"Lady Elena…. I think we''ve yed enough, no?" Harvey''s voice carried a hint of amusement, his eyes twinkling as he surveyed the chessboard.


    "No, one more time…. Please," Elena pleaded, her tone almost desperate.


    "Haah…" Jarvey heaved a deep sigh, his fingers moving to start collecting the scattered chess pieces from the board.


    "Ah, wait, no!" Elena''s protest rang out, but Harvey continued his task, ignoring her plea. Instead, he shot her a significant look, silently questioning her resolve.


    Elena, feeling a mix of annoyance and resignation, reluctantly returned to her seat, shooting Jarvey a re.


    "Lady Elena, you know I''ve been quite lenient with you recently, but you can''t just keep inviting me here for no reason…" Harvey''s tone held a note of gentle reprimand.


    "I think chess is plenty of a reason, no?" Elena retorted, her voice tinged with defiance.


    "I don''t think that''s the case at all… And besides, you do realize that we''re still technically enemies, right?" Harvey pointed out, a hint of seriousness creeping into his tone.


    "…I know. It''s just that it''s quite boring being all alone here…," Elena confessed, her voice trailing off as she rested her hand on her chin, her gaze wandering over the familiar surroundings.


    She sighed softly, realizing that it had been literal months since she was entrapped in this ce. Time truly does fly, even in captivity.


    Observing Elena''s dejected expression, Harvey straightened himself in his chair, a sense of determination flickering in his eyes.


    He reached into his pocket and retrieved a small magic crystal, its surface shimmering withtent power. Activating it, he summoned a holographic screen into existence before them.


    "You want to know thetest update on the war, right?" Harvey''s voice held a hint of empathy as he posed the question.


    "Hehe, you really are the best, Harvey," Elena eximed, her eyes lighting up as she immediately reached out to touch the crystal, essing the specific location she desired within the holographic recordings.


    Though Harvey''s actions were a direct vition of his orders, he paid no heed to the potential consequences.


    The woman before him had endured enough suffering at his brother''s hands; granting her a few special privileges seemed a small price to pay inparison.


    As the holographic images unfolded, revealing the brutal reality of the ongoing war, Elena''s expression shifted with each gruesome scene.


    Despite already having a general understanding of the events transpiring beyond the confines of her gilded prison, witnessing the battles firsthand elicited a visceral reaction from her.


    The pace of the conflict, progressing faster than she had anticipated, left her in disbelief, her mind struggling to reconcile the enormity of the events unfolding beyond her captivity.


    Observing Elena''s reaction, Harvey arched an eyebrow, detecting a glimmer of hope lingering in her eyes as she scanned the battlefield.


    Understanding her unspoken quest, he feltpelled to intervene.


    "If you''re trying to find the anomaly, don''t… he is already a lost cause," Harvey dered with unwavering determination, his gaze piercing as he recalled the events of that fateful day.


    The damage inflicted upon Adrian''s soul was not something that could be easily repaired.


    Harvey knew firsthand the extent of the devastation, and he was certain that even the monstrous entities supporting Adrian would struggle to mend the shattered fragments of his being.


    As someone who had witnessed the aftermath of their encounter that day, Harvey understood that the wounds inflicted upon Adrian ran deep, transcending mere physical or magical harm.


    Despite any external influences or otherworldly powers at y, the essence of Adrian''s humanity remained vulnerable.


    No amount of intervention, no matter how well-intentioned, could fully restore what had been lost.


    After all, at the end of the day, Adrian was but a mortal, susceptible to the frailties and limitations of the human condition.


    "Don''t call him that…." Elena interjected, her tone firm as she nced at Harvey, a hint of annoyance coloring her expression.


    "Call him what?" Harvey inquired innocently, feigning ignorance.


    "…Anomaly" Elena replied, her voice tinged with a mixture of frustration and concern.


    Surveying her serious demeanor, Harvey couldn''t help but let out a small scoff, though his expression remained neutral.


    He understood the depth of Elena''s feelings for Adrian; they were lovers, deeply entwined in a bond that transcended the boundaries of their respective allegiances.


