Infinite Returns : The More I Give, The Stronger I Become-Chapter 87: Dali

Chapter 87 – Dali

The space had become heavenly.

But the man who made it so had become almost demonic.

With a white sun hanging above, casting a soft yet blinding white hue on him, Ethan looked on with a vicious smile at the small, golden, bleeding woman inside the golden orb.

The woman stared back at him, eyes wide in shock, unable to grasp what had just happened.

Her divine mind couldn’t fathom, couldn’t comprehend how this seemingly weak D-rank human had shattered her physical body.

What type of power did he use?

These questions scraped inside her mind like two dry rocks grinding against each other. But no answer came and Ethan never cared whether she understood him or not.

He walked slowly but surely toward the golden orb, his steps crunching the grass beneath him. He reached out his fair hand, grasped the orb in a tight grip, then brought it to eye level and looked more closely at the woman inside.

Her skin was golden, like molten metal, divine and unreachable. Her golden hair fell to her ankles, glistening like a tapestry meant to be admired by gods. Her eyes looked as if the very concepts of purity and beauty had been born inside them. Dazzling. Warm to the heart.

But her bleeding body and trembling eyes made the otherwise otherworldly sight quite... pitiful.

"W-Who are you?" the woman, whom Ethan assumed was the Will of the Spear, rasped. Her voice was shaky, holding a distinct note of apprehension.

Airi approached Ethan, standing behind him, behind her god, like the Saintess she was. She looked at the Will of the Spear with narrowed eyes, lips pressed into a thin line, her hands clasped tightly behind her back—as if holding herself back from doing something she shouldn’t in the presence of Ethan.

She wanted to tear this Will apart, shred her into pieces for the insolence she had just dared against her god. But she knew Ethan would do better than her.

Though...

’I am lacking... where have my skills in sainthood gone? I was so much better than this before...’ Airi couldn’t help but lament. Feeling a flush of embarrassment, she shook her head and focused as Ethan responded to the Will.

"Who am I, huh?" he echoed.

"I am many things, dear. Things you cannot even fathom even as the will of a divine relic." He leaned closer, his face pressed to the golden orb, his impossibly beautiful features strangely demonic to the eyes of the Will.

"But I am not here to answer your questions.

You are here to answer mine."

He paused, letting his words sink in, then:

"Your master is an angel, isn’t she?"

"My m—!"

"Yes or no," Ethan cut her briskly, his voice so cold the surrounding space seemed to freeze and hold its breath.

The Will shut her mouth with a snap, recognizing the apathetic glint behind Ethan’s eyes. She took a breath, steadying her heart, all while cursing the heavens, and those who controlled fate, for allowing this to happen.

"Y-Yes," she stammered.

"The one Seravax loves?"

"Yes."

"Does she love him back?"

"What? No."

Her voice sounded disgusted at the very thought of her master loving Seravax. She even seemed to forget her fear for a moment, glaring at Ethan.

"My master would never love that joke of an archdemon. He was nothing more than a way for her to have a worthy—!"

She stopped abruptly, eyes wide, realizing her blunder.

’Ah... my bad habit!’ she screamed inwardly.

Her body had already begun to heal. The pain and torture she had just endured were already fading—clear proof she was the Will of a divine artifact.

In fact, the shattered spear had already begun to reform. Slowly, but surely.

Ethan didn’t care. He knew he could break that spear again if he wished.

For now, he was more focused on the words the golden Will had just spilled.

Honestly, he wasn’t surprised. He had already deduced, based on Seravax’s own words, that the woman he loved didn’t love him back. That the entire situation, his imprisonment, the chain of events was nothing more than a farce. A game. A hidden plot for the angel Seris to gain something from his weakened state.

The only question Ethan had now was:

What did an angel gain by imprisoning an archdemon?

He didn’t need to be a genius to know it had to do with fame, prestige, authority or maybe... just maybe... something his mortal mind still couldn’t comprehend.

’Seravax... I promised him I’d give him the means to obtain the love of this angel Seris. But how do I do that?’

The only path was to manipulate her feelings. But Ethan hated manipulating the emotions of others. And he knew Seravax wouldn’t like it either.

His thoughts spiraled in all directions, his attention slipping from the spear, now nearly fully reformed.

But Airi noticed.

Her hand snapped out like a venomous snake, fingers coiling tightly around the spear handle. The spear quivered in her grip.

But Airi’s hold didn’t even flinch.

"You move, I’ll shatter you into a thousand pieces and inject the very essence of Ruin into you. And then you’ll see," she hissed. Her eyes cold.

The Will froze.

And Ethan shook his head, refocused on her.

"What’s your name?" he asked, voice and heart now calmer. He needed to control his anger. He needed answers, answers that would help him keep his word to Seravax.

The Will was now fully healed. Her arrogant demeanor had returned, but she somehow kept it muted—conscious of both Airi’s threat and Ethan’s strange power.

She exhaled, calming her nonexistent heart, then said,

"I am Dali. Will of the Spear of Light. Servant of Archangel Seris." Her tone was solemn... and prideful.

"You know your master Seris, do you?" Ethan asked, using Seris’s name directly.

Dali’s lips twitched violently, her brows knotting at the affront. But anything she wanted to say died in her throat the moment she met Ethan’s dual black-and-white eyes... and Airi’s void-black ones.

They were terrifying.

"Yes. I do. I know her better than anyone," she managed to utter.

"So you know how to get into her heart?"

"Yes. My lady might seem cold, but she’s very easy to read... if you know her," Dali rambled. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

Ethan and Airi had both noticed that Dali always said more than needed. More than she should. The type who loved to gossip and couldn’t watch her mouth.

Ethan smiled inwardly. That might be the best thing for him.

"Perfect. Then I think you’ll be able to help me quite perfectly," he intoned. Then immediately continued "How can I make your lady love someone she doesn’t love?"

Dali paused. Tilted her head.

And immediately began to understand the reason for the question.

Her expression twisted into a feral scowl.

"Hell no!" she barked.

Ethan smiled, the same benevolent smile he used to wear. But there was nothing benevolent behind it now.

He leaned in closer, eyes glinting like a wolf preying on a lost lamb.

"Darling, you either tell me the way willingly,

or I’ll make you say it unwillingly."

"Now choose."

"Easy way... or hard way?"

—End of Chapter 87—