"Let the world… forget me completely."
"Wait—no! No, that's wrong!"
Nahida's eyes widened.
Without hesitation, she rushed forward, tightly grabbing Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's hand.
Her gaze was filled with desperation.
As if she feared that, in the very next instant, that person would simply disappear.
But she understood.
Deep down, she understood perfectly.
The method her sister had mentioned might be the only correct path.
The only way to save the world.
If someone with authority over the World Tree came here and completely erased her existence—
Then she would cease to exist from the very beginning, and with that, the curse would vanish.
The pollution of the World Tree would disappear along with her.
It was logical. Rational. And obviously necessary.
But people are not machines.
"It shouldn't be like this…!"
Nahida shook her head fiercely, her eyes trembling.
"People love you! Everyone in Sumeru misses you! Sister… I miss you too… How could I just forget you like that?!" Her voice faltered at the end.
It was too cruel.
Too unfair.
The person before her had dedicated her entire life to Sumeru.
She loved that land more than anyone else.
And yet, she had to disappear like this.
On that very day.
During the Festival of the Goddess of Flowers.
A festival that, ironically, was also dedicated to her.
Nahida couldn't accept it.
Not at all.
"Yes…"
Leon stepped forward.
"How could we possibly forget someone like you?"
His eyes were steady.
"A queen so wise, so great, so dignified… an ending like this… doesn't suit you."
To not be remembered.
To leave no trace.
To vanish as if she had never existed—as if her life held no value.
That should never be her end.
Leon stepped closer, standing before the goddess.
Their eyes met.
"What do you intend to do?" she asked.
"Isn't it obvious?"
He answered immediately.
A smile formed on his lips.
"I'm going to cut through this bad story… and create a new future for you with this sword."
A blue light shone on the back of his right hand.
The crest of the sacred sword ignited.
And then, Terminus Est appeared in his grasp.
The world was chaotic and unfair.
Good people suffered.
Bad people prospered.
And now, before him, a wise and benevolent queen was about to be erased from existence.
Stripped of all the meaning of her life.
So he would do what he did best.
"Greater Lord Rukkhadevata…"
Leon raised his chin slightly.
"I will not allow anyone to forget you."
"Your existence will be remembered by the world."
"You… who exactly are you?" the goddess asked, for the first time showing genuine surprise.
Leon smiled.
"I am merely someone who lives by his own ideals… and the king of this world."
In the next instant—
Something unthinkable happened.
Greater Lord Rukkhadevata witnessed what might have been the most insane act of her entire existence.
Leon raised his sword and drove it directly into the World Tree.
When the blade pierced its structure, the planet itself reacted as if it had been wounded.
The goddess's heart raced, but she knew it was only an illusion.
The World Tree was a system of records, not the physical existence of the planet itself.
Even if it were destroyed, the world would not disappear.
Even so, she could not fully comprehend what Leon was doing.
Until the next moment.
"What…?! This is… taboo?!"
Her eyes widened in disbelief.
She clearly saw the curses contaminating the World Tree being absorbed into the sword in Leon's hand.
At the same time, she felt within herself that the corruption devouring her was disappearing.
No—being removed, torn away from her.
The world was healing.
In a way she had never imagined.
But in the very next instant, something went wrong.
The absorbed curses changed direction and violently rushed toward Leon.
They invaded his body, corroding his right arm—the one holding the sword.
"No…!"
"Leon!"
The goddess and Nahida cried out at the same time.
Desperation.
Fear.
They both realized what he was trying to do.
He intended to use his own body as a vessel for all the world's taboos.
Nahida's eyes filled with tears.
This wasn't what she wanted.
If saving everything meant he had to carry everything alone, then she would never accept it.
But Leon simply smiled and shook his head.
"Don't worry… Nahida. It's fine."
His face was slightly twisted with pain.
That was probably the worst pain in the world.
Even so, he kept smiling, raised his free hand, and gently patted her head.
"I could use my body as a vessel… but I have no intention of doing that."
His voice carried arrogance and absolute confidence.
"After all… this body is the most noble in this world. How could it be tainted by something as insignificant as a curse?"
With a firm motion, Leon grabbed the cloak over his right shoulder and cast it aside.
Revealing a golden sheath.
Adorned with deep blue details.
A divine relic.
The sheath of the sacred sword.
Not the blade he wielded—but another.
The sheath of the legendary sword of the King of Knights.
Avalon.
The moment it was revealed, the sheath reacted. Sensing the corruption, it automatically activated its power.
A light enveloped Leon's body.
Isolating, rejecting, and nullifying the curse.
This was Avalon's true nature.
Absolute protection.
Perfect defense.
Capable of denying any external interference.
Even the world's taboos.
The reason why the King of Knights was invincible was never just the sword—
But the sheath.
And on that day, it had been given to Leon as a birthday gift.
Perfect timing.
His original plan had been adjusted.
First, use the Sacred Sword to attract and concentrate the curse.
Then use Avalon to completely erase it.
"Incredible…"
"This… is a miracle…"
Nahida and Greater Lord Rukkhadevata watched, unable to look away.
Before them, the impossible was happening.
The curse that had tormented them for so long was being destroyed, erased, and eliminated.
Their eyes filled with admiration and gratitude.
And then, when the last trace of the curse disappeared, Leon let out a long sigh.
"Phew… problem solved."
He relaxed his shoulders.
Feeling the burden completely vanish.
Without hesitation, he pulled the sword out of the World Tree.
Greater Lord Rukkhadevata looked at the mark left by the blade.
That scar could be healed at any time—after all, it was no ordinary tree.
But she didn't do it.
She chose to keep the mark as proof.
As a memory of the miracle that had occurred that day.
---
(End of Chapter)