The Adventures of an Overpowered Knight in Another World Chapter 737- The Divine Oath, the Fall of a Hero and the Truth (9)

Seeing the two lovers talk to each other and completely ignore his presence, Mammon’s eye twitched violently. The veins around his face bulged.

"Are you two even listening to me?! I’ve been talking this whole time. And you’re flirting in front of me?!"

His face twisted with rage.

"And who said you can leave? Both of you will die here. Especially you... you will die even more painfully."

He pointed at Reinhardt. The humiliation from back then was still fresh to him. He wanted to kill this man after he was weakened by the curse and wash this stain away.

A violent surge of shadows erupted around him. The surrounding darkness thickened until even the air became difficult to breathe.

Reinhardt slowly stepped forward, shielding Aurelia behind his back. His grip tightened around Holy Sword Galgano.

His body screamed in agony. The curse was slowly gnawing away at his heart. He knew his remaining time was rapidly running out.

If that was the case, then before his strength completely abandoned him, he wanted to burn his life and create a moment of opportunity for Aurelia to escape.

His life in exchange for someone he loved. He felt like it was a worthy exchange.

And so, just as he was about to ignite every remaining drop of life force within himself, a soft voice called from behind him.

"Reinhardt..."

Reinhardt turned toward the caller.

Then, ignoring the countless dangers surrounding them, ignoring the Seventh Heavenly King, ignoring the two towering Abyss Nests, ignoring the sea of demons that stretched beyond the castle, Aurelia slowly stepped forward and embraced him.

Her arms wrapped around him and her forehead rested against his chest. She let out a small, helpless laugh through her tears.

"You idiot. You only know how to act tough. I’ll catch up with you soon. Back then... when you stood before that sea of black flames... you smiled exactly like this."

Reinhardt blinked.

What black flames?

"I told you not to go alone. But in front of the Seven Gods you still laughed and said that if you didn’t step forward, who would?"

His brows slowly knitted together. For some reason, those words sounded strangely familiar, yet not at the same time.

"You promised me you would come back. You always promised. And every single time, you returned covered in wounds."

Aurelia smiled bitterly, her voice trembling.

"Back then I was always very angry. I’d spend hours lecturing you, treating your injuries while you just kept nodding and promising not to make the same mistakes."

Reinhardt opened his mouth, wanting to ask who she was talking about.

But she kept talking about unfamiliar meetings and events.

"But you never changed. Always pretending you’re invincible. Always carrying burdens alone and breaking promises again and again. You really are hopeless."

Although he had no recollection of such events, for some reason he could almost visualize the scene as if he had really been present there.

A silver hall, seven silhouettes, a woman laughing beside him, bandaging his hand, scolding him, and then smiling.

The scene was filled with warmth and a sense of peace.

Of course, that faint vision only lasted for a few seconds and disappeared before he could grasp it.

Reinhardt asked, "What are you talking about?"

Hearing his question, Aurelia merely smiled, a smile filled with nostalgia and melancholy.

"I finally remembered everything."

He was just about to ask what she meant. But before a single word escaped his lips, she stood on her tiptoes, placed both hands on his cheeks, and kissed him.

In that moment, it was as if the world had come to a stop.

They were still inside that ruined dark castle. Above them, the gloomy ash-gray clouds churned continuously, pouring heavy snow all year round. The gigantic skull suspended in the sky gazed down with its crimson eyes.

Two colossal Abyss Nests writhed like living mountains. The Seventh Heavenly King stood covered in billowing darkness. And beyond the ruined castle, tens of thousands of demons stretched as far as the eye could see.

Everywhere one could see, there was only death and despair. Only the certainty that hope had long since abandoned this battlefield.

Yet, within that endless sea of despair, a tiny miracle bloomed.

Two people held each other close, finding warmth where none should have existed. Finding peace amidst a battlefield of death.

The cold wind howled. Snow drifted softly between them. For that one fleeting moment, the world itself seemed unwilling to disturb them.

