《The Goddess' Champion》


 Chapter 1 Everything Starts From The End I

    A big royal room, filled with gold and embroidery.


    The sunshine brightened the room where only a couple remained; of old age they were, the passage of time showcased itself relentlessly in their wrinkled skin.


    "Are you really¡­ going to be okay?" The olddy asked, her body resting on the bed, covered with royal sheets.


    She panted, aware that her long-lived life is slipping off this mortal flesh, it is her time to go, yet her beloved remains.


    By her side stood an old man, also dressed in royal robes, his visage was as calm as the waters regardless of the circumstances; he''d always show her his best expression.


    But even he, an experienced liar, wasn''t able to conceal the shiver of his old hands, and she noticed this.


    "How many times¡­ I promise dear, I''ll manage, It''s not like I have that much longer anyway¡­" He assured her, moving said shivering hand to her delicate wrinkled face and caressing it as if it would slide out of his reach at any moment.


    "S-Sure? I don''t know if I can trust you on this." She took said hand with care, smiling slightly and saying with slight mockery, just for the sake of leaving her beloved a fleeting memory.


    "When have I ever lied to you!?" He said with utter confidence.


    But all he received was the ''face''.


    "Don''t make me answer¡­"


    "Sorry, I promise I''ll do well." Scratching his head he assured her once again, she smiled at this gesture, moving her hand along until it found his cheeks; herst strength.


    "It''s been more than fifty years, and you still scratch your head like this, you truly don''t change~"


    "..." He only curled his lips, took her hand and allowed her to continue, small butterflies flew around the room and a sweet fragrance permeated it to make the atmosphere perfect.


    "You have been resisting for our sakes, darling¡­" She said all of the sudden, with a solemn expression, her gaze roamed around his body, well preserved for his age.


    ''You have tried to stay until the end¡­ for all our sakes, fool¡­ you shouldn''t have¡­'' She sighed inwardly, feeling as infatuated as she felt fifty years ago, realising she didn''t choose wrong back then, not like there was ever a wisp of doubt.


    "It''s nothing but my own selfishness, I just couldn''t allow leaving any of you behind, so¡­ rest well, you deserve it, Sandra." It wasn''t a secret; he kept himself healthy and used any possible method to lengthen his lifespan.


    Sandra had been the one younger than him, five years younger.


    *SOB*


    His words produced slightly sobs from his wife, despite the naturalness of death, she didn''t want to go¡­ only because she didn''t want to leave her lover behind.


    ''Sisters¡­ I can''t stay¡­'' she prayed to the heavens with an apology, feeling how her life is slipping away relentlessly at the marvelousness of the life cycle.


    This action shattered whatever remained of his heart, he embraced her tightly as the sobs lost strength.


    "Shh, there is no need to cry, we will be together soon. I love you, dear¡­ I''ll see you on the other side." Those were his words filled with hope; at this stage, only desiring there is indeed another side.


    "¡­" Sandra''sst action was a nod, her breath lessened in strength with every second passed, and she passed in her beloved''s embrace.


    The noise of cracks could be heard, like someone stepping on the floor, but Constantine didn''t know if that was the noise of the floor outside whenever someone stepped or what remained of his heart being churned away.


    **


    **


    ''This hurts more than expected Sandra, I should have followed Phoebe''s advice, but no¡­ I had to be stubborn and watch all of you leave one by one.'' He grits his teeth and rubbed his hurting waist.


    Constantine struggled toe down his third steed, Gjarhorn.


    It had been a nice sunny trip,pletely opposite to the state of his heart... it made him envious to see the people of his Empire-the one he worked so hard to establish with countless sacrifices- be all so happy around the streets the further he moved from the Imperial Castle where his family was surely crying Sandra''s passing.


    Surely they''d be sad to know that their lovely granny-likest Great Empress just passed away and their beloved Great Emperor follows.


    ...


    The white horse neighed in confusion, it wasn''t ced back in the barn as always, the endless field presented itself in front of it, but it didn''t run away.


    Rather, look at his master''s back.


    "You won''t leave, don''t you¡­? you don''t even understand me... that''s how you all are, so loyal¡­" sighing once again... he didn''t look back.


    The Great Emperor entered the ''house'' a lonely vi on the outskirts of the city capital.


    ''It''s only been a few hours and I miss you already.''


    There were six sofas in this humble in size yet regal vi, six seats, five white ones with different mixes of colours and drawings, each describing a personality, then there was a ck one with a golden lion carved in it.


    The white ones surrounded the ck seat.


    He caressed every single one of them, there were tiaras in each seat and a big crown on his own, golden and filled with seven gems, each representing one of his conquests.


    Moving along the house, he came to a stop in front of a table with dozens of drawings, his wives, their grandchildren, and special moments of his memories, then there was one in the middle, a much younger version of him, with his still shining silver hair, together with ady sporting the same colours, the only difference between the two of them, was that she was way more beautiful.


    Both of them smiled as if just havinge out of endless tribtions.


    He caressed that particr drawing.


    "Mother¡­ I think it is my time too... so many yearster without you, I had goodpany, but they''re all gone now..."


    As if ageing by the second, the resistance acquired by a rigorous diet and body workout deted like a balloon, giving way to the truth of an old man''s body.


    Struggling to move a boulder, he pressed something and there it was... a secret entrance.


    Inside that concealed room he had to light up a smallmp... looking sideways even now to make sure there was nobody close, he entered.


    There were paintings, so many of them, at least a hundred¡­ all of them belonging to a singledy.


    A naked beauty, posing in all her glorious splendour, each instance contained her happy expression, some of them she sported a bloating belly, but all of them... was the sight of ady having reached the ecstasy of love and the pleasures of the body.


    "¡­" He said no words, enjoying the sight of each one of them as if he were back in those days.


    He caressed all of them with infatuation and perhaps, a little expectation.


    ...


    Leaving this secret room that no one except him and the already dead architect knew of, he moved along the house toe across a pile of barrels and bottles, his personal collection, brewery from across this entire world.


    There was an old note in one of those barrels.


    "Don''t drink too much, champ!" - Lucille.


    A small sight to the note produced yet another smile as he took a few bottles and sprawled them all over the house, he even took a little more than necessary to ssh it on the paintings he had just delighted on.


    Constantine took a bottle of refined alcohol, he took the crown from his ck sofa, threw it away like a piece of rubbish and sat to have a drink in front of the falling sun, feeling bitter.


    He fell asleep there and awoke not too long afterwards, the night having overtaken the day; recalling that he had told his family toe three dayster.


    "Whelp, it''s time to go." He said, huping, with no regard whatsoever for the body he had painstakingly taken care of.


    The Great Emperor threw several bottles of alcohol on top of all the paintings, he wanted to make sure... even the secret paintings and then around the house, taking only his crown and several bottles, but after regarding the crown that would surely make even wealthy lords drool, he rolled his eyes and threw it with the paintings, taking only the precious bottles and a book that was on the wooden counter.


    *WHOOOSH!!*


    Outside of the house, a me livened up, burning everything to a crisp and causing a spectacle that would surely be remembered in the story of this world as the ''Dance of the Burning Lion''.


    With his eyes set on the mes, he waited... aware that those following him would not dare approach so long as he was still here, they''d collect nothing but dust.


    ''These memories belong to me¡­'' those words contained the overbearing possessiveness of an Emperor, one that wasn''t born with a golden spoon... but crawled his way up with his own hands.


    Constantine wouldn''t share his precious memories with even history itself.


    **


    **


    "I''m too old for this, Phoebe¡­ why did I even promise such a thing, this is definitely the promise I shouldn''t have signed for."


    He sighed and continued to climb the mountain, the iconic Empyrean Hill of Castille and hisst destination.


    Eventually reaching the top of the small grass field.


    He was surprised to see somebody already there, he even gasped.


    "Long time-"


    "Oh shit!"


    Constantine pointed at the old man who deadpanned as if saying ''you never change''.


    "H-Hector!" Constantine actually smiled after a period of silence, believing he had seen a ghost... in fact, the ghost of his ursed friend.


    An old man sat on afy chair, his visage contained wisdom and he wore regal robes just like Constantine, there was a burned spot in front of him where clearly some charcoal had lighted up the night prior.


    "Who else?" The old fellow mocked and leaned against the back of his chair, appreciating the sunset.


    "Oh shut your mouth! Do you want to kill me with a scare!?" Jealous at Hector''s chair, Constantine grieved at the fact that he didn''t think that far, his hands painstakingly holding a bag of bottles.


    He did think far...


    "Hmph! Killing you with a scare would have been for the best, nothing better to end my emperor days than watching you perish in a pile of your own shit." Hector leaned further as if to entuate the fact that he was the proud owner of a chair.


    Constantine grunted and ended up sitting on the grass, but even then, Hector groaned when he saw something in Constantine''s hand that hecked.


    "Hehe~ foolish as ever." Constantine opened his bottle of alcohol and took a sip, openly mocking his Emperor homologue for hisck of insight.


    Aside from a small grunt and the other Emperor''s piercing gaze, he didn''t obtain anything else.


    "What are you here for?" Constantine smiled lightly in response and then asked, the fact that Hector made it through the borders without being captured or ughtered was beyond him, but not something he cared for now.


    Even if there was some insider that allowed him in, that''s no longer his business... but his son''s.


    "To kill you obviously, do you think I''d let go of our past grievances?" The old man said threateningly, his gaze fixed on those bottles, yet another reason to kill him.


    "¡­" Constantine watched the burned spot close to where Hector sat.


    "It doesn''t look like it, looks more like you prepared some barbecue."


    "You took too long."


    "Go away, you''re wasting your time here when you could be with your wife." Constantine said with jealousy, one that died the next second.


    "Saline passed away two weeks ago." Hector answered, downcast with his gaze set on the skies.


    "¡­"


    "I''m sorry."


    "Me too, for Sandra¡­ and the others... Phoebe..." thatst name was said with grief.


    "Do you want a drink?" The Great Emperor offered, realising that this meeting surely transcends friendship, rivalry and destiny.


    "I''m here to kill you!" One of Hector''s teeth fell when he said that.


    "Oh for God''s sake! That was more than forty years ago! Look at us! We''re almost senile!"


    "You are senile! I''m stronger than ever!" Other teeth fell.


    No one would believe Great Emperor Hector''s shit.


    "See? How can you utter something like that and not be senile? How are you going to kill me, make me die ofughter?" Constantineughed but then shivered, realising that it is actually possible.


    "¡­" Hector grit his teeth, epting reality even if reluctantly.


    "Be quiet and drink, who knows how long we have, a body can only take so much¡­" He passed another bottle to Hector, he had brought many, intending to spend hisst moments like this.


    "You''re old, your ''beauty'' is gone, Constantine." Hector threw thest jab that his heart contained.


    "Things can''t remain the same forever¡­" That was a reality Constantine had epted long ago.


    "No wonder Phoebe loved you more, you had way more vitality than me."<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Oh my friend, vitality I have plenty you should be aware of it, from all the bones in my body, my hips are the ones in the worst condition." Constantine rubbed his pained hips, they had too much action back in the days.


    "I didn''t want to know!"


    "Having five wives is not easy."


    "I don''t care! I didn''t have those issues¡­"


    "Hmph! Don''te at me with that bullshit, you and Saline had twenty children your hips might be worse than mine, also, poor her¡­ you sick bastard." Constantine showed a disgusted expression, even with five wives he never had them go through so many births, yet this bastard... he''s merciless.


    ''Only with ''her'' I had four children... it is not that bad...'' he thought.


    "W-What!?" Hector looked at Constantine with disbelief, publicly, he has only three children, the others are supposed to be secret!


    "You thought I wouldn''t research my nemesis?" Constantine took another sip, feeling proud of his Empire''s intelligence department.


    "You never did anything to them." Hector regarded him solemnly.


    "You also never attacked mine." Constantine answered with equal solemness.


    "It was all a big misunderstanding."


    "No, it wasn''t¡­ I stole your wife and two of your fianc¨¦s~" The conqueror said proudly, taking a jab out at his rival right where it hurts!


    "Fuck you!"


    "Come on, we''re too old to be fighting for this, drink¡­ drink more." Constantine offered another bottle.


    Hector drank several more sips inmentation, when he was tipsy enough, Constantine spoke thest jab.


    "Can I confess to you something?"


    "Just say it, what can be worse than what we have already gone through, making a friend of you in that ursed academy will always be my biggest mistake."


    "I thought you had a cuck fetish¡­"


    !!!


    "Fuck you! If I hadn''t met Saline, right now I''d be ughtering you even if that''s thest thing I wished for!" The tipsy feeling went through the roof, taking along yet other teeth.


    "..."


    The two of them continued their silent party until Hector spoke again, throwing a nce from his shoulder as the moon covered the two of them.


    "How are those four?"


    ???


    "What are you talking about?" Constantine lifted up his eyebrow in confusion, already feeling rather drunk.


    "Your children with Isabe..." Hector threw the bomb with a smile.


    !!!


    It was as if someone threw a bucket of cold water on his shoulders, his countenance went pale even, Constantine was shocked.


    That was supposed to be a secret, even from his wives and children.


    "Y-You..."


    "Do you think I wouldn''t research my nemesis?" Hector smiled, sending back the stone that was thrown at him.


    "Thank you... as expected of you."


    "You never hurt my children..." Hector took a sip.


    "Does this make us brothers again?" The great emperor rejoiced that hisst moments would be spent like this.


    "Of course not! I still hate you!"


    "Fair enough, but... I''m thankful everything went the way it did."


    "You got five wives while I got money-hungry whores...I''d be thankful too, but I can''t..."


    "I don''t mean that way! moreover, you got Saline afterwards so be content with your lot!"


    "..." Hector cursed inwardly, still feeling the burning pain of falling in the ''coin per climax'' scheme back then, a nightmare for those ''rapid-fire'' ones like himself.


    "I meant that we didn''t engage further in warfare." Constantine came to a conclusion but it only drew a lifted eyebrow from Hector.


    "You''re obviously not updated... our Empires are about to start yet another war... everything because of a silly girl." Hector sighed.


    "Don''t tell me..." Constantine gasped.


    "Yes, Brandon and Octavius are in love with the same girl, I believe her name is Seh... she''s the new saintess of the church... the three of them met in the academy, coincidence?~"


    "What a foolish boy, I told him to never run after a skirt dammit, and he''s married too... aish." He used this as an excuse to take yet another sip, the pains of a father.


    "There is nothing we can do, it seems loops are fated to repeat."


    "If it makes you feel better, Phoebe still loved you for a while after we got together..."


    "I see."


    "She''s the one that convinced me to not go after Saline."


    "You were nning on taking Saline from me too, bastard!?"


    "Brother, she was hot... I don''t know why it took you so long to get together with her... just because she was a bastard child? *sigh*"


    "I''m killing you, right now, I''ll throw you all my teeth! they''re loose anyway!" Hector went along with his threat, he took a tooth and threw it at Constantine!


    "Hey calm down!"


