"Sister Lumina, I need to inform Lady Aglaea about Polyxia."
After entering Okhema, Castorice gestured to Lumina.
Although Lady Aglaea's golden threads were spread throughout Okhema, allowing her to know every movement and rustle of grass within the city.
But actively speaking and passively being told were two completely different actions.
"Aglaea?" Hearing this name, Polyxia muttered.
This name was somewhat unfamiliar to her.
However, since she could be called "Lady Aglaea" by Castorice, she must also be a Demigod.
"Mm, Sister Castorice, go ahead and say it. Do you want to leave, or..." Lumina nodded and then asked.
Okhema was no primitive society. Under Aglaea's leadership, Okhema had already entered the "Semi-Network Era."
It was just that this "Semi-Network Era" would directly collapse if anything happened to Aglaea.
Unless Aglaea left some kind of backup plan that could allow this "Semi-Network Era" to be maintained for a little longer, but it could only be maintained for a limited time.
But that didn't really matter, anyway. Lumina would never let anything happen to Aglaea.
"I'll use the tablet," Castorice replied. She thought for a moment before continuing, "Right now, Okhema seems to be busy with something important, so Lady Aglaea probably won't have any time."
"Just send her a message on the tablet. Simply explain Polyxia's situation, and that should be enough."
After saying that, Castorice took out the tablet and sent a message to Aglaea.
She briefly explained the current situation.
After all, according to the divine decree, she should have remained in the Nether Realm right now.
But because Sister Lumina intervened, everything had changed.
Ding!
"Huh?"
The moment Castorice sent her message, she received a reply from Aglaea the very next second.
Seeing this, Castorice was slightly taken aback and a bit surprised.
But without thinking too much, she tapped open the message Aglaea had sent.
[Aglaea]: I understand, Butterfly.
[Aglaea]: If possible, please have everyone come to the Vortex of Genesis.
Seeing this, although Castorice was puzzled, she still looked up at Lumina and asked, "Sister Lumina, Lady Aglaea wants us to go to the Vortex of Genesis. Should we go?"
Castorice wasn't foolish. She could naturally read the meaning behind Aglaea's words.
When Aglaea said "everyone," she actually meant only Lumina.
As long as Lumina agreed, everyone would naturally go.
"The Vortex of Genesis?" Hearing this, Lumina nodded. "Let's go. Doesn't little sister Castorice still need to return the [Death] Coreflame?"
"Eh... That's right." Hearing Sister Lumina mention it, Castorice also remembered this matter.
Oh, right. She still had to go to the Vortex of Genesis to return the [Death] Coreflame... She had actually, actually forgotten such an important matter.
Castorice silently blamed herself in her heart.
Actually, it couldn't be blamed on Castorice for forgetting this.
After all, she had originally prepared to live in the Nether Realm forever, so the [Death] Coreflame naturally wouldn't be returned by Castorice.
But who could have thought that Sister Lumina would use her divine power to take her out of the Nether Realm.
Afterward, she also brought Polyxia out...
After this series of events, it was considered normal for Castorice to forget about returning the [Death] Coreflame.
"Then let's go. We'll go together, and I can just happen to witness what the Coreflame Return Ceremony is like." Lumina gestured with a smile.
-
Amphoreus, Vortex of Genesis.
After receiving the message sent by Aglaea, the group found the nearest water source and used it to travel to the Vortex of Genesis.
Aglaea, Phainon, Tribbie, Anaxa, and the others had already been waiting here for some time.
"Cas!"
Seeing Castorice safe and sound, a look of joy immediately appeared on Tribbie's face.
Before Castorice left Okhema for Styxia, Tribbie had already prepared herself for the possibility of never seeing her again.
As it turned out, the final outcome far exceeded Tribbie's expectations.
Not only was Castorice unharmed, but she had also brought back her younger sister.
Before Castorice and her group arrived at the Vortex of Genesis, Aglaea had already briefly explained the situation regarding Castorice and Polyxia.
Therefore, Tribbie knew Polyxia's identity and also knew that the current Castorice had become a true [Demigod].
And the divine decree previously placed upon Castorice was no longer in effect.
This must be because of Sister Lumina, right?
