"I want you to help our Giant tribe escape this land of exile." Norlanna's words left Chu Lian at a complete loss for how to respond.
"Does it sound difficult? No, in truth it isn't difficult at all. As long as we obtain a certain item, we can leave this place. In my foresight, that item is connected to a pure white girl who suddenly intruded from the outside world."
"I received this revelation three hundred years ago. I have been waiting ever since. After waiting so long, you have finally come. You have come..." Her voice grew slightly dazed, as though her thoughts had drifted back to the moment she first received that prophecy, to the overwhelming ecstasy she had felt then.
"But I'm just a nobody who hasn't even reached the Earth rank yet. How am I supposed to help you escape a world that no one who has become one of the exiled has ever managed to break through?" After a moment of silence, Chu Lian lifted her head, looked at Norlanna, and asked.
"This has nothing to do with strength. It has everything to do with capability. If it were about strength, then so many ancient gods would not be imprisoned atop the Extinction Volcano at the very center of this continent." Norlanna shook her head dismissively. Indeed, some things could not be solved with sheer power. A person with great strength did not necessarily possess great capability.
Don't believe it? Try asking a god to conduct a transaction with a Spacetime Traveling Merchant and see how many items he can produce that actually satisfy them.
Strength is a fixed value, while capability is a variable. It depends on many elements of a person, including—but not limited to—strength.
Norlanna's words made Chu Lian understand the reasoning. But understanding did not make it any more useful.
"Even if I accept that strength isn't the same as capability, much of capability still depends on strength. Even if you come to me now, I might not be able to help you." Chu Lian's voice was low. Clearly, she lacked confidence herself.
"I believe you certainly can. Prophecy has never been wrong. Moreover, it was given to me three hundred years ago. That means fate itself acknowledged that person could accomplish this—could lead us out of this prison." Norlanna's tone was resolute. Perhaps by now, that prophecy had become her final lifeline. No matter what, she had to grasp it. Otherwise, the Giant tribe would remain imprisoned here for all eternity, until they faded from space and time, reduced to a speck of dust in some legendary chronicle—then forgotten.
She did not want such an ending. That should not be the disaster the Giant tribe was forced to endure. It should be borne by those damned traitors who betrayed the Giants and cast their lot with Judgement.
"I understand your thoughts and your longing, but I don't think I have the ability to do it. Truly. This is my first time leaving my own world. It's my first time even knowing this world exists. And now that I understand the restraints here, I know that no matter what, they aren't something I can break." Chu Lian still refused. She genuinely did not believe she could accomplish it.
"But this is prophecy. This is prophecy. This is the final path of light that fate has given to our Giant tribe. If even this sliver of hope disappears, then we truly will sink into endless darkness and become nothing more than mud crushed beneath the wheels of history." Norlanna's voice carried sorrow. Her eyes rippled faintly, clearly resisting such a fate.
"..." Silence. A long silence. It was impossible to know what Chu Lian was thinking. But when that silence finally broke, her tone softened.
"Tell me how I'm supposed to help you. As long as I believe I can do it, then I will definitely help."
"The premise is that you provide sufficient compensation—enough for me to complete this matter, enough to ensure I gain something in return. I am not using the trading authority of a Spacetime Traveling Merchant for this deal. I am asking as a savior, as a hero, demanding compensation worthy of the immense risk I would have to take to rescue you."
Norlanna seemed prepared. The moment Chu Lian finished speaking, she dropped to one knee. Her left hand hung at her side, her right hand rested over her shoulder. She bowed her head and closed her eyes in reverence.
"Then our Giant tribe shall serve you for eternity, Your Highness Deloris."
"Th-This..." Chu Lian had not expected her to offer her greatest bargaining chip so directly. The suddenness of it left her stunned, her small mouth slightly open, at a complete loss for words.
"Do you find this compensation insufficient?" Norlanna did not raise her head. She did not stand. She did not open her eyes. She did not even attempt to sense Chu Lian's reaction. After receiving no reply for a long time, she finally asked.
