Chapter 249: The Truth Or Decapitation

The crowd screamed in horror.

“HERO! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!”

“DON’T! STOP! PLEASE!”

“THAT’S LUNA! SHE’S ONE OF US!”

“YOU CAN’T DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT!”

Villagers screamed. Children cried. Several elves rushed forward, but Luca held up his free hand, and they froze.

“Luca! What—what are you doing?!” Leona’s face went white. “Please let her go!”

But Luca just shook his head, his expression cold.

“I’m sorry, Leona. I really didn’t want to do this. But you forced my hand.”

He pressed the knife a fraction closer to Luna’s throat. A tiny bead of blood welled up.

“Now here’s the deal…”

He looked at Leona with a heavy gaze.

“You tell everyone the truth about everything. About the spirit, about what Julius did to you, about how you’ve been forced to live a lie. And I let Luna go.”

His eyes hardened.

“Or you keep silent…and I slash her throat right here.”

Gasps. Shrieks. Someone fainted.

“Of course, after Luna, I’ll go to Lulu…”

He pointed the dagger at Lulu.

“Then Nyx.”

He pointed it at Nyx.

“Then every single villager here, one by one, until you either confess or watch everyone you love die.”

He said as he glided the dagger towards everyone watching which made them shiver as if they feel the cold metal against their neck, before he let out a chuckle and added,

“But don’t think this was my idea, Leona. Your daughter was actually the one who volunteered.”

Leona’s head snapped toward Luna. “What?!”

Luna opened her eyes. They were filled with tears, but also with fierce determination.

“It’s true, Mother.” Her voice was steady, though her body shook. “I asked Luca to do this. I know how stubborn you are. I know you won’t speak up on your own.”

“But I also know you love me.”

“You love me so much that you would do anything to save me.”

Tears streamed down her cheeks.

“I-I hate that I’m doing this to you. I hate that I’m blackmailing you. But I have no choice.” She shook her head in distress. “I just want to break the shackles that have held you for so long.”

She looked at her mother with desperate, pleading eyes.

“So, please, Mother. Please tell the truth. For me. For Lulu. For Auntie Nyx. For all of us.”

Seeing how desperate Luna was, even Luca felt bad for her and how she was forced into such a position. But still he knew the show must go on.

“So what’s it going to be, Leona?”

Luca’s voice was hard again.

“Are you going to tell the truth?”

“Or are you going to watch your daughter die?”

The entire square fell silent.

Every eye was on Leona—the elders, the adults, the children.

Luna and Lulu, frozen in nervous hope.

Nyx, watching with bated breath.

Even the birds in the trees seemed to stop singing.

After all, how could she possibly resist? Her daughter’s life hung in the balance.

No mother, no matter how strong, could hold out under that pressure.

But shockingly…Leona did.

The fear and panic that had twisted her face vanished.

In its place came something else—a serene, knowing smile. She straightened up, calm and unshakable as she announced,

“You won’t do it, Luca.”

Her voice was soft, but it carried across the square like a bell, while Luca frowned.

“I love my daughter. I love her more than anything in this world. But I know you as well.”

She stepped closer, her eyes locked on his.

“I know you wouldn’t harm her. No matter what. You’re not that kind of person.”

She glanced at Luna, then back at Luca.

“So I don’t have to say anything. This trick won’t work on me.”

Hearing her blatant taunt, Luca’s expression darkened. A cold glint entered his eyes.

“Don’t test me, Leona. You’re playing with your daughter’s life.”

He pressed the knife deeper—just enough to draw a tiny bead of blood. Gasps erupted. Several elves covered their mouths in horror.

But Leona didn’t flinch. She met his gaze head-on, utterly fearless.

“Go ahead, Luca. Do it.” Her voice rang out, steady and clear. “If you’re really a man of your word, push that dagger into my daughter’s neck right now.”

“Do it, if you can!”

The entire square had descended into a nightmare.

Leona was playing the biggest gamble of her life. She had bet her daughter’s life on her complete, unwavering trust in the hero.

Not a single coin, not a piece of gold, not a precious jewel—just faith.

Pure, absolute, terrifying faith.

And everyone watching was terrified for her.

They loved Luca. They trusted him with their lives, their village, their futures.

But would they have trusted him this much?

