Unlock My Chains

"True." Annan sat down beside Yaxiu. Whether to cover her embarrassment or to make excuses for him, she added, "They're all in the middle of their trials, after all." Yaxiu glanced at her and said, "We stayed in Azura for half a month before this... right in the Funeral Parlor." "Then remember to pay me half a month's rent." "Stingy..." Yaxiu said. "During that time, I looked into things and discovered you've done a tremendous amount this past year—reforming the systems across the corporate cities of Fanmula and Mengfeila, guiding institutions and organizations to reduce their dependence on the Gospel system, and promptly channeling resources into the technological wave brought about by the concept of the Void Door. In the year since I left, Gospel has undergone tremendous changes." "It's not all my doing," Annan replied. "Some of it was Diya's foresight... As long as Her Majesty the Empress puts her mind to it, she can govern this country well." "But now that the five nations have united into one, you aren't just facing domestic conservative factions and the corruption and bureaucratic friction within the administration; you also have to meet the challenges posed by the other four nations. This is a massive upheaval unlike anything in a millennium. You won't find any precedent in the history books, and you have no choice but to grow rapidly amidst the competition... Are you sure you want to keep going?" "What do you mean?" With a flick of Yaxiu's finger, an illusory chain extended from Annan's collar to his hand. "This is a soul miracle I developed. It can not only suppress the Blessing of the Stars, but also extract it completely from your souls. However, if you wish to continue governing the Gospel Realm, you cannot remove the Blessing of the Stars. After all, you are one of Gospel's supreme leaders, and Fanxing is very likely keeping close tabs on the status of your blessings." Annan and the rest of Gospel's ruling class had already been implanted with the Blessing of the Stars. For this reason, Yaxiu had long since borrowed the Soul Lock God from Vichy, using the 'Ruby Chains' as a prototype to create the miracle 'Dawn Soul Lock.' In truth, it was not a binding miracle, but a soul-healing one. For as long as the Dawn Soul Lock remained active, the bound soul would continuously maintain a state of purity, suppressing the effects of all miracle curses—and naturally preventing any brainwashing by the Blessing of the Stars. He was confident that suppressing the blessing would not attract notice, but extracting it would be an open provocation against Fanxing's aristocratic system, and under no circumstances would Annan be able to remain Gospel's Chief Witch. "Before we leave, you can think over whether you want to have the Blessing of the Stars extracted. If you want it removed—" "I can answer you right now," Annan said solemnly. "I'm going to stay in Gospel and remain the Chief Witch. My life's work is here... Even if I have to bear the Blessing of the Stars, I won't give it up." Yaxiu smiled softly and stood up. "I thought as much." "Still, this means you'll inevitably be swept into an unprecedented five-nation competition. Do you have the confidence to win this game of nations?" "I can't guarantee I'll win." Annan clasped her hands, her gaze sharp. "I can only guarantee that I will never lose." Looking at the purple moth before him, Yaxiu recalled the very first night he arrived in Gospel, when Annan had boldly declared she would desecrate the Gospel. Back then, she had been so haughty and overbearing, treating life as an amusing game and willing to give everything to unlock the craziest achievements. After becoming a Witch, Annan had reined in her arrogance, yet at this moment, Yaxiu realized she still viewed life as a game—only it was no longer a role-playing game, but a nation-management simulator... What unprecedented grand achievement was that fire in her eyes preparing to ignite? "Give me your hand." Puzzled, Annan opened her palm. Yaxiu quietly mobilized the power of longing and traced a moth insignia onto the back of her hand. As longing was inscribed, Annan felt her connection to the Purple Resentment Concealed Princess Dragon grow significantly tighter. "You're a legendary sorcerer now, so in theory, nothing in the mortal realm can harm you. But if the other nations refuse to play fair, or if an angel comes looking for you, activate this mark... If I can make it in time, I will come, without fail." Yaxiu patted the back of her hand gently and said, "Keep charging ahead recklessly, Eldest Miss. From this day forward, I will still be your staunchest pillar of support. As rent, this ought to be enough, right?" Yaxiu placed heavy emphasis on the word "staunchest." Annan looked up thoughtfully, only to see Yaxiu avert his gaze, avoiding her eyes. *This scoundrel,* Annan thought to herself. *My first kiss was with him, yet now he won't kiss me and won't say anything sweet. Even declaring his feelings has to be done in such a roundabout way. Does he really think I don't like hearing sweet nothings?