I'm fighting Kal'tsit? Really?

"Stop."

The wind yielded to the will of the Pegasus.

With a single movement, Gerald precisely grasped the direction of the storm, taking control of the core of this calamity. Before it spiraled out of control, he folded, gathered, and compressed all the power into the deepest part of the storm.

Then, as he released his hand, the source of the storm vanished into the air, leaving behind a horrific, utterly devastated test site.

The surroundings were silent, and the ground was riddled with holes and crisscrossed with cracks.

Gerald withdrew his hand from the air and slowly shifted his gaze to Aifanil, who was standing in the aftermath of the storm.

The young succubus queen remained in the posture of casting a spell, the bone pen in her hand hovering in mid-air, her pupils still reflecting the disbelief and quest of that moment.

So the two of them watched the scene before them in silence, and slowly exchanged a glance.

“I have good news and bad news, Father.” Aifanier glanced at the entrance in the distance, his nose twitching slightly as if he had caught a whiff of something. “The good news is that the ceiling we just broke through shouldn’t be anything too important.”

"And the bad news?" Gerald asked quietly.

He smelled that familiar scent in the air; he wouldn't forget it.

“The bad news is that the money I’ve saved up over the years may not be enough to cover the compensation.” Aifanier turned around and pointed the bone pen at himself: “And please, you must survive.”

The next moment, he uttered the incantation without hesitation:

"Coma, deep sleep, incantation ineffective, incantation reversed—"

But he had no end to his incantations.

"Knocked away".

A streak of black light flashed past the distant entrance, landing with perfect precision and elegance on the bone pen that Aifanir was about to unleash a spell, instantly sending it flying into the ruins.

The area was still shrouded in smoke, and Pegasus and Banshee could not see the entrance clearly, nor could they hear the details of the footsteps.

But both of them were very clear about one thing.

“I think I was wrong before, Father.”

Aifanier watched helplessly as his last hope of survival vanished with the wind, and he could only sigh softly:

"Now there are two pieces of bad news."

Chapter Ninety-Four: Souls Bound by Gravity (4K)

Gerald looked into the distance.

The footsteps grew closer, and a sense of sadness welled up in his heart. In the end, he could only sigh.

"Alas, my son, it is your father who has dragged you down."

“It’s alright, Father. Even without this incident, I might not have survived.”

Aifanil replied casually, "I should thank you instead. If you hadn't helped share my mother's anger, I would be the one being executed by the curse right now."

Another spell flew over from afar, transforming into chains the moment it touched her body, binding the young banshee's body and locking her hands together as well.

Gerald remained silent for a moment upon seeing this.

"...What have you done?"

"I do some research on Originium Arts in private, specifically the connection between Originium Arts and sorcery, as well as the deconstruction and reproduction of the essence of the two."

Aifanil, seemingly oblivious to the shackles on his body, perhaps realizing the problem with the rhetoric, offered a simpler explanation:

“For example, your wind, before you taught me today, I tried to achieve transformation and reproduction through deconstruction and incantations, rather than ordinary induction.”

"In this way, any skill can be replicated, and it can be further amplified by superimposing multiple incantation meanings—"

Faced with such an answer, Tianma could only rub his temples and say, "That's enough, no need to say anything more. I'll try to see if I can get through this for you."

None of the people who conduct these kinds of experiments can be trusted.

Just by looking at the simple [amplification] that they had just created, Pegasus already knew how his son's salary had disappeared.

"Thank you, Father."

Aifanier opened his mouth, as if he wanted to say something, but seemingly feeling that the father and son's leisurely appearance was not to his liking, another spell silently came to the side of the father and son.

The black characters and the incantation flowing on Gerald's right hand complemented each other, and then the incantation flowing on Pegasus's hand gradually turned into thick black mud, instantly sticking his hand together.

Some of it was also used to plug Aifanir's mouth.

The space around them had been unknowingly eroded by words, and mist and thorns began to creep out from the corners, slowly spreading tranquility and fear like a frog being boiled in lukewarm water.

Until that face, exactly the same as it had been a hundred years ago, appeared before Gerald and walked gracefully to his side, taking his hand again.

"Long time no see, darling."

Ramalen revealed that familiar smile, and with a flick of her bone pen, precisely tossed Aifanil into the sky and chained him. She then gently stroked Pegasus's face with her right hand and said:

"I have good news and bad news to tell you. Which do you want to hear first?"