Would they have stood there, calm as a summer lake, while a knife pressed against their daughter’s throat, and declared with absolute certainty that he wouldn’t do it?

Most of them knew, deep down, that they couldn’t.

Yet Leona stood there, serene as a statue, her eyes locked on Luca’s, her expression utterly unreadable.

She didn’t tremble. She didn’t cry. She didn’t beg.

She just stared.

And Luca stared back.

The tension stretched between them like a wire pulled taut, ready to snap at any moment. The crowd watched, breath held, hearts pounding.

Seconds felt like hours. Hours felt like eternities.

Until finally…Luca’s hand moved.

A collective scream tore through the square. Many villagers covered their eyes, expecting the worst.

But the blade never touched Luna.

Instead, Luca released her gently and stepped back.

A tired, defeated smile crossed his face as he let out a soft chuckle.

“Having someone trust you this much is normally a wonderful thing.” He said, rubbing the back of his neck. “I should be happy…but right now, it completely backfired on me.”

He glanced at Leona with fond exasperation.

“You saw right through me without hesitation. You knew I would never harm Luna or anyone hear.”

Hearing him concede, Leona let out a shaky breath, her composure finally cracking.

Her shoulders sagged. Her hands trembled. She had gambled everything, and somehow, impossibly, she had won.

Luna, however, looked devastated.

She had volunteered for this. She had agreed to be the hostage, to put her life on the line, to be the leverage that finally broke through her mother’s walls.

And it hadn’t worked. Her mother had called her bluff, seen through the act, and refused to bend.

She bit her lip, tears welling in her eyes. She felt like she had failed.

For a brief moment, the entire square thought the ordeal was over. No one was going to be slashed and they could put this behind them.

But just then—Luca’s expression changed.

A dangerous, almost playful grin spread across his lips as he looked straight at Leona and said,

“But at the same time…even though I won’t harm anyone in this village, not your daughters, not your sister, not a single person here…”

His eyes gleamed with something darker.

“I have zero hesitation about harming myself.”

Leona was confused at first as she didn’t understand what he was saying until her blood ran cold.

A horrible realization dawned on her face.

“Luca, wait—don’t—”

But he had already flipped the dagger in his hand, reversing his grip.

And then, before anyone could stop him, he drove it into his own stomach.

Pachuk!

The sound was sickening—a wet, meaty thunk that echoed across the square like a thunderclap.

Everyone screamed.

“HERO! STOP! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!”

“ARE YOU CRAZY?!”

“SOMEONE STOP HIM!”

Luca grunted, his face contorting in pain. But he didn’t stop.

He pulled the dagger out—blood gushing from the wound—and stabbed himself again.

Pachuk!

And again.

Pachuk!

And again.

Pachuk! Pachuk! Pachuk!

Each impact sent fresh waves of horror through the crowd. Children wailed. Adults were horrified. Several elves collapsed, unable to watch.

Leona reached for him, tears streaming down her face.

“Luca! STOP!”

But he held out his bloody hand, palm out, halting her in her tracks.

“Don’t come closer, Leona.” His voice was strained, but firm. “If you take another step, I won’t just stab my gut. I’ll put this knife through my neck.”

To emphasize his point, he pressed the bloody blade against his own throat.

“I’ll cut so deep that my head comes clean off. And let me tell you—I’m strong enough to do it.”

He chuckled playfully. “Most people couldn’t. But I can. I can make sure my head is completely separated before I die.”

He said it almost proudly, like it was some kind of accomplishment.

But the crowd was not laughing. They were instead beyond terrified.

They were in a different dimension of fear now, one where the Hero they loved and trusted was calmly discussing the most efficient way to decapitate himself.

Leona herself felt like her heart was being ripped out of her chest.

Luca was bleeding. Stabbed. Slashed. Dying in front of her—and it was all her fault.

If she had just spoken up, if she had just told the truth, none of this would have happened.

“Please…” She begged, her voice cracking. “Let me treat you. Let me help you. I’ll do anything—”

She took another small step forward.

Immediately, Luca pressed the blade deeper into his neck—actually cutting into the skin. A line of blood appeared.

“OKAY! OKAY!” Leona stepped back, her hands raised. “I’ll stay back! Please stop! Don’t—don’t take it any further!”

Luca pulled the blade back slightly, a satisfied look crossing his bloodied face.

