When light flared once again in Lanqi and Talia's field of view, they were no longer inside the carriage of the magic rail train traveling across the outskirts of Brierda.
"Where is this?"
Lanqi tried to inspect his surroundings. As the brilliant glow receded, he realized with a start that this was Naicalis, the Demon King City of tens of thousands of years ago.
Today was seemingly a fine day—one could tell just by glancing out the window.
The sights of Naicalis remained as antiquated and elegant as ever. Under a clear sky, looking past the Demon King's Palace's floor-to-ceiling windows revealed an expanse of azure and crystalline brightness; in the spring, the sunlight made him feel warm.
Yet what captured his attention was neither the familiar view of this Throne Room nor the unprecedentedly boisterous clamor behind him.
Rather, it was a timeline he had never seen before.
Judging by the clock markings in the Demon King's Palace, this had to be a point in time even later than the Fourth Shadow World.
Whether in the Shadow Worlds or in true history, such a harmonious Naicalis should never have existed—it was as though the Horning Empire's Demonkin War had never occurred at all, or the Blood Clan's unrest had been quelled far earlier.
"..."
Lanqi observed the outside with a perplexed expression.
The only certainty was that he was standing beneath the majestic dome of the Demon King's Palace's Throne Room in Naicalis. The Demon Realm-style decorations bore witness to time, interweaving with the silver-white and pale-blue flowers adorning the walls and archways to weave a corridor of reverie.
Lanqi pondered in utter bewilderment.
Yet he could not even control his throat to speak.
His body did not seem to be under his command; he could only experience this dream.
"Are you ready?"
A light call sounded behind him.
He turned abruptly.
The kaleidoscopic frescoes and stained-glass windows spanning the palace's tens-of-meters-high walls refracted the sunlight into myriad glittering motes, gently sprinkling across those pale-blue petals.
A silver-haired woman stood clad in a gown she would normally never wear, holding a bouquet of pure white blossoms.
She had porcelain-fair skin and elegant long silver hair, the long tips drifting in the breeze.
Her white veil drifted airily; the skirt was fashioned from layered tiers of gossamer, its lace trims giving the entire dress an extraordinarily soft, dreamlike air.
She stood in the distance behind Lanqi, waiting for him.
"..."
Lanqi stared wide-eyed at the figure clad in a wedding gown—she was unmistakably the spitting image of Caliera.
Yet for an instant, she also bore a striking resemblance to Talia.
Lanqi could hardly tell whether this was Caliera or Talia. He wanted to open his mouth and ask, yet he remained unable to command his body to alter the events unfolding in the dream.
"That wasn't what I wanted to say just now!"
A thought echoed in Lanqi's mind.
That was unmistakably Talia's familiar voice.
"Tata, can you not control the dream or your body in it either?" Lanqi immediately asked via telepathy to the silver-haired woman in the wedding dress across from him.
"I can't," Talia transmitted, carrying a trace of inexplicable bashfulness.
She had no idea why she had turned into Caliera, let alone why she was wearing clothes she would never wear in her life!
Fortunately, their souls were linked, allowing them to communicate telepathically even without spoken words.
"Then I understand. We've both fallen into Caliera's dream, and right now, the two of us are likely experiencing the two protagonists of her fantasy."
Lanqi swiftly made his deduction based on his knowledge of Caliera's spellcraft and the present situation.
This was likely a dream akin to the Fallen Land of Gentle Slumber. Both of them were experiencing it from a first-person perspective, yet neither of them had any say in controlling Caliera's dream.
It was more like a fully immersive experience inside Caliera's memory illusion.
Only now did Lanqi realize that the Throne Room was filled with figures. The seats were packed with human and demon comrades-in-arms, as well as orc lords, who should have died long ago during the Blood Moon Ruined World.
"Then what's with this point in time?"
Having grasped roughly what was going on with this dream, Talia hastily asked Lanqi in her thoughts.
