With Nova’s assistance in guiding Seraphina toward the “right” path and by setting the simulation she was in to maximum time acceleration, it only took a few hours in real time for her to come to terms with everything. In the accelerated VR, however, those hours felt like months, giving her ample time to process and reflect.Once she had fully digested the situation and logged out, Seraphina immediately asked Nova where Aron was, expressing her desire to meet him face-to-face for a conversation. Nova quickly informed Aron, and after receiving his approval, she relayed the information to Seraphina.Without delay, Seraphina boarded her ship—the same one that had transported her to the stadium for her fight with Aron, the one that had ended with her surrendering under her leader’s orders.The journey to the third line of defense took only a few hours, though it could have been faster if FTL travel were permitted. However, due to the current circumstances, FTL travel was prohibited within

Seraphina remained in that stunned position for a brief moment before a realization dawned upon her. Without hesitation, she dropped to her knees and said, “I thank the Lord for his generosity and promise not to let you down.” Her voice was filled with gratitude, fully aware of the immense expense tied to the resources she had requested—resources that were considered extravagant even by the standards of her previously affluent empire.Though she understood that Aron’s empire was on the path to becoming one of the wealthiest in the Conclave, with wealth likely surpassing what they could practically use, she recognized the significance of his decision. He could have chosen a more self-serving path, hoarding all the benefits for himself and his empire. Instead, he had chosen to invest in her, and that thought humbled her deeply. She resolved to make sure that his generosity was not misplaced.“Arise, we still have more things to discuss,” Aron said, a small smile crossing his face moment

A week later, the nanomachines had finally spread to all the Xor’Vak in Seraphina’s faction. They were gathered in a massive meeting room, with Seraphina seated at the head, addressing every member who was present and listening intently to her instructions.“Yes, Princess,” they answered in unison as the meeting concluded. Some individuals logged out to carry out their orders, while a few who were seated near Seraphina stayed behind.“Princess, I don’t need to return and tie up loose ends. I can leave them to my son and remain here to assist you,” said a man seated closest to Seraphina. His voice carried the weight of his age and experience, though his appearance showed no sign of how old he truly was.“Then you can come to my side when you’re finished,” Seraphina replied, not urging him to go back and complete his handover. She knew he had already accounted for his responsibilities, and trying to convince him otherwise might suggest she doubted his ability to keep his word.“Thank yo

One month later.Aron, having finally returned from his vacation, stood in the elevator of the CUBE, which still served as the temporary imperial palace. Without needing to press any buttons, the doors closed smoothly, and the elevator began its descent. Its destination was the lowest floor, where his personal lab was located—a place that he had missed during his time away."Which ones have been successfully accessed?" Aron asked, having come directly after being informed that three of the files had finally been decoded from the unencrypted portion of the data.{The Xor’Vaks’ files were the first to be fully decoded, followed by the Valthorins’ and the Trinarians’. However, the last one has only been partially decoded due to a portion of it being encrypted and hidden. Those hidden files likely contain the more advanced version of the knowledge currently available, as the decoded portion contains only basic information,} Nova responded.Currently, Nova was the only one who had thorough

“Are you sure about that?” a youthful-looking individual asked his friend with a concerned tone.“Yeah, I can’t join you on this tour because of the resources needed to accommodate my existence there,” Henry replied, his gaze fixed on the screen in front of them. The screen displayed an announcement for an upcoming tour organized for children under the House of Hope program, scheduled to take place in about a week.The individual questioning him was one of the few close friends Henry had made in his life. They had first met a few years ago when Henry accompanied his brother on a visit to one of the buildings under the House of Hope program. Their bond had grown stronger ever since, making the friend's disappointment over Henry’s decision even more palpable.After that initial introduction, Henry had maintained regular visits with the friends he had made, and Aron had even ensured that Henry attended the same school as them to provide him with as normal a childhood as possible.“But is