[Quest Chain Updated: Evelyn Parker and Lyana have temporarily joined the Party]


    Strax read the message as he returned to his carriage. He was feeling a bit drained after swapping souls with Tiamat, which had easily consumed more than half of his mana. If you were to gauge it like a battery, Strax was now running at about 25% of his maximum charge, and for him, that was substantial. He could barely stay on his feet for long.


    The message came at a calm moment; fortunately, all the preparations for continuing their journey had already been handled by hispetent wives, and he was now resting, lying on Monica''s softp while gazing at a sleeping Samira and Beatrice, who was staring out at thendscape.


    "Do I get anything from this effect, System?" Strax mentally questioned the System, which had been unusually quiettely. It was strange not to have received any notifications during the entire process of making this deal with Evelyn.


    [Party Effect: Your friends and allies are slightly strengthened by your mana during battles. Additionally, all XP gained during environmental changes, discoveries, and any fatal encounters will be equally calcted and automatically divided among all members. XP is converted into cultivation for the Lovers cataloged as {Harem Members}.]


    "Oh... that''s nice..." Strax murmured, realizing that the System was bing more integrated into his world, now operating at full capacity. Well, it was better than nothing, right?


    "Ah..." Strax sighed deeply, feeling the weight of exhaustion in his bones as Monica gently stroked his hair. The feeling of being there, surrounded by his wives,forted him. Despite the changes in his abilities and the System, he needed to stay vignt, especially considering how drained he was. He observed Beatrice through the window, noticing how she was lost in the scenery.


    It was a rare moment of peace for her, something he didn''t want to disturb, despite the lingering concerns. Samira, on the other hand, was asleep, which also gave him some relief. She needed the rest after stressing out so much... Well, he couldn''t help that she worried as much as he worried about her.


    "It''s okay," Monica whispered, as if she knew what was on Strax''s mind. "Rest a bit. Leave the worries forter." She said, giving him a gentle smile.


    Strax closed his eyes, but his rest was interrupted by the shoutsing from Evelyn and Lyana''s carriage. He knew things were delicate in there, especially with Lyana, who was likely panicking and suspicious. With some effort, he forced himself to sit up, feeling the exhaustion in every movement.


    "Let me guess, Lyana''s freaking out?" he asked, looking at Monica with a tired smile.


    "Yes, but you need to rest. Ignore them," Monica replied, her voice calm but firm. She knew Strax was exhausted and needed time to recover.


    "Thanks, but... I need to make sure everything''s under control," Strax said, trying to get up, but Monica gently pushed him back down into herp.


    "You need to take care of yourself too, Strax," Monica insisted softly, her hands still soothingly brushing through his hair. "Trust me, they''ll be fine for a little while longer."


    "Trust me, just ignore it. Evelyn should handle it; they seem pretty close," Monica said, her expression unshaken.


    Strax hesitated but finally nodded, epting Monica''s words. Her voice carried aforting rity that left him with no other choice. He wouldn''t refuse the kindness of lying on herp for a few more minutes, after all... "These thighs are so good," he said, using them as a pillow.


    "Hm... Really? Maybe we should yter..." she murmured softly, just for him to hear.


    "Hm... sounds like a good idea..." he replied, closing his eyes and adjusting himself to lie morefortably on her.


    Monica just smiled at him, resuming her gentle strokes through his hair to help him sleep a little. His body was truly exhausted; he might not realize it, but he was even pale. His body desperately needed rest, and there was no better ce to do so than in thep of his beloved wife.


    While Strax consciously rested from his recent exploits... let''s just say that in the carriage ahead, a conflict was unfolding in a not-so-ordinary manner. Lyana was truly furious... more than furious, she was worried. To outsiders, it might seem like an overreaction, but only the two of them knew what they had gone through to get where they were now... and that''s no metaphor.


    They truly knew each other and their situations well, but...


    "Evelyn, look at me! Stop ignoring me! What did he do to you? This doesn''t make any sense!" Lyana shouted inside the carriage, her desperation evident. After all this time searching for solutions, miraculously, an unknown man appeared at the right time, in the right ce... it was too much!


