A Chemist's Interstellar Saga

Chapter 240: Ignathor’s Fury
Chapter 240: Ignathor’s Fury

Those who had been wronged felt a deep sense of satisfaction. Even the priests who had thought to defend Ignathor sighed and closed their eyes, realizing there was no point in intervening.

Words from others could be questioned, but when the message came straight from the Moon Goddess, there was no doubt. Showing any leniency to someone like Ignathor, who had tainted the temple’s honor, was already an act of grace.

Ignathor knew that all hope was lost. He clung to the ground, pressing his forehead harder, fingers digging into the stone until they bled.

Then, as if something snapped inside him, he began to laugh—a sound so twisted and cold it made everyone around him shiver.

Lifting his head abruptly, he fixed a fierce glare on Arix and snarled, ”I’m no sinner! I did nothing wrong! People have to look out for themselves, or they’re doomed. You’re in no position to judge me for that!”

Arix didn’t flinch. She met his wild eyes with a calm, steady gaze. ”You’re right; you weren’t completely wrong,” she said.

Ignathor froze, caught off guard. ’Why is she agreeing with me?’

The priests and followers nearby, who had just been indifferent, now looked at Arix with confusion and disapproval. They knew the darkness in Ignathor’s past, and no one wanted someone like him to stay in the Moon Goddess Temple.

Arix ignored their reactions, her voice as cold as ever. ”But that only applies to ordinary people. If you were just another person, your actions might be chalked up to a flawed character. But you are—or rather, were—a Cardinal of the Moon Goddess Temple. As a Cardinal, you didn’t just fail to do your duty; you became a blight on this world. Sparing your life instead of executing you to cleanse the temple is already more mercy than you deserve.”

The other priests started to speak up, their voices urging him to leave. ”Yes, Ignathor, the Moon Goddess has already shown mercy. It’s time for you to go.”

But Ignathor only laughed, a bitter, hollow sound. ”Ha! I’ve served as a priest for over ten years, and never once has the Moon Goddess rebuked me. But now, as soon as you show up, you want to kick me out? I see how it is. You can’t be the Moon Goddess. If you were, you wouldn’t be driving me out!”

His eyes turned bloodshot, and a murderous aura began to seep from him.

Suddenly, a violent surge of psychic power erupted, crackling in the air around him. With a swift motion of his hand, shadowy figures emerged from the corners of the room, and with pure rage, he launched himself at Arix.

The priests gasped in shock, unable to process the scene unfolding before them. Terror gripped them as they realized the Moon Goddess Temple was under threat.

”Ignathor, stop! Have you lost your mind? This is the Moon Goddess Temple!”

”If you harm the temple, your clan will be branded as traitors to the Empire!”

”Even if you don’t care about your own life, think of your family! If you destroy the Moon Goddess Temple, your clan will be cursed for eternity!”

In a desperate frenzy, the priests rushed to protect Arix, shouting warnings at Ignathor as they tried to stop the madness he had unleashed.

In that moment, Ignathor had completely lost it. The noise around him was just a blur as his focus zeroed in on one thing: killing Arix.

”We can’t him! He has totally lost his mind!”

”Stop trying. It’s pointless. Can’t you see? Ignathor’s lost his mind.”

The priests, realizing their words were falling on deaf ears, gave up trying to reason with him. They quickly redirected their psychic power to fend off the relentless attacks from the death guards.

Amidst the chaos, Arix stood at the center, calm and composed. She had seen this coming a mile away.

Ignathor wasn’t the first person she had encountered who snapped like this. People like him had a pattern—they’d play innocent at first, but when that failed, they’d lash out wildly. Arix knew from experience that such people were dangerous if not kept at arm’s length.

As thoughts of her grandfather’s suffering surfaced, Arix’s gaze hardened. A wave of psychic power surged from her, binding everyone in the room.

Under the astonished stares of those around her, Arix coolly directed her power, forming a fist in the air.

Ignathor, who had been raging just seconds before, suddenly looked like he was being choked, gasping for air.

Arix hesitated for a split second, then closed her eyes and tightened her psychic grip.

Ignathor’s struggles ceased. His body stiffened, his head fell back, and he took his final breath.

With Ignathor’s death, the battle ended.

The black-clad death guards vanished from the Moon Goddess Temple the moment he died. The priests, left in stunned silence, didn’t dare move even though Arix’s power no longer held them.

The room was thick with tension. No one spoke or made a sound, each person afraid they might meet the same fate as Ignathor.