"I..." Once again, Chu Lian did not know what to say. Was she supposed to admit that she was very satisfied—extremely satisfied? That would be shameless, wouldn't it?
"Then in addition, I—the Giant Prophet Norlanna—along with the Giant Princess Selina and the Giant Priestess Gulna, shall marry into your household, Your Highness Deloris. We are willing to serve at your side for all eternity. Would that satisfy you?" Norlanna nearly bit her lower lip as she spoke. If even such terms could not satisfy Chu Lian, she truly had no other options.
"Well, putting aside whether serving someone else forever after leaving here would just be another form of confinement... let's just say—you and I are a bit too mismatched in size, aren't we?" Chu Lian muttered helplessly, unable to decide whether to laugh or cry.
Indeed, perhaps due to the peculiarities of the Dark Giant tribe—or perhaps because she was a Prophet—although Norlanna was not as tall as the other giants, in Chu Lian's eyes, even standing on the same tabletop, she was nearly ten meters tall.
Though she possessed a beauty capable of rivaling the finest among any race, pairing that height with Chu Lian—who was barely one meter forty—felt far too incongruous.
Also, shouldn't I be complaining about why you're marrying into the household of a girl? That's not how this is supposed to work! If I were a man, I could accept this in wild delight—but I'm a girl! A girl! A girl...
Well, anyway, in short, basically, the point is—Urusai, urusai, urusai! I am a girl! Did you get something wrong here?
"It seems Your Highness Deloris is unaware that once our Giant tribe reaches the Heaven rank, we gain the ability to freely reduce our size. It is similar to how non-humanoid races such as dragons can take human form upon reaching the Heaven rank. After reaching Heaven rank, giants can likewise transform into the form of ordinary humans." Norlanna finally understood what Chu Lian was concerned about and explained calmly.
"That's something I hadn't considered. I've never encountered it before." Chu Lian thought it over carefully. It was true. Wasn't transformation practically a standard ability for monsters or non-human races? Even she, a pseudo fox spirit, could do it. There was no reason giants who had reached the Heaven rank wouldn't be able to as well.
"There's nothing else. So, Your Highness Deloris, what is your decision?" Norlanna maintained that same posture and asked cautiously.
"First of all, you still haven't told me exactly what you want me to do. If I agree now and later find out it's something I can't accomplish, wouldn't I be at a huge loss?"
"Second, why are you marrying a girl? Does the Giant tribe have that kind of preference? You have male giants too! If the men of your tribe found out the three of you were marrying a human girl, wouldn't they cry to the heavens and wail endlessly?"
"And lastly, how did you even come up with such a bizarre condition? Is your thought process different from most people's? I'm honestly curious about that. Also, all three of your names start with the same sound—are you sisters or something?"
After Norlanna asked her question, Chu Lian fired off a barrage of words that left the Prophet momentarily bewildered. The woman before her was either an Aqua—or someone with hidden motives. Chu Lian would rather believe it was the former...
"My request is for you to save our Giant tribe from this land of exile. As for how to accomplish that..." Norlanna's gentle words startled Chu Lian, yet also gave her a sudden realization. There must be connections here beyond her current comprehension. No matter what, accomplishing this might be difficult for her now—but once she reached the Heaven rank, it might not be impossible.
"I promise you I will do my utmost to rescue the Giant tribe. But do not forget what you have promised me." Since it was something that could potentially be completed, Chu Lian saw no need to refuse. An opportunity of this magnitude would never come again if she let it slip by.
"As for why we would marry a girl... Your Highness Deloris, may I ask—are marriages between different races wrong?" Instead of answering directly, Norlanna posed a question in return.
"No. Interracial marriages seem perfectly normal."
"Then is an age difference an obstacle?"
"Not at all. Age can even create a unique charm. For example, I quite like girls who are older than me."
"Is a disparity in height and weight a barrier?"
