Welcome to the Innocent World - Chapter 156

Chapter 156: A Knight’s Resolution

“Someone…please save me…”

Seraphine’s voice broke into a whisper, trembling as she hugged herself tighter on the cold ground. Her tears refused to stop, spilling endlessly, as though each one carried the weight of the betrayal she’d uncovered.

Her mind flooded with memories, images of her past flashing before her eyes like fragments of a broken mirror. She saw her father, his strong, confident figure standing tall even as the guards dragged him away in chains. His face was etched with pain, not for himself but for the family he was leaving behind. She remembered the fear that clutched her chest as she watched him turn one last time to look at her.

“Stay strong, Seraphine,” he’d said, his voice steady but his eyes filled with sorrow.

But how could she stay strong when the world around her crumbled into chaos?

The memory shifted to the days that came after that, to the whispers and pointed fingers. How the townsfolk spoke of her father as a traitor, taunting her and her mother mercilessly.

“A knight’s family? Hah, nothing but cowards and liars,” they’d sneered. The weight of those words had slowly eaten away at her mother’s spirit, leaving her hollow. Seraphine clenched her eyes shut, trying to push away the image of the day she found her mother lifeless, her fragile mind having finally given in to the depths of mountains where she commited suicide.

The sobs wracked her body harder now, her nails digging into her arms as she trembled uncontrollably.

And then came Darius. The man who had stepped into her life when it was at its darkest. He had been her savior—or so she had believed. He had wiped her tears, took care of her, and granted her every wish. He had been the father figure she thought she’d lost.

Now, every act of kindness, every reassuring word, felt like a knife stabbing her heart.

“All of it… nothing more than a lie,” she whispered, her voice trembling with the weight of realization.

Her lips quivered as another name escaped them.

“Cutiepie…”

She saw my face in her mind, the casual smirk I always wore, the way I teased her relentlessly, and the moments when I offered her advice late at night.

Her breathing slowed as the words I’d once spoken echoed in her ears.

“People come… people leave. It’s a part of life. Me, Darius… everyone.”

Her eyes widened slightly, her breath hitching as the truth in those words began to sink in.

“But you, as a knight, have a duty,” my voice continued, firm yet oddly comforting. “A knight’s duty isn’t to their past—it’s to protect the future. What will you choose, Seraphine? Redemption through lies or justice through truth?”

Her trembling stopped, and her tears slowed as her fists clenched at her sides. Her eyes, bloodshot and heavy with anguish, faded into a steely darkness.

The choice was getting clear for her now.

Shivering, Seraphine slowly sat up, her body trembling with a mixture of fear and resolve. Her eyes lingered on her trembling hand, and with a deep, shaky breath, she clenched her fist. As the sharp sting of cold air brushed against her skin, she wiped away the tears that had threatened to fall.

Her long, blue hair cascaded over her face, hiding her emotions from the world. The weight of everything that had happened pressed down on her, but she refused to let it break her.

With quiet determination, Seraphine stood, with the support of both hands against the cold ground.

She stared forward, looking at the exit, her voice barely above a whisper, yet it carried the gravity of her resolve.

“I must go now… and do what I should do.”

She muttered slowly, her words hung in the air like a soft promise, the weight of them almost too much to bear.

Emotionless, she walked into the hall, each step echoing in the silence as the crowd’s noise was unaudible for her.

The flickering lights on the walls cast long shadows, but Seraphine didn’t flinch. She was beyond fear now.

The announcer’s booming voice roared through the grand arena, snapping the crowd to attention.

“Ladies and gentlemen! The moment you’ve all been waiting for!”

The sound of thousands of voices cheering filled the air as the sky turned golden, signaling the arrival of evening. Torches blazed along the perimeter of the arena, their flames dancing in rhythm with the excitement of the crowd.

“Two warriors, one final battle! Who will emerge victorious? Let’s find out!”

The Queen sat in her royal seat, her piercing gaze fixed on the arena below. Even she seemed intrigued, her expression, a mix of anticipation and unease.

