But some viewers still couldn't hold it in.
...
: Caenis really made me laugh.
: I thought she'd give some long speech, but in the end… still relies on the Chrysos Heirs to return to the golden age?
: What a face.
: If even a bit of what she said had been people-centered, I might've thought a bit more highly of her.
: Now this is just a straight-up power grab.
: Wants to overthrow the Chrysos Heirs, yet can't do without them, I'm really out of words.
: How can someone be this stupid?
: Unexpected, yet somehow expected.
: Clown.
: Hahaha, seeing how confident she is, I can't wait for the moment she learns the truth.
...
In the arena, Caenis' persuasion continued.
She painted for everyone a future based on Anaxagoras's promise.
This vision was: if Castorice and Anaxagoras successfully retrieved the Death Titan's Coreflame, but no one passed the it's trial, what would happen?
Death would disappear from this world.
Amphoreus would return to an era where all things live forever, a brand-new future completely different from the Flame Chase Journey.
Leaving aside the existence of things like the Black Tide in this world, just the idea of immortality alone was enough to make the audience lose it again.
But that wasn't all. Caenis looked at Aglaea, a trace of satisfaction flashing in her eyes, and said confidently, "And the threat the Chrysos Heirs speak of, have any of you ever seen it, even once, within the solemn Holy City?"
"If we eliminate death, then there will be no need to fear the Flame Reaver or the Black Tide, right?"
This was clearly persuasion rooted in survivor bias. Yet the council members in the hall began whispering among themselves, more than half of them seemed quite convinced.
...
: I think Caenis wants to get shot.
: Abundance: Is this my business too?
: Is this idiot on the Path of Abundance or something? Could the third Path of Amphoreus be the Abundance? Why does it not look like it to me?
: Don't make me laugh. Don't worry, the Path of Abundance wouldn't bless an idiot.
: This is seriously ridiculous, damn.
: The Chrysos Heirs kept the threats outside the city, that's why you've never seen them in the Holy City.
: Damn, if I were Aglaea, I'd just blow everything up right now.
...
After that, at the end of this Citizens Assembly, Caenis made a promise to the assembled council members.
The Hand of Death, Castorice, would find Thanatos' Coreflame. And just like Kephale's Coreflame, it would be sealed and preserved in its original state.
With the Council of Elders, combined with Phagousa's water veil, it was enough to make the council members believe that the future Caenis described was real and within reach.
As her words fell, cheers rose higher and higher.
People of different attire and identities raised their arms high, as if that beautiful future beyond the Golden Age was already within grasp.
And all of this was seen by Lygus, who had been quietly observing the entire time.
Once the noise settled, this Theoros stepped forward and loudly announced:
"Okhema has chosen her destiny."
"The agenda of this assembly will be changed to Pausing the Flame Chase Journey. This resolution will be posted before the Memorial Wall of Heroes. All citizens shall be informed of the city-state's path forward."
As his words fell, on the other side, Aglaea merely shook her head, then left without hesitation, taking the others with her toward the adjacent lounge.
The Assembly is divided into the council session and the formal convening.
At this moment, the council session had just finalized the agenda, so the Chrysos Heirs still had a chance.
Before the formal session, they still had some time to prepare.
Meanwhile, Castorice, standing behind Anaxagoras, seized the opportunity and quietly followed along.
...
Inside the lounge, Aglaea stopped, used golden threads to ensure no one was present, then sat down and waited patiently.
Phainon was the same, he had a lot to say, but knew this wasn't the time to speak.
Only Stelle failed to sense the subtle atmosphere in the air and scratched his head, saying:
"Aglaea… I feel like we just won a crushing defeat at the assembly."
Aglaea let out a soft laugh. "A victorious defeat? What an interesting way to put it. But I don't think the situation has deteriorated to that extent."
"But Castorice and Anaxagoras…" Stelle began to speak, hesitating over whether to continue, when suddenly, a sound came from outside the door.
"Lady Aglaea, I'm back." Castorice pushed the door open.
Stelle and Phainon both looked over immediately.
Aglaea, meanwhile, smiled and nodded at Castorice. Although everything seemed to indicate that Castorice and Anaxagoras had betrayed the Chrysos Heirs, Aglaea didn't believe so.
She quietly watched Castorice, waiting for her response. Castorice did not hide anything.
After some effort, she carefully recounted everything she had witnessed while traveling with Anaxagoras, every magnificent detail.
Time passed, second by second. Aside from Aglaea, Stelle and Phainon were both shaken.
"That's the general situation…" After finishing, Castorice stood obediently in place, waiting for Aglaea's response.
"You already had every reason to seek an audience with Thanatos. It's that Great Performer who has weaponized your wishes and placed us in this difficult situation."
After a long while, Aglaea let out a breath and shook her head. Though her expression remained calm, a storm had already risen within her heart.
Refining Kephale's soul, even briefly sharing Kephale's vision and memories, and reincarnation… demigods and Titans… each piece of information required time for her to process and understand.
"…Hah." Forcibly suppressing her thoughts, Aglaea looked up at the guilt on Castorice's face and shook her head.
"I have always hoped to hear you speak your mind, Cas, and I am glad to have heard your true thoughts."
"Styxia... I've visited that place in the past. Though it is now an island surrounded by the River of Souls' torrents, it's not hard to see its former splendor..."
"Go. I will not stand in your way."
The expression on Castorice's face grew even more complex, gratitude, and even deeper guilt. But she still met Aglaea's eyes directly, pressed her lips together, and nodded.
"I will, Lady Aglaea. And… I would like to invite Lady Stelle to join me on the journey to find Thanatos."
