Chapter 253 - Doppelganger

 

While Cecile stammered in her confusion, Estian tightened his arms around her and leaned his forehead against hers, as if to confirm she was alive. As Cecile slowly registered the feeling of him pressed against her, she began to notice his sweat-drenched skin, ragged breaths, and the smoldering heat emanating from his body.

The pulsations from Estian’s wildly beating heart seemed to slowly pass over to her through their tight embrace. The reassuring thumps of his heartbeat seemed to kickstart her heart, which had grown cold moments before. Cecile could feel, little by little, how her heart was beginning to slowly beat again. The sorrow, exhaustion and despair that had cast a shadow over her had quickly dissipated from his warmth.

Cecile threw her arms around Estian and hugged her back with her trembling body. When he held her tighter yet in his arms, tears welled up in her eyes. Nestled in his embrace, she felt her tension melt and her strength leave her. “Estian…” she sobbed.

“I’m sorry. I came too late,” Estian soothed. He raised a hand and gently brushed Cecile’s hair back so she could peer into her husband’s face properly.

Cecile’s eyes widened from shock. What in the world had happened? When she watched Estian fighting Ruin through Richard’s spell, she was sure he’d been relatively unscathed; the worst of his injuries should’ve been a few minor scratches on his arms. However, the husband in front of her now was a literal mess. Not only was his face scarred all over, but even his clothes were also in tatters. It was also stained with blood all over. It looked like the man had single-handedly fought a long war by himself.

Clearly, these were injuries he had sustained as he fought his way to her side. The sight of his sorry state had shocked her into silence. When Estian gently wiped away her tears, the all-too-familiar touch made her choke up again, and she had to swallow the sobs threatening to break out from her.

“I’m sorry. I should’ve come before you were in danger,” Estian apologized remorsefully.

His gentle voice caused Cecile to break into tears once more. She didn’t know what had happened, but Estian was here now. He was alive. He had come for her. And that fact made her cry. Throwing her arms around his neck, she let loose and bawled. The emperor patted her comfortingly on the back until she calmed down.

Just as Cecile raised her head, she stiffened—the branches of the World Tree had drawn near them before they realized. The thickest of branches suddenly whipped towards them.

‘No!’ There wasn’t even time to scream. Bracing for the impact, Cecile shut her eyes tightly and hugged Estian to protect his head, but… At that moment, the branch noisily collided with a foreign object. When Cecile blinked open her eyes, a familiar figure came into a view—a palm-sized, green spirit in human form. “Aled?” Cecile muttered, surprised.

Hearing its name, Aled grinned and began, “Ugh, that’s the World Tree for you. It sure is painful. I think it’s been a really long time since I’ve been in this much pain. Not since I suffered a beating by the emperor over there. Ah, but you guys saw it, right? Right? I blocked it, I tell you! I helped you two! You can’t pretend it didn’t happen later, okay? Emperor, you’ve absolutely got to keep the promise you made on the way here. You said you’d take care of my loan all at once and give me everything else too, yeah? Oh, but seriously. Why am I so awesome? I’m fully aware that I’m an elder-class spirit, but I sure didn’t know I could block the World Tree’s branch in such epic fashion. By the way, Empress. Haven’t you gotten uglier since we last met? What’s that look you got going? But then again, you and the emperor do look like a similar mess.”

Cecile involuntarily covered her ears. It was Aled alright.

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