    Yet another war was brewing.


    **


    **


    The moon continued to shine, but as with all moments that are enjoyable in life, they flow away out of grasp.


    "What are you going to do now?" Hector asked, struggling to stand up.


    "I''m staying here..." Constantine wanted to perish here, this is a special spot.


    "I see¡­ I won''t, my special spot with Saline is not here... it is in the Greend ins, I want to perish there." Hector confessed, aware that he also doesn''t have that long.


    "Then this is thest time we will see one another, my friend."


    "Thank god"


    "That''s rude..."


    ...


    "It was fun, Constantine." Hector said, giving his longsting rival a deep re.


    "Hector, I wish you will meet her again." He confessed, perhaps his own inherent hope.


    "You too, take care."


    That was thest farewell of two long rivals, two great emperors and two gigantic champions.


    ...


    "Stupid, now if you''re gone too, I feel worse... how long will it take before I finally perish." The bottle was finished, yet his life still shines stubbornly.


    ''Always so stubborn for everything...'' hemented.


    For a long time, there was nothing but silence, the feeling of being watched, his subjects reluctant to allow even the mostmon ofmodities.


    Privacy.


    That was until the world stopped, imperceptible at first, but Constantine eventually regarded the flying stagnant cicadas.


    ''W-What?'' He thought the time hase.


    None of his wives mentioned anything about delusions, however¡­


    "I never expected you of all people to look like this, Great Emperor Constantine."


    The voice wasn''t mighty, rather it was casual¡­ like that of a young man asking for directions.


    Constantine blinked once, and by the time he opened his eyes, a man stood in the front, his attire so majestic that he couldn''t even describe, as if the stars were attached to it, bing his belongings.


    Rather than show respect to the obvious god in front of him, a drowsy Constantineughed, once, twice¡­


    "And you are? If you know who I am, do you dare to try anything here?" He spoke with disinterest.


    "What is there I, God, don''t dare to do?" The man caressed his chin sagely, a characteristic the emperor didn''t think twice before pointing out.


    "So you''re God¡­ what do you want? take me with the cute angels already, or is it demonesses? whatever it might be, I''ll take them on!" Constantine opened yet another bottle, believing he''d either pass away being taken by this god or by the headache this bottle is gonna give him.


    "I didn''t expect this reaction." The God groaned.


    "I also expected your old beard to be longer¡­ to think I drank so much that I''m seeing things, ridiculous, I know I have a low resistance to alcohol, but to think a single cup would get me this bad¡­ Lucille, where are you when I need you?"


    He released a mncholic shriek and decided to simply engulf the entire bottle in hopes of directly shattering this delusion, that gctic-like outfit is ridiculous anyway, resembles a clown.


    "She is in her Sweet Fragrance Realm right now... listen Constantine."


    *WHOOSH!*


    The bottle disappeared from his hand and the old emperor opened his eyes widely like saucers.


    What just happened?


    "It is already time for you to die¡­ youst more than you needed to."


    "Is that so? I won''t fall without I fight¡­ I haven''t reached this long for a ridiculous illusionist to kill me; one that looks like a clown... the cherry on top."


    "Am I a joke to you, Emperor Constantine? You might be an emperor but I''m a God!"


    "Your face is a joke to me. I''m an old man in myst moments, can''t I have some time in peace?!" Constantine finally lost it, all he desired was to be left alone.


    "You''re senile, is this really my son-inw?"


    !!!?


    The god spoke in disgust, a father needed but an excuse to openly nder his son-inw and the emperor is delivering plenty!


    Constantine was momentarily awestruck, believing he heard wrong.


    "I want to finish this just as quickly as you, I''m tired of seeing your disgusting face."


    "Are you really God?" Constantine mocked, believing god would be someone more formal than this useless swindler.


    "Yes, I am¡­ and I came here on request from my daughters, which happen to be your wives¡­! TELL ME WHY I SHOULDN''T JUST ERASE THAT DISGUSTING SOUL OF YOURS RIGHT NOW!?"


    Constantine could only look at the God in front of him who for some reason was quite exalted, however, having already received this sort of reaction from many fathers, he already knew what to do.


    "Quite exalted ain''t ya? keep calm and let''s drink, let alcohol drown your frustrations, old man."


    !!!


    "You''re the old one!"

 Chapter 2 Everything Starts From The End II

    Those words were indeed a threat filled with the rancour of a father, the ''old man'' didn''t ept the proposal to drinking, but that was evident.


    Rather than frighten Constantine, it perhaps served to convince him that this is not some drunk delusions as he expected them to be... perhaps... this is really happening right now.


    "I don''t even understand what the hell you''re talking about... which of your daughters have I taken!?" Constantine huped and yelled in outrage, if he had bedded a Goddess, of course, he would know!


    Moreover, he spoke of more than just one, two?!


    Ruminating about the countless women he bedded, their bodies, expressions, and delightful behaviours, he wondered which of them could be a goddess in disguise.


    ''The most beautiful women I have had were my wives, whom?" He thought of the possibility, all of them were excellent and captivated his heart to no end; which of them most resembled a goddess?


    ''Oh¡­''


    His mind came to a conclusion almost instantly and the God noticed it, his energy flowed in the form of a world distortion, the entire frozen space seemed to gain life once again, but instead, glitching!


    *RUMBLE!!*


    As if time no longer followed any rules, objects, events.... all of them started to superposition in this current scenery, the days passed, the nights came... kings died on this hill, romances perished and he could see it all!


    There is no present, past or future anymore!


    Watching all these happenings, Constantine was beyond shocked.


    "All of them! You took all five of them, damned bastard! I will-!"


    A small tremor shook the world as if space itself was running rampant, and the god went silent, the glitching stopped.


    "¡­" His gaze contorted in many ways, having the old man who shivered on the ground regard him with confusion, this demonstration of power deeply shocked Constantine, never having seen anything remotely close to this, except ghosts maybe...


    ''W-What did this person just do?'' He asked inwardly only to hear the next words of the gods that made him frown more than a little bit.


    "Yes, dear¡­" The god growled.


    ''Don''t tell me...'' The conqueror deadpanned, it can''t be... right?


    "I don''t have time to waste with your current pitiful self¡­ so I''ll summarize it all for you, I was going to send you to the deepest hell I know, but¡­ my daughters and your mother-inw interceded¡­ due to your rtionship with them you should have ascended and be a minor god in our pantheon."


    The God exined, walking back and forth with clear irritation.


    "¡­" Constantine was so senile that he rubbed his eyes instead of cleaning his ears, all the nonsense his brain is processing is just too much.


    Sadly, the bottle to cope with this nonsense was also taken away.


    ''Aish¡­''


    "I don''t consider you fitting enough to be a god of our pantheon, let alone the husband of my five daughters! So after discussing with my wife, I decided to send you in a little¡­ test¡­" The god raised his hand up, a wisp of light shed in there and it entered Constantine.


    It produced a sudden heat all over his body!


    "Hey! dream or not, drunk or not! this is a little too much!" The old man yelled, gritting his teeth at the burning pain that came from his entire body.


    [Settling God Spark...]


    That was the first time he heard it.


    "This is the end of your path, Emperor Constantine¡­ you may be on your way¡­ and if you''re qualified, hehe~" The ''gctic'' man waved his hand forward and a sh of light entered Constantine''s forehead.


    *BOOMMM!*


    An explosion urred in his mind and Constantine''s world darkened, thest sight he witnessed was that of his father-inw with a vengeful expression.


    "You will be no God~"


    **


    **


    There is light yet again, a pair of blue eyes opened in a foreign world.


    His pupils blinked once, twice... several petals of flowers touched his face together with a soft breeze.


    "Where am I?" Those were his first words, he recognised an infant tonality foreign to his rough speech.


    Constantine ced his hand in front of his face to cover from the ''sunlight'' that shed in his eyes.


    He noticed them young... unblemished... with far fewer scars than what he had by the time his skin was this supple in the past.


    ''W-What...?''


    Just having finished his conversation with the god, he braced for the entire conversation to have been a joke as the ropes of hell took him over, but¡­


    Nothing like that happened, instead, he was ced in a predicament.


    Sitting up in a grasnd, he rubbed his pained head where a mild headache struck him, information coursing through his eyes, the phantom of something that existed not in reality.


    [Wee to your God Ascension Trial¡­]


    "..." He rubbed his eyes again, but that ''thing'' is still there.


    [You have woken up, Constantine... nice to meet you, I''m Zebellia, your secretary...]


    "Eh? w-what are you?" He heard the voice of ady in his head, coupled with those words... in an unknown world, to say he is confused is an understatement.


    [Since you''re awake, I initialise your status... please, pay attention, Mr Conqueror]


    [Initialising¡­]


    [Reading God Spark...]


    The voice of a gracefuldy, the contour of a goddess, spoke in his mind, apletely foreign feeling.


    "Ugh!" He felt like vomiting for some reason but held it in.


    [Done¡­]


    ***


    [Status]


    *Name: Constantine Lionheart (de Castile)


    *Genre: Male.


    *Age: 78.


    *Race: [Human] [God (sealed)]


    Titles:


    [Conqueror Constantine]


    [Founder of the Lionheart Dynasty]


    [Bane of Husbands]<novelnext></novelnext>


    [Heartbreaker]


    [Husband of the Goddess of Death, Sandra]


    [Husband of the Goddess of Dreams, Phoebe]


    [Husband of the Goddess of Luck, Caroline]


    [Husband of the Goddess of Rot, Lucille]


    [Husband of the Goddess of Beauty, Melina]


    [Time God''s Utter Nemesis]


    [Space Goddess'' Beloved Son-inw]


    *Divine Blessings:


    [War God''s Wrath (Sealed)]


    [Blessing of the Adjourned Death]


    [Blessing of the Daydream (Sealed)]


    [Blessing of the Causality, (Sealed)]


    [Blessing of the Decaying Flesh (Sealed)]


    [Blessing of Infatuating Eyes (Sealed)]


    [Blessing of Spatial Conduct (Sealed)]


    *Curses:


    [Grief of the Husbands]


    [Heaven''s Decreed Punishment]


    [Timeless Distortion (sealed)]


    *Abilities:


    [Swordsmanship: A+]


    [Horse Riding: C]


    [Archer: B]


    [Scheming: A+]


    [Seduction: EX]


    [Charisma: A+]


    [Hustling: A+]


    [Drinking: E]


    [Beast Taming: C]


    [Joking: E-]


    [Drinking: -F]


    **


    **


    "What the hell? drinking -F, JOKING?!... DAMN YOU!" Constantine cursed, of all the information... that was what got his attention the most, for a moment he even ignored


    [That is an urate assessment...]


    This dy'' Zebellia... spoke solemnly in his mind.


    "DAMN... YOU!" He''d never allow anybody to nder his drinking capacity, not even Lucille; moving his hand forward, he tried to touch the interface in front of his face, but he was unable to do so.


    Ignoring it, his gaze focused past it, into this world that didn''t resemble hell in the slightest, rather it is heaven!


    A majestic big golden tree produced the light that shone on the flowery grasnd, apletely different world, refined and beautiful.


    ''What a big tree...'' It was gigantic, he could see it in the distance, and the small breezes continued to flow.


    There were flowers of all kinds, birds singing even.


    ''This isn''t hell at all!'' He thought, perhaps thinking that the god had yed him a joke, and he would find his ''Goddess'' wives here.


    When things couldn''t get better, a melodious voice, more delicate than anything he had heard, his heart almost stopped at the prospect of recognition.


    "You''re Mr Constantine, right?~"


    Initially, he felt a little shy, not expecting to meet anyone here whilst naked, still¡­ he sighed and prepared to meet the person whose voice filed up his senses.


    The moment his head turned around, he came face to face with the most delightful female he had ever seen in his life, which is a lot to say.


    And her face was millimetres from his.


    She squatted and used both slender jade hands to support her face.


    Blonde with hair falling down to the ground, like a golden shiny cascade.


    Eyes blue like the clear sky, a small golden tiara that resembled the roots of a tree, and the most distinctive characteristic of hers -aside from her bombshell of a body- were those two long pointy ears.


    Constantine gasped, this aspect, it resembled hers so much, but better, more perfect.


    After an entire minute of trance in which the woman just regarded him with a warm gaze as if proud of his reaction, he set his sight a little lower.


    At that moment he literally had a reaction.


    This woman might as well be naked; her body was being ''concealed'' by a long white dress that covered itpletely, even her arms were being covered, but¡­ the dress was nigh translucent, a see-through, everything beneath it was visible to the keen eyesight, even those pink buds.


    Her chest was big¡­ as in BIG, but still proportional to the rest of her body, thick yet slender, supple legs, the synonym of perfection.


    "Have you looked enough, Mr Constantine?~" She giggled, but never moved her body or face away at all, rather... she grew interested.


    "M-Mom?" Those words were stuttered by him and she released a little giggle.


    She moved her hand forward and caressed his cheeks.


    "No, my name is Aurelianne, The minor Goddess of Life; Sorry, I''m not your mom... it''s my pleasure to meet you, Mr Constantine, you were sent here by Lord Toki, the higher God of Time, to assist me."


    She stood up, showing herself in all her delightful splendour, presenting her hand for him to take.

 Chapter 3 The Goddess Of Life, Aurelianne

    The Goddess introduced herself, her shiny silver hair waved with the soft breeze but didn''t switch her position.


    Her figure still squatted childishly in front of him, portraying an innocence that didn''t go along with the sight in front of Constantine''s eyes. That charming smile that just wouldn''t depart for a second, captivated him.


    It took him several seconds toe out of his stupor, seconds that she took advantage of to inspect his body further.


    She raised up eventually, still lending her hand for him to take.


    "It''s my pleasure to meet you, please just call me Constantine" he gulped audibly, trying to get rid of the trance her body was subjecting him to... taking a hold of her hand, stood up and inhaled a deep breath.


    The Goddess tilted her head and released a giggle but her gaze contained a knowing glint, "It must be hot in here; your face is quite red~"


    !!!


    *cough!*


    "Yes, it is indeed hot in here." He coughed, there is no way he''d admit that he is blushing!


    "If that''s the case¡­" She waved her hand drawing an arc and a breeze shrouded the entire area, he could feel how the air turned fresh, it was a pleasurable feeling.


    ''Amazing¡­'' He thought as the soft breeze caressed his body, moving on and about like a small tornado.


    "Is it better now?"


    "Yes, thank you."


    A small chuckle made its way to her expression, a mysterious one.


    She started to pull him along the forest in a delightful journey, but he had a small matter to address.


    "...could I have some clothes, please?"


    His request elicited a pout out of the beauty


    "Does being naked make you ufortable?"


    She spoke with a finger on her lips, every single one of her movements, alluring... her expression rendered him to believe she is not quite understanding, the two of them stopped this journey as quickly as they started it.


    "You''re wearing... something... yourself."


    He pointed out that detail, deadpanning when she once again set her gaze on his little buddy, not knowing whether she''s a wicked vixen or a pure child, so far... her gaze depicts her as thetter.


