It was for the second time in Aurora’s life that she had ended up in such a situation. And just like any other time, this one did not feel great as well.

But unlike the last ceremony, this one was held all over the world. As if echoing the solemn mood, the world had turned into a white field as well.

Aurora felt as if it was all unfair for her to be faced with this so soon.

“You should not let things such as these keep you down. Death is a natural part of the process known as life. And I am sure that child wanted to rest as well. Don’t think too much about it.”

Aurora wanted to agree but her heart was not in it.

However, she knew she had to say something to let the alliance leader know that she understood.

It was her first time meeting the leader of the alliance but she wished that it was under better circumstances that she did.

“I know that I should not let it get me down but I cannot help but feel like I bear partial responsibility for this.”

Aurora was not sure why she was telling all this to Lord Alan but she felt like she could click with him.

Out of everyone from that vision of the past, Lord Alan was the one who seemed to not have changed. He still held on to his morals and did not judge.

“I see that you are thinking about it. Then, I am also sure that you will be able to conclude on your own. Now, I should bid you farewell so that you can gather your thoughts.”

Lord Alan did not stick around for long. For the first meeting between them, this was not so bad.

Rex hurried over toward her as soon as he saw Lord Alan leave. His eyes held curiosity but he did not ask the question he wanted to outright.

“Say what you want to say. I will answer your question if I want to.”

Rex looked taken aback but he easily composed himself and faced Aurora with a confident face.

“Did he talk to you about something important? I am not nitpicking but Lord Alan had not been the same ever since Lady Mei died and we are all afraid-“

“If he is looking for a way to die as well. Don’t worry, he’s alright. He is stronger than you all give him credit for. He will survive.”

Rex let out a sigh he had been holding on to but then he looked guilty for the same. He opened his mouth to comfort Aurora but she stopped him.

“Did you see Seraphina? Did she come around?”

Aurora asked as the white continued to fall. She knew that the answer was negative in her heart but she still dared to ask that question.

After all, she knew where Seraphina had gone. And it was not some place Aurora wanted to follow after her.

She did not want the tower to gain any more power than it already had. But at the same time, she also knew that she had no right to stop Seraphina from doing what she wanted to do.

“Oh, what about Joseph? Is he back yet? Did Seraphina bring him back?”

Rex looked awkward and even shifted his eyes away from Aurora. That meant that Aurora could not like the news she was about to get.

But then again, she did not like most of the news she tended to get so this was nothing new anyway.

“Joseph did come back but he chose to leave with lady Seraphina instead. He wanted to stay with his mother in these trying times. His sister is still here though so that is something.”

Truthfully, this was a surprise to know that one of those twins had stayed behind for Aurora. She expected them both to pack up and leave as soon as their mother showed interest in them.

But the circumstances of things had changed for everyone. No place was safe any longer now that a goddess was dead. This sudden piece of news shifted the world’s perspective and brought forth a new era.

“I am sure there will be consequences for making this knowledge public but this was what Mei deserved to happen. I guess she will find peace now.”

Or that was what Aurora hoped for the younger girl. God knew how much that child had suffered through the times. She had tried, again and again, only to be rejected until she had been forced to confront her true nature.

“Let’s just hope this does not come to bite us in the back. The balance of power is really weird right now.”

Rex was right. If Aurora’s hunch was right and Seraphina did end up joining the tower, then they would retain their three major gods.

Meanwhile, the south also had three major powers, and then there was the Rocx academy which had two. (Three if you count Lord Alan but Aurora did not.)

With two of them dead, it left only one neutral party out there. Aurora had a feeling that it was the blue-haired man she had met in the abyss before.

He had just given that overwhelming feeling of being an overlooker and hence important.

He was out of any league Aurora had seen before and she had a feeling that the side he took would determine which power would emerge as victorious in the end.

Which meant that it was time to head into the abyss for one last time to find that man. He was the likely key to solving all the blank holes in her mind.

_____________________

“Why did you decide to come here now? I thought you and Mei were through. Are you here to insult her memory?”

Seraphina held her temper back as she heard Lady Minerva’s words. She needed to maintain her peace just for today.

She did not want to sully Mei’s resting place with blood after all. But she could also not ignore Lady Minerva’s jab at her expanse. It had taken a considerable effort on her part to come here, only to be mocked.

“I loved Mei like a sister. She was closer to me than anyone else. We might have had our differences but I never wished her harm. Now I cannot tell her all this even if I want to.”

The world was mourning the loss of a goddess. Winter had come for the world but Seraphina felt hot inside.

Her rage had not been quelled and she wanted to take revenge. She knew that Minerva also felt the same since she had seen Mei as her kid at one point.

However, this silent attitude was too troublesome for Mei to compare. How could Minerva make that face?

“I see. But there is nothing you can offer to the dead. Mei had passed on and that is the truth.”

“That might be the truth but I still want to do something for her. And for that, I need resources to hunt down the one who killed Mei. I need to tower to seek my revenge.”

For the first time, there was a crack in Minerva’s mask but Seraphina could not tell if it was good or bad.

The very next second, Minerva’s expression was closed off.

“If you are here for shellfish desires then I will advise you to go back and try again. I am not in the mood to let the tower be a sacrifice for your needs. Not when you are not willing to commit to its mission-“

“And what if I am? What if I am committed to this mission and want to be a part of the tower? Will you allow me access to its resources then?”

There was a stare-off between those two powers. No one looked away and in the end, it was Lady Minerva who gave way for the other.

“Fine, do what you have to. As long as you can carry your worlds and provide the tower an edge, I will allow you to do as you please. But remember, it’ll be the tower that owns you, not the other way around.”

Seraphina gritted her teeth, not liking the idea a single bit but she calmed herself down after that.

If she had to sell herself to get her revenge then it was fine. It was something Seraphina will be able to deal with.

“Alright, do what you want to. Oh, and give me a room for a child as well. My son came with me so he will be a part of this tower as well.”

Minerva’s look of surprise was amusing but only for a few seconds.

“Alright. I will place him with Quince for now so that he can learn the ropes. I am sure Quince will be a good friend for your son.”

Seraphina did not feel good submitting her son to anyone else’s company but she had made her decision and she was going to stick to it.

She would use the tower until she no longer could.