Fairy Tale: With Sin Of Pride

"You have a solution!"

Etel's face lit up with sudden hope, his voice trembling.

Rhodes gave him a sidelong glance, careful not to rile him up too much. The man looked like he was hanging by a thread—what if he keeled over? That would just make things messier.

"There's a way," Rhodes said slowly, rubbing his chin. "But I can't guarantee it'll work."

The truth was, his mastery over the soul arts was rudimentary at best. However, he did know someone—someone very good at it.

The God of Death.

In the natural order of the world, all souls returned to the Kingdom of Death after passing from the mortal realm. If Rhodes wanted to fix the Queen's issue, the easiest solution was to get the God of Death involved.

But therein lay the problem. The God of Death wasn't just any deity. He maintained the delicate balance between life and death, ensuring no soul crossed the line between the two. Asking him to resurrect someone? That was akin to defying the very laws of existence. A rigid god like him wouldn't agree—not without a compelling reason.

Yet, Rhodes wasn't worried.

He had a trump card, something the God of Death could never resist. In fact, the god wouldn't just comply—he'd come running.

"Speak of the devil, and he shall appear." Rhodes smirked as his gaze shifted toward the palace doors.

The previously bright skies had dimmed, a dense shroud of dark clouds rolling in. The air grew heavy, and faint whispers of prayers echoed ominously.

Time and space within the palace froze as a figure cloaked in shadows materialized. His immense scythe gleamed with the aura of death, the air around it alive with ghostly wails.

Unfazed, Rhodes reclined on Etel's throne, resting his chin on his palm and crossing one leg over the other. He stared down at the God of Death with a calm, almost mocking curiosity.

"God of Death, what brings you here?"

The god's presence exuded an oppressive stillness, but Rhodes didn't flinch.

The figure beneath the shadowy hood remained silent for a moment, clearly displeased by Rhodes' audacious posture. Though this was merely an incarnation of the god, it still bore the consciousness of his true form.

Normally, mortals wouldn't dare show such arrogance before a deity. But Rhodes wasn't just any mortal. His exploits were legendary: defeating the God of Darkness, annihilating his divine kingdom, and eradicating the Night King.

The God of Death finally spoke, his deep voice carrying weight.

"Godslayer, I've come for the souls enslaved by the Night King. Name your terms."

Though his words carried a demand, the slight bow in his tone revealed the truth: he was here to negotiate.

Rhodes leaned back, a triumphant smile on his lips. "Ah, those souls. I don't have much use for them anyway. I could give them to you—on one condition."

The God of Death frowned, clearly wary.

"Three conditions, to be exact," Rhodes continued, raising three fingers.

The god's brow furrowed deeper. "Speak."

"These conditions won't exceed your power, nor will they compromise your principles. They'll be reasonable," Rhodes assured him, a devilish glint in his eyes.

After a pause, the God of Death nodded. "Agreed."

With a snap of his fingers, Rhodes conjured a swirling void behind him. Beyond it lay a realm of black and gold, pulsating with divine energy—the world of chess pieces.

The God of Death froze for a moment, his gaze sharp. This wasn't just a mortal's trick. Rhodes had already constructed a foundation for a divine kingdom, the very precursor to godhood.

For a fleeting moment, even the unflappable God of Death felt a flicker of unease.

---

After completing their exchange, the God of Death fulfilled his part of the bargain, purifying the Queen's soul with a single touch. "Only this once," he grumbled before vanishing.

Earl Etel wept with relief. The Queen was saved.

Rhodes, however, had little patience for sentiment. He turned on his heel and strode toward the palace gardens—only to discover that Snow White had vanished.

"So, she escaped," Rhodes muttered, his tone cool. Dark wings of light unfurled from his back, propelling him skyward.

From the air, his blazing sun-like aura illuminated the landscape, revealing hidden forces in the forest below. A strange resistance met his light.

"Found you," he murmured, his gaze narrowing.

He landed near Snow White's unconscious body, only to find a prince standing over her with unsettling excitement in his eyes.

"What a perfect corpse!" the prince exclaimed, his voice trembling with glee. "She'll be the crown jewel of my collection!"

Rhodes' expression turned dark. A fiery orb shot from his hand, incinerating the prince in an instant.

"What a creep," he muttered in disgust.

Picking up Snow White, Rhodes noticed a half-eaten apple near her. His eyes narrowed. The Queen's curse was already broken, so where had this apple come from?

Before he could investigate further, a figure emerged from the void—a woman whose form constantly shifted between youth, middle age, and old age.

The Three Goddesses of Fate.

Rhodes' lips curled into a cold smile. "Interfering with the mortal world? How bold of you."

"We merely ensure that destiny unfolds as it should," the goddesses replied in unison, their voices echoing eerily. "You are an anomaly—a being outside the threads of fate."

"An anomaly?" Rhodes chuckled. "And who decides that?"

"You shouldn't exist."

"Then come and make me disappear."

The clash that followed shook the heavens. The goddesses summoned the Wheel of Fate, attempting to exile Rhodes from existence. But Rhodes was no ordinary opponent.

As his body began to fade, he whispered a curse:

"In the name of the Demon King and the Supreme God, I curse you to eternal damnation."

The sky tore open, revealing a monstrous eye surrounded by grotesque faces. The curse took hold, binding the goddesses to an endless cycle of suffering.

Rhodes smirked as his form dissolved into the unknown.

"Wait for me, world. I'll be back."

﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌

Support the Translation! 🌐✨

20+ Advanced Chapters are currently available in Patreon. It's hard to run many novels without patron so please show some support.

patreon.com/Immortal_author 

https://ko-fi.com/immortalauthor

https://discord.gg/KscfBegBPT