Chapter 151: The carriages return to the road.

[Quest Chain Updated: Evelyn Parker and Lyana have temporarily joined the Party]

Strax read the message as he returned to his carriage. He was feeling a bit drained after swapping souls with Tiamat, which had easily consumed more than half of his mana. If you were to gauge it like a battery, Strax was now running at about 25% of his maximum charge, and for him, that was substantial. He could barely stay on his feet for long.

The message came at a calm moment; fortunately, all the preparations for continuing their journey had already been handled by his competent wives, and he was now resting, lying on Monica's soft lap while gazing at a sleeping Samira and Beatrice, who was staring out at the landscape.

"Do I get anything from this effect, System?" Strax mentally questioned the System, which had been unusually quiet lately. It was strange not to have received any notifications during the entire process of making this deal with Evelyn.

[Party Effect: Your friends and allies are slightly strengthened by your mana during battles. Additionally, all XP gained during environmental changes, discoveries, and any fatal encounters will be equally calculated and automatically divided among all members. XP is converted into cultivation for the Lovers cataloged as {Harem Members}.]

"Oh... that's nice..." Strax murmured, realizing that the System was becoming more integrated into his world, now operating at full capacity. Well, it was better than nothing, right?

"Ah..." Strax sighed deeply, feeling the weight of exhaustion in his bones as Monica gently stroked his hair. The feeling of being there, surrounded by his wives, comforted him. Despite the changes in his abilities and the System, he needed to stay vigilant, especially considering how drained he was. He observed Beatrice through the window, noticing how she was lost in the scenery.

It was a rare moment of peace for her, something he didn't want to disturb, despite the lingering concerns. Samira, on the other hand, was asleep, which also gave him some relief. She needed the rest after stressing out so much... Well, he couldn't help that she worried as much as he worried about her.

"It's okay," Monica whispered, as if she knew what was on Strax's mind. "Rest a bit. Leave the worries for later." She said, giving him a gentle smile.

Strax closed his eyes, but his rest was interrupted by the shouts coming from Evelyn and Lyana's carriage. He knew things were delicate in there, especially with Lyana, who was likely panicking and suspicious. With some effort, he forced himself to sit up, feeling the exhaustion in every movement.

"Let me guess, Lyana's freaking out?" he asked, looking at Monica with a tired smile.

"Yes, but you need to rest. Ignore them," Monica replied, her voice calm but firm. She knew Strax was exhausted and needed time to recover.

"Thanks, but... I need to make sure everything's under control," Strax said, trying to get up, but Monica gently pushed him back down into her lap.

"You need to take care of yourself too, Strax," Monica insisted softly, her hands still soothingly brushing through his hair. "Trust me, they'll be fine for a little while longer."

"If he does anything suspicious, I swear I'll—" The distrust was clear on her face, but she knew Evelyn was right. "They're Spirits," Evelyn said, cutting Lyana off. "Two Dragons, Apocalypse Class," she continued, completely stunning Lyana.

"D-D-D-Drag—" "Shh! Stop screaming so loud!"

The tension inside the carriage reached its peak. Lyana, eyes wide and mouth slightly agape, appeared to be in shock from Evelyn's words. Just the fact that spirits were involved was nearly inconceivable. She could barely process what Evelyn had just said, feeling a shiver run down her spine.

"Two Dragons... Apocalypse Class?" Lyana repeated in a hoarse whisper, still struggling to grasp the gravity of the situation. Her heart was racing, and part of her wanted to jump out of the carriage immediately and confront Strax again, but fear and uncertainty kept her rooted in place.

Evelyn, noticing the confusion and fear in Lyana's eyes, sighed deeply. She knew this revelation wouldn't be easy for her friend to accept, but there was no other way to explain what had happened. "I don't fully understand it yet, but... when he approached me, I felt something change. It wasn't just him, Lyana.

There was a different presence, something more powerful, as if he were channeling something beyond himself," she said. "You noticed the shift, didn't you? The way he spoke... It was the Spirit taking over his body. At the very least, we know he's someone blessed." Evelyn continued, crossing her legs as she gazed out at the landscape.

"But the spirits abandoned us!" Lyana exclaimed, overwhelmed by the absurdity of what she was hearing.

"The abode of spirits has indeed abandoned us, but now... it seems that this man has a contract not with one, but two spirits. It might be that..." Evelyn paused, shaking her head. "The World Tree deserted us long ago, the spirits hide, and we've been reduced to mere shadows. A single man won't change that." Evelyn said, resigning herself to the cruel reality.

Evelyn looked at Lyana with a somber expression, clearly weighing the possibilities. Strax's presence and what he represented were unsettling, but there was also a glimmer of hope, however small. Even though it seemed irrational, part of her wanted to believe that maybe, just maybe, something could change.

"We'll just observe him... If things really are the way they seem... we can try to understand him before taking any action that could have serious consequences," Evelyn said, closing her eyes and resting her head. "I want it to be possible, but... the remaining spirits, those who still hide... they are powerful.

If Strax managed to make contracts with two Apocalypse-Class Dragons, he's not just any man. Maybe, Lyana, he's our only chance to survive and, who knows, restore what we've lost."

Lyana remained silent, absorbing Evelyn's words. As much as she wanted to reject the idea, there was a cruel logic to it. And deep down, she knew Evelyn was right. They were cornered, with few options left. If Strax was indeed someone blessed, someone who could influence the spirits, then maybe... maybe it was worth the risk.

"And if we're wrong?" Lyana finally asked, her voice trembling with uncertainty.

"My death is already inevitable, regardless. This is a gamble," Evelyn said. "One we need to win."