
Xia retched, stomach acid burning her throat as the World of Wine assaulted her senses. The stench of alcohol pervaded everything, transforming the world into an inverted nightmare painted in sickly dark hues. Each passing moment made the surrounding hut blur further, her vision swimming as numbness crept through her body from head to toe. Her brain struggled to process information, darkness encroaching at the edges of her consciousness as she faced the zombie-like Dragon Scion who stared back with empty eyes.
Just as unconsciousness seemed inevitable, a dome of green light materialized around them.
Ciel rose to his feet, brushing dust from his clothes. Rejuvenated by Xia's earlier healing spell, he stood tall as color returned to their protected space, the alcoholic mist unable to penetrate the verdant barrier.
"How?" Decimo's voice carried a note of genuine surprise.
"I examined the scene where you kidnapped Nuan," Ciel stated matter-of-factly. "And prepared this aria specifically to counter mental illusions."
Despite his show of confidence, Ciel could barely see straight after the earlier tackle. While his physical condition recovered thanks to Xia's magic, it couldn't change their numerical disadvantage or bridge the skill gap they faced.
Nuan remained their greatest challenge. Under normal circumstances, Ciel would have exploited her psychological vulnerabilities, but Balor's Grip had placed her in a sleepwalking trance, likely rendering her immune to the World of Wine's intoxicating effects.
And then there was Decimo.
Ciel observed as smoky darkness began emanating from the man, its presence feeling fundamentally wrong. The memory of poisoned needles concealed in Decimo's sleeves made the situation even more precarious.
One rush with AURA BLADE would end everything. They needed time. Ciel raised his hand, stopping Xia before she could leap into the black world beyond their sanctuary.
"This area is an intoxicating conceptual field," Ciel began, attempting to distract Decimo with his analysis. "With an additional containment field to prevent escape." He subtly slid four metal plates into his palm. "How did you manage to unfurl it so quickly? This kind of technique typically requires days of preparation."
"Are you attempting to delay your death, Union Lord?" Decimo's voice carried a mocking lilt. "Such a tactic will not work." His lips curved into a cruel smile. "Get him, Massacre Princess."
Nuan leaped forward on command, her AURA BLADE swinging down with mindless precision. Ciel, prepared for this moment, revealed his ace-in-the-hole: four square plates of metal, steel-printed talismans that he activated in rapid sequence.
"Four Pillars of Cardinal Direction," he intoned, each word resonating with power. "Activate the conceptual pillar of this world."
Opalescent light erupted from the inscribed talismans. Positioned at perfect corners, they generated a rising cuboid of impenetrable force: a defense capable of withstanding meteors themselves. This wasn't merely a barrier but something that transcended conventional protection: a wall of mirroring light that repelled and safeguarded against all misfortune. When Nuan's invisible blade—sharp enough to slice through the strongest armor—met this ultimate defense, reality itself seemed to shudder.
A blinding flash erupted, and the possessed girl flew backward, her body carving a furrow in the dirt as she landed with a pained groan.
"Is that Aria's legendary conceptual defense?" Decimo's voice carried equal parts wonder and concern. "I recalled only her, Selene, and Anastasia are capable of such a feat."
"An eon of waiting provides ample time for learning," Ciel replied dryly.
"Magnificent," Decimo's admiration was genuine. "To witness the greatest defense on this planet with my own eyes!" His tone hardened. "However, that technique drains enormous energy from you." He turned to his puppet. "Massacre Princess, unleash everything. Deploy the Rotation Bullet."
As Nuan's body surged with Aura, Ciel's stomach knotted with apprehension.
"We need to leave," Xia's urgent whisper reached him. "Nuan's ace technique—it'll tear us apart. Everything I've heard about it..." She shook her head. "We don't want to be here when it hits."
"No escape possible," Ciel's lab coat fluttered as he searched for options, but even his bottomless bag of tricks offered no solution to this unwinnable scenario. "We're trapped in an isolated conceptual world. I might manage to slip away alone, but Nuan won't give me the time I need."
"What about your 'Authority'?" Xia pressed. "Could it push me beyond the 'mortal limit'?"
"I know what you're suggesting," Ciel withdrew a cylinder from his seemingly endless arsenal. "Trust me, you don't want that level of commitment."
In the distance, Nuan's Aura coalesced into a massive cloudy sphere, spinning like a miniature typhoon. Its rotation reached such devastating speeds that it began pulling in everything nearby: debris, air, even the alcoholic mist that permeated their battlefield.
GIANT ROTATION BULLET
"How do I activate that contract?" Xia shouted over the chaos, ready to gamble everything for survival. "Is it a kiss? That guy mentioned 'wives,' so it must be some kind of marriage vow, right?"
