Mage Manual

"I’ll be straightforward," Weiser said calmly, "Your wish at this moment is to get 100% love. If you achieve the future Echo as the Seven-winged Supreme, you’ll definitely monopolize Ash, so why should we support you? We’d better support Freyja; at least she’s willing to share Ash with us!"

"No, I would at least be willing to share." Sonia shook her head, "You are different from them—you have an emotional foundation with Ash. If Ash wants to see you, could I break his legs and lock him up in a dark room, only giving him an hour outside under my supervision, and when I’m away, he can only play games and watch shows in his room?"

Ash said weakly, "Sword Maiden, you describe my life of captivity so detailedly..."

"If he can’t see you, Ash would definitely bother me, even if it means arguing with me." Sonia continued, "But his feelings with them aren’t enough for Ash to offend me just to see them—that’s the difference between you and them."

"I admit that after I achieve the future Echo, I’ll definitely take the largest share of love, but at least I can reduce the number of partners to the three of us. If you vote for Freyja, the number would be ten or even more. Do you think you will then get much share of love?"

Diya and Weiser exchanged a glance and helplessly voted for Sonia. Then Sonia looked at Diya, asking curiously, "Speaking of which, Witch, why don’t you have children in the future? Is it because you don’t like them?"

"Because she still wants to be a child." Ash helped to explain for the Witch, "Besides, if she wants ’descendants’, she can directly split her personality, even customize the characteristics and age, skipping the infancy phase. So, having children really doesn’t appeal to her."

"It’s simply not that interesting," Diya lazily stretched on the table, "Plus, taking care of kids is troublesome, and I still want to be taken care of!"

"What about you, Freyja?" Hanna asked curiously, "I thought your number of descendants would be the largest."

"I don’t really understand." Freyja hugged her chest, with a puzzled expression and a slight tremble, "I’m more than willing to have children with Ash..."

"I think I know why," Siflin said, "Having children involves pregnancy."

"What nonsense are you saying..."

"Though not always forbidden, there are times when the couple should avoid too intimate behavior..." Siflin looked at Ash, "And Ash seems to be especially concerned about your safety."

"Ah!" Freyja suddenly realized, "No wonder my future self doesn’t have children!"

"So, what’s the situation now?" Vishi looked around, "A tie?"

Sonia, Diya, and Weiser 3 votes, counted for Sonia

Freyja, Sif, and Hanna 3 votes, counted for Freyja

Dazzling Star, Vishi, and Felix 3 votes, counted for Dazzling Star

Exactly a 3:3:3 tie!

Everyone’s attention immediately focused on Tamasi. Tamasi pondered for a moment and pressed "Abstain": "I don’t want to vote for Ash’s enemies, nor for those who spoil Ash, and especially not for those who want to possess Ash... I’m not voting."

Now the only person left to vote is Ash, who doesn’t have candidate rights.

"Ash, you must vote for Freyja!" Siflin said with an enticing tone, "Though you just reunited today, don’t tell me you don’t know how much this Meiwa loves you—let Freyja achieve the future Echo; she’ll certainly help fulfill all your wishes!"

"Ash." Sonia gazed at Ash and casually said, "If I attain the future Echo, I’ll find a way to monopolize you; apart from the Witch and Weiser, I won’t let you fall in love with other women. So, if you don’t vote for me, I’ll dislike you forever."

"Ash Heath."

Seeing Dazzling Star joining the persuasion, Vishi and Felix were a bit surprised—they couldn’t think of any reason for Ash to vote for Dazzling Star.

"If you vote for me, I promise in my name, I won’t force you to do anything."

Ash blinked.

Dazzling Star said, "Though my memories will be covered by future ones, I’m sure I can suppress my feelings and won’t force a relationship with you. Also, I won’t stop you from dating others; it’s your freedom to like or dislike anyone. Under this premise, I’ll protect you and at least support your promotion to Six-winged God; regarding what comes after, all I can say is I’ll help you as much as my ability allows."

"Of course, we’re strangers, and my promise holds no credibility for you. But in the future, we’ll have a daughter—aside from love, I can’t think of any other reason. I won’t compromise myself for anything, now or ever."

"When I receive my future memories, although you’ll still know nothing about me, I’ll understand you more than anyone here. If you think our future is together out of love, if you think your true self can win my approval... then you needn’t worry about me regretting it."

"The best promise isn’t what I say, but who you are."

Sonia and Siflin immediately understood Dazzling Star’s persuasion strategy—they are all about ’what Ash can get from them,’ while Dazzling Star is about ’what Ash won’t lose because of her’!

If Ash chooses Sonia, he’ll max out Sonia, Diya, and Weiser’s affinity, but all other relationships will be barred; choosing Freyja offers the benefit of forming relationships with everyone, but the cost is a plummet in Sonia’s group’s affinity!

Choosing Dazzling Star means Ash won’t lose anything—though her protection is interest-based and unrelated to feelings. She won’t ban Ash from contacting other women like Sonia, nor be clingy like Freyja, but will interact with Ash on a limited basis, and it’s okay if Ash isn’t willing.

In summary, it’s about letting Ash have the choice and ’freedom’!

Clearly, it’s his first meeting with Ash, and even though she’s in the ’anti-Ash camp,’ Dazzling Star still devised the best persuasion strategy, turning a disadvantage into an advantage!

Choosing Dazzling Star means Ash doesn’t have to sever ties with Freyja and the others, nor will it anger Sonia excessively—even if it does, it would only last a while, as for them it’s like maintaining the status quo, with their interests unaffected.

"I won’t help you pursue them, nor stop them from pursuing you." Dazzling Star stared at Ash and said, "I guarantee I, and they, will pursue our own desired happiness in a relatively fair environment."

Ash looked up at Dazzling Star, whose starry eyes were bright and dazzling; then he turned to Freyja, who clenched her hands nervously and looked at him with expectations; finally, he met Sonia’s gaze, and the Red-haired Swordswoman’s face was calm, but her fists unconsciously tightened, showing a hint of slight grievance in her pupils.

Ash took a deep breath, looked at the numeric keypad in front of him, and reached out to press a number.

Beep.