“I’ll say this once more, and it’s quite simple: Tell everyone the truth about what happened in the past, and I’ll drop this knife. I’ll even let you treat my wounds.”

“But…” His expression turned cold and resolute. “If you choose to stay silent…” He smiled darkly. “I’ll go ahead and slice my head clean off.”

He pressed the blade a fraction deeper.

“So what will it be, Leona? The truth…or my head?”

Leona stood frozen, torn between two impossible choices.

On one hand, she was terrified of what would happen to her villagers and her family if she told the truth—how they would suffer. She thought about all the horrible things that had happened in the past whenever she’d tried to speak up.

But the other path…the other path meant watching Luca die.

The man who had brought her back to life. Who had made her laugh, made her cry, made her feel like a woman again.

Who had held her when she broke, kissed her when she ached, loved her when she couldn’t love herself.

Both choices involved people she loved desperately.

She couldn’t choose. She was trembling and shaking, tears streaming down her face.

Even Luna and Lulu were terrified now—this wasn’t part of the plan. They wanted to stop him, but Nyx held them both back, her own face grave.

She was scared too, but she trusted Luca. She chose to believe in what he was doing.

Luca watched Leona struggle for a long moment.

Then he sighed.

“I guess that’s your answer.”

He pulled the dagger back—

And drove it straight into his own neck.

Pachuk!

“NOOOOOO!”

Leona’s scream tore through the air.

The moment she saw the blade pierce his throat, all her fear about the consequences evaporated, overwhelmed by a far greater terror—

The fear of losing Luca!

“FINE! FINE!! I’LL TELL THE TRUTH, LUCA!” She cried out desperately. “I’LL TELL THE TRUTH! I’LL TELL YOU WHATEVER YOU WANT TO KNOW!”

Luca stopped. He pulled the dagger back out of his neck.

Leona collapsed to her knees, sobbing.

“I’ll tell you everything! Everything you want to know!”

“W-Whether it’s about me being the Spirit of the Forest, about the curse on the village, what Julius did, how my father is involved—I’ll tell you everything!”

She looked up at him with desperate, tear-filled eyes.

“So please…please don’t hurt yourself anymore. I can’t live without you. I-I need you in my life. If I were the reason you ended your own life, I wouldn’t be able to go on living.”

“So please, Luca…don’t do anything more. I’ll tell the truth. I promise!”

Luca finally let out a breath of relief, a genuine smile spreading across his bloodied face.

“Finally.” He chuckled weakly. “I thought if I just asked you nicely, you’d tell me the truth.”

“Who would’ve thought I’d have to stab myself eighteen times and slash my own neck?”

He said it like a joke, but no one in the crowd found it funny. They stared in horror, convinced he was about to die.

Leona felt the same way. “Luca, your wounds! I have to treat them! Please, let me—”

She started to rush forward, but Luca held up his hand, stopping her.

“It’s all right, Leona. I won’t die that easily.” He smiled reassuringly. “I’m a Hero, after all.”

“But—but you’re bleeding so much—”

“Trust me.” He said firmly. “Even after getting stabbed so many times and having my neck slashed, I’m still speaking to you completely fine, aren’t I? There’s really nothing to worry about.”

It was true. Despite the horrifying amount of blood, Luca’s voice was steady, his eyes clear.

The villagers began to realize—perhaps the Hero really was fine. Perhaps he couldn’t die so easily.

“You should stop worrying about me and instead should start speaking.”

He added to give her determination.

“The faster you tell everyone what they need to know, the faster this ends. And when it’s over…”

He smiled, blood staining his teeth. “Then you can wrap me in so many bandages I look like a mummy.””

Seeing the confidence in his eyes—seeing how, despite being stabbed so many times, he still had a healthy look on his face—Leona finally nodded.

“O-Okay. I’ll do it.” She wiped her tears. “But the moment I finish, I’m not only treating you, but also beating you with a stick for doing something so crazy.”

“Deal.”

Luca grinned like this was exactly what he was hoping for before gesturing toward the crowd, who were all watching with bated breath.

“Now, go ahead.” He said gently. “Tell them what they need to know. I’m pretty sure they’re dying to hear what you have to say.”

Leona took a deep, shaky breath.

Then she turned to face her people.

It was time to tell the truth.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep