"Dad…?"
Francesca turned toward the marble, watching as the last traces of stillness seeped into it.
"…is the only one who can stop Mom?"
She quickly looked back at Anathasia, brows slightly furrowed.
"But… isn't Mom supposed to be the Creator?"
"How does that even make sense…?"
Anathasia smiled softly, her hand still gently stroking her daughter's hair.
"Your dad, as you know…"
"He isn't like the rest of the Outer Gods."
Her gaze shifted briefly toward Carthanalenia, who remained focused on the marble as the stillness fully settled within it.
"Not like your aunt… or your older sister."
A small pause followed.
"Mainly because his authority is passive."
"It doesn't need to be invoked… or activated."
Francesca's eyes widened slightly.
"But that's only the beginning of what makes your father…"
Anathasia's voice softened, yet carried a quiet certainty.
"…one of the most powerful Outer Gods."
A brief pause.
"…second only to me."
The three of them turned toward the marble Carthanalenia had been watching.
Anathasia's gaze lingered on it.
"As the foundation…"
Her voice dropped to a near whisper.
"Nothing escapes his authority."
A beat.
"…the all-encompassing Absolute Stillness."
—
Theocracy Borderlands
Village of Aoegos
Rania's Home
Slowly, my feet touched the ground as I opened my eyes.
A small village greeted me. Children running through the dirt paths, faint smoke curling from the chimneys of each house.
"Must be the border between Ishtar and that… Kazar Empire Roselia's from."
I glanced around.
Nothing felt off.
The wind brushed against my hair, letting it sway gently with the breeze.
"What exactly did Roselia do this time…" I muttered, folding my arms as my brows furrowed. I stood atop a hill overlooking the village.
Except—
As I narrowed my eyes toward Kazar's direction…
A small, almost unnoticeable black speck appeared on the horizon.
Then it spread slowly. Gradually blanketing the road that led straight to the village.
And above—
Three more specks cut through the sky, approaching fast.
My gaze sharpened.
"That's…"
"Them."
A voice spoke beside me.
"The Empire's army."
I turned, only to see Anathasia standing there, arms crossed like she'd been there the whole time.
"Where's Lena and Fran?"
She glanced at me, placing a hand on my shoulder as she smiled.
"They're safe. Don't worry."
"I sent them back home."
Her hand slid away.
Then she tilted her head slightly.
"So go ruin Roselia's day for me."
She winked.
"Will you?"
I paused, letting out a quiet sigh, shaking my head as I turned back toward the approaching army.
The marching forces drew closer, dragons overhead releasing earth-shaking roars.
"How am I even supposed to deal with this…" I muttered.
My eyes drifted down to the village below.
Panic had already set in. People ran in all directions. Children crying. Women calling out. Men pulling their families away from the incoming threat.
The ground trembled.
The sound of marching grew louder, getting closer with each second.
"By the way…" I turned back to her, my eyes briefly drifting to her feet before returning to her face.
"Where'd the red dress go?"
She went silent for a second, then shrugged, adjusting the strap of her camisole.
"Aegea's hot. Especially Ishtar. Who'd be dumb enough to wear something that thick here?"
She glanced at me.
"Besides, only you can see me right now. Even Roselia can't. So don't worry about anyone seeing your wife dressed like this, alright?"
My expression flattened.
"I was just asking… how did you even—"
"Come on," she cut in, waving her hand dismissively.
"We've been together for almost twenty-one years. You really think you can lie to me to my face?"
"This is strictly for your eyes only. I wouldn't even bother letting anyone else see it."
"…Girl, that was a genuine question," I muttered, letting out a sigh as I shook my head.
"What you wear is up to you. I was just curious."
Silence settled between us.
After a moment, we both turned back toward the approaching army.
"How exactly do we stop something like that without killing all of them?"
I rubbed my temple.
"You don't attack them physically."
Her eyes glowed faintly as she stared ahead.
"In fact… you don't attack them at all."
