The explosion did not go unnoticed by the inhabitants of World 237.

A power so devastating that, had it been directed at them, they would no longer exist.

The ignorant would think it was a natural phenomenon, but those gods and transcendents who had been in contact with other worlds knew that no known disaster was capable of what they were witnessing.

The goddess who found satisfaction in the total domination of her servants swallowed hard as she looked toward space.

She clenched her fist with a mixture of desire and impotence.

"One day I will be above everyone, and everyone will serve at my feet," she murmured, her eyes shining with certainty.

The transcendents who believed themselves to be gods were lost, but those who saw the sky paid much more attention to that than to what had happened among the "mortals" these past few months.

Meanwhile, a group of elves in positions of power watched the firmament with a different kind of concern, as if they knew something more.

On the other hand, in the human empires, chaos was unfolding.

An emperor burned with fury at the news of his son’s death.

He thought of the two Sterlings who had survived and, remembering the orders he had given to Lucas, a chilling coldness appeared on his face.

"Your Majesty, the position of crown prince is vacant. If we do not choose a replacement quickly, the Empire will turn against us."

"My son has just died, and you already want me to choose a replacement? Besides, Vivienne will not let me choose any of the sons from the other concubines, at least not while she knows an option still exists."

His eyes recalled the disappointing daughter he had with Vivienne.

Although he didn’t dare mention it much in front of her, he definitely wouldn’t allow a "stain" like Astrid to gain importance in his Empire.

In Pradiles, a woman with hair as black as night and intense violet eyes sat in meditation, surrounded by a purple aura with faint black and white traces.

She was cultivating the Law of Space—or the variation this world allowed—and she was succeeding.

Within her core, the Law began to grow, breaking the limit that seemed impossible without incredible energy.

A trail of light that seemed to absorb everything destroyed the roof of the place.

Just as it had happened with Sylvia, the Empress of Pradiles had reached the Transcendent state.

And in contrast to the success of some, in a hidden corner of the world, a woman with dragon horns, blind eyes, and chains on her feet murmured as she felt the change in the air.

"Sister... when will you come for me?"

...

But for whom none of this went unnoticed was definitely Xingyue, who immediately recognized the power used.

With stellar speed, she vanished from the elven hall and reappeared light-years away, at the exact spot where the power had been released.

However, disappointment would reach her quickly: her master, who had clearly been there just a moment ago, was gone.

Stellar power vibrated in her hands, growing denser.

If Cassian had paid just a bit of attention to the place he destroyed, he would have felt the energy that had, in fact, accompanied him for thousands, if not millions of years in the past.

...

While all this was happening, our protagonist—unaware of what he had triggered in so many people around the world—headed with a calm smile to see his dear stepmother.

She was still staying at the mansion in the capital; it seemed that returning to the county to face the Count was not in her immediate plans.

Eleanor sat on a sofa, her gaze lost on a fixed point.

She had tried to convince her parents to leave the county where they had grown up, telling them they didn’t have to answer to Lissandre’s demands, but they were both old and didn’t want to abandon the place that meant everything to them.

And then, there was what she had done with Cassian shortly before he left.

She leaned her head on her hand and rubbed her forehead, trying to relieve some of the heaviness surrounding her.

While she was someone who would do anything to climb the social ladder and improve her lifestyle, her parents were the complete opposite.

And although she should be cold and unconcerned about them, when she thought about how they always gave her everything she needed—even if it was scarce during her childhood—she couldn’t bear to remain the same calculating woman.

"Tap. Tap. Tap."

The rhythmic sound of boots against the marble floor broke the silence of the room.

Someone had arrived.

Although Eleanor initially thought it was Rosalind—since Elric had been avoiding her like the plague—upon seeing the man’s black hair and those violet eyes watching her with pure amusement and mockery, her reaction was immediate.

She stood up from the sofa, fists clenched, and lunged at him as if she were about to strike him.

And she did.

The sharp crack of a slap against Cassian’s cheek echoed throughout the hall.

To her fury, Cassian only looked at her with a smile, as if what she had done, instead of angering him, amused him.

It was the look of someone who knows that no matter how much the other resists, they will always be beneath him.

The same look that the women who despised her for her humble origins gave her every chance they got.

And it was the same look she had directed at him countless times.

"Two months, and you’re already going crazy missing me?" The smile that followed those words was wickedly provocative.

"Though this welcome isn’t very pleasant..." Cassian placed his hand on the cheek Eleanor had just struck.

Then, he gave her a gaze much darker than the one he had used to mock her.

"It definitely isn’t."

It was a dry, cold voice that made Eleanor flinch back in fear.

But as if that had been only a fleeting moment, Cassian’s face regained its lazy, amused smile.

He walked fully into the room and took a seat on the sofa Eleanor had occupied moments before.

Eleanor stood there, feeling that she was, once again, at the mercy of whatever this man wanted to do with her.

"Rosalind told me you’re having trouble?" Cassian asked, his tone a mix of intrigue and boredom.

The woman frowned.

For a moment, she felt as if she were about to make a deal with the devil.