Meanwhile, to the far west, there was a large island where the empire existed, calling this place the main continent.

    A woman with long silver hair sat on an elegant seat while several maids, their faces covered, combed her hair and applied facial masks to her.

    "Lady Carmila, your father has sent another letter... what should I do?" An elderly maid without a mask and dull green eyes asked in a low, raspy voice.

    The former queen of Grigor closed her eyes.

    Her appearance had transformed entirely. She now had a stunningly youthful face, deep blue eyes, and soft pink lips.

    "Tell him that I am busy, Gretta."

    Carmila gazed at her face in the mirror, her hand subconsciously reaching out while touching the small emblem of Grigor, a metal shield that she took with her when their marriage and alliance broke apart.

    "I am so grateful to you for setting Avandar free, " she whispered to the small statue of a goddess cloaked in darkness and with long silver hair.

    To those from the empire, this crude image was given to Serena, the goddess of darkness.

    ''Avandar allowed me to live, never will I go against him again... Since I have broken our chain of fate, then I can only help him from the shadows.''

    "Gretta, can you meet with Baroness Seddon and ask how the project is going?"

    The maid gave a polite bow while curling her lips into a warm smile.

    Gretta served as Carmila''s maid and nanny. Upon the countess''s return from her broken marriage, she earned a noble title for her services to the empire. So, Gretta left her current employment and started working for Carmila once again.

    ''Thankfully, those foolish men didn''t realise that Avandar recovered...''

    "Haa..."

    Carmila let out a long sigh, wondering if her children would forgive her one day. They were, in fact, Avandars, but because she didn''t wish for them to become in danger—she lied.

    ''I won''t hold this against you, my king. One day, when all is settled. I shall tell you the truth...'' Stay connected through empire

    "But until then..."

    Her words leaked as she gripped the metal emblem of Grigor tightly in her grip, slicing apart her palms as blood dripped onto her dressing table.

    "I will atone for my sins against you, and keep you safe."

    At the same time, in the Castle of Grigor, Avandar read through the reports of military and agricultural documents with a sour face.

    - Casualties in the north have reached a total of 5%

    - Granary reserves have increased by 20% thanks to the efforts of Duke Qwass, donating half his harvest to the kingdom.

    - The elven empress has suggested a truce and alliance depending on the prince and her spouse.

    Avandar read the various notes and information, constantly changing his expression. Just knowing that Alan was suffering in the north made him nervous, but earlier in the week, he received a report that his fiancee Akari was four months pregnant, which made him joyous.

    ''It seems that I should send more knights to support my lovely brother.''

    He rubbed the small black box that had been sent to him a short while ago. It was a gift from Alan and his future wife to celebrate their conception. "To think you finally found that one... I was wrong about outlanders."

    In the corner of his eye was another document buried under dozens of others, but now he realised this topic couldn''t be ignored.

    ''A request regarding the treatment of otherworld visitors.''

    "My future Sister-in-law and son-in-law will be outlanders... Let''s start making the steps to repay them for their efforts..."

    Avandar''s heart became clearer after Lumina, and the curse faded. He didn''t forgive Carmila but accepted her reasons, and they parted without major issues.

    "What did Riel have to say about this?"

    The pair became silent.

    He knew the others would soon be finished, so he wanted to solve things with Sariel first, knowing that others would complain.

    The others meant Erika and Ciela.

    "..." Sariel pouted, her eyes closed tight as she huffed and snorted hot air from her nose.

    "What?"

    "Hmph! It''s not me that came here, but Riel! She said something about needing to be close to you, and then when I woke up, we were in a strange forest with monsters that kept chasing me!"

    "Wait..." Asmodeus looked at Sariel''s moody face and came to a realisation.

    ''It wasn''t Sariel who came here, but the older and wiser succubus Riel? Is that why the monsters didn''t appear around us until that dinosaur?''

    "Was it really Riel?"

    Sariel''s face brightened, and her pink hair swayed with her movements as she jumped into his arms and wrapped herself around his chest.

    "It was! She told me that we needed to be close to you now, since we had evolved. Things have changed."

    The lovely smile on the erotic and adult body of Sariel caused Asmodeus to suffer.

    His throat became dry, the soft and squish sensation of her chest against his arm too vibrant and appealing to ignore.

    "Sariel, behave yourself."

    "Never ?? ehehe!"

    Asmodeus couldn''t help but chuckle at her response while gazing at the distance.

    A forest of beautiful silver trees, like a blanket of snow covering the entire land—he could see the tree, his goal, in the centre of this mystical forest.

    "I can''t even get mad at you...''

    Asmodeus sighed while waiting for the others to return from their tasks because the canyon collapsed after the dragon''s death. Ciela, Erunda, and Arinea returned to the entrance and started clearing the debris.

    Leviathan offered to help while Erika and Simon seemed to build their last camp before leaving for the sacred forest.

    ''Paul seemed to be melancholy after the battle... I wonder why he looked so down.''

    Asmodeus glanced towards the north, seeing the grey skies where the storm cloud gathered above the sea.

    [I''ll come to get you next...]

    Aristella''s voice echoed once more... but this time, it became distant, almost static, before it cut out.

    Her voice echoed in his mind as he watched the clouds gather in the distance. His hand gripped Sariel''s soft hand as he realised that the true trial might be something he took alone.

    That is, he may have to come face to face with another goddess.

    ''Serena? Are you still not going to respond to me?''

    A sense of worry grew inside Asmodeus.

    Since he met Aristella for the second time in his dreams... Serena''s voice and connection seemed to have become broken.

    "Am I overthinking things?"