The room to Ovid’s room was well oiled, thus no sounds were made as it was opened.

Anna walked over.

She looked at Ovid’s back with concern. She was very familiar with him, but why do his shoulders look so thin right now?

“Just who is your mother?”

In the end, Anna still possesses a curious nature. She could not help but ask this question.

Laying on the table, Ovid refused to open his mouth, his eyes blankly staring at the endless stacks of paper.

Anna suddenly said, “I think fate is not fixed.”

Ovid continued to slouch on the table, but he responded, “Then it will be very difficult.”

Anna’s answer was very direct and simple, it suited her personality well. “But we should still try.”

After thinking for a while, she added, “Moreover, you’re a half-saint now. Only a few are more powerful than you.”

Ovid turned his head to look at Anna and asked, “What would you do if you arrived at a foreign place?”

Ovid was a person capable of shutting up for a week. However, the question, in the end, was too dire, so he had to at least open his mouth and speak about the most important matter.

At this question, Anna lowered her head to look at her shoes.

Although she had never received direct confirmation from Ovid, he never hid his identity in the first place. She was a smart person, so of course, she knew Ovid wasn’t a person from this world. After her talk with Li Zhan, the whole subject became a lot more severe and determined Ovid’s life and death.

Anna’s shoes had a very pointy end. She smiled and said to Ovid, “I would definitely first find a big tree to cling onto.”

Ovid did not smile. Quietly looking into her eyes, he asked, “But what if that tree isn’t big enough, and lighting is about to strike?”

“If lighting is about to strike, then the obvious option is to find an even bigger tree. If that doesn’t work, then that person should go hide in a cave.”

Anna’s face was so serious, causing her to appear somewhat adorable.

Ovid was never one in the mood to appreciate such a scene, neither he did not laugh at Anna’s metaphor. He continued asking seriously, “What if the lightning never ends?”

Anna’s eyes returned to her shoes once more. Then she replied earnestly, “So what? There are plenty of interesting things underground.”

Ovid knew that she was advising him to hide. “I haven’t done anything wrong, why should I die?”

Anna replied, “When the bandit was chasing us, did we do anything wrong? But didn’t you live in the end?”

Ovid understood her meaning, but the frustration on his face still remained.

“If you can push back the bandit deacon with a simple butcher’s knife, then why can’t you repel the natural world as a half-saint?”

Anna walked up to Ovid, standing behind him. She said, “The world can’t manifest itself directly to kill you. If you are protected by Julia, who can get to you?”

As she spoke, her expression was both sincere and serious. Her words seemed lighthearted but were extremely meaningful.

She naturally knew that Ovid dislikes Julia, but as Li Zhan had told her the only way for Ovid to survive is through her powerful sister, she had to bring up this subject.

“Moreover, when Julia abdicates and I ascend to the throne, I will definitely protect you. As empress, the four saints of the empire are under my control. Then, I can also appoint you as the imperial astronomer.”

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

This could be considered a declaration of the most passionate of words - let me protect you forever. Yet Anna said it with such calmness, equal to the indifference Ovid had when stating the universal principles. Apples will fall down from the tree, all living things are made of atoms, opposites attract, and we are two people that can learn of each other for support, you protect me when I’m weak and I will protect you when you’re weak.

Most people can tell that there also exist some romantic hints behind these words and assuredly be rendered either moved or shocked. But perhaps due to the contrast between it and Anna’s mood when speaking it, Ovid found it to simply be truly excellent. Whether his appearance in this world was a scheme by his mother or not, at least the relationship and days he had spent with Anna and the others were undoubtedly real.

Ovid was silent for a long time, finally saying, “Thank you.”

Anna sat on Ovid’s bed and rested her head on his shoulder.

She wasn’t an intimate person, but now she was placing her delicate head on Ovid’s shoulder, passing to Ovid a sort of comfort and kindness.

Ovid accepted it and the frustration on his face lightened. He didn’t say anything but his posture straightened.

Anna slowly closed her eyes, saying, “Julia told me that she had once seen the natural world in person. After then, she spent half a millennium creating a technique that could alter the course of fate, defying the natural world… Since that’s the case, the world and Julia are probably irreconcilable enemies that cannot exist at the same time.”

“As my sister is still alive, it proves that at least she has some capabilities to fight off the world. She had also once told me that she was too lazy to rule, and dislike it.”

Ovid said, “That’s probably because she never found a good successor.”

Anna hesitated, before she replied, “That should be the case, but I never thought about inheriting her position.”

“Why aren’t you interested in becoming an empress?”

