed it with their own eyes and knew how terrifying the wrath of a Chrysos Heir could be.
When you left the city gates of Dolos, the city behind you had completely fallen into silence. The guards at the gate trembled as they watched you walk away; not a single one dared to stop you, nor even look at your appearance, fearing to bring about their own demise. They had heard everything that happened in the square. They heard about the downfall of the royal family. They heard about the fate of the powerful and influential.
In their eyes, the departing figure of the young man was no longer human. But a legendary existence. He was a Chrysos Heir. He was the judge who had come to this city of sin, Dolos.
Many years later, when the historian of Dolos recorded this night, he only dared to use a few words: "The year of eternal night began, a blood moon hung in the sky, a Chrysos Heir descended, purifying sin. The royal family was overthrown, the powerful and influential all died, gamblers' blood flowed like rivers, and Dolos was reborn."
(Purifying Dolos, Villain Value +1000!)
Two days later, Ohema.
"Thump-thump—"
Footsteps came from inside the room, and Aglaea's voice sounded: "Coming."
The moment the door opened, Aglaea's expression instantly changed. She widened her eyes, staring blankly at you. You stood outside the door, the night wind blowing through your disheveled black hair. The clothes that had originally fit you were now stained with dark red blood, and some places were even torn. The strong smell of blood was clearly discernible, even from a distance.
"Orion… you…"
Aglaea opened her mouth, but didn't know what to say. Her gaze roamed over you, trying to find wounds. But she quickly realized that this blood was not yours.
"Where did you go? What did you do?"
You looked at her, wanting to say something, but your throat was too dry to make a sound. The continuous travel for days and the immense consumption of controlling the Golden Thread had already exhausted all your strength. Once the tense nerves relaxed, an overwhelming wave of fatigue instantly engulfed you. Your vision blurred, and your body swayed.
"I…" You only managed to utter one word.
The next moment, the world spun before your eyes, then plunged into complete darkness. You fell forward. The anticipated cold ground did not appear. A pair of soft arms promptly wrapped around you, embracing you into a fragrant embrace.
Aglaea caught you. She felt the weight of your body, and your scorching temperature. She lowered her head, looking at your pale and blood-stained face, and her usually calm eyes now showed a ripple. She seemed to understand what had happened. Cipher had returned with injuries and Golden Blood, and you, with others' blood on you. Some debts, after all, had to be repaid.
Aglaea said nothing more, only holding you more steadily. Her slender body was remarkably reliable at this moment. She gently stroked your black hair, her actions as tender as comforting an injured small animal.
"You've worked hard."
Her voice was very soft, but you still heard it in your daze. Those three words contained too much. Understanding, heartache, and some inexplicable emotion. You wanted to say something, but your consciousness became increasingly blurry. Your last memory was her warm embrace and that whisper-soft sentence: "Sleep, it's all over."
Darkness swallowed you. But this time, you slept very soundly. Because you knew that Cipher would no longer be in danger. Those who wanted to harm her no longer existed.
When you regained consciousness, you felt warm water gently caressing your skin. You slowly opened your eyes and found yourself lying in a bathtub full of warm water. Aglaea was kneeling beside the bathtub, holding a soft towel, carefully cleaning the bloodstains from your arm. Her movements were very gentle, as if you were a fragile piece of porcelain.
"…Awake?"
Aglaea noticed your movement and looked up. Her emerald eyes held a gentle smile, but her cheeks were faintly flushed. Clearly, she had stayed awake all night to take care of you.
"Sister Aglaea…"
You tried to sit up. "Don't move." She gently pressed your shoulder, the warmth of her palm transferring through your damp skin. "You've been unconscious for a full day and night; the bloodstains on your body have dried, so you must soak longer to get clean."
The water temperature was just right, neither scalding you nor letting you catch a cold. Aglaea continued to gently wipe your body with the towel, washing away the dark red bloodstains little by little. When she cleaned your chest, her breathing noticeably quickened. The towel glided softly over your skin.
"This blood… it's not yours, is it?" She spoke softly as she cleaned. You nodded, but didn't say much, and she didn't ask further.
Aglaea continued her work, needing to change the water from time to time. The first basin of water quickly turned dark red. The second basin, the third basin… Each time she changed the water, she re-examined your body to ensure no bloodstains were missed.
"Good… no wounds."
When she confirmed that you were truly unharmed, Aglaea let out a sigh of relief. She leaned against the edge of the bathtub, her tense expression finally relaxing. But as she relaxed, she also seemed to realize something. Alone in the room, you naked in the bathtub, and she taking care of you so intimately… At this moment, the air seemed to become somewhat ambiguous.