Sarina slowly pushed open the door and stepped into the pitch-black bedroom. After taking a quiet, late-night bath, she slid under the covers and lay on the soft mattress.
Turning her head, she noticed Mira's pale face illuminated by the faint moonlight streaming through the window. Traces of wet tears glisten on the girl's cheeks.
"Is she crying in her sleep...?" Sarina whispered softly.
Reaching out, Sarina gently wiped the tears away with her thumb. In her restless sleep, Mira felt the soothing warmth, a small, peaceful smile spreading across her lips as she instinctively reached out and held Sarina's hand tightly against her chest.
Sarina chuckled under her breath, her eyes softening with warmth. "You really are just like a needy little cat."
Unable to pull her hand away without waking the girl, Sarina closed her eyes, letting sleep claim her while holding Mira's hand tightly.
The next morning, Kael woke up early. He stepped out into the hallway with a bright, refreshed smile, stretching his arms. But the moment his eyes landed on Sara sitting near the kitchen counter, his smile vanished.
Her face was deathly pale, her eyes bloodshot, and dark circles shadowed her tired skin.
"Did you... actually sleep last night?" Kael asked, stepping closer with a worried frown.
Sara flinched slightly, her eyes darting away. "Y-Yeah... I slept great."
"Really?" Kael pressed, tilting his head.
"Yes, I slept fine," she lied softly, offering a weak, trembling smile.
Kael's brow furrowed. Without another word, he reached out and gently patted her head. The moment his palm touched her hair, a subtle wave of sleep magic washed over her, and Sara collapsed forward into his arms, completely unconscious.
Catching her securely, Kael carried her to the living room sofa.
"I'm sorry, Sara..." Kael murmured under his breath. "But after seeing your face like this, I have to check your memories."
Setting her down, Kael closed his eyes and sank into his deep spiritual consciousness, calling out to the ancient entity within his soul.
Drakes! Can we erase that horrific trauma Sara absorbed from Mira's mind?
Drakes' heavy voice resonated within his core. "Completely removing a psychological imprint is difficult, host. But Azune might be able to handle it."
Azune's cold, echoing voice cut in next. "I can construct a false memory to overwrite the traumatizing vision she absorbed."
A dark smirk touched Kael's lips. Do it.
Dark, distorted purple aura began radiating from Kael's body. He raised his hand, placing it gently over Sara's forehead.
Just as Azune prepared to cast the spell, Xiyan's calm voice intervened. "Hold on, Kael. This might not work the way you think."
What do you mean? Kael asked via telepathy.
"Sara was originally a system entity given a physical human vessel," Xiyan explained smoothly. "Her physical body functions like a human's, but her mind and memories are structured like a complex divine system."
Kael grunted softly. Doesn't matter. We have to try.
Azune warned him gravely, "Kael, to overwrite that specific memory, your mind will be dragged through her oldest, deepest subconscious records. You will witness her ancient past. The things she endured... you may not be able to tolerate them. If you want to save her mind, you must hold on no matter what you see."
Kael closed his eyes, letting out a bitter, silent laugh. I've seen rivers of blood and countless deaths. Nothing in this world can make me lose my mind.
Kael poured his energy into his hand, deepening the connection with Sara's mind.
WHOOSH!
In an instant, reality dissolved around Kael. He was pulled headfirst into the vast, ancient ocean of Sara's memories.
Images flashed violently before his eyes—gory battlefields littered with mountains of rotting corpses, forgotten divine wars, and horrific tragedies. He saw the very first time Sara took a human form; an rogue archer had ambushed her, slicing off both of her ears. That archer was once her master—a corrupted hero who tried to force her into his personal harem, only for Sara to reject him and suffer his wrath.
Then, the chaotic memories settled into a clear, vivid scene.
Kael found himself standing inside a cozy, sunlit wooden cottage.
A young, human girl with normal ears and glowing green hair sat at a wooden table, eating a plate of warm pancakes. It was Sara—centuries ago, before she became a system.
"Mom, I really love these!" the young Sara laughed, her cheeks stuffed with food. "They taste the best when you make them with your own hands!"
Her mother smiled warmly, reaching over to ruffle her hair.
The scene shifted to a bright morning. Sara woke up giggling as her mother scooped her up into a tight hug, spinning her around the bedroom.
"Mom! Dad! I love you both so much!" young Sara cheered, clapping her small hands.
Her father walked into the room with a deep laugh, pulling both of them into a warm family embrace. Together, the family left their cozy home and walked down the cobblestone streets of a bustling adventurer guild town. Watching the unfamiliar architecture and magic gear, Kael realized instantly: This wasn't Earth. This was an ancient, forgotten world.
Inside the crowded guild hall, people turned to admire the cheerful girl. "She's so beautiful," the townspeople whispered warmly.
