Chapter: 26 Two Faces of Justice

When Vaelmon reached the gates of the Church, the sky thundered as if in response to his fury. A heavy, suffocating pressure filled the air; Vaelmon directed his immense mana, befitting a 7th-tier mage, threateningly toward the spires of the Church. Inside, light mages and holy knights gathered in the courtyard in a state of panic, believing an entire enemy army was at their gates. Before them stood a single man, but the aura he radiated was worth a thousand soldiers.

At that moment, Cardinal Meridian, the High Cardinal of the Church, stepped forward through the crowd in his white robes. He could not hide his shock upon seeing Vaelmon: "Ah, Vaelmon! My old friend, what wind blew you here? Was that threatening mana coming from you? Believe us, for a moment we thought we were under attack."

Vaelmon fixed his gaze on Meridian and spoke in a voice as cold as ice: "Meridian, since when has the Church started taking innocent villagers captive? You owe me a rational explanation immediately!"

Meridian laughed with feigned bewilderment, spreading his hands: "Taking captives? I do not understand what you mean, Vaelmon. We only help people on the path shown by the Light, we protect th—"

Vaelmon did not let him finish. As he struck his staff against the ground, a massive wave of wind erupted, staggering everyone, including Meridian and his knights. "Cut it out, Meridian! You are not facing a child you can deceive. You know exactly what I am talking about. Where is Silyan? Is that man here?"

Meridian could not comprehend what could have angered Vaelmon this much. Realizing the Church had taken a massive risk without his knowledge, he frowned and turned to his assistant, commanding sharply: "Bring Silyan here at once! Quickly!"

When Silyan emerged from the crowd, he felt the tension in the air down to his bones. His knees were about to buckle. "Lord Vaelmon... did you have business with me?" he asked in a trembling voice.

Vaelmon took a step toward him, looming over him: "By what authority and by what right did you lock up a woman and a child from the Eastern Kingdom in this Church, Silyan? That is what I want to know!"

At that moment, Silyan realized the cause of the commotion; his face turned as white as chalk. Seeing Silyan's reaction, Meridian grasped the gravity of the situation and raised his voice: "Silyan! What is Lord Vaelmon talking about? Give me a rational explanation right now!"

Silyan stammered, trying to find an answer: "Ah, Cardinal Meridian... I only invited the villagers to the Church for their own protection. We cannot know when the demon might strike again, isn't that righ—"

Before he could finish his sentence, a bolt of magical energy sped past his ear like a bullet and exploded with a deafening crash against the marble pillar behind him. Shattered by the speed and power of the spell, Silyan lost his balance and collapsed to the ground in terror. His eyes were wide with horror, his breath hitched. He had felt the cold breath of death on his neck.

Meridian intervened: "Vaelmon, please control your temper! It appears Silyan brought the woman and child here without our knowledge."

Meanwhile, inside, Nerya's heart felt like it would burst when she heard the explosions outside. She pressed Kael to her chest and hugged him tightly. "It's okay, my son, don't be afraid... Mother is here."

Outside, Silyan was still crawling on the ground: "I-I was only thinking of the villagers' safety... I had no ill intentions, please forgive me!"

After looking at Silyan with disgust, Meridian ordered the guards: "Bring the woman and the child here immediately! This misunderstanding must be rectified at once. As for you, Silyan; how dare you, as a 7th-tier light mage of the Church, take such an action without the permission of the Kingdom or myself? We will deal with you later!"

When Nerya and Kael stepped outside, they saw Vaelmon standing there majestically. In a moment of shock, Nerya almost cried out "Fa—", but caught herself just in time. She had nearly shouted "Father" in front of everyone; her identity had been seconds away from being exposed. Seeing his daughter and grandson safe and sound, the storm inside Vaelmon subsided slightly; he took a deep breath and relaxed.

Silyan, however, was still muttering to himself: "Why did the High Mage of the Kingdom cause such an uproar for a common village woman? I don't understand..."

Meridian stepped in front of Vaelmon and bowed slightly. This was not customary for a Cardinal, but the man before him was the High Mage of the Kingdom; if this incident reached the King, the Church would be in grave trouble. "Vaelmon, I will take personal responsibility for this error. I apologize to you on behalf of the Church."

Vaelmon turned to Nerya and spoke in an authoritative yet tender tone: "You, come. I will escort you back to your home."

Nerya boarded Vaelmon's carriage with Kael. Once they were away from the Church grounds, Nerya could no longer hold it in: "Father! How did you find out we were here?" Vaelmon answered calmly: "Mezrathus sent me a letter. He learned from Abaddon that you had been taken. Nerya, if Abaddon is your husband, I am your father. You know you can use communication magic with me too, don't you? Or do you not trust me?"

Nerya bowed her head in shame: "No, Father, I just..." Vaelmon smiled: "It's alright, my daughter. It's natural for your husband to be the first one on your mind. But don't forget to tell Abaddon that you are safe; Mezrathus is likely struggling to hold him back."

When they arrived at Vaelmon's house, Elowen was waiting at the door. As soon as she saw Nerya, she hugged her: "My daughter! I was so worried about you, what happened to you?" While Nerya found comfort in her mother's warmth, she sent a message to Abaddon. Hearing Nerya's voice and learning she was safe, the heavy burden Abaddon had been carrying for weeks finally lifted.

Mezrathus placed his hand on his son's shoulder: "Abaddon, I know you want to go to Nerya, but you must stay here. Most likely, the Church and the Kingdom will not bother Nerya for a long time after this. Now, stay out of sight so the Kingdom forgets the existence of the demon." Abaddon knew that as much as he hated it, his hands were tied when it came to the lives of his family. He nodded, gritting his teeth.

Months passed. Nerya had returned to the village, continuing her quiet life with Kael. She stayed in constant contact with Abaddon, but she knew he wouldn't be able to visit for a long time. "It's okay, Abaddon. When we decided to be together, we knew all the risks. We expected things might come to this. Just stay safe." Abaddon's voice sounded muffled: "Nerya, no matter what happens, let me know if you need anything, even the smallest thing."

During that time, Nerya's brother, Zephyros, returned to the Eastern Kingdom from his long mission in the Southern Kingdom and reached his father. When Vaelmon told him the whole story, Zephyros was left in total shock. "Father, this is a joke, right?" Zephyros asked, his voice trembling. "How could you allow my sister to marry a demon? Especially knowing how much you hate demons... what made you change your mind so suddenly?" "First of all, calm down, Zephyros! Have you forgotten you are facing your father?" Zephyros continued to listen, clenching his teeth. Vaelmon took a deep breath: "At first, I was against it too. I wanted to marry Nerya off to another man through a political alliance. When I found out she had lost her heart to a demon, I was driven mad with rage. But that man... that man saved Nerya's life, Zephyros. Even though he is a demon, he sacrificed his wings for her. Do you think a human would have done that? Tell me!"

Zephyros fell into a deep silence. After a long pause, he asked: "Where is Nerya now?" "They settled in a remote village so that her and her husband's identities wouldn't be revealed." Zephyros gripped his staff: "Father, will you tell me the location of the village? I want to see my sister."