    Despite this, Harvey couldn''t afford to view Adrian through the same lens of affection. To him, Adrian was nothing more than an adversary, a threat that his pantheon deemed necessary to eliminate.


    However, despite their opposing loyalties, Harvey harbored a certain level of respect for Elena.


    He recognized her innocence in the grand scheme of things, a pawn unwittingly manipted by Adrian''s machinations.


    Unlike his brethren, who saw Elena as a dark force to be eradicated, Harvey perceived her as a person caught in the crossfire of celestial conflict.


    Months spent in herpany had afforded him insight into her character, revealing aplexity that defied the simplisticbels assigned to her.


    "I apologize for my poor choice of words…" Harvey offered, a gesture of reconciliation as he rose from his chair, preparing to depart.


    "Apology epted, but are you going now?" Elena inquired, her tone softening slightly.


    "Yes,"


    "Oh… Then see you next week…," Elena uttered, a hint of sadness coloring her voice. Ever since a month ago, Harvey had only been able to visit her once every week.


    The monotony of her already mundane existence seemed to deepen with each passing day.


    At this rate, she feared she might sumb to boredom long before any of the tortures his brothers could devise.


    "Don''t make that sad face… When this war finally ends, I will plead for our innocence from Mother herself. She is a kind and benevolent goddess; surely she would forgive you for the minor transgressions you''ve made," Harvey reassured, his words carrying a soothing reassurance.


    Rising from his chair, he reached out to pat Elena''s head, eliciting a smile and a giggle from her. Initially apprehensive about his gestures, over time, Elena had grown ustomed to them.


    Their interactions had evolved into something resembling sibling camaraderie.


    For some inexplicable reason, whenever Elena looked at Harvey, she felt as if she were in the presence of an older brother she had never had.


    But just as Harvey was about to leave, a loud voice reverberated through the area, shattering the tranquility with its booming intensity.


    Something descended from the heavens, its presence announced by the rustle of white wings and the tattered remnants of celestial attire.


    It was Marvey, Harvey''s brother, materializing within Elena''s prison, his expression twisted with intoxication as he fixed her with a leering grin.


    "Hello, bitch… ahaha! I came here to have some fun again… I hope your body is prepared for a little pain," Marvey slurred his words, his demeanor reflecting the effects of his inebriation.


    "Marvey…"


    "Oh, Harvey, you''re here? Didn''t Mother order you to protect the holy kingdom''s northern borders? What are you doing here? Ah, did you punish this whore already? Tsk… Man, I wanted to punish her first today," Marvey continued, his words dripping with contempt as he addressed his brother.


    Hearing Marvey''s cruel taunts, Elena shuddered, the memories of her captivity and torture flooding back with visceral intensity. Of all the angelic torturers she had encountered, Marvey was the most brutal, relishing in the infliction of agonizing torment upon his victims.


    Advancing slowly in his drunken stupor, Marvey''s movements were erratic, his fists clenched in a disy of vtile aggression.


    Without warning, heshed out, striking Elena with brutal force. In the blink of an eye, her once-beautiful visage was contorted into something grotesque and horrifying, the delicate contours of her face shattered by the impact of his blow.


    If Marvey had exerted even the slightest bit more force, her entire head might have been obliterated in an instant.


    "Marvey!" Harvey''s voice sliced through the air, a sharp rebuke tinged with fury.


    "Haah? What is it, brother? You had your fun already; let me have mine!" Marvey retorted with a snicker, his gaze flickering to Harvey''s reaction.


    Despite his brother''s stoic demeanor and typically reserved nature, there was no mistaking the simmering rage that pulsed beneath the surface, particrly when it came to the subject of Elena.


    "Did you grow to like this bitch, brother? Well, allow me to show you what happens when you show empathy to a wicked being," Marvey mused, a twisted smile ying on his lips as he fixed his gaze on Elena.


    Once again, Marvey closed in on Elena, his movements filled with malevolent intent. With a swift strike to her stomach, he left her gasping for breath, her lungs struggling to draw in air amidst the searing pain.


