By a Hot bath.
Three women had already gotten dressed. Sitting on the stone bench, they tended to their still-damp hair.
"Heehee, it's sooo good..."
Hyacine picked up a towel and dried her hair, smiling as she looked at Aglaea. "Lady Aglaea's private bath really is different from the ones outside."
"You flatter me." The corners of Aglaea's lips curved slightly. She clearly enjoyed the praise.
"Hehe, baths feel great, right?" To the side, Tribbie sat on the stone bench, swinging her little legs and dipping her feet into the nearby pool. She was holding some fruit, taking small bites as she ate.
Because of her constitution, after turning into a child, she could no longer endure the bath's temperature, so she was only sitting there to play with the water.
But seeing that both Hyacine and Aglaea had visibly relaxed. She relaxed along with them.
"By the way, Lady Tribbie, when was the last time you… ever soaked in a hot bath?" Hyacine blinked her big eyes in curiosity, but quickly spoke out, "but something tells me... that it might be better to change the topic?"
Tribbie swung her legs, a nostalgic look appearing on her face as she recalled, "Don't get all nervous. It's not something we can't discuss! The truth is... a long, long time ago... we were a mature adult just like Agy."
"Then, because of reasons... we inherited Janus' divinity and gained the power of "Passage"..."
"And in return, the price we had to pay was the splitting of our soul."
After Tribbie finished speaking, Aglaea gently nodded and added from the side, "Each opening of the Century Gate intensifies the strain on Tribbie and the others. They are gradually regressing towards infancy, both in body and mind."
Hyacine clearly hadn't expected that the truth, as told by the two of them, would be so cruel.
Every use of power would split the soul further and cause the mind to regress?!
At this moment, the audience watching also finally found an answer to a question that had been echoing in their minds for a long time.
No wonder Trianne's behavior had been like that…
And when they thought about how Trianne looked after opening the Gate in the Grove of Epiphany, audience who had originally thought it wasn't a big deal immediately began to panic.
Just moments ago, people had still been laughing in the comments over the matter of Phainon and Mydei. Now they couldn't laugh anymore.
....
: ???: Bro, I was literally laughing a second ago!
: Don't do this!
: So the cost of opening a gate is that huge?! I thought Trianne just needed some rest!
: So that's why Trianne has been acting so childish all this time …
: That's from opening the door too many times!
: There won't be a problem, right?
: Damn it, MiHoYo, can you give us a breather?!
: I just relaxed and now I'm worried again!
....
The comments scrolled past.
Hyacine had clearly realized the seriousness of the issue as well.
But Tribbie just smiled cutely, unconcerned, and instead comforted Hyacine. "Well, there's no way around it. We all know that the Flame-Chase Journey won't be a smooth ride."
Looking at Tribbie's adorable appearance, Hyacine felt a bit distressed and subconsciously said, "Maybe... We can find a way to fix it. The primary research focus of Nousporists is the soul. We explore its depletion and methods to restore dispersed souls... As long as research continues, there might be a breakthrough that can help."
Hyacine's kindness made Tribbie smile unconsciously.
Both she and Aglaea knew. This was a divine miracle, something that could not be reversed.
But Tribbie was still very happy.
"Haha, now there's another reason to look forward to tomorrow..."
After saying this with a beaming smile, Tribbie was about to change the topic.
After all, in such a relaxed atmosphere, letting Hyacine keep worrying wasn't what they had come here to bathe for.
However, just at that moment, Tribbie's small face suddenly twitched.
A sharp, violent pain surged through her mind.
"Ugh!" She clutched her head and collapsed weakly.
"Lady Tribbie!? Wh-What's wrong?" Hyacine jumped in fright.
Aglaea's expression also tightened instantly as she reached out and pulled Tribbie into her arms.
"Something's... off. It's that strong feeling again... Is it Trianne?" Tribbie held her head tightly.
The shared sensations from the other two were rapidly intensifying.
Facing Tribbie like this, Hyacine was completely at a loss. And in Aglaea's heart, a deep sense of unease was already rising.
The audience were even more tense.
And then, Tribbie finally figured out where this sensation was coming from.
"Wait, no... It's not Trianne this time..."
"...It's Trinnon! Trinnon is in danger...!" Tribbie's suppressed voice echoed through the bathhouse.
Aglaea was also clearly stunned. Trinnon had always stayed within Okhema.
Heavily guarded, how could she possibly be in danger… The audience began speculating wildly as well.
Many guessed whether that bastard Caenis had finally made a move against the Chrysos Heir.
And just then, Trianne finally spoke of the source of the danger.
"It's Krateros! He kidnapped Trinnon!"
Amid the pain, Trianne finally pieced together the information sent by Trinnon.
Aglaea almost instantly stood up. In those eyes that rarely showed emotion, a flash of fury appeared.
"This…" Hyacine was flustered, her mind completely blank, unable to understand why Krateros would do such a thing.
On the comments. It was nothing but question marks and cries of "Huh?!"
It wasn't strange that the audience were so shocked. Because this matter was simply far too sensitive!
The people from Castrum Kremnos were already unwelcome within Okhema.
They and Okhema were long-standing enemies. Many Okhema citizens were instinctively resistant to the idea of sharing living space and food with their old foes.
Not to mention that the Senate often used this issue as a sharp blade to pressure Aglaea.
It was easy to imagine how much effort Aglaea had poured in.
Just to get the Senate to reluctantly accept the situation and barely maintain the fragile peace on the surface.
But now, with Krateros kidnapping Trinnon, this single act was enough to shatter the tacit understanding that had been built up before.
If mishandled. Before the Black Tide even arrived, Okhema might already be facing a bloody internal conflict!
"Th-this, Krateros…"
"Why would he kidnap Lady Trinnon?!"