She was standing in the Demon King's Palace from the Blood Moon Ruined World era, and this ceremony was proceeding in an orderly manner.
If this continued, wasn't she... about to marry Lanqi?
"..."
Lanqi scanned the bustling Throne Room once more, analyzing the situation.
First of all, this was definitely not a real timeline that existed in history, because the dead could not return to life.
It seemed more like a hypothetical timeline where Caliera managed to survive,
and Lankeluosi likewise did not die from the demonkin unrest to become the Black Sun Tyrant.
Consequently, Lankeluosi and Caliera ultimately brought an end to the Blood Clan's turmoil and came together.
"I recall the most pivotal battle between the timelines of the Third and Fourth Shadow Worlds was the Blood Clan's desperate surprise attack on the Demon Realm. Although the Demon King's Palace was successfully defended in the end, Caliera was left on the brink of death, and the eighth-tier Lankeluosi, despite arriving in time, could barely repel the Third Progenitor, Rasheal. He only reached the ninth tier later when fighting the Fifth or Second Progenitor."
Lanqi had roughly guessed what kind of hypothetical branch this was.
That battle had also been the direct cause of Caliera's death. In addition to Caliera, the Mist Lord and the True Night Lord had perished one after another, while the Thunder Lord was gravely injured and went into retirement in the Demon Realm, no longer able to serve as a Great Demon General.
If Caliera had defeated Rasheal back then, or if Lankeluosi had broken through to the ninth tier mid-battle and thoroughly sealed Rasheal away, many of the tragedies that followed would have been averted.
Perhaps it would have led to this very timeline.
"Th-Then are we going to experience a whole wedding in this dream?"
Having sorted through the cause and effect of the dream, before Talia could even breathe a sigh of relief, she panicked all over again.
In an immersive dream like this, even if she couldn't control her body, it still felt like she was marrying Lanqi. Crucially, they were playing the two protagonists, experiencing the wedding in Caliera's illusion firsthand.
The Fallen Land of Gentle Slumber showed people dreams destined never to be realized in reality. When Caliera penned that letter, the illusion she would have witnessed through the Land of Gentle Slumber was likely this very dream that Lanqi and Talia were currently experiencing.
"Perhaps. We've already started this movie, and even though we're well aware it's an illusion, we can't escape. That probably means we have to watch it to the end before we can return to our compartment on the Brierda train."
Lanqi was certain this was genuine ninth-tier magic that far surpassed both him and Talia.
Therefore, once triggered, it was just like when he had crafted cards with Talia in the City of Flowers, falling into Caliera's slumber magic and unable to awaken easily.
Just as he was communicating telepathically with Talia,
the master of ceremonies stepped onto the raised platform in the Throne Room.
"Honored guests, welcome to the wedding of the Lord of the Black Sun and the Fallen King. Thank you all for waiting; our ceremony is about to commence."
The Thunder Lord walked to the front of the throne's dais and announced in a resonant voice.
Once the Lord of the Black Sun's close friend and originally a trusted general of Caliera's faction, the steadfast Thunder Lord, Gareth Noctar, served as the officiant presiding over the wedding today.
Before long, the groom, dressed in a black formal suit, approached the bride.
Caliera's veil covered her long hair.
In one hand she held a bouquet of pristine white hydrangeas, pure and flawless.
Her eyes were cast down with tender affection, a faint smile playing on her lips, her expression gentle and serene.
Behind her, white clouds and petals dotted the pale-blue sky.
Caressed by the gentle breeze, the pale-blue blossoms appeared all the softer, wafting a delicate and enchanting fragrance.
"Lanqi, what do we do? Are we really getting married?"
Talia was acting out Caliera's role, but her heart was thumping violently. She had never experienced anything like this, nor had she even dared imagine it.
On the train, she had only casually mentioned using marriage to resolve debt, yet who would have thought that immediately afterward, she would be experiencing a wedding with Lanqi in Caliera's dream!
