Diana's Choice

"Just Gold Pounds, and nothing like souls or lifespans?"

Her wide eyes were full of wariness as she studied the unseen presence around her.

She tried to guess the true purpose of this "Lord of All Spirits," but the more she thought, the heavier her heart grew. Whatever conditions He offered, the moment she summoned Him, Diana's fate had already slipped out of her own hands.

Once she understood that, she took a deep breath and nodded repeatedly.

"No problem, great Lord of All Spirits. How do I join your church?"

She didn't ask how many Gold Pounds she would have to donate. To her, that was nothing worth worrying about.

"At midnight on Sunday, go to an alley in the East District. My followers will come to meet you." Ivan's ethereal voice echoed in her mind.

"Midnight... an alley in the East District..." Diana murmured, her brows drawing together again. The time and place clearly made her uneasy.

"Oh, and I'll need you to bring that Book of Rituals and translate some other ancient texts, too." Ivan noticed Diana's worry and hurried to add.

"No problem! Great Lord, can I gain Beyonder abilities now?"

When Diana learned that Ivan needed her translation skills, she actually felt more at ease.

At least she was useful to Him. Still, a trace of doubt lingered in her heart. Weren't these ancient characters used by the Old Gods? Why did this Lord of All Spirits need her to translate them?

Ivan looked at the girl before him and said slowly, "I can grant you any Beyonder ability you want, though some abilities require a wait."

"Do you have a particular direction in mind?"

Diana blinked. "Any ability..."

She had never thought about what abilities she might need, and she didn't know much about the kinds of Beyonder abilities in the world.

She thought for a long time, then finally raised her head, determination in her eyes.

"Um... great Lord of All Spirits, please grant me a combat-oriented Beyonder ability."

"A combat ability?" Ivan was a little surprised. He hadn't expected this elegant girl to choose a combat-oriented ability.

Diana lowered her eyes, as if she were hiding some private sorrow. She gripped the hem of her nightdress, her voice soft but firm.

"I don't want to be a helpless young lady in everyone's eyes anymore. I want to be able to protect my family when danger comes."

The room fell briefly silent. Ivan had no idea what had happened to this elegant girl.

Ivan sighed. As it happened, he had an Order Aspect within him, a Beyonder Aspect that could enhance combat ability.

"I can grant you a Beyonder ability from the Order Aspect."

"You can randomly receive one of two paths: [Hand of Arbitration] or [Punishment Knight].

"The Hand of Arbitration can make use of rules to a certain extent, using them to strengthen your combat ability.

"The Punishment Knight, on the other hand, has strong fighting skills and physical abilities from the outset, as well as some mysterious methods of attack.

"Are you sure you want to take this path? Once you choose, you can't change it."

Actually, Ivan wasn't sure whether it could be changed. That was only his guess.

After hearing Ivan's explanation, Diana didn't hesitate any longer. She nodded seriously, believing that the sooner she gained her abilities, the stronger she would become in the future.

Ivan said nothing more. He guided the ball of red light within his spirit body into her head.

The glowing orb turned into a searing sensation that entered through her brow. Like a warm current, it swiftly spread down her spine and through her entire body.

Her pupils contracted sharply, then slowly widened again. A faint golden light flickered in her eyes.

It was as if some mysterious power had reshaped her bones, making them stronger and more resilient.

Her muscle fibers were mystically enhanced, and her strength and explosiveness increased significantly.

Her body grew lighter, her reactions much faster, and every part of her seemed to move in better coordination.

Images of combat techniques, defensive stances, and breathing rhythms surged into her memory like a tide, then settled, becoming part of her body.

She could also sense invisible "threads of order" in the space around her. The arrangement of tables and chairs, the positions of objects, even the movement of dust in the air—all followed certain patterns.

This perception would allow her to find the best angles of attack and moments to defend herself in battle.

Diana excitedly felt the changes in her body, her exhilaration overcoming the fear she had felt moments before.

"Praise the great Lord of All Spirits!"

She tried to get up and jump off the bed, but misjudged her strength and landed in the middle of the carpet. Her feet slipped, and she pitched forward.

Yet just before she touched the floor, she came to an uncanny halt, her body almost parallel to the ground, with only the tips of her small feet touching it.

"Tsk, what a difficult move... Is this the physical ability of a Punishment Knight?" Watching the scene from above her head, Ivan couldn't help exclaiming in admiration.

What a pity he couldn't gain this power. With the support of Beyonder abilities, perhaps even his tentacles could break the sound barrier.

"Looks like you've taken the path of the [Punishment Knight]. Not bad. It gives the human body a considerable boost."

Ivan praised little Diana from above.

Little Diana hurriedly straightened up from her bizarre pose and let out a breath.

She hadn't expected her slender body to hold such tremendous strength.

"Great Lord of All Spirits, thank you for your Gift. Your knight, Diana, will follow in your footsteps forever."

She stood with her legs together, perfectly upright, and struck her chest with her right hand in a knightly salute she had learned somewhere.

Ivan found it rather amusing. A beautiful young blonde girl in a pristine white nightdress had become a knight of an evil cult.

"What a contrast..."

"Good. From now on, you're the Holy Spirit Society's chief knight. The church's safety is in your hands."

"Ah! I-I've only just become a Beyonder..."

Hearing that Ivan had entrusted her with such a major responsibility, little Diana immediately deflated like a punctured balloon. She clutched the hem of her nightdress with both hands, reverting to her girlish manner.

"Heh, don't worry. Beyonder powers only returned to this world recently. There won't be any danger."

Ivan comforted Diana with his own guesses about the Beyonder system in this world. After all, the church's only combatants right now were her and Little George.

"I see." Diana seemed to understand. Hearing the divine lord's revelation made her realize how shallow her previous understanding of the supernatural world had been.

"All right. Now that you're my follower, you can pray to me in your heart at any time. I can hear everyone's prayers and respond."

"All you need to do is attend the church service on Sundays."

Diana nodded. Thinking Ivan had already left, she began exploring the mysterious power she had just gained.

Ivan floated awkwardly where he was, silently wondering,

"...If I open the door now, will I seem like I have a low status in front of her? I can't even disappear without a sound."

"Ugh, I'll just have to wait until daybreak and sneak out when she leaves tomorrow..."

Inside the church's Clock Tower.

The young Night Watchman, Tom, held his approved application and the prepared Magic Potion.

Under Abel's stern gaze, he nervously drank the potion in one gulp.

"Ah!!!!"

The liquid, hot as molten lava, slid down his throat and exploded inside him. It felt as if all his internal organs had caught fire.

Tom dropped to his knees in agony, his body convulsing violently as sweat and tears rolled down his cheeks.

Beside him, Abel blew a smoke ring, as if seeing his former self.

"Hold on. To follow the Order Aspect, you have to endure this pain.

"Only if you make it through this will you truly understand what it means to be a Beyonder."