Lightning Is the Only Way

Two days passed until Stella appeared in front of Gravis.

Gravis sat on the ground, just thinking about several things when he saw Stella appear in front of him.

Stella came alone, without Liam.

The two of them looked at each other for several seconds in silence, both of them having complex expressions on their faces.

Their entire dynamic had changed. There was now something horrible between them that couldn't be ignored.

"Liam doesn't want to see you right now," Stella said.

"Understandable," Gravis said.

More seconds of silence.

"How do you feel?" Gravis asked quietly.

"Hurt, betrayed," Stella said.

Gravis felt a sting in his being after hearing these words.

"It was the worst day of my life, and I still don't know what I should feel right now," Stella said, keeping several meters of distance between the two of them.

"I've had several days to think about your actions, and I realize why you did them," Stella said with a sigh. "I understand freedom now, and I know that I wouldn't have understood it otherwise."

"But I still feel immense pain whenever I think about that day," Stella said with a shaky voice. "You have hurt me deeply, Gravis, and no matter what reason you had, the pain won't disappear."

"I can understand your reason, and a part of me is also thankful for that, but I can't ignore the pain," Stella said quietly.

Gravis sighed. "I know. Something like this isn't easy to resolve. There is no right choice," he said. "So, what are your plans?"

"That depends," Stella said as she sighed. Then, she looked at Gravis. "How far would you have gone?"

Gravis closed his eyes. He didn't want to look at her while saying these words.

"I would have gone further, but I would have stopped before penetration," he said.

Stella's body shook as she heard the word "penetration". It sounded so sterile, but the word shook her being.

"If you had still been unable to comprehend freedom before it, you obviously would never learn freedom," Gravis said. "The Law of Freedom isn't easy to learn, and it would have been impossible for me to create a better circumstance. This was the full extent of what I can do to help you understand freedom."

"If you hadn't comprehended freedom, I would have left. Obviously, I would have summoned Liam too."

"However, my shame would have been far too great, and I would have left. I would be unable to look into your eyes after what I have done. Our contact would have stopped."

words in such a neutral and dissociated tone reminded her

Stella sighed.

have felt your pain. My Law of

genuinely didn't want to

if you wanted to do

as

done all of these things to help me, but

a kind man. After all,

with apprehension. "Whenever I look at you, I can only see your cold

when we fought, and I saw your burning

I know you, but I can't see the real

I look at you, I only

through something like this was horrible, and even if it was done for the

reminded of Joyce and her father. Back then, Joyce's father had been willing to draw Joyce's hatred towards him as long as it meant that she didn't commit the error of recultivating. He had also known that she might never forgive him, but

between that situation and Gravis'

resolve since

for her pain, but on the other hand, Stella knew why Gravis had done these things, and she also knew that Gravis had

was no correct

if Stella decided to cut off all

their relationship and went through emotional pain to

to ignore

Gravis appeared like a monster to her whenever she looked at him, she would never be happy and would dread the time they spent together. This would obviously be horrible for her and

Every choice was horrible.

choice came

more seconds of

decision right now," Stella

still fresh in our minds, and we are both still

contact for a while until we are sure of what we are feeling. I would suggest that you should return

looked to the side with an evaluating expression. "I think I will be comprehending Laws for around 20,000 or 30,000

back at Stella. "After that, I will go to

I think

Gravis' expression changed into a pained one as he remembered something. After some

I will not come to see

was a bit surprised. "Why not?"

reason why I haven't come closer to you back then," Gravis said slowly. "Obviously, we are attracted to each other, and I'm not a person that is too shy to

but right now, she felt nothing when Gravis said these

spark was

with something, and depending on how it gets resolved, different things

bit confused.

it's uncertain how it will be resolved. In

afraid of dying, but I wouldn't want you to go through enormous pain after I am no longer the person you got to know. If I make the wrong choice, I will no

taken the next step," Gravis