    His gaze wandered yet again to her ''clothes''.


    ''Can those still be called garments?'' He wondered while biting his lips, this goddess has no shame at all.


    "I''m wearing this because I didn''t want to give you a wrong first impression but, that can be fixed~"


    "W-Wait-"


    She giggled and clicked her fingers, producing some noise; her clothes transformed into white butterflies that flew away¡­ if there was anything that wasn''t shown to him, it was now disyed to its whole splendour and Constantine could feel his heart start to beat quickly as he bit his lips harshly, stopping a reaction.


    ''Sit down!'' He yelled inwardly to ''something'' in particr.


    "Umm, this is sofortable, when I wear robes they rub against my boobs, it is so awful!~" The shameless goddess cupped her own chest in front of him as if entuating how free they were, lifting them up as he held his breath.


    ''Please stop...''


    Something is raising.


    He took her hands while trying to remain calm, she giggled in response.


    "I''d rather we stay with clothes, please."


    ''Otherwise, I don''t know what I will do...'' A man can only take so much before losing his mind.


    The Goddess red at him for several seconds before pouting as a barrage of butterflies covered their bodies, forming a pair of long garments that were semi-translucent as before.


    Constantine felt awkward wearing it, and contrary to what she said, it was actually quite soft, rightfully a garment of gods.


    "If that''s what you prefer." Taking his hand yet again, they began their journey back to her house.


    Her jiggling body in all its splendour.


    ''God give me strength...''


    He wouldn''t.


    [Punishment meter increasing...]


    "Uh?"


    [...]


    "Is there anything wrong?" She felt the disturbance in his expression as they walked,ing into a small shiny forest where birds flew across from branch to branch.


    "Did you hear that voice?" He asked,ing to terms with the thing that''s now in his head, perhaps she''d know something.


    "No, what voice?" She frowned slightly, feeling the environment and making sure there was indeed ''nothing''.


    "I think... there is something in my head." He said, not urate on what exactly that thing is.


    "Oh...?"


    She ced her hand on his forehead and did something weird, all he felt was her hand getting slightly warmer, she frowned slightly once again.


    "I can''t feel anything, don''t worry, I will inspect you THROUGHLY once we''re back home" those words were entuated more than necessary, and with rushing steps, she led him to her house.


    "Home..." He thought of his previous ce, the one he had burned to a crisp.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Yes, home~"


    ...


    "Do you wear attires like these all the time?" He asked with aplicated glint in his eyes, so far the experience he has lived is beyond elusive, Aurelianne is a goddess that''s either too dumb or too pure or both.


    He can''t imagine her going around a crowd of people, or gods... wearing this.


    And the thought alone made him feel ufortable.


    She had been mumbling some sort of song, one that was a little familiar to him.


    "Yes~ in this realm I''m always naked as it is morefortable, in other realms or when meeting other gods, I wear my dresses..." She sent him a sidelong nce.


    "What kind of dresses?" The man pressed forth, not too overbearing, not overly indulgent.


    ''I''m just concerned over her naivety, that''s all...''


    "Dresses... I can show them to youter if you want, I can show you everything."


    She left those words in the air, whatever she meant with them, only she knows.


    "If you''re worried about my behaviour, you don''t need to; this realm is my private belonging, no one can enter here unless I approve it, even if I have a small house, this entire realm is in fact... my home."


    She indicated, moving her hand along the skies, having the insects, nts, breeze and everything in between this vast world, follow her directions.


    Constantine was awed.


    ''So you''re aware your behaviour is odd?!''


    ...


    The journey to her house was longer than he expected, though all of it he wondered if they couldn''t just ''fly'' there... or something else, since she''s apparently capable of controlling this ce in its entirety, however, the walk was quite enjoyable.


    Aurelianne also looked quite happy to just pull him around like this through her forest, so he didn''t say anything.


    "I was told by that god that you mentioned before that you needed my help."


    "Hmmm, how about we talk about thatter? right now there are better matters to discuss, more important things, right? Aren''t you tired? tired of the life you had so far, wouldn''t you like to rest with me for a bit?"


    She held his hand with concern, they weren''t far from a small shack in the distance, a humble home with a ceiling formed by nts, the entire house seemed to be done by the natural roots of a tree entangling one another.


    "T-That... I''d rather get to my task straight away mdy." He answered respectfully, trying hard to not focus on that giggling rump, thinking that he''d meet his wives after finishing.


    ''I need to resist... resist. I have been loyal for decades, I can do it a little more....'' The thought of meeting them again filled him with expectations, he didn''t want to mess it up with some little lust.


    A little bit of lust produced by those round bottoms, and that body... and that exquisite face.


    ''Shut it!''


    ...


    But the goddess, Aurelianne, seemed to have her own ns, if her funny expression was anything to go by... she released a brief smile and stopped her movements altogether, turning around to give him a nce of her magnificent profile.


    "I appreciate your focus, but¡­ I''d like to spend some more time with you before you''re on your way¡­ you see, after you leave here you won''t be able toe back until you''re strong enough or find one of my shrines " Her steps continued with some sadness.


    "Huh? what do you mean?"


    "I''m a weak goddess, my divinity barely allows me to keep this domain stable and also, to keep your mortal body here for several hours... I need faith... the world you live in now is the magic world of Sandoria... I simply pulled your soul here selfishly... desiring to meet you, Constantine..." She exined, walking forward but with her gaze set on him at all times.


    "..." He nodded, indicating for her to continue


    "O-Of course! this is also your home from now on! my realm is your realm, but in order to remain here, several conditions must be met" Her hand caressed his, as if longingly.


    "What conditions?" He still didn''t understand why this woman speaks as if she has known him for a long time, and why... he also feels as if he has known her for a long time.


    "You must be my champion... and you must reach at least be a Demigod before you can stay in my god realm as much as you''d desire, otherwise, this world will keep ejecting you."  They were already several metres from the small shack.


    "This is confusing..." He rubbed his forehead, this ''god'' and ''demigod'' and so on... he is just not used to it.


    Two metres.


    "I know, you have been a mortal so far, a remarkable one but a mortal nheless, fret not, I shall exin to you every-" She wasn''t able to speak all the way, because her body bumped against the shack''s door, rendering him to also bump into her body!


    *BAAM!*


    "Ouuu!" She groaned slightly and rubbed her head with a self-mocking smile.


    "A-Are you okay?!" He immediately touched the top of it as if instinctively, checking the ce where she injured herself... only to see nothing there.


    "I am okay, thank you, such a klutz I am~" Her gaze moved onto his body, they were together, tightly pressed... she could feel his muscles, and he could feel her softness.


    "..."


    "..."


    No words were exchanged as the sun ray''s heat apparently increased, at least in feeling.


    The two of them just locked their eyes for a long time, her hand moved along his waist, and his did so as well, refusing to go lower.


    Feeling each other up slightly.


    "Y-You should open the door..." He said finally, retracting his hand reluctantly, his eyes just couldn''t stop looking at hers.


    "Yes... sorry." Biting her lips, she did so and opened the shack''s wooden organic door, showing him the way in.


    Both of them were deeply blushing.

 Chapter 4 A Cup Of Tea

    "Then¡­ I''ll stay with you for now, in the meantime, could you exin to me my responsibilities?"


    Constantine wanted to keep it simple, he grasped her hand that was on his cheek and lowered it down, not releasing.


    In front of him is the most tempting piece of flesh he has ever seen.


    ''Y-You''re just asking to be devoured, but I won''t fall''


    More than for decades of devotion to five wives  had rusted his senses, now¡­ he''s no longer a womaniser.


    Yes, right.


    "That''s wonderful, here, this is my home, it might be small and humbledpared to yours¡­ please, sit" She dered with a smile, bringing him in.


    Inside it was cosy, roots entangled one another coiling and forming this hut...


    "Basically, after a lot of hard work, I managed to have you as my champion, there were several other goddesses fighting for you in the pantheon, but I had an advantage, Lady Nova assisted me, she''s your mother-inw~"


    "Lady Nova?" Constantine took a seat on the wooden chair, listening to her exnation while said beauty walked alluringly around the small house, going to the kitchen and taking some utensils, all made with wood and metals.


    "She''s the higher Goddess of Space, consort of Lord Loki, your mother-inw and my deepest friend. She assisted me in obtaining the opportunity of having you as my champion." Aurelianne''s finger produced a small spark of me that burned a cup of wooden ashes.


    "By goddesses, you mean them?" He asked hopefully, not paying all that much attention to what she was preparing, but feeling the entire atmosphere was highly nostalgic.


    "Yes, your five goddess wives, I''m surprised; you''re the first ever to actually manage to court five goddesses, and ''them'' no less, the daughters of two higher gods...." The awe concealed in her voice couldn''t be denied, waving her hands once again, she produced a gust of water, surprising him even more.


    "It was luck..." He sighed, it was his luck to meet such wonderfuldies, but to think they''re goddesses.


    "They were arguing to see who would take you in, you''re supposed to be undergoing a ''punishment'' of some sort, however, that''s what Lady Nova told me... something along the lines of... ''bane of husbands''~ as well as your actions that technically overthrew the faith of that world''s god, having it focus on yourself, you were obtaining faith, even as a mortal."


    "..."


    "Why would you want me as your champion, Aurelianne? I don''t know anything about gods, or magic... it looks ridiculous to me even now as I''m watching you" He added, the ''kettle'' prepared to boil as she prepared her herbs, it was minimal, but magic was present in this procedure.


    "I have been watching you long before you perished... I wanted you from the beginning." Those words were said amidst hums, she almost danced in the kitchen, preparing appetizers and tea, moving along the breeze as even the sunrays followed her figure.


    Constantine was captivated, for one moment he didn''t focus on her body as alluring and noteworthy as it is.


    "I see, it''s a pleasure that you''d chose me." He felt that even if that''s the case, it wasn''t a detriment, ''I''m liking you so far, Aurelianne, a lot...''


    "I''m the one honoured and will be in your care if you ept me, that is" She fidgetted, asking this important question right out of the bat, for her, this is the most important step.


    "I''ll even be your dog if you allow me to bite..."


    "Ah?" The Goddess lifted her eyebrows slightly, believing she heard wrong, but aware that she didn''t.


    !!!


    "I-I said... I''ll do anything to earn my keep..."


    ''W-What did I just say!? Constantine... control yourself.''


    "..." She kept silent for a while, eventually releasing a giggle, blushing.


    "You have no keep to earn, this is your home... thank you, thank you for epting me." As the tea prepared itself she approached him, surprised to see him pat hisp, indicating her to sit.


    A smile afterwards, she took her rightful ce on her ''throne'' sitting neatly on hisp.


    "So, as your champion, what do I have to do?" He caressed her hair, and as a response, her hand wandered around his waist.


    "As my champion, your endeavour is to spread my faith across the world, I''ll be your one and only goddess, you will be my one and only champion¡­ I''ll assist you but, may you excuse me, I''m a rtively young goddess, the assistance I can give you is limited but I will try my best."  She rested her entire body on his, rendering his hands to start crawling here and there, one found to rest on her tight, and the other caressed her hair.


    That hair was so silky.


    "Don''t worry, I''ll help you to the best of my capacity."


    She returned the hug, tightly gluing her body to him and releasing a sigh that confused him, it wasn''t a relieved sigh.


    Eventually raising her head, she delivered a swift kiss on the cheek, raising up and blushing madly, it rendered a chuckle to leave his lips due to her shyness, it was amusing that she is too shy to give a kiss on the cheek, yet not shy enough to wear those semi-translucent garments.


    This time he pretended to look at her, closer.


    [Punishment meter increasing...]


    "You''re so lovely, ever since I watched you back then in your fight against the Damas Empire, I wanted to meet you."


    "You have been watching me for that long?!" He gasped, that was more than forty years ago!


    "A-Ah, yes¡­ is that bad?" She turned around with a cute downcast expression, even her elongated ears lowered slightly.


    "No, but¡­ how did you know about me?" He approached further, her hand moved swiftly, preparing something while mixing certain fruits, even baking.


    He was close at all times, looking, enjoying.


    "It was Lady Nova... since you managed to court all her daughters, she was obviously interested to see what kind of individual you were, at that time, she drew me to investigate you together."


    Aurelianne swayed her body back and forth alluringly, unaware her bump wiggled with every turn.


    Humming a song, she was aware of his heated gaze roaming along her body, aside from several side nces to the back and a smile, she didn''t say anything.


    "What kind of world is this?"


    "This? This is my own dimension within the god realm." Switching her position slightly, her curves entuated in a way that was slowly killing Constantine, he approached... yet again while biting his lips.


    "No, the world I''m going to be sent into." He answered, trying to focus on the window to the other side of the door, but the aforementioned elf beauty walked in that direction to get some tes raising up on her toes, unable to reach them apparently.


    He furrowed his brows and walked in that direction too,<novelnext></novelnext>


    Coming close to her until his front met her back, he picked up two tes, so close to her body in fact, that her big rump beneath the silk was rubbing his crotch slightly, she felt it and shivered.


    They remained in that position for several seconds, his weight technically pressing her against the wooden counter.


    "Thank you" She said, blushing madly and epting the tes, something peeked against her silky robes and even her bump, but she didn''tin, rather... wondered with expectation.


    "Why didn''t you use your powers to lower the te?"


    "I-I forgot~" The goddess stuttered, each word rendering her blush a shade darker, but her eyes could only stare at him with longing.


    "You''re wee." That''s all he said before finally making some distance, earning a breathe to both of their lungs and some rest to their palpitating hearts.


    ...


    She finished the tea and some appetizers shortly afterwards in beautiful silence and then took a seat in front of him on the table.


    He sip on his tea, it was wonderful, the entire atmosphere was.


    Her hands rested on the table, holding her head and expecting praise.


    "It''s delicious, Aurelianne." He could feel a sense of dejavu.


    "I''m d you liked it, dear~" The beauty produced her best giggle, something that shouldn''t belong to this world, it warmed his heart to no end.


    "..." He was rendered speechless, believing that at any moment this beautiful dream would end, it didn''t happen, thankfully.


    "About the world you''re going to end up at, it is quite different from the one you were previously residing at, yours was a lower realm without a magic core, this one is a magic world filled with powerful beings, surely not anything someone as splendid as you can''t handle~" She took one of the muffins and tasted it.


    "You tter me, my goddess, it might be more difficult for me than you expect." Magic looks easy enough if the way she uses it is anything to go by, but it is still something he has never seen before.


    "So, do you formally ept me as your goddess?" Her question surprised him, this time she wanted to make it official.


    "Didn''t I already say I would?"


    "Sorry, I might not have expressed myself properly, you are not yet my champion, although I do want you, I''d not like for you to think that I''m forcing you into anything." She fidgeted slightly yet again, Constantine was unable to understand how someone so breathtaking couldck confidence, or be nervous at all.


    "I ept you, I''ll be your champion, your knight." He took her hand, kissed the back of it and dered, not knowing whether this is the right procedure for ''champion hood''.


