Violanda shook her head, glancing at Eirik and his wife with a look of regret.

“The reason her progress has stalled,” she began solemnly, “is that she now possesses a Closed Soul—rendering her a void body incapable of absorbing elemental power.”

Her gaze carried a trace of sympathy. “And worse still, this isn’t the result of any external interference. It’s naturally formed, making it extraordinarily difficult to alter.”

Eirik froze, dumbfounded.

What the hell?!

Pixie... a closed-soul void body? How could that even be possible?

She had spent years at home, diligently studying magic, indulging in life’s comforts—how could she suddenly be broken like this?

“Are you sure there hasn’t been some kind of mistake, Master Alchemist?” Eirik asked, his voice filled with disbelief.

Pixie shared his confusion, furrowing her brow. “It doesn’t make sense... How could I—?”

Violanda shook her head knowingly. “There are precedents for your condition. Take the fifteenth archbishop of the Holy Light Church, for example. He trained relentlessly until he reached Savant Level 9, only to discover that he, too, had become a void body.”

She paused before continuing. “His case was unique. His soul didn’t close all at once—it shut down in stages. Each time his strength increased, his talent degraded. Eventually, his soul became completely sealed. Once closed, his abilities deteriorated further until he was no more than an ordinary man.”

The revelation stunned both Eirik and Pixie.

An archbishop of the Holy Light Church... afflicted by the same curse?

The more power he gained, the worse his abilities became?

What kind of twisted fate is that?

Eirik gritted his teeth, frustration boiling inside him.

If Pixie couldn’t continue her studies, then his entire save file was effectively ruined!

Raising a supreme cosmic champion was hard enough as it was.

Now, how was he supposed to clear this game? He even began to wonder—was the system deliberately messing with him? He had no proof... but it sure felt that way.

Violanda, however, wasn’t done, she added:

“This condition, known as the Heaven-Forsaken Body, carries one distinct trait—such individuals are born with elemental energy already within them.”

Pixie blinked, momentarily taken aback.

She had always thought that being born with innate elemental power was a sign of extraordinary talent.

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

All this time, she had taken pride in it.

Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine it marked her as... a broken void.

“So... I’m the legendary kind of broken—completely incapable of absorbing any new elemental power?”

Her voice wavered with disbelief, tears forming at the edges of her eyes.

This is too cruel.

She had just married Eirik, an invaluable partner in her magical journey—her golden ticket to a future of soaring heights.

And now? Now, it turns out she’s Heaven’s reject, forbidden from advancing her magic at all.

“Why me?!” she cried inwardly, fists clenched.

“Why would the heavens toy with me like this?”

Eirik’s mind was spinning too.

This couldn’t be real... Could it?

Should he just kill himself and restart the run at this point?

Oddly enough, this situation wasn’t entirely unfamiliar to him. He recalled that, in the game’s narrative, his current character was also described as having minimal magical potential. And yet, with his Elemental Absorption talent and the right magical texts, he had managed to bridge that gap.

“That’s different,” Violanda remarked, seemingly reading his thoughts.

“Your case was only a matter of efficiency. With enough exposure to concentrated elemental energy and the right tomes, you could train just as well as anyone else.”

“But the Heaven-Forsaken Body? That’s different. The soul is completely sealed. No potion, no magic can change that.”

A system message flashed in Eirik’s mind:

*【Heaven-Forsaken Body: Abandoned by the heavens, no remedy exists to restore it.】*

*【Even the renowned Master Alchemist cannot help you. You leave, crestfallen and out of options.】*

Damn it all. It really seemed like his only option was to end this run and start over from scratch.

Still, at least he had managed to get Pixie to Savant level. That was no small feat, and the reward would surely be worth it. The last time he achieved something comparable, he’d been granted the Eye of Divine Insight.

With a reward even better than that on the horizon, the thought of self-destruction suddenly seemed... appealing.

Just as he made up his mind, a new system notification popped up:

*【Unexpected Event: As you prepare to leave with your wife, the Master Alchemist sends you a discreet message.】*

*【"There is... one way to alter a Heaven-Forsaken Body. It’s complicated and comes with great sacrifice. If you’re interested, meet me alone in the church’s rear garden."】*

The cryptic offer stunned Eirik.

What was this all about? Why hadn’t she mentioned it earlier? Why the secrecy—especially from Pixie?

Curiosity gnawed at him.

Ordinarily, his cautious nature would tell him to stay far away from such a shady meeting. Who knew if this was some sort of trap? What if the alchemist recognized him as the one who assassinated the Emperor’s envoy?

But... if there was even a small chance to save Pixie’s future, it might be worth the risk.

And besides, if it was a trap, he could just die on purpose and restart the run. Easy.

*【You decide to meet the Master Alchemist. After making an excuse to your distressed wife, you slip away to the rear garden of the church...】*

Seriously? Did the system have to make it sound like I’m sneaking off to have an affair?

*【The church’s rear garden is a quiet place filled with blooming violets. As you approach, you find the alchemist plucking gentle notes from a harp, the mournful melody stirring your heart.】*

When the song ended, she remained calm and composed, her expression unreadable.

She spoke softly: *"The method I mentioned comes from the teachings of the fifteenth archbishop. It is difficult... and demands a tremendous sacrifice."*

Eirik leaned closer, intrigued. *"I’m listening."*

*"To break free from the curse of the Heaven-Forsaken Body, you will need two things: the Forgotten Grimoire and an Essence Fruit from the demon realm."*

The explanation clicked in Eirik’s mind. So the Forgotten Grimoire was real!

The alchemist continued: “The grimoire demands its wielder to cast aside their most cherished emotion, turning the forgotten feelings into raw power. Success would allow one to reshape the soul, opening it anew.”

With the grimoire’s power combined with the Essence Fruit, Pixie could be reborn, her soul cleansed and free of its limitations.

But there was a catch—Violanda had already discerned that Pixie’s most profound emotion was her love for Eirik. Their bond was as deep as it was unbreakable.

Severing that love would require Eirik’s help. That’s why the alchemist had called him here in secret.

Now, she waited to see what he would choose.

If he refused to help Pixie forget their love, her magic would stagnate, and she might even revert to an ordinary life.

But their relationship would remain intact.

If he helped her erase those feelings, she would have the potential to reach unimaginable heights—

—but their love would vanish, leaving them as strangers.

*"So, what will you choose?"*

In the heart of the capital, the real Master Alchemist watched her simulation unfold with bated breath, eager to see how the man would respond.