Volume 7, Chapter 70 – High-Level Genesis

That said, Anastasia’s occasionally unsteady steps while descending the stairs still made Fia’s heart race, especially on the path from the living room to the underground research lab. With no handrails on the stairs, Anastasia could only walk close to the wall, her swaying body looking as if she might trip and fall headlong at any moment.

Fortunately, even under such difficulty, Anastasia managed to complete the journey safely.

The bright lights of the underground corridor blurred the distinction between day and night. Having finally descended the stairs, Anastasia leaned against the wall, stopping to catch her breath slightly.

Fia could only sigh helplessly beside her.

“See, you should have at least let me support you.”

“But if I don’t move around, this body will rust.”

Her face flushed from exertion, Anastasia gave a bitter smile and extended her hand to Fia.

“I’ll have to trouble Your Highness from here on.”

“I’ve been waiting for you to say that.”

Fia supported Anastasia as they walked forward. The distance from the stairs to the research lab, which a normal person would cover in under half a minute, took Anastasia two full minutes of stopping and starting.

The double bronze doors were wide open inward. Vast magical energy, even perceptible to Anastasia, resonated within the spacious hall. Two circular magic circles, nearly occupying the entire underground lab, emitted bright light—one emerald green, the other a mysterious light purple. They flanked Claire, who stood at their point of contact. Claire had now transformed into a form with a tail and horns, resembling a demon, holding a rather hideous dark red wand.

Combined with the dim lighting of the lab, the scene at first glance resembled a boss battle upon entering a dungeon in a game.

“You’re finally here. I was starting to think something happened and was about to go look for you. I’ve placed the corresponding magic gems into the circles. Next, Anastasia just needs to lie on the stone bed within the emerald green magic circle on the right. Originally, I should have tested it on several people like little Fia did, but I don’t have her level of computational power. Finding more test subjects would take too much time.”

“Also, since it’s my first time using this, I don’t know what will happen. You might see illusions, or your mind might endure immense pain. But no matter what, you must maintain conscious awareness. Otherwise, who knows if the soul appearing in the other circle will be the complete you, a fragmented you, or if you simply won’t wake at all. Understood?”

Her words were exceptionally solemn, but Claire’s eyes were full of worry. She didn’t want to say those cruel words, but as the presider of the ritual, she had to inform her of possible consequences.

Anastasia, supported by Fia, blinked as she entered.

“So, if I can’t maintain conscious awareness, I might vanish?”

“Exactly. But ultimately, it’s only a possibility. It’s my first time with this magic; many things are unknown factors.”

If not for the imminent situation, she wouldn’t have proposed it at all. The risks were too high to estimate; it could even result in her erasing Anastasia’s soul.

“I understand. Please proceed. I will definitely guard my true heart. The coffin was placed in the other circle… does it contain the body made by Your Highness earlier?”

Rеaⅾ оn KatRеаdіոɡСаfе

“Mhm.” Claire nodded, her expression softening. “If I were to craft a body… not only would it take an unknown amount of time, but first, achieving results identical to Ana herself would be completely impossible. It’s thanks to little Fia that the ritual has been accelerated so much.”

“I see…”

For some reason, Anastasia sighed in relief.

A look of surprise appeared in Claire’s clear emerald eyes. She unconsciously swayed her tail.

“What’s wrong?”

“No, nothing important.”

“Is that so? You probably still have things to say to little Fia. There’s still some time before the magic circles are fully charged. You can chat with her a bit more.”

“Well…”

How can one be intimate with their Highness right in front of the primary wife? Even if Miss Claire might overlook it, I couldn’t.

Embarrassment filled Anastasia’s heart. However, Claire had already turned around, inserting the hideous dark red wand into the point where the two massive magic circles intertwined. As magic incantations never heard before began to resonate, waves of vast mana, intense enough to ripple the air in the room, echoed out layer upon layer.

Fia pulled Anastasia back two steps, whispering,

“What did you want to say earlier, Anastasia?”

“Want to say about what?”

Anastasia was slightly confused.

“When Claire asked what was wrong.”

“Oh, that…”

Anastasia fidgeted slightly. Under the glow of the distant magic circles, her cheeks flushed crimson. She lowered her head, mumbling softly.

“Because… because I was relieved to hear the body was crafted by you.”

“That doesn’t help me understand.”

Rеаԁ оn KatRеαdiոɡСаfе

“It’s just… thinking the first person to see my body is Your Highness… puts me at ease…”

So it was that kind of thought.

The Anastasia in the stone coffin wore no clothes, and that would be Anastasia’s future body. So she was worried about chastity issues.

Isn’t that overly sensitive?

Fia was momentarily speechless.

“Aren’t we both female? Besides, Claire isn’t an outsider either. Do I have this problem when I have maids help me dress usually?”

