---o---
In the brilliant church, blooming flowers and floating light intertwined.
The holy and solemn hall was now filled with warmth and sunshine.
On the neat rows of pews, there was only one spectator: Mobius.
Mobius watched with a smile at the three figures beneath the massive goddess statue: the nun officiating the ceremony, the elf signing the contract, and the man who saw through everything.
Snake-Snake's gaze fell upon Elysia's slender jade fingers—or more accurately, upon the ring she now wore.
"Elysia, do you know the meaning of having a man personally place a ring on your finger in this church?"
"Oh? And what might that be?"
Lady Elysia was bathed in the holy radiance, her entire being shimmering.
The pink-haired elf was dazzlingly radiant at this moment.
She was in high spirits.
Elysia's acquisition of [Permissions] was by no means for herself alone.
She was also considering everyone else who would come here in the future.
Elysia naturally understood that even with [Permissions], she could not defy Ye Feng.
But even so…
The more power she had, the more she could do.
Even when faced with an impossible, desperate situation, Elysia would never give up or resign herself to fate.
She was always so optimistic, actively searching for that "glimmer of hope."
Furthermore, based on Elysia's observations, it seemed that acquiring [Permissions] in this world could, to some extent, be reflected in the Original World.
Mobius had used this method to rapidly reconstruct her own physical body.
If she could truly manifest the power of her Authority in the Original World, wouldn't the Herrscher of Finality be within easy grasp?
The tragic wish of the Thirteen Flame-Chasers could be realized, and the calamity that threatened humanity on this planet would finally come to an end.
Of course, this was just one possibility. She didn't know if the Authority could truly manifest.
But where there's a will, there's a way.
Even if Mr. Ye Feng said that the calamity of the Final Herrscher would stop with this civilization…
An extra layer of "insurance" was always a good thing.
Mm, it looks like I'll be busy from now on. I need to properly research the connection between this world and the Original World.
Elysia daydreamed about a beautiful future.
Mobius narrowed her eyes, her snake-like pupils fixed on the ring. "For the man to personally place the ring on your finger represents a pure and flawless love. It is a symbol of two people's firm commitment to stay together for life. And a seamless ring signifies that the love between both parties is pure and perfect, leaving no crack for others to slip through…"
As she spoke, a wave of annoyance washed over Mobius. She suddenly gritted her teeth and glared fiercely at Ye Feng.
Ye Feng understood the meaning in Snake-Snake's eyes: Little guinea pig, why is the ring you gave Elysia on her finger? There are clearly so many other places on her body where it could be worn!
Elysia spread her five fingers, looking at the brilliant ring on her finger, her eyes shimmering.
Then, she said with an air of release, "The meaning of things is endowed by people. In my eyes, this ring is just an ordinary medium for a vow."
"Hehe, just keep lying to yourself."
Seeing Elysia's unrestrained joy, a cruel arc formed on Mobius's lips.
"Little guinea pig, it's time to reward me."
Snap—
Ye Feng snapped his fingers.
The brilliant pink light radiating from Elysia's ring dimmed. At the same time, the ring itself blurred, flickering with static like an unstable television signal.
"Wh-What?!"
Elysia's pupils widened.
She clearly felt her "Authority" recede like a tide, and the "perceptive viewpoint" of seeing the world as a sandbox was gone.
"…Mr. Ye Feng?"
Elysia stared blankly at Ye Feng.
She had gone through so much mental preparation just to let Mr. Ye Feng place this ring with its special meaning on her finger.
Elysia's heart had been through a war with itself.
But before she could even taste the sweetness of her victory, the next moment, that "huuuuge [Permission]" had vanished.
"Ngh~~"
Elysia let out a muffled groan and her body went limp.
The act of revoking her [Permissions] seemed to have simultaneously drained all the strength from her body.
The pink-haired elf couldn't help but plant her palms on the floor, collapsing into a kneeling position in the church, her entire body inexplicably drenched in fragrant sweat.
Her pure white wedding dress, now soaked with the maiden's fragrant sweat, clung to her jade-like skin, revealing a taut and smooth texture, almost like a skin-tight bodysuit.
Elysia's once ethereal and transcendent aura immediately transformed into that of a restrained holy virgin.
Mobius leaped over with a cry, her speed astonishing.
She looked down from above at the elf kneeling on the floor. "You must be thinking 'why,' right? Hehe, it was me. I helped Bronya obtain the Core of Reason, and as for my reward~ it was to cancel your [Permissions]. Heehee."
Hearing this, Elysia's head snapped up as if she'd been struck.
She stared at Mobius without a word, her cherry lips pressed tightly together.
"This expression on your face, Elysia, it's truly exquisite. So intoxicating."
Snake-Snake squatted down slightly, the smile on her lips deepening. She used her index finger to lift Elysia's chin.
"I've always wanted to see you with this expression on your face."
From the moment they first met, the two had been locked in a game of "loving and killing one another."
However, from the Previous Era to the Elysian Realm, Mobius had always been on the losing side.
It wasn't until she entered Ye Feng's world that the tables had begun to turn.
And today, she had finally tasted the fruit of absolute delight.
Seeing Elysia get owned was just so much fun!
Snake-Snake turned her head to look at the nun still standing in the holy light.
"Aponia, are you just going to watch?"
Golden wings of light extended from the nun's back, slowly closing as she clasped her ten fingers together.
She finally spoke, her magnetic and gentle voice carrying an ethereal quality that seemed to have seen through the mortal world.
"It is too late for prayers. I will not repeat the same mistakes."
"There you go with those ambiguous words again. Honestly, I hate that kind of talk the most."
Mobius stood up. She was only as tall as Aponia's chest, but she spoke with arrogance, "I order you, disrobe!"
Aponia remained unmoved.
Their respective strengths were no longer important here.
Because they both had "Permissions"—[Permissions] of the same level. Neither could do anything to the other.
Mobius was of course aware of this. So, she turned to Ye Feng with a seductive smile.
"Little guinea pig, I'm very happy with the reward you gave me. So, I will give you a reward as well—right here, right now, I can serve you together with Aponia. Aren't you happy?"
Aponia: Hm?
Author PS: I suddenly remembered an old saying: "Success is born of secrecy, failure is born of disclosure."