After Selene overtook the Ladder of Heavens, she made sure that all preparations were focused on defense.
At the same time, Sword Empress began negotiating with the Saint of a Devil King from Hell. The negotiations needed them to open a portal and allowing entry to the Saint and their troops to surface world. Doing so was dangerous, and it tied down Sword Empress’ army as they had to make sure the Saint did not try any funny business.
While Sword Empress’ army was tied down, Selene made her move. She invited all the allies Isaac had been gathering. The Sword Empress got the news but she couldn’t stop the allies from reaching Selene since that would mean leaving the Saint alone.
More time passed, Isaac managed to get seeds from Hell, and the negotiations between Sword Empress and the Saint from Hell were completed.
The Saint wanted a small kingdom in surface world, and the technology they could gather from remains of Moon Dragon Kingdom.
They also prepared to overtake the Ladder of Heavens and use it to reach the Moon.
That became a problem for Isaac and Selene.
According to Avery, losing the ownership of Ladder of Heavens had high chances of being counted as a failed Quest. They couldn’t let the Saint from Hell and Sword Empress take over it even if those two did not intend to destroy it.
This led to a deadlock.
Sword Empress’s army had been weakened as some of her soldiers tried to desert. Although they were forced to stay after being caught, the morale had fallen horribly low.
She didn’t know this was caused by schemes of Isaac and Selene, but to combat this, she sent various people to the hometowns of the soldiers to help the soldiers’ family.
This would allow Sword Empress to help her soldiers regain morale. But it would take time.
Time was something she didn’t have as Apocalypse might descend anytime.
Thus the army of Saint from Hell had to move on their own and subdue Ladder of Heaven alone. By the time they were done, Sword Empress’ army would be back to top shape and they would attack Moon Kingdom together.
That was the plan, at least.
But with Selene and Isaac having gathered allies, the Saint from Hell couldn’t guarantee a victory.
Now, the stakes were too high, and the result was completely unknown.
Isaac hadn’t predicted that the Saint from Hell would refuse to use a portal to go to Moon, and instead try to overtake the Ladder of Heavens.
However, Selene’s army at Ladder of Heaven might be able to defeat the Saint from Hell if they fought, so all hopes was not lost. It was just that when Sword Empress attacked next, loss was guaranteed.
When tension ran all high, Selene made a bold decision that went against all their previous planning.
She approached Sword Empress, and proposed an alliance and revealed she would open the Ladder of Heavens for their army.
Many of Selene’s allies were brought by information Isaac got from Avery, but a big reason these people came was because Ladder of Heaven belonged to Moon Dragons. They wanted to curry favor with Heavens.
With Selene’s open declaration of wanting to defect to enemy’s side, these people rebelled. Selene commanded Avery to slaughter those who rebelled and all of them were put down.
Sword Empress was shocked and the Saint from Hell was amused. Sword Empress didn’t want to form alliance with Selene, seeing her cruel and backstabbing nature.
But due to the urging of Saint from Hell, and the fact that not fighting Ladder of Heavens would save a lot of manpower, the Sword Empress reluctantly agreed to ally with Selene.
Selene became known as Silver Tyrant. Her name spread as a cruel ruler who would do anything for power, and authority.
One month later, the armies of Ladder of Heaven, Saint from Hell, and Sword Empress climbed the Ladder of Heaven and went to war with Apocalypse.
The result was... a crushing defeat.
No one came back alive. Even the status of War God and Sword God who later participated was unknown.
Another few weeks passed, Isaac was sitting on a bench, seeing the moon in the sky shattering with Selene.
"So, how are you feeling? The Quest should be completed in a few hours," he said to Selene.
"...I don’t know," Selene said, looking at the cracking moon. It was clearly about to shatter and fall in a few hours. "It feels good that the Quest is almost completed, and I learned a lot here, but at the same time..."
Her eyes were fixed on the Moon.
"I wonder if anything we are doing is worth it," she muttered.
"...?" Isaac titled his head.
"Look at the moon. The army that went there was the strongest. Yet it was a crushing defeat. Not a single person came back alive, and even the Gods who participated have disappeared. This is the past, when kingdoms had huge and powerful armies. If they can’t defeat the apocalypse, can we? Our world has barely any resources left, and everyone is fighting over them. I... I don’t think we can survive the Apocalypse," Selene said.
She had a gloomy expression.
She thought Isaac would console her, but—
"Pffft! Hahahaha!" Isaac laughed.
"...why are you laughing?" she turned to him, pouting.
