“So you’re saying that finding the current Blessing of Life is completely useless?”

“For now… yes,” Alreis replied, nodding gravely.

Wude’s heart plummeted. He hadn’t expected Tini—the present Blessing of Life—to be in such a dire state. Even at his mere Level 3, he could grasp it clearly: they faced an unsolvable problem.

Resurrecting Lingyue required immense life force. But if the Blessing of Life expended that much, she’d be consumed by temporal backlash mid-ritual. Naturally, the resurrection would fail—and the Soul Crystal might vanish entirely. No second chances.

Even Alreis, caster of that Temporal Magic, couldn’t retract it. She couldn’t endure the River of Time’s backlash again. Rewinding time demanded a price.

“Then… how *can* we resurrect Lingyue?” Wude’s eyes, wide and pleading, held Alreis like a desperate child.

“Um…” Alreis’s resolve softened under his gaze. She gathered every ounce of wisdom she possessed.

“Such a simple fix—just grab an Ascendant Sovereign to bear the karmic burden, no?” A voice cut in.

“Yes! Exactly!” Alreis clapped.

“???” She froze. The speaker was Tini—the same Tini who’d just moped about being unmarriageable.

Tini’s slumped posture vanished. Her eyes blazed with radiant light. “This Sovereign, the Blessing of Life, has witnessed your devotion to resurrect your beloved. I admire such spirit. I shall aid you!”

“?! Really?!” Wude’s voice lifted with fragile hope.

Tini frowned slightly. “Of course. You’ve already bound me with that… contract. Use it to verify.”

Wude glanced at Alreis. She understood instantly. *Since last night… have we grown this close? Can I truly read his eyes now? Is this… “close friends”?”*

Alreis’s spiritual energy surged. Tini’s answered like a tidal wave. Wude, with his faint spiritual sense, felt only a primal unease.

“Blessing of Life,” Alreis intoned, the Hexagram in her eyes blazing, “I, Alreis, Ascendant Sovereign of Space and Time, question you.”

“I, the Blessing of Life—Falos-Tini—hereby swear.” Tini dropped “This Sovereign.” Between Sovereigns, respect was non-negotiable.

“I shall aid you in resurrecting Lingyue, beloved of the youth Wude!”

“Contract sealed!”

“Contract sealed.”

Two youthful voices, firm and unwavering.

“Wude, she means it,” Alreis reported softly.

“…Just on that oath?” Wude’s skepticism lingered. No glowing array, no tangible magic—less reliable than his Slave Contract. Though it already bound Tini, commanding her felt wrong.

“How impertinent, young man!” Tini’s eyes narrowed. “To doubt a Sovereign’s oath? It is sealed with our names—*unquestionable*.”

Wude met Alreis’s nod. He returned it. He trusted her. *Has our bond really deepened since last night?*

“Alright. I believe you, Tini. Thank you.”

“Then remove this,” Tini countered. “If you’re grateful.”

Wude finally understood: part of her help was self-interest. To break the Slave Contract. *How naive.*

“You wish to dissolve the Slave Contract?” His face stayed neutral.

“I’ve pledged aid. Why keep me shackled…?” A flicker of doubt shadowed her tone.

“Tini. You know I seek to resurrect Lingyue.” Calm. Controlled.

“Yes!”

“Then… do you know *how* she died?” The ache returned—but the rage was quieter now.

“Surely… not my doing?” Tini wasn’t foolish. Among brute-force Sovereigns, she was the strategist. She’d plotted Alreis’s ambush. She’d orchestrated the final strike on Lingyue.

“*Exactly!* You are the ultimate culprit behind Lingyue’s death!” Wude’s voice cracked. He breathed deep, steadying himself. “Alreis… you tell her.” He couldn’t speak further. Only now did he feel how deeply Lingyue still lived in him.

Alreis sighed inwardly. *My hands aren’t clean either.* To Wude, she was still a killer.

“When you ambushed me,” Alreis stated bluntly, “that ‘Darkness’… was Lingyue.”

“…” Tini’s eyes widened. Words vanished.

*He was close to “Darkness”?* Her ancient rival across eons… never once mentioned him.

(Truth was, Lingyue never spoke of other Sovereigns either. *“Knowing one Ascendant Sovereign—me—is enough. Why crave more?”*)

Tini felt the ground swallow her. *I doomed myself.* How could “Darkness” be *her*?

(Though… “Darkness” always mocked her “vulgar body.” Tini guessed she was female. But *romantic*? Her little lover dared court a Sovereign? Astonishing. Yet… was “Darkness” truly this gentle?)

Before ascending, “Darkness” was a shadow-dwelling assassin. After? Cloaked in impenetrable darkness—no Sovereign ever saw beneath. Even Alreis’s sudden arrival paled beside her mystery.

*Has Temporal Magic addled my wits?* Bound by Slave Contract… swearing to save my rival… freedom was a fantasy.

Alreis watched Tini drain to ash-gray, slinking to the corner, muttering:

“It’s not my fault… the world is to blame…”

Alreis ignored her. Wude’s sorrow mattered more.

“Um… Mas—Wude.” She nearly slipped into “Master.” The mood felt wrong.

“Are… are you angry?” she asked carefully. *Is this what “close friends” do?* She recalled the Pontiff’s sermon long ago.

Wude turned. Seeing her anxious worry, his gloom melted.

“How could I?” He ruffled her hair instinctively. *(Classic harem move—it never fails.)* Oddly, she didn’t pull away.

“I was just thinking… what next?” He kept petting.

(Truthfully, Alreis found it… pleasant. If she ignored Sovereign dignity. Which, after last night—and the bedsheets, and his… “training”—felt long gone. *“Training” was the only word that fit.*)

Her face darkened. *Slap!* She swatted his hand.

“Lately… have you been treating me like a pet?”

“?? Of course not!” Wude blinked innocently. *(…Haven’t I always?)* He kept that thought locked tight.

His eyes drifted to the ashen figure in the corner.

*Wait… did I just gain two Ascendant Sovereign slaves?*