The top floor of the Cloud Stone Heavenly Palace, the Chrysos Heirs Bath
Finally, Aglaea brought the star up, while March 7th and Dan Heng waited below.
To be precise, Dan Heng was the only one waiting here; March 7th had already disappeared. Perhaps she felt that the Cloud Stone Heavenly Palace had too few [ Realm Anchor ] and wanted to anchor a few more.
Inside the bath, Xing followed Aglaea's instructions, shifted into a comfortable position, closed her eyes, and began to enjoy the Spiritwater specially provided by the council for the Chrysos Heirs.
Hmm... the soap scent is a bit strong, but it's okay, it's a minor issue.
"Wait, why are you closing your eyes?" Xing suddenly realized and looked at Aglaea.
"This isn't coercion, but... people bathe in water precisely to be [open and honest with each other]. Are you willing to believe me?"
Xing obediently closed her eyes.
"... Thank you. Then, please move a little to the left; it will be warmer there."
Xing did as instructed, and to be honest, soaking in that bath felt just as refreshing as drinking Ye Yan's milk tea.
"Now, please place your left hand on the table, raise your forearm, extend both hands forward, and slightly spread your fingers..."
Hmm... Xing has a feeling they're doing some kind of mysterious ritual. Could it be some kind of 'psychological suggestion'?
"That's it, very good. Let me belatedly introduce myself. I am ' Goldweaver ' Aglaea, the alteration master of Okhema, and one of the ' Chrysos Heirs ' of Amphoreus. Thanks to the trust of my comrades, I am temporarily in charge of the Chrysos Heirs's operations."
" Goldweaver... What is your relationship with Argenti?"
"Hmm?" Aglaea looked at Xing with a puzzled expression, and continued, "Although my main job is to weave fine clothes, in my private time, my favorite place is this bathhouse."
Ultimately, clothing is a barrier, concealing one's body and heart... But here, we can let go of our pretenses; the flowing water will bring us closer.
"Now you can open your eyes, Star."
Xing opened her eyes and was somewhat surprised by what she saw. Aglaea's golden thread had somehow gotten wrapped around her hand without her noticing.
"Look, we are now connected."
"What kind of trap is this...?"
"A trap? Of course not. Treat it as a ritual of communication. The golden thread of Moneta binds us together; it can detect the slightest wavering, so that we cannot lie to each other."
"Next, I will tell you the truth about this world. In return, I need a small promise from you."
"Only after this exchange is completed can I promise you a smooth journey in Amphoreus."
Xing did not respond, but the golden thread in her hand began to ripple slightly.
"Can you feel it? The gold thread ripples. It tells me that you still have a slight doubt about Okhema's sincerity, and I must dispel that doubt."
"Just now, the bathhouse fairies told you the legend of Amphoreus, but they were unwilling to reveal the cruelty beneath the legend."
Aglaea paused for a moment, "--The Titan who once ruled the world have now become the cause of the corruption that plagues Amphoreus."
"Some unknown force altered the majority of them, inciting anger and madness."
"Now, the Black Tide has swept across the world, and the earth has sunk into eternal night. Only Okhema, under the protection of Kephale, retains the last glimmer of light."
" The Chrysos Heirs gathered here are humanity's only hope. People revere us as heroes, guardians, Savior... hoping we will defeat the gods, seize the Core Flame, and pull the gods' authority from their thrones, placing it in the hands of humankind."
"When all the Core Flame are gathered, the miracle of Creation will be revealed, and the shattered world will be reborn."
"This is Amphoreus's Journey of Flame-Chase— [A group of heroes embark on a journey to slay gods, obtain twelve Core Flame, and achieve the great feat of Re-Creation.]"
"We are trapped in this apocalyptic world and still need to guide millions of people to the summit. Okhema desperately needs more allies to become our solid support."
"Perhaps you are the [reinforcements] the Chrysos Heirs has been waiting for."
Xing paused for a moment, then said that World-Saving was just routine for them, the [ Trailblaze ].
"The gold thread remains unshaken. You must have witnessed many miracles yourself. Perhaps I was a little too hasty... For Amphoreus, I am willing to give it a try."
"I have opened my heart to you. Now, I only ask you to make a promise."
"Please promise me: under no circumstances should you reveal the existence of that [ Amber Mead ] to the citizens."
Star:...ʕ(ⓛ–ⓛ)?
"You mean... this milk tea?" she asked again incredulously.
"Because time is running out for Okhema, I don't want to give people false hope... The world has been deeply hurt by it."
What does that mean?
Xing was even more confused. It was like they were talking about how milk tea could Destruction the world; it felt like they weren't even on the same page...
It was probably done by the [ Church of Eternity ], otherwise the Chair and the priestess would have had no reason not to show up.
Can you grant my request?
"For the sake of [ Trailblaze ], I had no choice but to agree."
"And so, the agreement is fulfilled. Thank you, Xing. If this ceremony made you uncomfortable, I apologize. But please understand... I had no choice but to do it."
"Although I'd love to hear your story, I've already taken up too much of your time. Your companion seems a bit impatient; his anxiety is disrupting the flow."
Aglaea suggested, "Next, let's visit the 'Holy City' with our companions and see how people survive in such difficult circumstances. Later, I'll prepare a gift for our three distinguished guests."
Meanwhile, the Cloud Stone Market
Detective March 7th makes his official debut! After listening to the explanation from the chuunibyou bathhouse spirit, it's no wonder he's suspicious!
No problem, let's see how she finds the hidden [ Eternity ] Emanator. Based on Teacher Ye Yan's style of doing things, she can vaguely guess the location of the ' Church Stronghold'.
An ordinary, even slightly dilapidated, milk tea shop... that's the most important element.
Sure enough, on March 7th, looking at the shop not far away, a slight smile involuntarily appeared on his lips. It was time to begin the " Trailblaze " of " Eternity "!
He strode to the shop, took a deep breath, gripped March 7th Six-Phased Ice in his hand, and pushed open the tightly closed wooden door.
Then, the air fell into a deathly silence.
Looking at the empty shop, March 7th silently relinquished the title of 'famous detective'.
Damn it, I forgot to exclude external factors! How could a [ Emanator ] level character appear right at the beginning of the story...?