Chapter 331: Chapter 331: Darkness into light Chapter 331 : Darkness into light Lea’s heart was beating fast, extremely fast even after hearing Noah’s words. For a moment, she almost moved to kill her own husband, that was just how tempting it was. But she didn’t. Because it was not easy to discard hundreds of years of being with a person, living with him, loving him, and experiencing so many things together... It was not easy. So she still hesitated, her mind torn into different pieces as she tried to find a way out of this situation, a way that would not make her look like a monster, like a worthless whore. But that option didn’t exist the moment she was dealing with Noah. They were still locking eyes, the tension sharp and suffocating. Aurelia watched while holding her breath, her mind, her body, her soul... her entire being was absorbed in this exchange between Noah and Lea. She wanted to know... what Lea would do? What Noah would do? How all of this would turn out? She craved the answer, so much she forgot to breathe. Asaemon meanwhile took out some popcorn out of nowhere, mumbling under his breath, "If this is what Aurelia is reading every single day, then I think I’ll start reading too." A chuckle followed, as he planned to ask his sister later. What they didn’t know was that they were not the sole spectators, for one entity was also watching with rapt attention, gazing at its favorite with warm eyes, hidden between countless realities. "Tell me, will you do it?" Noah said, making Lea focus on him again. She tried to speak, to say that she couldn’t do this, that she didn’t want to kill her own husband... she didn’t want to cross this line of no return. But the words refused to come the moment she glimpsed the depth of Noah’s eyes. She visibly shuddered, dread rising and coiling around her heart like the crushing embrace of a serpent. She was afraid. She was genuinely afraid of Noah. Something deep inside her carried an instinctive feeling to never anger the smiling man in front of her, because she was sure... that a fate worse than death awaited her. And when she was forced to choose between suffering under the grasp of this abomination, or killing the one who had caused her to go through all of this... Then the answer came naturally fast. "I... I will kill him," she managed to utter, her eyes lowered to the ground, unable to look directly at Noah. Noah smiled. "Are you sure? I mean... I don’t want to force you into doing something you’re not comfortable with, you know?" "Killing your own husband might not be so easy, after all," he added, his voice tainted with mock empathy. A deep feeling of shame and self-loathing bloomed in Lea’s heart at Noah’s words, but she didn’t deny them. "Yes... I will kill him. I will do it by my own accord." "All of this because of what?" Noah continued. "Because he is responsible for all this." "And?" he pressed again. Lea bit her lip sharply until blood began to flow, still... she answered. "...Because... I want to be yours." Her voice wavered, breaking. Noah’s smile widened into an open beaming grin. He slid his hands downward, guiding hers toward the sword that had been set aside during the conversation, making her fingers curl tightly around the hilt before raising it until it hovered just above the heart of Neron. Neron only stared blankly, lifeless, his mind completely shattered — or at least on the brink of it. Only then did Noah release her hands, stepping back a few paces, watching intently. She was alone, sitting on the body of her shattered husband, surrounded by three abominations who were all watching her with different kinds of eyes, of emotions. But none of them were eyes of pity or mercy. Instead, they looked at her as if she were a fool, destined to entertain them with her foolish acts. And the worst... the worst was that she didn’t have any other choice but to entertain these abominations with her suffering, because... ...she slowly turned her head and looked at the smiling face of Noah, and felt a tremor course through her whole body. Yes. She was afraid of Noah. And it was her fear of Noah that made her about to kill her own husband. This scene made Noah think of a quote he once heard back in his life on Earth, one he had thought cruel, evil, and wrong, but now... ...now he couldn’t help but admit there was truth in it. It’s better to be feared than to be loved. It was true. Love is a fickle thing most of the time. People are ungrateful, cynical, forgetful, but also greedy. They will stay by your side, singing your praise, bowing to you, doing whatever you tell them to do, because you treat them with kindness, give them wealth, position, even love... but all of that... ...only lasts as long as there is no threat, as long as their best interests remain with you. Because the moment that changes, you will hardly find anyone still beside you. After all, betraying someone gentle and loving is always easier than betraying someone vengeful and terrifying, someone who would make you feel the worst pain you have ever known if you ever dared to cross him. That is how life is. People rarely cherish the good ones, they only fear and respect the ones who have no mercy. This truth revealed itself as Lea raised the sword and pierced it deep into Neron’s chest, tearing through flesh and heart alike. Neron spasmed, his eyes fluttered in clarity because of the physical pain, he gazed at Lea with his bloodied eyes.. "L-Lea..." he brokenly said, his voice hoarse. Lea’s body trembled further as she heard him and watched the life fade from her husband’s eyes. Her mouth opened and closed helplessly, unable to comprehend what she had done, her hands still gripping the sword buried in his heart as it robbed him of his life. A gurgle of blood poured out from Neron’s eyes, his life would soon end. He slowly, painfully, achingly, raised his bloodied hand to touch Lea’s cheek. But before it can even reach her...life completely faded his eyes, his hand fell down with a loud thud. Neron was dead. Lea sat there, eyes blank, as the realization sank into her mind. Then a deranged laugh burst out of her throat, her head flung back as she laughed... and cried. She laughed and cried. Because she felt liberated to finally get rid of the reason of her pain...but also she felt a deep crunching grief of killing the one...the one she loved. The scene was atrocious. Tears of grief, of pain, of guilty happiness streamed down her cheeks unendingly like the flow of a river, while her mouth stretched wide in mad laughter. Something inside her had broken forever. And all of it because of Noah, who just sat there watching calmly. He knew it was better to be feared than to be loved — but only if you could not be both. And Noah wanted both. Now that he had broken this woman... ...it was time to rebuild her. To rebuild her in such a way that she would learn to love him — while her fear still remained intact. Noah approached Lea, squatted in front of her, and gently held her hands. Lea slowly stopped crying, raising her tear-streaked face toward him, still drowning in despair. She was at her lowest, at a point in her life where everything was darkness with no light in sight. She needed something — someone — to help her out of it. And Noah decided to be that one. He was her darkness. Then he would transform that darkness into a radiant light, and save her from doom. Yes, enough of playing the bad guy. Now he would be the light of this woman... in the same way he was the light of an entire world. And thus... "My dear Lea..." Noah offered the carrot after the stick. —End of Chapter 331—