But behind the calm facade, Arix was struggling to keep her hands from trembling. She had just taken a life—a real, breathing person. Inside, she was shaken, but she kept her expression unreadable, as if what had just happened was nothing more than a minor inconvenience.

The silence became almost unbearable. The priests exchanged nervous glances, each too scared to break the quiet.

Finally, one old priest, chosen by the others with reluctance, stepped forward.

The poor old man, shaking with fear, carefully asked, ”Moon Goddess, what should we do with Ignathor’s body?”

”Let his family take care of it. And you did well. Tomorrow, you’ll be appointed as the Pontifex. That’s my third request,” Arix responded, her words leaving everyone stunned.

The priest who had stepped forward: ”Wait, what?”

’Can you really just pick a Pontifex like that?’ The other priests stared in disbelief. They had thought the old priest was being rewarded simply for speaking up.

Regret washed over them as they realized they had missed an opportunity. If only they had been the one to step forward, maybe they’d be the new Pontifex instead.

Despite the mixed reactions, the old priest, after a moment of shock, lit up with joy as if he had just won the lottery. ”Thank you, Moon Goddess, for your trust. I will do my utmost to fulfill the duties of the Pontifex.”

Arix gave a small nod and asked one of the priests to show her to a room where she could rest.

Before leaving, Arix paused and then spoke with a tone that hinted at her hesitation. ”If anyone asks, just say that Ignathor sacrificed himself to protect me.”

The priests and followers, who had been anxiously debating how to handle the Dragon clan after Ignathor’s rebellion, were left speechless.

As they stared at Arix in disbelief, a deep sense of admiration grew inside them.

Their leader was not only powerful but incredibly kind.

Given Ignathor’s actions, he would have faced severe punishment, and the entire Dragon clan might have suffered as a result. After all, an attack on the leader of the Moon Goddess Temple by a member of their clan could have easily led to their downfall.

But from Arix’s words, it was clear that she intended to place the blame solely on Ignathor, sparing the rest of his clan. Even in death, she ensured his name remained untarnished.

Such a compassionate and strong leader—how could anyone not be moved by her?

The next day, Arix witnessed the formal appointment of the old priest as the new Pontifex.

One of his first acts was to abolish the rule that had long forbidden priests of the Moon Goddess Temple from marrying. Only then did Arix feel at ease about leaving the temple.

Before she left, however, she called the old priest for a private conversation.

”Is there something you need, Moon Goddess?” Despite his new title, the old priest still felt a twinge of nervousness in Arix’s presence. After all, he had seen her coldly take the life of a fellow Cardinal he had known for nearly a decade. The memory wasn’t overly traumatic, but it still left him feeling uneasy whenever he was around her.

Arix noticed the old priest trembling like a frightened bird and began to wonder if she had made the wrong choice in appointing him.

Although she didn’t have any particular attachment to the Moon Goddess Temple, she didn’t want to see it come to harm. But the decision had been made, and she would simply have to monitor the situation.

With a sigh, Arix rubbed her temples, trying to push aside her doubts. She finally spoke, cutting through the old priest’s growing anxiety. ”I’m going to be away for a while. If any issues come up, contact this person. I’ll return when I get the message.”

As she spoke, Arix tossed a small communication device to the old priest, which contained her contact information.

The old priest, despite his reservations about Arix leaving, didn’t dare voice them. Reluctantly, he opened the device and saw Arix’s name and picture.

The priest recognized the girl. ’Isn’t she the granddaughter of the previous Pontifex? And isn’t she supposed to be the crown princess of the Empire? How does she end up connected to the Moon Goddess?’

”Moon Goddess, may I ask why are you giving me this girl’s contact information?” The old priest couldn’t help asking, his nerves making way for curiosity.

”Ahem, she’s a friend of mine. If she ever needs anything, make sure to help her out,” Arix replied, turning her head away and coughing slightly, as if the topic made her uncomfortable.

”Oh, I see. Understood, Moon Goddess. Don’t worry; we’ll take good care of your friend,” the old priest said, straightening up with a sense of pride as he made his promise.

”Good, very well then. Goodbye.” Arix said, and in the blink of an eye, she vanished from the temple hall.

The old priest stood frozen, caught off guard by her sudden departure. He stared at the empty space where she had been, a mix of shock and frustration on his face.

It was only after he glanced at the communication device in his hand, with Arix’s contact information displayed, that he finally began to relax, letting out a small sigh of relief.