“First, the warrior who’s stolen everyone’s hearts! The crowd favorite! The sexy, the bold, the mysterious…the one and only… CUTIEPIEE!!!!”

The arena erupted into thunderous applause, my name being chanted over and over again. I stepped out from the shadows, my steps slow and deliberate. The light of the torches reflected off my figure as I walked toward the center, chewing my gum casually, my sword resting at my waist.

“CUTIE-PIE!!”

“CUTIE-PIE!!”

“CUTIE-PIE!!”

“CUTIE-PIE!!”

“CUTIE-PIE!!”

“CUTIE-PIE!!”

The crowd’s energy surged as they chanted my name endlessly, but I remained calm, my hands stuffed into my pockets.

“And her opponent!” the announcer continued, his voice dropping to a sinister tone. “A man known for his merciless combat, feared by all who stand against him… Orcas!”

The cheers instantly shifted into loud boos, the crowd expressing their disdain for the towering man who now entered the arena. Orcas, with his emotionless black eyes, scanned the crowd before locking his gaze on me. His chain knife glimmered dangerously as it hung coiled around his massive body.

The announcer’s voice rose once more, eager to feed the excitement.

“And let’s not forget, the winner of this match will obviously win loads of cold coin but will also secure a coveted spot in the Queen’s Knight Force, serving alongside her majesty herself!”

The crowd roared again, though the tension in the air was visible.

Orcas took his place at the opposite end of the arena, his unflinching stare never leaving me. I stopped at the other end of the stage, popping my gum before blowing a small bubble and letting it burst. My casual demeanor only seemed to irritate him further.

“You’ve got quite the attitude,” Orcas finally said, his deep voice cutting through the noise of the crowd.

I smirked, tilting my head slightly as I responded, “And you’ve got quite the fan club.” I nodded sarcastically toward the booing crowd.

His jaw tightened, but he didn’t take the bait. “All this confidence won’t save you when I put you in the ground.”

“Big words for someone who needs drugs to win,” I shot back, my smirk widening.

His eyes darkened, but he said nothing, gripping the handle of his chain knife tighter instead.

The announcer stepped forward, raising his arms to silence the crowd.

“Warriors, take your positions!”

The noise began to die down as the anticipation reached its peak.

My gaze locked onto Orcas, who stood ready to strike, his weapon gleaming ominously under the torchlight.

The crowd leaned forward in their seats, every eye in the arena fixed on the two of us.

They all murmured with restless energy, the air thick with anticipation. Conversations overlapped, a chaotic mix of excitement and doubt.

“You think Cutipie has a chance?” a voice whispered from the left, hesitant but curious.

“I mean, she’s strong and all,” another chimed in, “but Orcas didn’t even flinch during his match with Alex. Did you see that? He’s a monster.”

A scoff came from somewhere in the middle of the crowd. “No, we can’t be sure of that. Even Braun was strong—really strong—but Cutipie saved Seraphine and snapped his arm like it was a toy.”

“Yeah,” someone agreed, their tone laced with awe. “She’s crazily strong as well. I wouldn’t count her out.”

“Ahh—this is exciting!” a younger voice exclaimed, unable to hide their enthusiasm.

The tension in the arena crackled like electricity. All eyes turned toward the center stage, where the fateful clash would soon begin.

Whispers turned into a low roar, the crowd divided between loyalty and disbelief, all eager to see if I could truly hold my own against Orcas.

The announcer raised his voice one final time, his words echoing across the arena.

“Let the final… BEGIN!”

For a moment, we stood still, our gazes locked. The world around us seemed to blur, the noise of the crowd fading into a distant hum. There was no hesitation, no second-guessing—just a quiet understanding that this was it.

*Step* *Step*

Slowly, we both took a step forward. Then another. The distance between us closed with each step, the tension thickening in the air.

“They’re walking so confidently towards each other!” the announcer’s voice boomed, his excitement rippling through the crowd like a wave.

Finally, we stopped, hardly three steps away from each other. I could see every detail now—the faint rise and fall of his breath, his dead eyes and bulging muscles.