0% As Karlstein was about to savor Sephiroth’s expression cracking like thin ice...
“What do you want?”
Her clear eyes locked onto him, and her abrupt change in expression caught him so off guard that he flinched, unable to hide his surprise.
Until now, he had believed her incapable of emotional shifts, but this was different. The stark stillness of her gaze rendered him montarily speechless.
It wasn’t just that she seed inanimate—it was worse. Her expression radiated a profound, oppressive tedium, as though she refused to expend even the smallest effort on emotion. The chilling weight of that single mont was enough to make his spine tingle.
For an instant, he felt the crushing enormity of the unimaginably long years she had endured.
“... You’re not normal, are you?”
“...”
Karlstein could not help blurting out his thoughts. Her state... could not be normal.
It was truly strange—a contradiction that defied explanation. She exuded a tedium as vast and unfathomable as an abyss, yet felt as emotionless and unyielding as an inanimate object.
It was as if the battle until now had been nothing more than an illusion. She stood before him with her defenses completely lowered, simply staring.
“...”
Karlstein wiped away all the thoughts and plans he had been considering.
Fluster her? Intimidate her? Take control of the situation?
No. None of those strategies would work against her. More precisely, none of them would matter to her. Though her gaze was fixed on him, it was not the act of truly looking.
She was utterly still, like a machine that had ceased to function. Even her question—asking what he wanted—felt chanical, a strained attempt at interaction, as if it was the best she could manage.
“...”
As bewildered as Karlstein was by her unprecedented behavior, what truly unsettled him was how strangely familiar it felt.
A being whose emotions and heart had been eroded by the terrifying passage of endless ti. Was this the archetype of an immortal? If even more ti passed, would one eventually beco like a Single Number...?
No, this is different from .
He shook his head to dispel the thought. Thanks to his ntal Invariability trait, which fixed his mind to the ti of his transmigration, he was certain he would not end up like that.
Either way, engaging in a battle of wills with soone in her state was pointless. Cutting to the chase, Karlstein spoke directly about what he wanted.
“From now on, I need you to fully cooperate with whatever I request.”
“...”
She didn’t respond in any way. She just stared at him blankly.
“Anything less than that level of cooperation is aningless. I’m prepared to make it happen by force if necessary.”
“...”
It was a one-sided request for cooperation that could hardly be called a negotiation. It was little different from telling her to submit.
Karlstein waited for her response.
“...I refuse.”
“Is that so? Then there’s only one conclusion for us.”
Either you die or I die. A fight to the death. Clashing opinions until one of us gives up.
But before Karlstein could take action, she spoke first. It was eerie, like a nutcracker doll, only her mouth moving up and down without any other movent.
“Ask for one thing, anything you want.”
Her words were getting shorter. Was there nothing left to hide?
“What’s the reason?”
For a mont, he caught a fleeting glimpse of overwhelming tedium emanating from her. Though she was keeping it in check, the balance felt as fragile as thin ice, ready to crack at any mont.
“Such continuous cooperation is impossible.”
“Is that so?”
Her response did not feel like an outright rejection of his proposal. Was it laziness? Whatever the case, she seed willing to grant any request, but only as a one-ti concession.
“Alright. Then I’ll change the conditions.”
Karlstein quickly recalibrated his approach, weighing her current state. Gaining direct cooperation from Sephiroth herself appeared out of reach. Since that was the case...
“Hand over full authority over the clan you rule.”
Her pupils contracted upon hearing that.
“Your answer?”
“...”
Was this an issue that required deliberation?
After spending so ti motionless, she moved.
“Fine. However, I have a condition of my own.”
“Hmm. A condition...”
The implications of gaining full authority over Sephiroth were far from trivial. It was only natural for her to impose conditions, and Karlstein was prepared to accept them within reasonable limits.
After all, securing control over Sephiroth ant acquiring unparalleled mobility.
If the defining trait of the Integrated Dinsional Community’s dinsional cluster was connection, then Sephiroth’s most significant strength was undeniably movent—be it through their bloodline abilities, advanced technology, or priceless treasures.
With their dinsional travel capabilities under his command, the Galactic Empire would have little to fear, whether it be for conquering 《Three Thousand》 or countering the erratic activities of 《Chaos》.
