When the mountain falls and people run—that saying was totally right. Luo Wei's heart went ice cold.

  Smart people adapt. She could only apologize to the Fire God honestly.

  "Great God of Fire and Forge, I confess—I shouldn't have imprisoned your most faithful follower, poor pitiful Mr. Bunian."

  "I promise you, tomorrow I'll go to Demon Island and release him. I'll bring plenty of delicious food to comfort his wounded spirit. Please forgive my mistake."

  Actually, she'd been planning to release Zachary Bunian anyway. After being locked up this long, even with an iron body, he couldn't hold out. After weighing his options, he'd definitely agree to her demands.

  She'd just been too busy and forgot about him. Who knew delaying a few days would make him call down his god, who'd personally show up to threaten her?

  Look at other people's gods, then look at her God of the Undead playing dead. Luo Wei felt so wronged.

  She could only pray the Fire God, seeing her good attitude, wouldn't hold it against a "poor, pitiful" human. She was innocent and adorable too!

  Luo Wei gazed sincerely at the burning flames. She got a cold snort in return.

  "Human even more despicable than the God of the Undead, you'd better not deceive me. If you don't keep your promise tomorrow, the lava on Demon Island will become its most dutiful guard. You won't be allowed there again!"

  Luo Wei caught something ominous. "Merciful God of Fire and Forge, of course I won't break my promise. But isn't Demon Island the God of the Undead's territory?"

  If the god wanted to fence it off with lava, shouldn't they ask the God of the Undead first?

  "Damn Otilette!" The angry flames dropped the title, calling them by name. "Despicable creature—they seized my territory and renamed Fire Mountain Island to Demon Island! They're a bandit!"

  Luo Wei: Uh...

  She'd thought the Fire God and God of the Undead had a good relationship. The Fire God controlled volcanoes and lava, and the God of the Undead had guarded the Heart of Life in Demon Island's lava caves for a thousand years.

  Turned out the God of the Undead had snatched Demon Island from the Fire God and forcibly renamed it. No wonder the Fire God got so angry.

  But the Fire God could have reported to the Sun and Moon Gods, told them the Life Goddess's godhead was hidden there. They hadn't, which meant they were actually on the God of the Undead's side.

  Relationships between gods were complicated.

  "Remember your promise, cunning creature!"

  After one final warning, the Fire God disappeared with the flames.

  Luo Wei breathed out. Now she could finally sleep, right?

  She was about to lie down when—blink—a glowing golden book appeared floating before her.

  Luo Wei: "May I ask who you are...?"

  An aged voice came from the book. "I am a manifestation of the God of Wisdom, Augustnaya. I've come to thank you for saving my descendant."

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  Luo Wei thought for a while before remembering—she'd rescued children from the stone castle in the frozen plains. One boy was named Yage Augustnaya.

  "To thank you, I'll give you a prophecy." The God of Wisdom spoke slowly. "Time has brought the sun and moon to your side. Together they shall wield the sword of justice, dividing day and night."

  Before Luo Wei could figure out what that meant, the golden book transformed into countless light points and scattered. Only an ambiguous farewell remained.

  "The night grows late. The God of Wisdom greets you, deity of time. We shall meet again."

  Luo Wei froze. "Deity of time"—they knew she was the "God of Death and Time"?

  Right, she'd told Yage she was a follower of the God of Death and Time. Turned out the God of Wisdom liked eavesdropping too.

  Then why didn't they just rescue Yage directly?

  Were they unable to, or not allowed to?

  "DONG—"

  A deep bell rang. Luo Wei jolted awake to see the cold ceiling above.

  So everything last night had been a dream. She touched her forehead—covered in cold sweat.

  Morning light slipped through the window onto the wool carpet. Luo Wei climbed out of bed. Already morning.

  She'd slept all night but felt like only minutes had passed. How exhausted was she?

  While washing up, she recalled the dream, her brows knitting together.

  Time brought the sun and moon to her side, together wielding the sword of justice, dividing day and night—what did that mean?

  Sun and moon, day and night—was it about Roman and Rosie?

  She wouldn't have thought of them, except last night she'd wondered why they came to her, why they had pure light and dark affinities. Now it naturally came to mind.

  If the sun meant light element, did the moon mean dark element?

  Normally, didn't sun and moon together represent light?

  Though if you really thought about it, that worked—the moon doesn't actually emit light.

  So "together wielding the sword of justice" meant...

  Luo Wei immediately thought of the Goddess of Justice. But the Goddess of Justice's godhead was the Blade of Judgment—there was no "sword of justice."

  She rubbed her temples. Her head hurt.

  Should she really let Roman and Rosie go adventuring? But they were still so young—no, like Hol and the others said, they weren't that young.

  And they weren't ordinary people. They had pure light and dark affinities.

  Luo Wei's mood was complicated. She'd thought stopping them was right. She wasn't some old-fashioned parent—she'd refused because their request was unreasonable.

  Turned out she was wrong anyway.

  She shouldn't have mocked parents who blocked their children's progress. When they stopped their kids, they genuinely believed it was for their own good. In their understanding, what the children wanted would lead to bad results.

  She'd become one of those people. When she thought the two children's idea of adventuring to Gelu City was childish—that going would be suicide—was the God of Wisdom thinking she was being stubborn?

  Dawn came. Luo Wei still had classes. She'd deal with what she promised the Fire God this afternoon.

  ...

  After class at noon, Luo Wei returned to Star Luo Residence.

  She had the maids open Roman and Rosie's doors and let them out.

  After a night, the two children had calmed down, but dark circles hung under their eyes. Clearly they hadn't slept well.

  "I thought you'd sneak away," Luo Wei looked into their eyes. "Why didn't you?"

  Roman kept his head down. "Miss, you said if we went, you'd be sad and worried. I don't want you to worry."

  Rosie said hoarsely, "Because you forbade us to leave. A proper knight obeys their master's orders."

  Luo Wei looked at them both, her heart tangled.

  Roman followed his feelings. Rosie followed rules. The two children were completely different.

  "If I never let you go, would you resent me?" she asked quietly.

  Roman: "No, I'd never hate you. Everything I do is for you. If you're unhappy, then I've gotten things backwards."

  Rosie: "You gave me life. Without you, there is no me. No matter what my master does, I won't hate you."

  Their differences showed vividly once again.

  Roman wouldn't hate because of love. He had his own autonomy—loving others was also about loving himself.

  Rosie wouldn't hate because she'd lost her sense of self. She didn't see herself as independent, because she'd already sacrificed her life to Luo Wei.

  Luo Wei sighed. She didn't want Rosie to be like this.

  "Knights are a lord's subordinates, not slaves. I won't control your personal freedom, and I shouldn't block you from pursuing the ability to fly."

  Luo Wei looked deeply at them and finally decided. "Go to Gelu City. Go see the outside world. Just protect yourselves."

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