    Thedy giggled and took his hand, raising up she walked all the way to his side of the table and once again sat on hisp.


    He waited patiently for what she had to say, her words were perhaps so important that even the entire atmosphere, the singing of the birds and the sun itself seemed to paralyse.


    "You know, bing my champion is not something simple, the rtionship between a god and his or her champion, is sacred across the realm of the gods, it won''t ever be broken and even if you die." She embraced him and caressed his silver hair, trying to convey a deeper meaning to her words.


    "..." Upon the mention of ''death'', he knew that was something very serious, but didn''t expect her next phrasing.


    "It will be way deeper... way stronger than marriage." She added, whispering beside his ears.


    "..."


    "Even then, do you want to go through this with me? a mere minor Goddess of Life?"


    "I have already been given a second opportunity when I thought there was nothing else, if it''s you, then I don''t mind, Aurelianne." He didn''t even think for more than a few seconds, his wives phased through his mind, he''d meet them in the future.


    In the meantime...


    !!!


    "Thank you!" She embraced him tightly as her body started to shine with impatience.


    He simply nodded with a smile, closed his eyes and waited, but the moment he felt something soft press against his face, he couldn''t help but clench his fists and almost groan.


    ''You''re looking for it!''


    She had pressed his face between her breasts!


    Aurelianne hugged him against her supple chest and started to recite some words, a magic circle engulfed her, then she kissed his forehead.


    *WHOOOSHH!!!*


    A gust of golden aura was released through the entire, house, the entire forest... the gigantic tree in the middle of thisnd shone brightly.


    [Blessing of the Golden Seed, obtained]


    He heard that voice in his mind once again, the ''secretary''.


    She then kissed his right and left cheeks, producing an immediate reaction.


    [Immortality of the Golden Tree, obtained]


    [Race evolved to human-elf hybrid]


    [Four Ether-rank Mana Cores, obtained]


    Andstly, lifting up his face, she blushed for a moment before kissing his lips!


    !!!


    [Champion of the Life Goddess, title obtained.]


    It was slow and sulent, never had Constantine tasted such delicious lips, passionate, slow... he enjoyed it to his heart''s content and felt energy entering his body and settling.


    The content of those words slipped out of his mind as he pressed her harder against his body, both Champion and Goddess wanted nothing more than to merge in this delightful ceremony that would mark the start of an evesting rtionship.


    [Punishment Meter Increasing... sigh, you never learn, Conqueror...]

 Chapter 5 A Coquettish Goddess

    Their lips separated after a slow and passionate bonding kiss.


    Having already imed her champion, the blushing and glittery goddessy against his chest, humming in happiness.


    "Why are you so open with me, Aurelianne?" He inquired while holding the beauty in his arms.


    Truthfully he didn''t understand, having had his fair share of fun with countless women, Aurelianne''s attitude was a fist-timer, even his five wives -which were supposedly goddesses- were conquered after struggles and slices of life.


    Yet Aurelianne is already so open and passionate that it leaves him almost breathless, coupled with her apparent ''innocence'' are like two sharp spears constantly poking his heart.


    Moreover, if that''s not enough¡­ her body¡­


    "I told you I have wanted you for a long time¡­ my champion~" She insisted, flushing her body tighter against him, feeling that warmth and security only a champion could provide.


    For him, it wasplicated, as sexy and delectable as she is he has only met her today... he can''t just pin her down and have his way with her as much as that lower traitorous part of his has been raging ever since he ced his eyes on her.


    "I know that you have your barriers, the result of crawling all the way from the bottom by yourself, but rest assured, I am real, Constantine... I''m real and I''m here for you..." She delivered a swift and clumsy peck, smiling brightly.


    "¡­" Once again he was left speechless.


    "I know everything about you¡­" She began confidently, saying that ''everything'' with a weird glint.


    "¡­" He regarded her solemnly as a result.


    "I know about Isabe, your past¡­ your five wives, your only lover... all of your children and your secret children, your empire... your misdeeds, the fact that you controlled your own enemies, the fact that you strive to stay alive just so you wouldn''t leave your beloveds alone... I have seen it all, and... it has been all that together what rendered me to desire you, you''re everything I seek in a champion."


    "Thank you... but I-" That topic about ''Isabe'' is one he doesn''t desire to touch, she ced a finger on his lips.


    "Don''t worry, I won''t raise it up...You have no idea how much it cost me to get you, were it not for Lady Nova, they wouldn''t have epted."


    "Where are they?" He referred to them, the way she spoke made him believe they were okay and kicking, if that''s the case, why aren''t they here?


    "They''re okay, I can only tell you that¡­ they''re unable toe and visit you as they''re fundamentally in other worlds, moreover... their souls haven''t yet fully merged with their divine bodies, once they manage to do so they will visit you themselves, perhaps sending an avatar... Lady Lucille will be the first, probably." Aurelianne mumbled.


    His heart brimmed with hope and she noticed the happiness in his countenance, ''He really loves them dearly.''


    Lucille had been the first to pass away... she was even older than him by at least ten years, sadness had permeated her heart at that moment, desiring to stay even a little longer; yet he said his farewells to her in the sweetest way possible.


    ''Lucille, when will I see you again?'' He wondered with expectation, back then she regretted being the first to depart, now she is going to be the one to meet him again first, which means... Sandra would be thest.


    A Muffin floated from the table into Aurelianne''s hand, noticing his rather downcast expression, she set forth to try and appease it.


    "Here~" she gives him a muffin to eat, he opened his mouth with a reassuring smile as a response and took a bite, it was delicious.


    "How long can I stay here?"


    "I can keep you for a week or two, during that time I am going to teach you the beginnings of magic and also, tell you some more about the world you''re to be in just so you can be prepared, alright?~"


    "Understood." The topic of magic interested him immensely


    "I want to prepare more exquisite dishes for you and cakes, but if I do so, I''m afraid we won''t ever stop." The goddess released her first sigh, grieving at the circumstances.


    "I know of something that would be more exquisite." He rubbed her lips with his thumb, letting loose a little.


    She blushed bullets and stood up.


    "W-Would you like to go outside and walk some more? I can tell you some things along the way!"


    "Why is your face red, is it hot in here?~" He smirked and threw back that jab.


    !!!


    It produced a greater blush in her cheeks as a response, stutter and eventually¡­ a pout.


    "Just go and wait for me!" She turned around embarrassed and also a little exasperated, so far she believed her body could carry her confidence around all the way, but as Constantine became adapted to her beauty, he got bolder.


    And the rather naive goddess would soon lose the upper hand, sooner than she expected.


    She raised up and went to wash the dishes while he departed the small shack, leaving her alone.<novelnext></novelnext>


    The Goddess held her chest tightly, palpitating madly.


    "This is how it feels to love? it''s beautiful and exhrating~" The silver-haired elf goddess hummed her singing and cleaned the dishes by hand rather than using magic to do everything quickly.


    It brought mncholic feelings as well as happiness to her soul to do so.


    **


    **


    As she finalised her stuff, he waited outside with his arms crossed, regarding the blue cloudy skies.


    ''Champion of a Goddess¡­ the twists of fate.'' Releasing a small sigh, his mind once again wandered around Aurelianne''s figure.


    He didn''t have to hold her in his thoughts for long, said goddess crossed the door shortly afterwards.


    "Should we be on our way then?~ there are so many ces I want to show you where we can train!" Literally running, she hooked on his arm and giggled.


    "Then I''ll be in your care, I''d like to know more about you, Aurelianne." He confessed and held her arm tightly, so far they had been quite intimate and even entered an odd rtionship that he doesn''t understand quite right, aside from her name he doesn''t have much information.


    She nodded but then tilted her head in shame as if thinking deeply about what to say.


    "Ohh¡­ I-I can''t really tell you much, most of my life has been spent here, every so often I meet other gods, especially with Lady Nova¡­ but I enjoy this little world the most!" Her lips quivered in awkwardness, believing that to someone like him who has lived so many exploits and such an interesting life, herpiled thousands of years of age could be nothing but boring.


    "And what do you do here by yourself?"


    "I mostly remain inside that tree, doing my work~ then I drink water and wash in the river, sometimes..." She scratched her head, she really wanted to say that she went to some kind of adventurous exploit, but couldn''t!


    "..."


    Rather than mock her, he smiled in amusement. She is a goddess with several shenanigans; the pair went onwards in their little adventure, stepping through the woods she had a clear destination.


    "So you''re a goddess from this world called Sandoria?"


    "One of them, Sandoria is a world of magic and opportunities, those that are able to reach Godhood exists in the dozens across millions of years of history and generations, but¡­ a catastrophe urred and now I might be the only one remaining."


    Her expression turned downcast upon this revtion and he switched into one of solemnity, indicating her to speak further.


    "Tell me more, why wouldn''t they have faith in you?" He recalled her saying that she was a weak goddess without faith.


    "Because¡­ I can''t provide what they desire."


    "¡­?"


    "I''m a Goddess of life,  but the world of Sandoria has been tainted by the greed of demons, I can give happiness, but I can''t give fulfilment¡­ the heart of humans and the other races have darkened with greed for power, Love has been rendered to the background orpletely erased, that''s why they don''t believe me, they have no faith in me and hence, I and my tree can''t bless them." Her gaze extended to the tree in the distance.


    "What is that tree?" It was too big to ignore.


    "It''s my partner, a part of my divinity as the Goddess of Life, her name is Vita¡­ her roots spread through Sandoria, bringing life to those who returned to the soil, but a curse besieged it¡­ oneing from thousands of years ago, the event known as the fall of the Tyrant, the death of the God of Fate, Lucius the Great."


    They reached a small clearing, beautiful with a flowing river, waters so clear it was as if there was no water at all, were it not for the small translucent tonality against the sunshine and the fish inside, he''d believe so.


    She pulled him to the edge and they sat she wiggled her legs back and forth and encouraged him to do so as well with a smile.


    He felt the water to be incredibly fresh and lukewarm, perfect.


    "What can you tell me about this Lucius? was he especial?"


    "He was one of the Gods that lived in this realm for dozens of thousands of years, stories of his origin vary, but his Godhood spread through the world of Sandoria, giving its fate a course¡­ he quickly joined himself with other two local goddesses from this world, the Goddess of the Oceans, Nerea and the Goddess of the Moon, Helena¡­ his rein was one where humans thrived¡­ but¡­ eventually others wouldn''t agree."


    Constantine sighed, he didn''t need many more words to understand or at least give himself an idea of what was it that urred.


    "Human''s greed¡­" He deduced and she nodded with a sigh.


    "But it wasn''t only humans... however, humans had to bear the brunt of everyone''s greed back then."

 Chapter 6 Time Valkyrie, Zebellia

    "It wasn''t only humans... they desired to breach the limit, yes... but it was mainly the demons that were outraged by Lucius'' rein." The Goddess sshed some water back and forth, retelling her story.


    "Demons!?" He eximed only to calm himself afterwards... he recalled there is a goddess in front of him.


    "Yes, in Sandoria there are countless species, I''m sure you will like it~" She giggled, ''fishing'' and hunting had been some of his favourite hobbies ording to her info so, he might enjoy himself there.


    A little too much.


    As he thought about her words, he felt her pull him into the clear waters.


    "My deepest desire is that you would stay with me here forever, but that''s impossible..." She embraced him as they walked in, feeling the lukewarm freshness of it in its entirety.


    "Why?" He allowed himself to be embraced, she''s really a chummy goddess.


    "As a goddess, I have an authority... a job so to say... and you have yours as my champion, we must coincide together at the best moment to spend some time together... soon, once your journey begins, I''ll return to Vita and continue my endeavour, giving back life to those soulless husks that thrive in all forms"


    Despite the passion contained in her voice regarding her ''endeavour'' he couldn''t help but notice a hint of downcast along with her words.


    He turned around and held one of her cheeks.


    "You sound as if you''re reluctant." He couldn''t even begin toprehend the undeying meaning of her ''job'' but he could reason it is something very serious.


    "I love being the goddess of life, what I don''t like is that I have to separate from you after we just got together." Finishing her words she bit her lips and took the two of them into the waters with a jump.


    !!!


    *SPLASH!*


    He sank into them along with her, opening his eyes inside to see the blurry-progressively enhancing- vision of her, swimming along and pulling him to the surface once again.


    She giggled and embraced his wet body, "This is like a dream to me~"


    "Me too, you''re so charming." He saw how the water dripped, her silky long hair had gotten wet and trailed along, her dresspacted and pulled itself onto her skin, giving him the sight of his life.


    Biting his lips, he embraced her waist with one hand while keeping the two of them on the surface, his other hand, it cupped one of her delightful orbs.


    "Hmn~" she moaned slightly, biting one of her fingers and shooting him an alluring gaze, but didn''t stop him in anyway, rather, both of her legs wrapped his waist, allowing him to subtlety keep the two of them on the surface.


    He inspected her boob, it was big, not fitting in his hand, her slender pearl tightened beneath his palm, indicating her ecstasy.


    His hand kept fondling along.


    "Are they ripe?~" the goddess Inquired with a whisper, feeling him up too and nodding after testing the goods.


    "They are." Tired of the slim fabric, he dug deeper down and bypassed the dress, feeling her up directly and even pinching.


    "A-Ahn~" Aurelianne seemingly lost strength all over her body, falling on top of him and even sinking the two of them slightly.


    ''I-It feels, wonderful...'' she thought, basking on his ministrations, the first time she was ever touched, be it others or herself, the ecstasy was building up slowly.


    "A-Are they big and juicy?" She inquired further, her words more tempting than anything else.


    "Very..."


    "Do you like them?" She asked with some apprehension as if she expected his answer to be negative.


    He lifted up his eyebrow at this impression of hers, why would she not be confident in her own body? she''s literally the sexiest woman he has seen, the softest breasts he has fondled, why would she even think he doesn''t enjoy them!?


    "I do... they are the best I''ve ever seen." He wasn''t lying, Constantine sank his head on them and it felt like home, her arms and the warm water made him feel such a sense of peace that he almost forgot he was supposed to be here toplete a mission and see his wives afterwards.


    [Punishment meter increasing, danger... restrain yourself otherwise, the punishment shall be applied]


    "What do you mean?" He asked loudly, irritated whilst stopping his movements, however, his hand was glued and wouldn''t let go easily.<novelnext></novelnext>


    [...]


    But the voice wouldn''t even answer!


    "Is there anything wrong?" He heard Aurelianne''s voice, obviously, she had heard his voice before.


    "This voice is still talking in my head, I don''t get it... it won''t even answer my words." He thought this voice is simply being irritating on purpose.


    "Let me inspect it! this almost slipped out of my mind." With a frown, she decided to investigate this once and for all.


    ''Perhaps Toki did something...''


    Both of her hands rested on his head and they shone, he felt some warmth invade his body.


    [Life Mana scan, allowed... so long as she doesn''t intrude more than necessary...]


    The voice spoke haughtily once again!


