Married To The Villain
Chapter 98: A World Without Chains

Chapter 98: A World Without Chains

Chapter 98: A World Without ChainsThe sky was gray with mourning.

Heavy clouds hung over the vast valley, the air around them had a scent of rain-soaked earth and burning incense.

The grand funeral stretched across the royal courtyard, filled with nobles, warriors, and common folk alike.

Everyone was silent.

The banners of the fallen were draped over the ceremonial pyres, their flames moved against the wind.

Their light danced upon the polished marble of the Sanctum of Heroes, where names were etched into stone—Raphael’s among them.

Lirian was standing before his name, her fingers traced over the freshly carved letters.

-Rapahel Lingdron.-

A prince. A hero. A warrior. A friend.

Gone.

She clenched her jaw, swallowing the grief lodged in her throat.

Gabriel was beside her, having this weird expression on his face.

His usual sharp eyes were shadowed with loss, but his posture remained strong, as if he carried the world alone.

He didn’t.

Not anymore.

Kael was on his other side, his arm still in a sling from his wounds, but he was very much alive.

Pedro was also nearby, for once not talking, his hands tucked into his coat as he stared at the burning pyres.

None of them spoke.

What could they even say?

The high priest stepped forward, raising his hands to the crowd.

"We gather today not only to mourn our fallen but to honor them. To remember their sacrifice. And to ensure that their loss was not in vain."

The people bowed their heads, murmurs of agreement rippling through the masses.

The priest turned toward them.

"The time has come," he said solemnly. "The crystal must be returned to its place—so that no more may suffer as they did."

Lirian’s breath hitched.

This was it.

The end of magic.

She glanced down at the object cradled in her hands—the Celestial Crystal, pulsing faintly with the remnants of mana.

The same mana that had once bound her to a destiny she never wanted.

Now, it would unbind them all.

Gabriel’s voice was low. "Are you ready?"

Lirian exhaled slowly, steadying herself.

"No," she admitted. "But it’s time."

With careful steps, she ascended the altar at the heart of the sanctum.

The crystal shimmered in her hands, as if recognising what was about to happen.

The moment she placed it into the sacred pedestal, the ground shook.

A pulse of pure energy erupted from the altar, rippling outward like a tide.

The magic in the air wavered—

And then, like the last breath of a dying star—

It vanished.

The amount of mana that had once saturated the world was gone, dissolving into nothingness.

The energy that had fueled wars, birthed demons, and cursed bloodlines was no longer there.

For the first time in centuries, the world was free.

A stunned silence fell over the crowd.

And then—

A sob.

Followed by another.

Lirian turned to see a woman falling to her knees, clutching her arms as if something had been ripped from her.

Others followed—people who had been bound by magic, cursed by it, now feeling its absence like a phantom limb.

But none of them looked in pain.

They looked... relieved.

Kael let out a slow breath, flexing his free hand. "Huh. That’s weird. It’s... quiet now."

Pedro tilted his head, blinking rapidly.

"Whoa. I think I was half-magic. Does that mean I’m only half of myself now?"

Gabriel huffed a tired breath. "Maybe if we’re lucky, you’ll turn back into a bird permanently."

Pedro gasped in mock horror. "Gabriel, how dare you?!"

Lirian smiled faintly, despite the lump in her throat.

Gabriel turned to her, searching for something. "How do you feel?"

She considered the question.

For the first time in this life, she wasn’t bound by mana or magic, butterflies...

The power inside her had always felt like a chain—one she couldn’t control, one that nearly destroyed everything she loved.

But now?

She felt... light.

"I feel..." She trailed off, struggling to put it into words.

Kael smirked. "Let me guess—free?"

Lirian let out a breathless laugh. "Yeah."

Pedro crossed his arms.

"You better not forget me now that you don’t have magic. I was an awesome bird, and I am an even better human."

Gabriel rolled his eyes. "No one could forget you, Pedro."

Kael leaned against a pillar, shaking his head.

"So... no more magic, huh? That’s gonna take some getting used to."

Lirian nodded, sweeping across the crowd. "But it’s better this way."

No more demons.

No more sacrifices.

No more monsters lurking in the shadows, waiting to consume them.

Just a future—one they could finally build on their own.

The high priest turned to them, a gentle but knowing look in his ancient eyes.

"You have given this world peace," he said. "What will you do now?"

Lirian hesitated.

For so long, her life had been dictated by what she was meant to be. A vessel. A weapon in a game she never asked to play.

But now, with magic gone...

She could be anything.

She looked at Gabriel, at Kael, at Pedro—at the people she fought beside, bled beside, survived beside.

Then she smiled.

"I think," she said softly, "it’s time we finally lived."

EpilogueMonths passed, and the world began to heal.

With magic gone, the war-torn lands settled into an era of rebuilding.

Old grudges lost their fire, kingdoms began speaking instead of fighting, and the scars left by mana slowly faded.

Lirian found herself exploring for the first time—not running, not hiding, but traveling. Learning. Seeing the world as just herself.

Kael became an ambassador, his quick tongue somehow made him the least hated noble among the nations.

Pedro... well, he was still Pedro, much to Gabriel’s despair. Gunther and Johann had survived and claimed the Nightwind’s residence and all its glory.

And Gabriel?

He never left Lirian’s side.

They weren’t the same people they had been before. They weren’t just warriors or survivors.

They were free.

One evening, as they stood atop a cliffside overlooking the sea, Lirian felt Gabriel’s fingers brush against hers.

She glanced up at him, finding his eyes already on her.

For once, there was no war. No battle to fight.

Just them.

Just this moment.

Gabriel exhaled, his lips quivered slightly. "So... what now?"

Lirian smiled, looking out at the horizon, where the sun dipped beneath the waves, its light stretching into forever.

"Now?" she whispered.

She took his hand.

"We finally live."

"You mean as king and queen?" Gabriel raised an eyebrow.

Twelve months passed since Gabriel was crowned as the king, and Lirian as the queen forever by his side.

And two months later, Lirian gave birth to their son- Raphael.

~ THE END.~