Saintess? Not Anymore! I'd Rather be a Destroyer-Chapter 120 - 106: Hotron’s fury

I wanted to give the data on the wives of King Girsal and their children, since it seems a bit confusing whose child is who. So then,

Queen Amber- Aurianna, Husae, Ralph

Momo-Vatium

Cecilia- Zelnu, Freed, Blade

Erza- Nigie

Lauren- Wein, Venassa

Yesphine- Yogi, Hawke

Iona- Ularo

Emirie- Leora, Helto

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"Are you crazy?! You’ll kill your own knights!" Kaede shouted in desperation, his voice filled with concern and disbelief.

"Sacrifices need to be made in order for the mission to be accomplished," Venassa responded coldly, her determination unyielding as the lotus began its descent.

The surviving knights, who had barely escaped Kaede’s onslaught, scrambled to find safety from Venassa’s impending attack. They ran frantically, seeking refuge from the destructive power of the descending lotus.

However, their efforts proved futile. In an instant, the knights were mercilessly shredded by the razor-sharp wind blades unleashed by the lotus. Their screams of agony were drowned out by the chaotic whirlwind of death.

With Aurianna at his side, Kaede positioned himself protectively, his weapons forming a shield around them. The lotus crashed into the fortress of blades, unleashing a cataclysmic clash of forces. Kaede’s body was covered in wounds, blood trickling down his battered form as he raised his trembling hands to command the weapons.

For a moment, the battlefield was engulfed in chaos as the clash between lotus and weapons raged on. The sheer intensity of the collision sent shockwaves rippling through the air, the ground trembling beneath their feet.

But Kaede’s resilience and determination persevered. With unwavering focus, he exerted his will over the weapons, directing them with an iron grip. Slowly, the onslaught of the lotus began to falter, as Kaede fought tooth and nail to withstand the overwhelming force.

After what felt like an eternity, the weapons surrounding Kaede began to dissipate, their purpose fulfilled. Exhausted and battered, Kaede slumped to the ground, his breaths ragged and heavy. The toll of the battle was etched upon his weary face.

He turned to Aurianna, concern etched in his eyes. "Are you alright?" he asked, his voice strained.

Aurianna nodded weakly, her body trembling from the ordeal they had just endured. "I... I’m fine. Thank you, Kaede," she replied, her voice filled with gratitude and relief.

As Kaede staggered to his feet, his eyes darted anxiously across the battlefield, searching for any sign of Venassa. Seeing Venassa wasn’t around, he panicked and got up, his eyes darted around. The tension in his body grew, his heart pounding in his chest. But before he could react, a sudden jolt of agony pierced through his gut, causing him to double over in pain.

Venassa materialized before him, her presence emanating a chilling aura. Her fan protruded from his wounded abdomen, a cruel reminder of her ruthless strike. With a cold, calculating stare, she continued to thrust her fan into his wounded abdomen, the sharp blade sinking deeper with each passing moment. Kaede coughed up blood, his vision blurred by the searing pain coursing through his body, his fury fuelling his resolve. But before he could retaliate, Venassa spoke with a chilling confidence, a sadistic grin on her face.

"No way I’m losing to you," she taunted, swiftly aiming her fan for a fatal blow at Kaede’s head, slashing it off.

"Kaede is everything alright? Kaede, please, you have to tell me what’s happening!" Aurianna pleaded, her voice trembling with fear and desperation. Despite her pain-ridden body, she attempted to rise, only to be brought down by the searing agony coursing through her. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Venassa, devoid of any sympathy, sneered at Aurianna’s plight. "This is the price weaklings pay," she spat, thrusting an object into Aurianna’s trembling hands.

As Aurianna’s fingers explored the object, a sickening metallic scent invaded her senses. Her eyes widened as she noticed the horrifying thing in her hands she couldn’t see. She bit her lip hard to stifle a scream.

"Kaede!!!" Aurianna’s cry tore through the chaos, her grip tightening on his blood-soaked head as she cradled him in her arms.

"Why does it have to be like this, Venassa? Why me? What did I do to deserve this?" Aurianna’s voice quivered with a mix of sorrow and confusion, her sightless eyes, streaming down with tears, yearned to meet Venassa’s gaze.

Venassa’s response was cold and devoid of empathy. "You did nothing wrong, Aurianna. This is the cruel consequence of awakening as the Saintess, invoking the jealousy of the goddess of beauty herself. From the very beginning, being the Saintess was a death sentence."

Venassa’s words cut through the air, dripping with bitter truth. "Consider yourself lucky, though. Unlike the others, you won’t be subjected to years of suffering, drained until a new Saintess comes along to replace you. Your blood, once pure and sacred, has been tainted and rendered useless."

A heavy silence enveloped them as Aurianna processed the cruel reality that awaited her. "So, all that remains for me now is death," she whispered, her voice filled with resignation, her eyes dead and her expression lacking luster. "Perhaps in death, I’ll find a better fate in my next life."

