When the plot-skips players into the game world

Star Antimony, Leipzig.

In the moment just before dawn, Aleister, who was leaning sideways with closed eyes on a soft armchair, suddenly underwent a strange transformation.

Her body rapidly lost its color, gradually turning to stone, becoming a gray-white statue.

Lily appeared in the room almost instantly.

"What happened?"

She stared in shock at the petrified Aleister on the sofa, the unease in her heart mounting to its peak: "This… could it be…"

"—Don't worry, young maid."

Suddenly, a low and hoarse voice rang out.

Lily turned her head and saw a pitch-black raven silently perched atop the coat rack like an ornament.

It opened its dangerous scarlet eyes, gazing at Lily: "She has merely returned to where she belongs. This is a good thing."

"Miss Aleister… where she belongs…"

Lily murmured softly, suddenly realizing: "Could it be… she's already—"

"Indeed, they have fused once again. This body of the Son of the Moon, lacking its soul, naturally turned into a statue. Just like every other deceased Son of the Moon."

The Night Demon Selene answered.

Upon hearing this, Lily's expression shifted to one of excitement and she broke into a smile: "Finally… the young master is coming back!"

To Lily, neither the separated "Pope Evas" nor "Miss Aleister" were ever the "Mr. Aiwass" she had known.

The one who had taken her to college, granted her wish to study, helped her obtain extraordinary power… elevated her status, and aided her in completing her revenge.

He was her benefactor.

If she had remained merely "Lily," she would've accomplished nothing. She might have even been killed by that man before she could exact her revenge.

It was solely because of Aiwass that she survived and had the life she lived now.

It wasn't just the gratitude of being recognized—it was the gratitude of being saved.

Now, Aiwass no longer needed her strength, much less sought to "buy" her loyalty—he had become the most powerful man in this world, yet he traveled across great distances to Star Antimony to purge the residual consciousness of the Grey Celestial Marshal from her body, even meddling in troublesome affairs for her.

That was the man she truly wanted to serve for the rest of her life.

She cared nothing for the "Tail Severing Method"—she only knew that, even if a lizard was forced to sever its tail, the severed tail held no consciousness. If the tail had its own part of the lizard's consciousness, would the tail-less lizard still be the same original lizard?

And so, even if "Pope Evas" resembled Aiwass more in appearance, character, and essence, Lily was resolute in believing that he was not completely Aiwass.

It was like having an old good friend suddenly turn sinister one day—though rationally one knew they were still the same person, something wasn't quite right. The friend she had befriended back then… wasn't this person now.

For this reason, she had been troubled for some time.

Now…

They were finally reunited!

Awakened by the commotion, the young lamb Selene quickly rushed over.

After hearing the conversation, she grasped the situation.

Selene raised a question: "But… what about Aleister?

"—And what about Leviathan?"

Though Selene's creation was deeply tied to Aiwass, even arguably making her half Aiwass's daughter… the magical beast Leviathan she birthed had absolutely no connection to Aiwass.

Leviathan inherited Aleister's bloodline, belonging only to Aleister.

Therefore, Selene cared the most about Aleister out of all of them.

"…As a Son of the Moon, she could likely be resurrected through blood."

Selene stubbornly suggested: "I have plenty of blood—I can provide it."

"The 'Aleister' you speak of lacks a soul. If you don't wish for her empty shell to give birth to a new, childlike consciousness that would claim her name, it's better not to act rashly."

The raven-like Night Demon spoke coolly: "Master has his plans. Who among you cares for Aleister more deeply than Master?"

Vinesse was evidently displeased.

As the true Beast of Jealousy, it was only natural for her to resent the birth of a new colleague.

Everyone knew Aleister was eyeing a position among the Great Sin Beasts—unquestionably, she seemed destined for the Beast of Lust role. Aleister used to be part of Aiwass. Part of oneself becoming one's pet—it sounded absurd.

But now, Aleister was simply a completely independent consciousness created by Aiwass. She was no longer part of him.