Tribbie turned her gaze to Lumina, revealing a grateful smile.
Lumina responded with a gentle smile of her own.
"Lady Aglaea, Lady Tribbie..." Castorice pushed Polyxia's wheelchair and greeted the group.
Although Polyxia's feet were no longer an issue, perhaps due to a psychological barrier, she might still need a little time to adjust before she could bring her feet to touch the ground.
But that was okay, Castorice would stay by Polyxia's side.
Whether she could set foot on the ground or not, Castorice would always be with her.
Hmm... unless.
Unless something happened to Sister Lumina...
But something like that probably wouldn't happen, right?
If something truly did happen, something that even Sister Lumina found extremely difficult to deal with, then it seemed Castorice wouldn't have much of a solution either.
But not having a solution was one thing; if something really did happen, Castorice would still put in all her strength to do whatever she could with her own abilities.
"Yes, Castorice, return the [Death] Coreflame."
Aglaea nodded, and after glancing at Polyxia, she gestured to Castorice.
Polyxia was important, but the return of the [Death] Coreflame was even more important.
The urgent priority was to return the Coreflame first.
"Yes, I understand, Lady Aglaea." Hearing this, Castorice nodded and let go of the wheelchair she was pushing Polyxia in.
After gesturing to Polyxia, Lumina, Herta, Stelle, and Mem, she walked to the Water Altar in the center of the Vortex of Genesis.
"Little Cas, join us in offering the Coreflame, carving the stars into the sky for it."
Tribbie walked to Castorice's side, ready to guide her in returning the Coreflame.
"Mhm." Castorice nodded obediently, just like a star student.
"Then, offer the Coreflame."
As Tribbie's voice fell, Castorice slowly raised her cupped hands, and a Coreflame enveloped in golden light appeared in them.
Castorice stepped into the Water Altar, then opened her hands, and the Coreflame slowly descended, vanishing into the pool water.
The pool water transformed into golden light, and countless arc-shaped meteors streaked across the dazzling starry sky. Under the meteors' crossing, the [Hand of Shadow] constellation, representing [Death], lit up at this point, shining with a golden glow in the dazzling starry sky.
"The constellation of [Death] has been lit..." Phainon muttered as he looked at the constellation lit up in the starry sky.
More and more constellations lit up, and soon, it would be Phainon's turn.
Was it nervousness, or excitement? Perhaps it was neither.
Or maybe it was both.
"To be precise, it is [Death] and [Life]." As Phainon's teacher, Professor Anaxa corrected the error in Phainon's words.
Hearing this, Phainon said nothing and obediently accepted Professor Anaxa's correction.
-
"So, has the Coreflame been returned now?" Lumina asked curiously, watching the constellations light up in the sky.
Aglaea, Castorice, and the others might not have noticed, but Lumina did.
This so-called Era Nova... hmm... from whatever angle Lumina looked at it, it didn't seem like any good.
Although Lumina was certain this thing was nothing good, she didn't say so right away. After all, this was the goal Aglaea and the others had been pursuing all along. Lumina still understood basic etiquette.
"Yes, the [Death] Coreflame has been returned, and my mission is now complete." After returning the Coreflame, Castorice went back behind Polyxia, nodding to Lumina.
"Next, my task is to assist the other Chrysos Heirs in seizing the Coreflames of the Gods," Castorice stated softly, standing behind Polyxia's wheelchair with her hands clasped over her chest.
Castorice could already see her own future quite clearly.
The [Reason] Coreflame and the [World-Bearing] Coreflame had already been obtained; all that remained was to return them.
After that, only the [Sky] Coreflame would be left.
The [Sky] Titan was no saint. When the time came, they might need to gather everyone to go and subdue it.
When the time comes, Castorice, as a [Demigod], will definitely be a main force.
However, for the specifics, she would still have to listen to what Lady Aglaea had to say.
If there were other tasks that needed to be handled, then Castorice would go and complete those tasks.
For example... that swordsman named the [Flame Reaver].
Castorice felt that her subsequent tasks would either be to assist Hyacine in subduing the Sky Titan, or to stall the Flame Reaver so that he would be unable to interfere with the Flame-Chasing Journey.
