Chapter 96: Punishing the Bad Cat
Orion finally regained his senses as the options appeared before him. He smiled, a grim reminder that he was in a simulation—a villain's simulation at that. He looked at the three choices.
The first was to give up searching for Cipher? No, that was impossible. He had been searching for her for so long. She had become his obsession, his entire reason for being in this simulation. How could he not find her, bring her home, and make her his wife? In fact, being his wife wasn't enough; he also had to severely punish that naughty cat. Besides, such a mundane choice was simply too boring.
He then looked at the second option: continue searching for Cipher? He dismissed it immediately. Cipher possessed Divine Speed and the divine authority of trickery. She could transform into anyone and instantly appear anywhere. Even if she stood before him now, he might not recognize her. As long as she wished to remain hidden, she could truly hide for a lifetime. This path was clearly meaningless.
So, his gaze fell on the third option. "By any means necessary…" Seeing those words, he knew his choice was made. He would choose option 3.
(You chose by any means necessary, Villain Value +200!)
Suddenly, something shattered inside him. Perhaps it was his last remaining moral boundary, or something else entirely. He began to think frantically. Why? Why had it turned out like this? They were so good before. Why did she leave? He focused on the moment it all began: after she became a demigod! A few years after gaining her power, she had left without a word, unwilling to see him.
"So that's it," he muttered, his eyes gleaming with madness. "It's because of the divine authority! It's because of that damned Zagreus! The Titan's consciousness must have eroded her, changed her, and slowly stripped away her humanity! Why else would she abandon me? Why else would she become so cold? It had to be this way!"
His gaze grew increasingly gloomy. "It's all the Journey of Chasing the Flame's fault…" If not for the Journey of Chasing the Flame, she never would have become a god. If not for that damned divine revelation, none of this would exist.
The divine revelation? The re-creation? "Ridiculous," he thought. Why should he obey some divine revelation? Why should a Chrysos Heir be sacrificed for a new creation? Who could guarantee that after the re-creation, he and Cipher would even exist? Who could guarantee that the new world would be any better than the current one?
"It's all a lie… it's all falsehood…" His smile grew increasingly distorted.
What if… what if he stopped the Journey of Chasing the Flame? What if he stopped that damned divine revelation? Cipher still supported the Journey of Chasing the Flame, didn't she? If the Journey of Chasing the Flame failed, would she… come back? Even if it was to stop him, even if it was to kill him… at least he would see her again.
"Heh heh… it's worth a gamble."
At 110 years old, in Ohema, you sat in the darkest corner of a tavern, chugging strong liquor glass after glass. A dozen empty bottles were already piled on the table. But the Chrysos Heir's physique made it difficult for you to truly get drunk. You could only continue to drink, trying to numb yourself.
Suddenly, a hand reached out and took your glass. "How did you become like this?" A familiar voice sounded. You lifted your hazy, drunken eyes, wanting to snatch back the glass.
"Give it back…"
The other person held the glass high, not letting you touch it. You were too lazy to argue and slumped onto the table. "Forget it… whoever…"
That person was silent for a moment, then suddenly grabbed your arm and pulled you up forcefully. "Do you want to stay like this forever?!"
Forced to look up, you finally saw her face. Her golden short hair shimmered in the light, and her delicate face held a mix of worry and anger. It was Aglaea.
"Oh… it's you…" You smiled drunkenly. "What is a romantic Demigod doing in a place like this?"
Aglaea frowned. "Orion, what exactly happened to you?"
"What happened to me?"
You suddenly burst into laughter, tears streaming down your face. "I was abandoned! Left behind! She's been gone for over eighty years! Eighty years! I searched the entire world, but she wouldn't even see me once! She told me to live my own life… ridiculous, how can I live without her? She must not love me anymore, she must hate me, that's why she's hiding from me…"
You grabbed Aglaea's hand. "Why? What did I do wrong? I just want to be with her… such a simple wish, why can't it be granted?"
Aglaea looked at your broken state, and in her usually calm eyes, a deep heartache flashed. She suddenly stepped forward, pulling you, who were swaying from drunkenness and sorrow, tightly into her embrace. The warm hug made you freeze.
"Enough," her voice sounded in your ear. "Don't torment yourself anymore. Cifera… she chose to leave, she must have had her own unavoidable reasons." Aglaea gently stroked your back. "This isn't your fault. You've done enough. You've searched for her for so long; no one could have done better than you."
"What reasons… that would require her to hide from me for over eighty years?" Your voice choked as you buried your face in her shoulder, like a child who had finally found an outlet for their emotions.
Aglaea was silent for a moment, holding you even tighter. "From now on… be with me." Her voice was soft, yet firm. "Although Cifera is gone, but… you still have me. I will always be by your side."
You leaned in her arms, smelling the faint fragrance on her. This hug was so warm, so warm it made you want to cry. It had been a very, very long time since anyone had hugged you like this. Since Cipher left, you had never felt such warmth again.
"Mm…" You closed your eyes, finally giving up all struggle, and responded tiredly.
Aglaea breathed a sigh of relief, continuing to pat your back. But what she didn't see was that your golden eyes, buried in her shoulder, slowly opened. The earlier collapse and vulnerability had completely faded, replaced by a bottomless, icy calm. You still leaned on her, feeling that rare warmth, but at this moment in your heart, it transformed into something else. From an angle she couldn't see, the corner of your mouth curved upwards ever so slightly.
That's right… Aglaea. The leader of the Journey of Chasing the Flame, the romantic Demigod, so powerful, and so… compassionate. Heh heh… Truly perfect.