"I’ve already decided what I’m going to sacrifice."
Isaac straightened slightly. "And that is?"
"You’ll know soon." Alice held his gaze. Her eyes didn’t waver. "But don’t stop me. It’s a decision I made after thinking about it for a long time."
He looked at her, trying to read her expression.
Honestly, he had expected her sacrifice to be heavy, but he hadn’t expected this kind of resolve.
There was a calmness in her voice that made it clear she wasn’t acting out of impulse or pressure.
This was something she had prepared herself for.
He wanted to tell her to slow down or reconsider.
But as he watched her, he realized this was her version of stepping forward. This was her determination.
"Okay," he said quietly. He nodded once, letting her know he wasn’t going to stand in her way.
Alice closed her eyes. She took a long breath, not rushed, simply settling herself. When she opened them again, something changed in the atmosphere. A gentle pressure descended, almost like the world itself had leaned closer.
Isaac felt it immediately. It wasn’t overwhelming, but it was clear. The world was paying attention.
Alice spoke.
"I sacrifice the entirety of myself."
Isaac froze.
Her voice remained steady, almost too steady.
"I will share all your burdens. When you are angry, I will share it with you. When you are sad, I will share it with you."
She kept going, her expression calm but firm.
"I will share all my happiness with you. When I am happy, I will share it with you. When I’m pleased, I will share it with you."
She put her honest thoughts into the vow.
"I will share all my life with you. For as long as you live, I will serve you faithfully. My weapon will be your sword and shield."
Isaac’s fingers twitched. He wanted to stop her right there. This wasn’t a normal oath. These words wouldn’t fade. They would be recorded by the world, bound to her existence.
But he remembered her expression from earlier, and he stayed still.
"And should harm ever befall you, and you rest forever," Alice said quietly, "I will lay down with you."
Her words dissolved into the air, and golden light began forming above them. They weren’t random sparkles or vague light. They were words—her words—rewritten in the air by the world itself. Sentence by sentence, the vow was displayed in gold, like a contract being carved by invisible hands.
It was confirmation.
Alice looked toward Isaac.
She clearly saw that he wanted to tell her she shouldn’t have done that. His expression wasn’t harsh, just full of worry. But she had made peace with her choice long before today. She accepted the consequences.
A thin line of golden light extended from her chest. Another extended from Isaac’s. The threads met halfway, intertwined, then fused into one glowing bond stretching between them.
Isaac inhaled sharply as the connection settled in.
He could feel it. It wasn’t crushing or painful, just a quiet understanding settling into the back of his mind. If he ever died, Alice would die with him. If he ever felt sadness, anger, or any heavy emotion, a portion would automatically pass to her, lessening his burden. And whenever she felt happiness or anything bright, it would pass to him.
A simple connection, but a heavy one.
Alice had tied her fate to his completely.
A translucent screen appeared in front of Isaac.
Your wife, Alice Calloway’s, affection has reached 150.
You have received Gift Box ×1 .
Before he could react, more screens followed. This time, both of them could see them clearly.
[Alice Calloway’s vow has been recognized.
For her devotion, she will be allowed to choose a special Class when advancing to Elite Rank.]
Another notification shimmered into place.
[Isaac Hargraves has been anointed as an Incomplete God.]
Isaac blinked. "Wait, what—?"
More text appeared before he could process that line.
[Running Checks.]
[Presence of Demigod blood confirmed. Permission granted.]
[Isaac Hargraves has been granted the God Ascension Chain Quest .]
Lines continued to appear in calm succession.
[Chain Quest Completion Reward: Ascendance to Godhood.]
[First Quest: Acquire 10,000 followers.]
[Reward: ???]
[Time Limit: None.]
[Note: Be cautious of your actions and reputation. Both will determine your God Domain.]
Isaac stared at the screens, barely blinking. It wasn’t that the information was confusing—he understood every line—but the shift was ridiculous even for the system.
He wanted to ask if the system was serious, but instead of focusing on that, he looked at Alice. She was still standing in the golden light left over from her vow.
He stepped forward.
He didn’t say anything long or dramatic. He simply wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly. Then he kissed her forehead.
"Thank you," he said quietly.
That was all he could say. Anything more felt unnecessary.
Alice hugged him back without hesitation. She leaned into him, burying herself against his chest for a moment before she let go. Then she stepped back and exhaled softly.
"You should leave the room. I’m going to start my breakthrough," she said.
He nodded once. "Alright. I’ll be outside."
Isaac stepped out, quietly closing the door behind him.
The moment the door shut, the air inside shifted. Alice sat down and centered herself. Within seconds, waves of energy began to rise from her body. They weren’t violent, but they were strong, pulsing outward in steady bursts as her rank began climbing.
The temperature flickered. The walls vibrated faintly. The floor hummed like someone had placed a heartbeat into the room.
Her breathing stayed steady. Each wave of power grew stronger, thicker, layered. The breakthrough continued for minutes, then longer. Finally, with one last pulse of energy that rolled outward like a warm wind, everything settled.
Alice opened her eyes.
She exhaled lightly.
The power coursing through her body felt different. It was clearer, stronger, and smoother. She clenched her fists once, testing the sensation, then relaxed her fingers.
Strength.
