Late into the night, sowhere within Fontaine's borders...
Luo Qing stood atop a solitary mountain peak, clad in his Harbinger's uniform. Beside him, Ei was dressed in a loose lavender yukata, her elegant figure blending softly with the night.
The two gazed down in silence at the sleeping city of Fontaine below. Under the quiet, starlit sky, they seed to rge with the shadows, their surroundings utterly devoid of life—not even a stray bird or beast stirred nearby.
It was the dead of night, and apart from them, the mountain was completely deserted.
Ei occasionally stole glances at Luo Qing, a small sense of joy bubbling within her.
So Theresa was right... Waiting in the living room might actually lead to eting Luo Qing during his late-night wanderings.
Though the situation hadn't unfolded quite as she'd envisioned, Ei was thrilled to have the rare opportunity to act alongside him again.
This can be our little secret, she thought.
Even my sister doesn't know...
But just as her thoughts began to drift, a sharp pang shot through her head.
Ugh... Not now...
Couldn't the Shogun wait a bit longer?
Ei rubbed her temples discreetly, careful not to make a sound.
Still, Luo Qing noticed. Turning toward her, his expression softened with concern.
"Ei, what's wrong?"
"N-nothing," she replied, shaking her head. Her voice was soft. "It's just... the Shogun hasn't seen you in so long. She's throwing a bit of a tantrum..."
"The Shogun..."
Luo Qing's mind conjured up an image of the stern and imposing woman wielding a sword, radiating authority.
"Tell her that once I'm done here, I'll go see her."
"Alright..."
Ei blushed faintly and gave a small nod. It seed even the Shogun had heard Luo Qing's words, for her tantrum finally subsided, and Ei's headache eased.
"Alright then," Luo Qing sighed as he turned his gaze toward the horizon.
Without further ado, he willed the system's interface into existence, summoning the gacha nu.
"Let's do this!"
Throwing his head back, Luo Qing raised his arms theatrically.
"Let's see if you're actually trying to screw over, system!"
Ei, unsure what he was ranting about, simply stood by quietly. Her focus shifted outward as she extended her spiritual senses, remaining vigilant in case of any intruders.
Monts later, streaks of violet light danced across Luo Qing's vision as he started pulling.
With plenty of Frustration Points to spare, he paid no attention to the purple-tier items. His eyes stayed fixed on the gold-tier glow he was waiting for.
Finally, during the ninth set of ten draws, a golden light burst forth.
Seven chess-like pieces materialized before him, floating in the air like celestial relics.
[The Divine Gambit (Gold)]
[Item Description:]
Seven chess pieces, each representing one of the seven aspects of divinity. To claim their power, you must pass their trials and earn their acknowledgnt.
[Note:]
Resurrection items are disabled during trials. Death will be permanent.
"..."
"Well, at least it's not as bad as I thought..."
Luo Qing exhaled deeply in relief. "Looks like the system isn't trying to kill after all..."
With a wave of his right hand, the seven dull, unlit chess pieces ford a ring around him.
"What is this..."
Ei stared at the chess pieces in disbelief.
They bore a resemblance to the Gnosis she once possessed, yet these were entirely devoid of divine power.
If she'd encountered them elsewhere, she might have dismissed them as ornantal replicas crafted from ordinary materials.
But since they ca from Luo Qing, they couldn't possibly be that simple...
"Luo Qing, what are these pieces?" Ei asked cautiously.
Luo Qing, however, didn't answer.
His focus remained fixed on the floating chess pieces. Occasionally, he gestured with his hand, causing them to rotate in a circle as he scrutinized each one.
In his view, six of the pieces were marked with locked symbols, their surfaces overlaid with gray question marks.
Only one emitted a faint green glow, inscribed with the following words:
[Trial: The World Tree]
[Reward: Divine Authority – Life]
"..."
So... this is payback, huh?
Luo Qing mused silently.
There's no such thing as a free lunch, and neither is there love born from thin air.
He had gained Bu'er—a devoted wife who had waited for him for five centuries—and Nahida, their adorable daughter, without giving anything in return.
Perhaps these trials were the price he had to pay to sow the seeds of those bonds.
"But what does 'no resurrection' an?" Luo Qing muttered inwardly.
If the trial involves traveling back in ti to et Bu'er and living alongside her, and she already rembers our shared history, doesn't that an the trial is essentially guaranteed to succeed?
No... If success were guaranteed, the system wouldn't bother including that disclair...
Luo Qing shook his head. The ominous aura surrounding The Divine Gambit was too strong to ignore. He couldn't believe it would be as straightforward as it seed.
Suddenly, a thought struck him.
He recalled Bu'er's story of their first eting and the millennia they'd spent together.
In the tale's final monts, he had died in her arms.
"Or... does this an that even if I die during the trial, it won't change the fact that Bu'er and I t?"
The system had explicitly stated that resurrection items wouldn't work in the trial. No substitutes or second chances.
If this was the case, then his death during the trial would be real.
Luo Qing's breathing grew heavier.
Following this logic, I could go back in ti, complete the trial, and die—without affecting the tiline where I first t Bu'er.
Whether I succeed or fail, the tiline remains intact.
I will die in Bu'er's arms.
And I will still et her years later through the Akasha network.
But for the wives waiting for back ho... they'll lose forever. There will be no Luo Qing in their future.
"Phew..."
Luo Qing's breaths ca slower, heavier.
Noticing his distress, Ei stepped forward and gently took his arm, her voice laced with concern.
"Luo Qing, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell, or is sothing else bothering you?"
"No..."
Luo Qing glanced at her and patted her hand gently.
"Don't worry. I'm fine."
No matter how dangerous the trial is, I don't have to take it, right?
The system can't force to do this... can it?
"Are you sure...?"
Ei remained skeptical. She had spent enough ti with Luo Qing to recognize that his current expression—so weighed down with pressure—was highly unusual.
What could those seven chess pieces possibly represent to unsettle him so much?
"I'm sure," Luo Qing replied with a soft smile. He reached out and ruffled her hair affectionately.
Seeing the concern in her eyes, a thought crossed his mind. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he pulled her close.
"Ei..."
Pressing his forehead gently against hers, he spoke in a tender voice.
"I was thinking... Could we...?"
"Huh?!"
Ei's eyes widened in surprise.
Why did the topic shift so suddenly?
Then again, considering what she had prepared for tonight...
"W-well, should we head back first...?"
"No..."
Luo Qing shook his head, his voice a soft whisper.
"Right here..."
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