"Huh? Become your follower?"
Kurose Akira raised a brow slightly at the Golden Peony Valkyrie's words, disbelief flickering across his face.
He couldn't understand why she had singled him out. Did she know him?
At the very least, he didn't think there was anything about him that would attract the interest of a god.
"Mmm~"
The Golden Peony Valkyrie gave a soft nod. With a gentle smile, she lifted both hands and cupped his cheeks.
A rich peony fragrance surged into his senses in an instant, flooding his nose.
It was a scent unlike anything he had ever experienced—far stronger even than the White Rose Valkyrie's floral aroma. It felt as though he had fallen straight into a boundless sea of blossoms.
"Will you submit to me?" Her sultry voice curled around his ears. "As long as you kneel beneath my Golden Peony, there are plenty of benefits~"
"…?"
Akira frowned slightly.
Something about her accent felt… off.
But he didn't have time to dwell on it.
"As for faith… my heart already belongs elsewhere. So, I'm sorry."
"I see…"
She smiled faintly, seemingly quite satisfied with his answer.
"What a pity. But if you ever change your mind, the gates of Golden Peony's divine realm will always remain open to you."
"Thank you for your favor, Lady Valkyrie," Akira replied with a polite smile.
Yet inwardly, he was still puzzled.
Did he really have some kind of connection to her?
No matter how long he thought about it, no answer came.
"Time's almost up~"
The Golden Peony Valkyrie only had half a minute of manifestation left. Straightening her full chest, she gave her final words:
"That woman still has one breath left—deal with her as you see fit. As for the priest who escaped, he's been cursed. His strength is barely a fraction of what it was. He won't pose much of a threat anymore."
As she spoke, her gaze shifted to Xu Feiyan, smiling softly.
"Does this fulfill your wish?"
"You have my deepest thanks!" Xu Feiyan replied immediately.
One dead, one crippled beyond recovery—
This outcome far exceeded her expectations.
Originally, she had only hoped to stall them long enough for the ritual to finish.
Yet the Golden Peony Valkyrie had reduced them to dust with a mere gesture.
"Mmm~"
Her gaze returned to Akira. With a light wave, she bid farewell.
"I'll remember you. If one day you reach the divine realm… come find me."
"…The divine realm…"
Akira fell silent for a moment, then asked, "Does it… still exist?"
"…."
The Golden Peony Valkyrie paused for a second.
Then, a strange smile curved her lips.
"You'll know when you get there."
With that, her figure gradually dimmed, dissolving into countless drifting peony petals before vanishing completely.
Akira frowned slightly.
Damn it.
Another one who speaks in riddles.
"Let's go check on that woman."
He immediately exited the small world and approached the heavily wounded woman—the Vice Chair of the Moonlit Council—now barely clinging to life.
Her magic was gone. Her heart had been pierced.
Only a final blow separated her from death.
"Y-you… who are you people…?"
Janet forced her eyes open, her voice hoarse as she questioned them.
Even now, she couldn't comprehend what had just happened.
Why had the long-vanished Golden Peony Valkyrie appeared?
And why had she turned against them?
"Why ask so much when you're about to die?"
Akira couldn't be bothered. He drew his dagger, ready to finish her.
"Wait! Don't kill me!" Janet pleaded in panic. "What do you want? I can give you anything! My husband is the Chairman of the Moonlit Council! His wealth—surely it's enough to buy my worthless life!"
"…That quick to surrender?"
Akira raised an eyebrow.
Then he glanced at Xu Feiyan. "What do you want to do with her?"
"Let the New Moon Priestess decide," Xu Feiyan said.
She gestured for Petiko to bind Janet and bring her back inside the small world.
The moment they returned, the ground was already glowing with countless crescent-shaped sigils.
"Is the ritual about to finish?"
Akira stepped forward eagerly, searching for the New Moon Priestess.
But after looking around—
She was nowhere to be found.
"…Where did she go?"
His expression turned puzzled.
"She's no longer here," Roxia said, shaking her head. Even after scanning every inch of the space, she found nothing.
"Akira, come look at this!"
Suddenly, Xu Feiyan and Petiko called out.
When everyone gathered, they saw it—
A pitch-black tunnel floating in midair.
It seemed to lead somewhere unknown.
But its diameter was barely half a meter.
Walking through it was impossible.
Only crawling would work.
"…She went in there?" Akira raised an eyebrow.
"Most likely…" Xu Feiyan said, holding up a tuft of cat fur she had found nearby.
"…Should we go in?" Akira asked hesitantly.
A half-meter tunnel…
And who knew where it led?
"Someone has to try. But who?" Xu Feiyan scanned the group.
"That's easy."
Akira smiled faintly.
With a flick of his hand, he created a spatial ring and summoned Camellia.
