Lackey's Seducing Survival Odyssey

Chapter 1291: “So this is the beginning, ah...?”

Everyone looked over at the scoreboard... There it was, not moving or disappearing, just hovering in the sky as if nothing in existence could destroy it.

The people were utterly confused, and the rulers fared no better. They were cracking their heads, unable to understand what was going on before their eyes, unable to give even a single answer to their trembling subjects.

Aether stood still, staring at the scoreboard while standing on the balcony of the Naiadae Palace. His eyes narrowed as though searching for hidden truths within those glowing letters.

That looked like a scoreboard... but why?

Why a scoreboard, in the sky of all places?

And... what does T.P mean?

If anything, one thing he understood for certain... this was the Trial.

The Trial for the chosen ones.

But what kind of trial?

A game?

A punishment?

A judgment?

Aqualina muttered softly, ”From what I understood... the Trials seem to be both Weakness and Strength,” her voice quivering as she stepped forward with a serious face.

Sandra and Celestia both glanced back, their eyes widening when they saw Aqualina finally return to the palace after dealing with the chaos outside. Relief flickered across their faces, but that relief vanished as quickly as it came when they noticed the look of dread still carved into her features.

Aether didn’t move, didn’t even blink. He just stared at the scoreboard with a deep frown and a thoughtful expression that grew darker with every second.

Aqualina smiled faintly at their mother and at Celestia, though it was a fragile smile, before speaking,

”This is the first time we have gotten both Weakness and Strength trials together. I am not sure how it works—whether it is meant to crush us with weakness or empower us with strength... but let’s assume the worst.

We have received both trials, and they involve the 6th Empire. That could only mean they will arrive with a strong force... and we must strengthen ourselves to face them.”

However, Sandra shook her head slowly,

”I don’t think that’s how it works though... I mean, look at us now. We are completely helpless, without anything to rely on.” Her voice hardened, growing sharp with frustration. ”After all, we are trapped inside the barrier. We lack any kind of magical ability inside it right now... we are weak as mice.”

One stomp from their enemy would be enough to crush them out of existence.

”This was the weakness that it spoke about...” Sandra whispered bitterly.

Celestia hummed in agreement, ”Yeah, we were kind of forced into weakness, right now... indeed.” She nodded at her sister, her tone heavy with reluctant acceptance.

Sandra then turned to her daughter and added firmly, ”About the 6th Empire... maybe they truly are arriving with a strong force, and we will need to strengthen ourselves.”

Aqualina and Celestia both nodded with grim expressions. If that was true, then the only ones who could fight against them were just the Chosen Ones.

That would obviously end in failure and disaster!

They didn’t know the current situation of the 6th Empire—how strong they had grown, what powers they wielded, or what gods stood beside them... And if they entered and destroyed the Doom Barrier, it would mean only one thing: everyone inside would die.

This was serious... deadly serious.

They needed to contact everyone, gather their leaders, speak openly, and prepare.

”We should call everyone and discuss this and...” Aqualina said with a firm, serious face. Her voice echoed off the palace walls, ”It’s time for the people to know everything.”

Sandra nodded with the same grim face. They had been holding this information for far too long. It was time to release it, to let the people know what was truly going on here... and how many gods they had bound themselves to in desperation.

Just then—

”It’s not making sense,” Aether’s voice cut sharply through the hall, snapping them out of their thoughts. They turned to him, their faces frozen with confusion, unable to grasp what he meant.

Aether turned to the ladies, ”That bitch... would not speak this much without a meaning.”

”What do you mean?” Sandra frowned, her brows knitting tightly.

Aether stepped forward, the sound of his boots echoing heavily, ”These two trials... I am certain it is more than what we have grasped so far.”

”You mean... There is more to this?” Aqualina asked with a frown.

Aether nodded, then, unexpectedly, gave her a small hug, grounding her for a moment. His voice softened but carried a serious edge,

”If this is all about Weakness... then sure, we are currently weak. But think back—didn’t we fight those people when they came to kidnap our people? We slaughtered them with ease. They were not strong at all.”