That was the clearest thing she felt. Not just physical strength but a refinement in her senses and mana. Everything felt sharper.
Her eyes gleamed faintly. She liked getting stronger. She liked Isaac. And honestly, those feelings sat comfortably beside each other. Fighting, improving, Isaac, she treated all three with the same intensity.
After grounding herself for a moment, she nodded.
She reached into her spatial ring and took out a Life Potion. Without hesitation, she drank it. The liquid slid down easily, and the effect started immediately.
Notifications started appearing in front of her.
Level up.
New stat points.
New skills.
They came fast, one after another. The rush was immediate. Her mana expanded, her body adjusted, and she felt another surge of clarity.
When everything finally stopped, Alice wiped her face and neck with a towel. The breakthrough energy had left a light sheen of sweat, but she felt stable now.
She took another slow breath, making sure her body had fully adjusted. Once she felt normal again—well, a stronger version of normal—she folded the towel, placed it aside, and headed toward the door.
She opened it and stepped outside calmly, her expression composed.
Everyone was waiting when Alice stepped out of the room.
Isaac lifted his head first. "How did it go?"
"I’m Level 20 now," Alice said, nodding once.
Emily’s eyes widened. "Hurray!"
"Congrats," Celia added with a small smile.
Isaac folded his arms and said, "By tomorrow, I should have enough potions ready to push Emily to one-thousand total stats too. Then she can reach Adept rank. It’s good that we’ll all be Adept before tomorrow’s quest starts."
Emily froze.
A single word flashed in her mind.
More potions.
She didn’t hesitate. She immediately slipped behind Alice like she was trying to hide from a predator.
Isaac raised a brow and then laughed. "Come on, Emily. It’s not that bad."
Emily shook her head quickly from behind Alice’s shoulder.
Her reaction was cute, and everyone knew it.
A moment later, the mood settled again and they returned to their tasks.
Alice and Emily left the courtyard to train with Professor Catherine for the evening.
Celia headed out to continue spreading Isaac’s new religion, something she seemed far too enthusiastic about.
And Isaac walked back toward the administrative district to go over the city’s progress.
He kept working as system messages appeared one after another.
[Sky Dome has reached Level 2. Lord EXP +20.]
[City Wall has reached Level 2. Lord EXP +20.]
[Warehouse has been built. Lord EXP +10.]
[City Hall has been built. Lord EXP +10.]
Isaac nodded in satisfaction. The city was progressing smoothly.
He opened the construction menu again.
[Would you like to upgrade the City Wall to Level 3?]
[Please select the materials and the workers.]
A new grid appeared in front of him. He selected a new batch of workers and the materials he had prepared earlier.
[Confirmation received.]
[Estimated completion time for City Wall: 10 hours.]
"As expected, construction time only increased by one hour," he murmured.
Everything seemed to be falling into place. "If this continues, the full setup should be ready by tomorrow."
He leaned back and began going through the City Hall’s functions. It was larger than he expected. Almost a true administrative core.
Teleportation Ward Level 1.
Clairvoyance Ward Level 1.
Territorial Integrity Ward Level 1.
Structural Stabilization Ward Level 1.
False-Signal Ward Level 1.
Each one had its own purpose, and he couldn’t deny the relief that came with finally having real protection around his territory.
After sorting through everything, he moved some of his belongings into City Hall and set up temporary work areas. Once the day finally ended, he made his way to the Calloway estate.
He didn’t want to risk traveling from Fortified City 89 in the morning. There was too much uncertainty around tomorrow’s event. The monsters could come early, or the first wave might be stronger than expected. There was also the possibility that some of them could block teleportation.
He wasn’t taking chances.
Sword Empress’s warning echoed in his mind. Most monsters will come from the wilderness, but expect aerial monsters too.
Flying beasts were trouble. They were unpredictable, and their forces could have trouble against them.
As he sat on the edge of the bed, he let out a breath and decided to share Alice’s newest skills with himself.
’System, share Alice’s new skills!’
The response came instantly.
[Skill: Divine Edict acquired.]
[Rank: SSS+]
A description unfolded in front of him.
Divine Edict
Rank: SSS+
Active Effect: When invoked, all followers within a one-kilometer radius must obey the Pontiff’s or God’s command. Commands can influence movement, actions, or suppression of hostilities.
Mana Cost: 800 mana per command.
Additional Cost: Greatly drains mental stamina when used repeatedly.
Passive Effect 1: All nearby followers gain increased clarity of mind, reducing fear and confusion effects by 70%.
Passive Effect 2: Loyalty of followers slowly increases over time when in the user’s presence.
Isaac blinked slowly. "This is... strong. Really strong."
Before he could think too long, another notification appeared.
[Skill: Choir of the Faithful acquired.]
[Rank: SSS+]
The details unfolded.
Choir of the Faithful
Rank: SSS+
Active Effect: You may select up to ten targets to form a single choir. When members of a choir cast the same spell, their mana merges and the spell becomes a combined version with multiplied strength. Up to ten choirs may be formed at once. Combined spells reach the highest caster’s rank automatically.
Mana Cost: 500 mana to form a choir.
Passive Effect 1: Choir members share a portion of each other’s mana regeneration, allowing longer combat endurance.
Passive Effect 2: Choir members gain a mental link for smoother coordination and improved reaction during battle.