On my second playthrough, they were full of malice towards me.

Liao Ji only felt a blur before his eyes, and the next moment the nun was beside him.

Faced with such a vast difference in strength, Liao Ji had no chance to resist. With a crisp "crack" sound, a strong feeling of being restrained came from his right wrist.

Liao Ji immediately turned his head to look, and there, a pair of handcuffs had appeared, one end connected to him, and the other end...

"Hehehe. That's how you lock up Lord Ash, keeping him firmly by Tia's side!"

The other end of the chain was attached to the nun.

Styutia raised her hands, looking at the blood-red handcuffs that bound her and Liao Ji together, as if she were looking at the most beautiful work of art in the world, and let out a silly, happy laugh.

"Don't say that, Tia. Our relationship shouldn't need these external things to maintain it."

"No, Lord Ash, you don't understand. It's too late. You're right, Tia is no longer the person you know. Tia can never go back."

Styutia shook her head, a look of reminiscence flashing in her eyes.

After the Ash Emperor disappeared, the dragon girl "Tang Jiuyou" was the first to separate from the empire.

Styutia still clearly remembered what Jiuyou had said back then: if the Ash Empire did not have an emperor, then the empire would have no reason to exist. She would only be loyal to the emperor. Jiuyou believed that this was a test from Lord Ash to determine who was truly qualified to assist the emperor.

Despite Styutia's attempts to persuade her to stay, Jiuyou ultimately led her subordinates to create her own "Dragon Kingdom" to prove her abilities.

And this was like a domino effect, the beginning of Styutia's nightmare.

Because, soon influenced by Tang Jiuyou's views, "Zero," as an intelligent machine, also agreed with Tang Jiuyou's approach through calculation and analysis. As a result, Zero also left the Empire, taking with it countless technological wisdom, and created the [Mechanical Alliance] to wait for the Emperor.

same

No matter how much Styutia tried to persuade her to stay, it was no use.

After Zero, the next one was Lena, and the next one after that. Even Anno, who was always the most mature and composed, left the Empire.

Throughout the entire process, Styutia could do nothing but watch helplessly as her former companions left one by one. The empire that Lord Ash had painstakingly built, which she regarded as a "home," crumbled in just a few months.

Styutia's eyes gleamed red; she would never forget the pain she had endured back then.

pain

It hurts too much.

"It's because of my weakness, it's all because of me. It's because I failed to protect the Empire and preserve our home for Lord Ash."

These truths about the collapse of the "Ash Empire" five hundred years ago, which flashed through Sciutia's mind, also appeared in Liao Ji's mind through the chains connecting the two.

Even though it was just a few scenes, Liao Ji could deeply feel the nun's despair and helplessness at that time.

After that, when all the other four acknowledged that this was their "test," it was clear that Styutia had no choice but to believe it as well.

So, in order to pass the test and avoid being abandoned by herself...

Sthija led the last remnants of the Ash Empire—the least desirable part after being chosen by the other four—back to the place where they first met, where she established her Holy Kingdom.

And so, five hundred years passed.

Jiuyou's Dragon Kingdom became the strongest force on this continent, possessing overwhelming military power, while Zero's Mechanical Alliance became the largest weapons supplier and the center of all wealth.

Lena's Magic City has become the center of the world, with the most powerful intelligence network. Although Anno's Forest Alliance does not concern itself with worldly affairs, it is sought after by everyone because it has magical power comparable to "Turbid Calamity".

And what about her?

"Tia's Holy Kingdom has no powerful army, no endless wealth. Tia only wanted to create a pure land where everyone could live happily. But... but now, even this last thing Tia could boast about to Lord Ash is gone!!"

"Tia failed your test. Tia knows that in your heart, she cannot compare to them, but Tia loves Lord Ash so much, she can't accept being abandoned by you. So, Lord Ash, Tia had no choice but to cheat. Because only in this way can she keep you. Only in this way can Tia no longer have to be afraid and terrified."

More and more murky red mist filled the space between the two of them, eventually forming soft, cloud-like clouds that enveloped them.

Liao Ji tried to struggle, but the handcuffs held him firmly to the nun's side. As Styutia fell to the ground, his body followed the nun and collapsed onto the murky red mist.

"Lord Ash will forgive Tia for cheating, right? He definitely will, won't he?"

Chains shot out from all around, fixing the youth's remaining limbs to the turbid red mist, rendering Liao Ji completely immobile.

After doing all this, Styutia looked at the young man with greedy eyes.

She used to be a little lamb longing to be eaten by wolves, but now, Styutia finds it more exciting to be a little lamb that eats wolves.

Liao Ji tried to persuade Styutia again, since the nun was still possessing Maria's body, but she still shook her head.

"No, it is Maria's honor. If Lord Ash wishes, any Lightbearer can become Tia's vessel."

Five hundred years is a long time, and this little nun has indeed carried too much on her shoulders. Sthija needs an outlet to vent. Perhaps after she has vented all of this, the nun can regain her senses and they can resume effective dialogue.

