My Living Shadow System Devours To Make Me Stronger

Chapter 613: Chapter 614: Bring Something Sweet

Some things couldn’t wait, and some things were long overdue. The day was long and bright, but no matter how much you wanted the light to stay and the sun to shine, it would set. Slowly, the sun would fall, giving way to twilight, where shadows spread and grew, giving way to the darkness of the night.

The night was dark and full of horrors. Why else would humans build cities with bright lights? It was because they did not want to be left in that darkness.

However, the darkness could be beautiful. It could be relieving. It was a good place to hide. It was calming, and it was soothing.

In the dark, no one would know. The light did not reach here, so it could be forgotten.

No, it would be like it never happened.

The room had the stench of alcohol that lingered so deeply you would think it was a filthy bar. Bottles littered the floor of the room, which for all intents and purposes was actually grand and luxurious, with lavish décor on the walls, beautiful furniture, and expensive flooring.

Yet this room was dark. The master of this room gulped down another bottle of alcohol.

Pain was a constant companion. But in his case, it wasn’t only pain. No, it was pain mingled with shame.

He was a noble, and a noble could not look so pathetic. But this was his penance.

”Pain and the shame... keep it all inside.”

He muttered these words to himself, bowing his head onto the table.

Godric Ravenscroft was a man who lived by the ideals of a noble. Perhaps that was why he had let the results of his own actions break him.

His face was covered with an unkempt beard. Everyone had tried talking sense into him when he had returned from the demon wars and shut himself away.

They really thought the demon wars and its horrors had been what drove him to hide himself in his room.

No. Godric was running from something he could not escape. He was running from his own guilt, and the fact that he had to run was his shame.

”Wh... why did I do it... why...”

His actions had been impulsive. He was full of regrets. On that day when he had found his supposedly dead fiancée on the battlefield with another man, he should have wished her well, a happy continuation to her life.

He was going to, until he found out the man was nothing but a commoner.

”My prejudice as a noble was what drove me... I...”

Godric could act like he had done it for her father and his own, but that wasn’t true. It was just the ego of a noble, the superiority of being a noble.

When he tried to drag her away, he wasn’t even trying to force her to be with him. He just wanted her to return to her noble life.

He could never imagine in his wildest dreams why she would want to live as a lowly commoner.

On that day, he had caused her and her husband to die, as well as their whole squadron. No one knew he did it. No one was alive to tell, except maybe the one survivor.

Linga Felt...

Godric took a deep swig from his alcohol bottle.

He didn’t even send anyone to kill Linga. He had been too afraid that would leave a trail.

’I was such a fool. Of course her father would know she was still alive.’

Her father was a grand duke. He must have been the one to fake her death. As for Godric’s family, his grandfather had known. The old Duke Brightwater had contacted him through a crystal, and they had spoken at length.

Godric only found out after the war was over.

His eyes were listless from all the drinking. He was still in decent shape due to having been in the third class, but Godric made no progress all these years. It was as if he was still stuck in that moment.

’If House Brightwater finds out, it will cause a blood war... many people are going to die... because of me... for me...’

If House Brightwater knew, they would demand Godric’s head. Obviously, either out of familial bonds or pride, House Ravenscroft would not hand Godric over.

These two titans of the empire, which had been on good terms, would start a war, driving the empire into civil war.

Godric could not allow that. But he also couldn’t come clean. So he would carry this secret forever, carrying its burden alone.

Knock. Knock.

There was a soft knock on his door. He didn’t even look to know who it was. A younger man walked in with a stalwart expression on his face.

He personally pushed a trolley of food. Godric glanced at his younger brother, Xander Ravenscroft.

”You didn’t need to do this...”

Xander was quiet. Even now, he couldn’t understand his brother.

Godric saw that look in his eyes—the look of anguish. His younger brother had always looked up to him. He was sad because Godric was failing to meet his expectations.

He really wanted to make conversation, ask his brother how he was doing, how he was faring after surviving a death zone. But Godric was afraid.

He was afraid that if he started speaking after so long, he would break down and tell his brother everything. He would force Xander to carry the burden that had plagued him for years.

His brother set down the food and sat with him.

”Shall we eat, brother?” Xander spoke slowly.

Godric didn’t react much. Putting down his bottle, he ate with Xander.

When they were done, Xander cleared the table.

Godric bit his lips. Xander had grown... maybe he could share this with his brother.

”You’ve grown up Xander.” How was he only seeing this now.

”Come back with dessert... maybe we can talk afterwards... bring something sweet... it’s bitter.”

Xander’s eyes flickered. Finally, he had gotten through to his brother. He walked out of the room, leaving Godric behind closed doors.

Godric glanced at the moonlight outside.

”Maybe I can finally be set free...”

”Yes, you will...” a voice spoke coldly behind him.

Godric turned around to find a faceless entity standing in the shadows of his room.

”You will be free from life.”