    Then, with a whimsicalugh, Marvey encapsted Elena in a dome of golden light, undoing the damage he had inflicted upon her with callous ease.


    "I almost killed you, bitch, so be a good girl and try not to die immediately, okay? I want to make our session a bit longer this time. Don''t worry, as long as you can still breathe, I can heal you. No biggie, okay?" Marvey''s words dripped with sadistic amusement as he continued his onught, delivering a relentless barrage of stomps upon Elena''s defenseless form.


    Each blow sent waves of agony coursing through Elena''s body, her cries drowned out by the sickening sound of bones breaking and flesh tearing. Unable to stand, she crumpled to the ground, blood gushing from her stomach and mouth with every merciless stomp.


    Harvey felt a surge of anguish and anger welling up within him, a primal instinct to protect and intervene wing at his conscience.


    But his loyalty to the orders handed down by his mother, the supreme deity herself, held him in check.


    Despite his inner turmoil, he could do nothing but stand by and watch as Elena endured the unjust punishments inflicted upon her almost every day,


    "P-please go, Harvey… Hehe, don''t worry, I''m used to this now, hehehe~" Elena murmured through tears, her bloodshot eyes pleading with him, trying to reassure the unexpected friend she had found in this torturous prison.


    But her words only served to further enrage the drunken Marvey, his fury escting as he continued to rain down blows upon the defenseless Elena.


    "What did you say, bitch? You''re used to this? And you''re even snickering… HAHAHAHAH! Looks likest time wasn''t enough, huh?" Marvey''s voice dripped with malice, his fists clenched in a disy of unrestrained violence.


    He moved to strike the fallen Elena, but before his blow couldnd, Harvey''s divine shield intercepted the attack, causing a massive explosion to reverberate around them.


    "What are you doing, HARVEY!!!!!!!" Marvey bellowed, his anger boiling over as he red at his brother.


    "Marvey… You are drunk. Let her go for now," Harvey countered, his tone grave as his divine aura expanded, the weight of his celestial presence bearing down upon Marvey''s fallen form.


    Sensing the gravity of the situation, Marvey faltered slightly, a flicker of apprehension crossing his features.


    He knew that if he pushed Harvey any further, he might indeed find himself facing the wrath of demons as mere dog food.


    With a begrudging acknowledgment of his brother''s authority, Marvey reluctantly relented, withdrawing from his assault as Harvey''s stern gaze held him in check.


    But that didn''t mean he wasn''t annoyed at being interrupted in his fury.


    "What''s wrong with a little death, huh? This bitch has been alive for more than long enough. We should kill her now instead of wasting our time… Look at you, she managed to seduce you. Who''s to say she won''t do it with the other broth—"


    Before Marvey could finish his sentence, a streak of blinding light pierced through the air, melting his divine self in mere moments.


    "I will only warn and order you once, Marvey… Let it go for now. The fact that you don''t recognize her importance proves just how drunk you are right now… I don''t think Mother would want to hear this when you request your reinstatement in the heavens, right?" Harvey''s voice carried a stern edge as he admonished his brother.


    Though still visibly annoyed, Marvey reluctantly nodded, his pride wounded by Harvey''s reprimand. With onest disdainful look at Elena, he begrudgingly turned away.


    "You''re lucky this time, whore… But don''t worry, I''ll visit you again soon," Marvey spat before retreating.


    Turning his attention back to Elena, Harvey moved to approach her, but she held up her hand to stop him.


    "Please stop…," she pleaded, her voice barely above a whisper.


    "I''m just going to heal you…," Harvey reassured her, his voice gentle as he conjured a small orb of light. The healing properties of his magic were potent, even surpassing Marvey''s.


    But Elena shook her head, her expression pleading. "P-please stay away… for now my dress is ruined."


    Observing Elena''s distress, Harvey''s eyes widened in realization.


    "Oh…" he muttered, suddenly aware that he was gawking at a partially disrobed woman.


    Fortunately, the torn remnants of her clothing still preserved her modesty, albeit barely.