"B-but-"
Vanessa's voice trembled as she looked at the writhing lump of flesh-it was gently holding Old Razi's withered hand with its flesh.
It did not seem like a monster without a will of its own.
"Lily's Ritual never ended," Old Razi said after a moment of silence.
"That's impossible!" Dorothea blurted out. "That violates the second law!"
Meeting Vanessa's puzzled gaze, she explained, "The second law-Sacrifice must be carried out."
"Before a Sacrifice begins, it can be interrupted or stopped at will, but once it begins, there is absolutely no stopping it!"
"This works both ways. As long as you present a suitable Sacrifice Offering according to the Path, there will always be an equivalent Bestowal. No more, no less, and never the wrong one."
"At the same time, once a Sacrifice begins, it must be completed. Either it succeeds, or-you die."
"That's a thing? Why have you never mentioned it before?" Vanessa's eyes widened in shock.
"I-" For a moment, Dorothea did not know what to say.
She had watched Vanessa use Sacrifice as nail clippers, sacrificing whatever she pleased.
And the Bestowals she received were no better-a material specifically for use in Sacrifice? Was that normal?
What am I supposed to say? It's hard to tell whether the second law even exists for you!
Dorothea's expression was complicated.
Old Razi spoke in a hoarse voice. "I-never stopped the Sacrifice."
Both of them froze.
"The Genesis School's Sacrifice never stipulated an upper limit on quantity. It only required the offerings to be flesh and blood." The old man slowly raised his head, the lump of flesh reflected in his clouded eyes. "I-have been sacrificing all along."
Now even Dorothea was stunned. She demanded incredulously, "What do you mean, sacrificing all along? These Sacrifices all have time limits! I