154. We Have a Deal
Although she knew that forbidden magic was an extremely threatening existence, she had never forbidden it.
Because, although her own existence was threatened to a certain extent, to put it cruelly, a large part of the peace was thanks to forbidden magic.
—All of the above thoughts had to be based on the premise of not being interfered with by the [illusion].
Because, in that cruel illusion, thinking would also be interrupted, and most of her divine power would begin to self-consume…
And then.
If she was subconsciously manipulated by the illusion and released the shackles of the [level limit] of some existences, she could let them break through the upper limit of their strength.
What a despicable method.
“Good morning, Reina.”
Her senses of touch, hearing, and vision were once again liberated, although only her upper body.
The strange cloth strips fell off, and that young woman appeared before her eyes again.
A black dress, long silver hair, and a strange personality that would suddenly cling to her when she was bored.
—This was her impression of Calysia.
But now, this was the only person who would free her from the illusion.
“The matter of the illusion, I’ve heard about it.”
After greeting her, Calysia lowered her head with her hands behind her back, as if she were repenting for something.
It was as if she were responsible for her being imprisoned here, this incompetent little girl.
A few seconds later, she sat on the ground and said with a smile:
“Reina, shall we talk?”
“…”
“I’ve said it before, there’s no need to waste time on me. And besides, there’s nothing you can do. Go and compete for the throne.”
“I will save you,” Calysia clenched her fists. “I’ll just assume you’re being tsundere.”
“I can’t understand…”
“The illusion must have been painful, right?”
“I don’t know.”
The goddess answered from her heart.
In the process of experiencing it, it was indeed very painful… like her heart being pierced.
But because she lacked the emotions of “anger” and “sadness,” when she left the illusion, she didn’t have any emotions…
And when she started to think about it in reverse…
“Haha…”
“Haa…”
An indescribable feeling.
Like a knife, just piercing into her void, but because it didn’t pierce… it started to cut at the edge of the void.
Until it drew blood, until she was covered in wounds.
Recalling those feelings, she would subconsciously begin to resist.
But her emotions didn’t arise at all, leaving only an endless emptiness.
And this strange “cycle” would only make her more painful each time, but under normal circumstances, she wouldn’t even have the ability to think.
“Even so, you’re not planning to escape?” Calysia’s voice was low, and then, tears fell.
“I will respect the world’s choice.”
“Then why don’t you respect my choice?!”
Calysia grabbed the goddess’s shoulders with both hands.
“I don’t want you to be so painful. Such a simple ideal, you won’t even satisfy me?”
“…”
“You dummy!”
“There is a way, though.”
The goddess said.
Hearing these words, Calysia’s eyes widened as if rekindling hope.
“As long as I completely destroy my soul, you can inherit my power, become a new god, and continue to rule the order of this world. This is the best ending for both of us.”
“Why?” Calysia was almost in despair.
“I hope the order will continue, and you are the one who can inherit my power. I believe you, Calysia.”
“Hahaha…”
Calysia shook her head.
“Why don’t you want to live?”
“Why? And besides, what I just said has the highest success rate. Other methods are basically impossible.”
“Then tell me the way you can survive,” Calysia’s voice was low, incredibly serious. “You are the most important person to me. I absolutely cannot let you die.”
“…”
Although she didn’t understand the reason at all, between actions and actions, between logic… an invisible chasm was created again.
What was driving her to save me? Instead of choosing a better ending?
But if she did it…
Could I… glimpse the [truth]?
So, the goddess compromised.
“[Soul Core], the core of the soul. I have completely lost my emotions because I lost my soul core, and I can’t use forbidden magic.”
“Divide your soul core into two parts,”
“Two-tenths, give it to me, as a [puzzle piece].”
“One-tenth, as a [key].”
“With the [puzzle piece], my soul core will become more complete, and I can use a forbidden magic…”
Calysia pricked up her ears and looked at the goddess with a firm gaze.
“[Reincarnation]”
“It will consume most of my power and allow my body to be [revived] in the next time period.”
“You just need to give me the [key] and let me recover my memory, and I can break free from my shackles.”
The price is that you will lose three-tenths of your soul core, and your emotions will also begin to fade. Losing a part of your soul core, and still being able to maintain your sanity, is one in a million.
“And ignoring the impact of the missing soul core on you, the success rate is only three percent.”
“Let’s do it!” Saying this, Calysia became excited.
But the goddess poured cold water on her in the next second:
“Foolish creature, you’re betting even on a three percent chance. So-called hope doesn’t exist at all.”
“But that ninety-seven percent is also an ending I never want.”
“…”
The goddess shook her head: “I haven’t told you the whole plan.”
“There is a way to increase the success rate of the mission to one hundred percent.”
“Why didn’t you say so earlier?” Calysia held a glimmer of hope, and her tear stains also faded a lot.
“If you can really do it, I won’t stop you.”
The goddess shook her head:
“Actually, I can complete another forbidden magic by consuming all my power…”
“[Reincarnation]”
“If it fails, it will return to the beginning of the [Reincarnation], with you and me together.”
“But the other price is your soul core.”
“You need to offer nine-tenths of your soul core, give it to me completely, [assimilate] my soul, and turn me into your [vassal].”
“The remaining one-tenth of your soul core, as a [key], and in the end, you also need to give it to me…”
“In the future, you will become a dragon without a soul core.”
“You will experience the process of emotional loss, you will experience the most painful time of a living being. Although reincarnation will become numb, the pain will always exist.”
“I agree.”
Calysia said without thinking.
This person… a foolish creature.
It seems she doesn’t care about the pain of losing her soul core at all.
And not only that.
She even chuckled, as if she were looking forward to her future life.
“Then you’ll become my vassal, and you’ll also have a soul core. Won’t you be a little vassal with rich emotions, who can cry and laugh?”
“Yes.”
The goddess nodded:
“What a superfluous thing to do. Even if you can succeed, I will find a way to break it before it is completely vassalized, and by the way, return the soul core to you.”
“Then we have a deal.”
