Chapter 251: Cain’s Bitterness

[: 3rd POV :]

"Sigh...even then those were difficult times."

The man let out a weary sigh before gently placing his hand atop Maiya’s head.

His fingers slowly brushed through her long pink hair with surprising tenderness.

Maiya continued pouting, her cheeks puffed as she looked away.

"I am still not convinced."

Cain chuckled softly.

"Of course you are not."

"You never are."

Maiya crossed her arms.

"I am innocent."

Cain smiled helplessly.

"I have heard that sentence more times than I can count."

He continued patting her head before speaking in a much gentler voice.

"But honestly..."

"Who could blame you, Maiya?"

Maiya blinked before looking up at him.

"Huh?"

Cain’s smile became warmer.

"Our faction has always been different from everyone else."

"We are not bound together by blood."

"We are not bound by race."

"We are not even bound by the same origin."

"What binds us together..."

"...is the fact that every single one of us is an Anomaly."

His gaze drifted toward the endless stars above Yggdrasil.

"Each of us carries a fate that should never have existed."

"Each of us walks a path that normal beings cannot comprehend."

"And despite how terrifying everyone appears..."

He smiled faintly.

"...we care deeply for one another."

Maiya quietly listened.

"Everyone treats each other like family."

"No matter how old they are."

"No matter how powerful they become."

"No matter what title they possess."

He looked back at her.

"But then..."

"You appeared."

Maiya tilted her head.

"What about me?"

Cain laughed softly.

"You changed everything."

"We had existed for ages beyond counting."

"We had witnessed countless civilizations rise and disappear."

"We had fought wars that ordinary beings would mistake for myths."

"We had seen the birth and death of entire gods."

"But never..."

His expression softened.

"...had we ever encountered an Anomaly as young as you."

Maiya blinked several times.

"I was only ten."

"Exactly."

Cain nodded.

"A little girl."

"A child."

"A tiny little Anomaly who barely reached my waist."

He smiled as though recalling an old memory.

"You were so small that Mother carried you everywhere."

"Morningstar refused to let you walk because he insisted the ground was too dirty."

"Thor built an entire palace just so you could play safely."

"Monkey secretly stole treasures from every realm because he thought you deserved the best toys."

"Malaika made little shadow animals just to make you laugh."

"Even Xeref..."

Cain could not help smiling.

"...who terrifies almost every God of Destruction..."

"...spent hours learning how to braid your hair."

Maiya’s cheeks slowly became red.

"I did not know everyone spoiled me that much..."

Cain laughed.

"You were the youngest member of our family."

"Who would not spoil you?"

He gently poked her forehead.

"And besides..."

"You were adorable."

Maiya immediately covered her face.

"Uncle..."

"That is embarrassing."

"It is the truth."

Before Maiya could complain again...

A loud voice suddenly echoed throughout the forest.

"There they are!"

The peaceful atmosphere disappeared instantly.

Several powerful auras descended from different directions.

Branches shook violently.

Leaves scattered into the air.

Dozens of High Elves emerged from the surrounding forest, each carrying ancient bows and spears overflowing with divine mana.

Their movements were flawless.

Their formations were perfect.

Within moments, they had completely surrounded the branch upon which Cain and Maiya sat.

Maiya slowly looked around.

"There are quite a lot of them."

Cain merely smiled calmly.

"It appears our little vacation has come to an end."

He slowly stood up before brushing the dust from his clothes.

"Well, Maiya."

"Enough storytelling."

"It is time to return home."

Maiya immediately hopped down from the branch before happily grabbing Cain’s hand.

"Okay."

Without the slightest concern, Cain raised his free hand.

His fingers lightly traced across empty space.

*Rip.*

Reality itself quietly split apart.

A brilliant portal appeared before them.

No violent explosion.

No overwhelming pressure.

It was as though space willingly opened its path for him.

"Stop right there!"

One of the High Elf commanders shouted.

His aura exploded violently.