When their lips finally parted, Aurelia’s face had become completely red from embarrassment. A faint blush spread across her cheeks. Her moist eyes curved into a smile so breathtakingly beautiful that it could steal one’s soul.

"I love you."

The moment those words were spoken, the wind gently brushed past them.

Those three simple words struck Reinhardt like a bolt of lightning.

Staring into her eyes, he couldn’t help but recall a memory from more than a year ago. It was the time of sunset. The sky was painted in a golden and orangish hue. Blueberry Town.

He still remembered it clearly.

He had gathered every ounce of courage and, while walking side by side with her along the blueberry farm, wanted to tell her. To convey the feelings hidden inside his heart.

But just as he opened his mouth, Aurelia placed a delicate finger against his lips, stopping him from even uttering a word.

"I know what you want to tell me. But not now. Tell me after you come back. When the war is over... I’ll listen."

At the time, he had laughed awkwardly. Promising her that once everything ended, he would tell her everything.

That promise had finally come true.

Only, she was the one who confessed first, and the war wasn’t over yet.

Reinhardt stared blankly at the woman before him.

There was no way to describe how much he had longed to hear those words. How much he had dreamed about this moment. The future he had imagined.

Yet hearing those words at this moment did not fill him with happiness. Instead, an indescribable fear gripped his heart.

The time, the location, and even the hidden meaning behind the words... seemed wrong.

Seeing the fluctuating emotions in his eyes, Aurelia gently caressed his cheeks. Her fingertips lingered against his skin for a few moments.

"Reinhardt, no matter how many reincarnations it takes, no matter how many years pass. No demon, no curse, no fate can stop us from finding each other again."

Her smile became impossibly gentle. Fresh tears rolled down her face. Yet her smile never disappeared.

"I love you."

Those were her final words.

Immediately after, a faint metallic sound echoed, followed by the splash of some liquid.

Reinhardt’s pupils contracted violently.

When he looked down, the scene nearly caused his mentality to break then and there.

At some unknown point, a short dagger had appeared in Aurelia’s hand. Before he could react, before his body could even move, she drove it into her own heart.

Thud...

He saw the blade disappearing into her body to its hilt. Scarlet blossomed across her white dress.

Time... stopped.

"No..."

Reinhardt’s voice came out as nothing more than a whisper. His eyes widened and his breathing stopped. He could not believe what had just happened. His mind refused to accept what he had just witnessed.

Aurelia’s body trembled. Blood slowly flowed from the corner of her lips. Yet... she continued to smile. Still looking only at him, as though seeing his face one last time... was enough.

"Why?"

His voice cracked. He could not understand. Why did things have to come to this?

His hands frantically reached toward the wound. Holy light erupted from his body. He no longer cared about the curse eating away at his life. He frantically used his powers, even burning away his own life.

Healing, purification... every blessing and miracle he possessed. He poured every ounce of his power in an attempt to heal her wound without hesitation.

"Please... heal... heal..."

He was desperate, even begging for a miracle.

But... nothing happened.

The blood continued flowing. For some reason, his power failed every time he tried to heal her. As if some kind of higher-level power or force was interrupting it.

"No... no... this can’t be..."

His hands began trembling uncontrollably. His reddened eyes became moist.

"You... why did you do this?" he asked angrily.

His voice had completely broken. For the first time, the Divine Paladin, the undefeated hero of humanity, looked utterly helpless.

Witnessing his expression, which had at this moment completely broken down, Aurelia gently held his shaking hands and spoke some comforting words.

"This is... the first time... I have seen you cry... like this. Stop... your powers... cannot heal me."

Aurelia spoke slowly.

"No, you’ll be fine... you have to be..."

With what little strength remained, she softly wiped away the tears that had unknowingly begun falling from his eyes.

Then, with the most heartbreakingly beautiful smile, she spoke her last words.

"Don’t... cry... this was the only way... to restart the cycle."