    Even for her, who was indeed grateful that he had helped, but... he was too suspicious!!


    "Lyana, please, calm down and lower your voice; everyone must have already heard your crazy screaming," Evelyn requested, her voice weak but still firm. "He helped me, and I''m feeling... better." She hesitated; it wasn''t just Lyana who was scared of this situation, that man... or rather... that being...


    "Better? Are you serious? Look at you! And he... he just appeared out of nowhere and—" It was hard to believe... so hard that it was like denying someone''s death, or thinking they''de back someday; it gave off a strange feeling.


    "I know, Lyana. But please, trust me. We don''t have many options right now, and he''s... different. I feel something strangeing from him," Evelyn said, trying to find the right words. "The one who healed me...


    wasn''t exactly him." She added.


    "Of course it wasn''t him!" Lyana said, but stopped immediately. "What do you mean?" Lyana paused and looked at her.


    Lyana hesitated, her gaze shifting between her mistress and the carriage door. She wanted to protect Evelyn at all costs, but at the same time, she couldn''t ignore what had happened, especially hearing it directly from her.


    "If he does anything suspicious, I swear I''ll—" The distrust was clear on her face, but she knew Evelyn was right. "They''re Spirits," Evelyn said, cutting Lyana off. "Two Dragons, Apocalypse ss," she continued,pletely stunning Lyana.


    "D-D-D-Drag—" "Shh! Stop screaming so loud!"


    The tension inside the carriage reached its peak. Lyana, eyes wide and mouth slightly agape, appeared to be in shock from Evelyn''s words. Just the fact that spirits were involved was nearly inconceivable. She could barely process what Evelyn had just said, feeling a shiver run down her spine.


    "Two Dragons... Apocalypse ss?" Lyana repeated in a hoarse whisper, still struggling to grasp the gravity of the situation. Her heart was racing, and part of her wanted to jump out of the carriage immediately and confront Strax again, but fear and uncertainty kept her rooted in ce.


    Evelyn, noticing the confusion and fear in Lyana''s eyes, sighed deeply. She knew this revtion wouldn''t be easy for her friend to ept, but there was no other way to exin what had happened. "I don''t fully understand it yet, but... when he approached me, I felt something change. It wasn''t just him, Lyana.


    There was a different presence, something more powerful, as if he were channeling something beyond himself," she said. "You noticed the shift, didn''t you? The way he spoke... It was the Spirit taking over his body. At the very least, we know he''s someone blessed." Evelyn continued, crossing her legs as she gazed out at thendscape.


    "But the spirits abandoned us!" Lyana eximed, overwhelmed by the absurdity of what she was hearing.


    "The abode of spirits has indeed abandoned us, but now... it seems that this man has a contract not with one, but two spirits. It might be that..." Evelyn paused, shaking her head. "The World Tree deserted us long ago, the spirits hide, and we''ve been reduced to mere shadows. A single man won''t change that." Evelyn said, resigning herself to the cruel reality.


    Evelyn looked at Lyana with a somber expression, clearly weighing the possibilities. Strax''s presence and what he represented were unsettling, but there was also a glimmer of hope, however small. Even though it seemed irrational, part of her wanted to believe that maybe, just maybe, something could change.


    "We''ll just observe him... If things really are the way they seem... we can try to understand him before taking any action that could have serious consequences," Evelyn said, closing her eyes and resting her head. "I want it to be possible, but... the remaining spirits, those who still hide... they are powerful.


    If Strax managed to make contracts with two Apocalypse-ss Dragons, he''s not just any man. Maybe, Lyana, he''s our only chance to survive and, who knows, restore what we''ve lost."


    Lyana remained silent, absorbing Evelyn''s words. As much as she wanted to reject the idea, there was a cruel logic to it. And deep down, she knew Evelyn was right. They were cornered, with few options left. If Strax was indeed someone blessed, someone who could influence the spirits, then maybe... maybe it was worth the risk.


    "And if we''re wrong?" Lyana finally asked, her voice trembling with uncertainty.


    "My death is already inevitable, regardless. This is a gamble," Evelyn said. "One we need to win."