As her dream faded, Camelia slowly opened her eyes, tears still shimmering on her lashes. Dim light slipped through her window—it was still the middle of the night.
I wonder how Blaze would react if she knew about my relationship with her son…
Sol, in personality, really was a perfect mix of both Blaze and Mars. She adored that about him. He was still inexperienced in some ways, but she had no doubt he would one day astonish the world.
"Did you have a nightmare?"
Sol gently wiped the tears from her cheeks, his soft voice grounding her. Smiling warmly, she nestled closer to him and murmured,
"No… just a dream."
"I see."
"Hey, Sol…"
"Yes?"
"I really, really love you."
"…Me too."
---
While they shared this quiet, tender moment, chaos was erupting elsewhere.
"W-w-wait!"
A young blonde girl was panicking in her room.
Her face was red, her breathing uneven—she could barely process what she had witnessed.
What did I just hear?
After Sol had taken Camelia to her room, Chloe had gone to check on her… only to overhear something that made her entire body freeze.
Remembering the noises still made her blush intensify.
"H-how shameless!"
Crouching down and covering her face, she wished she could erase the memory. Hearing her aunt and her new friend in such an intimate moment was something she had definitely not been prepared for.
So that's why she was willing to pay so much for him…
She had heard rumors from the senior nuns, but she assumed they were exaggerations meant to tarnish reputations. Now she realized the truth was… even more than the rumors.
When she stood up, she felt a dampness she immediately tried to ignore. Angels might be partly energy beings, but their physical bodies still had very normal biological reactions—including desire.
Looks like… I'm going to have a long night…
Her face burning with embarrassment, she quietly slipped under her blankets.
…
…
…
The next morning, when Sol and Camelia woke, she finally explained everything that had happened.
The entire night had been a test—more precisely, a bet between Camelia and the goddesses.
The stakes were nothing less than her life and soul.
If she lost, she would die, and her soul would be trapped in torturous reincarnation cycles—but Sol would receive all three wishes in full.
If she won, she would retain her life and blessing, though the wishes would be altered slightly.
The bet itself had one question:
How far was Sol willing to go to save Camelia's life?
There wasn't a single correct answer, only a measure of depth. The further he was willing to go, the better for her.
In the end, Sol went far beyond what any of the goddesses expected—allowing Camelia to win.
"I'm truly sorry," Camelia said quietly. "I didn't want to deceive you, but… I wanted what was best for you."
Sol remained silent for a moment. They were in the main hall of the church, waiting for the measuring device that would determine his capacity. He knew she wasn't lying. Regardless of the outcome, he would have gained something—yet the deception still stung.
"…I'm still angry," he admitted. "But what's done is done. Let's talk about what matters now."
Camelia nodded. She knew she had lost a piece of his trust—but she also knew that, to her, the sacrifice had been worth it. She would have given her life for him; a little mistrust was a small price in comparison.
Sol could feel her earnest devotion and sighed.
I really am surrounded by troublesome women…
"So," he said, "what will you do about your hair? You said the entire capital must've seen the pillar of light. The news will reach every kingdom."
"Simple—I'll hide it."
Sol stared at the mature woman trying—and surprisingly managing—to act cute. He was about to scold her when he paused, thinking deeper.
Camelia wasn't foolish.
"…Are you aiming to cause political turmoil?"
"Not exactly," she replied. "My goal—and your aunt's—is to clear out the corrupt forces threatening your future rule."
Sol didn't need clarification.
"The four Duke families?"
"Exactly. During your grandfather's reign, the royal family was at its weakest. He had neither power nor influence."
She almost continued, then abruptly stopped herself.
Sol frowned internally. I hate when they do that.
But if the unfinished story involved Lilith, he wouldn't force it.
"Fine. Go on."
Relieved, Camelia continued. "During that time, the nobles held the real power. But then Mars appeared and shattered their influence. Now…"
"Now the heir is just a child with little political strength," Sol finished.
"Correct." Camelia nodded. "Of the four families:
• The Milaris family is unpredictable because of the Duchess's feelings toward your father.
• The Travers family only cares about profit—they'll side with whoever benefits them most.
• The Highland family supports us.
• The Gorfards… will likely move against you."
Her distaste for the Gorfards was obvious.
Sol remembered something. Wasn't Lilith's husband a Gorfard?
"Your position is clearly endangered," she continued. "They can't remove you as heir—the goddess wouldn't allow it—but they can control you, like they controlled your grandfather. The only reason they haven't acted yet is—"
"It was you."
"Yes." She smiled proudly. "I may not be as powerful as your father was, but I'm still a heavyweight. In terms of influence, I'm equal to the king. That makes me a strong deterrent. But because of that same influence, we can't clearly tell which nobles are loyal."
"So you want to flush them out by making them think you lost your blessing."
Sol pondered this, then something dawned on him.
"You planned all this before making the bet?"
"Te-he~!"
Sol stared at her, impressed. He already respected her, but seeing her in complete control—calculating, confident—was undeniably attractive.
"I suppose I should reward you tonight," he said, amused. "We didn't finish our… discussion yesterday."
Camelia's cheeks reddened instantly as she shifted closer—
Knock, knock, knock.
Camelia froze, sighing as her hair and eyes returned to their usual black.
"Enter!"
"Excuse me," Chloe said softly.
Dressed in her blue armor and skirt, sword at her hip, she carried a crystal ball. At the sight of it, Sol's heart raced. This device would measure his capacity.
Every human was born with a certain amount. The higher it was, the stronger the contracts they could form.
For example, an S-rank contract required roughly 100 Capacity Points. Even someone without contracts could excel—Lilith was proof of that—but a contract would have made her several times stronger.
Chloe glanced briefly at Camelia's dark hair, her expression falling before she focused again and presented the sphere.
"Place your hands on it and circulate your mana."
Sol inhaled deeply and obeyed.
The crystal lit up instantly, glowing with a bri
lliant gold that filled the room. The number climbed rapidly—higher and higher—
Until finally—
Gasp!
All three of them stared in pure shock at the number displayed.