The Secret Hidden Within the Forbidden Zone

Lux had not appeared at Karya's coronation ceremony, and he had indeed done so deliberately.

Karya knew that Lux was about to ascend the throne.

He understood better than anyone that no matter how unwilling Lux was to become emperor, she would inevitably ascend the throne in the end—because Demacia needed a strong emperor to face the reforms and crises ahead.

Only the position of emperor could make the greatest use of Lux's advantage in prestige, putting the immense reputation she had accumulated before to work in Demacia's political affairs.

And although it was somewhat regrettable not to attend the coronation ceremony, to Karya, this was also preparation for the future.

Over the past twenty-five years, ever since she came into contact with that magic-penetrating staff, everything about Lux had become firmly bound to Karya.

Karya had imparted everything he knew to her without reservation, whether it was Magic Theory or political theory.

And Lux had accepted everything from him, inheriting all that he possessed.

But this bond would not last forever.

By now, Karya had long since lost his immortality.

When he became an Ascended, Karya had embraced eternity, and his age had been permanently fixed at forty-two.

But after losing his immortality, the clock that had stopped at forty-two finally began moving forward again.

Even without Ascended Power, Karya was still a Transcendent.

But unless they encountered some extraordinary opportunity, a Transcendent's lifespan was still limited—perhaps somewhat longer than that of an ordinary person, but no more than a century.

Lux had grown accustomed to having Karya around.

But in the future, she would have to endure a very, very long time without him.

A lifetime lasted but one season of grass and trees.

Having shed the eternal Ascended Power, Karya's state of mind was now growing more