'Where am I?'

"Vera." She turned around and caught Crispin standing behind her.

"Wait, am I dead? But..."

"No, you aren't dead, well, not Sarah." Relief flooded her veins.

"Then why am I here?"

"Well," his hands scratched his head. "It appears you had a single unforeseen lifeline... and you may have used it already."

Her eyes widened at the revelation. "I HAD A LIFELINE? WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME?"

Crispin raised his hands in surrender. "I had no idea about this, either." He gazed upon her eyes, showing confusion and bafflement.

'He's telling the truth.'

Crispin let out a fake cough. "Now that the pleasantries are over, here is your one and only lifeline, taking place right now."

Vera's eyebrows scrunched in confusion. Her eyes darted around to look for anything that had any chance to help her. Seeing nothing else aside from the both of them, she looked straight at him. "Where's my help?"

"Here." Crispin pointed at himself. Vera felt laughter bubbling up inside her, yet she tried her best to quell it. Crispin just stared at her, unimpressed. "I'm serious."

"Huh?" said Vera, incredulous. "How could you help me?"

"Although it doesn't look like it, I have an idea about what you could do, but if you don't want it, then you're free to go." Crispin turned his back towards her and started to walk away. Vera leaped and grabbed his feet.

"I'm just joking! Please help me!"

An annoyed expression was evident in Crispin's face. 'What an annoying brat.' He let out a sigh. "Your problem was you need to fulfill both wishes, right?"

Vera nodded.

"And you have no idea on how you should do it considering the potion you were doing."

Vera nodded once more. Crispin let out an irritated sigh.

"Honestly, I do not know what's in that idiotic mind of yours to try that kind of potion. Forbidden Fruit. FORBIDDEN. Do you even realize that the potion may have repercussions?"

"But the book said---"

"But the book said!" imitated Crispin in a mocking fashion. Vera felt her nerves flare in anger.

'How dare he mock me! I'm completely serious here!' Crispin just continued roasting her.

"The book isn't completely honest, Vera! Someone had omitted something from those! Do you even know what the consequence of that potion was, huh, Vera?"

Vera shook her head.

"You're damning them to hell with that potion, Vera!"

"But I had no idea! I'm not even a potioneer nor a ritualist in the first place!"

"Exactly! You had no business trying things you don't understand!"

"Are you just here to chastise me?"

"Ugh, did you even understand what I said earlier?" Stubborn eyes looked at him in defiance. "Ugh! Fine! I'll just give you the details!"

'Finally! After a million lines of complaints! Who are you, my mother?'

Oblivious to her thoughts, Crispin waved his hands in front of him. The air distorted, like a ripple caused by a dropped of water, until it displayed three different figures: Rhys engulfing Lumi's figure as both of them cried in despair, and Harrison lying on the floor, broken, while gazing upwards as if he stared at her.

"The three of them had linked wishes:

"The pair wanted an heir for their own desires to have a child and to save the other from the curse brought by the throne..." Both of their wishes flashed into her head: the prince wishing to save his wife from the death brought by the throne, his wife wishing to save his husband from the loneliness and despair caused by being the heir of the throne, and both wishing to be together for eternity with their own family.

"...while the child wanted loving parents." Her mind heard the song of the child's heart: to have a family that loved him unconditionally, unlike what his father did.

"Am I right?"

"Yes, but I realized it too late, and Rhys and Lumi wanted a blood-related heir! How could I fulfill both of their wishes? The former requires Lumi to be pregnant which for some reason does not happen, while the child---"

"That's the key word. Blood-related. As long as the child has their blood, it won't matter, right?"

Her mind twisted as she realized he was right. Blood-related didn't mean coming directly from the mother! She felt hope bloom within her, yet another realization destroyed it immediately.

"Is it even possible? It's too late!"

"That's why I am here, aren't I?" Crispin summoned a book out of nothing. He urged her to come and look at the book.

'It looks familiar." As soon as she saw the title, it hit her like a truck. "Olde Noire Family Magycks by Aren Brooke? How would that help me?"

"Take a look at the potion before the forbidden one." He handed her the book. It revealed the potion before the Forbidden Fruit.

"Familia: Cruorem Ascio?"

"Yes," answered Crispin. "That potion solves all of your problems. Look at the description. Don't worry, that's the original and true copy."

Familia: Cruorem Ascio

A potion for adoption. It allows the adoption to be accepted and recognized by magic, artifacts, and other sentient creatures and materials by changing the blood and genes of the adoptee based on the genes of the adopting party. Be warned that the use of this potion may induce hellish pain, hallucinations, and temporary comatose for both the adopting party and the adoptee. Has a 100% success rate.

Vera's eyes bulged as she took in this information. "This wasn't written in the book I had before!"

"I told you, that's the original copy. Take a further look at the ingredients below."

"This... How?" The ingredients and process were similar with the Forbidden Fruit, diverging only at the part where the sacrifice of an innocent child was required.

"It's because sacrificing a child is an act of pure evil. That potion is only for the despicable ones. This potion, however, only forges a bond, not destroying the life and soul of a pure being to reconstruct another."

Vera nodded at him. 'With this, I can finally fulfill both of their wishes.' She gulped. "Thank you."

"It was nothing. This is all. You may go now."

"How?"

"Just close your eyes and imagine being back there. It's easy, really." Crispin paused. "Also, you'll find the book updated, so no warries."

Vera just smiled at him. "Thank you, really." Vera closed her eyes, following his instructions.

"Oh, before I forget." Vera opened her eyes once more. "Normally, you would be returning to afterlife after your mission, when you die, of course..."

'I sense a but here...'

"But, since you've invoked your lifeline, you'll proceed directly to the next world. You won't have a moment of rest." He let his words sink in first, before dropping another bomb. "I've also got some other news. Remember the winner before you? The muscular man attempting gymnastics?"

Her mind scrambled to remember the man. His comical teary face as he attempted to do splits not fit for his body flashed before her eyes. She winced. "Oh, yeah. That one... What happened?"

"He failed his task. The Great One was very, very furious. I'll spare you the details, but he was punished greatly. I shudder even just thinking of it."

Vera paled at the news. 'He was furious? Damn...'

"That's why I suggest you should try your absolute best to fulfill those missions, especially because you were the one he picked. Even just to avoid his wrath, okay?"

She quivered in fear, yet she tried to steel herself. "Don't worry. I'll definitely succeed."

Crispin sent her a skeptical look, yet he let it slide to avoid breaking her bravado. "You can go now. Also, Bassie and Leo sends their regards."

"Tell them I send regards, too." She took a deep breath. "I guess this is farewell, for who knows how long, huh?"

"Yes. Good luck. I'll take my leave now."

"Okay. See you in... the future?"

Crispin laughed at her as she watched him fade into nothing. She closed her eyes and composed herself.

'Here I go. I'll definitely succeed this time.'