After a long time, his shoulders began to tremble slightly.
"...A lie...? Everything... was a lie?"
He murmured in disbelief and staggered to his feet.
He left the throne in a daze, forced himself a few steps forward, then sank helplessly to his knees, his voice terribly hoarse:
"Then everything I've done all these years... all the sacrifices I made for this tower..."
"Why... why would you tell me this!? All of this... I..."
Seeing Jellal's reaction, Ultear felt her eyes sting, and the weight hanging over her heart came crashing down.
Her gamble had paid off! The gentle boy who had fought desperately to protect his friends in the tower had not been completely consumed by darkness. He was still there!
"It's all right now, Jellal." She hurried forward and crouched anxiously before him, reaching out to pull him up. "It's not too late to turn back. We can handle the rest..."
But before she could finish, a hand suddenly pressed hard against her abdomen.
Jellal's dark sneer rang out. "...I've known for ages!"
Terrifying magic power exploded against Ultear's abdomen at point-blank range!
Ultear did not even have time to scream before she was blasted away, smashing through a stone pillar in midair without slowing down.
Only after she slammed into the distant wall, spreading a web of cracks across its entire surface, did she slide down and collapse in a corner of the hall.
She raised her head in disbelief, struggling to say something more, but the moment she tried to speak, she coughed up a mouthful of blood.
Jellal slowly stood, dusted off his knees, and began walking forward. There was not the slightest trace of remorse on his face.
"What a moving little performance of sudden repentance, Ultear." He looked down at her, his smile