The local Guild Master walked over to Sara's father, leaning in with a friendly chuckle. "You know, with beauty like hers, even the King might want her as a daughter-in-law someday!"
Sara's father burst into loud laughter, shaking his head. "Never! We already decided—even if Sara falls in love with a Demon Lord, we will accept him with open arms as long as she's happy!"
The Guild Master smiled broadly. "You really are an open-minded father."
"You don't agree?" the father teased.
"No, I feel the exact same way," the Guild Master replied warmly. "Just keep that quiet around the royal guards!"
As the adults laughed, the Guild Master kneeled down in front of young Sara, his eyes filled with awe. "They say this little girl was born with the rare divine blessing to see into the future... Tell me, little Sara, can you see who your future husband will be?"
Sara looked up with innocent, glowing green eyes. She opened her mouth and spoke a name—a soft whisper that was completely muted to Kael's ears.
Before Kael could process what she had said, the idyllic scene shattered like glass.
The warm sunlight vanished, replaced by a bleak, rain-soaked graveyard overlooking a completely destroyed, burning town.
A seventeen-year-old Sara stood alone before two freshly dug graves, her hands covered in dirt, her green hair matted with blood and rain. She wept hysterically, clutching the cold earth where her parents lay buried.
"I will kill them..." Sara sobbed, her voice trembling with a terrifying, hollow rage. "I will slaughter every single demon who destroyed my family... who destroyed my home!"
As Kael watched in horror, the memory zoomed out. Behind the teenage girl lay a horrifying sight—an entire plain covered in the corpses of over ten thousand demon soldiers. Sara had slaughtered an entire army completely alone, digging ten thousand graves with her bare hands until her fingers bled.
Suddenly, a blinding golden light descended from the dark storm clouds.
A majestic, ethereal figure stepped down from the sky, hovering above the sea of blood.
Sara wiped the tears and mud from her face, glaring up at the divine being with hollow eyes. "Who the hell are you?!"
The entity offered a gentle, mysterious smile. Her long, snow-white hair fluttered in the divine wind, and her brilliant golden pupils glowed like twin suns.
Kael's breath hitched in his throat. He stood frozen in shock. Why... why does this goddess look so much like me?!
"In the divine records of destiny, your birth was written, but your death does not exist," the White-Haired Goddess spoke, her voice ringing like silver bells. "Yet, you possess no immortality from the Supreme Gods."
"I asked you who you are!" Sara screamed back through her tears.
"I am the Goddess of Destiny," the white-haired woman replied softly. "Do you wish to take vengeance upon the demons who stole your happiness?"
"I don't have the strength..." Sara sobbed, clutching her bloodied hands. "All I can do is see into the future..."
The Goddess of Destiny tilted her head, her golden eyes sparkling. "You can observe the destinies of others as well, can you not?"
"Yes..." Sara whimpered.
"Then look into my future," the Goddess commanded smoothly.
Sara raised her tear-stained eyes, channeling her divine sight into the Goddess. The moment her gaze locked onto the white-haired woman's fate, the memory turned pitch-black. Kael couldn't see or hear a single thing for a long, agonizing moment.
When the darkness finally cleared, Sara was holding a array of glowing, high-tier divine weapons.
"I will do anything you ask, My Lady," Sara pledged, kneeling before the Goddess with absolute devotion.
The Goddess smiled warmly down at her. "Defeat the remaining demon horde. When your vengeance is complete, we shall speak again."
"Yes!" Sara declared.
With a flash of light, the memory fast-forwarded. Sara fought through endless legions of demons, wielding the divine weapons with terrifying precision until the last demon fell. When the war finally ended, the Goddess of Destiny reappeared, welcoming Sara into her divine realm and bestowing upon her the core system that would eventually lead her to Kael.
FLUP!
The deep historical memory stream abruptly cut off, locking itself back into the deep vault of Sara's subconscious.
Navigating back to the recent memory layer, Kael found the residual traumatic memory she had absorbed from Mira. Working with extreme care, Kael used Azune's void magic to gently dissolve the nightmare, completely erasing the horror from her mind.
Kael snapped his eyes open, breaking the mental connection.
He stumbled backward, gasping heavily for air, cold sweat drenching his shirt.
"What... what the hell did I just witness...?" Kael panted, his chest heaving.
Looking down at Sara's peaceful, sleeping face on the sofa, Kael felt an overwhelming wave of heartache wash over him. He gently lifted her into his arms, carrying her down the hallway and laying her softly onto his bed.
Tears welled up in Kael's golden eyes, spilling down his cheeks as he stared at her quiet face.
"Compared to what you've suffered..." Kael whispered, his voice cracking with profound sorrow as he pulled the blanket over her shoulders. "My own pain... is nothing at all. I thought my grief was as vast as the sun... but your pain... your pain spans the entire universe."