On the other hand, Liao Ji did not lie to St. Xiutia. What he said before was all out of emotion, without any skill. The nun really was his first love. And which otaku hasn't fantasized about being able to get close to his virtual wife?

But the problem is

Liao Ji twisted his body, which was firmly restrained.

"Tia, I understand the logic, but I can't move now that you've turned me into this state," the young man said helplessly.

But unexpectedly

The nun licked her lips.

"It's okay."

"There's no need for Lord Ash to do it; let Tia handle it."

(Provincial flow)

Chapter 56 Run!

Some things are like having a fancy meal.

The first time you eat there, you'll want more and want to come back for another meal.

You'll still find it delicious the second time you eat it, but by the third time you might be a little tired of it. However, you might still enjoy it because you've accidentally discovered some new dishes.

But after the fourth, tenth, and twentieth time, you've tasted all the dishes at this restaurant countless times. Plus, you can't rush into the kitchen and cook for yourself, so in the end, the result is always the same.

I'm going to throw up if I eat any more.

And now.

Liao Ji's condition is similar.

He really felt like throwing up.

Liao Ji realized he was wrong; he had far underestimated the extent of Sthija's madness, or rather, the love that had accumulated over five hundred years.

The nun under the influence of the turbidity may not have been Sciutia's intention, but after each time, Liao Ji felt his life force constantly draining away.

During this time, Liao Ji tried to stop Styutia with words, but unfortunately the nun was completely deaf to anything and seemed to have fallen into a state of madness, completely controlled by Zhuo E.

What's even more terrifying is that even if Liao Ji is exhausted and can't continue, the next second, a Holy Healing spell from Styutia will be cast, reviving him to full health.

However, this resurrection can only revive the surface; the essential inner essence is increasingly depleted with each resurrection.

Right now, I'm just feeling weak all over.

But if this continues, Liao Ji felt that even if Styutia unlocked his shackles, he probably wouldn't even have the strength to lift a finger.

No!

He has to do something!

Even though his strength was far inferior to that of Styutia, and even though his limbs were currently bound, Liao Ji still had his trump card, which was his biggest trump card for turning the tide.

contract.

Upon upgrading to Lv5, Liao Ji obtained an extra contract slot, but he didn't rush to use it, saving it for later. This decision proved to be absolutely correct.

If he can successfully apply the [Contract] to Styutia, he can turn the tide and instantly reverse the situation.

But this is on the premise that the contract must be successful.

However, in the game's setting, the protagonist's contract is determined based on the level difference between the two parties, the rank and star rating of the contracted party, and finally, the contracted party's wishes and current state.

If it were Sthija's true form, a level 90, max-star "Calamity" Evil Transformer, then with Liao Ji's current level of 7, he probably wouldn't even have a 0.01% chance of success.

Fortunately, Styutia is currently using the body of the Lightbringer Maria. Liao Ji can sense that Maria's strength is roughly at the peak of the Danger level, and has not yet broken through to the five-star Disaster level. Liao Ji estimates that this will at least boost the probability to around 10%.

Of course, for Liao Ji, 10% is far from enough, so his real opportunity lies in the third point of the judgment rule.

The "will" and "state" of the contracted party

In other words, if Liao Ji wants to succeed, he must seize the right moment, the moment when Styutia is most relaxed and least guarded, and release the contract.

Liao Ji opened the built-in panel, and could easily grasp the timing through the status bar at the top.

Maria (Surrender of the Holy Light) - Demands

[Maria (Surrender of the Holy Light) - Pleasure]

[Maria (Holy Light Surrenders) - Blank]

This is the moment!

The only condition of the contract is that both parties must have contact, and Liao Ji doesn't need to worry about that at all.

After being trapped by Styutia's shackles for so long, it was finally time for Liao Ji's chains to make their appearance. These chains had no physical form, but were mental phantoms in the sea of ​​consciousness. Taking advantage of the moment when Styutia was in a daze and unable to think, they broke through the defenses with ease and bound and sealed the nun's consciousness.

"what!"

Styutia screamed, and only then did she realize what Liao Ji had done, but it was too late.

The nun clutched her head and stumbled back several steps, trying to get away from Liao Ji. However, the handcuffs she had originally used to bind herself to Liao Ji had become the straw that broke the camel's back, leaving her with no way to escape.

In the end, after a futile struggle, a brand of contract was rapidly forming on the back of Styutia's neck.

[Ding! You have successfully established a contract with "Lightbringer - Maria"]

The moment the notification sounded in his mind, Liao Ji finally breathed a sigh of relief, a weak smile appearing on his lips. He had won his gamble.

"No, no!!" Styutia reached up and touched the back of her neck, and after touching the already formed seal of the contract, she let out a cry of unwillingness.

"What's wrong, Tia? Don't you want me to give you the 'contract'?"

"Tia. Tia certainly hopes so."

After mentioning the noble contract, the nun's eyes regained some clarity, but in the next moment, they were filled with turbidity again.

"No, no, no, no. This isn't the kind of contract Tia wants. What Tia wants is a contract that belongs only to me. Yes, that's right, this contract is wrong; it's shared with someone else! Tia can't accept this! Tia doesn't acknowledge it!!"