"Just treat it like watching a movie, except shifted from third-person to first-person," Lanqi replied telepathically, soothing her flustered nerves.
"Ooh... okay."
Talia tried using deep breaths to quell the turbulence in her heart, but to no avail—her body remained outside her control.
Only by gazing at that familiar figure not far away could she truly find calm.
Whenever she panicked, Lanqi would become exceptionally steady, making her feel as though she had someone to lean on at any moment.
*Just watching a movie, just watching a movie... only from a different perspective...*
She told herself repeatedly.
The tension in Talia's heart began to ease.
Taking a deep breath, she prepared to face that most crucial moment.
She walked forward.
The two figures finally stood at the very center before the throne, looking into each other's eyes.
"Beloved bride and groom, today is one of the most important days of your lives. From this day forward, you will no longer merely be ordinary friends and allies to each other, but shall walk hand in hand through life's journey as husband and wife. Marriage is a gift granted by the gods, a supreme covenant. It signifies loving and supporting each other, weathering storms together in times of hardship, and sharing heart and soul in moments of tranquility."
The Thunder Lord's voice overflowed with blessing, his tone steadily rising:
"'Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.' My dear two friends, I hope you will take these words to heart, embrace each other with love, and cherish all that you have shared."
The Thunder Lord spoke with heartfelt earnestness.
His address moved every guest present.
The ceremony continued.
Before long, their good friend, the Mist Lord, was invited up as best man and witness to deliver his speech.
Having waited for some time, the somewhat nervous Mist Lord adjusted his necktie, retrieved a prepared speech manuscript, and cleared his throat twice.
"First, I wish to thank you for granting me this honor, allowing me to serve as your wedding witness at the most precious moment of your lives. I have been close friends with both of you for many years, and I have witnessed the entirety of how you met."
Mist Lord Orion looked toward the Lord of the Black Sun, then shifted his gaze to the Fallen Demon King.
"You admire each other, support each other, and grow together. As the demon opera goes: 'Two hearts beating as one, spirits entwined, a flawless pair, a match ordained by heaven.' I firmly believe you are fated to walk hand in hand."
He offered his blessings.
"Now, let us welcome our other esteemed witness to the stage—likewise their dear friend and the maid of honor for this wedding—to offer her sincere blessings to this demon couple..."
The officiant, the Thunder Lord, methodically guided the ceremony forward.
Time flew within Naicalis's Demon King's Palace.
Soon came the most solemn segment.
"Caliera, how do you see the groom?" the officiant, Thunder Lord, asked, turning toward the bride.
"He... always brings a smile to my face. He speaks with warmth toward all living beings and possesses an affinity that easily draws demons close to him. Though he doesn't smile often, on occasion he can suddenly crack jokes like a child, far more than one would expect."
"At times he brags about being the best headmaster in the world... I can't refute him; he truly is that kind of person."
"In short, he is the kindest, most caring human I have ever met. And precisely because of that, within his Land of Gentle Slumber, I saw an incomparably wonderful world—the very world I desire as well."
"So, as his best friend, I will continue striving to help him."
Emotion rippled in the silver-haired witch's eyes, her voice sweet yet resolute.
The guests rose to their feet in unison, applause surging like a tide toward the bride and groom.
"Now, the final moment has arrived," the officiant, Thunder Lord, said. Filled with profound trust, he bestowed his blessing with a voice both majestic and tender:
"The path of marriage cannot be entirely smooth; disagreements and hardships are bound to arise. Yet so long as you love each other always, resolving your differences with patience and tolerance, your bond will remain ever new. Let us bless them together, wishing their marriage boundless happiness and bliss, unto eternity!"
Beneath the boiling clamor of the Demon King's Palace's vaulted dome, echoes of cheers and applause rose wave upon wave.
"Lanqi, c-can you really not break this dream?"
Talia leaned closer to Lanqi, completely out of her own control.
Her heart felt ticklish, yet she was bashful almost to the point of madness.
