Chapter 236: Midas’s Love

A few minutes earlier...

Crack—

Regis, who was still in his demonized form, concentrated to the fullest.

His blood red eyes precisely followed the complex network of corruption energy that permeated inside and out of the golden statues.

He made sure that not an ounce of error occurred as he controlled his demonic power down to its very particles.

It was only after a few hours that he was finally able to see the effects of his efforts.

The little fracture he saw earlier slowly spread out as he expelled the corruption energy with utmost accuracy.

Crack—

As Regis heard the breaking sound that was not unlike that of glass shattering, he collapsed to his knees on the side.

The black horns and his other demon characteristics also faded, as he wanted to avoid any misunderstandings.

He felt as if his mind was vibrating due to the stress his mental power had endured.

’This... is even harder than casting grand magic spells...’

Regis thought as he sat on the ground beside the golden statues.

’If only my Perfect Adaptation worked on exhaustion, too. That way, I can never be tired...’

Though he knew that this was impossible— at least for now.

As his gift grew alongside him, Regis discovered that its "range" seemed to expand.

In the past, only things that caused him harm triggered his Perfect Adaptation— but now, even illusions that deceived his eyes could no longer escape it.

The limits of his gift were yet to be discovered, and that honestly made him look forward to it..

Shaking his head to chase away the distracting thoughts, he carefully observed the states of the golden statues, ’The dispelling seems to be a success... Now, we just have to wait.’

Clack— Thunk!!

It did not take long before the gold on the head of the elegant woman statue shattered, revealing a beautiful face underneath.

Thunk— Thunk— Thunk!!!

After the gold on the other parts of her body shattered, her eyes slowly fluttered open.

Regis then glanced at the two children embraced in her arms and saw that cracks were also beginning to form at the points where she had embraced them.

At this moment, the elegant lady staggered, causing Regis to flinch.

But just as he was about to move, he saw Aurum who was sprinting in the corner of his eye, and judged that he did not have to worry.

Therefore, Regis just smiled as he looked at their reunion with a relaxed expression.

Such an event was not unexpected.

The same thing had happened with the first sample he successfully dispelled from its golden state.

It had been a bird turned to gold, but when he finally succeeded in restoring it to its original form, it was too weak to fly.

In fact, Regis had also informed Aurum of the possible outcomes of the dispelling.

’He must’ve forgotten it because of the shock.’

He thought as he shook his head with a smile but in the next moment...

’Wait, why do I feel like I’m forgetting something?’

Regis could not help but feel something was wrong.

Crack—!

"Martha!"

It was then that he heard a crack followed by Aurum’s distressed shout.

Regis’s eyes darted to the elegant lady’s cheek, where a bright fracture had begun to spread.

And in that instant, something resurfaced in his memory.

During one of his many experiments, there had been a peculiar case: an insect that, after being freed from its golden state, began to glow as surrounding mana fluctuated and flowed into its body.

Out of the hundreds, if not thousands, of samples he had worked with, such occurrences were so rare they could be counted on one hand.

It had slipped his mind entirely.

Until now.

’Whether it was insects or small animals... in the few rare cases I encountered, I noticed something strange...’

They had formed a deeper connection with mana itself— something beyond simple recovery.

’If that were to happen to a human... I don’t know what will happen.’

Thoughts surged inside Regis’s mind in the span of no more than a second.

He immediately used his hands as a pivot to stand up as he hurried over to Aurum’s side.

"R-Regis! What’s h-happening!"

Regis could see the panic in Aurum’s face.

In the three years that he had known him, not once had he seen him this... vulnerable.

At this moment, the man dubbed the Golden Hand seemed fragile as he held his world within his embrace.

"Please, Regis..."

"Don’t worry, Uncle."

Regis furrowed his brows as he inspected the fracture that appeared on the elegant lady’s cheek.

Golden brilliance— just like when Aurelia used her gift— seeped through the cracks, accompanied by a faint blue hue that resembled mana.

"This is bad..." Regis muttered.

Aurum’s golden eyes were filled with panic, "What happened?"

