Chapter 156
In her silence, Aldraya began to realize that perhaps there was something different in her interactions with Theo, something she had never found in her relationships with anyone throughout her thousands of years of wandering.
'That dream felt as if it truly happened, not merely an illusion.'
Aldraya once again became aware of her feet, still stepping steadily along the narrow path, her consciousness returning entirely to the present.
Yet a question continued to unsettle her thoughts, about the meaning behind Theo's attitude when he asked about her condition at that moment.
She remembered clearly the moment she complained of dizziness, happening right after she awakened from an unexpected long slumber.
In that sleep, a strange dream approached her.
It was not an ordinary dream, but a vision that felt real and overflowing with symbolism.
In the dream, she witnessed nine foreign entities she did not recognize, beings with an aura so divine yet unfamiliar.
What shocked her most was that Theo was there, wielding his sword intent and unbroken resolve, attempting to fight the nine entities alone.
But what left her even more stunned was that in the dream, she herself appeared using a power identical to the nine mysterious beings.
That mysterious power then merged with Theo's sword technique, creating a harmony of force beyond imagination.
Their combined might was so overwhelming that it repelled the nine entities, accompanied by extraordinary cosmic phenomena.
Aldraya watched the moon and sun shift from their positions, as if time was being rewound to an age long gone, before anything happened, before the betrayals occurred.
Now, in full consciousness, Aldraya still pondered the meaning of the dream.
She wondered whether what she saw was a hidden memory of herself after the punishment she received following the Celestial Betrayal, or if there was another, deeper truth—something she did not yet know about her own existence.
This mystery continued to cling to her mind, adding another layer of complexity to her already long spiritual journey.
'This journey has finally brought me back to the beginning.
To You, Quil-Hasa, the source of all creation.'
With steady steps, Aldraya continued to walk forward, leaving behind the memories carved from Ilux and Theo Vkytor.
Her farewell to Ilux felt like a natural closing of a chapter, while her acquaintance with Theo left a deeper mark.
It was the samurai who had unintentionally taught her the art of perceiving things fully, capturing every detail without missing a single grain of sand from the vast expanse of meaning.
That lesson now lingered within her, becoming a precious provision for her spiritual journey.
Now, her resolve had hardened like iron forged in the fire of awareness.
All the twists and turns of her journey, all the bitterness and sweetness of her experiences, all the meetings and partings, had brought her to a single final decision.
She would face Quil-Hasa, the Source of All Things whom she once abandoned in betrayal.
Before that boundless cosmic force, she would prostrate in humility, seeking forgiveness with sincere repentance.
It was not mere forgiveness she desired, but a true reconciliation.
Aldraya hoped that she could be restored to her former position as one of the Thirteen Highest Angels who once guarded the harmony of the universe.
Within her heart lay the belief that her long wanderings through the mortal world, the suffering she endured, and the lessons she gathered had matured her enough to once more bear that cosmic responsibility.
'My love for Him must not end as a bitter memory in the history of the heavens.'
Deep within her soul, Aldraya had long harbored immense doubt and shame about facing Quil-Hasa directly.
For thousands of years wandering through cycles of reincarnation, her pleas for forgiveness had always been whispered through unspoken prayers hidden within every breath of her fragile mortal life.
She had been too afraid to face the Almighty, too broken by the weight of the betrayal she once committed.
But everything changed after a series of unusual encounters with Theo.
Their dates, which lasted from ten in the morning until noon—simple as they seemed—left a deep impression on Aldraya's spirit.
The philosophical questions Theo asked, delivered with his distinctive casual style, managed to shake the walls she had long built around herself.
She began to question her own being.
Had she been hiding behind the mask of endless lifetimes for far too long?
Was she still worthy of bearing the title of the Right Hand of the Almighty?
And most painfully, must her true love for Quil-Hasa meet a tragic end on a road littered with mistakes and regret?
Now, with newly found conviction, Aldraya decided to make things right.
Her steps were now accompanied by the hope of reuniting with her twelve Brothers, the Highest Angels who once worked together to maintain the universe's harmony.
But beyond that, there was a deeper longing burning within her heart.
She wished to know whether her love for Quil-Hasa would finally receive an equal response, as it once did in the golden era, long before the shadow of the Second Celestial Betrayal tainted her fate.
'Keep walking.'
In the distance, a man moved with silent steps, like a shadow faithful to the rhythm of the moon.
Every movement he made was precisely measured, his dark sweater and the mask covering his face concealing him in muted anonymity.
The bag hanging from his shoulder made no sound, as if swearing to keep the secrecy of this journey.
He was a silhouette without presence, a breath without noise, a consciousness following from just the right distance.
Theo Vkytor—that was the name attached to this somber samurai—continued forward with full awareness.
Behind his reputation as a mercenary who worshipped only the clinking of coins and worldly pleasures lay a truth known only to a handful.
The soul inhabiting this body was actually that of a genius writer from another world, a creator who had lost 99 percent of his reality after being absorbed into the game world of Flo Viva Mythology.
Ironically, the fantasy world that now imprisoned him was inspired by his own legendary horror novel, Last Prayer, a cosmic metaphor steeped in bitterness.
With eyes that never tired, Theo observed Aldraya's every movement ahead.
His attention was no longer ordinary observation, but a silent reverence from a creator toward his creation that had grown to live independently.
In silence, he watched the former angel—born from his imagination—walk toward her destiny, while he himself remained trapped in the labyrinth of a reality he had created.
Every distance he kept was a concealed confession.
That behind all masks and facades, there was a truth that could only be revealed through such unconditional devotion.
Theo followed Aldraya not for money nor desire, but because this was the only way he could remain connected to the fragments of reality he had left.
To be continued…