Volume 2, Chapter 29: Stigma Space

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The girl held onto him for a long time.

She wasn't physically present, just her consciousness, yet Xia Chen could still feel the warmth emanating from her embrace.

Hmm, judging from her figure, it seemed broader than the current Ana.

Indeed, she has a promising future ahead.

Xia Chen instinctively embraced her back, holding her gently.

"Thank you for always helping me during this time."

"No need to be so formal." The girl gave him a soft kiss.

"Come with me."

In a momentary daze, Xia Chen found himself within a Stigma Space.

It appeared as a large house, complete with a kitchen, windows, and a bathroom.

"This is my home."

Ana paused before correcting herself, "Our home."

The Stigma Space constructs itself based on the consciousness of the Stigma, serving as the source of all its power.

With delicate hands, she wrapped them around his neck and said, "Whenever you're tired, come find me here."

"All right."

Gazing at Ana before him, Xia Chen couldn't resist leaning in for another deep kiss.

Despite being a realm built by consciousness, everything felt incredibly real and captivating.

Ultimately, Xia Chen couldn't help but inquire about Ana's origins.

"Do you remember where you were before?"

He wanted to know if Ana's consciousness was indeed that of the future Ana in this world or perhaps from a parallel timeline.

Ana fell silent for a moment before responding, "The world you currently exist in is real, and so is the different dimension you visited."

"Different dimension?"

Xia Chen recalled Rin also referred to simulation scenarios as such.

"In other words, everything I experienced was genuine?"

"I don't know." Ana shook her head.

With a charming smile, she continued, "I only know it doesn't seem fake; otherwise, how would I be here? However... this could be considered a force that alters destiny."

"Then if in my current world, Ana does not become the Herrscher of Ice, would you still exist?"

He alluded to a paradox commonly discussed in his previous life - the Grandfather Paradox.

In essence, the paradox suggests: If someone were to travel back in time and kill their own grandfather, theoretically, they should cease to exist and thus be unable to go back and commit the act.

According to this paradox, time should progress forward; at most, it can pause but cannot reverse.

However, if Ana's claim about possessing the power to change fate holds true, then by preventing her from becoming a Herrscher, would the Ana within his Stigmata still exist?

"I believe so."

Ana tilted her head and said, "This space is independent and unaffected by external factors. Unless you cease to exist, I will always remain here."

She paused before adding, "Hmph, don't go seeking other women anymore; it makes me very unhappy."

"Alright," the young man readily agreed.

By the time he emerged from the stigma space, the sky was just beginning to brighten with dawn.

He had spent the entire night in the room where Ana resided.

The girl, like showing off cherished treasures, led him through numerous items:

Illustrations, gardening tools, books...

Through these experiences, he gained intimate knowledge of every inch of Ana's skin.

In Europe, at Schicksal Headquarters...

Durandal slowly woke up from her bed.

"Hmm, did I... oversleep?"

Looking outside at the sun, something felt off.

At this usual hour, she should have already woken up for training. But today, she was late.

Durandal promptly got out of bed and began her morning routine.

Today, she deliberately checked herself in the mirror.

"No wounds or bruises, huh? Indeed, it must have been a dream." She couldn't help but sigh with relief.

As she entered the living room, she noticed Rita watching her with a warm smile.

"Lady Durandal, your breakfast has been reheated."

The vice-captain of the Immortal Blades, humbly referring to herself as a maid, appeared to be in high spirits.

"I never expected Lady Durandal to oversleep as well. Rita is quite delighted."

"Uh, what's there to be happy about?" Durandal asked while sitting at the table and enjoying her breakfast prepared by Rita.

"It means Lady Durandal gets more rest. And..." Rita paused before continuing, "It makes you seem more human, rather than just a programmed combat machine."

Durandal was incredibly disciplined. Her self-control resembled that of a meticulously designed machine, adhering strictly to schedules without any deviation.

Such unwavering discipline instills fear, as laziness is inherently ingrained within our genes. Succumbing to laziness merely aligns with our natural tendencies.

In contrast, Durandal has consistently overcome her innate nature throughout the years, maintaining this level of discipline day after day.

Durandal remained silent for a moment.

"Speaking of which, Lady Durandal still appears somewhat tired. Was your sleep uncomfortable? Shall I help change the blankets and bedding, Rita offered."

"No need, it was just a dream." After a moment of thought, Durandal shared her 'dream' with Rita.

"Um, the collapse of Coral Island?" Rita furrowed her brow momentarily before smiling again. "It seems Xia Chen's efforts have truly captured Lady Durandal's concern."

"Rita, please don't tease me." Durandal shook her head. "It was just a very peculiar dream, feeling somewhat real."

"As if it had genuinely happened."

Thoughtfully, she asked, "Speaking of which, Rita, do you believe a Herrscher could possess two Authorities and still retain human consciousness?"

Durandal's intuition told her that this wasn't merely a dream.

Seeing Durandal's serious demeanor, Rita couldn't help but smile gently. "Lady Durandal, based on Schicksal's current data, the Second Herrscher is known to wield multiple Authorities. However, regarding a Herrscher retaining human consciousness, according to records, only the First Herrscher fits that description."

"Theoretically, such a person could exist. But after all, it was just a dream."

The leader of Anti-Entropy was indeed an exception.

In contrast, Sirin represented the typical state of a Herrscher.

However...

Rita recalled the Bishop's plan concerning Sirin. Pausing momentarily, she asked, "Lady Durandal, would you like to see for yourself?"

"See what?"

"If you suspect Xia Chen, why not visit Saint Freya and observe him firsthand?" Rita suggested. "His progress might surprise you greatly. Or perhaps there are other unexpected developments at Saint Freya."

Rita's words caused Durandal to frown involuntarily. After some thought, she shook her head, saying, "Taking such action based solely on a dream is inappropriate; let it be." She paused before adding, "Oh right, yesterday Wendy approached me, seeking guidance and wanting to train together. Should I accept?"

Rita's eyes slightly narrowed.

"Lady Durandal, I advise against it."

To Rita, Wendy posed a significant challenge—not necessarily as a problem for Schicksal, but because Wendy worked exceedingly hard.

Wendy's dedication surpassed even Xia Chen's initial efforts.

This relentless drive earned her admiration from Durandal. Rita had to admit, sometimes she harbored subtle concerns.

While she wouldn't intentionally cause trouble for Wendy and even aimed to maintain a good relationship with her, allowing Wendy alone time with Durandal...that was not acceptable.

Durandal, however, didn't read too much into it.

"Hmm, I'll leave it up to you."

She believed herself unsuited for teaching, preferring not to hinder Wendy's natural talent.