    "Why don''t you just speak to me and tell me what all of this punishment is about?!" He didn''t like the way she spoke, as if she was above the entire world.


    [You''re not qualified to talk to me until you''re at least a magus, mortal]


    "... haughty even..." this mysteriousdy in his mind was turning out to be quite irritating.


    **


    **


    It only took her two minutes.


    They sat on the edge of the river, his head rested on herp awkwardly, there was ''something''... stopping him from regarding the skies.


    "I can feel all of your blessings, they''re plenty indeed but... this ''voice'' I can''t find anything about it... perhaps... it is something that can escape my grasp, certainly something rted to a huge being, like Lord Toki..." She deduced with a frown, the thoughts in her mind, he didn''t know.


    The existence of something interfering with his mind didn''t make her very happy... especially if she can''t sense it. He didn''t notice it as his gaze was set on the skies, at least... what he could see of them as her chest was in between.


    "If I remember correctly, this voice... she said her name is Zebellia or something like that."


    "Ah? I-Impossible." Aurelianne''s expression showed surprise and disbelief, followed by concealed outrage.


    "...?"


    "N-Nothing... this Zebellia... as long as I recall, should be a Time Valkyrie... a mythical creature but I know no more than that... Lord Loki''s time divinity is one of the oddest together with Lady Nova''s but I will surely discuss this with her if I have the chance... beware, Time Valkyries are extremely proud and don''t even see Gods in high regard, why would he ce one of them in your soul!?"


    She felt outraged, that wasn''t going along with the ''treaty''.


    "Thank you... she also said that I''m not qualified to talk to her until I''m a ''magus'' she''s quite haughty and frankly a stuck up woman." He smirked, but sadly...


    [...]


    His intentions were fruitless, they didn''t produce any response from Zebellia.


    "I see, she dares... even a Time Valkyrie is not qualified to look down on my champion, if it''s about bing a magus, we can start straight away, would you like to try and learn water magic first?~"


    As if to begin the teachings of the water magic, she delivered a nice kiss that he corresponded but this time, she got bolder and he lead her along.


    His tongue went in as to begin researching the mysteries of ''water'' and exchange a bit of it with his goddess.


    The kisssted seemingly forever, it would be a long journey to bing a magus.

 Chapter 7 Magus, The First Step I

    "In order to be a magus, several conditions are necessary¡­ first off you must have an especial racial trait¡­ it is a magic core... itsposition is based on the race which an individual belongs to, each race is different¡­ you are now a human and elf-hybrid, moreover you have my blessing¡­" Thosest words were said proudly.


    They sat on the edge of the river, still wet but with serious expressions, so long as he didn''t lower his gaze, Constantine was positive he could remain ''serious''.


    Aurelianne took a branch from a tree and started to draw on the ground, said grass seemingly evaded her directions, acknowledging her intentions.


    "Demons have control over dark magic and entric types such as necromancy in odd cases, they''re dark beings filled with greed, desires and delusions of power¡­" She defined them with disgust permeating in her voice as if she couldn''t stand merely talking about them.


    "Hmnn¡­" He nodded, not sharing that degree of disgust, but simrly believing that such as the myths back in his world, demons were to keep away from.


    He had to tilt her head when she drew something¡­ it was like a circle with two sticks on top, she was a good cook but a horrendous drawer, and still, he didn''t dare demoralise her efforts.


    "We elves are the opposite, we represent life itself and the natural order of the growth of all things... their magic is light and some of them might even have obtained by blessing through the passage of generations, allowing them to use flora magic."


    This time¡­ she drew a single stick with four more producing, obviously representing the legs and hands, however¡­ there was something more.


    She drew two big circles on the chest area.


    "Eh?" His head tilted further in confusion at that drawing, those are...


    "Also, most of them are looked down upon by the other races¡­ for their bodily traits only several elves have managed to get acknowledgement despite the fact that they''re one of the most powerful races, and also, that is also one of the reasons why they don''t worship me even now¡­" She pouts in irritation and even destroyed the drawing much to his bewilderment.


    ''There is something I''m not getting¡­''


    She continued, not allowing him to delve further into this matter.


    "The were-beasts used to be the weakest most looked-down race, they don''t have any long-range magic naturally like humans, elves and demons do, even other races¡­ their magic is berserk magic, a form that enhances their physique, sadly, not many manage to enhance it to the extent where they can defend against powerful magic spells." This time she tapped the branch against her lips several times.


    He waited and in the end as if surrendering, she drew a maw with sharp teeth.


    ''Easy enough'' A chuckle left his lips.


    "There are other creatures, each of them with their own traits, you only need to know that magic is a miracle and not all of the living beings of Sandoria possess it, in fact, out of a million elves, perhaps only ten thousand are capable of using light magic, the same can be said for the were-beasts and creatures.... only humans are different in this regard."


    "Do you know an example of another creature that I should be wary about?"


    "Wild creatures, they''re not usually smart enough to talk andmunicate, but some of them -lucky enough to develop a magic core- possess magic¡­ there are some that have reached a greater intelligence after stepping up the magusdder, obtaining bodies¡­ some others¡­ they might have been hybrids between beasts and other races."


    "Ew¡­" He could already imagine how that came to be, his face portrayed disgust and so did hers.


    "Yes, you will eventuallye to understand that in Sandoria, power rules¡­ more than love, more than anything else, the inhabitants want power, that''s why I need you¡­ as a goddess, the universe prohibits me from openly interfering with the lower realm more than to just do my ''job''... and sometimes create an avatar, but nothing else... my body can''t be there for long before I''m punished¡­"


    "Then how could Lucius perish back then?"


    "He tricked the universe... his divinity allowed him to permanently stay like an avatar as for his goddess wives, one lived in the moon, the other in the depts of the ocean, most of the time sleeping... only I remained in my realm... demons and the other races took advantage of this to finish him off, a foolish god he was."


    Her gaze contorted slightly for some reason, he didn''t question her.


    "You didn''t tell me about humans."


    "Humans are the most pitiful creatures¡­ originally the strongest race¡­ their magic core developed further than the rest due to the blessing of thend. Millions of years ago, perhaps even before my existence began to form, the one and only god of thend sacrificed the human''s lifespan in order to give them power and create an equilibrium, although this is a mere myth to exin their origin... in exchange from lowering the human''s lifespan considerably, humans gained the capacity to wield the magic of the elements¡­ the rates of the magus in humans are way lower than in other races, but¡­ they''re highly requested."


    "How much would the rate be?"


    "It isplicated, the human race currently suffers a major illness, a consequence of the fall of Lucius, their lifespan is even shorter now... most magus is preserved like treasures in secluded ces and taught as if royalty, you could say for every hundred thousand humans, only ten will have magic cores that allow them to use the magic of the elements."


    She ran some numbers in her head and came up with that number.


    "Magic of the Elements¡­"


    "Yes, it can only be wielded by humans or¡­ semi-humans with a weaker output, in exchange, a human''s lifespan will never go over a hundred years, whereas the other races could easily live past seven centuries." She said and carried on from there.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "They can wield fire, wind, earth and water¡­ as a human and elf due to my blessing, you should be able to use fire, water, wind, earth, light and flora."


    "Aren''t earth and flora the same?"


    "No no, earth magic is to control the soil¡­ like this." She raised yo her hand and a cusp of soil were taken out of the ground, transforming into several shapes and even, taking the form of minerals and metal easily.


    "This is ground, it is the soil, using this magic will allow you to have a stronger defence, but today, we will be doing water magic... it will be the easiest one for you to understand as someone who is new with magic."


    She did everything lovingly.


    "But aren''t you an elf, how can you control earth?" He pointed, curious as always.


    Since his race was transformed to half human half elf -whatever that meant- she must be the same¡­ so far he hasn''t regarded himself in a mirror enough to see that his traits had changed as well.


    "That''s because this is my realm~ here I''m Queen and control all aspects of it, outside of here, however, I can only use light and flora¡­ together with life which is my divinity." She exined, moving all elements to her will, even darkness¡­


    The day became the night and then switched back into the day, everything with a wave of her hand.


    Once again he was surprised, her magic is majestic.


    "Now that you are my champion, this realm belongs to you as well, with enough practice you will be able to do this too and once you be a demigod your soul willpletely fuse with it after having obtained true divinity¡­ by then, you and I¡­"


    "Me and you?" He smiled.


    "We will be inseparable¡­" She giggled,cing her hands with his.


    Before things got farther she coughed slightly.


    "So, let''s begin your training¡­ after obtaining my blessing, you should have a magic core." She deduced, but nothing could prepare her for his next words.


    "I think I have four, in fact¡­"


    "¡­ah?"


    "Yes, I recall when you kissed me and transformed me, this Zebellia said that I had obtained four ether rank mana cores." He said simply, just recalling and not really understanding the underlying meaning of what an ether core was, but... she did.


    "Four ether ranks!?"


    "Is that bad¡­?" He wondered, thinking that her reaction was due to a detriment.


    "It is¡­ not¡­ but it is not good either." She said withplication, regarding him with new eyes, eventually, she released a sigh, thinking that this is for the best.


    "Why?"


    "Let''s see, a Mana core is like a part of your body that works passively, it is active without your intervention obtaining Mana from the environment and storing it for your usage, the magic is output by your mana conducts¡­ they should be the same rank your core is¡­ as for what the ether she said means, I''ll exin to youter, for now, you only need to know that having four mana cores is going to make it more difficult for you to rank up in the Magusdder once you''re strong enough, but it will also result in an immensely huge advantage¡­ the ones with two or more mana cores, are often gods¡­ I myself only have two."


    She exined in a detailed manner.


    "What ranks?"


    "To be stronger within this path you naturally have to step up thedder¡­ there are several ranks that denote your level of prowess: Nascent Magus, Soul Magus, Grand Magus, Adept Magus¡­ those are the ranks a mortal creature can reach, there are five stages in between each of them, each immensely difficult to tackle, and for you, it will be more difficult, my champion... having four cores will make it more difficult for you"


    "..."


    "But don''t be discouraged." She smiled and embraced him happily.


    "Once you''re a magus, in the same realm with four ether cores, you will be unmatched, as expected of my champion!~"

 Chapter 8 Magus, The First Step II

    "I see¡­ that''s reassuring, I need to learn ways to increase my strength faster" he sighed in resignation, she approached and kissed his cheek lovingly.


    "Don''t worry, there are many ways around~ I can''t wait to see what kind of champion you will be" there was a thrill in her voice, perhaps she couldn''t wait to boast her champion to themunity goddesses.


    "I love that you''re so enthusiastic about me." so far he didn''t know anything about magic, even if she asserted that he has high potential.


    "I believe you, perhaps you will be a higher god without me even noticing, and leave me aside¡­ or you will find your wives and forget me." She pouted and crossed her arms beneath her supple chest, he smirked.


    "That''s not going to happen, even if I became a higher god or whatever, then¡­ the roles would have reversed." With a swift motion, he pulled her in his arms and took a hold of that fleshy globe once again, moistened still with the slim fabric of her translucent dress.


    "Hmn~" She moaned and rested her entire weight on him, blushing profusely, her body had yet to get used to this feeling.


    "Perhaps by then¡­ you will have to do whatever I say." He asserted with confidence and a little dominance in his voice, as far as he is concerned, this little goddess is already his, they just need some more time together.


    ''I need more time toe to terms with this new life.'' there were several things, his wives, his children and grandchildren that he would not see again, his empire... everything changed too suddenly, thankfully, there was an Aurelianne here, waiting for him and making everything easier.


    "Ahn~ I-I can do whatever you say now." She smiled and said submissively, much to his surprise, that she had no intention whatsoever of taking away control.


    "If that''s the case-" His innards ragged, but she pressed a finger against his lips coquettishly.


    "But let''s leave that conversation forter and focus, alright?~ I want you to be a magus soon just so I know you will be okay once you leave." It would give her all the reassurance she needed.


    "You''re making it hard for me to resist, just by being here."


    "I''m d you''re infatuated with me, the feeling is mutual~"


    The two of them separated reluctantly, increasing the tension yet again at the stake of training.


    "How can I begin training with water? and what does the ether word mean¡­ in regards to my core, a ssification?" He sat cross-legged while sitting regally, waving her hand and having the day in the realm turn even brighter.


    "The ether means that you have one of the most powerful types of cores, one focused mainly on output, the strength with which spells are thrown, it is a quite difficult core to restrain and having four¡­ hehe~, here sit¡­ it is better to exin with actions" she leads him to sit beside her on the ledge of the river.


    He followed her instructions and both felt once again the water coursing through their legs.


    "You know how a river flows, right?" She asked.


    "Yes, through the cause from the higher terrain, to the sea." It was simple and she nodded in return.


    "Such is magic as well, it flows from the highest point of your body, your mind... towards your chest and then outwards through your conducts... out to the world, it is a medium an instrument to alter reality and bend it to your will, force it to submission."  Her hand moved and the water started to flow around them, drawing the picture of a floating river with water fish and creatures floating around them, it was beautiful and she controlled it so regally as if it wasn''t difficult at all.


    "The first step is to make it happen on your mind, as naturally as thinking of tasting the muffin I prepared for you~" She gave a simple example that nted a chuckle out of him, her creativity is simply too much.


    "Think¡­" He closed his eyes, it was a simple exercise.


    For several seconds he imagined until her voice flowed once again.


    "The next step is to feel the magic in your core, touch his part of your chest" She signalled her sternum between her two lumps, and the other went to her head.


    "Inside this bone, the core extends through the conducts and reaches the brain¡­ using your mind is the most effective way to draw the magic out of your core." She exined, but her words rendered him to frown and regard her with a gaze that made her question what thoughts were coursing through.


    She could have never expected them, but such are the thoughts of the ones that have lurked through the darkest shadows.


    "You say that the rates of people having a magic core aren''t big... can this core be transnted from one individual to another, by surgery or any other method?"


    !!!<novelnext></novelnext>


    "T-That..." She never expected him to ask this question, and the coldness with which he asked it... they rendered her speechless, it is not some sort of taboo, obviously someone has already tested this before, but... for him to be introduced to this concept and think about this straight away.


    It spoke stories about his mind.


    "Sorry if I sounded too blunt..." He noticed her difort, obviously this wasn''t a nice topic to touch upon.


    "N-No... it is okay... yes, it can be done but only under special methods, usually, a core is onlypatible with a unique brain and even the conducts... hence in order to pull this out, the entire brain and magic system would usually need to be transnted; a very taxing process that is often not as fruitful, it also would then render questions about identity and the sort... it is not a good practice, sometimes performed by witches and demons... the dirtiest of humans and the dirtiest of existence..."


    She spoke with utter disgust and he could agree with her tonality; sometimes it would be done to save lives... some other times... to plunder what belongs to the other.


    "Sorry, it wasn''t my intention to make you ufortable, I only desired to know, for future reference..." He smiled and caressed her hand.


    "Let''s continue" He began his practice yet again, but for some time she only looked at him with a sad expression before continuing her lecture.


