Codex Null: Simulation Through Madness

In the dimension where the upcoming ritual was going to take place, Noel stood alone, his gaze shifting — one moment studying the intricate ritual layout sprawled before him, the next focused on the gray stone he was turning over in his hand.

His father, initially surprised by his easy agreement, had already sprung into action and gone out to bring his sister and the other necessary people who would supervise the ritual alongside him.

But naturally, Noel's mind was not on any of that. Instead, it was entirely consumed by the gray stone resting in his palm.

To acquire it, he had expended tremendous efforts after all.

He had first contacted someone from the Order of Veil, then through him, gained access to his superior… then to someone higher still. Like that, climbing the invisible ladder of hierarchy until he was finally able to meet Edith personally.

And he had done everything in absolute secrecy, ensuring that neither his father nor anyone else could discover this trump card.

When he finally saw her in person? He didn't confess his feelings or express his burning desire to conquer her. Instead, he spoke about mutual benefits… and his untapped potential.

He had put everything on the line to acquire this gray stone from her.

But even then, the condition remained that she still held the final say — to respond to the call or not.

And even if she did respond, she also retained the right to lend him a helping hand or simply observe from the sidelines.

So regarding the gray stone and Edith, everything was a calculated gamble.

That's precisely why he didn't call her back in the Trial Dimension.

A strong ally… or someone destined to become a strong ally — that was his relationship with Edith.

Not someone who needed to clean up his messes and rescue him from every pinch he found himself in.

Noel had determined that even if Edith had appeared back then, she wouldn't necessarily have extended a helping hand. Her pride matched his own.

Also, it was probably already too late after the relic had absorbed some soul power from Selena. The damage was done.

Could he have called her first to confirm her willingness? He could have.

But then, if it turned out she couldn't help and he wasted this one precious chance he possessed — a chance he might need for something even more critical later — then that would have been a devastating loss.

He needed to be absolutely certain, as this was his strongest remaining card.

So, was it finally time?

Noel wondered as his grip tightened around the stone, his knuckles whitening with the pressure.

He almost laughed at the irony — the stone suddenly seemed impossibly hard to break, when before, he had felt it was too fragile, requiring careful handling to avoid accidentally shattering it.

Where was his future heading?

Noel pondered this question for a lingering moment, the weight of uncertainty pressing down on him, before he finally channeled his Destruction Law and deliberately broke the stone.

Materializing out of empty air was a special gate wreathed in shadows… and before long, Edith walked through it with measured, graceful steps.

With her signature veil concealing her face, her tall, commanding stature, and her voluptuous figure draped in a one-piece dress that revealed a tantalizing glimpse of her leg down to her thigh — exposing pale, flawless skin and an appetizing curve that gave her an undeniably alluring presence — she graced him with her arrival.

She didn't speak at first, and Noel too remained silent, simply drinking in the sight of her. In the depths of his gaze lurked shame that he had been forced to call her under such desperate circumstances, but he fought to conceal that vulnerability.

Edith's bored eyes assessed Noel for what felt like an eternity, before her gaze swept around the dimension she now occupied, understanding the full situation instantly. Finally, she returned her attention to him, parted her lips, and spoke with cutting precision, "After all your bragging, this is what you've been reduced to?"

Noel clenched his fist at her words, his jaw tightening. Had they been spoken by someone else, he wouldn't have cared, but coming from Edith — the woman he had set as his ultimate goal — they still cut deeper than any blade.

And so, with defiance burning in his tone, he challenged her, "Do you think I can't rise again?"

"Well, perhaps you can… nothing can be certain in this world." Edith nodded thoughtfully, before she shook her head and added with brutal honesty, "But you could also die before that happens… and the possibility of that outcome is significantly higher."

Noel fell silent, unable to formulate any response, and Edith shook her head once more before asking with businesslike efficiency, "Alright, tell me — what do you want me to do? What kind of assistance are you seeking?"

Noel didn't need to deliberate this time, his answer coming without hesitation, "After the ritual is finished, when everything has been drained from my soul, try to extract the parasitic relic from me… if that's still not possible, then seal it completely."

"Hmm, if it's only this much, then I'm willing to help you." Edith said, her tone suggesting the task was well within her capabilities.

The atmosphere seemed to lighten with her words, but then she suddenly added with a predatory smile hidden beneath her veil, "But… I want the parasitic relic inside you for myself."

Noel's eyes narrowed dangerously at her unexpected demand, and Edith chuckled at the murderous gaze he was directing at her. "Don't look at me like that," she said with amusement. "At least I'm not killing you outright and stealing it."

"And I plan to give you a genuine chance — you can try everything within your power to fix your condition."

"I'll even assist you if you desire… but if you still die in the end, then I'm claiming the relic as compensation."

Edith's eyes lit up in a smile as she finished, "That's reasonable, don't you think?"