Julius's face twisted, contorted by an ugly blend of rage and disbelief.

His pride shattered like glass beneath his feet.

Never in his life had he been humiliated so completely, so utterly.

He had faced threats before—warriors, beasts, sneaky humans—but this?

This was worse than any blade or curse.

To stand there and watch every single person he ruled over turn their backs on him, to see them smiling, smiling at him as though he were the fool in some cruel play.

It was unbearable.

Not to mention, that just moments ago, he had felt like a god among mortals.

The taste of victory still lingered sweetly on his tongue. He had believed himself clever, untouchable.

But now, the sweetness had curdled into piss.

He felt sick with it.

'He tricked me.' Julius realized, his jaw trembling with fury. 'That bastard tricked me in front of everyone.'

And the villagers—his villagers—now stood behind the Hero, their eyes glowing with faith and hope.

And that same light in their faces made Julius's head ache.

The urge to destroy it, to tear it all apart, consumed him.

He wanted to shove Luca into the fire, watch him burn to ash, and laugh as those bright, trusting faces turned to screams.

He wanted to make them suffer, to make them regret ever defying him, ever believing that some outsider was worth more than their own leader.

Meanwhile, Leona, standing beside him was silent.

One might expect her to be broken—to feel anger, despair, or bitterness at watching her own people abandon her.

After all, the entire village she had led, protected, and sacrificed so much for had chosen another, and even her own daughters stood at that man's side now.

And yet...Leona was smiling.

It wasn't a smile anyone would notice at first—it was faint, subtle, a secret curve of her lips.

But it was there, serene and full of release, as for the first time in decades she felt light, unburdened.

The weight she'd carried for so long—the guilt, the pressure, the impossible expectations—had finally been lifted.

When she first became the Matriarch, she had wanted to change everything. She wanted to make her village a place of equality and warmth, to erase the cruel traditions that shackled her people.

But the world hadn't let her.

Due to circumstances that were pushed upon her, she had been forced to act against her will, to uphold the very rules she despised.

And every year, every choice that hurt someone she wanted to protect, she hated herself more.

Now, though, looking at Luca, at the man the Goddess herself had seemingly sent she knew she could finally rest.

The village no longer needed her leadership.

They had found someone stronger, kinder, more capable of protecting them than she ever could.

And watching everyone believe in him so completely, she knew she'd made the right choice, even if it wasn't hers to make.

Especially when she saw her daughters—her precious girls—hugging Luca tightly, smiling again, something inside her melted.

She had feared what would happen to them if she could no longer protect them. She feared they'd be lost, consumed by anger or loneliness.

But now...now they were safe.

And though they had pushed her away, called her a stranger, and turned their backs on her, Leona didn't feel pain.

No—this was peace. The peace she had prayed for silently every night.

Her gaze then turned tender as she looked at Luca, gratitude shining faintly in her eyes. She wanted to thank him, to tell him how much it meant to see her daughters happy, to see her people safe.

But she couldn't. Not anymore.

He probably hated her, despised her even, and she didn't have the right to speak to him again.

And she couldn't blame him.

She then glanced at Nyx, the only one who still stood by her side at all times. The only one who had never left, no matter how bad things got.

And she couldn't help but think how blessed she was to have a sister like her.

But Julius...Julius couldn't bear it anymore.

His pride couldn't handle being ignored, being pitied, being defeated.

He snapped his head toward Leona and hissed.

"Leona, let's go. These fools don't deserve us. They wouldn't know what's good for them even if I showed it to their faces!"

"Their minds are rotten, and they're not worthy of standing in our presence!"

He turned sharply, cloak whipping through the air.

Leona exhaled softly, a sad look flickering in her eyes.

To be bound to someone like Julius—arrogant, blind, and incapable of reflection felt like a curse.

But it was her fate, and she had long accepted it.

She began to turn to follow him—

Until a voice stopped her cold.

"Leona." Luca called out, his tone steady and calm. "Hold on a second."

She froze and slowly, she turned back toward him, her body tense, her mind bracing for what was to come.

Surely he was going to scold her.

Mock her.

Maybe even shame her for everything she had done for all the pain she had caused.

She deserved that much, didn't she?

So she simply stood there, silent, eyes lowered, ready to accept whatever he was about to say.

But the words she expected never came.

Luca didn't scold her. He didn't glare or frown or even raise his voice.

Instead—he simply smiled.

It was calm, warm, and impossibly knowing, as if he could see every secret, every regret that Leona had buried deep in her heart.

"I know what you're thinking right now."

He began carefully, his tone carrying through the quiet clearing.

"You probably think I hate you. That I despise you for what you've done. For the way you kept pushing me away again and again."

Leona's eyes trembled, her lips parting slightly.

It was true. Those were the exact thoughts running through her mind.

The guilt began to rise again, pressing heavy against her chest. Her face fell, a faint sadness washing over her features.

Luca saw it, and his smile deepened.

"But don't worry about it."

He said suddenly, the words spoken so casually that she blinked in surprise, her head lifting to look at him.

"I know that none of this—what you did, what you said, how you acted—it wasn't truly on your behalf."

"You were even warming up to me, weren't you?"

Leona's eyes widened, completely caught off guard.

"I could see it." He said with a soft chuckle. "You wanted to build something between us. You wanted to trust me. And I could tell your heart was changing."

"But...I also know that everything you did was because of him."

His eyes flicked briefly toward Julius, then back to her.

"That man—your dear husband—he's the one who bound you in these chains. He's the one who twisted you into this cold, distant image that isn't truly you. It's his doing, not yours."

"So don't worry, Leona. I hold nothing against you for it."