I shot her a glance, one brow raised.
"How does that work?"
"You can't change how they think by talking," she continued, her gaze steady. "And physical attacks would kill them instantly. Conceptual ones? Same result."
"So what do we do?"
A small smirk formed on her lips.
"We don't do anything."
The marching slowed.
Almost imperceptibly at first—
Then more.
"We let your Authority do the work."
The ground trembled as the army stopped. Every step halted mid-motion. Every weapon froze in place. Even the wind went still.
"The Stillness…" she murmured softly.
"…as the ultimate hax."
Her smirk widened as she looked at me, like a cat that got the cream. She puffed her chest out slightly.
"See?"
My eyes widened slightly as I watched the dragons slowly descend back into the army's ranks.
"Huh…"
"Like I said," she chimed in, clearly pleased. "Stillness is the foundation of even the highest conceptual layers. Especially anything that tries to harm you."
"And you don't attack the foundation if you want the structure to last."
She nodded to herself.
"And it dissolves harmful intent directed at those around you… or you."
Another proud nod.
"And it works on a meta-narrative level too."
"I'm not sure what that means… but sure," I muttered, watching as the army slowly began to turn back.
—
Behind the ranks of the Empire's Army
Roselia hovered above the marching forces, hands clasped behind her back as she watched them advance toward the first village in sight.
But just as they were meant to cross the border—
They stopped.
Her eyes widened.
"What…?"
"What's happening?"
She descended quickly, her form flickering before solidifying beside the Emperor's steed.
"Emperor," she called, brows furrowing. "Why did you stop?"
Silence.
Euphilla didn't answer immediately.
Instead, she stared ahead.
At the village.
At the people fleeing in panic.
Her grip on the reins tightened, fingers paling.
"…Duchess," she finally spoke, voice low. "I cannot bring myself to harm the innocent."
She gestured toward the distant village.
"They are not liars. They are people."
"People misled by those who once claimed to speak for the Divine Merciful Equilibrium…"
Her jaw tightened.
"Leaders she herself cast down."
A breath.
"And war… to 'liberate' them?"
She shook her head slowly.
"That only brings more suffering."
"Not salvation."
Silence lingered.
Then she turned slightly, meeting Roselia's eyes before looking away.
"I will not move forward."
Behind her, the army shifted.
Not in defiance—
But in quiet agreement.
The fire that once burned in their eyes…
Was gone.
Extinguished.
Replaced by something they themselves could not understand.
Roselia's gaze swept across them.
Her expression remained composed.
But beneath it—
Something faltered.
A presence.
Unseen.
Unfamiliar.
And completely beyond her grasp.
She watched as the army abandoned their advance, slowly receding back toward Kazar.
Her lips pressed into a thin line.
Then her gaze shifted back toward the village.
"How… is this possible?"
Her hands clenched, turning pale.
"The Emperor should've been aligned with me already…"
Her voice lowered to a whisper, brows knitting together.
"How does this make sense…? I isolated the Demiurge's Image containing Aegea—"
A thought flickered.
Her eyes snapped toward the hill overlooking the village.
There—
A man stood.
Small against the horizon.
Long black hair swaying with the wind.
And behind him…
Something else.
Something far more terrifying than infinite chaos.
"I see…"
A bitter smile tugged at her lips.
The tightness in her chest eased.
Her shoulders slumped slightly as a quiet chuckle escaped her.
"That's why I couldn't feel anything…"
"Why I never noticed…"
Behind him lay an inexplicable stillness.
Absolute.
A stillness that preceded motion—
Concepts—
Existence itself.
Then,
Something inside her pulsed.
Her eyes widened instantly as she clutched her chest, dropping to her knees.
Cold sweat trailed down her skin.
"What…?"
Slowly, she lifted her head.
Staring toward the hill.
Toward him.
And beside him,
Something she could not see.
But could feel.
Instinctively.
Without fail.
"…She's here…?"