Venassa’s smirk twisted with satisfaction. "Yes, death is the only solace left for you now. May your next incarnation grant you the peace you were denied in this wretched existence. So let’s go back to the palace, sister or else more people would die."

_________

Aurianna’s attention snapped back to the present moment. She found herself and Kaede standing in front of a massive, olive-colored door. Little Kaede bravely positioned himself before the door, puffing out his chest and attempting to exert all his strength to push it open. However, despite his efforts, the door remained stubbornly unmoved.

Looking at Aurianna with hopeful eyes, Kaede conveyed his message without words. Understanding his unspoken request, she approached the door confidently. With a single, effortless push, the door swung open wide, leaving Kaede wide-eyed and slack-jawed in astonishment.

"Ehh I didn’t know you were that strong!" Kaede exclaimed, his face a picture of surprise.

"You bet I am! That’s why nobody can ever mess with me!" Aurianna proclaimed, a confident smile lighting up her face and striking a proud pose with her hands on her hips.

"Woahhh, big sis, do you think I can become as strong as you one day?" Kaede asked with wide-eyed wonder, his eyes sparkling as he looked up at Aurianna, his hands clasped together in anticipation.

"Don’t worry, little buddy. You’ll grow up to be one strong person yourself. But for now, let’s focus on satisfying our sweet tooth with some delicious pink cakes. Here I come home cake!" Aurianna exclaimed with excitement, her voice carrying the anticipation of a delightful treat. Without hesitation, she dashed into the room, eager to get her hands on the delectable desserts. Kaede, filled with a mixture of anticipation and determination, followed closely behind, his voice echoing through the room.

"Wait for me!" he yelled, determined not to be left behind.

Aurianna and Kaede found themselves utterly astounded by the scene that unfolded before their eyes. A captivating display of enormous pink cakes, adorned with delicate rose decorations and heart-shaped slices, greeted their gaze. The intoxicating sweet aroma of the cakes wafted through the air, making their mouths’ water involuntarily.

"Cake!!" Aurianna and Kaede exclaimed in unison, their eyes widening with delight. Without a moment’s hesitation, they dashed around the room, their eagerness evident as they hungrily devoured every cake within their reach. Their faces lit up with sheer bliss as each delectable bite of cake touched their tongues, sending waves of ecstasy and joy through their entire beings.

Two hours flew by in a whirlwind of sugary indulgence and uninhibited delight.

Now, in a different room, Aurianna and Kaede found themselves kneeling. Hotron, with an expression as furious as could be, stood before them, his voice thundering with anger as he unleashed his displeasure upon them.

Despite being on their knees, their arms raised in a gesture of surrender, there was an unmistakable lack of regret in their eyes. Aurianna and Kaede’s bloated stomachs and bodies bore witness to the sheer amount of cake they had devoured, causing occasional belches that only served to further infuriate Hotron.

"How can you two be so utterly selfish? Haven’t you learned anything about not giving in to gluttony?!" Hotron’s voice thundered, his fair complexion turning a deep shade of crimson with anger. His disheveled brown hair framed his face as his bright blue eyes glared intensely at the two culprits.

"Yeah, we know we went a bit overboard, but the cake was so good," Kaede responded, a pleased expression plastered across his face, although he huffed intermittently due to the overwhelming fullness in his belly.

Aurianna interjected, mischief dancing in her eyes like a troupe of playful fireflies. "Listen up, Hotron, let me enlighten you on the cake conundrum. This confectionery masterpiece was so insanely scrumptious that resisting it became an impossible feat! It was like a divine explosion of flavors in every heavenly bite!" Her voice carried an undertone of sheer contentment, unabashedly exposing her guilty pleasure for the tantalizing treat. "Besides, those deacons didn’t bless me with an extra slice, so I had to resort to some drastic measures," Aurianna shamelessly confessed, not a hint of remorse in her voice.

"That gives you no right to steal cake!" Hotron yelled.

Aurianna, undeterred by Hotron’s outburst, leaned in closer, a mischievous grin tugging at the corners of her lips. "Oh, old man, you underestimate my motives for the cake . It wasn’t just a simple act of thievery. It was a mission impossible, the act of clearing up cake that wasn’t serving it’s purpose of being enjoyed."

Hotron’s eyes widened in disbelief, intrigued by Aurianna’s audacity and curious to hear more. He gestured for her to continue, silently conceding that this tale of cake and daring deeds had him hooked.

"Picture this," Aurianna began, her voice dropping to a hushed tone. "Under the cover of darkness, I crept through the shadows, inching closer to the forbidden cake. I could hear my heart pounding like a drummer on steroids as I approached the sacred dessert. And there it was, the glorious cake, sitting on a pedestal like a treasure waiting to be claimed. I reached into my pocket, feeling the cool touch of my trusty spoon. Yes, my friend, I brought a spoon to a cake fight! With the precision of a surgeon and the finesse of a master thief, I scooped up a heavenly mouthful of that divine creation. It was a victory of taste buds, a triumph of dessert enthusiasts everywhere."

"That is just stealing, but in fancy words!" Hotron yelled and gave Aurianna a hard knock.