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nTranslator & Editor: Latte

n“Aria, my angel,” the emperor said earnestly.

n“Come and save me.”

nSalvation.

nThe emperor seeks salvation from the monster.

n‘How absurd.’

nIt was so funny that she could no longer laugh.

nAria stared at him as he stretched out his hand towards her cage, but she didn’t move.

n“Please sing!”

n“……..”

n“Aria! If you don’t sing, I’ll make sure you’ll never be able to walk again,” he fumed, threatening her into submission.

nHis strength was quickly ebbing, his madness near. After tons of threats and persuasion that lead to nowhere, he finally resorted to begging.

nHe was completely insane.

n“Please sing for us. Siren. I beg for your mercy.”

n“Please, Siren…,” the dancers pleaded.

nUntil just a few months ago, these were the people who wouldn’t hesitate to bring her misery. They laughed at her and whispered behind her back.

nThe musicians and conductors who played the song for the Siren. Even the knights who guarded the emperor.

nThey called her a monster.

nBut here they are now, begging on their knees, waiting for Aria to open her mouth.

nAria caught her breath as something lunged painfully up her neck.

n“…cough!” she spewed.

nIt was blood.

nThe pain throbbed in her chest and the blood slumped all over her body

nShe looked at her hands which was now coated in blood, the red fluid loosening her grip.

nWith teary eyes, she clutched her chest.

n‘Ah.’

n‘So this is how I die.’

nAria smiled.

n‘At long last.’

nShe can finally have her eternal rest.

nHer tightly closed lips opened and she finally sang.

n“Come to me, sweet death.”

nAs Aria began to sing, the whole audience became silent. Nobody could take their eyes off her.

nShe’s been abusing her voice so it became rough and tired over time. Nonetheless, everyone was still mesmerized at her singing. Her voice rolled over the hills in sorrowful waves. It was raspy and quiet yet so powerful as it was brought out in a fit of pain.

n“Come and guide me into peace.”

nThe song, which started calmly, wrapped around them like a warm ray of sunshine.

nThey echoed amongst the masonry and up to the rafters, then comforted and stroked them tenderly as if it were the voice of an angel.

n“Oh, my lord….” Someone said as they shed tears with a serene smile.

nThe melody purred to the soul, piercing through and touched their hearts from within.

n“I am tired of this world…,” Aria continued singing.

nThis song she sang was a hymn about seeing heaven through death.

nHowever, due to Aria’s dark tone, it became a completely different song.

nIt turned into a song to call upon the devil.

n“Come, the blessings!”

nThe irresistibly sweet sound that reverberated in the silence instantly clutched their hearts.

nAria’s songs were like poison, slowly devouring their entire being from within.

n“Come!”

nThe murky voice grabbed their ankles and dragged them straight into the swamp.

nInto the swamp of the abyss,

nInto the swamp of death,

nInto the swamp of hell.

nThe sound spread violently as Aria continued to sing at the top of her lungs.

n“I am waiting for you!” she shouted.

nShe begged to God who had abandoned her.

nShe begged to God but ended up getting hurt, cursed, and left alone again.

nEventually, she lost hope in God.

n“Come and close my eyes.”

nIf there’s no God, then she sincerely prays that the devil will take her instead.

n“Gasp, gahk!”

nSuddenly, the emperor let out a strangled scream as he felt overwhelming pain. He couldn’t breathe, it was as if someone was strangling his neck, squeezing the life out of him.

nA second later, he lost strength in his feet and he fell to the ground. The impact of the fall shuddered all the way through his body, which only made the pain ten times worse.

n“Blessed sabbath, come!” Aria sang as she let the last note of the song curl slowly from her lips.

nThe song was over. The ritual was finally finished.

n“Gasp, cough….!” The emperor choked as he gasped for air.

nHis hands were shaking and his whole body was soaked with cold sweat.

nPuzzled, the fallen emperor slowly got back to his feet.