You and your son are exactly the same.

“Either is fine,” Gerald thought to himself, but answered honestly, “I will listen to any words that come from your mouth forever, Ramalen.”

"Hehe, I'm so happy." Ramalen leaned closer to Pegasus's cheek, letting herself feel the vitality and breath emanating from him. "Let me tell you the good news first. I just chatted with Kal'tsit for a while, and it seems she has already prepared a room for you. We can go back to your room together to celebrate this long-awaited reunion."

"As for the bad news... just now, Kal'tsit told me that I may need to compensate for some of the damage that the Banshee's Court caused to Rhodes Island's hull."

Ramalen moved closer to her crimson eyes, her smile seeming to deepen:

"I don't understand why our Aifan would suddenly turn the place into this state after meeting his father? Why would a father lay a hand on a child he's just met?"

"Could you explain the reason to me, darling?"

……

Gerald suddenly realized what it felt like to be unable to defend oneself.

--------

The entire process of Pegasus being beaten to his knees was very smooth and effortless.

The family's sword is a trap. Ramalyn had long been aware of her lover's every move and was certain that he would always carry the sword with him.

This trust ultimately became the shackles on Gerald's hands, allowing her to tame this strong Pegasus effortlessly.

To avoid Kal'tsit and the others interrupting their touching reunion, Ramalen used a spell to diminish Gerald's presence on the way to the room and deliberately left Efanil behind, as a way of giving Rhodes Island an explanation.

But contrary to his usual behavior, Gerald didn't struggle at all throughout the entire process.

After all, he had personally witnessed the feeling of his loved ones lying in coffins unable to wake up, and he knew the feeling of his loved ones reappearing in front of him, even if only for a moment.

This should have been a serious occasion, a time for him and Ramalyn to open their hearts to each other and ease the debts they had owed each other over the years. Even though he could deduce from the details that his future self had made considerable preparations for this, the loneliness Ramalyn had endured over the years was still very real, perhaps even greater than before.

The feeling of losing something you've already gained is exceptionally cruel.

Even when Gerald came to his senses and realized that Aphrodite had not settled in the valley like a typical banshee, but instead continued to follow in the footsteps of the new Demon Lord after inheriting her mother's position, he understood the problem.

This means that Ramalyn has not only sent off her husband with a dirge, but is also prepared to send off her loved ones with a dirge.

Therefore, until they walked to his room on Rhodes Island, Gerald simply followed behind by a step, observing Lamaren a hundred years in the future.

Lamaren put on the veil she hadn't worn in front of him for so long. The banshee's magic had frozen her life and everything else at that moment of her ecstatic joy, leaving no trace.

“You look very sad, my dear,” the banshee suddenly said.

Pegasus raised his head, slightly suppressing his thoughts: "Why do you feel that way?"

“Because we have spent over a hundred years together, you have not aged, nor have I.” Ramalen looked back, taking in Gerald’s expression, and smiled gently. “Some details and habits are like yesterday. So I know you feel indebted now, and a little lost. I can even smell the scent of that Vyvan on you.”

"But I don't think you did anything wrong. Seventy years is a lifetime for an ordinary person, but for a succubus like me, it's just a short period of time in my life."

Gerald shook his head: "I am not a good lover, and from a social point of view, my behavior is even reprehensible."

"Is that so?" Ramalen smiled as always, revealing the smile that Pegasus knew best. "But this is not for you to judge, but for me, your lover, to judge, isn't it? I know this better than anyone."

……

While they were talking, they had already arrived at the door of the room with the corresponding door number.

As she opened the door, Ramalyn took out her bone pen and tapped it lightly in the air. In an instant, the structure and furniture in the room began to transform and change.

Even when she is not in the courtyard, the ageless sorceress can still bestow her authority wherever her will leads.

The room's appearance gradually became familiar; the technologically advanced alloys and the old, outdated stone and wood were blended together by incantations, yet they appeared incredibly harmonious—thus, the hidden room in the Banshee's Garden was reproduced on the ship called Rhodes Island.

Gerald then habitually took off his outer garment and hung it on a hanger in the corner; Lamaren, on the other hand, skillfully removed her veil, revealing her face to Pegasus.

Then the two of them get close, hug, kiss, feel each other's breath, and finally fall onto the bed together, filling every corner of each other's vision.

