Investing in My Crippled Wife: Every Return Makes Me Stronger

Chapter 207: What is An Authority? [1]

’Because I have sworn a binding oath and have mental restrictions,’ Ethea explained. ’The moment I try to focus on those specific details with the intention of sharing them with anyone unrelated, or even discussing them in unauthorized locations, the restriction activates. It locks down my speech and thought patterns regarding the matter.’

Soren frowned, trying to grasp its severity. ’Is there really no way around it?’

’...It was done by a ninth-circle master,’ she replied after a brief pause. ’Unless the caster themselves removes it, or someone even stronger forces it open, breaking it is impossible. My mind would collapse before the restriction even fractured.’

A ninth-circle master.

Soren was dumbfounded.

While he knew she possessed high-level connections, he never expected her ties to reach such an impossible echelon. After all, the ninth circle represented the ultimate peak of power, the true rulers and protectors of this world. Only a handful of such individuals existed across Etenia, revered as the living legends who had pulled humanity back from the brink of extinction. For someone of that mythical stature to be directly involved in securing her oath shifted the entire paradigm of the situation.

Even so, a pressing concern cut through his shock, prompting him to verify the nature of the restriction. ’Did you take this oath willingly, or were you forced into it?’

’I did it of my own volition,’ Ethea replied, her voice softening slightly to ease his concern. ’You do not need to worry about that aspect. And... I am sorry that I cannot give you the answers you are looking for.’

Soren shook his head inwardly, keeping his voice gentle. ’No, it is alright. I understand.’

Yet, the contradiction bothered him. If she had access to the most powerful existences in the world, the people capable of rewriting history itself, their absence during her tragedy made no sense. ’If you had their backing, why didn’t they help you back then or even after? Aren’t they the most powerful beings in the world?’

’I... I am unable to answer that either,’ she finally admitted, a faint trace of weariness coloring her thoughts. ’However, I can tell you that I have already severed all contact with them. So, let us not speak of them anymore.’

Soren suppressed his growing curiosity, choosing to respect her boundaries. Still, one critical, life-threatening matter remained unaddressed, and he could not let it slide.

’Alright,’ he said, shifting his focus. ’But there is one more thing I need to ask. Ethea... Do you know that you are... cursed?’

’...Yes. However, I only truly realized it after this incident. But... how do you know about it?’

’Well... let’s say I have a hidden appraisal ability,’ Soren replied honestly, deciding there was no point in hiding it from her now. ’And... I have already discovered the curse, but due to circumstances, I couldn’t bring it up till now.’

’I see...’ Ethea hummed, secretly happy he shared his secret with her. ’But how powerful is this ability of yours? Can you see the exact details?’

’It’s pretty advanced. It allowed me to see that it is an eighth-circle curse called Eclipse’s Erosion,’ Soren explained. ’And the reason you almost died back then was due to a strange effect it triggered, though I couldn’t read the specifics of it.’

’Eclipse’s Erosion?’ Ethea repeated, the mysterious name clearly catching her off guard.

’Does it ring a bell?’ Soren asked, a hint of hope rising in his chest.

’...No, unfortunately. I have very little knowledge about curses, especially those at such a high level,’ she paused. ’But who could have done this...’

While Ethea trailed off, Soren focused on the meal; in a few more minutes, it would be ready to serve.

───────

A few minutes passed as the rising aroma of the meal filled the air. Ethea remained lost in her thoughts, probably pondering everything they had just talked about.

"It’s ready."

As Soren whispered and prepared to serve, she finally broke the silence.

’Soren... what else did you see when you looked?’ she asked, her tone carrying a mix of vulnerability and genuine curiosity.

Soren expected the question. He had already decided to be upfront about the practical details, but he carefully filtered out the unique metrics provided by his Investment Authority. He had no intention of mentioning that he could read her exact mental state, gauge her hidden potential, or view her investment value. At least not yet. The risk was too great now. It’s not that he didn’t trust her; it’s just that he completely distrusted the forces acting from the shadows. There were people out there who could easily pry into minds, peel back secrets through strange abilities, or even extract memories through sheer force. Keeping the deepest details to himself was the only way to ensure both of their safety.

’I could see your basic info, detailed physical condition, your current mana capacity, and your affinities,’ Soren replied calmly, keeping his explanation grounded. ’I also saw your abilities, the curse, and something called Authority. And I was actually going to talk about this all with you.’

Ethea seemed to digest this, processing the scope of what he could do.

Before she could dwell on it further, Soren decided to voice a question that had been lingering in the back of his mind for a long time.

’Ethea,’ he asked, his tone shifting to one of genuine curiosity. ’Do you know what an Authority is? And... do you have any idea why yours is ’dormant’?’

’...An Authority?’ Ethea repeated, a brief flicker of surprise passing through her eyes before she caught herself. ’Oh, right. You wouldn’t know about that yet.’

She paused, organizing her thoughts to explain a concept that few in the world ever had the privilege to learn.

’An Authority is a mystical power born from a direct comprehension of the fundamental laws of the world. It isn’t just standard magic; it’s more of a conceptual command over reality itself. For example, a regular cultivator might cast a spell to create and control fire, but someone with an Authority over flames doesn’t need a spell. They simply dictate the concept of heat and combustion, bypassing the natural order entirely. And...’

Her tone turned solemn as she continued.

’To even stand a chance at reaching the pinnacle, becoming a ninth-circle master, one must learn and master an Authority.’