Chapter 304: Who Wins?

One hour ago, the Black Forest.

Great swaths of trees lay toppled in every direction, and the peaks of several hills had been lopped off entirely. Even the rift in the clouds, torn open by holy light, had yet to close.

The battle between Celia and Freya had left the entire Black Forest ravaged beyond recognition.

As the smoke slowly dissipated, the dust began to settle.

Freya clutched her chest, her full curves heaving with her ragged breath. She lifted her head, her pale golden eyes fixed intently on the figure of her enemy in the distance.

Amidst a surge of mana, Celia’s silhouette instantly materialized.

The witch didn’t look much better off. Celia’s breathing was just as heavy, and her eyes were clouded with a visible exhaustion—a clear sign that her mana and mental strength were nearing their limits.

It seemed that the Ash Witch’s supposedly infinite mana was finally being ground down to nothing.

Was she going to win?

But as she observed her for a moment longer...

Freya suddenly realized that although Celia was severely weakened, a strange light flickered within those dark red eyes.

She was actually getting more excited as the fight went on?

Freya forced herself to calm down, grumbling inwardly.

This witch is a total monster...

“Freya,” Celia spoke slowly, her tone carrying a rare note of sincerity. “Your current strength... isn’t bad at all.”

The corners of her mouth curled up as she offered the smiling assessment.

No one had ever pushed her this far. Consequently, her attitude toward Freya had shifted from dismissive contempt to genuine respect; this was indeed an opponent she had to take seriously.

“However—I won!”

Celia announced with her usual air of supreme confidence.

Freya furrowed her brow instinctively, her eyes full of doubt. “In what way did you win?”

She could clearly sense that Celia’s mana was continuing to dwindle.

Meanwhile, bolstered by her dual divine power, Freya’s own strength felt almost inexhaustible. If the battle continued, Celia would be unable to withstand her.

As one waned and the other waxed...

She was certain of her victory.

“As I am now, I can maintain God-Descent indefinitely,” Freya said with conviction. “If we keep fighting, the final result will undoubtedly be my victory!”

“No.” Celia shook her head, her face returning to its usual mix of disdain and arrogance. “That’s nothing. That was just my standard power.”

She smiled faintly. “I haven’t even used my full strength yet.”

“Standard power?” Freya’s frown deepened as she blurted out, “You’re lying!”

She let out a cold snort.

“Witch, stop pretending! I know you’re already at your wit’s end!”

Celia gave a cold laugh in return. “Why would I lie to you?”

She had indeed gone all out, casting every theoretically high-tier 9th Circle magic she could muster, pouring her full strength into every move.

But she hadn’t truly reached the point of no return.

She hadn't used the filthy power.

Those forbidden black magic spells, the gifts from fallen evil gods, had once been her signature.

But that belonged to the old her—the reckless, suicidal, mad witch.

She couldn't do that now.

Ansu was still waiting for her to come home.

The mere thought of the tender way he called her “Wife” sent a surge of genuine joy and happiness through her heart.

She couldn't die, and she couldn't fall into the darkness or be consumed by the backlash of corruption.

She had bonds now; she had a home...

She would no longer fight in a way that meant taking her enemy down with her.

However, thinking of the filthy power...

Celia suddenly remembered some “secrets” Ansu had once shared with her about herself.

He had said that if Miss Witch were pushed to her absolute limit, she possessed world-ending potential—he even claimed she could tear gods apart with her bare hands...

And something about... a Black Flame that would burn the world to ashes?

Was she really that powerful?

She felt like Ansu might have been exaggerating a little...

“Regardless of what trump cards you have left,” Freya spoke up again after seeing her silent for so long, “you can no longer kill me as I am now, can you?”

Celia narrowed her eyes, studying the woman who was still catching her breath but remained resolute.

After a moment of silence, she slowly nodded.

“True.”

As much as she hated to admit it, the person before her had earned the right to stand on equal footing with her in terms of strength.

“But I still won!” she emphasized again.

Freya sighed helplessly, finding the witch’s competitive streak... beyond words.

“Fine, if you’re that obsessed with winning...” Freya offered a compromise, sounding somewhere between amused and exasperated. “Then let’s say you won.”

With that, she turned to leave.

“Where are you going?”

Celia’s voice drifted over from behind her.

“To find Lord Ansu.”

“I told you, only someone who defeats me is worthy of meeting Ansu~” Celia said with a giggle. “But you didn’t win. You admitted it yourself.”

“You...!” Freya realized she’d been baited, then laughed out of sheer frustration.

She didn't bother arguing further. Instead, she turned and sat down against a large, clean boulder, closing her eyes to rest.

A faint, divine emerald glow emanated from her body, silently beginning to mend her wounds, both large and small.

At the same time, her internal grumbling intensified.

That mad witch! I really don't know how Lord Ansu puts up with her on a daily basis...

Celia curled her lip at the sight but said nothing more.