    "I want you to think of something simple, being able to manipte the elements doesn''t necessarily mean you are already a magus¡­ think about a water drop or two drops, as many as necessary until you form something you can y with, it can''t be too small as it will make it difficult and also, not too big, could you do that for me?"


    "Of course¡­ just think about it, right?"


    She nodded and he went into it.


    "To be precise, get a cup of water in your hand and after that, think that it is raising into the air¡­ see with your mind that the water drops you have in them are raising up." The goddess delivered a better exnation than he portrayed within his mind.


    After getting a handful of that transparent lukewarm water; he imagined it rising up into the air, something impossible by his standards, nothing happened at first.


    "Remember, several water drops at a time, until you find what you can y with... also, have faith that it will raise up~" She added, now in a better mood after feeling the magic coursing through his body.


    Once again he nodded and applied what she said, imagine his surprise when three water drops started to raise up.


    It was so exhrating that the image slip off his mind!


    ''My gods¡­ I did magic.'' His hands shivered.


    "You did it! As expected of my genius champion!" She threw herself at him and delivered a rain of proud kisses, she expected him to do it quickly, but not in merely the second try.


    "You know if you spoil me so much, I''m going to be mediocre." He held her and sighed as theyy on the grass, she rubbed her head against him repeatedly.


    "Hehe~ I don''t care, I''ll spoil you lots~ what you did... most individuals take a week or so to do it even when they have been in contact with magic their entire lives, their faith is greater than yours¡­ but it must be because of your mana cores, the next time you do it¡­ you should brace." They raised up and he tried to do it again ording to her instructions; she smirked evilly with expectations.


    He did precisely that, wanting to hold the drops floating for longer, but it didn''t go as expected!


    *SPLASH!*


    "Hehe~!"


    The water shot like a bullet straight into his face and she giggled nting a groan from him.


    "Remember¡­ Ether cores have a berserk attribute to them¡­ they draw out too much mana but in exchange, explosive output¡­ you have to learn to control it, otherwise, with fire magic¡­ you may burn an entire forest mistakenly... or with earth magic, you might cause an earthquake but then be left out empty."


    The Goddess warned, four ether cores is something she has never seen before.


    She couldn''t begin to imagine what kind of output he''d obtain after practising the greater spells.


    Constantine regarded his wet hands in awe, he never thought he''d ever experience being too strong to not be able to control himself; his greater skill aside from flirting, swordsmanship was a polished ability that took him too long to learn, struggle and discipline... this time with magic it seems that it is going to be different.

 Chapter 9 Flirty

    How long has it been, he doesn''t know, apparently Aurelianne is the one that decides when it is the night and when it is the day, his body wasn''t fatigued at all after training magic for such a long time seeing slow results.


    "You can''t allow yourself to be misled, I''m loading you with mana just so you can continue, but in reality all of this training would be way more taxing¡­" She exined with concern.


    "I get it."


    "We should stop for now, you can rest in the house and continueter, alright?" She has been insisting on this for a while now, but he is stubborn and wants to keep going.


    The Goddess test was simple, the river''s current is slow and steady, ease enough for someone as weak as the current him to try and stop it still, it would be enough to ssify as a First Stage Nascent Magus.


    Difficult enough, Constantine hadn''t thought of a way to do it, just thinking on the water stopping wasn''t going to work.


    Hence he focused on his control of water first before even hoping to attain such a feat.


    Standing in front of a tree, he raised up his hand and several drops of water formed there, hisst lesson from the goddess.


    She sat nearby regally, watching him while the birds chirped as if to entuate her curiosity.


    He concentrated on those drops of water and led them into the tree, then stood there for nearly half an hour, even sweating at some point.


    Aurelianne could feel the magic being used, but she didn''t understand what he is doing, hence she sensed the tree to see if there was anything different with it.


    !!!


    "W-What¡­?"


    "Could you let me see inside this tree, my goddess?" Constantine asked, panting slightly.


    Aurelianne''s eyes were shivering as she regarded him, her hand moved and the tree started to move, the stem opened as if it was a door, she truly was capable of doing anything here.


    Inside the tree stem, they were several, but they were as clear as the day.


    Void dots.


    "How did you do it?" She inquired with a re, not one of wrath but rather, an inquisitive one, not being prominent in the elements of water, she could only imagine what he did.


    ''It''s the same principle of pression'' but how can he- and for such a wicked attack!?'' The happenings of his life resurfaced in hers.


    The result of living a wicked life of struggle.


    "I simply used pressure, the thought of the drops attracting to its centre, creating pressure and therefore, crushing the wood." Tired he moved to the side of the awestruck goddess and sat beside her.


    A smile couldn''t help but draw itself to his expression, during his times in the royal knight academy, he had thought of ways to use this inbat, eventuallying up with something stupid like a balloon crushed with rocks, it wasn''t effective to use in warfare, hence¡­ he slid it down the shelf.


    But now, it worked, and it was as simple as merely thinking.


    ''How can I use this to stop the river?'' He thought inwardly, unaware that the Goddess'' thoughts were wandering.


    ''What would happen if that was used in someone else'' body? He is still not an overlord, a lot of magic was spent merely for those dots, but were he not a four-way ether core user, such a spell wouldn''t be possible¡­ already creating your own spell, and such a gruesome one at that¡­''


    She approached him and kissed his cheek, taking him out of his thought.


    ''A part of me hoped¡­ you wouldn''t have to kill again, but I know in Sandoria¡­ that''s not possible.''


    "Why all of the sudden?" He asked with a smile, pulling her in his embrace.


    "I just want to kiss my champion, can''t I?"


    "What if I say I don''t?~ what if I say you can only kiss me when I''m willing~"


    "Then I''d say that''s your loss~ also, you''re my champion, your body, mind and soul belong to me, if I want to kiss you, you can''t reject~" She entuated her ''dominance'' by stealing a kiss right there and then, holding his lips for several seconds in which he could only answer to her passion, it''s not like he didn''t want to be kissed.


    But if she kept doing it several times an hour, he was going to lose it.


    They released the kiss and sucked their lips to get rid of that slim saliva string, she held his head still as if ready for a second round.


    "Does that mean that I can kiss you when I want too?" He approached to deliver an attack, but she giggled and evaded it.


    "Hmmm, that''s not how it works, as your goddess, if you want to kiss me, you have to worship me first~" She whispered beside his ears.


    "And how do I do that?"<novelnext></novelnext>


    Another giggle was released and she held up one of her breasts, immediately sporting a blush as he held it tightly and squeezed.


    "Hmn~ Fondle it, that''s how you worship me~"


    "You''re quite daring¡­" He grinned and pinched that pink pearl through the slim fabric, she moaned, that was her weakness, but then¡­ he saw something else he didn''t pay attention to thus far, it seemed as if her breasts and face had gotten his attention all along that he didn''t notice it.


    His hand that wasn''t ying with her chest moved to her head and touched her ear¡­


    !!!


    "AHN!~"


    She released a moan like never before, her entire body slumped on him as if she lost all her strength, he was surprised to say the least.


    ''I-I just her ear¡­''


    "C-Constantine! Y-You can''t do that without prior advice!" She literally sobbed and ced her hands on his chest with grief, it wasn''t just her ears, but rather, abination of factors.


    "Sorry, I didn''t know they were so sensible."


    "They are, extremely so¡­ see~" She moved her hand to his head and touched something.


    !!!


    "AAHH!!"


    Needless to say it was wonderful, like a pleasure current spreading through his whole bodying from his ears, it wasn''t a lewd pleasure of sorts, rather, something else,


    Seeing his reaction, she rejoiced with a profound smile as if she just got herst confirmation.


    "You know, elves only allow their partners to hold their ears, and they only react to the one they love¡­ in fact, the more the love, the more intense the feeling." She said those words and kept rubbing his ears until she found herself straddling hisp as hey down on the riverside.


    "Stop!" He wanted to hold her hands, but she smiled and didn''t allow him.


    "This means that you love me, a lot~" She said with pride and fluttery feelings in her stomach, after all, her reaction had been possibly stronger than his.


    "¡­"


    "Can I bepletely honest with you?" She asked suddenly, stopping her hands to allow them to rest on his chest.


    "Say it¡­" He felt ashamed, if what she said is the truth, then his feelings had beenid bare, although he wasn''t yet clear if it could be called ''love''.


    But the attraction he felt was genuine.


    Aurelianne is like some sort of god that''s not the bastard god, putting all the characteristics he loves the most in a woman, into the most beautiful husk, she was simply delectable.


    "When I took you here¡­ I knew we were likely to enter this rtionship, you as my champion, I knew I wanted you, but didn''t know if you would ept me."


    "¡­"


    "I have loved you for thirty years now¡­ back then when you decided to stay alive no matter what for them, that''s when my heart finally fell for you¡­ I desired to be treated like that, instead of staying here alone¡­" She spoke with a degree of mncholy and he caressed her cheeks.


    "Only a fool wouldn''t be your champion¡­ but back then I was looking old already." It didn''t sit well for him that she fell when he was looking like an old dog already.


    "Age is just a number for most gods, I''m more than ten thousand years old~" She said it with  pride and even moved one hand of his back to her chest.


    !!!


    "Does this feel like it has been more than ten thousand years?~" She moaned as he fondled again, apparently, she liked her boobs to be yed.


    And he was more than willing to do so.


    "Not at all, I love them and¡­ you too¡­ you give me the feelings as if I had been with you all my life, perhaps¡­ after losing everything, this is what I needed."


    "I always thought that I wanted to keep our distance until we knew each other enough, but¡­ I can''t stay away from you at all." She confessed, hugging him back, already feeling afraid that he''d go to Sandoria and leave her for who knows how long.


    "¡­" he simply sighed and embraced her waist, caressing her hair as she seemingly drifted into sleep on top of his body, the day became the night all of the sudden and this world, their home.


    It would be a wonderful sleep.

 Chapter 10 The Depth Of Magic

    The rays of another day shone upon the conqueror''s gaze, but that wasn''t the only sensation that he felt that morning.


    He felt something moist sh against his mouth once and again, finally opening his eyes to see his goddess, Aurelianne, kissing him for all he was worth.


    She had gotten used to it apparently, even skilled.


    The sensitive receptors of his skin served to draw a picture of their position, how her chest fell on his, how her slender legs entangled his.


    ''What a way to wake up¡­'' he thought inwardly, holding her radiant cheeks to deepen the kiss.


    The moment he started to respond the kiss, her eyes opened happily.


    "Good morning, my champion~ it''s time for another wonderful day." Her body raised up, leaving only her long silver hair to fall on his face.


    She waspletely naked and they were not in the forest, there was a ceiling here.


    This is their humble shack.


    "Good morning, my goddess." He raised up just to meet her lips again and take her waist for himself.


    The kisssted long enough, he couldn''t have enough of her slim waist, rather, he pulled her down as she moaned and fell on his body, their bodies entangled on this bed, he started to kiss his way down along her belly button.


    "Hmn~ w-we have to train¡­" she said, lying to herself and her expectations, her legs opened lustily to allow him inspection.


    "No, before we begin, I have to worship my goddess~" He moved his lips along her skin, she didn''t understand at first but allowed him to do as he pleased.


    For a moment she though he''d worship her breasts but no¡­ the conqueror went lower.


    "Ahn~!"


    A small bite along the way nted a moan as he smirked and she pouted, when he reached his destination and she felt a subtle breath down there, it was only then she realised what his objective was.


    "W-Wait! Y-You shouldn''t!-" she wanted to tell him that not only was she extremely ashamed of how close she was to her ''spot'' but also¡­


    ''Why are you sticking out your tongue!?''


    Seeing her blushing expression and holding her shivering legs, he parted those two lips with both thumbs.


    ''Such a beautiful one, and so moist too~'' he let loose.


    [Punishment meter increasing¡­st warning]


    ¡­


    "Hmn!~"


    When Aurelianne felt that moistened feeling, smooth, drawing itself along her core, it was as if a bomb exploded in her heart.


    Her consciousness and soul was subjected to the most primal of pleasures for the first im time and through a long session.


    She allowed her beloved champion to worship her like no one ever would again in her lifetime.


    **


    **


    He dragged his tongue along her shivering sweaty body, tasting along her lower abdomen, her bellybutton, her right breast which he took a bit to, her pretty corbone, her delicious chin andstly, her delightful lips.


    The goddess got a taste of herself, panting for her dear life and feeling utterly blissful, she didn''t even have words to say.


    A part of her felt ashamed that after living for millions of years, she never knew a tongue could be used for that.


    "Did I worship you well, my goddess?~" Shey against her, witnessing how her body progressively stopped spasming, having not focused on his own pleasure as he usually does to his wives, he made sure to give Aurelianne the best experience before going all the way, and by the looks of it, it seems she liked it.


    "I-I¡­ love you." Those were the only words she could say after such a blissful session of worshipping, all she could ever desire was for him to worship her like that every day.


    "I''ll take that as a yes~ we have to train, right?" He raised up intending to get his ''silk'' but she pulled him back on thefy feathery bed.


    "C-Can''t we sleep?" she pulled him further into her embrace, throwing discipline to the rubbish bin and locking him with her body like a Ko in a way that of he desires to settle for disciple, he has to fight all of his inner demons first.


    ''I-I can''t teach you anything after this! I''m just not in the mood!'' She though, almost crying inwardly.


    Constantine considered his options and eventually released a sigh, embracing her tightly.


    "Just half an hour, we really need to train." He caressed her hair, and in return she snuggled closer.


    "Promise~" The goddess yawned, having felt the pleasure of a woman for the first time in her entire long lifespan, she felt spent, loved and satisfied.


    Who would teach magic in these circumstances!?


    ¡­


    As a matter of fact, the next day-not half an hour- they woke up ready to do just that.


    "Time to wake up, my goddess~ I think you promised me something yesterday." Just as she had done the day prior he devoured her lips, determined to have her raise from her slumber.


    Aurelianne blushed heavily after the fact, panting beneath his body.


    "I-I¡­ sorry¡­" she actually apologised for not going along her promise, her eyes flickered in two tonalities, feeling the butterflies in her stomach like never before.


    Her expression, her panting chest and cuteness, had the conqueror infatuated gritting his teeth and clenching his palm above hers.


    He pinned her down and smirked, "Today is another day, I have to worship you today too~"


    "W-Wait, I''m still!- Ahn~!"


    **


    **


    Constantine sat -now in better garments after a request- by himself in front of the river.


    The beautiful goddess was a little¡­ indisposed.<novelnext></novelnext>


    ''The only way I can imagine to stop this river flowing is to create a pressure barrier around the cauce, dense enough for the water to not pass through, but I could merely create several dots, let alone an entire barrier¡­''


    He thought the task deeply, Aurelianne told him to that the first test would be to simply stop the river from flowing.


    ''Let''s see¡­''


    Sitting down in front of a tree, he began to ''think''.


    He''d end this task today, now¡­considering his infatuation with Aurelianne, the task of restoring her ''faith'' seemed a lot more interesting.


