Barely opening her eyes to look at her aunt, Elashia sat up, rubbing her sleepy eyes and said:
"Candice, has the Iron Empress spoken to you about the Undead Calamity?"
Hearing the words "Iron Empress," Candice found it even harder to look at Elashia.
"Of course."
"What did she say?"
Candice was silent for a moment.
"Complete darkness."
Candice's answer was so brief that Elashia could barely understand.
"What?"
Candice thought for a moment, then spoke again:
"I think you don't know why the Iron Empire was able to rise so rapidly in such a short time."
"We obtained a mirror, which we call the 'Mirror of the Future.'"
"Ask it questions, and it will answer you, regardless of what you ask."
"And its answers aren't irrefutable—if you learn the content, there's hope to change the future."
"The success rate of changing the future depends on the ten gems beneath the mirror."
"The more gems that glow, the more likely the future can be changed."
"And when we asked 'Can humanity survive the Undead Calamity?' its answer was 'No.'"
Candice fell silent again, and Elashia remained quiet as well.
"We then asked it how likely it was that we could change this fact."
"Then the ten gems darkened one by one."
"It told us that humanity cannot possibly survive the Undead Calamity."
A long silence.
After a while, Elashia couldn't help but speak.
She wanted to know what sustained these people in fighting in a world destined for destruction.
"If there's no hope, why do you... why do you do these... these meaningless things..."
Elashia was asking Candice, and at the same time, asking herself.
"Because the Empress said 'Things that might exist don't need belief; only things that cannot exist require belief.'"
"We all know the truth of the Future Mirror, because it has never been wrong in all these years."
"But we all refuse to accept this future."
"So, we choose to believe."
Another long silence.
"Things that might exist don't need belief; only things that cannot exist require belief..."
Elashia murmured.
Impossible is impossible.
The Iron Empress and Candice were both extremely rational people.
But, because they inwardly rejected the fact that humanity would be destroyed, they chose to believe in the "possible" within the "impossible."
And Elashia was no different.
Watching Elashia lost in thought, Candice gently stroked her pink hair, identical to her own.
Although she had only met Elashia a few times, whether due to blood ties or compassion for a child, Candice, this extremely cautious person, lowered her seemingly innate vigilance.
"Thank you."
Elashia said softly.
"Let's go explore that 'impossible.'"
Elashia looked up, smiling at Candice.
But at this moment, Elashia's smile made Candice's heart ache even more.
Her smile reminded Candice of their first meeting.
Candice had known from the moment she saw Elashia nearly kneeling in fear at her small fireball—Elashia had only been putting on a brave face before; inside she was terrified.
She had endured for many years, using unknown methods to control so many people, seemingly meticulously careful.
She was merciless, delivering a fatal blow to the old emperor, seemingly decisive and ruthless.
But when they met alone in the palace, Candice saw through her.
Elashia was actually very fragile.
She wasn't that shrewd, nor did she have the strength to protect herself, and she was even a bit foolish and not at all calm.
But actually, Candice preferred this Elashia.
Compared to a scheming conspirator like her Imperial Sister, this Elashia made her feel more affection.
She had initially opposed Elashia's creation.
After all, her Imperial Sister's method of controlling Elasia was too inhumane.
But now Candice didn't want this girl's soul to perish.
Only Candice and the Iron Empress knew why she dared to tell Elashia the Iron Empire's secrets.
The Iron Empress's original plan was to directly control Elashia after she became the Empress of Elasia, thereby controlling Elasia.
Because Elashia, sharing the same genes with her, was theoretically susceptible to remote control.
The Iron Empress's [Soul Capture] was an extremely cruel ability, which Candice called "possession."
Because the controlled person's soul would shatter instantly after being controlled, with no possibility of recovery.
It was equivalent to death at the soul level, leaving only a controlled shell.
The Iron Empress could only control ten people simultaneously, and when a controlled person lost value, she would release control.
And after this, the controlled person would face true death...
Tonight, Candice had already prepared to report the recent events in the Elasia Empire to the Iron Empress.
Then proceed according to the original plan.
The Iron Empress would activate her ability, control Elashia, and thereby control Elasia.
Just thinking about how this girl, who appeared very strong but was actually very fragile, would soon have her mind destroyed with her cooperation, becoming a puppet of her biological mother, made Candice's heart twist with pain again and again.
"Your Majesty, do you have a wish?"
Candice's question was so sudden that Elashia could barely react.
"Eh?"
"Your Majesty, do you have a wish?"
Candice repeated the question, her tone full of seriousness and solemnity.
"Look at your question, someone who didn't know better would think I was about to die."
Elashia joked.
"Your Majesty, do you have a wish?"
The seriousness in Candice's emerald eyes made Elashia put aside her teasing attitude.
"My wish..."
Elashia thought for a long time.
When she played this game before, she had shed tears over the inevitable desperate endings of those characters in this adult game world who shone with the light of humanity.
Although she now only wanted to go home, if she could truly open up the "impossible" Candice spoke of, her only wish would be to let those characters who had made her cry have happy endings.
Even if she couldn't rewrite the tragic endings, Elashia sincerely hoped they could at least enjoy a beautiful time during the coming Undead Calamity, not just darkness and despair as in that dark and cruel storyline.
At least, they could face their own endings with hope.
Elashia raised her head, speaking earnestly:
"I don't want to create some grand career; I just hope to get through the Undead Calamity together with all of you."
"For humanity's survival, I can give everything I have, including power, wealth, and youth."
"But not my life."
"Because if I die in the Undead Calamity, I think... there would be many people who love me who would grieve..."
"Survive, together with you all."
"If possible, I hope to rewrite some tragedies along the way, even if we ultimately still face death together."
"That's my only wish in this world."
The serious look in the pink-haired girl's eyes was accompanied by a gentle smile.
Reason told Candice she couldn't stay any longer. She truly didn't want to see the girl before her turned into her Imperial Sister's puppet. Looking at this girl who, even in confusion, still chose to fight to the end for humanity's survival, she felt pain like being cut by a knife.
She didn't want to tell her sister these things, but she knew she had to.
Everyone in the imperial city knew about the coup; Elashia had never intended to hide it.
Before long, this matter would certainly reach her sister's ears.
She needed to hurry back, before the Iron Empress unhesitatingly controlled Elashia.
Although Elashia had said she would cooperate with the Iron Empire's actions, Candice still lacked confidence in stopping her Imperial Sister.
After all, the Iron Empress was notorious for her unscrupulous methods.
"Take care of yourself, Your Majesty. I shall take my leave."
The cool voice, tinged with urgency, disappeared with the wind as Candice vanished into the darkness.
"Eh, why did she leave so suddenly..."
Only Elashia remained standing alone by the lake, with the brilliant starlight reflecting on the water's surface.