My Substitute CEO Bride (Nash Calicraft) novel Chapter 2473

"Is that a compliment?" Maxim asked with a faint smile.

"Who knows?" Harkin replied.

"Lady Harkin, when I'm gone, I'll leave these kids in your hands."

...

Back in the arena, Maxim's plan hinged on the presence of the Mother of Immortals. Thresmund had to lose this battle.

Although Harkin's offense was fierce, her main goal was simply to trigger the dark power within Thresmund.

"The array still needs more energy storage," Maxim had instructed. The array beneath their feet was nothing more than a vessel to collect celestial power. Just as Nash and his companions had speculated, there were four arrays.

Two had already completed their energy storage over the past few years, and this competition was the final step to fill the remaining two. The arrays were necessary to initiate a certain ritual.

Maxim turned his gaze toward Enid. "Release it, the power of the Mother of Immortals."

In the stands, Leuca felt increasingly uneasy. He feared that if Enid could not control this power, things would spiral out of control. However, there was nothing he could do now.

His beloved sister was now caught in this grand plan, and it was a necessary sacrifice. He seethed with regret.

"Why... did it have to come to this?"

Yet Endel refused to believe that. In his madness, he even turned his violence toward his own children.

By then, Leuca was an adult, and the memories of those times remained etched in his mind. He had watched helplessly as his mother was killed right before his eyes in Endel's own hands.

With his newborn sister, Enid, in his care, Leuca fled, hiding wherever he could. In the end, he was still found.

On a cold, snowy night, Leuca hid Enid near a church before running in the opposite direction to draw their pursuers away.

The gods showed mercy on the siblings. Enid was taken in by the priests who raised her until she was grown. As for Leuca, he eventually killed Endel with his own hands.