Emilia looked at the goddess’ response, placing both hands over her chest. Her deep violet eyes were filled with hope.
Although she didn’t understand much of what was said, she understood the gist: she had found the thod to bring everyone in the forest back.
She quickly replied.
[Emilia: Lady Nahida, I beg you to help . I am willing to pay any price.]
[Nahida: Any price?]
[Emilia: Yes, Lady Nahida.]
[Nahida: I understand the desperation humans feel toward unattainable wishes. But Emilia, never say you are willing to pay any price when facing a god.]
[Nahida:If it’s a benevolent god, perhaps it’s fine. But if it’s a malevolent one, the price you pay will far exceed your imagination.]
[Nahida: So rember well, never say you’re willing to pay any price.]
Though the Teyvat Universe does not have rules that strip away "everything," such worlds certainly exist beyond Teyvat.
To say "I’m willing to give everything" to a god from one of those worlds truly ans offering up everything—body, soul, consciousness, knowledge, mories...
A malevolent god would exploit every part of it. Even after the body is destroyed, the soul could be extracted to forge divine artifacts.
Take for example the so-called "Demon Lords" and "Evil Gods" in the Gift Gas of Little Garden—after losing to them, one’s entire existence belongs to them.
Of course, in the Teyvat Universe, Noah would never introduce sothing overpowered like "Organizer Authority." At most, he would allow Primary Gods to apply for the "Organizer" status, but never grant them "Authority."
[Nahida: I also don’t need you to pay any price. As long as you join the Suru Pantheon after becoming a god, that is enough.]
[Emilia: Thank you, Great God of Wisdom, Lady Nahida.]
Although she still didn’t understand much, she had learned through the group that the gods of the universe belonged to various factions.
Just like the previous Royal Selection, once she beca a god, she would need to choose a side.
Thinking this, she felt a bit guilty. She hadn’t given anything and yet received help. There was no cost—only benefit.
Beco a god soday? Could she really do such a thing?
[Nahida: Then, I will now pass on the God of the Underworld’s blessing to you.]
As her words fell, a gentle light appeared before Emilia. Within the light, a deep purple, mysterious-looking circular object materialized.
This was an artifact crafted by "God of Salt" Havria.
If fate had not yet ended, this artifact could recall a soul from the Underworld after an untily death.
Moreover, it possessed the power to restore the body—even if only ashes remained, it could reconstruct them.
It was effective even in the main world of Teyvat, let alone in a foreign world.
In another world, a single artifact like this could revive a population of one million.
Emilia cupped the artifact with both hands, her violet eyes filled with excitent and anticipation.
The mont she touched it, the knowledge of how to use it appeared in her mind.
Puck, watching Emilia hold the suddenly appeared divine object, swallowed hard.
Emilia might not sense it, but as a great spirit—a "Beast of the End" capable of freezing the world—he could clearly feel the terrifying power it contained.
And he could only sense the power; he couldn’t understand it at all.
"Looks like Lia’s gotten help from a god. Did she pay any price?" That was still his biggest concern.
All desires co with a price—that is the truth of the world.
After Emilia explained everything, Puck finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"As expected of my daughter. You must repay this favor well in the future. Don’t worry, I’ll definitely help you, Lia."
Emilia clutched the "artifact" tightly in both hands and said urgently, "Puck, let’s say goodbye to Roswaal now, and then go back to the forest to release everyone from the ice."
Puck held up his cat paws and said, "Even if we don’t say goodbye and leave right away, it’s fine."
Emilia responded, "That wouldn’t be right."
However, Emilia did not et Roswaal.
Rem, who was cleaning, said flatly, "Lord Roswaal has already gone out. He didn’t leave any ssage, Lady Emilia."
Ram nodded. "Yes, Lady Emilia."
Emilia said, "Then, Ram and Rem, please help pass on a ssage to Roswaal. The Royal Selection has ended, so I’m returning to the Elior Forest."
Ram was taken aback. "Lady Emilia is going back?"
Emilia nodded. "Since the Royal Selection is over and I no longer have the premise of our travel contract, my agreent with Roswaal ends automatically."
Ram’s grip on her broom tightened slightly, but her expression remained as calm as ever.
"Understood, Lady Emilia. I will relay the ssage to Lord Roswaal."