Ultimately, it was Gerald who took the initiative to speak.

“I’ve heard about the Kazdel Civil War, about you, about Aifanir, about the Valley… There has been a lot of turmoil in these seventy years.”

Pegasus considered shifting his gaze to conceal the inexplicable anxiety in his heart, but in the end, he could only choose to look directly at the person in front of him.

Looking at Gerald, who seemed somewhat hesitant, Ramallen suddenly felt a long-lost sense of novelty. So she poked Pegasus's cheek with her finger: "However, the valley remains as peaceful as ever, unchanged since you were here. Children's children have been born, the tribe has new blood, and those who embrace ideals have found their home."

“But what about you?” Gerald asked.

“I have enough memories and love from you to nourish my empty heart, and it is also very interesting to see Aphrodite grow up.”

Lamaren responded, then kissed the forehead of the person beneath her: "You promised our future, and you have appeared at this moment as promised. Fate has now formed a closed loop."

“It’s a bit like an ordinary afternoon when you say you’re going on a trip somewhere else. And when you come back from that trip, the only difference is that our child has grown into a responsible and capable leader.”

"My only worry is that Aifaniel might suddenly develop some rebellious ideas at this age, or learn from his father, who always likes to find strong enemies to fight."

The atmosphere between the two suddenly became somewhat awkward, and silence spread as Ramalyn spoke.

“…I can explain.” Gerald could only manage a weak statement at the end: “Things are not quite what you think.”

"You don't need to explain, darling."

Lamaren lightly touched Pegasus's chest with her bone pen, and thorns suddenly sprouted from all directions, covering all visible walls, locking the door and the space tightly together, forming a solid protection.

"Just like you don't need to explain why you have the aura of Vyvan on you." After doing everything, she gently stroked Pegasus's chest with her fingers. "It's too obvious. It's just that some people are used to acting in their own way and unknowingly attract the attention of others. The effect of admiring the strong, coupled with your consistent style of doing things, has shaped a result that has already been proven by history."

“At first I might have felt a little jealous... but now I’m actually happy to see this scene.”

Upon hearing the other person's words, Gerald suddenly froze for a few seconds.

Then, he carefully leaned forward, pressing his forehead against Ramalyn's, feeling the warmth emanating from her.

Immediately afterward, his gaze turned worried, because the temperature on her forehead was perfectly normal: "Ramalen, are you alright?"

Are you curious why I would say something like that?

Ramalyn's gentle gaze dimmed, a hint of sadness gradually settling in her eyes, which was ultimately reflected in Gerald's eyes: "Because, Gerald, my love, this is not freedom in the eyes of the world."

"On the contrary, for you, this is a bond more unbreakable than death."

The succubus's silver hair lay loosely on the pillow, the strands swaying gently with Pegasus's breath, appearing from afar as if wrapped around his neck.

Round and round it went, until Pegasus could no longer escape.

"The more people you meet, the more connections you form, the harder it becomes for you to enjoy battles against the strong as you used to. My strength can no longer satisfy your desires, nor can Your Highness's, nor Kal'tsit's. Perhaps one day, Ava will be the same."

“You remain decisive and resolute in matters big and small, just as you have in every single moment of the past. But when it comes to me or us, you hesitate and waver.”

Ramalyn continued, “You want to find the best solution, even if it leaves you incredibly exhausted, unable to recover both mentally and physically. You’ll increasingly consider the cost of each step you take, so that those you care about won’t be harmed.”

“I don’t want to see you become like this.” Her voice began to tremble. “But I’m too selfish, so selfish that I would rather you lose your freedom than die because of it.”

“I despicably hope that you will stay for us, even if it goes against your nature, even if you give everything to us, I still greedily hope for more.”

"So I hope that the more people who love you, the more people you love, the better."

The banshee's words turned into murmurs, falling into Gerald's ears.

The pretense she had put on to reassure her lover had now crumbled, turning into a pearly, crystalline liquid that dripped onto Pegasus's face.

"...that way, at least until the very last moment, you will stop, pause, and rack your brains to think of a solution, and I will have enough time to stand by your side and help you."

"But if, as in the past, you are forced to resort to extreme measures to solve a problem—"

"At least when the dirge begins, I can fall into the abyss with you."

--------

After comforting Ramalyn, who was in a grieving state, Gerald looked up at the ceiling.

As Ramalyn said, things are just as they are.