But the problem was, the Sword Maiden and the Witch were not in the Kingdom of Senluo.
Unless Weiser could master the Miracle in the Void Realm that could completely annihilate a Mage’s soul, she posed no threat to them.
As long as the two of them were alive, Ash was like a balloon tied with strings, indulging in the illusion of falsehoods.
Although they hadn’t spent much time together, Weiser clearly felt that Ash, the Sword Maiden, and the Witch viewed the Void Realm as a ’secret home’ they could hide within.
Ignoring spatial distances, sharing common interests, meeting every night, and unrelated to the interpersonal relationships in reality, they could fully reveal their true selves... As long as they had this refuge, Ash would never be homeless.
Changes in interpersonal relationships in the Void Realm seemed to stimulate Ash even more.
In reality, he could always find someone to resolve misunderstandings, but in the Void Realm, due to the infinite spatial distance and limited interaction time, even minor rifts could accumulate into immense chasms.
For this reason, their relationships remained in the same state — even Weiser, an outsider, could see that Ash and the Sword Maiden had feelings for each other, or that the Witch was deeply infatuated with Ash, but Ash currently had no transcending feelings for the Witch.
But why hadn’t Ash, the Sword Maiden, or the Witch taken any action or made a proactive move to declare sovereignty? It was understandable for Ash, but the Witch and Sword Maiden were both very proactive; why were they also standing still?
It was because they all feared changing their interpersonal relationships.
Being more than friends but less than lovers wasn’t only their comfort zone but also their safe zone. Even if conflicts erupted between them, they would at most be ’friendship disputes’ with a very high likelihood of reconciliation and possibly a new start.
But lovers were different; the closer the relationship, the more it tested both parties’ efforts. The slightest laziness from one side, and they would all realize they had only been immersed in an illusion.
If friendship was the steel refined through a thousand hammerings, then romantic love was a bubble — it could give off a color of happiness but could hardly withstand bursting.
Moreover, this wasn’t a duo but a quartet, and perhaps newcomers might arrive in the future. One step forward meant others had to make concessions, as more intimate relationships could easily breed suspicion. Worse still, another colleague might also set their eyes on the senior — potentially ripping the team apart.
However, if they didn’t take that step, everyone could remain in this comfortable state, ensuring that everything remained unchanged.
Perhaps only when Ash encountered an operator in reality could this stalemate be broken. Until then, everyone would cautiously maintain the team atmosphere and this shared hiding place, this common home.
Understanding this, Weiser knew what she had to do next.
— She needed to change the team’s dynamics, warp the atmosphere, and fast-forward their relationships.
She initially thought of creating a crisis for the Sword Maiden to see if it could trigger a change in Ash. However, death in the Void Realm was too trivial, and although Ash was anxious, he wouldn’t worry excessively. So, Weiser abandoned that option.
So how could she alter the team’s atmosphere?
Should she offer herself to Ash, provoke the Sword Maiden into hate, and cause the Witch to worry?
She wouldn’t mind if she could, but she had no emotional connection with Ash previously. Ash falling for it would be strange, and she’d face hostility from both the Sword Maiden and the Witch, a far cry from her usual approach — Weiser never let anyone she could utilize dislike her.
Therefore, she absolutely must not engage in this love game; instead, she needed to become someone everyone needed.
Since Ash and the others were afraid to enter into a close relationship, she could offer a little help.
She needed to help the Sword Maiden confess her feelings.
She intended to create opportunities for the Witch.
The best outcome naturally would be the Sword Maiden and Witch clashing, making Ash realize the Void Realm was no longer an escape; a lesser outcome would be Ash choosing one of them, with the other gracefully bowing out; the worst case would be everyone happy, not only overcoming their barriers but also collectively reaching a new pinnacle in their relationship, genuinely becoming a family.
But even the worst-case scenario was acceptable to Weiser.
No matter how intense the emotions, they couldn’t withstand the erosion of time, much like fairy tales that don’t describe what happens after the princess marries the prince. The relationships built upon the Void Realm, as long as they couldn’t break free from the illusion, would inevitably face trials.
Moreover, neither the Sword Maiden nor the Witch were particularly generous people.
Taking ten thousand steps back, even if Ash truly managed to win them over, Weiser might miss out on a perfect ally, but she would gain the team’s friendship and become someone they trusted. Moreover, she was also very interested in messing up other people’s lives, one of her few pleasures within the illusion.
With her mind made up, Weiser quickly walked into the alley, pretending to bump into the Sword Maiden at the corner, greeting her with a smile, "I just saw the Witch changed into a new outfit."
"It’s a gift from the Observer."
"What about your gift then?"
Sonia glanced at her and said, "I don’t have a gift. The Observer is closer to the Witch."
"Is that so?" Weiser paused, "Could I be mistaken?"
"What are you mistaken about?"
"It’s nothing, I just... I thought..." Weiser lowered her head, seemingly embarrassed, muttering, "I thought you were lovers."
Sonia blinked, "No, we are companions exploring the Void Realm together."
Though she denied it firmly, her tone carried an undeniable lightness.
"I’ve never been in love." Weiser laughed softly, "But the way you treat the Observer and look at him doesn’t seem like how you’d treat a mere companion."
"I’ve just known him since the Sea of Knowledge, so we are a bit more familiar."
"Oh?" Weiser’s tone had genuine curiosity this time, "Can you tell me about your experiences in the Sea of Knowledge? Because I crossed the Sea of Knowledge alone, through a blank expanse teeming with perilous knowledge creatures, swimming alone through the waves. I often thought how wonderful it would be to have someone with me... With your relationship so strong, your memories of the Sea of Knowledge must not be as cold and bleak as mine, but filled with mutual support and warmth, right?"
Tickling her fancy, Sonia couldn’t resist after a moment’s restraint and eventually shared, "Back then, we had a boat..."