    ''This new magical world is one I''m willing to partake into, I have to be stronger¡­''


    **


    **


    Roughly half a dayter, Aurelianne''s eyes opened yet again, she yawned and stretched.


    Looking at the window a smile was absolutely visible, the blissful appearance of a satisfieddy.


    ''So this is what the pleasure of a human feels like, I love his tongue so much~''


    Giggling she raised up, showcasing her outstanding figure to the world before moving to her wardrobe, there¡­ several dresses awaited.


    ''I need to show him my elegant side too~'' for the first time the goddess felt like tidying up for someone.


    ''Oh, I''m sure he will like this one~''


    **


    **


    She flew all the way likes butterfly chirping along with the birds as the sun shine upon her fragrant red dress with rose embroidery, the roses it it seemed to be alive as the thornless vines enveloped her delightful body.


    She arrived on site only toe to an abrupt stop when watching her champion.


    He cleaned his sweaty forehead and smiled her way, his heart stopped for a moment just like hers but for different reasons.


    "I have finished, my goddess, you look stunning¡­"


    "¡­" Her eyes shivered.


    "It must be some sort of coincidence¡­"


    "D-Did you do this for me?"


    "You asked me to stop the river, so I did¡­ as for the rose, it is indeed for my goddess¡­ I just didn''t expect you to get roses of your own."


    "F-Flora magic¡­ so fast."


    "It was surprisingly easier than water, the pressure trick wasn''t going to help this time around so he focused on doing something else, from his mother he learned gardening and the possibility of raising his own crop, flowers and trees was something that awed him to no end.


    ''How I wish my mother was here¡­'' he thought that several times just by performing this beautiful art.


    It was a gigantic rose, one that grew from the roots protruding at the bottom of the river, wide and entangled enough to create a dam, the water would still slide as it would then concentrate at the top, but the result would be the same regardless of the method.


    He had desired to deliver a Rose to Aurelianne, but didn''t expect her to answer with the same regard.


    The goddess was out of words, it wasn''t how majestic the flower was, she had seen way prettier flowers than this in other realms, but¡­ the fact that it was him that gave it away.


    ''I love it¡­ for the creator¡­ what am I feeling. N-no wonder those five¡­'' Her steps moved forward seamlessly as the man exined his creation.


    His eyes focused on her dress mostly.


    "It was difficult, I had to swim and do it directly underwater, but for some reason the flora magic is way easi-"


    She hugged him before his words broke, it was soft¡­ cing his head on her chest she smiled delightfully.


    It was a simr feeling to back then¡­ his eyes widened and his arms shook uncontrobly.


    "Thank you¡­ you have no idea¡­ how much this rose means to me." Giving a sniff to his wet hair, she blew a breath on it and it dried just like his entire body.


    "I''m d that you liked it." Leaving his shock, he hugged her back, her dress'' texture was as soft as the petals of roses.


    "And what about me? Do you like my attire?"


    "It is splendid, did you-?"


    "Yes, I did it with flora magic, and advanced concept~" Entangling his hand with hers, she gave another look to his entire project.


    "I thought you would do it with water magic, but I''m aware your not yet strong enough to perform something like this, only those at the peak of the Nascent Magus should be able to briefly stop this dam, what you did is already an amazing task~" The goddess praised his creation and he nodded in contentment.


    It was a great training for him as well, even though he didn''t know a way to effectively use this flora battle inbat as the rate at which the vines and roots grow at least for now is too slow.


    ? "But really¡­ even if you''re an elf, having my blessing flora magic will always be easier for you than any other magic, but even from someone like you who isn''t even a nascent magus yet, toplete this in half a day¡­"


    Her expression looked as if frightened of his progress.


    "It would usually take at least two days or three days for someone at the 2nd rank Nascent Magus to get it this great¡­ your Ether cores are working full throttle~"


    "Yes, I feel kinda tired." He said with a smirk, herpliments boosted his confidence even if he was aware there would be an eventual shock with reality.


    And there really would, but not the kind he is expecting.


    The goddess made both of their bodies float much to his surprise, and hugged him flush against her body,ying down on the dot grass.


    "Sleep, my champion, it was a difficult day, you passed~" She caressed his hair and he quickly found himself in sinking in drowsiness.


    There was nothing likending on a bed of soft roses.


    For Constantine de Castile, life is perfect.

 Chapter 11 Greedy Humans, Delusional Elves, Prideful Demons

    Yet another day had ended, and he was closer to his departure from this dreand world, desire to leave? none at all, Constantine desired to remain here forever with this Goddess of his, but there were responsibilities, her faith and also, his five wives that he needed to find.


    For two long days Aurelianne had gone serious, she even dressed in some sort ofbat attire that did nothing but raise ''it'' up high... he could barely hold back himself by now around her, and he can tell... she''s doing it on purpose.


    It might have been innocence at first, but... once she noticed his responses, Aurelianne craved it, and she would tease him in all possible manners, being naked was as natural for them now as breathing, he had gotten used to her delicious body being exposed at all times, but... it all changed when she got a little creative.


    In bed he opened his eyes yet again to the sight of his goddess kissing him like always, the kiss was tender as if seeking attention, by the time his consciousness woke up, she retreated, this time it wasn''t a happy smile like always.


    "Good morning, my beloved champion... I''m afraid we don''t have a lot of time together..." Saying her part, she licked her lips andy back down on his chest, having the quilt made out of rose petals raise up and cover them


    "I see..." Caressing her long silver hair, he braced himself for the world that was toe, hoping he cane here once again, swiftly and unhindered.


    It had been two days in which Aurelianne had introduced him to spells and ''magic procedures'', but the knowledge she could provide in that regard was unexpectedly limited.


    "I''m afraid that even if I wanted to, I''m not the most indicated person to teach you magic, I''m a natural-born Goddess, born from life itself and hence use magic by instinct, as if it was a part of my body, I don''t use spells or procedures, it justes out of me as natural as breathing, if you want to be stronger, once you''re in Sandoria, you may have to enter an academy, or find a private teacher... and there too, I can''t rmend you anyone in particr... my presence in Sandoria is nonexistent, but I might be able to appear as an avatar to guide you when you need it, sorry..."


    She felt guilty for theck of methods she could employ to assist him in his quest, as a Goddess, she can''t directly interfere or ''descend'' to sandoria, unless as an avatar, until her faith is restored.


    "Why don''t the elves worship you?" He had wondered for the longest while, even his race was changed to an elf, ording to Aurelianne, elves are creatures of life, shouldn''t they be worshipping the goddess of life?


    "It isplicated... Vita has a part of her body grown in Sandoria, to be more specific, the Elf Kingdom... but due to theck of faith in me, Vita is unable to entirely bless thend, you may think that the elves would try to worship me to fix this... but that is not the case."


    "During the fall of Lucius, the Elf King perished as well... he had two daughters he was proud of, Sandra and Mariah... Sandra, a woman with a cold heart, ended up as the Queen of the Elves, believing that worshipping a goddess was unnecessary... Mariah ended up bing the saintess of the elf church, but she decided to worship a deceased god instead... Lucius... back when I first appeared to fix thisnd, they were the ones I presented myself to, but... they rejected me."


    Hearing her words, Constantine scheduled his ns.


    "I advise you don''t go to the Elf Kingdom... in fact, I advise you conceal the fact that you are a half-elf for as long as you don''t have the power to protect yourself, my beloved... having flora magic and silver hair... that''s a direct connection to me... you will be executed and by then... I may not be able to hold my hand."


    The world suddenly turned grey, with the abruptness of a lightning strike.


    Thest words were said with a threat non-characteristic of her, it made him aware that despite their newfound rtionship, she is still in fact, a Goddess...<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Even as my champion, I''m sending you to Sandoria, because it is a part of the ''punishment'' and ''test'' you have to go through, in order to reach your five wives, I''m allowing you to go for your sake, my champion... all I want is to keep you here forever." Her finger trailed his lips with a smile, making it clear thatpared to him, the so-called faith wasn''t as important.


    He ended up kissing her, still a man with a mission.


    "I will do it... where do you think I''m going to end up first?"


    "You should be going to the continent of Ishmarak, Old Human Empire of Sadamek... it is the best ce for you to start... humans are weak in numbers and there you should find a teacher that will take your potential to the next stage, but no matter what... don''t say that you have four ether cores... their testing devices will at most say you have one which is a sign of extreme talent, but... in order for them to know you have four, your prowess will be more than enough, please, cover your ears..." She rubbed his ears slightly and giggled, producing a torrent of electricity to fall on him.


    "Hmn!"


    He grunted and held her tightly, rubbing hers as well and they quickly entered an elf bonding morning until she was nearly wasted to the point he had to hold back from devouring her there and then, however, some words of hers really tested his limits.


    "If you want to make love to me, do so..."


    !!!


    "You''re my goddess..." He said, indicating that he wanted to respect her until they knew each other more or at least experienced more together, but... she ced a finger on his lips.


    "That''s right, I am YOUR goddess and no one else''s... be sure to mark me properly" She whispered and raised up with a teasing giggle, leaving a stunned Constantine on the bed as she went to prepare something for him, not bothering to wear even her silky translucent dress.


    ''I guess the five of you will have to forgive me for this... but it will be six now..." He sighed and looked down at his raging self, going on further is going to be a torture, and he is going to depart as well soon.


    ''Might as well make some beautiful memories with my goddess.''


    Laying on the soft bed in each other''s embrace, each one of Aurelianne''s words was sadder than the other.


    Because she knew soon she''d have to return to Vita, while he''d go to Sandoria to exact her will and win faith on her behalf.

 Chapter 12 Cemetery Of Gods

    When Constantine departed the room, he found himself walking along with a small hallway-beautifulpound of roots, he entered the kitchen and there she was, humming that song again as she baked something, delightfully bending her back towards him as she sought some ingredients, showing her entire self to him wantonly.


    He grits his teeth, more conscious of her than ever before.


    "Please, take a sit~ I''ll make breakfast for us, my love."


    "Yes..."


    "Could it be, is my nudity making you ufortable? let me fix it~" Noticing his gaze roaming all over her body, the goddess giggled as myriad butterflies materialised into something.


    Something that made Constantine gulp as his defences received a harsh hit.


    What the inhabitants of other worlds would deem as an ''apron'' with a miniskirt, the problem is... they were translucent.


    A small line separated the two halves of her butt, top and bottom, they fluttered with each movement.


    "Is this better?" She giggled and swayed her butt slightly, unnecessarily moving a te from one end of the table to the other as the ingredients floated around.


    "Oh yes, it is..." He nearly grunted, enjoying her show... she knows what she is doing, this wicked goddess.


    Tempting him to no end.


    "A-Are there any ces in Sandoria that you think I should stay away from?" He asked suddenly, wanting to make some conversation while sitting and enjoying her cooking form.


    "Ummm there are several, Sandoria is a relic of history... currently a mere medium realm, it used to be one of the highest-ranked realms in the universe... but that is the past, there are several ces that you can consider dangerous even for me, scattered around."


    "Even of you!?"


    "Yes... Sandoria, in themunity of gods, isbelled as the ''Cemetery of Gods...'' Lucius wasn''t the first one, he wasn''t even the thousandth one... if you want to know an interesting detail... your five wives, before eventually ending in your world, perished here..." Aurelianne spoke solemnly and the shock in her words was sessfully delivered.


    !!!


    "WHAT!?" Constantine stood up abruptly, the meaning beneath her words ''your five wives died here...'' was all that mattered to him.


    "That is indeed the case, your wives used to live in this world, but they perished in a great war where hundreds of gods died... as for how they ended up in your world, I''m unaware... the ce of that fight is concealed within the Depths of the Ocean Kingdom, never to be seen again, it was called the Great War of Lux, but such events have long been forgotten in history."


    "..." He had no idea, a part of him wondered if they had been concealing this from him all this time.


    "They weren''t... during the process of Samsara, most gods will lose their memories, so they didn''t conceal their lives from you, unless... some of them did."


    "What do you mean..."


    "You have a blessing in you... Blessing of Adjourned Death. Sandra, the Minor Goddess of Death, Daughter of The Higher Goddess of Space Nova, and the Higher God of Time Toki... this blessing, unlike the rest... isn''t sealed which means that at some point she regained her memories, but didn''t tell you anything, she gave you this blessing willingly as gods are unable to do so without being fully conscious." Aurelianne took out something from her root oven.


    It was a freshly baked loaf of bread.


    Constantine was too focused on the story to think about the delicious smell of the bread, for now.


    "So Sadra concealed it from me, that fool..." Sandra had acted too casually during the period of her death, but he didn''t see this as anything suspicious.


    "Thews of the Death swirl around you, as if blessing you... be careful, for a powerful witch or demon might notice this. I can tell you what the distribution of the world in Sandoria is." After finishing her bread, she started to prepare something else.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Please..."


    "The world of Sandoria is gigantic, at least ten times as big as your previous world... there are three moons, there are two suns... the gods representing them long gone... they have lost most of their power, yet remain."


    "..."


    "The Continent you have to stay the furthest away from, is the Continent of Bael, at the North-east of the Continent of Ishmarak... there are only three continents and thousands of big inds that are upied by different races, one thing you have to bear in mind is unless the soil is cursed, the territory has already been taken."


    "Got it." He understood what she meant, there is no ownerlessnd in Sandoria, which is something amazing.


    "You have to stay away from the Continent of Bael, it is the house of the demons, only demons inhabit it, they''re prideful and won''t allow any other race in... they''re led by the Demon Lord, Bael... the most cursed existence in Sandoria, the one that ys Lucius, his power is unfathomable." Her words didn''t contain fear, but they held a sense of... respect?


    He wondered why she didn''t feel outright disgust.


    "Then there is the continent where you should be going, Ishmarak, is the biggest of all continents... it is magical and wonderful, holding civilisations that look nigh-futuristics, humans have created miracles with magic and there is even a vapour machine that can traverse long distances~!" When speaking about this continent, she spoke enthusiastically.


    "The ones that live in this race are the strongest of all, together with what remains of the other races... the Human race, the were-beast race and the elves... other races include monsters, creatures, dwarves, fairies... but they''re so low in number and scattered... one of the reasons I want to re-establish my faith is to restore those wonderful races, theyck the vitality to reproduce or even the desire to do so..." Her voice turned sullen until a pair of arms enveloped her from behind.


    "I will do my best" He reassured.


    "I know you will~"


    Deciding to help, he started to cut some vegetables, she didn''t shy away and requested this, figuring they''d have more fun by doing so together.


    But then, her voice changed once again...


    "Thest continent is one you should absolutely not thread even by mistake, aside from the ocean themselves which are furious and merciless, creatures abound... this continent is the Fallen Divine Continent, the smallest of all but also, the worst."


    He could already imagine just by the name.


