Refusing Your Ex-Husband’s Obsession: A Guide - Chapter 217

Chapter 217

Translator: Yonnee

—

At my father’s voice, I hurriedly turned towards the direction of the sound. There, not only was my father present, but also a fully recovered David and my mother.

Surrounded by people, I made my way through the crowd to my family.

“Mom!”

“My daughter, we were so worried, we came looking for you.”

Embracing her after such a long time, her warmth made the confusion I had been feeling until a moment ago seem to dissipate. While in my mother’s arms, David ruffled my hair.

“Rin, what were you doing here while your brother was sick?”

“I’m sorry, Brother.”

“It’s okay, I’m better now. But you owe me a whole day’s date later.”

“I was the one who called you first, yet you ran straight to your mother anyway,” my father said in a pretend-sulky voice as he playfully lifted me.

Then I noticed Morgan, Nicole, and Luke standing behind my family.

“It’s been a while.”

“Thank you for that time, Lady.”

“…I’m truly sorry, Your Ladyship,” Luke said with a tense face, full of remorse.

David, sensing Luke’s tension, reassuringly placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Rin, Luke has good control now. Morgan taught him well.”

I looked at both of them silently, then nodded weakly.

“That’s good enough.”

I had been concerned about other Espers and Guides but hadn’t thought to check on Ciel’s safety.

Maybe I had been arrogant, thinking that only Ciel and I knew each other, trying to help others out of greed…

GUOOOHH—

Thud, thud.

The sounds from outside the walls made me break free from my father’s embrace. I glanced at the people watching me and then fixed my gaze on the high priest. He opened his mouth as if he had been waiting.

“Saintess, you must make a decision now. Please visit that room once again.”

The High Priest was referring to a specific room, but I hesitated to move.

What if something were to happen to Ciel while I was gone?

Now I realized.

To be happy, I needed to forget the difficult past and move forward. I shouldn’t rely solely on my family, blame Ciel for his mistakes, or depend solely on decisions made by others.

It was my own judgment that mattered.

This, too, must be the Goddess’s will.

Being here was the Goddess’s will, and even though it wasn’t originally my body, it had become mine, moved by my own will.

I was standing here on my own two feet. So, shouldn’t I decide where to go?

I looked at the high priest for a moment, then turned my gaze to the top of the walls. Although it was still dark, flickering flames brightly illuminated the surroundings.

It felt like finding a light in a vast, pitch-black sea, following only that beam of light as if it were the only way to survive.

I…

“I want to save him again.”

But this time, not by choosing death. I will survive and grow old happily with him, just like my parents.

“…Dad, I need to go there.”

I pointed outside the walls. Dad’s eyes widened as he looked at the flames shooting up above the walls. Then mom grabbed my wrist.

“Don’t! You have to let others handle this, Rin!”

Mom would never let me walk into a sea of flames. The scar on the back of my hand said it all. But even though she might recall the past, I couldn’t back down this time.

I gently removed mom’s hand and, in front of everyone, took off my gloves and threw them aside. The vivid scars might have looked grotesque, but I didn’t want to hide them anymore.

These scars are proof that the original Irene once lived here.

And that I was reborn.

That I belong to this place.

Seeing the rose pattern engraved over my scars, the High Priest and the priests behind him gasped.

“Oh, Goddess Almighty…”

I looked at my hand. The petals, now wider open, seemed ready to fall off. It was almost an illusion, the way the rose pattern seemed to emit light.