"That's even less of an issue. Everyone has their own preferences. As long as there is affection, being together is never wrong."
"What about differences in family background, strength, appearance, or even being from different worlds? Are those problems?"
"Well, they can be difficult. But in the eyes of someone with strength, background, power, appearance, even different worlds—they're practically the same as having nothing at all. It's not about whether they're problems. It's about whether you care."
"Then is love and marriage between the same sex something that cannot be acknowledged?"
"Of course not. I only like girls anyway. I have zero interest in boys. The only way I'd ever willingly get close to a man is if he were a skeleton."
"Since that is Your Highness Deloris' answer, then there is no issue." Norlanna repeated Chu Lian's own reasoning back to her. It took a moment before realization dawned on Chu Lian.
"Wait—how did you twist me around like that...?"
"May I ask, does Your Highness Deloris accept this condition, or not?" Although it was part of the compensation, Norlanna framed it as a condition.
Chu Lian fell into thought. After a while, she said, "Wait a moment. Let me think it through before I answer."
"I shall wait here." Norlanna nodded and fell silent, patiently awaiting Chu Lian's reply.
The girl claimed she needed to think, but in truth she sent a strand of her spiritual sense into the system and sought out Ayase.
"Ayase, Ayase, should I agree or not? I feel like there's something here I don't understand."
As if she had expected her arrival, Ayase sat on the sofa with her legs crossed, her dark eyes fixed steadily on her. "What do you think?"
"I don't know. I'm tempted—three giant girls, after all—but I can't be certain there isn't some hidden problem." Chu Lian nodded, then shook her head, leaving even Ayase uncertain of her true thoughts.
"Their purpose is actually very simple. It's the same as Mana's." After a brief silence, Ayase offered only that explanation and said nothing more.
Hearing this, Chu Lian felt a twinge of sorrow for herself. Do I really look that unreliable? Even if I'm not very old now, my heart is broad enough. If I promise to rescue the Dark Giant tribe, then I'll definitely do it. And it was you who proposed letting the Giant tribe become a race that follows me forever, wasn't it? If I have such powerful subordinates, why would I harm them? Wouldn't that be utterly pointless?
Still, she understood this was a cautious approach. Whether at home or abroad, offering daughters in marriage for the sake of peace had always existed—and the method was surprisingly effective.
Such political marriages were mostly exchanges of interests. There might not be much affection involved, but they were secure and relatively low cost. She simply hadn't expected to receive three at once.
"Accept them. How you deal with them in the future is your choice. For now, agreeing to her condition will ease her mind and prevent her from overthinking. If she continues to dwell on uncertainties, it could lead to problems." Seeing her hesitation, Ayase sighed softly and made the decision for her.
"Ayase, you..." Chu Lian looked at her with concern. She had already made enough mistakes on this journey. She did not want to hurt Ayase as well.
"No matter how you look at it, they're latecomers. I'm the first, so I'm obviously the primary wife. If I declare that they can marry in, then from now on they'll stand on the same side as me. With how large your harem is getting, if I don't find allies for myself, I won't be able to compete for your favor alone." As if aware of Chu Lian's worries, Ayase suddenly revealed a seductive smile. She reached out and lightly traced a finger along Chu Lian's cheek, whispering softly.
"All right. I don't fully understand what you're thinking, but it seems I was worrying too much." Even as she was teased like this, Chu Lian found herself smiling. She understood Ayase's temperament. If she could say such words, then she must not truly mind.
"Go on. Tell her your final answer. If there's anything you don't understand, come back and ask me." Ayase stood, placed a light kiss on her cheek, and sent her off.
"Then I'll go resolve this. Hopefully we can leave here soon..." Seeing her like this, Chu Lian finally set aside her concerns. She turned and departed, withdrawing that strand of spiritual sense and returning her consciousness to her body.
Actually... I do mind.
After she left, Ayase's faint sigh lingered in the empty space—yet who would ever know?