n“Wha-what on earth is going on?!”

nWhen the emperor looked around, he realized that most of the audience had fainted. Turns out, it wasn’t just him that had to endure that unbearable pain.

nSome of the knights that regained consciousness drew out their swords, but their aim was negligent and their feet staggered.

nThe emperor was appalled. If he had a sword in his hand, he would have carelessly ended his own life because he couldn’t withstand the pain.

n“Thi-this…..”

nThe dread creeps over him like an icy chill, numbing his brain.

n“How dare this b*tch….”

nBut when he came back to his senses, that fear quickly turned into anger.

n“How dare you try to kill me!”

nAria had little to no rights as she was the only Siren remaining on the land.

n“I saved you from the brink of death, and this is how you repay my kindness?” he ranted.

nSirens live for the purpose of singing. They are not allowed to do anything else.

n“Today, I will surely break your will to live. I shall punish you for disobeying me!”

nHe took one of the knight’s sword and lunged towards her.

nSuddenly, a black shadow cast over her.

nAfter living inside the cage her entire life, she finally gained freedom.

nShe closed her eyes.

n‘Sweet death, blessed rest.’

nIt was then that the door suddenly swung open.

nA man with black hair said, “What a sad song.”

nHe moved closer with those hollow eyes that stared so deeply into her own, and as Aria raised her head, their eyes met.

n‘The Grand Duke of Valentine….’

nThe man who sold his soul to the devil.

nThe man who was not supposed to be here actually came.

nHis red footprints stained the white marble floor as he approached her.

n‘He really came.’

nAria couldn’t believe it.

nThe duke took out his sword which was drenched in blood.

nThe blood on his sword danced merrily as he drew a semicircle on the ground.

n“If you seek salvation from the devil, then now is the time.”

nBeyond the wide-open door, the blood-stained imperial palace was as serene as a tomb.

nJust like it was in the beginning.

n“You’re welcome.”

n* * *

nThe devil killed the emperor.

n“The sabbath has come,” he said indifferently.

nThen he took the key out of the emperor’s arms and unlocked Aria’s cage.

nCreak—

nThe cage slowly opened.

nStanding underneath the chandelier, the devil shone brilliantly. His eyes, which looked like burnt ashes, glistened underneath the lights and when they reflected it, they made tiny stars.

nIn this dark night, his eyes are like the moon, scattering the nascent rays, ever illuminating her soul.

n‘How stunning….’

nFor the first time in Aria’s life, she was mesmerized by a person’s eyes.

n“The birdcage is open. Fly anywhere you wish to go.”

nIt was a memory that she would never forget even after her death.

nAria looked at her shackled ankles with a blank face.

nThen she raised her head.

n‘The Grand Duke of Valentine….’

nA traitor who killed the emperor.

nYet, he was her savior.

nHer cage was wide open.

nAs the grand duke said, if she had wings, she’d gladly fly away.

nBut.

n“I can’t fly anywhere,” Aria said as she laughed and wiped her bitter tears.

nHer death was near.

n‘Put an end to my life…’

nAs Aria was about to open her mouth to make her last will, she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her vocal cords.

nShe bent over as drops of blood splattered on her lap and knees. By slow, torturous degrees, the coughs eased in intensity and then slowly, slowly passed.

nShe glanced at the violent red that stained all over her body before her eyes went blank.

n“You are a bird with a broken wing…”

nThe Grand Duke’s languid gaze briefly touched her twisted leg.

n“Siren, I’ve heard that listening to your songs drives people crazy.”

nAria collapsed.

nHer body slowly becoming weak.

nThe grand duke held her dying body in his arms and said, “Then I guess your song won’t affect me. Because I’ve always been crazy.”

n“…….”

n“If there is a limit to madness, you must prove it yourself.”

nThe devil smiled and carried her body.

nHaving no strength left in her frail body, Aria finally closed her eyes in the devil’s arms.

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