77. Rules for Survival

"You dared to ignore Ravenna’s greatest desire," Herptian whispered, her warm breath grazing Ravenna’s skin. "And that, my dear, I will not forgive."

A pulse of divine energy rippled through the chamber, sending a tremor through the air.

Ravenna instinctively jerked back, her body tensing as if struck by an unseen force.

"What—?"

Herptian finally stepped away, straightening to her full height. Her golden hair cascaded over her bare shoulders like liquid sunlight, each strand shimmering with divine radiance. Her eyes, which had once held amusement, now burned with cold determination.

"You must become the Empress of Ancorna."

Ravenna’s breath hitched.

"What?!" she blurted, her voice sharp with disbelief. In her shock, she let go of the bedsheet she had been gripping, barely noticing as it pooled around her feet. She pointed at Herptian, her movements frantic. "I told you already—it wasn’t my intention to take over Ravenna’s body! I don’t even know how it happened!"

Herptian’s smirk remained, unfazed by Ravenna’s panic.

"It may not have been your intention," she conceded, voice as smooth as silk, "but the one who did this clearly wished for you to have another chance at life. And in doing so—" her smile darkened—"they robbed me of my favored Apostle."

Ravenna clenched her fists, her mind racing.

Herptian continued, stepping closer with an almost predatory grace. "I would have traced the magic that facilitated this… inconvenience. But there’s something—something powerful—preventing me from tracking the origin of the spell that brought you here."

Just then, a faint chime echoed in Ravenna’s mind. The translucent screen appeared before her.

Notice: Tracking Prevented

Ravenna’s eyes widened. So the system is actively blocking Herptian from investigating the truth?

Even with this revelation, she wasn’t given time to dwell on it. Herptian’s voice remained unwavering.

"Regardless," the goddess murmured, "it does not change my demand. You will ascend the throne."

Ravenna exhaled sharply, shaking her head. "I can’t. If I become the Empress, the Absolute One will be revived! He will destroy everything!" Her voice rose in desperation. "I want no part in this story! Just like it was supposed to be!"

Herptian scoffed, tilting her head slightly, the movement slow and deliberate. "Why should I care," she mused, "if my father is revived? Or if the world is destroyed?" Her gaze flickered with amusement. "That’s of no consequence to me."

Ravenna fell silent, her pulse thudding against her ribs.

Of course.

Herptian was never one to concern herself with the fate of the world. She indulged only in her desires, in the pleasures of the flesh, in the pursuit of luxury. That was why Solious had tricked her into aiding the gods during the Age of Divinity—offering a false promise in return for Herptian’s power.

Now, Herptian’s only grievance was losing what she believed was hers.

"I went through so much trouble to bring Ravenna into my harem," Herptian continued, her voice laced with frustration, "and now my plans are in ruins. And you expect me to simply accept that without any conditions?"

Ravenna took a deep breath, forcing herself to stand her ground. She lifted her chin. "You keep saying you worked hard for this," she countered, "but all you did was accept Solious’s request to save her. Ravenna just fell into your lap—it was given to you for free."

Herptian’s expression flickered, but rather than anger, there was something else—amusement.

The goddess stepped closer, the space between them shrinking.

"You’ve seen the past and the future, haven’t you?" Herptian murmured, eyes half-lidded. "You ought to know why time was able to reverse in the first place."

Ravenna’s breath caught as Herptian’s charm washed over her like a tide—seductive, overwhelming.

She forced herself to take a step back, sitting on the bed once more, mind racing.

Why did the timeline reset?

Then it clicked.

In , the revelation had come at the very end—a twist that redefined everything.

The protagonist, Eugene, had woken up in the past, memories intact, because all twelve gods had agreed to turn back time.

The world had been at its final moments—the Absolute One had nearly emerged, unstoppable and eternal. Desperate, the gods had collectively reversed the timeline to prevent his resurrection entirely.

Solious, the Goddess of Life, had ensured that her chosen Apostle, Eugene, would retain his memories, giving him the power to rewrite fate.

Ravenna’s gaze snapped back to Herptian.

"If all twelve gods agreed to turn back time…" she murmured, eyes narrowing. "That means you did too."

Herptian’s smile grew, slow and knowing.