She walked to an open space on the other side, sat cross-legged, and closed her eyes in meditation, beginning to slowly recover her depleted mana.

The forest fell into a deep silence.

The two women, who had just been fighting with world-shattering intensity, had now reached a tacit truce to recover together.

Only the wind of the Black Forest whistled through the broken branches, brushing against their hair with a cool touch.

After a long while...

Celia was the first to speak, her voice flat.

“I can let you see him.”

Freya opened her eyes and raised an eyebrow. “Why the sudden change of heart?”

“Do you think I could stop you as you are now?” Celia sneered, though her words held a rare honesty. “This is just how the world works; strength is everything. When you truly possess power, you really can change everything.”

A flash of joy appeared in Freya’s eyes.

She didn't want to rest anymore. It was as if she had been set ablaze; she stood up instantly. “Then where did you hide him...”

“Oh, right!” Freya remembered. “The mine. I’ll go find him!”

The holy light around her flickered slightly as she prepared to leave.

But in the next second, Celia’s voice rang out again:

“But don’t think for a second that I’m acknowledging you or allowing you to enter the household.”

Freya paused and slowly turned back.

“I don’t need your permission.” A faint smile touched her lips as she said calmly, “This is just how the world works; strength is everything. When you truly possess power... you really can change everything.”

Freya threw the words right back at her.

Celia was momentarily speechless, her dark red eyes wide as she struggled for a retort.

Finally, she could only change her angle of attack and bark out another threat:

“Give it up! Ansu will never love you!”

Her tone was certain, as if declaring an indisputable fact.

But Freya wasn't provoked. Her expression remained as calm as a still lake, and a soft light even appeared in her eyes.

“I only need to be by Ansu’s side and see him every day... that’s enough to satisfy me.”

Celia blinked, then let out a derisive laugh. “You certainly are easy to please!”

Freya ignored the mockery and suddenly changed the subject, whispering, “I know...”

“Know what?” Celia frowned.

“I know Lord Ansu likes me.”

As soon as those words were spoken, Celia’s face darkened instantly, and dangerous undercurrents swirled in her dark red eyes.

“Say that again?”

Her voice was very low, and her mana began to grow restless once more. “Do you want to die?”

The air suddenly froze.

Freya watched Celia quietly before adding the second half of her sentence: “But he loves you.”

Celia stiffened, the violent aura surging within her coming to a screeching halt.

“That’s right.” Freya’s voice was soft, but every word pierced the softest part of Celia’s heart. “It’s love... true love.”

Celia instinctively looked away.

“I know that, obviously. Why do you need to tell me?”

The wind swept through the forest, carrying fallen leaves. After a brief silence, Freya spoke again.

“Sometimes, I really envy you, being able to receive such sincere love from Ansu...”

“His eyes crinkle with joy for your happiness, he tempers his sharp edges when you're sad, and he even sets aside the bottom lines he’s held for so long just for you... I really don't understand. Why?”

Freya’s voice was thick with a bitterness she couldn't hide.

“You’re a witch with a terrible personality, you’re moody, and you lose control and go crazy at the drop of a hat. Why is it that Lord Ansu... loves you most?”

An irrepressible, smug smile spread across Celia’s face, and the disdain in her eyes was almost overflowing. “Love isn't something that follows logic, is it?”

Despite being bitter rivals, hearing Freya personally admit that Ansu loved her most made her feel strangely satisfied. Even her hostility toward Freya faded slightly.

She even wondered privately if the Holy Maiden was playing the martyr to gain some sort of advantage.

But her tongue remained sharp. “As long as you understand. Don’t even think about putting yourself on the same level as me. Ansu is mine. From start to finish, he can only be mine.”

“He’s mine too!” Freya snapped her eyes up, resentment swirling in her pale golden gaze.

“That’s how the story is supposed to go! The Chosen One and the Holy Maiden are the destined protagonists of every legendary tale! If you hadn’t kidnapped him from that office at the Benalu Royal Academy that day... nothing that followed would be like this!”

“There are no ‘ifs’ in this world,” Celia sneered. “There is only one story, and that is the story we are in now. You were a step late, and that’s all there is to it!”

Freya’s gaze darkened.

Celia took a step closer. “The fact is, I caught him first! I entered his heart first! Fate? That doesn't count for anything with me!”

As she finished speaking...

The smell of gunpowder flared up again in the air, the tension between them almost tangible.

Finally, Freya let out a soft sigh.

“I don’t want to fight you. I came to see Lord Ansu...”

“Also, before I see him...” She looked at Celia, her voice dropping lower, betraying a hint of anxiety she couldn't suppress.

“You used hypnosis on Lord Ansu... What did you hear from him? About me... and his true feelings toward me.”

Celia let out a scoff, crossing her arms and looking at her with knowing mockery.

“So you do care after all? I thought you were actually content to be a desireless shadow by his side.”

Freya didn't deny it, nor did she argue further.

“Of course I care...”

...