"Brat! What do you want? This progenitor was enjoying her nap!" Camellia snapped, clearly annoyed.
"You. Go inside and check."
"…You!"
She glared at him, then looked at the dark tunnel.
After a moment of thought, she bargained:
"One drop of your blood essence."
"Fine. Go."
"Hehe~"
She immediately transformed into a small bat and flew into the tunnel.
"Let's wait—"
But before Akira could finish—
"AAAAH! A ghost!"
"Help me! Brat! Save me—!"
Camellia burst out of the tunnel in a panic, screaming.
She flew straight behind Akira, hiding behind him.
"…What did you see?" he asked, frowning.
A Vampire Progenitor—essentially a demigod—scared like this?
Was she acting?
"IT'S COMING OUT! IT'S—"
"AAAH! IT'S HERE!"
In sheer terror, she dove straight into Akira's pants.
"Hey—what the hell are you doing!?"
Akira froze.
Idiot!
Stop flapping your wings in there!
Just as he tried to drag her out—
A leopard-spotted cat walked out of the tunnel.
"…What are you all doing?"
It spoke.
"…?"
Akira blinked—
Then immediately realized.
"That's… you, New Moon Priestess?"
"Yes," she replied calmly.
She scanned the group, then continued, "Thank you for protecting this place. Leave the rest to me. Where is the Waning Moon Priestess?"
"They've been defeated. Petiko, bring her forward," Xu Feiyan ordered.
Petiko tossed Janet onto the ground.
The moment the New Moon Priestess saw her, her pupils shrank in shock.
She had never expected this outcome.
Not only had they protected the small world—
They had defeated both the Waning Moon Priestess and the Vice Chair of the Moonlit Council?
"…How did you…?"
After several seconds, she finally asked, "Where is the Waning Moon Priestess?"
"He escaped, but suffered irreparable damage," Xu Feiyan replied.
"…Unbelievable. You defeated him with your own strength?" she said, astonished.
"You flatter us," Xu Feiyan smiled—then glanced at Akira, only to find him still struggling with his pants.
"Get out, you idiot!" Akira snapped.
"I won't! I won't!"
Camellia flailed wildly inside.
Akira sighed.
…Was she scared of the leopard-cat form?
So she really is a leopard cat…
"Go back to the guild!"
Finally losing patience, he forcibly sent Camellia away, saving his dignity.
"…Phew."
He exhaled, then turned to the New Moon Priestess—
Only to find her staring at him with a strange look.
"…Sorry. Minor accident."
He smiled awkwardly, then asked, "Did the ritual go smoothly?"
"With your help, it was a success."
She nodded, casually licking her fur as she spoke.
"Congratulations. You've completed your mission. The High Priestess of the Moon God will remember your contribution. When moonlight once again shines upon the empire… you will be its heroes."
"…That's great."
Xu Feiyan's lips curved into a smile.
This meant—
She had officially advanced to an A-Rank Guild.
The twenty-fifth in the world.
"What about her?" Akira pointed at Janet.
"…Her?"
The New Moon Priestess's cold, eerie gaze fell upon the dying woman.
"D-don't kill me…" Janet begged weakly.
"Kill her," the priestess said coldly. "Those who betray the Moon God deserve only death."
"NO—!"
"Ah—!"
Before she could finish—
Akira's dagger ended her life.
After all, her bonus trait couldn't be wasted.
[Janet defeated. Bonus Trait acquired — Blue Moon!]
As she died, a white orb of light floated out of her body.
"…What's this?" Akira asked.
"That is the physical manifestation of Moonlight Law," the New Moon Priestess explained. "When a bearer dies, it returns to the moon. But if another wielder of equal rank is nearby, they can absorb it and return it to the Moon God's statue for blessings."
She raised a paw, attempting to collect it—
But nothing happened.
"…Strange. Why isn't it responding?"
Just then—
Akira clapped his hands.
The light drifted toward him instead.
"…You—how did you do that!?" she exclaimed, stunned.
"…No idea."
He shrugged.
"…What exactly are you?" she muttered, narrowing her eyes.
Then—
Realization flashed across her face.
"Kid. Come with me."
She turned and headed into the tunnel.
"…Me?"
Akira hesitated. "That hole's too small—"
"Annoying."
She flicked her hind leg—
The tunnel expanded to nearly two meters wide.
"…Much better."
Akira stepped in, following her.
At the end of the long passage—
He arrived somewhere familiar.
The Moonlight Palace.
But this time—
It wasn't a dream.
It was real.
Thousands upon thousands of Moonlight Witch avatars lined the space.
And at the very end—
A towering statue, over a hundred meters tall.
The Moonlight Witch.
But something was… off.
In the dream, it had been carved from blue jade.
Yet here—
It looked almost alive.
Vivid.
Breathing.
As if it could awaken at any moment.