’Then... Does it affect others? Can you control it?’
Caelia nodded slowly.
’Yes and no,’ she transmitted, her mental tone carrying a hint of frustration. ’I actively restrain the curse as much as possible, keeping it pulled close to my body. However, absolute control still eludes me. A single mistake or a sudden surge of emotion carries severe consequences for anyone nearby.’
I nodded in understanding. The logic made terrifying sense. A sudden loss of control could easily unleash a catastrophic wave of decay, indiscriminately wiping out nearby allies and innocent bystanders alike. It remained a massive liability in any crowded environment.
Then, a sudden realization struck me, prompting my next question.
’Then why did you ask me to continue acting as your husband and protect Cathiel back in the Spire?’ I inquired, my mental voice carrying a sharp edge of curiosity. ’Were you... planning to unleash your curse and fight others alone, and... let us escape? But you didn’t expect the boy’s arrival, right?’
As if my thoughts directly breached her defenses, Caelia offered a very subtle, resigned nod.
I fell silent. She and her original husband were truly cut from the same cloth. They both were fully prepared to embrace a suicidal last stand to protect Cathiel, banking entirely on a desperate, explosive release of her deadly power.
I took a deep breath, pushing the grim hypothetical scenario aside, and asked the most critical question regarding our current reality.
’So... are we safe now?’
Caelia met my gaze, the ancient sorrow returning to her crimson eyes.
’...Temporarily, yes,’ she replied.
’What do you mean by temporarily?’ I pressed, a cold knot forming in my stomach.
Instead of offering a direct explanation of the political landscape, she simply dropped a single, devastating fact into my mind.
’Xeron belongs to the Expansionist Vanguard.’
’What?’
My eyes widened instantly.
’D-Doesn’t that mean... we just doomed ourselves?’
After all, we had just placed the True Nightmare Sovereign directly into the hands of the exact faction obsessed with endless war and dimensional conquest!
A chilling thought then struck my mind.
Would... Would my own world face imminent danger because of this as well? If Xeron decided to expand his territory, my home, the Orland Kingdom, could easily become his next target for invasion.
Sensing my panic, Caelia explained.
’Even if he hailed from the opposing faction, the ultimate outcome remains entirely the same,’ she transmitted, her mental voice carrying a harsh clarity. ’Deep down, they too crave absolute strength and control. Cathiel’s birth serves as the perfect catalyst for revealing those hidden desires and bringing them fully into the light. I’m certain that both sides will desperately try to own her. After all, she is newly born, making her incredibly easy to manipulate and control.’
Hmm....
Absolute power tempted everyone equally, regardless of their supposed ideology or faction alignment. To them, Cathiel was simply the ultimate weapon waiting to be claimed.
If so, things were far more treacherous than I initially calculated.
’Then, do you know what will happen now?’ I asked through our connection, needing to prepare for the worst. ’Do you believe they plan to start a war soon, or will they wait until Cathiel fully matures?’
Caelia pondered the question for a brief moment.
’...Considering several critical factors, they will likely mobilize very soon,’ she transmitted gravely.
’I see.’
A heavy silence lingered between us for a second.
’Then... will they invade my world? It’s called Alverra.’
’...Alverra?’
Hearing that specific name, Caelia’s brows furrowed deeply. Her crimson eyes widened slightly, and she gave me a look of profound, genuine surprise.
’You... hail from Alverra?’
’Yes,’ I confirmed, sensing a drastic shift in the atmosphere. ’What is the matter?’
She formed a highly complicated expression. A heavy sigh echoed through our mental link before she finally replied.
’Then, I am certain that the very first attack will target Alverra.’
’...Why?’ I asked, my curiosity immediately peaking alongside a rising sense of dread. ’Is there some kind of ancient grudge between the two worlds?’
’Well...’ she transmitted, her gaze turning distant once again. ’It is a rather long story.’
’I have plenty of time,’ I replied through our connection, giving her my complete attention. ’Please, tell me everything.’
Caelia took a slow breath, gathering her scattered memories before projecting them into my mind.
’About thirty years ago, our realm made its very first dimensional contact with a new world,’ she began, her mental tone carrying a heavy historical weight. ’During that specific era, the pacifist faction held the upper hand in the royal court. My husband, Xeron, and I all belonged to that side.’
I absorbed the information quietly.
To think that the terrifying boy who just crushed the majestic figures outside used to support a peaceful approach. It showed exactly how much things had changed him.
’The initial rift opened directly within the borders of a kingdom,’ she explained, weaving the historical details into my mind. ’However, that spatial bridge possessed severe limitations. It remained highly unstable and heavily restricted the passage of powerful entities. Launching a full-scale invasion carried the extreme risk of collapsing the tunnel entirely and causing a catastrophic backlash.’
’Therefore, the ruling council agreed to prioritize diplomacy,’ she added smoothly. ’They dispatched several specialized envoys through the rift. Their primary mission involved learning the local language, studying your civilization, and opening formal dialogues with the ruling monarch of the said kingdom.’
’Later, they decided to establish ties with your world,’ she continued, her crimson eyes dimming with sorrow. ’To seal the agreement, they arranged a political marriage with that kingdom in Alverra. They sent a woman of high royal blood across the dimensional rift.’
She paused, letting the bitter reality of the past settle between us.
’That chosen woman was... Xeron’s fiancée.’
My breath caught in my throat.
’I see...’
So the royal court had essentially traded his future wife for a political treaty.
’Mm... They bartered his love for their so-called peace,’ Caelia transmitted, a lingering disgust coloring her thoughts. ’That single betrayal shattered his faith in them completely. Shortly after that event, our own tragedy occurred. In the chaotic aftermath of all that ruin, Xeron abandoned the pacifist cause entirely and joined the conqueror faction.’