And it’s absolutely essential for taking down the remaining Single Numbers.
The locations of most of the remaining Single Numbers were not fixed. This was not because they could not be tracked, but because their very existence was inherently indeterminate.
“What’s the condition?”
So while Karlstein was prepared to accept most reasonable terms...
“Raise a child of my clan as my successor.”
He never imagined it would be sothing like this.
In a way, her condition reflected that curt attitude of hers. Perhaps she was simply being hopelessly lazy.
How should he interpret asking soone else to raise her successor?
“...I have no hobby of childcare.”
She did not react to the joke, only waiting silently for his answer.
“I assu there are additional conditions?”
For example, guidelines for raising the successor, criteria for success, specific thods, or any precautions he had to follow.
It was obviously not a matter to approach lightly.
“...”
After a mont of silence, she slowly began to answer.
“Entirely as you see fit.”
In other words, it was up to his discretion.
“However, the succession is only complete when the successor can annihilate .”
“...”
What an odd condition, asking him to raise a successor capable of killing her.
Karlstein tried to probe further with more questions, but she offered no additional answers, simply waiting for his decision in silence.
“Alright, I accept.”
The corners of her mouth curved into the faintest hint of a smile.
“I’ll be looking forward to it.”
Only then did emotion return to Sephiroth’s face, like when they had first t.
She left with a parting remark—not to summon her again until her successor was ready.
“...”
Even after she disappeared, Karlstein replayed their conversation in his mind, searching for potential pitfalls. Yet, there did not seem to be any.
She had said he could handle it however he saw fit, entirely at his discretion. There was not even a set deadline, aning he could choose to ignore it altogether if he wanted.
Not that I plan to go that far.
With the negotiation concluded, a strange sense of emptiness settled over him.
Surely she won’t just break her promise and run off...?
His thoughts were interrupted as particles of light began to coalesce around Karlstein.
The planet-sized white tree, which had remained steadfast even after Sephiroth’s departure, started shedding its light like cherry blossom petals. These shimring fragnts drifted toward Karlstein, sinking into him as the tree slowly diminished in size.
Eyes closed as he assessed the situation, Karlstein suddenly exclaid in shock.
“That lunatic...”
Had she simply fled? No—it was the complete opposite. Karlstein realized she had genuinely handed over full authority to him.
Though he could not touch the root of Sephiroth itself, he felt an overwhelming sense of omnipotence, as if the entire dinsion she ruled was now his to command.
When the planet-sized white tree had fully rged with him, he realized she had entered a long hibernation.
“Oh wow.”
It felt as if he had demanded money at knifepoint, and instead of rely complying, she had sold her land, her house, and even surrendered her lifeline, all with her eyes closed, leaving him free to do as he pleased.
The sheer thoroughness of it was almost suspicious.
Yet Karlstein was certain there were no hidden tricks. A being so utterly steeped in boredom would not bother with the effort of weaving botherso sches.
“Hmm.”
What Karlstein did not yet realize was that his status had risen to a level nearly equal to Sephiroth’s. Her decision to concede was fairly rational. She knew that any attempt to deceive or manipulate him would only escalate matters.
In any case, Karlstein put aside his doubts.
“Since it went well...”
But before he could gather his thoughts, a young girl suddenly appeared before him with a pop.
“...”
The girl froze, round-eyed. As if caught in the middle of bathing, her body was damp and modestly covered with large leaves draped over key areas.
Hovering in midair, Karlstein t her gaze and realized who she was.
The successor... candidate?
Sephiroth had sent a ssage along with the girl, who was randomly picked for the role. If he was not satisfied with her, he was apparently free to replace her or handle the matter however he liked.
Karlstein could not help wondering if it was okay to be so lackdaisacal about the whole affair...
“Girl. Do you know that you’re Sephiroth’s successo—“
“Ahhhhhh!”
Okay, so she doesn’t.
Karlstein used Ether to block her mouth.
“Mmph! Mmph!”
He felt a sense of sha, as if he had beco a kidnapper, but he pulled himself together.
A deal’s a deal, after all...!
“Na.”
Karlstein released his Ether to ask her na.
“AHHHHHHH—MMPH! MMPH!”
But it seed so ti was necessary to clear up the misunderstanding.
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