Chapter 73 73: Justicia

In a distant realm—beyond the reach of Laeh, beyond the mortal gaze—

A land woven purely from light stretched endlessly.

The air itself shimmered under the golden sky, heavy with divinity.

Golden rivers snaked through golden forests; beasts of pure radiance prowled and soared through the eternal day.

At the very center of this sacred land stood a magnificent castle—a structure of white marble and flowing gold, glowing with a majesty that even time dared not touch.

And deep within its throne room—

Seated upon a massive throne adorned with celestial glyphs—

—was Justicia.

Also known as the Goddess Of Light and Justice.

Her beauty was not mortal. It was the kind of beauty that bent reality around itself, made hearts ache and minds go blank.

Golden hair. Golden eyes.

But not merely gold—

Inside them flickered something older, purer, something terrible in its brilliance.

Yet now—

That divine face was twisted in a deep scowl, rage boiling under her smooth, flawless skin.

Her golden eyes gleamed dangerously as she watched a vision suspended before her:

Elizabeth.

Elizabeth awakening as a Celestial.

Her hands clenched slowly into trembling fists.

Even the space around her groaned from the pressure.

"Even after everything…" Justicia whispered, her voice smooth, almost musical—and yet as cold as winter.

She could hardly believe it.

Despite all her meticulous efforts:

Sealing Elizabeth's absurd potential.

Disrupting her soul's stability. Making her unstable.

Binding her future to Elijah—the "Chosen One"—so he could claim her easily.

Despite it all.

Despite it all.

Elizabeth still managed to awaken.

All that effort. All that control.

For nothing?

The golden realm itself shivered in response to Justicia's seething fury.

If only her influence weren't restricted…

If only she could simply reach across the veil and snuff Elizabeth out with a thought—

Her nails dug into her palms.

She hissed under her breath:

"That cursed child, Laeh… Always interfering."

Having no choice, she finally tore her gaze away from Elizabeth, unwillingly, and turned it toward another image:

Elijah.

Her Champion.

Her chosen one, now locked in battle against a savage A-rank wolf.

Her eyes softened instantly, glowing with something resembling maternal love.

"Grow, my beloved," she whispered.

"Grow stronger. Conquer that world. Offer it to me, as tribute."

She lifted a hand. A small orb of golden light appeared above her palm—a tiny fragment of her overwhelming power.

It was all she could send. Her limitations on that world were too strict.

The orb shot forward, vanishing into the distance, embedding itself within Elijah's soul.

It would lie dormant—until the conditions, pitifully easy, were fulfilled.

Turning back toward Elizabeth, her gaze hardened once again.

But her anger no longer focused solely on the reborn Celestial.

No.

Her eyes narrowed sharply at the boy standing beside her—the one who smiled quietly even now.

Noah Weaverheart.

"You," Justicia breathed.

He was the anomaly.

The factor she had not accounted for.

The storm that ruined every careful calculation.

Hatred—pure and undiluted—flickered across her divine features.

"I am waiting for you, Weaverheart," she whispered, her voice low and venomous.

Even if Elijah failed—

Even if her plans collapsed—

She would descend herself.

She would tear that boy apart with her own hands.

…

Meanwhile—

Deep inside the world of Laeh—

A quiet laugh stirred the stillness of another realm.

Laeh—the spirit of the world itself—leaned back lazily, his young, ethereal form smiling with pure mischief.

He had been watching Noah for a while now.

Ever since he had sensed the breaking of the shadow-bind that had long imprisoned him.

A weight lifted. A freedom reclaimed.

Laeh could not even count how many times he had cursed the ancient beings who had trapped him—how many times he had clenched his teeth silently, unable to even name them, lest they sense it.

But now?

He was free.

And better yet—this unexpected, chaotic, wonderful mortal named Noah kept throwing surprises his way.

Elizabeth's awakening was just the latest.

"A reborn Celestial," Laeh mused aloud, his golden eyes bright with wonder.