"No, I mean, why are you so worried about apocalypse?" he asked, wiping his tears that came from laughing too much.
"Why would I not be worried? It is related to our survival—"
"You don’t need to worry about survival, Selene," Isaac cut her off. "You are someone who manages other people, gives command, handle administration. That is what you are best at, and this is the only thing you should worry about. Survival? Leave that to me and others. Fighting, gathering food. That is our job."
He held her hand. Selene flinched at the close contact and tried to full her hand back, but Isaac didn’t let her do it.
Her face became bright red as he smiled, and spoke, "Did you see this Trial, Selene? It was you who did negotiations for my crops, it was you who decided to overtake Ladder of Heavens and take its command, it was you who made the bold decision of allying with Sword Empress which ultimately brought us time to complete our Quest. Without you here, the Quest would’ve been unimaginably hard."
"It wasn’t just me. everyone did their parts," she said, turning her head, trying to hide her blush.
"You are correct. Everyone did their parts. That’s why people form groups, Selene. Because no one is best at everything. Only by being together can they make sure everything happens perfectly. You have your field where you are best. Others have their own field."
"...."
Selene remained silent. She was beginning to understood what Isaac was trying to say.
Why was Selene worried about survival?
Because apocalypse was dangerous?
Wrong.
Apocalypse was just a small part of her worry.
She was worried because she saw people who were infinitely strong die fighting Apocalypse.
Although she had gained confidence during her time in Trial, she had also confirmed how weak she was. For every battle, she had to depend upon Avery, or Isaac, or Alice.
She was worried— no, scared because of her own weakness.
Isaac gently held her hands and spoke, "It’s fine to be weak. It’s fine to not be able to fight your opponents in combat. I will fight in your place."
Surprised yet entranced by his words, Selene raised her head and looked him in the eyes.
What she saw was conviction. Someone who would always stand for her.
"I will protect you from harm, from injury, from sickness. I won’t let you need to worry about strength. So..."
He smiled.
"Just focus on what you are good at. Leave everything else to me."
Selene’s mind went blank, seeing that expression.
"Th- That..." She began to stutter, unable to decide her next words.
She was like a fish who had been taken out of water and was trying to breathe.
As she tried to find words, seconds passed.
Just then, a voice spoke inside her head.
’Say yes you fool!’
’W-What?’ Selene replied.
’Say yes! He just proposed to you! By the Elemental Archons, how can you be so confident when dealing with Gods and Saints from Hell, then become like a foolish girl in love who can’t even speak when it comes to Isaac?’ Avery said, half-scolding and half-lamenting.
Selene didn’t hear half of Avery’s words. Her mind froze when she heard a single phrase.
’Girl in love...? What do you mean by that?’ Selene asked.
’That you love Isaac. What else could it mean?’ Avery said as a matter of fact.
Selene blinked.
Then, as if saying her face wasn’t red enough, it became red as ripe tomato.
’W-what do you mean that I love Isaac!? I?! How!? When!?’
Avery wanted to sigh. This girl really was unaware what her feelings towards Isaac had been until now.
Selene kept making gibberish noises in her mind.
But after she calmed down, only a single thought remained.
’I love Isaac?’
Realizing the name of the feelings she had always held towards Isaac, Selene suddenly became much more shy.
Her heart began to beat loudly, and she lowered her head, trying to hide whatever expression she was making. Her shoulders sagged as she tried to hide into herself, and disappear.
"Are you okay? Why are you suddenly crouching?" Isaac asked, getting closer to her.
Selene flinched, and attempted to back away, but Isaac had been holding her hand, and she couldn’t move.
"Why are you so red—"
"I’m injured! Injured! My injury from before is acting up!" Selene cut him off.
Isaac blinked, then used Miracle of Grace skill to heal whatever injury was acting up. Selene felt a gradual warmth covering her, but she couldn’t focus on it.
Her attention was on Isaac, who was only a few inches from her. Unknowingly, her gaze moved to his lips. She was reminded of the scene of her sister and Isaac kissing in the library.
She gulped.
Should she kiss him? That was what couples did when they officially paired in the movies, right? But this wasn’t a movie.
Still, Isaac had proposed to her, so kissing him should be okay?
The thought of saying ’I love you’, or anything similar didn’t even come to Selene. Her brain was already jumping steps, the result of being shocked and unexperienced in stuffs like this.
Selene’s grip of Isaac’s hand tightened, and she moved her head towards him.
