Son of the Hero King

Once everyone got settled and up to speed, Camelia, who had stayed relatively silent all this while, spoke up.

“Why don’t we have the main culprit out? After all, we have no plans to harm Nuwa.”

Nuwa, who was going through the slightest sense of regret at involving someone crazy like Arachne, nodded her head.

The light in her eyes dimmed slightly and soon was replaced by a tinge of intelligence and cunning. Her demeanor changed completely, from head to toe. Even though she only had the aura of a Duke, everyone present had the feeling that they were facing someone incredibly dangerous.

At the same time, this was an aura that was too familiar for the women there.

Theresa's smile had long since vanished as she looked at Nuwa or rather Echidna. Pandora closed her eyes, recalling memories from the distant past. Persephone twirled her hair, clearly feeling uncomfortable and not as nonchalant as she wished to appear. Lilith’s grip on her sword tightened ever so slightly. She still remembered the circumstances behind how she reached the King rank. The hatred and despair she felt at the time could not just be forgotten no matter what.

Arachne Milaris wished to slam the table and rush at Echidna then and there. It was only thanks to a supreme feat of will that she managed to control her impulse and not make a fool of herself.

Camelia was not feeling any better than all the women here. Unlike all of them, Camelia did not have any romantic feelings for Mars in the past. But Mars and Blaze were her friends, perhaps her best friends even. They were people she knew she could give her back to no matter the circumstance.

She had always been feeling like everything happened because of her carelessness. After all, if she had refused to let Ibuki join their groups back then, the sealing would have been successful.

In the end though, couldn’t they say that everything went back to Echidna herself?

If Echidna did not exist.

If Echidna did not start the war.

Would Blaze and Mars still be alive and well now? Would Sol have managed to grow with a complete family and not as an orphan?

The whims of Fate were hard to predict for even the gods and goddesses and at the moment she was nothing but a simple mortal with no power of her own.

A heavy silence filled the room. Echidna gazed at each and every girl present without showing any signs of fear. Though she knew that their decisions would change her destiny, Echidna refused to beg much less plead.

They were not her equals. They were nothing but ants who had the luck of having someone like Sol on their side. Unless Anubis, Ambrosia, or… even Sol directly intervened, her expression would stay stoic. She was unrepentant and would always be.

She recognized Sol as someone equal to her and even superior in a few ways. But that was all there was to this farce. As for the threat of death? A snicker escaped her at the thought. She might have feared dying a few months ago. But now she did not.

She had already seen the possibility of Godhood with her own eyes. She had participated in the completion of the Seven Chakra Opening. Even if they killed her now, she could die happy knowing that her thousand years of research would finally bear fruit in Sol. Her only regret would be that she would not be there to witness the birth of a new god with her eyes. Nothing else.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

Her snicker, albeit unintentional, was like a fire lighting a powder keg. Golden threads flew from Arachne while pink light covered Pandora. Lilith stood up and nearly attacked her then and there. Since she could directly attack the soul, she did not risk injuring Nuwa if she were to lash out.

Yet, even as they all moved to attack, the sound of a finger tapping the table stopped everything. As if frozen in time, Arachne’s thread hovered in the air, just inches away from Echidna. Lilith’s sword energy was eradicated before it could even fully form and the pink light that rushed out of Pandora was snuffed from the very fabric of existence.

Everyone turned to look at Sol. His face was impassive, “I have already given my word to Echidna that, for now, I would not allow anyone to kill her.”

“Sol, are you serious!?” Arachne called out, forgetting all forms of politeness as she called him directly by his name. “She is the murderer of your parents. Her action caused Lustburg to lose so much. Have you not seen the monuments dedicated to all those dead during the war eighteen years ago and yet you wish to protect this monster!”

If eyes were enough to kill, Sol knew that he would have died ten times over from the sharp glare Arachne was giving him. Yet his expression did not change.

“Sit down.” His voice was calm. But his eyes made it clear that he would accept no rebellion.

Feeling the pressure under his gaze, Arachne bit her lips tightly. There were many things she wanted to say. In the end, she took a deep shaky breath and sat down as instructed.

Satisfied with her decision, Sol looked toward all the women present and spoke in a clear and concise tone, “Let’s start from the beginning, please. Echidna is undoubtedly a sinner and she will be treated as such. But she will not face the Death Penalty nor will she be tortured.”

Arachne let out a groan of indignation and even Pandora frowned ever so slightly but chose to remain silent.

Theresa gave a small laugh, “Dear Sol, if there is nothing, we can do to her. Why even bring this farce forward then?” There was a chuckle mixed in her voice, but her eyes held no emotions.

Theresa was usually very aloof when it came to most matters. But she was also fiercely loyal to her friends.

“This… thing is possessing my little Nuwa. Just for that alone, she should be killed. From what I understood she would have entirely corroded and erased Nuwa's sense of self if she could. So, before we continue, let me ask you. Can you say, with absolute certainty, that you can control her?”

Theresa could do nothing for those who were already dead. But Nuwa was very much alive and she would not let something happen to her.

“If you cannot give me 100% assurance of little Nuwa’s safety, then you better believe me when I say that I will kill her. Even if I can do nothing now. I will find a way to completely erase her soul. You can trust me on that.” She gave a toothy grin full of cheekiness. But Sol knew she was not joking around.

Theresa was not someone who could be confined to mere common sense and Sol had no doubt that if she was serious, she could find a way to somehow succeed. This was even more so now that she had become a bonafide King.

“I have full control of the situation.” Sol was not underestimating the abilities of someone like Echidna. But he did have the situation under control.

“Is that so?” Theresa nodded, “I believe you. You are a miracle boy. So, I am sure you have your ways. But please… Do not disappoint me.” While she did not say what she would do in case she was disappointed, Sol did not wish to find that out.

With Theresa closing her mouth, it was now time for Persephone to speak. “Lady Echidna. It has been a while.” Unlike the others on this table. Persephone’s relationship with Echidna was a little more complicated.

After all, Echidna was once a dear friend of Ambrosia. As such, while they were not close, Persephone did have many deals with Echidna in the past.

Echidna gave one look at Persephone and nodded, her eyes softening ever so slightly. She hated being treated like a criminal but there was nothing she could do.

“Daughter of Ambrosia. I was quite surprised when you joined this so-called Hero group, two decades ago.” It was a genuine surprise. Witches were above most of the mundane affairs of this world and Persephone had no reason to join hands with Mars’ group.

“I was dazzled by the beauty of their stories and decided to become a character in it rather than stay as a bystander.” Persephone placed a hand on her chest, her expression filled with reminiscence. “The end of that story may have been a tragedy… But I believe it was nonetheless an epic tale. One that will be remembered for decades to come.”

“The story of how a man too sure of himself was betrayed by a companion and caused his and his wife's death?” Echidna could not hold back her laughter. “To call this a tragedy is an insult. It was nothing but a comedy. O poison princess, could you not make me laugh with your words?”

For the very first time, the façade of calmness on Persephone’s face cracked. Green light filled her eyes as she gazed at Echidna.