Chapter 16

Three hundred years ago, Glassreed, the leader of the "Six Witches of Destruction," declared the annihilation of humanity. And—five of her daughter witches responded to her call.

The continent was thrown into chaos as if it had been thrown into a fire, and humanity was pushed to the brink of extinction.

It was the twelve Holy Sword Bearers who appeared and saved humanity. And it was the betrayal of one witch.

Nemiria, the youngest of the Six Witches, the Witch of Darkness, fell in love with one of the Holy Sword Bearers and betrayed her siblings for the man she loved.

Thanks to Nemiria's betrayal, the Holy Sword Bearers of that time successfully dismantled the Six Witches, defeating them one after another and finally quelling the threat.

Although they could not completely destroy the witches, who possessed immortal bodies, the Holy Sword Bearers saved the world.

And Nemiria, who supported the Holy Sword Bearer she loved and turned her family into enemies for his sake,

received not eternal love from the man she loved, but an endless life of imprisonment as her reward.

"Why! Why must I suffer like this!?"

Chained in the ruins, Nemiria screamed.

She had betrayed her family for the man she loved, had given up everything, and had devoted her entire being to him.

Yet, why must she suffer like this?

"…Don't you understand, Nemiria?"

The man she loved, one of the Holy Sword Bearers who saved the world, looked up at the hanging woman with cold eyes.

"Indeed, you betrayed the other witches and lent us your power. But that doesn't erase the sins you committed. It doesn't bring back the people you killed."

"But... but..."

Nemiria was speechless at the man's condemnation. She searched desperately for an excuse, but the man's piercing gaze wouldn't allow it.

Snorting at Nemiria's hesitation, the man twisted his lips in a mocking smile.

"I won't kill you like the other witches. You should be grateful for that."

"Such...!"

The lips that once whispered love to her now spat out sharp words of rejection. Unable to believe what she was hearing, Nemiria's eyes welled with tears.

"You will spend eternity here. Eternally, you will continue your endless penance. Only then will your sins be cleansed. Only then will my heart be satisfied."

"..."

"And one more thing, I'll tell you."

The man she loved stepped out of the ruins and turned to look at the immobilized Nemiria.

"You destroyed my hometown and killed my fiancée. Nemiria."

"Wh-what...?"

"There is no one who could love a monstrous witch like you. I never loved you, not once."

With that, the man closed the door of the ruins.

The ruins were sealed tightly, leaving Nemiria in the darkness of the abyss.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, 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