For a moment, she just stared at him, stunned into silence.

Even if another man knew the truth—that she was being forced into this situation, that she wasn't in control—his pride would still turn against her.

His ego would never allow forgiveness.

He'd hate her out of spite, out of wounded pride.

But Luca...Luca wasn't like any other man.

He was still standing there, smiling at her—accepting her. Understanding her.

She could hardly believe it.

Then Luca chuckled lightly, his voice turning playful yet filled with a strange confidence.

"And don't worry. It won't last long either."

"I promise you." He said, his voice low, calm, but filled with certainty. "It won't be long before I find these mysterious shackles that bind you, whatever curse or spell keeps you from being yourself and..."

"...twist them, tear them apart, and break them right in front of your eyes."

He raised his hand slightly, his tone filled with conviction.

"So that you'll never have to hide again. Never have to live in the shadows, or behind that cold mask you've been wearing for so long."

"You'll finally be free to show your true self—the woman who loves her village more than anyone else, who's willing to give everything to protect it."

"The woman who adores her sister, even if she's too afraid to show it. And the woman who would give up the entire world...just for her daughters."

The words echoed through the night like a blessing.

Lulu, Luna, and even Nyx looked at him in astonishment, completely taken aback.

He wasn't done, as he continued with his gaze locked on Leona.

"You've suffered long enough, Leona. But that time is coming to an end. Soon, you'll be able to show the entire world who you really are and I promise you, I'll be the one to break those chains."

"I'll pull you out of the darkness with my own hands and bring you into the light, so you can finally see how beautiful it is on the other side."

"So, just wait for me."

"I'll be there by your side soon."

The silence that followed was heavy, sacred almost.

Then, slowly, Leona's entire body went still.

Her chest tightened, her heart thundering.

And before she realized it, her face began to heat up—faintly at first, then spreading rapidly until her cheeks flushed bright red.

The color deepened until even her long, elegant ears glowed crimson.

The villagers gasped softly. Even Nyx's mouth fell open.

None of them—none—had ever seen this woman blush. In over half a century, her face had been a mask of composure and authority, never revealing an ounce of vulnerability.

But now, here she was, blushing like a maiden, her expression bashful, even adorable.

Leona herself didn't know what was happening to her.

Her heart raced so fast she had to clutch her chest, trying to calm herself.

Her entire body felt warm—not from the nearby fire, but from Luca's words that had ignited inside her.

Just his voice alone, just those promises, made her feel safe.

Safer than she had ever felt in Julius's arms.

Safer than she had ever been in her own home.

His words were like a shield around her heart, protecting her from the cold she had lived in for decades.

And realising this, she looked at Luca again, her lips trembling slightly before curling into a soft, genuine smile.

A smile so rare and gentle that the entire village went silent again, watching in disbelief.

She then turned away to follow Julius, but her face no longer carried sorrow. Instead, there was something else.

Hope.

Quiet, fragile hope.

That one day he would appear again and keep his promise, tearing apart the chains that held her captive just like he had promised.

And if he really did.

If he really did keep his promise and grant her his greatest wish, then the only thing she could give in return that could possibly please him was...

...her body.

But the moment she had that naughty thought, she quickly shook them away thinking of how ridiculous it was and pranced off in a fluster like a innocent maiden who had developed her first crush.

And while Leona was stuck in her own fantasy, Luca's voice broke the stillness again—but this time, it wasn't for her.

"Julius." He called out, his tone sharp and almost playful. "You hear that sound? Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock...That's your time running out."

The villagers looked at him, startled, as Luca smirked.

"So if I were you, I'd start running" He continued, his voice dropping low. "Running as fast and far as I can before I rip your head off your shoulders and hang it on a stick for everyone to see."

Julius's face went pale. His composure shattered completely.

And without another word—he actually ran.

Like a rat with its tail between its legs, he bolted into the forest, his cloak flapping behind him, tripping over roots and branches as laughter erupted across the clearing.

Even the elves who had once feared him couldn't help but chuckle, relief washing over them like a wave.

Nyx, however, just stood there for a moment, watching Leona's still-blushing face and Luca's confident grin. She sighed, shaking her head with an amused smile.

"Honestly." She muttered under her breath. "I can't tell if that man came here to save our race...or to seduce every woman in it."

Still, she didn't seem upset by the thought. She merely shrugged, then jogged after the fleeing Julius, calling out teasingly.

"Brother-in-law! Wait for me! You promised me a drink, remember? Don't you dare run off without me!"

The three of them then disappeared into the distance, leaving the others behind.

Meanwhile, Lulu tugged on Luca's sleeve, her big eyes sparkling as she asked,

"So...what now?"

Luca blinked, then chuckled. "What do you mean, what now?" He said with a grin. "It's time to party."

"Party?" Lulu tilted her head.

"Of course." He laughed softly. "You've all been through hell. You deserve a good party and we're going to dance, laugh, and celebrate until sunrise!"

Immediately, a roar of joy erupted across the village.

"Let's party!"

"Bring out the wine! The good stuff!"

"I'm gonna dance until I faint!"

Luca laughed as the music started again, the drums beating like the pulse of life itself.

The elves circled the great fire, their spirits rekindled, their laughter echoing through the night.

Luca joined in too, laughing as Luna tried to teach him the elves traditional dance.

His movements were clumsy at first, earning giggles from everyone, but soon enough, the rhythm caught him and he danced along with them, which made everyone laugh out loud.

And just like that, the entire village swayed and spun, laughter echoing under the night sky—hearts blazing with warmth and hope for the future.

And for that night at least, the darkness that once haunted them was gone and was replaced by a light that was starting to bloom.

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