’What are you doing, you idiot! Are you trying to kill yourself?! Don’t kiss him!’ Avery shouted.
’I can’t kiss him?’ Selene asked, stopping. ’Why?’
’What do you mean why? Did you forget what Alice told you about Celestial Kitsune Bloodline?’ Avery said.
’What about that...? Alice has a revival skill. So, it should be fine even if we kiss,’ Selene said.
Avery was gobsmacked. Had this girl lost her marbles?
She was already frustrated by seeing Selene oblivious to her feelings for six months. It frustrated her so much that she dropped her respectable way of talking, and was shouting at Selene.
’No is no! Don’t kiss him!’ Avery scolded.
’But he proposed to me,’ Selene replied.
’Then, reply with your mouth— reply with words!’ Avery said.
A look of realization dawned on Selene.
’Oh.’
Seeing that stupid reaction, Avery covered her face. How did someone who was called Silver Tyrant become like ’ this’?
"Selene?" Isaac called out again, seeing Selene silent for so long.
Selene snapped back out of her mind, and looked at him. She started wracking her brain for a perfect reply. At that moment, she suddenly looked towards the moon.
"The moon..." she said.
Isaac looked at the moon due to her words. Just as he did, Selene leaned in and kissed him on the cheek.
She wanted to kiss him on the lips, but she knew she had to wait until Trial was completed, and she ranked up to do that. So, she decided to settle for this.
As she pulled back, the sudden courage she had gathered disappeared.
"T-Then, from now on, I will depend on you to be my strength!" she said, half-shouting, and pulled her hand free from Isaac’s grasp and ran away before he could say anything.
Isaac touched the cheek where Selene had kissed. He could feel a faint, lingering warmth.
A wry smile appeared on his face.
"She is quite shy," he muttered. He turned his head, and looked toward the tent in the distance. "You can come out, now."
Alice stepped out from the hiding place.
She had a half-relieved expression, happy that Isaac managed to tell her that strength was not everything and it was okay to be weak. It was something Alice could’ve said, but the words wouldn’t have impact unless they were said at right moment.
Other than happiness, she also felt a heavy emotion.
She walked towards Isaac with quick steps, and kissed him on the same place where Selene had kissed, as if trying to erase her traces and replace them with her traces.
Then, she kissed his lips. She put her knee on the space between Isaac’s leg on the chair for support.
Isaac’s hand moved to the back on her neck. He didn’t stop the kiss.
When they finally stopped, he had a grin.
"Is my mad princess jealous? But you were the one who came to me, and asked me to propose to Selene," he said.
"...Yes," she replied.
"Then?" he asked with the same teasing grin. "You said you were okay with sharing everything with Selene. Having second thoughts now?"
He was correct.
She thought she would be okay with sharing Isaac. In fact, her heart was filled with happiness seeing Selene happy when Isaac proposed to her.
But that was that, and this was this.
She wanted Isaac. She wanted him whole, even if only for a short moment. She wanted to mark him, and for him to mark her. To have proof that they belonged to each other.
Alice took out the Heaven-Reversal Moon Elixir.
Isaac’s face rapidly changed as he recognized that pill.
"Hey, we are in a Trial! Don’t eat it here—"
She ate the pill and even before its effects settled in, she kissed him.
.
.
.
After several hours.
Isaac lay in bed, wrung dry to the bone. Alice had a faint smile as she watched the golden tattoo on her lower abdomen.
Although she had yet to leave her mark on Isaac, having him mark her was enough for now.
Isaac watched her smile, and couldn’t decide if he should sigh, scold her, or just rest and recover.
Not only had they been in Trial, they were also outside when Alice took the Heaven-Reversal Moon Elixir.
The only thing that came good out of it was this....
Solar Dragon Physique (40% → 100%) Level 0 (Share)
He wanted to share the Physique, but this was not the time.
Just as he thought that, the world froze. Only Alice and himself could move, then the surroundings changed. Isaac, Alice, and Avery were pulled into the Soulbind Pendant, and Selene appeared in a void.
[Moonline-Trial completed.]
[Successfully defended Ladder of Heavens for six months.]
[Calculating reward...]
...
Author’s Note: The Moon-Trial Arc has come to an end. I wish I could’ve written it better, but part of it was written while my mom was hospitalized (she has fully healed, don’t worry), which affected both the planning and execution.
I had to wrap it up sooner than intended, as trying to fix it midway would have only made things messier.
I apologize for that.
From the next arc onward, the story will return to its usual quality. I hope you’ll continue following Isaac’s journey.