If a contract cannot be fulfilled, it ans Roswaal’s plan has failed—and the agreent with her also collapses.
That ant the promised outco—Roswaal committing suicide to atone before her—was no longer valid.
Thus, Roswaal would not need to fulfill the final clause of the contract. But since his plan had failed, he still must take responsibility and end his life.
In the depths of her peach-colored eyes, murderous intent blood.
Ram held no special feelings for Roswaal.
Noah had not actively altered any part of the past.
Because the world instinctively follows the will of the Creator.
This world’s past had also been corrected by the world’s own instinct.
From Noah’s perspective, harboring special feelings for the one who massacred your parents and kin was absurd. It was no different from Stockholm Syndro.
It simply should not exist.
So it must be corrected—from the very beginning.
After Emilia and Puck left the mansion, Ram put down her broom, her entire being radiating killing intent.
"Roswaal, did you flee because you realized your plan had failed?"
She also had a "divine object" in her mind, and she understood that the world had changed.
"I will kill you."
—anwhile—
On a forest trade route in Kararagi.
Noah was holding Beatrice’s tiny hand in his large one.
Beatrice was humming a tune—if one listened closely, they’d notice she was softly calling his na. Absolutely adorable.
Suddenly, she looked up at Noah, puffing her cheeks. "Hey, as the Creator, you already have lots and lots of people like Betty, don’t you?"
Noah looked down into Beatrice’s eyes. "Yeah, that’s true. After all, I possess eternal life, and those who stay with also gain eternal life."
"Beatrice understands the pain of parting by death, so being together forever should be the greatest happiness for a spirit."
Beatrice spread both small hands toward Noah and said in a tsundere tone, "Don’t get the wrong idea, Betty isn’t jealous. Betty just wants to be with you forever. Forever and ever, you’re not allowed to leave Betty."
For spirits, separation by death is the most painful thing. Humans only live a few decades. In the past 400 years, she had seen so many people off.
Noah pulled Beatrice into a hug. "Betty, you really are adorable."
Beatrice asked, "By the way, Noah, where are we going?"
Noah: "Hmm, we’re here already."
Beatrice imdiately turned her gaze in a certain direction.
On a large stone by the roadside, a girl of fourteen or fifteen with long silver hair cascading to her hips stood quietly. A faint glow surrounded her, as though she had stepped out of a dream.
A voice so beautiful it could intoxicate ordinary people echoed:
"Good day, Great Lord. I have waited here in accordance with the destiny you arranged for ."
Beatrice frowned. "Who is it?"
The aura was similar to "Mother," but... it was a Witch.
Such depth, far surpassing even Mother—a far more powerful Witch.
Noah held Beatrice in his arms and looked at the very well-behaved Witch of Vanity, Pandora.
Her cuteness and silver hair struck a deep chord in him. Silver-haired girls really were his weakness
"Should I say you’re lucky or unfortunate, Witch of Vanity, Pandora? That na in particular..."
Pandora lowered her head slightly, her expression as saintly as ever. Every word from her lips sounded like a gentle plea.
"Unfortunate? Is Lord God planning to give a sorrowful fate?" she asked, tilting her head softly.
Beatrice grabbed Noah’s shoulder with her tiny hand and snorted. Witch of Vanity? Never heard of her. Shaless. Every word she spoke was flirting with Noah.
Noah chuckled. "It’s not that I want to assign you a fate. It’s that your Authority has reached a level beyond the norm—a Primary God-class transgression. Yet you’re still only a Quasi-God."
"Of course, that’s good for you. But the issue lies with your true na."
"Pandora. That na carries far too many implications."
Pandora said, "There are many people, or gods, who share my na. So it would stir dissatisfaction among the other Pandoras, wouldn’t it?"
Noah: "Very close, but the truth is far more brutal."
As he spoke, a golden shimr flashed in his eyes. Information was instantly implanted into Pandora’s mind.
Her expression shifted—surprise, shock, then returning to calm, her lips curling into an adorable smile.
"So that’s what it is. A ’True Na Contest’—a Gift Ga observed by the Supre God, reserved for gods to fight for the sole right to a unique na."
"Every mythical true na carries the power of origin. And so begins the battle for the one and only origin."
"If you lose, all your history, legends, mythology—everything—will be absorbed by the one true Pandora."
