Lin Luo hesitated for several seconds until Artoria's silhouette had completely vanished from his sight. He didn't chase after her - he simply couldn't comprehend what was going through her mind, and he doubted even she truly understood herself. Though the coldness of her regal past no longer clung to her as fiercely, that icy shell still lingered, its grip far too tight for any trivial warmth to break through.

A more decisive strike would be required!

Only when her youthful impulses balanced equally with her royal instincts could those fragile sentiments begin crystallizing. Such conflicting emotions might finally compel her to focus on the girl within rather than the queen she once was... This was the optimal path to restore her humanity, and the sole means of saving both her soul and their fractured reality.

Currently, Artoria's occasional hesitations after exiting Murasakibara's room - though it seemed ominous now, actually marked a promising turning point. "Sigh. Let things rest for now; we still have a year until then. Though enemies lurk everywhere, at least this gives us more time to prepare. Right now the priority is Katsura."

A moment later, Lin Luo exhaled heavily and headed toward another room on the second floor. Due to their shared swordsmanship backgrounds, Katsura often sparred with Artoria in recent weeks. Since Artoria had returned, Katsura was likely back too.

Katsura's quarters were opposite Murasakibara's. As Lin Luo stepped out of Murasakibara's room and turned his attention to Katsura's, he wasn't concerned about being spotted - after all, the "open" nature of their agreement made any observation completely acceptable.

Reaching her door, he noticed it was slightly ajar rather than fully closed. Katsura probably left it open when returning home. Though he certainly could have peeked (the view would be worth it), Lin Luo chose to knock politely instead - not that he lacked the mental acuity for such decisions.

His hand had barely lifted before the door suddenly swung inward, revealing a flustered figure wrapped in a loosely tied towel. It was Katsura, her expression mirroring Artoria's current state of undress with equal parts confusion and vulnerability.

"Ah!" Startled by his unexpected presence at this hour, Katsura instinctively reached for her sword - only to let the towel slip as she moved. The fabric fell away completely, exposing her pale, youthful form in all its A-rank glory (comparable to Murasakibara's) though the details below remained obscured by a veil of mystery.

Even without ill intentions, Lin Luo's eyes involuntarily followed the falling towel until it hit the floor - and the breathtaking view beneath became his unintended prize. His mind raced with conflicting emotions: a primal heat battling against sheer embarrassment as he realized what he'd just done to her.

As Katsura stared at herself in shocked horror, her cheeks flushed crimson, Lin Luo acted swiftly. He silenced her impending scream by covering her mouth with one hand while using the other to gently close the door and restrain her wrists from behind. The movements were fluid yet decisive, leaving no room for resistance as she melted into his grasp.

"Ah!" Katsura's eyes widened in betrayal as his body heat seeped through the thin fabric, but Lin Luo only tightened his grip when he saw her tears welling up. He quickly retrieved her towel and wrapped it around her again before releasing her with an apologetic murmur: "It was a misunderstanding."

Katsura immediately retaliated with an elbow strike to his stomach - a small but satisfying vengeance - then fled backward clutching the towel like a shield.

"Oof!" Though she hadn't used full force, the blow still sent waves of nausea through Lin Luo's gut. Clutching his midsection, he silently accepted his punishment for playing the role of an unwitting peeping tom. Thank heavens Katsura hadn't kicked him instead - and if not for her brief moment of shock at seeing him, she probably would have escaped entirely.

"What are you doing here?!" Katsura demanded from behind her towel, her face burning with equal parts shame and anger as she glared at the intruder daring to exist in her personal space.

Lin Luo winced. "I came by to discuss something important," he admitted, wincing further when she narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "But I swear this was purely accidental -"

"Turn around! I need to get dressed!" She gritted her teeth through the flustered demand. To her, the fact of his presence meant nothing compared to having been seen in such a state.

Lin Luo obediently turned away but added with awkward sincerity: "I'll even close my eyes so you don't have to worry about me peeking."

"That's unnecessary!" she snapped before hurriedly redressing. After double-checking her appearance, she finally sat down and forced out a strained tone: "Fine. What did you need?"

Lin Luo settled beside her. With the recent "benefits" already experienced, he abandoned any pretense of formality. "I want to make a pact with you," he declared directly.

"A...pact? What is that?" she asked skeptically, clearly unimpressed by the wordplay.

"It's a binding agreement for combat," he explained as Katsura frowned at his choice of phrasing.

"Why would we need something like that?"

"Because it expands our perception and enhances our fighting capabilities." Lin Luo carefully listed the benefits without mentioning the divine war aspect. "More importantly, it creates an unbreakable connection between us - allowing us to fight with combined strength."

Kats

"Does it really have so many advantages?" Katsura's initial reluctance faded as she processed his words. The thought of forming such a close bond was... appealing.

Lin Luo nodded solemnly. "Of course, once the pact is sealed, we'll be truly bound together - future battles will become even more dangerous."

"Then let's hurry up and do it!" Katsura's earlier hesitations dissipated entirely as she realized this would eliminate any risk of him disappearing again.

But Lin Luo still felt compelled to warn: "Before you agree, the sealing ritual requires a kiss."

"A ki-kiss?!" The word sent another flush through her cheeks. She'd imagined something like signing documents or tracing magical symbols at most.

"If you're uncomfortable with that..." Lin Luo offered an exit strategy he knew she wouldn't take.

"Fine! If it's necessary then I accept!" Katsura declared, though the color in her face suggested otherwise.

Lin Luo placed his hand on her shoulder. "Katsura, do you agree to walk this path together?"

"I-I agree..." Her voice was barely above a whisper as she closed her eyes, trembling beneath his touch.

He gently brushed aside strands of hair before leaning down and pressing his lips against hers.

"Activate the Heart Pact. Initiating Contract Mode."

A soft glow enveloped Katsura instantly, then transformed into sharp-edged radiance - a fitting manifestation for one who embodied both grace and steel.

Pact Established: Master and Vessel are now bound.

Master Lin Luo: Wayfarer (Lv2)

Physical Strength: B

Spiritual Strength: B

Overall Power: Late Human Realm

Constraint Voucher: Angel's Wings, Eternity's Light, Compassion's Path

Heart Dictionary Ability: World of Kings - Unactivated

Level Up Requirement: Complete four more agreements.

Vessel Katsura:

Physical Strength: C

Spiritual Strength: A

Overall Power: Early Spirit Realm

Constraint Voucher: The Way of Justice

World Core: Benevolence (No.4, Positive Form, First Constraint)

[Author's Note: This transitional scene didn't flow as smoothly as intended. Inventing both elegant constraint vouchers and unique contract forms is mentally exhausting - five chapters in a day really pushes my limits. But the momentum should pick up soon now that this arc nears its conclusion.]