Chapter 32: The Weight of Sin and a New Path

Mo Ya looked at the girl beneath the tree, then simply turned his head. A hint of relief seemed to surface in his eyes as he gazed at the sky.

Perhaps, in this girl, he saw a reflection of himself.

“It’s about time. Akuma should be waking up soon.”

Mo Ya’s expression once again turned indifferent, much like the puppet a certain fool had once described.

As this thought crossed his mind, Mo Ya’s memories grew hazy. There was a girl who had once stood before him; was she, too, merely a puppet?

This question remained unanswered. Neither he nor Blood Princess knew where that girl from years ago had gone.

The only thing Mo Ya remembered was the promise he had made to her.

Perhaps, one day, he would truly die by that girl’s hand.

“If only I hadn’t shown mercy back then…”

Mo Ya gave a half-joking shrug, dismissing the thought. From beneath the tree, Feng Ling’s voice drifted up continuously, conveying her desire for him to descend. Very well, it was time to go.

Shifting his body’s center of gravity, Mo Ya leaped from the branch, landing gracefully before Feng Ling.

Feng Ling hurried to his side, her eyes filled with both excitement and confusion.

Her excitement stemmed from the fact that this man had heard her pleas, rescuing her from a desperate plight.

Feng Ling’s heart had once been consumed by darkness. Yet, this man’s appearance had forcefully torn a rift in a corner of her soul.

Ultimately, he had saved her. All of this had unfolded within two incredible days, yet Feng Ling felt these two days had stretched longer than her entire life before. A profound sense of happiness now permeated her entire being.

Still, confusion lingered. She ran and blocked the path of the departing Mo Ya, raising her hands to stop him.

Feng Ling’s small head tilted back, her gaze meeting Mo Ya’s once more.

Mo Ya paused, watching her silently, without a word.

“That… I won’t curse others anymore, will I?”

Her eyes held a hint of fear, and beneath it, a tiny, hidden glimmer of hope.

Mo Ya perceived this emotion. Thus, he spoke. His words were as indifferent as ever, yet Feng Ling awaited them with eager anticipation.

“Yes.”

A soft affirmation. Hope sparked in Feng Ling’s eyes, but Mo Ya’s subsequent words immediately dimmed that hope, causing her to lower her head, her mind clouded with confusion.

“The curse is gone, but the sin remains.”

Unnecessary sympathy was uncalled for. Mo Ya needed her to acknowledge her transgressions, so he had ensured she retained the memory of everything that had transpired last night.

He watched the girl, who remained silent with her head bowed, his carefully prepared words suddenly jumbling, as if on the wrong frequency. He couldn’t utter a single one.

‘Honestly… the word ‘kindness’ truly doesn’t suit me.’

He knelt before the girl, his movements imperceptible.

He gently touched her head. His voice softened, becoming tender and considerate.

“Therefore, your life is no longer solely your own. You must carry these sins and strive with all your might to live, never again abandoning hope.”

“…You, you really are an ass.”

She wept, raising her right hand and pushing it against Mo Ya.

Mo Ya rose to his feet, walking past the girl. Behind him, her sobs continued.

“I will bear some of this sin with you.”

“Wait!”

Feng Ling called out to him again. He turned his head slightly, revealing his profile.

Feng Ling wiped her tears, raised her hand high, then clenched it into a fist.

Her lone index finger pointed at Mo Ya.

“You! Don’t just decide things for me on your own! I’ll bear my own sins!” Her eyes were slightly red, but Feng Ling paid it no mind. For the first time, she loudly voiced her true feelings.

This was an unprecedented expression, and Mo Ya felt a flicker of interest.

The girl who was once timid and afraid of others, had she now undergone such an incredible evolution?

The confusion slowly receded, leaving only determination in the girl’s eyes. Seeing Mo Ya’s surprise, she tilted her head, a bright smile gracing her lips.

“So! I’ll carry all my sins and live. In return, you have to witness this process.”

Amused, Mo Ya turned his head back, leaving only his back to Feng Ling. He took a light step forward.

‘Once, this girl was bound by a curse.’

‘Now, how could I become the shackles to bind her a second time?’

“I refuse. You’ll just have to struggle through life on your own.”

“You won’t refuse,” the girl said, her eyes full of confidence, as if she understood Mo Ya’s secret.

Mo Ya had a bad feeling.

“You…”

“I know, you’re not human, are you?”

She laughed brightly, but Mo Ya secretly winced.

‘Damn it, in that memory, I must have revealed my true form.’

“So, take me with you. After all, I’m the same kind of being as you, aren’t I?”

“What?”

“Well… otherwise, I really can’t figure out why you’d save me. What’s wrong? Did I guess incorrectly?”

Feng Ling voiced her speculation, but Mo Ya remained unmoved, not even displaying a hint of emotional fluctuation.

She instinctively assumed she had guessed wrong.

“You guessed wrong.”

Mo Ya quickly replied, slowly walking out of the forest. Feng Ling watched him blankly from behind.

‘Then… why exactly did he notice me?’

“What’s wrong? Aren’t you going to follow me?”

“Ah! You idiot! Why are you walking so fast? Would it kill you to wait for me?”

“It would kill me. Of annoyance.”

Feng Ling quickly followed behind Mo Ya, the forest receding behind them. In the distance, the smoke from the town’s chimneys was already visible.

“We’re finally here…” Feng Ling clasped her hands, still feeling a sense of dread toward the town.

Mo Ya knew the reason for her fear: it was likely the guilt she felt towards the villagers.

Her hand slowly grasped Mo Ya’s. He didn’t react, simply allowing her to hold it quietly.

“Thank you…”