"You're being ridiculous," Ciel stubbornly deflected, focusing instead on pouring liquid metal to reinforce their defense.
But Xia had learned to read the Union Lord's deceptions. When he lied, he never fabricated false tales; he simply misdirected.
Red-faced and desperate, she grabbed his collar. "This is for my armor!" Before Ciel could react, she pressed her lips against his.
What Xia didn't know was that a mere kiss wouldn't forge the contract. The Lord of Union's covenant required mutual affection to activate. She remained unaware that Ciel already cared for her; precisely why he'd maintained his distance, trying to prevent this very moment.
Yet even the most stubborn Lord couldn't escape the Void's design. To Ciel, Xia tasted of vanilla, carrying a light, mellow warmth. As her tongue sought his, the Authority he'd suppressed throughout their journey surged like a breaking dam.
For Xia, the sensation transcended every royal luxury she'd known—sweeter and more intoxicating than the finest wines of Curtis. She surrendered to it, eyes closed in bliss as power from beyond flowed through her lips and into her lungs. The Void's energy suffused every cell of her being. In that moment, Xiahana La Louve transcended human limitations.
The first Celestial Bride was born in that unnamed town. She might have lost herself entirely in the sensation if not for the sharp crack of failing defenses. Even then, she struggled to pull away, requiring both their considerable willpower to separate.
"You taste so sweet," Xia murmured dreamily, her body glowing like a freshly baked cookie. "It's incredible..."
"That's psychological compulsion," Ciel warned, eyes fixed on the rapidly depleting metal plate. "Focus!"
Xia shook off her daze. "How do I use these new abilities?"
The barrier shattered before he could answer. Acting on instinct, she grabbed Ciel and moved him behind her like a seasoned bodyguard. The protective green dome followed as she intercepted Nuan's assault, while the previous attack carved another devastating scar into the earth.
Nuan's AURA BLADE sliced across Xia's shoulder, but Xia's counterattack landed squarely on Nuan's cheek. Brilliant light exploded from the point of impact. The force of the blow sent Nuan flying through a distant hut with a surprised yelp, launching her clear of the settlement.
Xia and Ciel stared at her fist, now wreathed in shimmering white energy.
"What is that?" Ciel asked, for once finding himself without answers.
"Isn't this your creation?" Xia squeaked, marveling at the anomalous energy flowing through her body.
Decimo observed the birth of the Celestial Bride with evident fascination. "Remarkable. Lord Balor believed your distaste for your Authority meant we'd never face your bride." He drew out a stack of needles. "But a newly hatched Celestial—"
"Can you please shut up?" Xia lifted her hand to cast a binding spell but froze mid-motion. Something felt fundamentally different, and the realization slowly dawned on her.
Unlike Aura, which incubated within the heart, the various colors of Mana existed in the atmosphere. Normally, a mage gathered Mana from their surroundings to fuel their spells. But now, instead of flowing into her preset formulae, the Mana diffused directly into her bloodstream, mixing with the Aura pulsing in her chest.
Xia stared at her hands in wonder. Mixing Aura and Mana should have been theoretically impossible. She flexed her fingers, remembering the force of her previous punch. The traits of White Mana—strengthening, sealing, and destruction—formed the foundation of White Magic. If these properties had merged with her Aura, it would explain the devastating power of her strike.
She recalled how Aura was both the most malleable and resilient of all mystical particles. With that thought, she dared to attempt something unprecedented.
Instead of drawing on atmospheric White Mana, she channeled her hybrid energy into a familiar pattern, one she knew by heart but had never been able to complete, until now.
WHITE MAGIC RANK VI: SANCTION
Celestial light flowed like liquid dreams, coalescing into a pristine orb that shot skyward from her palm. It drew a perfect circle of holy radiance overhead, showering the entire settlement—and a kilometer beyond—with overwhelming blessings of divine order.
The light pressed down upon all she deemed enemy. Nuan, leaping skyward, found herself slammed back to earth by the weight of cosmic law. Decimo could only stare in horror as sacred illumination burned away his smoky presence. Meanwhile, Ciel stood unharmed, rejuvenated; and for the first time since she'd known him, completely speechless.
"Father's favorite spell," Xia mused softly. "They said it would take four more years of practice to master it."
The Princess of White turned to her newfound husband, a fierce light in her eyes. "Handle Decimo," she declared, already rushing toward Nuan. "I need payback."
And so the second round began, the Dragon Scion trading blows with the newly empowered Celestial Bride in a dance of retribution and destiny.