Chapter 3: Ch 3. Denial
Hearing her words, they were all stunned. Even the Eldoria Beast World Council seemed to have its eyes wide open, the holy light radiating from its body. Her five husbands stared wide-eyed, their eyes brimming with astonishment.
The frail woman who had been useless for the past few months now truly looked like a goddess descended from the heavens. Just before she was to be beheaded, a miracle occurred, causing their hands to tremble.
"How is that possible?! This must be a trick!" protested Dorven, his pride too great to immediately acknowledge what had happened to Selena. "Just because you’re about to be executed and are afraid of dying, you dare to conjure up that false display of power?"
Everyone around them fell silent; even Selena merely smiled faintly at how foolish the man who was the Lion King appeared. Somehow, the beastkin ancestors had elevated this foolish man to be their leader.
"What the Lion King said does make sense," replied Stevan, nodding beside him. "It is a bit illogical, though."
"Of course!" retorted Dorven, his ego swelling considerably as he received support.
Selena could even see his piercing golden gaze, as if he were about to pounce on her, as he spoke again.
"In the few months we’ve been with you, we’ve made love to you countless times, but you’re like a useless plank of wood!" he said harshly.
This man was indeed quite rough; the memories of Selena Grece—the owner of this body—surfaced, revealing several instances of Dorven Stongz’s violent behaviour.
"Isn’t this a bit too much of a coincidence, given that you were supposed to be dead? How could that power have appeared?" he retorted, feeling increasingly smug as Selena remained silent.
"Selena Grece, please be serious and stop messing about. If you really are the Healer of Extinction destined for them, at least say something else." Forhen, a member of the Beast World Council from the red bull faction, stared firmly at Selena’s face. "If you provide one more piece of evidence of your identity and demonstrate your power more clearly, the punishment will be suspended. You can go free, as long as you do not lie to us."
Selena gave a small laugh, gazing at them all with a condescending smile. Poor Selena Grece, a girl who had always been so fragile and foolish, was being toyed with by this Beast World full of irrational beasts.
They were the ones who needed her, yet they were the ones acting cruelly and arbitrarily.
No wonder—all this time, Selena Grece had had no abilities whatsoever and no support; she could do nothing to defend herself.
"Look at the way she’s laughing; it’s a bit different from Selena’s usual demeanour," said Vylen, his ego slightly deflated as he realised Selena had indeed changed a little. "I can see she really is different; there’s no way this sort of behaviour could just be an act. She’s too weak even to protect herself; to adopt a firmer demeanour and be able to laugh under the threat of a long sword that could sever her head at any moment—that’s not Selena Grece’s style."
His words made Jhon Nix take notice of Selena; his gaze was curious, and that made Selena laugh again.
"You wretched beast kings—not a single one of you possesses the intelligence to think. No wonder you’re extinct; you’re too arrogant to even appreciate the one girl who could improve your lives," said Selena calmly, gazing at Dorven and Stevan with a cold, dismissive expression.
An expression that began to unsettle them.
It was true; Selena Grece looked different. The look in her eyes seemed to judge them as two fools who both looked equally pitiful.
"Selena Grece, say something!" Forhen shouted again from his desk, causing Selena to turn her head and snort softly.
"A bull like you, who’s only used for bullfighting, has no right to speak as if you’re above me," Selena retorted, her piercing gaze leaving Forhen frozen in his tracks.
As it happened, in real life she had died a tragic death after her husband had cheated on her. Here, at this very moment, she could give vent to all her emotions and exact her revenge.
What’s more, in this place she had gained the strength that allowed her to stand tall; it was they who needed her, not the other way round!
One man who had turned her life upside down in the human world; now, the five men standing before her—arrogant and no less infuriating than her husband in the human world—must learn a lesson from her for their immoral behaviour!
"That weak woman seems at a loss for words; it’s obvious she’s just making things up. According to the book of prophecies I’ve read, on the back of the woman who will truly become the Goddess of Extinction’s Healing there will be a symbol. A symbol in the shape of a three-leafed plant just sprouting from the ground. That is the true symbol of the Healer of Extinction," said Stoner, walking towards Dorven, Stevan and Vylen.
Selena noticed that Jhon’s gaze was still fixed on her; he hadn’t moved or said a word since earlier. He was one of the most taciturn of the Beast kings, harbouring many childhood wounds deep within his heart, which had made him a man of few words.
"I’ve never seen it whilst making love to you. So, stop pretending," said Dorven, causing Stevan, Vylen and Stoner to nod slowly.
"That’s true; I’ve never seen that mark on her back whilst making love either. Is this really just a ploy by Selena, who doesn’t want to die?" thought Vylen, his face showing a hint of disappointment if that were the case.
"Check her back, and if that mark is really there, then this punishment will be called off," said Forhen, prompting the two guards present to spring into action.
Selena remained silent and let them examine her. The symbol—a leaf sprouting from the ground—should have been on Selena Grece’s body since she was a baby, but she could never recall seeing that mark on her own body.
"Even though I’ve already shown them the holy light of the Healer of Extinction, they still don’t believe me. These beasts are truly overconfident and arrogant," Selena muttered as the guard behind her lifted the hem of her tattered dress to examine her.
The two guards were stunned by Selena’s words. Their eyes were slightly dazzled when they saw a similar mark on the woman’s back.
"Lord Forhen, there really is a mark of three leaves sprouting from the ground on her back! She is indeed the Healer of Extinction who has been destined for this!" The guard spoke politely, but his voice carried throughout the execution ground.
Selena smiled faintly at her five beast-husbands, who were already stunned. None of them could speak, whilst Forhen immediately pressed a button that released the chains on Selena’s hands and feet.
The servant behind her helped Selena to her feet, supporting her as she stood, and they found that she now stood with a stronger and more upright posture than before the execution.
"Miss Selena Grece, please forgive our mistake," said Forhen, bowing before her, whilst her five beast-husbands stood frozen, unsure of what to do. "This was a misunderstanding; we are prepared to pay a fine as a consequence of our reckless decision."
Selena did not reply; her gaze was fixed on her five husbands, who immediately lowered their heads as if they’d just been caught cheating.
Yet previously, their gazes had usually been sharp, full of contempt and always belittling her. But now, everything was beginning to waver. Even their tall, sturdy bodies appeared to be trembling pitifully.
"Watch out!"
Selena immediately looked up at the sky when she sensed something was about to hit her. There, a bird was seen fluttering unsteadily, then fell into her arms, causing her to sit down.
The black eagle appeared to be in pain, its wing broken.
As soon as Selena sat down, the rather large eagle transformed into a handsome man who was unconscious.
"Good heavens! Young Master Dali Hawksen! It’s Young Master Hawksen! The God of War of the Beast Eldoria and heir to the Mighty Eagles has returned, severely injured!" cried Forhen in a panic, making Selena realise the man’s identity without needing to ask.
He sounded so valiant and capable—was God helping her to exact her revenge?
"Doctor! Quick, call a doctor!"
Whilst everyone else was panicking, Selena herself calmly gazed at the bird’s handsome face. In full view of everyone, her glowing hand suddenly moved of its own accord, touching Young Master Hawksen’s blood-soaked arm.
"Does she also possess the ability to heal severe wounds?"