As she spoke, beautiful sky-blue tears welled up in her eyes. She was moved by her own thoughts.
"Ah—how wonderful. By defeating and plundering every other god bearing the sa na, one could gather all that divine might into a single self."
She looked at Noah, eyes and lips tinged with a coquettish gleam.
"Thank you for sharing such secrets, Great Lord."
"Is this your intention? To make your champion in the contest to beco the one true Pandora?"
Noah smiled. "That’s only your own interpretation. I won’t interfere in the True Na Contest."
At least, not overtly.
He liked many of the Pandoras across various worlds.
But he didn’t want just any Pandora. Most versions were the first woman created by the gods and given to mankind, the wife of Epitheus.
Naturally, he hoped for a pure Pandora to claim the title of "one true na."
Pandora smiled. "I understand. I will carry your hopes and beco the one and only Pandora in the entire universe, bringing victory to your feet."
The dream she had pursued her entire life was now within reach, revealed in her mind.
Noah grinned slightly. "Such sweet words. Then I shall await the day you beco the one true Pandora, Witch of Vanity."
Pandora politely bowed. "Then, is there anything else you need of ?"
She already understood that from this point forward, she would be under this unknown god’s command—perhaps as a subordinate, a pawn, or so other role.
She had now glimpsed a corner of the universe.
She knew this world was rely a single plane—a weak one, not even possessing true gods.
Noah said, "Your Authority is powerful. You already hold a trace of possibility to beco a Supre God. I hope you reach that step."
The Witch of Vanity, Pandora, possessed the Authority of "Phenonon Manipulation"—an ability that could directly alter causality and manipulate fate. It was essentially a low-tier version of the "Divine Pronouncent."
The "Divine Pronouncent"—also known as "God Said"—was a supre-tier Authority reserved for the highest gods.
Above Authority is Truth. So this was the most powerful Authority beneath the level of Truth.
A Second-tier Supre God could use "Divine Pronouncent" within the worlds they created.
If a god declared, "This world shall be destroyed," then it absolutely would be.
Even outside their own world, a Second-tier Supre God could still use it, though its effects would be greatly diminished.
However, in the Main World, it would beco ineffective due to the balancing presence of gods of equal rank.
Pandora’s "Phenonon Manipulation" was a lower-tier version of the Divine Pronouncent.
But even as a lesser Authority, it rendered her virtually unrivaled among peers. Even those stronger than her by a margin would find her difficult to deal with.
Among all the Pandoras Noah knew, her Authority was absurdly powerful.
Even the Pandora from Campione! couldn’t compare—hers relied on the unique "Circle of Usurpation," and she was basically just a figurehead.
"Lastly, the Sin Archbishops who haven’t appeared in the Chat Group—there’s no need for them to exist. The Witch Cult itself is unnecessary."
Pandora bowed once more as her figure began to fade. "Understood. Then, I will take my leave, Great Lord."
With that, she vanished into thin air.
"If she manages to ascend to the level of Upper God... with that Authority, she could slay even a Third-tier Primary God. Not bad."
Unfortunately, this world’s limits capped her growth.
Existences limited by world constraints were countless.
This world alone had several—those Witches included.
Not counting Reinhard van Astrea, who was no longer the world’s favored child.
Reinhard was a "hero" spontaneously born from the world’s instincts during its fractured state. The world had gambled half its future on him, granting him every divine blessing he could possibly need.
But his personal potential wasn’t especially high. Without the world-bestowed blessings, even reaching the level of a Middle God would be his limit.
Middle God—already the upper threshold for 99% of species across the entire universe.
Beyond that lies a whole different tier of life.
Beatrice huffed, "Hmph, what an annoying Witch."
Noah chuckled with a slight curve of his lips. "Betty, are you jealous?"
Beatrice wrapped her arms around Noah’s neck and pouted coquettishly. "Betty is not! That woman just talks like she’s always flirting—so irritating. Betty loves Noah the most, so she won’t get jealous."
Noah gently patted Beatrice on the back. "Then let’s move on to the next scene—a coup that will shake the entire world."
...
At the sa ti—
Watergate City of Priestella.
"Lady Pandora, you always appear out of nowhere! How many tis have I told you—you have no respect for my rights, my existence, or even as a person!"
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