The door had led to a familiar field of aster flowers. They were both inside Nova’s Realm of Desires for it is a part of Souhait as well. Ras seemed more interested in the flowers than following him.

“These are aster flowers?” Ras questioned as he knelt down to observe them closely.

“What else could they be?”

“When I was researching about you and Nova, I managed to stumble upon a book that I read about. It talked about legends and myths from long ago. Of course, you were mentioned in that book, but there was a certain chapter that caught my interest. It was about a flower that looks identical to an aster flower, but the difference is that it glows a golden hue when exposed to the light of twilight. I don’t remember what that flower’s name was, unfortunately.”

“I know what flower you are talking about, but they are long extinct. There is no way those flowers would be here. Nova just likes aster flowers in general, hence why this field is full of them.”

“I see. Well, aster flowers are beautiful, so I get him.”

Souhait pointed to the nearby cottage. “Let us enter that cottage.”

Ras noticed it and his eyes widened. “Is that the same one from the forest grotto?”

“A copy. The real one is still in the real world.”

Souhait noticed that he had zero remorse for his actions. He started walking and Ras followed behind. Once they reached the front door, Souhait entered the Contract Room. His field of vision started elevated as he transformed back into his dragon form and stared down at Ras who sat down on the chair.

“Ras Leonis, tell me what it is you wish for.”

Ras took a deep breath. “I wish to be with my wife Mebsuta Leonis.”

“What is your idea of wanting to be with your wife?”

“Just being where she is. Wherever she is, I want to be there with her.”

Uncertainty came to Souhait as he asked,“Did you know that I completely eradicated Mebsuta’s soul? Her soul does not exist in the Spirit Realm.”

“I had a feeling…”

“But your father’s soul is most likely in the realm, but his will for a wish has not been manifested yet. Do you not want to be with your father?”

“I love my father, but I love Mebsuta much more…”

So, he wants to die completely… Souhait could tell his love for his wife was honest and true. Ras suddenly changed his expression from happy to sad as he hung his head low.

“Could you tell me why you killed Meb?”

I guess I can throw him some bones…

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“Mebsuta’s wish was to subjugate Nova–to have us as her own secret weapon to destroy the mainland. I could not accept that and it went against the rules of wish-granting that I implemented. Those who do not obey my rules of wish-granting shall cease to exist.”

Hearing his explanation caused Ras to hang his head low. Souhait caught a soft chuckle as his shoulders started bouncing erratically as he flung his head back with an even louder laughter that echoed in the room.

“So, that was it? That was the reason you killed her?”

“What are you trying to play at?” Souhait had asked this because he started feeling unsettled with the swift change in his emotions.

“You should have let her do whatever she wanted with you. All she wanted was to find a way to stop the neverending wars and bring prosperity to Sirius. Her goals were ones of peace.”

“I disagree. She did not have pure intentions. While her desire to stop wars was true, she wanted to do it in a way where Sirius would become its own land separate from Ilacier and she would be the highest power. She wanted to overthrow the Alhague family.”

“And that cannot happen?”

“Obviously. Not only is there a Three Nations Act, but changing the world itself is something I cannot allow.”

“Why?”

“Because I am this world’s creator. Anything that goes against the world’s regulations and order shall be eliminated. Only I can make changes to this world. Anyone else who does it is deemed as someone trying to usurp me from my position and I cannot have that.”

“That is stupid. What have you done for the world?”

“I made it and that is why you exist.”

Souhait pondered about Ras’s sudden change in personality. The Contract Room did not allow dishonesty or lies, so he knew this wasn’t a ploy or an act. This was his true self. It feels as if he is trying to goad me into destroying his soul like what I did with his wife… He came to a conclusion that was his intent.

However, if that was his intent, it would mean Souhait would have a failed attempt in forming a contract. The thought of that did not scare him. It just meant that some people weren’t worth granting wishes for. Mebsuta had been one such failed attempt and now her husband.

“Wanting to be with your wife means that you are willing to eradicate your soul. You will no longer be in the Spirit Realm. Your wish will not be counted as granted. Are you okay with that?”

“Yes.”

Ras looked as if he just didn’t want to live anymore. Perhaps, this was what he wanted to achieve: to truly rest in peace without the need for wishes, illness or even love. His love for his wife was no lie, but Souahit knew it was equivalent to what he had felt for the projection of the starry night sky he had seen when living in the basement. While he had seen countless amounts of starry skies throughout his life, they never moved his heart. His wife was like a projection, an unattainable image that he desperately wanted in his grasp. What he wanted was the projection of his wife’s happy face and praises for when he had accomplished his goal of finding Nova and bringing him to her. Yet, what he got in return wasn’t what he had expected.

This caused Souhait to realize how complicated this man’s love for his wife was. The feelings were no lie; he just had astronomically high expectations for himself. He believed that eradicating his soul would put an end to these dangerous feelings once and for all.

He also assumed the reason Ras did not want to stay with his father in the Spirit Realm was because he was ashamed of the person he had become from not heeding his advice. People were indeed dangerous, but what was the most dangerous was the person he had become from falling in love.

If ceasing to exist was what Ras wanted, he wasn’t one to object. “Very well.”

He lifted his tail and let the tip pierce through the chest. The no-longer potential client started disintegrating. Souhait saw a small smile forming on his lips as he disappeared completely. All he could do was sigh.

Some people are not worth granting wishes for in the end. I am the creator of this world, so I can pick and choose who is worthy and who is not as long as they are alive.

He didn’t think there was anything wrong with that mindset.