"I cannot allow either of you to leave!"

He took a single step forward.

That single step...

Was his last.

Without warning...

His body suddenly froze.

The surrounding space distorted almost imperceptibly.

Then...

He disappeared.

There was no scream.

There was no explosion.

There was no black hole.

No suction.

No visible attack.

His body simply began collapsing inward.

As though the very concept of space had decided to erase him.

His flesh vanished.

His bones disappeared.

His blood ceased to exist.

His soul followed immediately after.

Not even the smallest strand of hair remained.

No ashes.

No dust.

No lingering aura.

Nothing.

The place where he had stood became completely empty.

Silence instantly fell across the battlefield.

Every High Elf froze.

Cold sweat rolled down several foreheads.

No one understood what had just happened.

They had not seen an attack.

They had not sensed mana.

They had not even detected a fluctuation of law.

One of their strongest commanders...

Had simply ceased to exist.

Cain slowly turned his head.

His calm eyes swept across every High Elf present.

His expression remained indifferent.

"Do not try to stop me."

His voice was neither loud nor threatening.

Yet every word echoed directly within their souls.

"High Elves."

No one dared move.

Cain continued calmly.

"Take one more step..."

He slowly shifted his gaze beyond the gathered soldiers.

"...and you may say goodbye to your Yggdrasil."

His words caused every High Elf to widen their eyes.

"What..."

"Impossible..."

"You would not..."

Before anyone could finish speaking...

A gentle breeze flowed through the forest.

Golden leaves drifted through the air.

An elegant figure slowly appeared before everyone.

She wore robes woven from living leaves and ancient light.

Her silver hair flowed gently behind her.

A crown formed from Yggdrasil’s sacred branches rested upon her head.

The surrounding forest instinctively bowed toward her presence.

She was the ruler of the High Elf Faction.

The Queen of the High Elves.

She quietly looked at Cain.

Then...

She sighed.

A sigh filled with exhaustion.

Filled with regret.

"...Do you still blame me..."

"...for what happened to Irene?"

The moment that name was spoken...

The atmosphere changed.

Maiya instinctively looked toward Cain.

The warmth that usually surrounded him disappeared.

His expression remained calm.

Yet his eyes...had become unimaginably cold.

"I do not wish to speak about that."

His voice carried no anger.

No shouting.

No hatred.

That calmness frightened everyone far more.

"Especially..."

He slowly looked directly into the Queen’s eyes.

"...not with you."

The Queen lowered her gaze.

Pain appeared across her beautiful face.

"...Cain..."

Her voice trembled slightly.

"...My son..."

"You know..."

"...there was nothing I could have done."

Silence answered her.

Several seconds later...

Cain finally spoke.

"You should correct yourself."

His eyes never left hers.

"It was never that you could not do anything."

His voice became colder.

"It was...that you chose not to."

Those words struck harder than any weapon.

The Queen’s body trembled.

She tried opening her mouth.

Yet no words came.

Because somewhere deep within her heart...

She knew...

He was right.

Cain no longer looked at her.

He gently squeezed Maiya’s tiny hand.

"Let us go."

Maiya quietly nodded.

Without another word...

The two stepped into the portal together.

The dimensional gate slowly closed behind them.

Leaving only silence.

The Queen remained standing where she was.

Motionless.

A single tear slowly rolled down her cheek.

Around her...

Yggdrasil gently moved.

Its ancient branches lowered slightly.

Its leaves brushed softly against her shoulders.

Its bark emitted a warm emerald glow.

It was comforting her.

Like an old friend trying to ease her sorrow.

The Queen slowly closed her eyes.

"...I am fine."

Her voice was barely above a whisper.

Whether she was speaking to Yggdrasil...

Or trying to convince herself...

Even she no longer knew.

Moments later...

Her figure dissolved into countless particles of emerald light.

She quietly disappeared.

Only the ancient Yggdrasil remained...

Silently watching the place where Cain had once stood.