Investing in My Crippled Wife: Every Return Makes Me Stronger

Chapter 208: What is An Authority? [2]

’That’s the requirement to reach the 9th Circle?’

’Mm, and this is exactly why Paragons are regarded as myths,’ Ethea explained, a faint sigh slipping past her lips. ’An Authority is an incredibly powerful force, but it is equally difficult to master. It requires a level of enlightenment and comprehension that most cultivators fail to reach in a lifetime. As for why mine shows up as dormant...’

A trace of bitter irony appeared in her voice.

’It is obviously because I haven’t actually mastered it. I only managed to catch a faint glimpse of it due to a fortuitous encounter in the past. It left a seed behind, but without proper training and comprehension, it remains out of my reach.’

Soren nodded inwardly while plating the food, carefully transferring the freshly prepared meal onto the dishes.

’Then... an Authority can’t be innate, right? One has to actively achieve it?’

’...It could be,’ Ethea answered after a brief moment of pondering. ’After all, the universe is vast and contains countless worlds, so it is entirely possible that some extraordinary individuals are born with such power running through their veins. There might be bloodlines or unique souls that naturally inherit these concepts from birth. However, for ordinary cultivators like us, obtaining one through enlightenment is the only viable path.’

Soren fell silent, his mind racing.

Was he... one of those extraordinary individuals then?

’Hmm...’

He couldn’t know for certain whether the power had been woven into his soul from birth, but the fact remained that he had awakened it during his awakening. That alone heavily implied it was an innate power, a fundamental piece of who he was.

Yet, a lingering doubt tugged at his thoughts.

The timing, the nature, the difference...

Was it truly just his own birthright, or was it really connected to Ethea in some strange, inexplicable way?

And it certainly didn’t operate like the example Ethea had mentioned just now; his power didn’t command elements like fire or ice, but instead functioned through a completely different system of actions and returns.

So... what exactly was it?

Was it a rare type of Authority?

What law governed something as abstract as investment, risk, and return?

Was there a cosmic law of causality that rewarded genuine intent and calculated sacrifice?

Soren couldn’t shake the feeling that his power operated on a scale that completely bypassed standard magical logic.

Were there even specific types or classifications to these forces? Did they possess grades, similar to how monsters or cultivation ranks were divided, or did an Authority exist entirely outside of traditional tier systems?

Realizing he had no answers and that speculating blindly would get him nowhere, he decided to gather whatever scraps of information he could. Thankfully, he had someone who might give some answers right beside him.

’Ethea, could you tell me more about them?’

’Of course, but let me think for a moment,’ she paused, organizing her thoughts to explain a concept that few in the world ever had the privilege to even whisper about. ’From what little I gathered, there are many different Authorities out there. They are all mostly distinct from one another, varying wildly in their applications, their restrictions, and how they manifest.’

’I see.’

’For example... You should know the famous Paragon of the Hollow Flame. I once heard that her Authority allows her to manipulate a specialized form of conceptual fire that burns away the very life force of her targets, rather than just their physical bodies. It even grants her rule over any flame-attributed creatures weaker than herself, forcing them to obey her command without question.’

’So powerful?’ Soren barely stopped himself from showing obvious shock.

’That’s right, and that is just one known application of such a power,’ Ethea explained, a look of deep reverence flashing across her features.

Soren took a moment to process the sheer scale of it before a sudden realization struck him. ’Then... what about the Authority you were trying to comprehend? If I had to guess, it is ice-related and should be similar to hers. Right?’

’...Mmm, it is,’ Ethea acknowledged, her focus turning inward as she recalled that fleeting glimpse from her past. ’And if my understanding is correct, once mastered fully, it would allow one to even freeze time and space.’

Soren fell silent again, his mind entirely blank for a second as he repeated her last words in his head.

’Freeze time and space?!’

Wasn’t that just too powerful? To completely halt the fabric of reality itself sounded like a power that should not even exist.

Detecting his shock, Ethea offered a faint smile. ’It is incredible, but of course, it wouldn’t be for an unlimited duration. There will always be limits, massive mana costs, and perhaps severe consequences for pushing those boundaries.’

’Ah, you’re right,’ Soren replied, nodding as the sheer scale of the concept began to settle in his mind.

He fell back into his thoughts, his focus shifting naturally to his own Investment Authority. He already knew a few of its operational limits and the strict conditions it required, but what about the consequences? Could it even be pushed to its absolute limits, and if so, what would the ultimate return look like?

’...I’ll find out about it in the future,’ he thought to himself, deciding to shelve the questions for now.

"Alright, let’s prepare the table and eat lunch," Soren said out loud, giving her a reassuring look before adding mentally through their bond, ’You can continue speaking. I’ll set everything up while listening.’

’...Soren.’

’What is it?’

’Unfortunately, I only know this much about Authorities. And I cannot even be entirely sure if they are even accurate. Moreover, there is no information available about them, so I cannot give you any more concrete details,’ Ethea communicated back through the bond, her thoughts carrying a distinct note of finality as she watched him arrange the dishes. ’However, if you are really curious, you can ask Teacher Hector; he probably knows more than me, considering his age and experience.’

’Right, I almost forgot about him. And now that I think about it... He had worked with Paragons before too.’

’That’s right. He was even close friends with one. If you want, I will ask him myself later.’

’Oh, that would be great. Thank you, Ethea!’