It was impossible for Lady Aglaea to let her stay in Okhema and go nowhere...
"Mm." Hearing this, Lumina nodded and said nothing more.
If all the Coreflames were returned, something not so good would probably happen.
But what did that have to do with Lumina?
No matter what this not-so-good thing was, to Lumina, it was no big deal.
So, Lumina needed to wait until all the Coreflames were returned, and then let this not-so-good thing happen.
When the time came, she would step in with a slight effort, solve this not-so-good thing before all the beautiful girls, descending like a goddess from the heavens.
In the end, she would successfully raise the affinity of all the beautiful girls to max level and complete a "full exploration" of Amphoreus!
"If all the Coreflames are collected, it will be a literal Era Nova."
If Lumina could sense the wrongness of Era Nova, then Herta could naturally see it as well.
And because of the "Knowledge" in her mind, what Herta saw was far more than what Lumina saw.
"What do you mean?" hearing Herta's words, which only she could hear, Lumina leaned closer to her ear and asked softly.
"..."
However, before asking, feeling the faint fragrance around her nose, Lumina reflexively breathed out a small puff of warm air.
Letting this puff of warm air enter the ear canal along Herta's ear.
It caused Herta's expression to freeze, her body to stiffen, and her to be unable to answer Lumina's question immediately.
"You...!"
Herta's fair little face had a faint blush, and she glared hard at Lumina.
"Hmm?" Being glared at like this by Herta, Lumina showed no displeasure at all, but instead revealed a smile full of profound meaning.
This was the first time Lumina had ever seen Herta act this way.
The coquettish and charming posture of a little woman appearing on the face of the venerable Madam Herta was simply an impossible thing.
Unexpectedly, this impossible posture had actually appeared one day.
Herta: "..."
Seeing Lumina's smile full of profound meaning, Herta also realized her own loss of composure.
The blush on her little face deepened, but after reaching a critical point, it instantly vanished.
Her little face returned to its pristine whiteness, and her expression became flat and indifferent, as if the coquettish expression of a little woman from just now had been a mere illusion.
"If all the Coreflames are returned, Amphoreus will directly reboot and start the next cycle from zero."
Knowing she was the one at a disadvantage in this matter, Herta did not say much more on the topic.
She hurriedly shifted the topic from the "coquettish" one back to the subject of "Era Nova."
"Oh." In response, Lumina spread her small hand out and uttered an emotionless "oh." "I'm still more interested in the previous topic. Let's continue discussing that matter."
Herta: "..."
Herta's small mouth opened slightly, only to shut again the next second.
Lumina's forced change of topic left Herta momentarily speechless.
"Hey, Little Herta, do you know what you were doing just now?"
Lumina did not directly point out Herta's "coquettish" expression, but instead handed the initiative of the conversation to Herta.
"...The so-called Era Nova is different from what Castorice and the others said. It might just be a lie." After hearing Lumina's words, Herta fell silent for a moment before deciding not to engage with the topic.
She spoke calmly, continuing the previous discussion about Era Nova.
Each speaking of their own topic was the solution Herta had come up with.
As long as she ignored Lumina, Lumina would naturally get bored and change the subject herself.
But this time, Herta seemed to have underestimated Lumina's determination.
Seeing that Herta was ignoring her, Lumina gently blew a puff of warm breath into her ear once again.
The warm breath brushed over her ear again, slipping inside...
Herta: "..."
Fortunately, compared to the last sudden action, Herta was well-prepared this time.
She turned her head to look at Lumina with an expressionless face, showing no coquettishness or blush.
Seeing this, Lumina felt a bit disappointed.
When Herta was prepared, making her show the posture of a little woman was simply as difficult as climbing to heaven.
But it didn't matter. After all, she had seen Herta's coquettish look, so this trip was a huge win.
The only pity was that Lumina did not have the ability to predict the future.
Otherwise, she would have secretly taken out an Image Stone at the very beginning to record Herta's coquettish appearance...
"What a pity, what a pity!"
Lumina sighed deeply toward the sky, her words full of regret.
This immediately caused a few black lines to appear on Herta's forehead.
Little Lumina was acting crazy again.