Lira and I sat on the bed beside the one I'd broken.
This bed held memories — memories I was actively trying not to think about. The flashbacks kept trying to surface. Only hours had passed, after all.
'Not thinking about it. Definitely not thinking about it.'
"So, here's what you need to know." Lira's voice pulled me back. "Several events across history contributed to the construction of our calendar — how times and seasons of the past are dated. Most of these events are considered mythical these days. They never happened. But for some, the signs are there..."
She paused, her gaze distant.
"My opinion? The Church of Eternal Light went to great lengths to use their propaganda to bury those truths. Events like the Calamity Wars—devastating conflicts across all seven continents that marked the fall of the Zharic Empire, the powerhouse of the Central Realm. From its ruins, with what remained of the Eternal Light Church, the Solaris Empire rose."
Her fingers traced absent patterns on the bedspread. "The force behind the Empire's destruction? A woman known as the Blood Conqueror. She'd once been the second Empress of the Zharic Empire. She killed her husband, slaughtered all her stepchildren, destroyed nobles, and burned the Church and Empire to ash... all for vengeance."
My heart hammered against my ribs as she spoke. The casual way she described mass murder and empire-toppling made my skin prickle.
"Even before this, she was known as the Tyrant Empress — a devastating war maiden. A force before whom men bowed their heads in terror." Lira's voice carried something like admiration. "She'd risen from slave to the strongest knight in the Zharic Empire. After the first Empress's death, the Emperor married her to win the soldiers' loyalty and bolster the Empire's military strength, which the Eternal Light Church was siphoning away."
She shook her head. "I'm unsure what happened. Different books offer different perspectives. Some say she wanted to avenge her family. Others claim politics drove her mad and use it to justify why women should never enter the court. Various speculations exist. No one ever reached a conclusion."
I locked eyes with her. "What about the Church? What did they say?"
Her gaze met mine, sharp and knowing. "They called her a member of the Demon Cult—said they'd cultivated her since childhood and placed her strategically. It was an easy way to explain her extraordinary talent and strength, even though she was no summoner."
I rubbed my chin, processing her words.
Tyrant Empress. Regardless of the murky reasons behind her actions, the deeds themselves were crystal clear, and the lodestar had branded her a villainess. This had to be true.
'I need to be more careful around her.'
I'd never realized she was such a terrifying force, and I'd tried to have sex with her. Now, thinking about that moment with her history laid bare, something twisted inside me — a dark desire to truly claim her, to make her mine in a way that went beyond a single night. To have her look at me with that same intensity she must have turned on emperors and kingdoms. To be the one thing this ancient, terrifying woman actually wanted.
'Dammit, am I twisted?'
I shoved the thoughts aside, refocusing. Questions swirled through my mind, but Lira continued before I could voice them.
"Many other events mirror this. The Calamity Wars alone? I can count five disasters that wrecked kingdoms. No continent escaped calamitous damage — from catastrophic Spirit Beasts spawning from S-rank gates to individuals with terrifying abilities tearing the world apart piece by piece. It all consolidated into an era of Calamity."
Her hands moved as she spoke, painting the destruction in the air. "Before that came the Era of Broken Thrones, and I remember villainesses who built their reputations by razing kingdoms and burning millions alive. The Era of Broken Thrones was even worse — a time when nations warred endlessly against each other."
She exhaled, her eyes bright with excitement, her smile satisfied. The way she talked about apocalyptic destruction like it was fascinating bedtime reading should probably concern me more than it did.
"It's been a while since I went through the history books. If you want to know these things, you should find a Golden Library. I don't think any exist here in Aethermere — you'd have to reach Willowsvale. That'll be a long journey."
My frown deepened as I mulled over her words. Too much information, not enough context.
"What is the Golden Library, though? Shouldn't there be history books in the Academy here?"
Lira leaned back and rolled her eyes. "This place was created by the Eternal Light Church for the sole purpose of cultivating summoners. Everything around you is designed to control spirit summoners toward an expected end."
I studied her, suspicion hardening my voice. "Does that mean I have every reason to be suspicious of you right now?"
A deep frown creased Lira's brow. Her whole posture shifted — spine straightening, shoulders pulling back. "I wouldn't need to fuck you to deceive you. Do you take me for a cheap slut who throws her body around to control people? Men, nonetheless?"
Heat flushed my face. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way, I—"
Not sure what to say, I clasped my hands together and exhaled. The words came out rougher than I intended, but they were honest. "It's easy to overlook because of all the excitement, shock, and surprises in the past twenty-four hours. But I can't go home. I'm stuck in a strange world with people who could deem me worthy of killing for any justifiable reason. I don't know who to trust. It's overwhelming."
I met her eyes. "I might've hated my life on Earth, but I don't know if this is better."
She folded her arms, casting me a brief, pitying look before turning away, determination flashing in her eyes.
"It's not complicated. You might be F-rank, but you have leverage no one else does. You summoned one of the greatest villainesses who wrecked an entire Empire." Her voice carried certainty, like she was stating obvious facts. "Just get stronger — become so powerful that the idea of killing you seems absurd and laughable. The Blood Conqueror made the Church tremble once. You can do it again to protect yourself and find your way home."
A smile tugged at my lips, and I straightened.
'To protect myself... That was valid. That made sense.'
Finding my way home? I didn't want false hope. I preferred tackling one problem at a time. For now, I needed to stay alive, and to stay alive, I needed to get stronger.
To become stronger, I needed to control another villainess and gain her attributes—perhaps something combat-related. However, for that to be possible, I'd most likely need to expand my Spirit Plane.
There was only one way I suspected this could happen.
Sex.
'I have to fuck Kassie... to get stronger.'
The absurdity of that sentence wasn't lost on me, but here we were.