Yet she possessed all of Aiwass's memories, personality crafted entirely from his recollections and a portion of the Path's impulsive essence, and her flesh and spirit were produced using Aiwass's own materials… She was essentially a newly cultivated Phantom Demon, akin to the spiritual guards necromancers create.

The only difference was that necromancers used "other people's souls," while Aiwass used his own.

In a way, this act itself could be considered a "Tail Severing Method."

After separating Ai Shiping from Aiwass, the latter detested the former due to sheer willpower, while Aleister fell in love with Aiwass through her own choice.

Bone of his bone, flesh of his flesh, soul of his soul… possessing intense desires while embracing her rebirth and casting off ethical constraints. There was nothing more fitting for the Great Sin of Lust.

After all, she had already committed that great sin.

If other Marks of Sin originated from the schemes or manipulation of the Fallen Celestial Marshal, only the Marks of Jealousy and Lust genuinely belonged to Aleister.

—And Vinesse resented her for it.

She was once a part of Aiwass—what was she now?

And Lily, keenly sensing Vinesse's dissatisfaction, refrained from pursuing the topic further. Instead, she simply asked what needed to be done: "What should we do?"

"Smash the statue, pack it up, and take it away."

The Night Demon answered: "Take it to the Narcissus Duchy—Master will be heading there later. Leave Star Antimony for the Stibnite people to handle…"

"…Can the young master leave the Holy Nation?" Lily furrowed her brows and questioned.

"Soon. Very soon."

The raven let out a raspy laugh: "The day of liberation is near…"

Elsewhere.

In a port city far from the Royal Capital, Laro suddenly opened his eyes.

He had received the blessing of the Gemini Mirror, and this gift left him somewhat incredulous…

…Was this Gemini Mirror some kind of prankster deity?

Wearing tattered garb, Laro had just completed his ascension ritual, granted powers from the Dream Realm, and hurriedly dashed to the neighboring room without testing the results.

There, he directly set his eyes on the barely-breathing, corpse-like figure of the bedridden Princess.

Her cracked skin was beginning to heal, though her body was drenched in blood, and the bed beneath her soaked up a blood-stained humanoid shape, looking utterly horrifying.

The immobilized Princess Noel saw Laro and broke into a heartfelt smile: "You did it, Laro…"

"Your Highness, are you alright!"

Laro immediately pressed his hand against the Princess's neck, then her forehead, chest, and abdomen.

He breathed a sigh of relief: "Thank the Candle Master… It's just a slight soul tear. I can heal these injuries—they won't affect your future chances at ascension. But for now… you can't use extraordinary power for the next two weeks."

"That doesn't matter, Laro."

The Princess indifferently fluttered her eyelids and shifted her gaze slightly. Though her lips didn't move, she whispered faintly: "I've gained courage.

"More importantly… show me what power you received from the Dream Realm? And tell me what happened after I left the ceremony."

"Hmm…"

Laro hesitated momentarily but then complied.

For some reason, he wasn't as flamboyant or poetic as he usually was, his behavior restrained.

"Please wait."

He politely said so and approached a nearby standing mirror, chanting softly: "I beseech the Gemini Mirror! God of the Holy Number Two, God of Eyelessness and Egolessness, God of pure and flawless beauty—"

"I am you…"

As luminous radiance emerged from the mirror, the reflected image began to change.

A female voice merged with Old Laro's, echoing: "You are me—"

With that, Old Laro stepped closer to the mirror.

A different "her" emerged from the reflection.

The bedridden Princess Noel subtly widened her eyes in disbelief.

Because the figure before her…

Had transformed into herself.

—Laro now appeared as "Princess Noel"!

"This is the power I've gained."

"Noel" performed a graceful bow to the real Princess Noel on the bed, her expression complex: "I can now transform into your likeness, utterly indistinguishable. Or rather, I can become the 'master' I choose… acting as their mirror substitute.

"…This is the blessing bestowed by the Gemini Mirror."