"If even you can't manage it, there's no way I could break free," Lanqi said, feeling somewhat nervous himself.
Whether messing around with Talia at an amusement park, competitively feeding each other, or hugging that big gray cat, he had never felt so on edge; only at this moment did everything feel overwhelmingly solemn.
The reason he had always been able to wake up swiftly in the Land of Gentle Slumber was that he could clearly recognize it as an illusion and would not indulge in it.
Yet right now, both of them knew perfectly well it was an illusion—they were wide awake, yet could not bring it to an end.
Talia's hand trembled slightly. In the Throne Room of the Demon King's Palace, her fingertips brushed against Lanqi's, as if conveying a silent vow.
She looked at Lanqi, knowing full well this was an illusion, yet powerless to resist.
Amidst the soft melody of the harp, their gazes inevitably met. The next moment would likely be the legendary kiss of the vows.
*No, Lanqi, you can't kiss me yet!*
Feeling Lanqi draw closer and closer, Talia desperately tried to turn her head away, but she could not force her body into such a dramatic movement. She could only feel his heartbeat while screaming internally.
Just as she closed her eyes, bracing for that moment, her heartbeat racing uncontrollably—
Thunder jolted them awake.
Without them realizing it, Naicalis's sky had turned overcast and rainy.
Digital artifacts appeared across the dream's scenery, and the ethereal cathedral began stuttering and jittering.
It flickered intermittently, at times freezing into an afterimage of the previous second.
The bell tolled once more, yet rather than marching forward, it sounded as though it were rewinding.
The sky began to collapse, the azure dawn giving way to a shattered curtain, with only purple lightning spreading like fissures.
Until, amidst the memory afterimages, they saw illusory demonic script:
*Thunder snakes across the sky; thou art one step closer to the end.*
The next second.
The two of them were expelled from the illusion like spectral onlookers from another dimension, only to see that the scene had shifted to the underground central chamber of Purgatory Corridor Academy.
It was a small transparent room that seemed enfolded by an eternal night of starry skies. Sparse starlight flickered around them, providing just enough illumination to discern what lay before their eyes.
It was as though this place was Caliera's true memory.
Within the authentic space inside this central chamber, it seemed worlds apart from the outside.
The psychedelic walls swallowed nearly all light and echo, leaving not even the faintest sound of breathing.
There was only oppressive silence and a bottomless expanse of stars.
At the center of the room, several pillar-like rods of antimagic steel were linked to a translucent barrier, the demonic magical script inscribed on the steel pillars flickering with faint blue motes of light.
At the center of the antimagic steel, a mirror-shaped mechanical magical artifact was bound by layers of mana chains.
It resembled a mirror, yet was shaped like a six-sided cube.
The space within each reflective surface distorted continuously, as if countless twisted souls were circling within. Multiple layers of barriers swirled around the mirror, fading in and out of sight.
With just a single glance,
one could be certain it was something beyond all standard specifications—
The taboo magical artifact that subverted the world's common sense: the "Mirror of Tiberius."
"..."
Caliera leaned against the cubic magical artifact. Her face was haggard and pale, though traces of her former elegance remained visible. Scattered letters lay beside her hand as she exhaled a puff of white mist.
Her silvery-white hair draped over her shoulders. Her eyes were half-open, her long eyelashes fluttering faintly like the feeble fluttering of a dying butterfly's wings, having awakened from the dream.
Her once-rosy lips had lost all color, yet a faint smile still lingered at the corners of her mouth, as if savoring those fleeting, beautiful moments at the close of her brief life.
Her slender fingers rested on the letter, her fingertips slightly curled.
Sending this letter out was her final duty.
"Lankeluosi, I leave the future in your hands."
Caliera let out a soft sigh, a trace of reluctance and regret lingering in her half-lidded, silvery-white eyes.
Then, rising to her feet with unsteady steps, she walked toward the Inverted Mirror Corridor, vanishing into the prism.
Chapter 865