Over the past seven years and more, Lumine and Paimon had visited all Seven Nations. After being wanted and imprisoned in seven different countries, they had witnessed firsthand and been involved in the attitudes, influence, and actions of each nation's Archon toward their people, met many people, and experienced many things.
Finally, having gathered all seven types of elemental energy, Lumine returned to the ruins of Khaenri'ah at the final stop of her journey. There, she met her brother, the prince of the Abyss Order, who had been waiting for a long time.
Aether said, "Lumine, your journey has reached its end. By now, you must have formed your own impressions of this world. It's time for you to make your choice.
"Will you join me in using the power of the Abyss to engulf the throne, or will you join the one beside you-the culprit behind the tragedy that separated us for five hundred years-and stop me?"
Lumine looked at Paimon beside her in surprise and said in disbelief, "The culprit? Paimon? Could you be..."
At that very moment, a dazzling white light shone from Paimon's body, and she finally regained her former sacred, noble appearance.
The sight dealt a tremendous blow to Lumine's heart. She stared at everything before her in disbelief. She had never imagined that little Paimon, the goofy foodie who shared her room and spent every day with her, was actually the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles from back then. This was outright betrayal.
Lumine glared at Paimon with hostility and demanded angrily, "So the god I spent all those years searching for was right beside me all along. You were deceiving me from the very beginning, weren't you?"
Although she had regained her former appearance, Paimon's voice remained unchanged. She shook her head and said,