”Well, that’s answered then... we weak, and they weak... we all fight, right?” Celestia said with a clapping tone, her eyes glimmering as if she had finally caught the answer. However—

Aether shook his head, ”If that’s the only easy way to explain it... Then no.”

Sandra frowned with thoughtful expression, tapping her shoulders and arms as she whispered,

”The Empires shall be forced into weakness, just like them”

Aqualina’s lips parted as she added quickly, ”There is strength within weakness, just like them.”

Aether answered, his voice grim and deliberate,

”These two contradict each other. We were forced into weakness just like them... and yet, they found strength in that weakness. That means they may have uncovered a strength that we have not yet found.”

Hearing that, the ladies blinked in surprise, slowly beginning to understand... yeah, that could be said that way too.

”Wait, that means...” Celestia whispered, her eyes narrowing as though she had stumbled upon a hidden meaning.

Sandra added firmly, ”The Empires shall have their growth severed, just like them.”

Aqualina followed, ”There is growth even if severed, just like... them”

Celestia’s thoughtful expression deepened, and she added slowly, ”Our Empire’s growth has stopped... but if there is growth even if cut... what does that mean? Growth beyond the barrier? Growth hidden in weakness?”

Sandra and the others frowned, frustration itched their faces as they failed to find the answers they hoped for.

It wasn’t that easy. Still, they continued to recite the cryptic words one after another.

”The Empires shall be reduced into mindless husks, just like them”

”There is hope even in the mindless, just like them”

”That means... hmm... mindless monsters are our hope? I... I’m sorry, I am confused,” Celestia admitted, blinking rapidly as her words faltered in disbelief.

Continuing, they pressed forward with the next line:

”The Empires shall be driven to the end of their wits, just like them”

”There is dawn beyond the final wit, just like them”

”Yup... I don’t get it at all,” Aqualina said with a dejected tone, her shoulders slumping as though the weight of the words themselves had drained her.

She seemed utterly confused by the choice of phrases, as if they were riddles spoken in a language only gods could understand.

Sandra nodded slowly, her lips tightening. ”Looks like we need more time to understand what’s going on,” she murmured, before turning her gaze toward Aether. His expression had hardened, his eyes sharp as he muttered under his breath,

”Also... There is but a single hope among you. What did she mean by that?”

Everyone’s face hardened with unease.

Sandra shook her head, ”Whatever it may be... I believe talking with others would help us understand the situation better. We need to contact people first, deal with the confusion, and share the truth.”

Aether hummed softly in agreement. Yes... that was the first thing they had to do.

”So this is the beginning, ah...?” Celestia muttered with an awed tone.

But Aether’s eyes drifted toward his Log... still glowing faintly and... still running.

[LOG 2.0 Initialising Process 99.1%...]

Aether clicked his tongue in annoyance. His Log had yet to fully initialise. Something was wrong here... or something was missing.

But what could it be?

”Wait... the cards you have, what are they right now?” Aether asked suddenly, his tone sharp with curiosity. Everyone blinked, realising in that moment that they had actually forgotten to check their own cards after staring at the scoreboard and the Trial’s sudden beginning.

”Yeah... I didn’t see it clearly before,” Aqualina admitted, her brows furrowing as she was the first to raise her hand and summon her Arcane card. But—

”Arcane.”

...Nothing happened.

Everyone frowned with confused expressions. She called it again, but it wasn’t coming out...

Just then, Aether muttered under his breath, his tone sharp and deliberate, ”Call it... Origin.”

Aqualina hesitated for only a heartbeat, then nodded before whispering softly, almost afraid of what she was about to invoke,

”Origin.”

Ssshhhh~

Her chest glowed with a sudden brilliance, light blooming outward in radiant waves. A shimmer of colour burst forth, twisting in the air until a single card emerged, drifting like it had been carved from the very heart of creation itself.

The card gleamed with every shade of the rainbow, alive, pulsing...

The Origin card.

Aqualina reached out and took the card in her trembling hand. The moment her fingers wrapped around it, her eyes widened in sheer horror. Her lips parted, the words breaking out of her throat before she could stop them.

”What the fuc—”