Anna thought for some time in silence. After some time, she answered, “Just like how you only view immortality as a mean and never pursued it for its sake alone… I just thought I had better things to do.”

“If you didn’t want to in the beginning, why did Julia still insist on you inheriting the role?”

“I also wonder that… perhaps it’s because she never found a worthy successor?”

Ovid grew confused, he asked, “There are millions of people in her empire, after so many years, she still couldn’t find some?”

Anna replied, “I once asked her what is the most important character for a ruler.”

“She said one word… ‘Strength’.”

---

On Earth, the backbone of any sovereign is a powerful military. But when saints could wipe out armies and flip mountains, the most important aspect is strength.

This was quite simple to understand. To the North is the collection of human kingdoms under the pope, with their desire to restore human rule over the continent never dying out.

Were it not for Julia and the four other saints, the entirety of the north would be mobilized and the lands engulfed in the flames of war.

For a similar reason, if one wants to defy fate, gain longevity or to simply improve their life, great strength is needed.

There could choose to write poems or indulge in some less elegant pleasures, yet these are ultimately superficial and are unable to fix the fundamental problem.

Perhaps friendship with an important figure could save one’s life, but why would one want to hide under a tree instead of becoming a tree themself?

Under the insurmountable pressure from the most powerful entity of the world, Ovid realised that, while hiding under the safety of Anna, and consequently, Julia, the best choice is ultimate to improve his own strength.

He decided that if he would seek shelter under Julia, he would seek an opportunity to become a full and proper saint.

He had killed Glafx with any capabilities to manipulate mana - although the sage was greatly weakened, and he nearly died in the process… if he could successfully ascend to sainthood, he could at least be able to hold off against the natural world for a long time.

Perhaps that period of time would enable him to improve his strength further. While he probably would be unable to rival the world, it’s representatives who value their lives above all else would avoid him… as long as he can achieve the same status as the legendary Alexander, he would be completely free and independent.

Just like Cai Hua, if he could create a minor realm and fully control it with the powers of a saint, it, while not impenetrable, could act as a safe haven away from the world if need be.

He was experiencing both a mental problem and an external problem.

To solve the external issue, he needs to become a saint. Afterwards, he would be equipped to face the uncertain fate that lies ahead.

With that, his mental problem would fade away.

Except, becoming a saint is the most difficult matter in the world aside from attaining godhood.

But Ovid was a confident person, even bordering the line of arrogance. He believes, with sufficient time, it was possible.

As for his appearance in this world as said by Li Zhan?

He trusted his mother more than he trusts himself. Although the natural world will assume the worst, he reckons that she had no motives to do any harm to this world… as long as he was able to fend off the world’s representatives, he would be fine.

His mother was a virtuous, proper and intelligent person. If she had some intentions toward this world, he would help her fulfil it.

For that, he needs strength.

When that was done, he would spend the rest of eternity studying the universe.

---

After making this decision, Ovid’s strange temperament allowed him to regain his composure, casting off the frightening pressure that could crush a mountain.

But Anna found it be strange, frightening even. This caused her to be unable to relax, and grow even more concerned.

Because she knew Ovid was a person who was very logical and the sudden calmness was without reason.

It was just like the calm before the storm.

Yet for now, the storm had not come, but they are certainly preparing the sails. The time they had spent in Straton had come to an end. With Martha, they left the city.

Originally, their department to the capital, Juliana should have occurred days earlier, but because of the unforeseen arrival of the pope, the soon-to-be-former Strategos of Straton had to seal herself off to recover from her injuries. Fortunately, Irene suffered significantly fewer injuries than Martha, having her mana depleted along with a few insignificant wounds.

Protected by more than a dozen heavy papal cavalry, the carriages for Martha and Ovid’s group were pulled by the mythical unicorn. It seemed like Martha wished to end her career lavishly, for such an assembly of troops was difficult to muster, even with the wealth of the south.

Ovid and Anna had cordial relationships with the strategos before the carriages depart, Martha had come before them.

Scanning Ovid with her preception, Martha evidently grew shocked. Her hair ornament remained still for a long time before she coughed out, “Congratulations.”

She had seen the foreign nature of the mana within Ovid’s body but had guessed the person in question was long aware of it. After all, Anna was currently eyeing Ovid with concern.

She was a selfish person. Unless the natural world was willing to bribe her with countless favours, she would not mention it to anyone. Appearing within her carriage, she supported herself with her arms and fell asleep.

Not long after, the heavy papal cavalry simultaneously stood up, leaving behind a trail of dust.