Vol 7. Chapter 15: The Shackles of Power

Dinner was both pleasant and harmonious. Leon had invited Rebecca and Martin to join them.

They talked about many things—mostly stories from Leon’s time serving in the Dragon-Slaying Army, and the period when he and Rosvisser had finally opened up to each other and confronted their feelings head-on.

These were all topics that Hera herself had initiated.

Her mood seemed genuinely light—overflowing with curiosity, as if she couldn’t wait to learn everything about him.

And Leon didn’t find Hera’s curiosity bothersome in the slightest.

On the contrary, it was precisely because Hera was actively trying to understand his past that Leon no longer felt the uncertainty he once feared—no longer lost on how to interact with her.

After dinner, Hera once again returned to Rebecca’s house to stay the night.

In the days that followed, Leon and Rosvisser took Hera sightseeing across the Empire, helping her experience this entirely new world—thirty years removed from the one she’d known.

Noa got along with Hera quite well, and all the kids adored the beautiful auntie.

Especially Aurora.

During their brief time together, Hera—being a descendant of the Primordial Deity—seemed to gradually sense a strange force emanating from Aurora:

The power of time.

So she ended up interacting with Aurora the most.

And little by little, the two became close.

Aurora, of course, had no idea about Hera’s true identity and her connection to Zeus. She simply felt like she’d taken another big step toward her lifelong goal of winning over every pretty auntie in the world.

Half a month later, one evening, Leon and Rosvisser were chatting with Hera in a small tavern.

The couple sat side by side on one side of the table, while Hera sat across from them.

She noticed the glass in front of Leon held wine, and the juice beside it had been freshly replaced.

Thinking back to all their lunches and dinners over the past few days, no matter what the others were drinking, Leon only ever drank juice or plain water.

Curious, she softly noted:

"Leon doesn’t drink alcohol."

And Leon, too, had noticed—Hera’s little notebook had gotten quite thick.

At first, she only needed to flip past four or five pages before jotting something new.

But now, she had to turn through nearly half the book.

And Leon could tell—what Hera recorded in that notebook was almost entirely about him.

His habits, his routine, his preferences, the foods he disliked...

It felt like Hera was trying to “catch up,” desperately trying to understand the man before her—to make up for those thirty missing years.

Snap—

Hera closed the notebook after jotting her note.

The sound was soft, but it still interrupted everyone’s thoughts.

Leon looked up as Rosvisser resumed the conversation they'd been having earlier that morning.

"So, what you’re saying is: the reason Aurora hasn’t awakened the power of the God of Time... is because she hasn’t actually sat on the throne?"

Hera nodded.

"From an external perspective, yes, you could put it that simply. Every Primordial Deity has a specific divine authority. These powers are immense—and even the slightest misstep could disrupt the entire ecological balance of the continent. So the gods placed shackles on their own power. Take Zeus’s Hammer, for example. The time power it controls can reverse life and death, twist heaven and earth. But that supreme force can only be fully unleashed inside the Temple of Time. Once outside, its effects are greatly diminished."

She paused, frowning a little at her word choice.

"‘Greatly diminished’... no, that’s not quite right."

Thinking for a moment, she rephrased it.

"No—let’s call it a simplified version."

Leon [N O V E L I G H T] raised a brow. "Simplified? How should we understand that, senpai?"

Hera thought for a moment and replied,

"Let me give you an easy example, something based on what you two told me over the past few nights—about the Void invasion and the new God of Time. For instance, when the new Time God ascended the throne, she used her divine power to restore all the Dragon Kings to their prime, and even resurrected the warriors who had died in battle. That’s what the ‘full version’ of time power can do. In fact, it can do even more—things we probably can’t even imagine yet. Now, let’s talk about the ‘simplified version.’ If the full version can bring back thousands of fallen dragon warriors, then the simplified version might only be able to revive three or four at most."

Thanks to Hera’s explanation, the couple finally understood how divine power really worked.

No matter how complex the principle, once you quantify it—it becomes easier to grasp.

Kronos and Safina had been acknowledged by the Throne of Time. They possessed full time powers—able to resurrect thousands of the dead—and even that was only scratching the surface.

But Aurora, who hadn’t yet taken on the “shackles of power,” remained absolutely free.

And in exchange for that unbound state, the limit of her time power—at most—was reviving ten people.

A very direct contrast.

And the comparison wasn’t just about numbers—it was about the cost.

"As of now, Aurora’s time powers haven’t fully awakened."

Hera continued:

"That will likely come gradually as she grows stronger with age. Of course, it also depends on whether Aurora herself is willing to put in the work to control this power. If she’s anything like Noa in that regard, she could probably fully master the power of time by her early twenties. But if she’s more like Moon... hmm... Then you might as well just worship her as a pretty pink-haired goddess of comedy."

"That much of a difference?"

Hera shrugged. "That’s the way divine power works. The ceiling is sky-high, the floor is basement-low. But whether someone climbs from floor to ceiling—or even breaks past it—depends entirely on their own effort."

"Mmh, we’ll ask Aurora what she thinks."

"You two really do respect your kids’ choices and opinions, huh." Hera gave a little shrug.

The couple exchanged a glance—and smiled.

"That’s just basic parenting, isn’t it? If you don’t respect your child, they won’t respect you."

"...You’ve got a point. From the moment I woke up, I’ve been respecting both you and your wife, Leon."

"And I respect—wait—used to respect—senpai, what do you mean by that?"

"Never mind, stop talking~ cheers~"

Hera raised her glass of fruit wine, motioning for a toast.

Leon and Rosvisser looked at each other, didn’t press further, and clinked glasses gently with hers.

Hera took a small sip of her wine, then added,

"Right—about that thing where you fused the Five-Spirit Cores and briefly wielded Zeus’s power... what happened to the cores afterward?"

"Oh, when the ‘Five-Spirit Divine Shadow’ state ended, the cores automatically reformed and condensed again. They’re currently stored in the Silver Dragon Sanctuary."

Leon leaned forward.

"Senpai, this is something I’ve never really understood. If the cores can reform, then their power isn’t gone—so why can’t I maintain the Five-Spirit Divine Shadow state for longer?"

"The Spirit Cores represent the origin of elemental power. Of course they won’t vanish. As for why you can’t maintain that state..."

Hera was about to continue, but her gaze suddenly drifted over Leon and Rosvisser’s shoulders.

A glimpse of a black skirt caught her eye from the seat behind them.

She paused for a moment—then smiled faintly and went on:

"As for that question... I think the one best qualified to answer it is the princess who’s been sitting behind you two this whole time, secretly eavesdropping."