In the Hero's Bath, a high-class bath prepared to reward the saviors, a major event was occurring—one that, if word got out, would be enough to shock the entire universe.

"Aglaia, what are you doing?"

Tibat and Bai'e frowned, completely baffled as they watched Aglaia suddenly make a move. "These are guests. This is too impolite."

"My teacher, Bai'e, regarding the fate of the Holy City, I must be prudent."

Aglaia didn't want to do this, but these uninvited guests were many, not just one or two. More people meant more unpredictability, and it was highly likely they would cause some trouble.

Especially the destructive power Caelus had displayed. It was too dangerous.

Golden threads bound the hands of Himeko and the others. Of course, this was only because they didn't resist.

"Akivili, we're tied up?"

Aha, far from being angry, was reveling in it. As an Aeon, being tied up by a string of code... isn't that fun?

"Yes. What a rare and novel experience."

Akivili looked at the fragile golden threads on his hands. He wouldn't even need to use force to break them.

Black Swan's mouth twitched. She hadn't come to the wrong place. This memory was too explosive. Aeons being tied up! If this got out, Omphalos would be instantly purged by the Aeons' followers. Not even an earthworm would be spared.

It's a good thing these 'Crowns' were so casual, fooling around with mortals, without any of the airs an Aeon should have.

"Mi!" (No!)

Mimi (Xilian) felt her world collapse. What was she seeing? The great Aeon of Remembrance, Fuli, was tied up!

It was over. Omphalos had no future. The "grey dawn" was nowhere to be seen. Little Bai's thirty-million-plus reincarnations were now all for nothing.

Kenji, leading his two little ones, had retreated to the back. Elysia, however, did not. She wanted to experience the "bondage play."

"Sigh, here we go again."

March 7th sighed helplessly. Every Trailblaze trip has to have something go wrong. This familiar feeling was back.

"Is this... one of Omphalos's rules?" Hoshi looked at the golden threads, annoyed. How could she suffer this injustice? She was here to be a savior, and she ended up a prisoner.

"It is not. I just need to confirm your intentions and ask a few necessary questions," Aglaia shook her head. She didn't want any unstable factors affecting the "Journey of the Fire Moths."

"Aglaia, you don't even trust me?" Bai'e frowned. He had known Hoshi and the others for a while. He was sure they were here to help.

"Bai'e, say no more. I've never been wronged like this in my life!"

"Rules... are made to be broken!"

BAM!

Hoshi easily snapped the golden threads on her body. She looked at Aglaia with a wild smile. "Pathetic."

"I don't want to be your enemy, but I'm not a pushover either."

"Arrogance requires hidden energy, and I... just happen to have it!"

Hoshi pulled the Stellaron—her "hidden energy"—right out of her back. An incomparably terrifying aura of Destruction blasted out. The golden threads that tried to bind her again disintegrated into dust on contact.

Aglaia: "..."

The expression on her face finally cracked.

This was an energy that Fire Seeds couldn't even compare to. If it exploded, never mind Omphalos, Aohma at their feet would be instantly flattened.

Folks, who gets it? My opponent just pulled out a 'mutual-assured-destruction' device!

Elsewhere, Lagus sensed the aura of Destruction from the Stellaron and nodded. Tsk tsk, the Destruction faction is pretty decent, sending one of their own to mix in with the Nameless to help with the Iron Tomb's birth.

"My apologies. That was rude."

Aglaia retracted the golden threads, immediately backing down and apologizing. Her opponent wasn't playing by the rules, throwing down a royal flush from the start. How could she play her hand?

"Heehee, I liked your rebellious look from before." Hoshi put her "hidden energy" away. This thing was super useful. Last time on the Luofu, Jailbird Jing had jumped when he saw it, terrified it would blow up.

"AglaIA, these are my friends. I can vouch for them."

Bai'e said, placing a hand on his chest, his expression exceptionally serious. He had been scared to death. His thoughts were the same as Mimi's (Xilian's) just now—he really thought Omphalos was about to explode.

"...Yes." Aglaia nodded.

"Wait. What about compensation?"

Hoshi held her hand out to Aglaia. This couldn't be over just like that. "You're not even giving me mental distress fees? So stingy. Even a beggar gets a few coins."

Aglaia took a deep breath, feeling her humanity +1. To demand compensation so righteously... "What would you all like as compensation? If I have it," Aglaia said, sounding weary.

"I want a Lush Cat. Is that okay?" Kenji smiled meaningfully.

"A cat?"

For some reason, "Mama" Aglaia thought of her own cat that had run away many years ago. Sephalia, when are you coming home...

"Yes, that's fine."

She agreed to this request without a second thought.

"Sign here."

Kenji took out a contract. The content was simple: Aglaia agrees to unconditionally gift one "cat" to Kenji.

After confirming there were no problems, Aglaia signed her name.

"The contract is sealed."

Kenji put it away. Lush Cat (Sephir), your Mama Aglaia doesn't want you anymore. But even though you don't have Aglaia, you still have me! I can be your cat-sitter...

Sephir had no idea she had just been sold by Aglaia.

"My turn!"

Hoshi had already decided on her compensation.

"Please, speak."

"I want Xiadie!"

"No prob—... Huh? You want what?"

AglaIA was about to agree, then processed the words. She looked at Hoshi, dumbfounded. Her "defect" as a Golden-Born wasn't her ears, was it?

"Xiadie. That 'congenital death body.' You definitely know her," Hoshi said, hands on her hips, as if it were the most natural request in the world.

"Hoshi, no lewds!" Tibat put her hands on her hips, speaking seriously. Her intuition told her Hoshi wanted to do... forbidden things to Xiadie.

"I'm sorry. Xiadie is not an object. I cannot make that decision for her," Aglaia refused. This compensation was too absurd. She couldn't follow Hoshi's train of thought.

"Then... what about you instead?" Hoshi asked, not giving up. This big sister looks a bit robotic, but she'd probably be comfortable to hug.

"..."

Aglaia opened her mouth. Her lost humanity was returning... but only the "speechless" part.

"Hoshi, what are you doing!?"

March 7th grabbed Hoshi's ear. She couldn't watch this anymore. The Nameless's reputation was being ruined on yet another planet.

"Ow, ow! March, you're so strong! I just want a humanoid pillow!" Hoshi whimpered, her tone suddenly weak.

"Am I not enough for you to hug?!"

March 7th snapped, her eyebrows raised. She regretted it the moment she said it, especially with Himeko and the others giving her weird looks. She wanted to find a hole to crawl into.

Stupid mouth! Why did you say that!

...

...March 7th was frozen in January (3.0), and it's September now... her body still hasn't thawed...