novelraw Chapter 173: Let Me Stay With You
Chapter 173: Let Me Stay With You
-eyeingHarmonia’s trap had worked beautifully.
It was so very simple yet so effective.
Even Ignotus would’ve agreed to that assessment.
He saw how many acted like They’d been personally slapped by Eris.
Their reactions were almost synchronized, as if They’d been choreographed in advance.
Which, honestly, they probably were. This was people seeing a perfect chance to stomp Eris into the ground... and fighting each other to be first in line.
Because of course they would.
Minerva pushed forward, ’Her’ silver eyes sharp.
"That’s nothing but cowardice!"
Juno followed, ’Her’ chin raised, dripping disdain.
"Mhm, it’s an insult to us three and everyone we call subjects."
Venus tossed ’Her’ hair while sid-eyeing Eris.
"That’s jealousy. Obviously."
Once the three had ’Their’ say, Jova lifted a hand once more.
"As this wedding’s discord revealed, Eris is not fit to stand among us."
The crowd erupted again, but this time cheering in support.
It was almost as if they’d been waiting centuries for a Higher God to say that.
Meanwhile, the subject of all this hate just stood there, ’Her’ shoulders shaking in anger.
The illusion seemed to have clamped down on ’Her’ harder than ever.
And Ignotus...
—
{Loss Of Self: 73%}
—
Ignotus felt the pull, too.
A soft, drowning sensation.
Or perhaps a warm fog slipping around his thoughts, telling him to relax, stop resisting, and sink.
—
{Loss Of Self: 74%}
—
His vision blurred, the Gods’ voices stretched, and for a weirdly long moment, he wasn’t sure if he was standing or floating.
But then he saw ’Her.’
Eris.
Standing alone in the center of the hall.
Every accusation pointed at ’Her’ without hesitation.
No one at ’Her’ side, no one defending ’Her...’
—
{Loss Of Self: 75%}
—
’She’ was utterly alone.
’...no.’
That single image had cut through his haze.
The Eris he knew wasn’t like this... ’She’ wasn’t weak.
This illusion was pulling him in, wanting so desperately for him to help ’Her.’
And yet he didn’t stop himself from moving to help ’Her.’
—
{Loss Of Self: 76%}
—
The illusion kept on pulling, a thick current dragging him downward, and he allowed himself to be swept up by both his emotions and the ones being implanted in him.
And though he did that, Ignotus said nothing to defend ’Her.’
’I cannot interfere yet...’
He only stepped closer.
’If I do, I won’t be able to get us out of it. I NEED to wait.’
That was the core of it.
Ultimately, Ignotus wanted to be himself despite feeling these emotions.
It was easy to act the way he usually did when things like betrayal didn’t hurt.
He saw that as cowardly. His fight against the Mirror Demon reflected that.
Ignotus wanted to be himself and act in this way despite how deeply betrayal would hurt. And so, he dove deep, tightening the illusion’s noose around his neck, letting it take hold.
—
{Loss Of Self: 77%}
—
In both lives, Ignotus always stayed at a distance.
He always kept himself, using his "condition" as the perfect excuse to not get hurt.
Indeed, it was nothing more than cowardice wearing a neat label.
Ignotus knew it very well.
—
{Loss Of Self: 78%}
—
He hated it just as much.
So fine, if this illusion wanted to make him feel...
—
{Loss Of Self: 79%}
—
He would do as it asked... no longer would he resist.
This was the only way he saw out of its grip, to make the noose so tight that it could snap.
—
{Loss Of Self: 80%}
—
His vision flickered.
Their voices warped once more.
Ignotus went further.
—
{Loss Of Self: 83%}
—
More.
—
{Loss Of Self: 85%}
—
He wanted to feel the full weight of the Gods betrayal.
Not the numb, distant version he’d grown to always sit behind.
If he didn’t feel it, didn’t risk it, didn’t bleed for it—that was ’cowardly.’
So he invited the pain.
—
{Loss Of Self: 90%}
—
The illusion tightened further.
—
{Loss Of Self: 91%}
—
His instincts screamed at him for survival.
—
{Loss Of Self: 92%}
—
Defend yourself! Attack everyone!
Erase ’Her’ before ’She’ erases you!
He ignored it.
—
{Loss Of Self: 93%}
—
Logic whispered from a distance.
It told him to consume before being consumed.
It told him that if he devoured ’Her,’ perhaps he’d survive.
One of them would cease to exist, erased by the other’s desperate Will to live.
—
{Loss Of Self: 94%}
—
Next came emotion whispering its devotion.
Its blind clinging... his drowning.
’Don’t do it, don’t get close...’
’Don’t risk it all for somebody else.’
’Be the ’coward’ you know you are!’
—
{Loss Of Self: 95%}
—
Right, if he never let go of skepticism.
If logic ruled, he’d keep his distance, never risking the pain of closeness.
That would also be ’cowardly.’
—
{Loss Of Self: 94%}
—
Conflict led to rivalry.
Never yield, never meet in the middle.
’Cowardly.’
—
{Loss Of Self: 97%}
—
Surrender spoke of a peace.
Give everything; lose yourself completely.
’Cowardly.’
—
{Loss Of Self: 98%}
—
Too much longing, and reality would slip away.
Too much fear, and their freedom would be lost.
Too much of any one thing, and their love would rot.
Too much pain, and they would stop recognizing each other.
Now, so deep in emotions like he’d never been...
—
{Loss Of Self: 99%}
—
Ignotus had understood all of it.
Yet, despite knowing it all, nothing of him changed.
His understanding didn’t erase who he was.
Ignotus stayed Ignotus despite it all.
Even as the noose was caught.
And because he stayed himself—
—
{Loss Of Self: ???}
[ERROR!]
—
The noose snapped.
"..."
"..."
"..."
In the silent hall, Ignotus calmly stepped into its center.
Everyone watched him kneel and pick up the golden apple.
His fingers closed around it gently.
Slowly, he turned and walked over to Eris.
Ignoring every glare and God, he stopped in front of ’Her’ and kneeled.
Lifting the apple with both hands, he presented it to ’Her.’
"You are the fairest of them all."
A crack ran through the hall at his heavy words.
"And I’m not just saying that; I truly believe it. You should know that about me by now."
Another crack made itself known as he continued.
From all that maniacal obsession, he learned...
He’d also learned one important thing.
Trust.
"You should also know that I’ve manufactured my regression."
Trust that he gave to Eris, causing another crack to come through.
"All of my prepared knowledge is due to that."
Crack...
"It was a desperate gamble that I spent long preparing for."
What remained of Heaven shuddered.
"Everything I did was planned, but you... you were a surprise."
The apple disintegrated to dust in his palm.
"A very welcome surprise."
Heaven shattered into a world they knew.
"I need you to remain in my life until the end."
Higher Gods, Lower Gods, the feast, all had dissolved.
"And if you allow me, I wish to remain in yours."
Over it all—
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
Harmonia screamed.
"So please, let me stay with you."
Finally, the illusion collapsed.