Felenore

—Surtr would never have brought me to her dream world without permission—I've seen the reports. Neither Yelena nor Talulah, Alina. The first thing she did after accidentally bringing them to the dream world was to send them back! Because she's so kind, she wouldn't want anyone around her to take even the slightest risk!

For several days in a row, no matter how much she cared about those people, she restrained herself from visiting them, fearing she might have a negative impact on them. And before I fell unconscious, that gloomy woman had sent me the latest research progress. Surtr had already gained the power to select her collaborators. And although I hate to admit it, I know that gloomy woman's priority was definitely above mine because Surtr believed that she could protect herself with her brains!

—My body isn't so badly damaged that it warrants such a risk. Surtr would never bring me to the Dream World without my consent. Because that's just who she is! Kind, selfless, forgiving—she wouldn't even eat meat offered to her, but would ask if the meat had any wishes... She's so good, how could she do such a thing!

—This is an illusion, a dream, something fake. But it shouldn't have anything to do with the gloomy woman; her scheme wouldn't have such a glaring flaw. But if it wasn't her, then who was it?!

—Damn it, Rhodes Island's data has been leaked? Who did it? The Old Gods of Ursus? The giant oligarchs of Columbia? The henchmen of the Twin Empresses? Or those in the sea... were they brought here by that woman who calls herself Skadi?

—Damn it, damn it, damn it! What is Closure doing?! Or is there a traitor within Rhodes Island?!

A surge of anxiety welled up inside her, no matter how well she concealed it. Even the empathic, emerald-green dragon-serpent creation couldn't help but let out a soft cry—the woman who called herself the Fire Keeper tilted her head slightly, and Kal'tsit's heart skipped a beat.

—We must figure out their purpose.

—I can't let the mastermind notice anything unusual about me... Sigh, I have to act as usual. I have to keep a straight face, just like before.

"Mon3tr, my partner." Kal'tsit made a regretful gesture. "It's responsible for protecting me. I'm sorry, this place is a bit unfamiliar to both of us, so it's a little nervous."

"I understand, but please don't disturb the young lady. She's sleeping soundly." The Fire Keeper nodded slightly, looked away, and led the foolish lynx into the temple.

—Don't they care about Mon3tr's secrets? Is it absolute confidence, or are their motives far more sinister than I imagine?

Miss Lynx took a deep breath. After making a concealing gesture, the alien dragon-snake returned to her spine.

She was somewhat dismayed to find that the woman didn't care at all about her deliberate act of weakness.

Her heart grew heavier as she entered the temple. There she saw a girl who looked exactly like Surtr, but without horns, lying quietly on a softly cushioned altar—for a moment, she truly believed that the girl lying there was Surtr, because their auras were so similar!

She subtly bit the side of her tongue, using the sharp pain as a warning to herself.

"It's fake. I know Yan has similar magic. As long as you get an object imbued with the original owner's aura, you can use top-notch puppetry techniques to create incredibly realistic clones. A mere counterfeit won't fool me!"

So she walked to the side.

She found that this woman, who had placed herself in the position of a maid, was not professional at all. When the guests didn't speak, she really acted as if the guests didn't exist, as if she were some kind of royal Princess. She watched as the Fire Keeper just left her there, and then walked straight to the altar, sat down, and let the hornless Surtr comfortably rest his head on her lap.

I'm a little envious.

Even knowing it was a fake, Kal'tsit couldn't resist wanting to bite her handkerchief—she wanted to give Surtr a lap pillow too. She wanted to snuggle up to her beloved, to offer her everything, for her to play with and savor at her whim.

—Hmph, not at all! Nothing special!

She turned her head slightly, crossing her arms over her chest—this perilous environment, in her view, offered her absolutely no sense of security. So much so that she instinctively made this defensive gesture, failing to notice her obvious vulnerability for a moment.

She took a light breath.

On the altar, the sleeping girl suddenly took a light breath.

—Hmph, what a coincidence, you woke up as soon as I arrived.

The next moment, she saw the awakened girl open her eyes—those light pink eyes were so familiar that she almost lost control of herself.

But she managed to control herself.

"Welcome back, Miss Surtr." — She heard the woman who called herself the Fire Keeper speak, and the gentleness and tenderness in her voice sent a chill down her spine.

"Yes, I'm back." — And the Flame-haired Girl's reply was filled with something that made her heart ache.

—Tsk, trying to break down my defenses with this kind of tactic? I have to admit, the realism of this illusion is unbelievably high. Unfortunately, you've revealed too many flaws.

—Fine, I'll play along and see what tricks you're up to... Tsk, Surtr used to be much gentler to me than this!

So, her gaze converged and focused, causing the awakened girl to subconsciously shift her gaze away.

"It really is you, Surtr," she said—the perfectly measured tone of voice pleased her, for she hadn't performed her acting so flawlessly in a long time.

There's only one period today too _(:з"∠)_

Chapter 182 - Filianore

This world is a world ruled by fire.

The soul originates from fire, and so does order.

And within the hymns of fire, there once existed a distant legend.

Oolacile Township —the City of Rings—is said to have always been located on the edge of the world, facing the most dangerous chaos and darkness.

In the distant past, during the great ancient wars, the legions of the Oolacile Township distinguished themselves on the battlefield. And when the era of the gods arrived, the kings of the Ringed City were given another special mission.

They were entrusted with guarding a treasure, a secret that could determine the fate of the world. The holy Sun King Gwyn entrusted his beloved young girl Filianore, to the kings of the Oolacile Township, a testament to the Ringed City's divine favor and the gods' high regard for this encircled city. Yet all of this vanished with the arrival of the heroic age, disappearing into the fragments of history.

Few people still remember the Oolacile Township, and even fewer know that the Oolacile Township's Goddess was the destined spouse of the First Lord of Cinder.

For when the fire blazes fiercely, the boundaries of the world are pushed to the ends of the earth by the expansion of order. Only those great heroes renowned throughout the land can find the place where the Oolacile Township is located and successfully return, telling their stories and turning them into new poems and legends. And it is precisely for this reason that the existence of the Oolacile Township has long since become a story and a legend in this day and age.

People no longer remember them, no longer remember the Oolacile Township.

People have forgotten that in ancient times, powerful warriors wielded sharp blades and raging fire, fighting to the death against ancient artifacts that bred from the darkness.

People have forgotten.

Yet even if forgotten, deep within the oldest library, in the ears of the most learned elder, on the decaying stone inscriptions, and at the bottom of the somber underground ruins, there always remains a long-standing prophetic legend.

—'The fire will rise, the fire will fall.'

—'As the flames faded, the Encircling City rose from the darkness.'

—'At that time, across that endless ruin and old land'

—'The end of all things can be witnessed in our eyes.'

The prophecy was not complex; it simply stated that when the fire waned, the Oolacile Township, located on the edge of the world, would return as the world contracted, bringing either final destruction or salvation to the land. However, as the cycle of linking the fire was fulfilled time and again, this prophecy was gradually forgotten, becoming a legend, a story, and anecdotal tale. Ultimately, it was forgotten by the world.

However, forgetting is not the right approach.

Because of this prophecy—

—This is not false.

"The time has come, she has arrived." On the edge of the world, in the temple Oolacile Township, the Goddess, who had been lost in thought with her eyes closed, suddenly opened them.