Harem Stealer: Reborn with the God-Tier Sharing System Chapter 465 Make peace

Noah found himself in solitude. Or rather, almost alone, as Maryam remained by his side; the Prince had been unable to convince her to depart with his other wives.

His desire for isolation wasn't born of mere petulance, nor was it because he required time to mourn the loss of his sister and companions—though he desperately needed that, he understood such a luxury was no longer his to claim. Instead, he needed to calculate his next move.

Furthermore, Red had cried until exhaustion claimed her, eventually falling into a deep slumber. It was a sight Noah had never anticipated. Given their immense power and the rarity of their new bloodline, such a display of grief signaled a wound more profound than any physical injury.

Consequently, he had sent her away in the company of his other wives, softly requesting that they look after her.

The Prince resonated with her agony. Being a father himself, that realization forced his mind toward his own offspring.

He thought of them all, but his concerns centered primarily on Premier and Foxy.

"Are they safe?" he wondered silently. Leaning back into a reclining chair, his mismatched eyes—one crimson, the other golden—traced the patterns of the mist swirling above him.

He had returned to the Hall of Fog.

'Premier...' he reflected, a heavy sigh escaping his lips. 'I dispatched him to the Celestial Faction. My only intent was for him to grasp the truth of the universe and forge his own path!'

Now, however, he was plagued by uncertainty.

Had he committed a mistake?

Doubt flickered within his heart, threatening to consume his resolve like a wildfire racing through a dry forest.

Then there was Foxy, currently in Laeh alongside Fated, Caus, and Destiny.

Noah had been careful to situate Laeh in the exact coordinates previously held by Earth. It was a region devoid of circulating mana, serving as a natural sanctuary.

At least, that had been his conviction until now.

Was there truly any sanctuary left in this universe?

He didn't know. That void of understanding, that lack of control, sparked an intense irritation within him.

'The world has shifted,' he thought, his gaze sharpening. 'Every one of them had a fate laid out for them. A destiny I personally selected, yet now everything feels drowned in a chaotic sea of tangled threads!'

This instability made it impossible for him to calculate the ripples of his choices.

Including the passing of Aurelia.

He shook his head violently to dispel the thought.

Noah refused to acknowledge it. Whenever the reality of her death tried to claw its way to the surface of his consciousness, he shoved it back into the darkness.

He couldn't face it.

Not at this moment.

The time for action had arrived; mourning would have to wait. He could not permit himself to grieve while his kin and his Sect were being hunted down like vermin.

Noah’s jaw tightened, the sheer tension causing the air around him to creak and crack like straining steel.

"I have a question," he muttered, his voice a low growl directed at the ceiling.

Standing before him, Maryam responded instantly.

"Ask me, my baby."

Her tone was tender and cautious, as if she were addressing a fragile child who might shatter if she spoke too loudly.

That was exactly what Maryam feared.

She was desperate to comfort her son, yet Noah's entire aura projected a single, cold message:

Not now.

She stood paralyzed, her pained gaze fixed upon him, unable to offer anything more than her presence.

"I am looking for something," he stated, causing his mother to raise an eyebrow. "A location known as the Lake of Milk-White Soul. Are you familiar with it?"

"I am," Maryam answered with a heavy sigh. "Solstice controls that Lake. It is located not just within his territory, but at its absolute center."

She paused, gesturing toward the expanse of the Hall of Fog.

"Much like this Hall, every sovereign possesses such a place—a core of their power. Theirs may not look like mine, but they serve the same function."

"And what purpose does this Lake serve?" he inquired, finally lowering his gaze to meet hers.

The First Soul remained silent for a moment.

She stepped forward, crossing the distance toward her seated son with measured, steady strides.

The physical gap between them felt like a burden to her.

"It is the basin that cleanses the souls of the departed upon their arrival in the Spirit World," she explained at last. "For mortal souls, it is vital, as they enter filled with a multitude of impurities. As the sovereign of those souls, Solstice maintains total authority over it."

Noah tilted his head, his interest piqued.

"But it has other functions, doesn't it?"

Tak-!

Maryam stopped just before him. Standing tall, she looked down at him, her white eyes searching his face.

She reached out, taking Noah’s limp hand in hers and pulling gently.

Though Noah groaned, wanting nothing more than to remain seated, he relented. He stood up and found himself enveloped in his mother's embrace. As she held him, Maryam continued her explanation.

Her voice had grown lighter.

"My baby," she whispered, hugging him despite his slightly taller frame, "the Lake is also a tool to refine souls into soul liquid. From that, one can forge soul coins or even bolster the strength of other souls."

"How," Noah asked with a slight frown, "can a single ruler be permitted to hold such a prize? Why hasn't he used it to dominate all of you?"

"Balance is always maintained, Brandon." Maryam’s voice was patient and maternal. "Keep in mind that he only harvests mortal souls. To bring a mortal soul to the level of an immortal soul requires a staggering quantity of essence and very rare catalysts."

She shook her head slowly. "And those catalysts are in short supply."

"With enough effort, he can equal us in strength, but surpassing us is nearly impossible. Nevertheless, the Lake provides him with immense wealth and a strategic edge."

"Furthermore, do not overlook the other soul sovereigns."

She let out a soft laugh. "Regardless of their disdain for me—though the fourth Ruler actually seems quite fond of me—they would never permit one of their own to become too powerful."

"They would execute him," Noah surmised. "Besides, his grip on the Lake is a liability. Any of you could stir, unite the others, and seize it from him. All it would take is a convincing pretext."

"Precisely." Maryam smiled, nodding in agreement.

"But is that it?" Noah’s voice dropped, thick with disappointment. "Does the Lake have no other capability? Something like...!"

"Resurrecting lost souls?" Maryam finished for him.

Suppressing a sigh, she gently stepped back from Noah to look him in the eye.

In that moment, Noah didn't need her to speak. The tragic twist of his mother's features told him everything.

"It is impossible." The First Soul shook her head. "Once a soul has been obliterated, Brandon, my baby..."

She hesitated, her heart aching at the sight of the agony her son was trying to suppress. Yet, she forced herself to continue; he needed to hear the truth. "There is no path back. There are no second chances," Maryam declared. "The Spirit World is the final boundary before total oblivion."

"And if you are denied the grace of a new life..."

Noah shut his eyes tight.

"You must find a way to make peace with those who are gone, my son."