Hyacine's head still couldn't grasp the deeper implications. She only voiced her instinctive unease. "Weren't they already taken in by Okhema?"
"Taken in, but not accepted." Aglaea slowly exhaled, her voice calm and restrained.
"Castrum Kremnos and Okhema have been enemies for generations. The bloodshed between them is etched into the minds of both peoples."
"I allowed them to enter the city and gave them a place to take shelter..."
"It was because, in this apocalyptic world, the strength of every survivor is worth cherishing."
At this point, Aglaea gently set Tribbie down and slowly rose to her feet.
Her slender body had already tensed, like a sharp blade about to leave its sheath.
"But this is not without problems. The Senate and I went back and forth, bargaining and compromising, eventually reaching a barely acceptable stalemate."
"However, this balance is as fragile as gossamer."
As she murmured, numerous golden threads had already appeared around Aglaea's wrist.
They scattered in all directions, spreading through the air. The horizon, street corners, the marketplace, and even the gardens...
One tailor after another vanished on the spot, and one chrysalis after another beat its wings and took flight.
A large-scale search was impossible. And everything had to be done in secret.
Trinnon had to be saved, and the Senate absolutely could not be allowed to find out.
Otherwise, those fools would definitely lure the Okhema people straight into the abyss.
In just a few seconds, Aglaea had already completed her deployment.
The leader of Okhema once again demonstrated her iron-fisted decisiveness.
...
: Damn, Aglaea, you're my superhero!
: Honestly, I don't know why Krateros would do this, but with the situation like this, suppression really is about to turn into ignition!
: Aglaea's handling of this is nothing short of perfect!
: Aglaea is the true pillar holding up Okhema!
: If the Senate finds out, they'll definitely make a fuss over it and stir up hostility between Okhema and the Kremnoans... I don't even dare imagine how chaotic things would get then.
: Enemies like the Black-Robed Swordsman on the outside, and internal turmoil on the inside, Aglaea is really holding on with sheer steel will!
: Damn it, Krateros doesn't look like someone who'd rebel either. What is he even after?!
: According to intel, hasn't this guy been with Mydei for a long time?
...
The comments swept past.
Sharp-eyed audience had already realized, Okhema's current situation was like a lump of rotten mud.
One misstep, and it would collapse completely. Krateros, favored by both Mydei's father and mother, could be said to be the person who had accompanied Mydei the longest.
Yet at this very moment, he committed such an atrocious act.
Was it rebellion? Or a forced abdication?! What exactly did he want?!
Amid the tense atmosphere. The image began to flicker.
In an unknown alleyway, the white-haired Krateros was clutching Tribbie in his arms, his face set with determination as he charged madly forward.
There were no pursuers behind him. But as the camera pulled higher.
The audience finally noticed that a fierce struggle, centered around the fleeing Krateros, was erupting in the dark corners of the city.
Numerous masked agents were rushing toward Krateros from all directions.
Blocking these agents were golden threads and tailors bursting out from every corner!
They clashed violently. It was clear that these agents were all skilled assassins.
But in front of the tailors, they were completely outmatched.
Bodies fell one after another. Then were swiftly dealt with by the tailors.
Only after witnessing several such skirmishes did the audience finally realize, those agents were neither Krateros' people nor Kremnoans, but assassins of the Senate!
Like flies, they had somehow learned of the situation and were trying to capture Krateros.
And Aglaea naturally would not allow them to succeed. Thus, what appeared before the audience were three extremely dark and grim scenes intertwined.
The real culprit was fleeing at full speed. While the two Okhema factions trying to capture him were locked in life-and-death combat in the shadows.
The camera pulled farther and farther back.
Until the entire city of Okhema came into view.
People could clearly see Krateros carrying Trinnon as he rushed into the Marmoreal Palace, followed immediately by a flash of light.
The scene shifted once more.
Within the Vortex of Genesis, a gate that had just been opened was slowly fading away.
Krateros, gasping for breath, set Trinnon down.
"I'm sorry, Lady Trinnon..." He braced himself against the floor with both hands, beads of sweat the size of beans pouring down his forehead. While still panting heavily, he forced out a smile.
"I did not mean to frighten you. But things have come to this, and I have no other choice."
"The future of the Kremnoans... is all... here."
After saying that, he lifted his head and looked into the distance.
The constellation representing the Titans was shining brightly.
His gaze searched among them, quickly locking onto the constellation that symbolized strife.
"Krateros..."
"Do you really intend to do this?"
After the initial panic of being abducted, Trinnon quickly regained her composure.
She could feel that Krateros had no real intention of harming her.
And along the way. He had already explained his objective.
Using Trinnon to enter the Vortex of Genesis and then try to accept the coreflame of Strife!
Just as he had said, the Kremnoans no longer had any path of retreat.
The faith and vitality of the entire race were tightly bound to this Coreflame that represented Castrum Kremnos.
They would absolutely not stand by and watch as this Coreflame was taken in by an unrelated Chrysos Heir, becoming a demigod of strife.
"... I have to do this."
"Fortunately, that Chrysos Heir did not truly succeed in merging with the Coreflame."
"Otherwise... I dare not imagine what the situation would look like now."
Krateros finally caught his breath. Then, without looking back, he walked toward the vortex.
On the way here, using the intelligence he had previously gathered, Krateros had already roughly figured out the steps of the ritual.
Although the candidate to become a demigod was supposed to be a Chrysos Heir.
Just as he had said before, the Kremnoans had no choice. They needed someone to lead them back home.
And Mydei... That coward was still running away from the responsibility that belonged to him!
No one had expected that Krateros' reason for the kidnapping would be this.
The audience were left speechless. Yet they could not bring themselves to utter a single word of reproach toward the old man.
For the sake of his people. He had already done everything he possibly could and was still doing everything he could...