The War of Love

The Gospel Realm, Nabistin Imperial Palace, the Empress's bedchamber. Upon a plush cotton royal bed piled high with stuffed dolls, Annan slowly opened her eyes. She didn't get up right away. Instead, she casually pulled over a Lalafell plushie to hug, pinned the soft duvet between her legs, and chewed on her fingernail as she pondered. These plush dolls naturally weren't her hobby; Lisi had arranged every single one of them. Perhaps all women went through an age when they loved stuffed toys, but soon enough they would find them space-consuming, devoid of warmth, and incapable of acting cute. Both she and Diya had little interest in dolls, because what they really wanted was the superior upgrade to a toy. However, while anyone could own a plushie, the superior alternative they desired was a one-of-a-kind limited edition. What's more, the collectors eager to make a move weren't just numerous; every single one of them was remarkably formidable. Annan's feelings were actually rather complicated. When it came to 'love,' hers was probably the flimsiest among them all—perhaps even less than Siflin's, assuming Siflin fell into the pit in the future as well. The root cause was likely that the others had all met Yaxiu during their finest, most beautiful twenties. They yearned for romantic notions like eternity, brilliance, and shooting stars, and Yaxiu just happened to become a wonderful and vital presence in their lives. Thus, they repaid him with a hazy yet blazing passion. By the time Annan met Yaxiu, however, she had already journeyed across the Gospel Realm and spent years weathering the hardships of society as an agency director. Tamashi's background was somewhat similar to hers, but Tamashi was such a dense, straight-laced tomboy that she was purer than anyone, having not even realized her own heart's will yet. The letter Yaxiu had left behind back then was spot-on: of Annan's feelings toward him, how much was an outlet for her terror in the face of mortal peril, and how much was a reassuring dependency born of having total control over him? Yaxiu was indeed the man she felt most fond of, but that fondness was far from matching the yearning felt by the Veela and Tamashi, let alone the profound love of the Sword Princess and the Witch. Her dynamic with Yaxiu was more like a casual dalliance between adults, not some unforgettable, bone-deep romance. If things had unfolded normally, the most likely continuation of their story would have been bumping into each other out of the blue one day, booking a hotel room to catch up and fool around because the weather was nice, and then heading back to their separate lives. Nothing more. Yet after Annan crossed paths with the Veela and the others, her perspective subtly shifted. Through the diary, she had witnessed Yaxiu's legendary exploits and discovered just how many extraordinary women were infatuated with him. This figure, who should have gradually faded from her memory, had not only grown clearer, but had also acquired the dazzling aura of a grand prize. Especially after learning that Her Majesty the Empress liked Yaxiu as well, her covetous ambition toward him was completely cemented! If she wanted to revitalize the Doran family, she needed an exceptional heir; to have an exceptional heir, she unquestionably needed an exceptional partner! And Yaxiu naturally met every criterion while also being someone she fancied! Even if she were to bow out of this war of love later on and lose interest in him, she was definitely going to have a child with him! More importantly, the concept of a war of love was immensely thrilling in itself! The fundamental reason Annan had dared to profane the Gospel God and plot the destruction of the Gospel system had simply been that the Gospel God cursed their Doran bloodline, ensuring no one in the family lived past twenty-eight. If she didn't destroy the Gospel system, death was her only outcome. Now, even though the curse was gone, having lived for so long under the conviction that her days were numbered meant Annan could no longer settle down. Craving a thrilling life was etched into her very bones. For instance, she could easily have lounged around and enjoyed luxury, with Diya pampering and providing for her until the end of the world, yet she insisted on reforming Gospel society—not for personal gain, but purely because she found it fun. The war of love was no different. Not only could she spar with so many brilliant women, but she could also win a magnificent prize. Annan couldn't think of a single reason to sit it out. Success went without saying, but even failure would serve as a vivid, unforgettable stroke in her life. Besides... Annan touched her earring. It was the earring Yaxiu had gifted her, which she had converted into a spatial storage device. From inside, she drew out a sheet of paper—the very letter Yaxiu had left for her. She looked at the handwriting, brought it to the tip of her nose to catch the faint scent of ink, and tucked it back into the earring. "We really are starting over..." Hugging the plushie tighter, the Purple Moth suddenly let out a soft laugh, mocking herself. "Don't tell me I still have a maiden's heart after all?" "Still, without sufficient strength, I won't even qualify to share the stage," Annan murmured thoughtfully. "Yet reaching the Gold tier in my gunplay talent was already my absolute limit." This was the awkward reality of specializing in gun arts—compared to other spell factions, the prospects for gun arts suffered a sheer drop-off after reaching the Gold tier, with the difficulty of advancement exceeding other factions by more than fivefold. Had she not ascended to the Distant Sky Realm by means of Rainbow Tail, Annan would have had virtually no hope of becoming a Sanctuary sorcerer. Just then, Annan recalled the phantom she had summoned during the battle, and she immediately consulted the Gospel system. *A guardian spirit favoring sorcerers: Concealed Concubine Dragon... soul faction... demigod creature...* The Gospel Book swiftly laid out the most feasible path for her to grow stronger. Annan's expression turned conflicted, but she quickly steeled her resolve, opened the Gospel Book, and dialed a number. "Little Annan," a lazy, elegant voice answered from the other end. "I missed you so much." Annan replied tersely, "Last call: sixty-eight days ago. Subject: asking me to open a back door for the Senheiser family." "I already missed you, so why do you still demand that I be the one to reach out? As family head, I'm quite busy... I thought I saw you in the Dream Heaven. You weren't hurt, were you?" "No." Annan paused. "And you?" "Of course not. Heh, you can't begin to imagine what I encountered in there, though what a pity I can't tell you. How about you? Any gains?" "Even if I had any, I wouldn't tell you." Annan paused again. "Though I did run into Yaxiu in there—" "Oh? Has he returned to Gospel? Remember to bring him over to Senheiser. I have business with him." "Why are you still hung up on him? You've only met him a handful of times—you still haven't forgotten after months!?" "Isn't it completely natural to yearn endlessly for what one cannot have? Not to mention it's something you yearn for—that part makes it especially intoxicating." "You really never change." Annan gritted her teeth in frustration. "I actually have a favor to ask of you this time, Qinna." "Even if you are my daughter, if you want something from me, you must pay the price," Qinna said leisurely. "Though, bringing up Yaxiu out of the blue just now... it almost felt like you were deliberately baiting me into naming terms regarding him..." "Think whatever you like." "Then what is it you want from me, Annan?" "I want to learn the soul faction arts passed down through the Senheiser family."