"But," Ravenna continued, voice growing sharper, "you just said you don’t care about the world’s destruction.There’s nothing in it for you."

She took a breath.

"So why did you do it?"

Ravenna nodded, trying to piece everything together.

Herptian’s smirk widened as she tilted her head playfully. "Do you know how Ravenna died in the original timeline?"

The question sent a chill down Ravenna’s spine. She searched her fragmented memories, recalling the pivotal chapters where Eugene, the protagonist, outlined the crucial changes he needed to make.

Slowly, she exhaled, her voice steady.

"Ravenna won the succession race and became the Empress of the Ancorna Empire. But she died at the hands of the Witch of the West." Her lips pressed into a thin line as she continued, "The reason Eugene targeted Ravenna first in the new timeline was to prevent her from becoming Empress. That way, William would take the throne instead."

Herptian let out a delighted laugh, pointing two fingers at Ravenna in the shape of a gun and winking.

"Bingo."

Her playful expression didn’t quite reach her eyes, though. There was something sharp beneath her amusement—resentment.

"My Father’s dear disciple killed my favorite apostle," Herptian continued, voice laced with irritation. "And not just killed—erased. That wench destroyed Ravenna’s soul. And for what? She just couldn’t help herself."

Ravenna stared at her, finally grasping the sheer absurdity of the perverted goddess’s motives.

She doesn’t care about fate, the world, or even the Absolute One.

All she cares about is her own indulgence.

With a weary sigh, Ravenna ran a hand through her hair. "So, let me get this straight. You agreed to reverse time because Solious promised that Eugene would retain his memories. That meant he’d target Ravenna again and kill her in this timeline first. And when she died, her soul would ascend to Celestia Castle, where you could add her to your harem?"

Herptian grinned, pleased with Ravenna’s quick thinking. "Now you’re getting it."

She spread her arms in exasperation. "But instead of dying like she was supposed to, some outworlder possessed her body. And worse, you don’t even care to maintain her position as my apostle!"

Herptian let out a dramatic sigh, shaking her head. "My plans always go wrong. Is it really too much to ask for a beautiful souls to warm my bed?"

Ravenna narrowed her eyes. "So what you’re saying is… if I don’t fulfill Ravenna’s greatest desire, you’ll revoke my status as your apostle—which will kill me?"

Herptian’s expression turned cold. "That’s exactly right, Joy Cha Kim."

Ravenna stiffened. The goddess’s voice had lost its teasing lilt.

"I have exhausted myself trying to claim Ravenna’s soul," Herptian said, her golden eyes burning with irritation. "And now, thanks to you, this timeline has strayed from the vision I originally agreed to. So frankly?" She leaned in closer, her breath warm against Ravenna’s cheek. "I don’t care anymore."

She pulled back, flipping a golden strand over her shoulder. "I don’t know when or how you’ll die now. Your death is no longer certain—which means Ravenna’s soul is no longer guaranteed to be mine."

Ravenna sat there in silence, absorbing the weight of Herptian’s words.

Minutes passed.

Then, finally, she exhaled. "So if you revoke my status and I die, you won’t get my soul either. But you’re saying you don’t care because it’s already uncertain that you’d get Ravenna’s soul anyway?"

Herptian nodded.

Ravenna’s fingers curled against the bedsheet as she swallowed. "Then… what will happen to my soul if I die in this body?"

A slow, wicked smile stretched across Herptian’s lips.

"Nothing much," she purred. "I’ll simply have your soul tortured for eternity in my castle’s dungeon… as punishment for all the trouble you’ve caused me."

Ravenna shuddered.

"Fine," she blurted. "I’ll try to become the Empress."

Herptian’s smile widened, victorious.

"But," Ravenna added, steel returning to her voice, "there has to be a deadline. I can’t just magically become the Empress overnight."

Herptian tapped her chin, considering, before shrugging.

"Five years."

Ravenna’s breath hitched.

"You have five years," Herptian repeated. "If you can’t claim the throne by then, you are not worthy of being my apostle."

Ravenna nodded. "You’ll keep your word, right? Unlike Goddess Solious?"

At that, Herptian’s expression darkened.

"Don’t compare me to that wench." Her voice dripped with disdain. "I always honor my word."

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