Greed

On the grass beside the official road, the smoke and dust slowly settled.

Serie stood still, her white robe spotless. Her golden eyes calmly gazed at the white-robed, white-haired youth in the center of the road, her face expressionless.

Ruby gripped Himmel's arm tightly, her turquoise eyes wide and her small mouth slightly agape. She looked at the wreckage of the carriage, then at Regulus, and then looked up at Himmel beside her.

Himmel's smile vanished. He gently patted Ruby's hand, signaling her to let go, then took a half-step forward, shielding Ruby slightly behind him.

Regulus was still speaking. He placed his right hand on his chest, speaking quickly and clearly, each word carrying an unsettling, self-assured certainty.

"... Based on your egregious violation of my 'right of peaceful passage,' I, Regulus Kornias, the Sin Archbishop of the Witch Cult, the one who reigns over 'Greed' —the most easily satisfied and most fulfilled man in the world—exert my right to 'correct' you. Remember this, you imperfect beings."

He finished speaking, lowered his hand, and glanced at the three of them. There was no warmth in his golden pupils, only an empty indifference that took everything for granted.

Serie gave a soft hum.

"You talk too much nonsense."

Regulus turned his gaze to her. He tilted his head, as if scrutinizing her, then shook his head, a mixture of regret and reproach on his face.

"Look, look. This is the problem. You, as a woman, don't even have the most basic respect for the rights of others. Arbitrarily calling someone else's words 'nonsense' is itself an extremely serious violation. Don't you feel ashamed?"

Serie ignored him.

"Himmel, kill this lunatic!" Ruby shouted.

Himmel responded instantly. His figure left a pale blue afterimage in the air. Before his sword was even drawn, his right fist, accompanied by a piercing whistle that tore through the air, was aimed straight at Regulus's face. The strike was as fast as lightning, and the wind from the punch caused the grass in its path to bend down. It was clear that he did not intend to kill Regulus, but only to test his strength first.

The punch was fast and heavy. Wherever the fist passed, the air was violently compressed, forming a visible milky-white shock wave.

Regulus did not dodge.

He didn't even make any defensive or dodge movements; he simply stood there, slightly tilting his head back, calmly watching Himmel's fist rapidly enlarge before his eyes with his empty golden eyes.

The fist landed squarely on his face.

The dull thud of the impact echoed along the official road.

Regulus's head didn't even tilt. The force of Himmel's fist landed on his face, but it didn't even make a hair on his head sway.

Using the momentum of his punch, Himmel slid several meters to the side and back like flowing water, regaining his footing. He glanced down at his fist, feeling the sensation of striking something absolutely solid through his knuckles, then looked up at Regulus, his brows furrowed tightly.

"What's going on...?"

Ruby also witnessed what had just happened. Her emerald eyes widened slightly, and her small hands unconsciously clenched the hem of her dress.

"Himmel's attack... was completely useless?"

Serie's golden eyes narrowed slightly. She looked at Regulus, her gaze falling on his unharmed face, which didn't even show any change in expression, and then sweeping over the seemingly normal space around him.

"It wasn't Defensive Magic, nor was there any fluctuation of a magic barrier," she said calmly. "It was your attack that, before it even touched him, had its 'effectiveness' somehow 'stopped.' Strength, speed, and even the fact of 'attacking' itself were nullified at the source."

Himmel and Ruby both looked at her.

Regulus heard their conversation. He raised his hand and lightly touched his cheek, which had just been struck, with his fingertips; it was smooth as ever. Then he shook his head and let out a long sigh, clearly filled with disappointment.

"Sigh... See? That's the problem. You people are always like this. You resort to violence at the slightest disagreement, trying to violate other people's bodies, peace, and rights with rude force. Is this the only way you solve problems? Barbaric, so barbaric."

He took a small step forward, his gaze falling on Himmel.

"You, that punch you just threw, were you trying to teach me a lesson? Although with your meager strength, there's no way you could have done it. But the 'intention' itself is an unforgivable sin. You violated my right to 'not be attacked,' understand?"

He then looked at Serie.

"And you. You clearly saw your companion's rude behavior, and instead of stopping it, you analyzed it with that self-righteous tone, trying to find a rationalization for this aggression. This is also a serious desecration of 'fairness' and 'reason'."

Finally, his gaze shifted to Ruby. His empty golden eyes lingered on Ruby's face for a moment, especially on her wide, surprised blue eyes and her slightly parted, pink lips.

Then, he shook his head again, this time with a sigh that carried an even stronger, undisguised disdain.

As for you...

He raised a finger and pointed at Ruby.

"Her facial features are so-so, but--"

His voice suddenly rose, filled with accusation.

"Your expressions! They're too much! Why are your eyes so wide? What are you trying to say with your mouth open? Fear? Surprise? Angry? These superfluous emotions, these unrestrained facial muscle movements, are simply a blatant trampling on the virtues of 'calmness' and 'restraint'!"

Ruby taken aback by his words and instinctively shut her mouth, but her eyes remained wide open. She blinked, her face showing a mixture of astonishment and bewilderment, as if wondering, "What nonsense is this guy talking about?"

When Regulus saw her expression, his brows furrowed immediately, as if he had seen something disgusting and filthy.

"Look! Here we go again! Making another ugly expression! Unbelievable! A woman like you, unable to control her facial muscles and letting her vulgar emotions show, fundamentally does not meet the basic standards of being a 'wife'! 'The way you look when you're expressionless' is the bottom line! It's an absolutely inviolable bottom line!"

He waved his hand forcefully, as if announcing some important verdict.

"I hereby declare that you are ineligible to be my wife! Permanently!"

Ruby: "..."