"Mana is ravaging her body from the inside out. Her internal organs are taking damage, and her soul seems to be overwhelmed by the sheer amount of energy surging within her."

"W-What should we do, then?"

"Normally, only high priests of the Temple of Light can remedy this, but..."

"But what? Please..."

"Do you trust me?"

"Of course!"

"Then I will need your help, Uncle."

At this moment, Regis closed his eyes as magic circles appeared on the ground, encasing him, Aurum, and the elegant lady.

[High Rank Magic: Dream Link]

In the next second, Regis, Aurum, and the elegant lady all fell unconscious.

"W-Wha... What happened..."

Aurelia, who remained frozen on the ground a short distance away, came to her senses at the sight.

’I-I’m so useless!’

She thought as she remembered how her body refused to move—how she could not even will herself to reach out to her mother.

A storm of joy, guilt, sorrow, and helplessness surged through her, crashing over her mind and body until everything went numb.

Her heartbeat roared in her ears, loud and erratic, as if her chest could no longer contain it.

Gritting her teeth, Aurelia forced herself to stand and move.

She knelt beside Regis and her father, who still held the elegant lady in his embrace.

With some effort, she managed to rest their heads on her thighs, hoping it would ease their discomfort, even by just a little.

"This is the only thing I can do for now... Mom, Dad... Regis... Please be safe."

Her voice trembled with desperation as a tear slipped from her eye.

***

The dreamscape unfolded into a serene garden, bathed in golden sunlight beneath a wide, clear blue sky.

The grass stretched endlessly, a vibrant green so vivid it seemed to glow, each blade swaying gently in the breeze.

Above, clouds drifted lazily— some shaped like animals, others like distant castles—shifting and reforming with a soft, dreamlike grace.

The chirping of unseen birds echoed throughout the space, melodic and comforting, as if the wind itself was humming a lullaby.

Scattered across the field were patches of wildflowers in all colors, blooming without order yet somehow harmoniously arranged.

Butterflies flitted from petal to petal, their wings catching the sunlight in iridescent flashes.

And atop the gentle slope where the land rose slightly, stood a massive, ancient tree.

Its thick roots curled through the earth, while its wide canopy cast a dappled shadow across the hilltop.

The bark was rough and gnarled with age, yet strong, and the leaves shimmered with hues of emerald.

In the middle of the field, there were two figures: a young man and a middle-aged man.

"Where are we—"

Aurum abruptly halted as he realized something.

Beside him, Regis smiled, "We are inside the lady’s mind."

"No wonder... this is where Martha and I spent most of our time together..."

Aurum nodded as he took in the scenery, then he turned to Regis, "Now, what should we do?"

"We just need to make Aunt Martha agree to this contract."

Handing the piece of silver glowing paper to Aurum, Regis spoke, "This will save her life. Now, go on, Uncle. Show us the power of your love~"

"What!? Hey! Where should I find her—"

Facing Aurum’s worried face, Regis merely smiled, "How should I know that? You know this place better than I, after all."

Aurum was not able to do anything as he watched the young man’s figure fade.

However, it did not take long before a smile bloomed on his face.

"You cheeky brat. I’ll get you later."

Then, Aurum suddenly walked in the direction of the giant tree.

Each step he took was steady, purposeful—without hesitation, as if his heart knew exactly where to go even before his eyes could confirm it.

Soon enough, nestled in the shade beneath the tree, he saw a white blanket laid over the grass, and atop it, the ever-familiar figure of a woman.

She wore a wide-brimmed summer hat adorned with a yellow ribbon, her long, curly blonde hair gently dancing with the breeze as she sat admiring the peaceful landscape before her.

A few moments passed before she felt a soft tap on her shoulder.

Startled, she turned.

There, held out to her, was a single golden flower, its surface catching the light in warm, shimmering hues.

"For you, Miss. May I get to know your name?"

The man asked with a gentle smile.

As the woman’s gaze met the face of the man holding the flower, her breath caught—and tears welled in her eyes.

She did not hesitate.

"Hon—!!"

She cried, her voice breaking as she threw herself into his arms, holding him tight as if fearing they might be torn apart once more.