That terrible joke left Wrong Answer, Asao, and the other powerful figures in silence.

After entering the Divine Game, the memories tied to Divine Game players that had once been erased had all returned.

The person now backed into a corner had once been an apprentice of Moonlight Marsh, small in stature, full of spirit and ambition.

Lightchaser had been added into Divine Game rewards because of her. GodDraw77 had changed names because of her. Children of Binast might not know the names of magic academies, but they all knew the Moonlight Courier.

Now the grown version of her sat here, quiet and composed, calm and steady. She was an outstanding apprentice, the exact image every mentor hoped their student would become after graduation.

By conventional standards, she was extremely successful. Not only powerful, but also holding authority over an entire world.

Yet the reason she sat here now was to search for a last resort, an unavoidable escape route for her own people.

And she clearly had not included herself in that calculation.

The atmosphere eased somewhat, but Rita's gaze kept moving between Ash Cinders and Lightchaser. Maybe joking in a setting like this had been a mistake.

So she explained again, her tone turning solemn.

I am the BS Adjudicator.

She was the only Adjudicator. Her pride would not allow her to become the Adjudicator who survived alone after her world was destroyed.

Being absorbed by another world was not as simple as surrender. If it were, everyone could just merge and be done with it.

When a leader surrendered, it meant abandoning their world entirely. From that moment on, twenty percent of all Divine Game earnings had to be invested into developing the new world.

That meant Maple Syrup, Fat Goose, and the others would have to hand over twenty percent of every Divine Game reward to develop Lania Kaia. The Divine Game would track it automatically, issuing annual progress reports. Failure to meet the quota meant forced deductions of honor points.

On top of that came defeat clauses. When invading other worlds, the defeated races would be required to send more soldiers and accept additional restrictions.

How humiliating and cruel was that?

Mistblade, Pine Bloom, and Crab could face a change of worlds so calmly for one key reason. By joining BS, they temporarily avoided these defeat clauses. BS had never successfully invaded their worlds, so those rules did not apply.

Even a brief moment of freedom and breathing room was worth it.

Until the final moment arrived, Rita did not know what choice she herself would make. What she wanted now was to prepare one more path for her people, scattering possibilities like dandelion seeds.

Isolated Isle had many schools and many races. It was not a world belonging to any single species, making it ideal for teenagers and children.

If things stabilized, she could always bring them back.

Wrong Answer asked, What if you win?

Rita replied, Then this will be my gift to my two teachers.

Though she called it a gift, everyone present understood. This was compensation on behalf of her teachers, compensation for Isolated Isle being dragged into the invasion sequence because of her.

No one would refuse such a deal.

When the meeting ended, only Lightchaser and Ash Cinders remained at the table with her.

The heavy silence left Rita unsure what to do. She took out two sets of world battlefield keys and two individual entry tickets, placing them on the table and gently sliding them toward Ash Cinders and Lightchaser.

Entering the Divine Game helps develop both the world and one's race. So do not pass them to anyone else.

Lightchaser leaned forward, stretching out her arm. But instead of pressing her hand onto the strange World Graveyard items, she pressed it down on the apprentice's wrist.

Rita could not pull free. Nor could she leave without a word like the last two times.

Through the golden rain curtain, the elf's gaze swept over the black collar at the apprentice's neck, then locked onto her startled eyes.

You mentioned a wager earlier. You are not confident?

Rita felt as if her wrist might shatter, but she did not pull away. She let out a quiet laugh instead.

Teacher, preparing a fallback and having confidence are not mutually exclusive. You may have heard that BS has gained several new leaders. Since the game ended, I have been busy coordinating with them. I only just found time to set up a retreat. You taught me. You should trust me.

Lightchaser did not say whether she trusted her or not. But she released her grip.

Go.

The apprentice opened her mouth to speak, but Lightchaser raised a hand to stop her.

No explanations. Go.

When the apprentice finally left, hesitating with every step, only Lightchaser and Ash Cinders remained.

Lightchaser sighed.

She has learned to lie to me.

Too deliberate. The two things she said did not actually conflict, yet she delayed for days. It only made it more obvious.

Lightchaser suspected that if the apprentice had not been worried about Ash Cinders and herself lacking time to prepare mentally, she would have delayed even longer before daring to come.

After receiving no response for a while, Lightchaser glanced curiously at Ash Cinders, who sat beside her with a blank expression.

What is it? Are you angry at her? That seems excessive.

Ash Cinders forced a smile.

Have you considered that when you interrupted her just now, what she wanted to say was actually meant for me? And that I am not angry with her.

Lightchaser: …

…

After leaving Isolated Isle, Rita went to Dragon Island.

Snow Pile thought she had come to rescue Nivalis's owner. Instead, Holy Cup merely roared once and then stopped. A few hours later, BS Rita left unharmed. North Year did not block her either, even handing her a crate of fruit.

Had they not been swearing to burn BS Rita to ashes before?

Curious despite himself, Snow Pile flew over and asked, What did you talk about?

Holy Cup lay at the edge of the cloud sea, basking in the sun.

Oh, she asked me to teach her a skill for forcibly sending dragons back to Dragon Island, just in case.

Snow Pile asked, What about Lidian?

North Year replied, She said that if it truly came to that, she would send Lidian back as well.

Snow Pile pressed, Not even the slightest chance of surrender?

Holy Cup answered, She said she genuinely cannot imagine herself making that choice right now. The moment she thinks about being this powerful yet having to hand over twenty percent of her gains to Lania Kaia every time, she becomes certain she would never be able to eat again. She would rather quit the game.

Snow Pile had nothing to say.

And after leaving Dragon Island, Rita kept working.

She spent every last coin. Equipment, potions, materials, skill books from the Lania Kaia auction houses were all loaded into Adjudicator storage and shipped back to BS.

She had not checked the world battlefield chat in a long time. Fat Goose was spamming it, accusing her of having no conscience. Maple Syrup was gentler, only worried about her safety, warning her not to act so recklessly if she did not want to die.

When Rita returned to Lania Kaia three days later with more gold, she discovered that every auction house had shut down.

So petty. Such a narrow view.

She went instead to the Dark City alchemy shop, leaving behind Alchemy Notes compiled from Divine Game courses. In the back courtyard, she stacked two full walls of fine wine brewed through the game consoles.

Are you planning to teach me alchemy instead? Apache leaned against the doorframe, gripping the thick Alchemy Notes. Her already pale hand had turned even whiter from the pressure. She watched the calico cat with a black collar paste labels and descriptions onto the barrels. Are you not coming back anymore?

The calico replied, No. My great life has only just begun. Why would I stop?

Apache said, Has anyone ever told you that you are terrible at lying?

The calico answered, No. If Lania Kaia had not interfered, I might already be an award winning actress.

Apache replied, Then you are just bad at lying to people you are close to.

The calico paused for a few seconds, her paw still pressing down a label.

That is your problem. And I am not leaving. I am just stocking you up with good things. You are the ones overthinking it.

The apprentice kept complaining, words tumbling out one after another without giving anyone a chance to interrupt.

Apache found herself unable to ask any more questions.

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