"In my world. Truly, am I being blessed by the higher heavens?"

He smiled, a little smugly.

First a new race. Then freedom. Now a Celestial.

All of it—strengthening him as the world.

He chuckled quietly, almost boyish.

"Noah," he whispered, his voice warm.

"You're my lucky star."

A glint of humor passed through his eyes.

He imagined Justicia biting her nails in impotent rage, and smirked.

"Serves her right."

Perhaps…

Perhaps it was finally time to meet the boy who unknowingly brought him so many gifts.

…

Back in the Forest Of Darkness—

The world was much simpler.

And much more complicated.

Noah sat across from Elizabeth, still quietly studying her new appearance.

"Silver eyes…" he muttered.

Elizabeth leaned forward eagerly, her silver eyes glowing like polished stars.

"Do you like it?" she asked brightly.

"I made them silver just to match yours, my love."

Her smile was radiant, proud—as if she were a child who had just completed her greatest masterpiece and now desperately sought approval.

Noah blinked awkwardly.

Outwardly, he smiled gently.

Inwardly—

'Beautiful? My ass. It's eerie as hell.'

But still, he nodded solemnly.

"It's beautiful," he said.

Yuki and Eric arrived just in time to hear this exchange.

Eric raised an eyebrow at Elizabeth.

"What are you now?" he asked, confused but impressed.

Yuki, however, zeroed in on something far more important.

"Did you just call my best friend your love?" she demanded, voice low and dangerous.

An almost visible aura of menace erupted around her, her orange eyes glowing furiously.

"You wanna die? No one calls him that except me."

Even facing someone who had just done horrifyingly broken things to an S-rank warrior, Yuki showed zero hesitation.

Elizabeth's sweet smile vanished like mist under sunlight.

"My love is mine," she said flatly. "Why shouldn't I call him that?"

She stepped forward, her silver eyes gleaming coldly.

"And as for killing me… Are you even capable?"

Her voice dripped with arrogance.

Eric slowly edged backward.

"These girls are crazy," he muttered.

"They were getting along five minutes ago and now they're ready to kill each other? Over what?"

He turned to Noah—and froze.

Noah was standing there calmly, smiling faintly, utterly unfazed, as if he were watching something delightful.

Eric's eye twitched.

"Crazy bastard."

And he was.

Noah was feeling quite something.

Inside his mind, he laughed.

'I don't know what a Celestial fully is yet… but hey, how many people have two monsters fighting over their love? One of them being a Celestial?'

'Do you have that?'

'Didn't think so. Hahahaha!'

Ester's voice echoed gently in his mind:

"Master… It's impressive, but maybe you should stop them before they burn the whole forest down."

Noah chuckled.

'I know. They won't kill each other. They know I care about both of them. They won't risk upsetting me.'

Still, enough was enough.

Time to rein it in.

He stepped forward—and spoke, his voice calm but carrying undeniable weight.

"Stop," he said simply.

The air stilled.

"I don't want this type of behavior," Noah said. His tone was even, almost lazy—but each word struck like a hammer.

"You're both mine. And you already know—you're not the only ones."

"Sophie. Ester. Anya. And others will come."

"If you start a war every time one of them gets close to me…"

He smiled. Beautiful. Radiant.

"I'll get annoyed. And I really, really hate annoying things."

He paused, letting his words sink deep into their hearts.

"I'm not asking you to love each other," he said softly. "Just accept each other. For my sake."

A long silence followed.

Then—

Elizabeth folded her arms, looking away with a huff.

"Fine," she muttered.

"But don't go picking up random girls off the street."

Yuki nodded emphatically. "Exactly."

Noah chuckled.

"Don't worry," he said.

"Only the special ones. Only the ones worthy."

Eric, standing off to the side, scowled.

"I'm never going on a mission with you again, Noah."

Never again.

Damn player.

—End of Chapter 73—