She opened her mouth as if to say something, but then she glanced at Regulus's righteous and stern expression, and then at Serie's expressionless face and Himmel's slightly furrowed brows.

"... Huh? Who wants to be your wife, you narcissist? I've been Himmel's woman for a long time."

Regulus immediately glared at Ruby, a hint of offended anger flashing in his golden eyes.

"What did you say? You dare question my judgment? Do you know how many women dream of the ultimate honor of being chosen by me and having the qualifications to become my wife? And you actually used such a vulgar word as 'narcissist' to describe the one who bestows this honor? Unforgivable! This is the greatest stain on the sanctity of 'love' and 'marriage'!"

"Let me tell you, as the most perfect, selfless, and easily satisfied man in the world, I naturally have the obligation and the right to collect and preserve those precious 'beauties' that meet my standards. To date, I have seventy-eight wives. Each of them, at some point, met the three strict and fair standards I set."

He stretched out his hand and began counting on his fingers as if he knew them all by heart.

"First, her appearance when expressionless must meet or exceed a certain standard. Second, her heart must be as pure as a blank sheet of paper, free from any filthy thoughts about other men. Third, she must be physically flawless. Only women who simultaneously meet these three standards are barely qualified to become my 'wife' and be collected by me."

As he spoke, his gaze returned to Serie, scrutinizing her from head to toe. This time, his gaze held less accusation and more of an evaluative quality.

As for you...

He stroked his chin, as if deep in thought.

"As for appearance... although your demeanor is off-putting, your facial features, when expressionless, are barely acceptable. Your figure is also passable. As for whether your heart is pure... judging from your rude and impolite words and actions just now, I have my doubts. But considering that you may lack proper guidance and education, there might still be room for correction. As for the third point..."

His gaze swept over Serie rudely.

"... It needs to be verified before we can be sure. However, judging from your arrogant attitude, you probably don't have much chance of coming into contact with low-class men. The possibility is not low."

He lowered his hand and drew a conclusion.

"Overall assessment: although there are many flaws, the basic conditions surprisingly haven't completely deviated from the right track. Hmm... okay."

He nodded to Serie as if bestowing a handout.

"I, Regulus Corneas, with boundless tolerance and mercy, will make an exception and grant you this opportunity. If from this moment on, you renounce those vulgar words and actions, strive to control your expressions, purify your heart, and keep your body clean, then in the near future, you may be qualified to become my seventy-ninth wife."

"Of course, this is just a 'candidate' status. Whether you will be officially accepted depends on your subsequent performance and whether you can prove your worth to me. Be grateful, imperfect person. This is a blessing that countless women would rather die for."

The official road was completely silent.

The wind rustled softly through the roadside woods. In the distance, the fragments of a wrecked carriage reflected a few scattered glimmers of light in the sunlight.

Himmel's lips twitched slightly. He glanced at Regulus, then at Serie's straight back in front of him, momentarily at a loss for words to describe the utterly absurd scene before him.

Ruby looked completely stunned. She blinked, then blinked again, then raised her little hand and cautiously tugged at Himmel's sleeve, asking in a soft, whispered voice:

"Himmel... is there... something wrong with him?"

She quietly pointed to her temple with her finger.

Himmel didn't answer, but simply squeezed her hand gently.

Serie remained silent.

After listening to Regulus's "declaration of grace," her face remained expressionless. Only her golden eyes narrowed slightly, a cold glint flashing deep within them.

Then, she raised her right hand and gently tucked a strand of her long, golden hair that was hanging over her shoulder behind her ear. The movement was elegant and unhurried.

After making this gesture, she looked at Regulus again. Her gaze was calm, even calmer than before, but both Himmel and Ruby felt as if the surrounding air had suddenly dropped in temperature.

"The seventy-ninth wife."

Serie repeated the phrase, speaking slowly, as if carefully savoring each syllable.

Then she nodded.

"Okay, I understand."

After she finished speaking, she walked forward. Her steps were unhurried, and her white robe swayed gently with each step, casting a clear shadow on the grass.

Regulus watched her walk towards him, a satisfied look on his face. He assumed she was moved by his "favor" and was about to express her gratitude, or at least submit.

"That's more like it. Although your previous words and actions were rude and impolite, at least you still understand the most basic things..."

Boom!!

A torrent of pure, blazing white light, composed entirely of magic, roared and surged from her palm! In an instant, the light devoured everything within a radius of several hundred meters! The outlines of the road, the grass, the trees, and even the color of the sky were all covered and annihilated by that pure white light!

The torrent precisely engulfed Regulus. No, it should be said that it swept away and devoured the area where he was located, along with the land, rocks, and trees within a radius of hundreds of meters behind him! Wherever the light reached, the concept of the existence of matter seemed to be briefly erased, leaving only the most primal torrent of magic surging and raging.

The earth groaned, cracked, and Vaporize! Soil and rock were instantly decomposed and vaporized, forming a terrifying, ever-expanding crater with edges shimmering with a reddish glow like lava! The dissipating shockwaves swept outwards in a ring, snapping trees at the roots and lifting them high into the air! The intense light and deafening roar robbed people of their hearing and sight, leaving only the scorching sensation of the destructive energy flowing through them.

The light lasted for about three seconds.

Three seconds later, the torrent suddenly dissipated.

There was no gradual decay process; it appeared as abruptly as it did.

The blinding white light faded, and the world regained its colors—though those colors were now entirely different.

A colossal crater, over a hundred meters in diameter and seemingly bottomless, with its rim vitrified soil emitting wisps of smoke, has replaced the original road and grassland. Inside, a deathly, scorched blackness reigns, and the heat distorts the air above.