Chapter 1225

"Hmph… heh heh… going head‑to‑head with a demigod? We're not that stupid." Kaines smirked triumphantly, "The dagger isn't pressed against your throat, but…"

Kaines lowered her gaze to the ordinary people coming and going inside the bathhouse; the meaning was self‑evident.

Aglaea

Aglaea lowered her gaze at these ordinary people and gave a cold sneer: "Your harshest accusation against me is that humanity is exhausted, and you blame my concern for worldly joys and sorrows as feigned. If the accusation holds… what makes you think the lives of these commoners could sway me?"

"No matter, I'll just spend a few more words to expose your Demigod's mask." Kaines paced slowly around Aglaea, "I've said it before—now you're not only blind, but also deaf. Lately, your grip on Aohema has weakened."

"You can't see the pickpocketing we deliberately arranged in the market, nor have you overheard the street incidents occurring in the earth‑beast workshop. As for the overt scheme brewing right under your nose, you remain unmoved."

"Humanity exhausted? Hah, Aglaea, why not use your prized golden thread to read my thoughts, see if the gift we've carefully prepared for you can move even an ice‑cold Demigod?"

Heichi

After attempting to use the golden thread, Aglaea suddenly opened her eyes.

"Given this situation, I only blame myself for not being cold enough. Because your evil… is incurable."

Kaines felt no shame, instead she was quite pleased: "You finally read my thoughts? Hah… you've truly become slow‑witted. To let you see clearly, I've been doing my best to keep that image in my mind."

Fate/zero

In Kaines's mind appeared the earlier scene of Aglaea communicating with a deaf‑mute little girl via the golden thread.

""This hip stone amulet, I'll give it to you, older sister. I hope you have good luck every day and that in the future you won't be bullied by anyone.""

To this day, Aglaea still wears that amulet with great care.

""That little girl who can't speak or hear… what would happen if she 'accidentally' lost her eyes too?" Kaines let out a short, sharp, light laugh, looking at the solemn expression on Aglaea's face, she felt an excitement she had never felt before."

""You know better than anyone what it's like to lose your sight. Imagine, a thousand years ago, if you had lost your sight as a child and then been deprived of your vocal cords and hearing—could you still be the Aglaea you are today?""

——

Fate/zero。

""I'll punch this Kaines to death ah ah ah——!! This woman is also too bad, right?!""

""I, I'm so angry my stomach hurts…… ow……""

Wei Bo clutched his stomach, his face alternating between green and white, his teeth grinding with a creaking sound; he wished he could rush into the heavens and give Kaines two punches.

""It seems this woman came prepared, going to such lengths just to kill Aglaea……" The Conqueror King slowly sat down, a flicker of undisguised disgust and coldness flashing in his eyes. Even so, he had to admit he needed to confront Kaines's methods."

At first, he thought Kaines was just an ordinary Senate member who disliked Aglaea; there were countless such people in the Senate, and she was merely one of them. Perhaps they would operate some shady tricks behind the scenes, but ultimately they could not affect the progress of the Fire Pursuit Journey.

I never expected they would have no scruples or morals whatsoever, not hesitating to exploit the weak and trample the innocent as bargaining chips to kill Aglaea…… Iskandar set aside the slight contempt he felt deep down; he had to admit that, in terms of baseness and shamelessness, these Senate rats truly possessed a disgusting 'talent'.

""But this is truly eye-opening." Rider said with a solemn expression, "I originally thought this Senate was a bunch of hyenas trying to bind the male lion with rules and red tape. But I never imagined they would resort to such despicable tactics just to bite the lion to death."

""It seems… Ulfrós still lacks a king who can conquer nations and win universal faith. If such a king ruled Aohema, after his death he would pass the throne to Aglaea, make the Fire Pursuit Journey state policy, and perhaps there would be no Senate left today still daring to attempt assassination."

""Hey hey… don't go projecting yourself onto this!""

Rider slammed his hand heavily on Wei Bo's shoulder: 'Kid, you just don't get it. This land of myriad city-states is perfect for my kingly way of hegemony—leading armies to gallop the four seas, victorious without extermination, hegemonic without disgrace, unifying the myriad city-states, turning what the eye can see and what it cannot into a single nation, thus making orders easier to issue and resisting the Heichi.'

""As for sycophants like Kaines……" The Conqueror King's eyes flashed with a hint of coldness, "... I will show no mercy; I must kill this person."

——

""...""

""Looking at Aglaea's lifeless eyes, Kaines spread her hands, seeming to find it a bit boring, then slowly turned away: 'Your pitiful, pleading gaze… really kills the mood; we overestimated your abilities. If this plan fails, we had prepared dozens of splendid parting gifts… Demigod, want to hear them?'""

Aglaea slowly closed her eyes.

She let out a deep sigh, looking up at the golden sphere of the Cloud-Stone Heavenly Palace where water continually flowed: '…I once thought I could still strive for more time. A millennium… I witnessed the fall of ten Titans. From initial ignorant arrogance, to groping to guide the people……'

Aglaea walked to the edge of the viewing platform; from there she could clearly see the smiles of everyone enjoying the bath.

Her 'gaze' lingered on these people for a long time.

""Now… it's time to let go. I should be grateful… grateful that I have waited for this moment—to turn my departure into a stairway for the people." Aglaea whispered, as if asking herself, and also as if bidding a final farewell to the land she loved deeply."

""…Have I done enough? If I now embrace that prophecy and fall asleep in the warm pool……""

Kaines behind her gave a glance; the few cleaners beside her instantly understood, picking up their daggers and slowly advancing toward Aglaea.

Aglaea lifted her head to gaze at the sky.

Her gaze seemed to pierce the thick cloud-stone above the heavenly palace; in a daze, she truly 'saw' a familiar figure—the girl who always wore a hood, with a sly smile—just as she had been when they first met on the streets of Aohema a thousand years ago.

""…Will the wind of travel pause for me, Safaliya?""