Lilith looked down at the Blood Core. Instead of absorbing it immediately, she closed her eyes for a moment.
Deep within her soul, something seemed to echo softly through the cracks.
She spoke quietly.
"I can use it, but I might not be able to control it."
Qi Wu glanced at her.
"Use it first."
"We can deal with controlling it later."
Lilith fell silent for a second, then nodded.
The Blood Core slowly merged into her chest.
There was no explosion, no spreading spectacle.
Only a fleeting ripple of blood-red light gently radiated from within her.
Jiang Qingyue instinctively stepped forward.
Gale tightened his grip on his sword hilt as well.
But Qi Wu raised a hand.
"It's fine."
"It's reconstructing her."
The blood-red ripples lasted several seconds.
Lilith's breathing grew unsteady.
Her body trembled slightly.
It was as though something were forcibly repairing the shattered structure of her soul.
A few seconds later, the bloody light contracted.
She slowly opened her eyes.
Her eyes were a little clearer than before.
But that was all.
Her progress had stalled at a delicate stage.
Somewhere between recovered and unrecovered.
"...Lilith has changed."
Jiang Qingyue spoke softly.
Lilith looked down at her hands.
"Some of my power has returned."
"Some of the cracks in my soul have been filled."
She paused.
"But she's still there."
Qi Wu nodded.
"The Bloodslayer Queen?"
Lilith murmured an assent.
As those words fell, the temperature in the room seemed to drop a little.
It was as though some lurking danger were present.
Jiang Qingyue lowered her voice.
"When will she wake up?"
Lilith did not answer.
She merely raised her hand and pressed it against her chest.
"I don't know."
"But she's getting stronger."
Gale frowned. "Can you cut her out?"
Qi Wu glanced at