* *Still... this isn't bad either.* "Not enough. Nowhere near enough." "Huh?" Yaxiu blinked. "I'll accept this for now." Annan took his hand, brought it to her lips, and smiled. "What I truly want is a country—a Kingdom of Heaven where I can paint to my heart's content. "When I get bored of Gospel, you'll have to find me a better toy. For instance... your Kingdom of Heaven." * * * Annan returned to the Witches' Confidential Chamber with a light, buoyant step. Inside, Qinna and Nona were chatting. As soon as she entered, she said, "Come up with an excuse to lock down the palace. We don't know how long Yaxiu and the others will stay, and no one can be allowed to see them during this time." "Put out a rumor that the Chief Witch is pregnant. For the next ten months, not a single soul will dare question a thing," Qinna said lazily, lounging against her chair. "Of course, it doesn't have to be a rumor, either." Annan shot her a sideways glance. In such a good mood, she didn't even get angry. "Say that to counter Blood Moon's legendary sorcerer, I deployed the secret art of the Yisu Imperial Palace, and for the upcoming period, the palace's miracle sorcery formations need repairs," Nona suggested, offering a very reasonable excuse that aligned well with current events. "Then you can handle it, Seventh Seat." Annan sat in her chair, rested her chin on her hand, and studied Qinna. "To think you're actually capable of acting like a decent person once in a while." Qinna raised an eyebrow. "Oh?" Annan briefly summarized what Yaxiu had said about his conversation with Qinna, before adding with a blush, "I thought you genuinely suggested that you, me, and him... It made me go check with him to be sure." The elf matriarch raised her brows, an amused, playful expression spreading across her face. "Is that all Yaxiu told you?" "Yes. Why?" Annan was caught off guard, a bad premonition instantly springing up in her heart. "Did you really propose that to him?!" "Not quite." Annan sighed in relief. "I knew you couldn't be that outrageous... Then what did you say?" Qinna spread her hands. "You know Nona and I can share sensory perceptions too, so what I proposed was me, you, and Nona together—" "Qinna!" "Sister!" Annan and Nona roared at the exact same moment, both jumping to their feet with a whoosh. Tapping her lips with a finger, the elf matriarch chuckled softly. "By the way, from his eyes down to his expression, he didn't look opposed to it in the slightest..." * * * It seemed fulfilling their wishes was the key to passing the trial. Having finally found a clue to overcoming the trial, Yaxiu felt entirely relieved, his steps light as he headed toward the others' chambers. Although Diya had not technically passed the trial yet, she was no longer in agony. That alone made replicating the Witch's successful case well worth it. Perhaps he would have to fulfill the wishes of Sword Princess and Vichy as well before the three of them could pass the Six-Winged Trial together. Just then, Yaxiu heard Felix's tense, pleading voice from around the upcoming corner: "Sister Vichy, please don't be like this... Come back with me, okay...?" Turning the corner, Yaxiu saw Felix kneeling on the floor at a loss. In front of her, the Spectre Prophet was crawling across the carpet. Dressed in nightwear with disheveled hair, Vichy had lost all of her former grace and poise, looking as wretched as a sick snake slithering in the shadows. Yet one glance at her trembling shoulders and the cold sweat trailing down her cheeks revealed the immense agony she was enduring. Yaxiu hurried over and grasped her hands. The first words out of Vichy's mouth upon seeing him were: "Sword Princess, or the Witch?" Yaxiu was taken aback, but answered, "The Witch. I found a way to help her through the trial, but how did you know—" "What way?" "She wanted to go home, so I took her home, and her condition improved," Yaxiu explained. "The key to this trial is very likely finding a way to fulfill your wishes. But since you're incapacitated by illness and can't do it yourselves, I have to be the one to help fulfill them... What is your wish?" Vichy leaned both hands against Yaxiu to keep from collapsing, taking shallow, rapid gasps of air, so exhausted she seemed on the verge of fainting. Taking a towel from Felix, Yaxiu wiped the cold sweat from Vichy's forehead, then sat on the floor and gathered her into his embrace. After a while, Vichy slowly shook her head. "I don't have any wish. That method won't work on me." Yaxiu looked at her, realizing something in his heart. "Do you have another idea?" Vichy nodded and whispered weakly, "I have a way to get through the trial on my own... You only need to cater to your Sword Princess and Witch. As for me, all I need is a little... small bit of help from you." "What kind of help?" She looked up, gazing into Yaxiu's eyes. "Unlock my chains."