Nome's expression stood in stark contrast to Cain's.
His face was dark and troubled. He fixed Cain with a searching gaze and asked:
"You were in Islington all along. You never left, did you?"
Nome had never imagined that Cain, the man he regarded as his father, would deceive him. Yet everything that had happened proved that he had indeed been deceived.
Cain turned to look at the devastation left by the battle, seemingly avoiding the question on purpose, then turned away and silently tended to his wounds.
For Demigods, as long as they were not killed outright, recovering from even the gravest wounds was merely a matter of time.
Nome's previously calm expression suddenly flared with emotion.
"Why?" he demanded.
Nome was an orphan Cain had adopted. Ever since childhood, he had regarded Cain as his own father.
His greatest wish for this wedding had been for Cain to attend.
Instead, he had been told that the Holy Hall had sent Cain overseas on a very important mission.
Cain should not have been here.
"Did you already know something was wrong with Shanlin?"
Seeing Cain's evasive gaze, Nome knew he had guessed correctly.
He could not understand how a father could stand by and watch his son walk into a fire.
Cain had been right here in Islington. If he had attended the wedding, today's disaster would never have happened.
Nor would so many innocent people have died.
Watching the civilians wailing amid the ruins, Nome felt increasingly sick at heart.
These people had suffered because of him, because of his wedding.
They were fathers, sons, and daughters. They could have lived out their lives in peace.
Because of him, everything had been destroyed.
Had it merely been an accident, perhaps he would not have felt so terrible.
The