…
Actually, there was no need for Roel to do anything in preparation for the assimilation of the Crown’s Stone. Based on his past experiences, the System conveniently settled everything for him.
Even so, he remained vigilant about the matter.
He hadn’t forgotten how close he came to death back when he absorbed Glacier Creator’s egg. If not for Isabella turning fate in his favor, he might have just lost his life then. From that, he learned the System’s assimilation aid wasn’t foolproof, and that he had to remain prudent.
“Darling, do you really have to head in there? Flooding Death is dead, but its curses continue to linger. Wouldn’t this negatively affect your health?”
Under the starry night sky, Charlotte nervously stared at the swirling black vortex, her uneasy hands fidgeting in front of her chest.
Even though she had been unconscious during Roel’s fight with Flooding Death, she was able to, as a high transcendent, instinctively discern just how terrifying the calamity was. Not to mention, the deathly aura emanated by the curses was not something she was foreign to.
It was the very thing that had nearly taken her life not too long ago, after all.
She had charged through the vortex of curses without any hesitation in order to save Roel, but that was plain recklessness fueled by anxiety. Now that she was in a calmer state, what she felt toward the vortex was mostly fear.
If she could have her way, she would have long dragged Roel as far away as possible. However, she knew how important the Crown’s Stones were to him, so she was trying her best to suppress her anxiety and not get in his way.
Keenly noticing her dilemma, Roel turned toward her and playfully squeezed her cheeks.
“I’ll have to head in there to absorb the Crown’s Stones. Are you worried about me?”
“Mmhm…” Charlotte replied with an honest nod.
Roel chuckled. He glanced at the vortex of curses behind him and made a suggestion.
“Why don’t we enter together?”
“Together?”
“Yes. I don’t have to be alone when absorbing the Crown’s Stone. You have been in there once, right? It’ll be fine since your High Elf Bloodline grants you some immunity toward the powers of the Six Calamities.”
“…”
Upon receiving the abrupt invitation, Charlotte turned to look at the black vortex with fearful eyes. It was rare for someone as decisive as her to be put at a loss, but those who knew what she had been through would be able to understand her hesitation.
It pained Roel to see her in such a state, but he chose not to interject.
He didn’t invite Charlotte to enter the vortex of curses with him just because he wanted company. Rather, it was because he had noticed the mental trauma this incident had left her with.
There had been some anomalies in Charlotte’s behavior in recent days, such as her reluctance to open the windows or look outside the carriage. Whenever he carried her to the windowsill, she would nestle in his chest and avert her eyes from the vortex of curses.
Her fear was understandable, but it was a luxury they couldn’t afford right now.
With the Mother Goddess’ awakening, the Six Calamities would only grow more active with time. As the inheritor of the Primordial High Elf Bloodline, Charlotte would likely have to confront the other calamities in the near future, and he wouldn’t always be right by her side.
It was one thing if her trauma was directed only toward Flooding Death, but it would prove to be troublesome if her fear spilled over to the rest of the Six Calamities as well.
Roel thought that it was best to resolve this issue as quickly as possible.
He wasn’t a psychiatrist who could counsel her out of her fears, so the only solution he knew of was to encourage her to confront her trauma head-on. He would stay by her side and protect her, showing her that there was nothing to be afraid of.
“You don’t need to do anything. You just have to stay with me. It might take a while though,” said Roel.
“How long will it take?”
“At least a few hours.”
“…”
Roel looked at Charlotte and patiently waited for her answer.
Charlotte stared at the cursed land before her. Her breathing unknowingly hastened and her body stiffened up. It was a difficult choice for her to make.
Time quietly slipped by.
The tranquil moon shone upon the couple as their standstill continued. The maids waiting for them from afar looked at one another worriedly, not understanding why they weren’t moving.
Amidst this silence, Roel’s determination started to waver.
Should I just let it go?
It was cruel to force Charlotte to face her fears, especially when it had only been days since she was freed from the curse. Her physical reactions reflected the mental distress she was facing. Roel didn’t have the heart to put her through this.
But before he could say anything, Charlotte took two deep breaths and gave her answer.
“Alright, darling. I’ll accompany you,” she said.
“Are you… really fine with it?” asked Roel.
“To be honest, I am terrified…”
Charlotte felt the crystal ring she wore on her finger, and her eyes slowly firmed up. By the time she finally raised her head to look at Roel, there was a smile on her face.
“… but we made a promise. A promise to face everything together.”
“Charlotte…”
“Shall we get going, darling?”
Charlotte channeled mana into her Golden Soul, and it swiftly swelled up to form a barrier around her. She took the lead to enter the black vortex of curses.
…
Overcoming oneself had always been viewed as the hallmark of self-improvement, but it was easier said than done. Doing so required one to challenge their limits and break down their mental barriers.
Emotion was a hurdle that mortals struggled with, even talented prodigies. Be it envy, anger, or fear, the multitude of emotions that mortals experienced often stood in the way of their goals.
Charlotte’s fear for Flooding Death was not at a superficial level, but she was willing to confront it due to an even stronger emotion—her love for Roel.
Amidst the pitch-black swirling vortex of curses, Roel and Charlotte walked together with interlocked fingers under the light of the Golden Soul. After walking together for some distance, Roel was finally able to put his heart at ease.
Charlotte’s hand initially trembled out of extreme nervousness, reminiscent of a terrified child entering water for the first time. But shortly after entering the vortex, her High Elf Bloodline detected the aura of the Six Calamities and retaliated against the surrounding curses.
Her body started to emanate a faint glow that warded off the curses, ensuring her safety even if she removed her Golden Soul. The realization that she wasn’t helpless against Flooding Death slowly eased her tension.
She continued to observe her condition while venturing deeper into the vortex, and the fact that nothing happened built up her confidence. Before long, she was even able to flash Roel a smile.
A while later, the two of them stopped at the area with the highest concentration of curses.
Roel gestured to Charlotte with a nod, and the latter walked a distance away. He then turned to his System and saw a familiar notification popping up.
【The System has detected a mutated Crown’s Stone. Conducting a preliminary assessment of its tier.】
【System Evaluation: Assimilable】
【Warning!】
【Warning!】
【Warning!】
【The user may face potential danger absorbing the mutated Crown’s Stone. Activating Assimilation Support System.】
【Estimated cost of the Assimilation Support System: 100,000 Gold Coins】
【Would you like to proceed with the assimilation of the mutated Crown’s Stone?】
【Yes/No】
Roel’s eyebrows shot up when he saw the price charged by the System once more.
This is cheaper than I thought.
A hundred thousand gold coins was not a small sum, but this was much cheaper than the other Crown’s Stones he had assimilated. Glacier Creator had cost him 300,000 gold coins and Tempest Caller a whopping 400,000 gold coins.
However, it did make sense when he thought about it.
Glacier Creator and Tempest Caller had been alive when he assimilated them, albeit in egg form. They were bound to struggle against the assimilation process, thus significantly increasing the difficulty level.
In contrast, he had completely broken down Flooding Death, to the point where it was nothing more than a carcass. What he was doing now was nothing more than recycling its body, so the price was naturally lower.
Roel carefully looked through the System notifications once more before tapping on the ‘Yes’ option. With this, he began assimilating Flooding Death into his third Crown’s Stone.
【Ding!】
【Assimilation Support System activated.】
【Collecting Flooding Death.】
Following the System notifications, the vortex of curses started furiously converging upon Roel, slowly devouring him whole. It was a familiar sensation to what he had experienced in his previous assimilations, so he wasn’t too worried about it.
However, he soon noticed something he had never seen before appearing in his mind.