Aglaea nodded in approval. "Since Stelle is someone who has cheated death. I believe she have more than enough reason to make the trip with Castorice and meet the god of "Death" themself."
"Castorice, I too look forward to your journey. I wonder what kinds of new interpretations your completed story will bring to the Flame-Chase Journey."
Castorice's arrival and her honesty… greatly reassured Aglaea and the others.
After all, no matter what, it was now certain that Anaxagoras and Castorice had not truly betrayed them.
Aglaea saw through the essence of the matter at a glance, Anaxagoras had his own goal.
This goal might not necessarily conflict with the Chrysos Heirs. But at the same time, he held no desire for the Coreflame or for power.
No matter what Anaxagoras intended to do with the Coreflame, at the very least it wouldn't affect the progress of the Flame Chase Journey.
That alone set him fundamentally apart from Caenis.
And to be honest… Whether demigods would become Titans, and whether the truth of re-creation was truly such a cycle, Aglaea no longer had the will to investigate these things.
After the initial shock, her attitude toward these so-called "truths" quickly turned indifferent. So what if they were true? So what if they weren't?
The end was already right before their eyes, could anything really change because of this information?
If re-creation truly meant the Titans remaking the world, then all the better, it would at least prove that Amphoreus could still be saved.
And if not, it didn't matter. The Flame Chase Journey was already halfway through; there was no turning back now.
Even if the end was total destruction, it was still better than doing nothing.
The humanity that remained in Aglaea's heart had long since been worn down to nothing but exhaustion, only others couldn't see it.
In front of others, she was still the pillar that held up Okhema, the unshakable golden framework.
"Then it's settled, Die. No time to waste. You and Stelle should rest for the night and set out tomorrow. Try to return before the Citizens' Assembly begins."
After Aglaea finished speaking, Phainon interrupted from the side.
"I hate to put a damper on this heartwarming moment, but... If Styxia is now "an island surrounded by the River of Souls' torrents," then how do we find a way in? Lady Tribbie is probably..."
Like Aglaea, he had accepted Castorice's words with astonishing speed, something no ordinary person could manage.
Right now, his mind was entirely focused on how to reach that place. But Aglaea already had a plan.
"The answer is quite simple."
"In the myths, Zagreus once made the domain of the dead their treasure vault, that is to say, they could enter and leave the nether realm as they pleased."
"And if they could do that... then it follows that the demigod who inherited their divinity must be capable of the same."
"I'll see you at Marmoreal Palace at Action Hour tomorrow. Cipher shall be your guide to finding that ancient city."
As her words fell, the audience instantly grew excited.
A new demigod! And one who had been hinted at since the very first episode, a mysterious demigod all along.
Who would have thought… it would be the demigod of trickery?!
They were full of anticipation.
On screen, the group dispersed and returned to rest.
Stelle went back alone to the bath hall within the Marmoreal Palace.
Since Dan Heng was still at the Grove, she had no way to share what she had learned today with her friends.
Holding Mem as a pillow, she fell asleep.
…
Early the next morning, Stelle brought Mem along and headed for the Marmoreal Palace.
But before reaching the meeting point, they were stopped by a large crowd.
They were the people of Okhema. Not just locals, refugees who had come seeking shelter were also there.
It seemed a heated conflict had broken out.
Stelle's old habit of loving a good spectacle flared up again. Unable to resist, she quietly snuck behind the crowd with Mem and pricked up her ears.
A barrage of harsh insults immediately hit her.
Enraged Oronyx Devotee: "I want to vote! Tell me how I can vote!!"
Stelle almost burst out laughing. She looked up.
The crowd had split into two factions. One side was led by followers of Oronyx, these people were clearly agitated, furious, and had lost all reason.
The other side followed Talanton. Though their expressions were unpleasant, they still retained basic rationality.
"Take your ceramic shard engraved with the Kephale rune, select the Council of Elders in your heart, and pray silently until the shard registers your choice. Then toss it into the dolium."
Suppressing his anger, a Talanton follower said coldly.
The audience immediately understood what he meant, it was probably a kind of voting process.
However, although this man restrained himself, the Oronyx follower showed no such courtesy.
"The Council of Elders? More like the council of buffoons! The black tide took my hometown long ago! Who are they kidding with bringing back Era Chrysea? It's all a sham to create their own Era Chrysea in Okhema!"
The man spoke with extreme vulgarity.
The rational Talanton follower took a deep breath and explained again, "The Titans are just... So long as we do not overstep our bounds again, we will not incur divine wrath."
As soon as he finished speaking, the Oronyx follower became even more furious, this time even dragging the Titans into his insults:
"Oh, please. The time when these deranged Titans should have vacated their spot to the demigods is long overdue! You'll see soon enough, you old fogey!"
With that, he viciously threw the pottery shard in his hand to the ground and crushed it under his foot.
"You…!" Even the most patient person couldn't endure this any longer.
"I pray that Talanton smacks some sense into you with their scales. We shall see how this turns out!"
After saying that, he stormed off in anger.
Immediately after, those standing behind the Oronyx follower burst into cheers and curses.
"Only demigods and the Chrysos Heirs are the realistic choice! Back in the Temple of the Three Fates, we should've beaten your brains out!"
The audience, were thoroughly entertained.
...
: Peak trash-talking!
: Even the Titans got roasted.
: Damn, so this is what Oronyx followers are like.
: I can't hold it in anymore.
: It's interesting, those who've lost their reason support the Chrysos Heirs, while the rational ones support the Council of Elders… fascinating.