How would I choose?

  It was a question with an answer as clear as day.

  Eirik knew what he had to do—help Pixie forget her feelings, without a second thought.

  Though it meant sacrificing their love, and perhaps never being the mightiest husband in the land, the regret was slight.

  But Pixie’s strength—now that was something to chase. With her at the pinnacle, Eirik could clear the game, earn his rewards, and maybe even face a future where power mattered more than bonds.

  In this game, with its endless distractions and beautiful women, couldn’t he just choose another as his wife?

  To Eirik, this was all just a game—a simulation of data. Replacing wives? No guilt. None at all.

  “Thank you, Master Alchemist. I’ll help her forget,” Eirik said, his voice steady, showing none of the turmoil he felt inside.

  Violanda raised an eyebrow, surprised. “You’re willing to help her forget?”

  She wasn’t used to seeing such resolve. Most people were selfish—rarely would you find someone willing to sever their deepest ties for the sake of another.

  This man, however, was different. She studied him closely, before motioning subtly, a book lifting from the nearby table and flying into Eirik’s hands.

  It was the Tome of Forgetfulness.

  The Essence Fruit, a rare prize, would be a challenge to obtain. But for someone at Savant Level, it was just a matter of effort.

  But helping someone forget wasn’t so simple. He’d need to make Pixie lose all faith in him.

  Eirik’s mind raced as he considered this. He’d have to break the bond they’d built.

  …

  Meanwhile, the world forums were buzzing with activity.

  “Who knew Pixie was one of those ‘Heaven-Forsaken Bodies’? I almost feel bad for her.”

  “Ugh, that’s a rough fate.”

  “Guess she’s getting what’s coming to her after all that bragging.”

  Some users mocked her plight, while others offered sympathy.

  Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  Elvynna, who had always been Pixie’s rival for Eirik’s affection, fell silent, reluctant to add to her friend’s humiliation.

  Pixie read the comments, feeling a stab of regret.

  “Is this really me?” she whispered bitterly.

  Her mind was awash with frustration. All those years spent studying magic, striving to become something greater, and now it felt like everything had been for nothing.

  “What’s the point in learning magic if I’ll never improve?”

  But then she smiled faintly, trying to lift her spirits.

  “At least I have Eirik. Even if I’m useless now, he’ll stay with me, won’t he?”

  Even if her powers faded, even if she became a mere shadow of what she had been, there was still time. Hundreds of years, perhaps. She’d make the most of it.

  She imagined traveling with Eirik, seeing the world, savoring the joy of life.

  In truth, the thought of becoming ordinary again stung. It was a cruel joke. But at least she had been at the top once—witnessing things that most would never dream of.

  “Why is the world so unfair?” she thought. “Why me?”

  But she wouldn’t give in. She’d keep learning, even if her powers were gone. Even if she never reached the heights again, she could find meaning in the journey.

  She sighed, looking at the moon.

  "Don’t cry, Pixie. You can do this."

  【Lost in thought at the inn, you don’t notice the hours slipping by until it’s past midnight. Eirik, who had promised to return by then, still hasn’t come back.】

  【Suddenly, you feel a rumble in the air, a surge of elemental energy. It’s familiar. It’s Eirik.】

  With concern, Pixie rushed out to find him.

  But what she found was beyond her worst fears. Eirik, drunk and laughing, was wrapped up in the arms of a sultry woman in the tavern, fighting off others. His smell reeked of alcohol.

  “Goddammit. This is how men are?”

  “How could he? I’m here, heartbroken, and he’s out drinking and holding another woman?!”

  The forums erupted in outrage.

  “Is this really happening?”

  Selene, who had always been wary of Eirik, shook her head in disbelief.

  As soon as she saw Pixie’s fall from grace, she’d suspected this day would come. And sure enough, once the Master Alchemist had declared Pixie lost, Eirik was already straying.

  He was at the tavern, paying for the company of a woman.

  【Pixie, hurt and embarrassed by Eirik’s actions, felt her bond with him weaken.】

  Eirik, on the other hand, felt a rush of satisfaction as the system confirmed the success of his plan. The more he distanced himself from Pixie, the closer he came to using the Tome of Forgetfulness on her.

  If Pixie could still study magic, if she could reach greater heights, he’d win—no matter what it cost.

  He wasn’t interested in being her husband, not really. A subordinate would do just fine. As long as she was the strongest in the cosmos, his rewards would follow.

  “Is this what men are really like?” Pixie wondered, feeling utterly betrayed.

  The realization hit her hard. She had just learned she was a Heaven-Forsaken Body, and now this. Her heart sank deeper.

  “Did I neglect him too much?” she thought.

  But she couldn’t give up. The next day, she invited Eirik out for drinks, hoping to salvage something.

  【After a few drinks, you feel a warmth between you. You reminisce about when you first met, pulling him close and inviting him inside.】

  “Maybe I can win him back like this,” she thought, with a hint of hope.

  But then came the system notification.

  【He declined, saying he had plans with friends and needed to leave.】

  【You watched him walk away, helplessly following his retreating figure.】

  【Soon, you found him back at the tavern, seeking out that familiar woman.】

  【Your heart broke, and your bond with Eirik shattered further.】

  Pixie stared at the screen, her tears flowing freely.

  Why?

  Wasn’t a thousand years of marriage worth something?

  Eirik... why have you betrayed me?