Chapter 26 – "The Search and the Unseen Power"
After walking back to her room, Celestia called out to one of the butlers. "Troy," Celestia said aloud, speaking to the communication stone.
The voice of Troy responded, his surprise evident. "What is your order, my lady?" His tone was unusual, Celestia rarely asked for anything, often preferring to remain undisturbed.
Celestia's expression hardened. "Troy, can you get me four types of elemental stones? Make sure they're of the highest quality. And don't forget to bring the Mana's pencil." She added seriously, "Also, don't tell anyone that I was the one who made this request, understand?"
Troy, still surprised by her sudden demand, nodded immediately. "You can trust me, my lady. I won't tell anyone."
"Good. I trust you," Celestia replied calmly, her voice softening. "Please bring the items within an hour. Can you do that?"
"Yes, my lady. I'll bring them as fast as possible."
The communication cut off, and Celestia placed the stone aside. She quickly ran to her bed, crossing her legs as she settled into a meditative position. Her thoughts raced. "Hm, I wonder if I can still reach the realms of rules," she murmured to herself, a faint smile playing on her lips.
She took a deep breath and began chanting ancient words, her voice steady. "With a mortal body, I, a significant being, seek a rule that suits me. Hear my request, realm of heavenly rules."
As soon as the words left her mouth, her body began to glow with a golden light, filling her with an exhilarating warmth. A sense of happiness swelled within her; it seemed she had succeeded. A small chuckle escaped her lips. "Hehe... here it comes. I'm slowly recovering my previous abilities."
Her consciousness shifted, and she found herself in a vast, starry expanse, surrounded by strange forces, each one labeled with names Celestia had never encountered. She felt the dizzying weight of some immense powers, but she quickly snapped herself out of the trance.
"There are many new rules here, ones born just recently," she murmured to herself. "Each of these forces follows different principles. I could create my own rules here, but... Even with my past experience, creating a single rule requires a billion calculations. The success rate is nearly zero, it's still difficult so. I need to find the rules I used when I was almost invincible."
As she continued to wander the starry space, carefully avoiding the dangerous forces that could tear her body and soul apart, she noticed something unusual. A strange phenomenon caught her attention, and she frowned deeply.
"What the hell? Who is using so many rules at once, like toys?" she muttered. The force in question had a strange mark on it, an unmistakable symbol showing that the rules were being used as if they were nothing more than tools. She followed the trace, which led her to an unsettling discovery, someone had integrated multiple rules, leaving Celestia staggered and terrified.
"Who is this god who can use rules so casually? The only explanation is that they have surpassed the rules themselves... but who is this person?" Celestia thought, her confusion growing.
She continued her search, moving away from the unsettling phenomenon, determined to focus on her own goal. In the distance, she spotted a force that shimmered with a golden light. Her heart skipped a beat as a smile spread across her face.
"Hahaha! All right! I've found it, the first rule that I've been searching for, the one I acquired in my past life," she said, her voice filled with triumph.
"However, her joy was short-lived. As she studied the golden force, a gasp escaped her lips. She glanced at the nearby rules and murmured, 'What is this? Thirteen newly created rules with the same trace as the previous one? What the hell is going on?"
Celestia was stunned. There was no way that an ordinary god could create such a thing. Who was capable of this? She didn't want to get involved with this person, whoever they were, but the mystery nagged at her.
After a moment of composure, Celestia pushed aside her confusion and returned to her original goal, refining the rule she had found. She extended her hand, placing her right palm against the golden force, which she identified as the "Celestial Reservoir."
"Hahahaha! This is it! My first rule, given to me with almost unlimited energy!" she exclaimed, her excitement palpable. "Well, not truly unlimited, but it's close. I can gather energy from my surroundings even while I sleep."
Celestia focused, immersing herself in the refining process. Time in the realm of heavenly rules moved differently, it felt as though what was mere seconds in her world was a whole day here. She was so absorbed that she lost track of time.
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Meanwhile, in the tower's waiting room, Valeria had been waiting for three days. She hadn't moved, hadn't eaten, hadn't slept. Her resolve never wavered, and this dedication left Lleana speechless. Lleana's, concerned for Valeria's wellbeing, had tried to offer her food, but she refused.
This situation also caught the attention of Suzu, who had been searching for Eira throughout the entire capital for three days and nights. She ignored the people shouting fanatically about the strange miracle, as the only place she hadn't checked was the tower, so she had come in person. Her frustration was clear. "That bitch Valeria... You really did it this time. Disappearing my little sister like that? I'll make you pay for this," Suzu muttered under her breath, her anger rising.
Lindy, Eira's personal maid, was equally affected. Her usually composed face was worn with stress, eyes puffy from sleepless nights spent searching and worrying. "Eira… please come back," she whispered, collapsing onto a nearby couch, her body finally giving in to exhaustion. Her tears fell freely, her cries catching the attention of a nearby maid, who immediately rushed over to console her.
These incidents, all sparked by Eira's mysterious absence, would ultimately reveal to Eira just how deeply her presence mattered in the lives of those around her.