“That’s one thing being separate from another. You are the future Queen of the elves; it’s only natural for subordinates to serve you. Besides, what I think and what you think aren’t the same. I just feel a sense of satisfaction knowing the first person to see my body is you.”

“Usually, it should be the other way around…”

Normal logic would be “I am the first to see your body,” thus feeling happy, not joyful over “The first to see my body is you”—No, thinking from another angle, she would also be happy that Claire was the first to see her body?

Though unable to figure out the logic for a moment, the feeling of happiness was real. Fia finally understood Anastasia’s perspective.

Since Claire’s magic was still ongoing, Anastasia also lowered her voice like Fia, asking mysteriously,

“By the way, when we passed the dining hall earlier, I saw a woman dressed as a priestess, with a black cloth covering her eyes. Who is that?”

“She’s the Watcher, one of the Seven Demon Generals. Like the Knowledge-Seeking Demon General, she’s a harmless type. The difference is the Knowledge-Seeker craves knowledge, while she has a strong protective desire towards those in youthful forms. She came to ask if she could take care of the children brought from the Land of Exile, wanting to build more orphanages.”

Due to elves’ slow growth, even those fifty or sixty years old appear childlike. So ever since arriving in Blossom, the Watcher felt like she’d entered paradise. Even Mizuki, long since adult, was deeply troubled by her attention.

“Even a Demon General obeys you… Right, in that other world, because Absolute Evil joined the Queen of Death, the Seven Demon Generals also began assisting the Alliance. I remember the Generals can teleport among themselves. Now that you have two Generals, wouldn’t that—No, the current you don’t need that anyway.”

Mid-sentence, Anastasia noticed the key point: the current Fia could teleport back and forth on her own.

Fia let out a long sigh. She glanced secretly at Anastasia’s profile illuminated by the magical light, her heart filled with immense anxiety.

“Rather than idle chat, I’d prefer Anastasia to conserve energy properly for Claire’s magic. That game we were playing isn’t finished yet.”

Though after switching to a new body, continuing wouldn’t be necessary. It had already become a beautiful vision, sealed away by her with [Spatial Confinement].

Reаԁ оո КаtRеаdіոɡСafe

“Eh? You still kept it? I thought you would have put the cards away by now.”

“We agreed to continue after you woke up next time. How could I put them away?”

As Fia finished speaking, the vast magical fluctuations in the space gradually weakened. Both could feel the massive magic circles underfoot stabilizing—a sign of mana saturation.

“It seems the ritual can begin…”

“Mhm.”

“Then I’ll go over.”

“Mhm.”

Two consecutive “mhm”s made Anastasia raise an eyebrow, looking unhappy.

“Why aren’t you saying more? Normally, one would say, ‘When you wake, I’ll give you such-and-such reward,’ or ‘Let’s go admire the flowers and look at the moon together,’ right?”

“…I wanted to say things like that, but felt they were inauspicious, so I didn’t say them.”

Saying she wasn’t nervous was an absolute lie. That’s why she couldn’t help but believe in such supernatural things this once.

Anastasia paused, then, smiling, reached out and gently pinched Fia’s cheek.

“You have a point. Then encouragement? Is that okay?”

Just encouragement probably doesn’t count as a flag…

Thinking this, Fia quietly clasped the hand Anastasia extended.

—Anastasia appeared fine on the surface, but her hand was trembling violently. Probably her back was already soaked with sweat.

Just as nervous as I am.

After all, this was the final chance.

Success or failure rested on this attempt.

Rеαԁ οո ΚаtRеαԁinɡСafе

Fia offered her heartfelt blessing.

“Good luck.”

“With Your Highness’s blessing, I’m sure I can—”

“Shh, don’t say things like that.”

Fia quickly stood on her tiptoes, placing a finger against Anastasia’s lips.

Claire’s voice sounded from not far away.

“Looks like we can begin. Anastasia, please lie on the stone bed within the emerald green magic circle on the left.”

“Understood.”

With one last knowing smile towards Fia, Anastasia released her hand. Expression determined, she walked step by step to the stone bed within the emerald green magic circle and lay down.

“Soon, the magic will strip away your consciousness. Remember, no matter what happens, hold onto your true heart. Don’t be blinded by what you see.”

Claire warned softly. Constructing such massive circles had consumed a huge amount of mana from Claire; fine beads of sweat dotted her forehead.

Anastasia, her face pale, nodded seriously.

“Mhm.”

“Then I’ll begin.”

With the final warning finished, Claire stepped back to the midpoint between the two circles, raising her wand high.

“May the radiance of the Primordial Demon Lord Tartaros bless you— 『High-Level Genesis』 .”

In an instant, the two magic circles erupted with dazzling light. Emerald green and light purple brilliance intertwined, becoming the only colors in the entire world.