    "It is the continent where Lucius used to live with his small pantheon... during the War, the Great Witch Aemir, the Demon Lord Bael and the Human Emperor... joined hands to create a curse that would devastate Lucius, he was, after all, a God, mere mortals can''t challenge a god, but a god also can''t involve himself in worldly matters... they made him descend and struck this curse upon his flesh, erasing him and his goddesses from existence, but... humanity bear the brunt, and the elves."


    "..."


    "The curse is called Rotborn... the mixture of everything that''s evil in this world... it corroded the entire Divine Continent and several kilometres away, everything inside there, simply dies... decays... it ceases to exist... during the period in which this curse was cast, for some reason, the Great Witch Aemir struck the Human Emperor, but it didn''t only kill him... the curse struck humanity as a whole.


    "Since then, humanity''s lifespan hasn''t exceeded sixty years of age."


    !!!!


    "T-That''s ridiculous..." He couldn''t conceive how the entire race had such a low lifespan, what can even be achieved by a civilisation that has such a low span to live!


    Let alone sixty is the maximum and hence, the average should be around thirty or forty.


    But he was bound to be shocked as Aurelianne wasn''t finished.


    "And that''s not all, those that have sixty years of age maximum are the magus... for the non-magus, they usually don''t live past forty, and that''s above average."

 Chapter 13 Continent Of Ishmarak, Bad Goddess

    Constantine had paid extra attention to everything and he was getting more and more interested in this world, traces of history indicated the prelude of an adventure, but first.


    He needed to get past his current boner for the goddess in front of him.


    Aurelianne was taking a little too long, preparing a plethora of dishes for him to taste, swaying her hips a little more than necessary and he could even see a small trail of liquid trailing down her legs she was enjoying his gaze as well.


    "Hehe~ you don''t need to worry, everything will be alright, I believe in you." She reassured him, that he wasn''t that worried but the prospect of meeting fiercebatants thrilled him.


    After finally cing all the dishes on the table, they began to eat, she sat in front of him regally and giggled at the taste of her bread, prompting him to taste some too.


    Bread, sd, even beef... she cooked a lot of dishes.


    "Aren''t you supposed to advocate animals'' safety or something of the sort?" He thought as a Goddess of Life, she''d not want to kill animals.


    "Aren''t nts living beings too?~ everything in this world has a life of its own, even a rock... a rock doesn''t have organs to breathe, or a mouth to speak, but it has life to it, so long as it exists... life transforms, me taking a sd or a beef, doesn''t mean anything." That was the goddess'' view, and he wasn''t going to go against it.


    The Goddess of Life is her, not him.


    He simply sampled that beef unaware of what animal it belonged to, it was just absolutely tasty.


    "Those are bull testicles by the way~"


    !!!!


    Before he could vomit, she giggled and spoke again.


    "I was joking!~"


    "I-It didn''t sound like a joke." He coughed slightly and swallowed the beef, hoping she was saying the truth.


    "But it is!~ my beloved I wouldn''t even serve you anything that might disgust you, is the trust for your goddess so slim?" She ate some of her own as if to entuate the ''trust'' and he simply humphed.


    His reaction nted another giggle.


    "In the continent of Ishmarak, there are several ces you have to be careful of, the forest ofmentation, paramount among them."


    "If you showed me a sign saying that the ''forest ofmentation'' is that way... I''d surely not go there."


    "I know, but... you might be blinded by the treasures it holds, just like everyone that goes in there and neveres out, please... my beloved, don''t believe in treasures without hardship, everything in Sandoria will be extremely difficult to obtain." The goddess said kindly.


    "Understood, don''t worry, I''ll pay attention." If anyone knew that principle was himself, in his life there wasn''t ever a treasure without hardship.


    "The Elf Kingdom, for you, is one you should not thread until you are strong enough... then there Wolf Empire... it is the ce belonging to the werebeasts, a ce of absolute lunacy, but... there are some ces withcent individuals, just stay away from the werewolves." She sighed, recalling those creatures.


    "There are dungeons everywhere, crafted by gods who left behind their treasures, now creatures lurk in them and make war for resources to step higher into the ranks of magus... everyone in Sandoria craves power and will do anything for it."


    "Is there any dungeon in particr?"


    "Some of them open only every so many centuries, those are the most dangerous, contestants will fight one another for the chance of stepping in and iming a treasure, most end empty-handed yet don''t surrender... as for the mostmon dungeons, they''re scattered, one of them is called the Secret Realm of Marshak... it is a gate that appears in random ces, those that are lucky enough to encounter it, sometimese out with incredible treasures."


    "Why did gods do that?" He didn''t understand, why would you leave all your treasures for someone else to take them.


    He for one had burned his entire vi, his invaluable paintings and everything contained in it, that house likely valued half of the Empire''s treasury only in historical goods, yet he burned all away... it belonged to him and only him.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Aurelianne would deliver a different sort of paradigm.


    "They wanted to leave their mark... once you''re immortal, your mindset changes... back then Sandoria used to be one of the richest ces in the universe, the strongest gods desired to leave their mark for the future generations, they created their tombs, ced their treasures in it and sumbed to a greater way of immortality... one where they didn''t need to live and suffer, yet remain in history and the hearts of the future generations."


    "What about you?" He asked, wondering if she ever left such a ce.


    "My treasure is Vita, this humble realm... and you~" She trailed across the table to deliver a kiss, and he epted it.


    "So long as I have the three of you, I can live happily, I desire not to leave anything for the future generations, but... I desire for the wonderful races that remain in this world, to be able to live without being bothered by the curses of the past... Sandoria is besieged by its past, curses and grudges everywhere, history roams around in the form of hatred, I don''t want that..."


    "You''re too kind..." He sighed, perhaps a little too much.


    "I know, but I have you, and so long as I have you, I know we can do it~" She giggled with enthusiasm.


    "You put too much faith in me, Aurelianne..."


    "Because I love you, and my love for you... will transcend anything."


    "Do you think you love me more than my wives?" He closed one of his eyes and gave her a deducing glint, but her answer surprised him.


    "I can confidently tell you... that I love you more than them~"


    "Ohh...?" She''s not the kind to lie, hence, where is this confidenceing from?


    Before he could ask, he felt something he didn''t expect... her feet... rubbing his crotch.


    !!!


    He gasped at her boldness and turned the gaze, only to see her hugging her chest with a smile that didn''t quite reach her eyes, everything visible through the translucent apron.


    She moved his sack around with her slender fingers.


    "Is there anything wrong, my champion?~"


    "Your boldness surprises me..." Admittedly so, the innocent goddess didn''t look so innocent in his eyes now, she was openly teasing him across the table... something only Lucille had ever done.


    And she was the most lustful of all his wives.


    "Boldness? could it be... that ying with what is mine is a crime?~" She didn''t stop... rather, her leg went up along the hardening length, and when she saw it be hard enough, releasing a giggle, she released him.


    !!!


    He gasped once again.


    "I''ll see you outside~ I want to show you more of my world, I know you will like it." Standing up she smiled and took out her apron, it dposed into myriad butterflies, leaving her naked once again and he could see, the torrents of moistnessing from her crotch.


    ''You''re putting a strong front, Aurelianne, I see... but I can see the reality of your desires'' he smirked, forsaking the pain of his lonesome boner.


    After all, she''s experiencing the same pain right now.

 Chapter 14 Infatuation & Decreed Fate *

    With a toothy grin, he walked outside of the small shack, having swallowed the entire loaf of bread-he wasn''t willing to allow anything she cooked to go to waste- he saw her kneeling on the sunny grass, picking up some flowers, her mere presence seemed to grow countless nts and trees around, it was beautiful.


    She had long sensed his presence, his body, his being.


    "My power is going out of control by merely being together with you..." without turning around she said those words, picking the prettiest flowers and preparing a bouquet.


    "..." He only delighted in her figure, she looked so beautiful with her silver hair sprawled and covering her back, only the contour of her butt and waist was visible, just like her slightly flushed skin.


    The gales of wind flowed slightly, she had to hold her bouquet, but he could see slight tears in her eyes.


    "I''m afraid this realm that I love so much will perish today, and I will have to recreate it."


    "Aren''t you capable of controlling it?" He didn''t understand, why wasn''t she able to control her powers?


    The answer was simpler than he expected.


    "This realm answers to my emotions and a woman in love is unable to control her emotions... I can only dy them." She stood up with the small bouquet in her hands, it was several margaritas and a sunflower, she raised her hand and her hair floated, entangling in itself into a braid with the bouquet in between.


    He gasped.


    "But such is the destiny of a woman in love, unable to control herself in front of her man, right?~" Saying those words, she surprised him by running away with briefughter.


    It seemed as if after teaching him everything she could, and seeing that he''d eventually go away from her, the goddess'' feelings reached a crescendo.


    He saw how flowers rose whenever she stepped, the trees opened the way for her to run and the gales of win evaded her.


    He ran after her through the woods and in the process stopped abruptly to gasp because something wasn''t right.


    In somece there was a massive hole.


    Gargantuan hole as if someone took a gigantic piece of soil, a big chunk of a tree was missing as well.


    ''W-What?'' He didn''t understand how she could lose control of her powers to this extent, and even then, why a hole?


    All thoughts stopped when a body tackled him to the ground softly, The Goddess appeared from who knows where and took both of them to the ground,ughing heartily, they rolled several metres down a hill, all of the roots moved aside, the trees made way until they reached a distance not too far away from a river,ing to a stop.


    Her lips crashed against his that same moment, and he felt like he couldn''t hold anymore.


    She couldn''t either.


    "Let me worship you too~" Her kisses trailed down his abdomen, keeping him in ce, sucking his belly button until she reached the treasure.


    Her mouth enveloped it and he grunted when she took him in her mouth.


    "A-Aurelianne..." He mumbled her name, and the goddess went down on him clumsily, using her tongue more than anything, teasing him to oblivion, even then... the mere scenery, the feelings he had for her, and her proactivity and bubbliness, quickly got him on the edge.


    But then, she giggled and stopped.


    !!!


    "Y-You!" He went nearly blue when the goddess giggled and started to run away towards the river.


    "Remember your magic, my champion, catch me~!" Sucking on her lips, she resisted the pain in her crotch, the craving and ran, only to swiftly evade a source of water that tried to catch her limbs.


    "Fufu~! You need to work harder!" He moved the roots along, but they were too slow to trap her, his water was also too weak to stop her.


    "Aurelianne!" He couldn''t believe this teasing goddess, once he got her, the punishment was due.


    He couldn''t even run properly with that boner!


    The giggling goddess jumped into the river and quickly sank, sshing some water.


    He followed closely behind and jumped into the river as well, it was warm water, her figure became visible, swimming to the bottom, he followed her along, watching the species of fish beneath, the entire water shone perfectly against the sun, turning almost invisible.


    Going inside a smallplex of caves, he nearly lost her as the light turned dim.


    "Fuaa!~" The goddess left the water inside a small tunnel and he almost caught her leg...


    Some sort o nts inside this small tunnel lit up like neons, and finaly showed him whaty in the front, the path was closed in this small tunnel and the goddess staggered with her feverish gaze fixed at him, her hair was wet and perhaps heavy due to the braid, her wet body teased him.


    He walked up to her position with a grin, there is nowhere to run.


    "You have been a bad goddess~"


    "My champion..." Her eyes indicated anything but infatuation, it was only the two of them in this small cave of less than four square metres in size, lighted up by this weird neon-like nt that emitted a green light over their bodies.


    The subtle waves of the puddle behind were the only movement perceivable.


    He took her waist, and without further ado, sealed her lips with fervour.


    Aurelianne closed her eyes, her power going haywire and causing mad havoc outside this cave, but so long as they were here, it would be okay.


    "I love you...do me, make love to me, mark me so that I can remember you once you''re gone from my sight so that I can smell you even from within Vita." She begged and their bodies found themselves on the unexpectedly soft soil.


    He kissed her ''till his mouth was sated, opening her legs almost forcefully and cing himself in the middle of it, like crab she locked his waist.


    His hand found its way to her breast and she moaned.


    "Hmn!~"


    In retaliation, he grasped his ears and giggled.


    !!!


    "I know that what your weakness is, me~!" They entered a war of rubbing, he rubbed her ears, she rubbed his... and then... he rubbed his length along her sopping entrance.


    "Hmn!~ p-please..." Seein his insistence, the clumsy goddess wanted to be pierced straight away.


    "Beg me." He smirked and pinched her two pearls on that big chest, this goddess needed to be punished.


    "Y-You''re not ahn!~ f-fair." She protested, feeling how he rubbed her insistently on that small pearl, she wanted to yell in pleasure but didn''t want to give him the liberty to know how much she was enjoying it, not yet anyway.


    "Beg me, Aurelianne." He ced himself almost inside her folds, it produced a sudden moist vacuum that not only thrilled, it also frightened him.


    He did it again and as expected, he was being sucked inside, Aurelianne moaned and tried to push him in by buckling her hips, but he didn''t allow her.


    The entire scenery was so perfect he wanted nothing more than to take her right away, feeling like a young teenager in love, now he can really tell... he loves this woman, it has been merely a week yet she captivated him so.


    "You want me to beg?"


    "Tell me what you want~!" He pinched and sucked wantonly, rubbing up and down herhers.


    After a brief pause, she decided to just express her wishes.


    "G-Good, then... make me pregnant~" She embraced him tightly as if awaiting a reaction, and she got it.


    !!!!


    "WHAT!?"<novelnext></novelnext>


    Constantine nearly jumped and hit himself with the ceiling of the small cave.


    Now, that''s certainly a little too fast.


    Even for him!


    "Aurelianne! are you insane!?" He couldn''t believe she was already thinking this far, not only did it lit a fire deep in his crotch, but it also worried him.


    After all, he has already been a father and a grandfather, their circumstances are not the best for children, let alone it has only been a week!


    "What? we Gods have extremely low natality... even if we do it countless times, the odds of me getting pregnant are so minimal... that I feel sad." She hugged him and caressed his hair.


    "... how low?"


    "Extremely low... I don''t want to wait until we are ready... I want you to make love to me... with the intent of impregnating me."


    Those words were said with a tonality and lust that he could hardly resist.


    Without thinking anymore, he pressed forward and the goddess braced, she''d lose her purity today.


    "Ahn!~" A small moan served as the indication of her ''breaking'' he felt it first hand, holding her hands both in the ce, above her head, he sighed in pleasure at the feeling.


    Aurelianne felt amazing.


    And knowing that they were doing it with the intent of impregnation, his senses went haywire.


    "T-This feels, so good... hmn!~" The Goddess moaned in bliss, the pain onlysted so much, true pleasure cascaded afterwards.


    [...]


    In this small cave, shining with the light of some nts, he took her for the first time, the goddess of his heart.


    Small rumbles could be heard outside, but he was too focused on the pleasure enveloping his crotch to notice.


    He moved back, leaving only the head inside.


    "I love you, Aurelianne... be mine."


    "Fool, I already am~" She dered and sealed his lips once again, only to grunt the next moment when contact was made primal contact.


    *PA!*


    "AAhn!~"


    "Ugh!~"


    A moan and a grunt served as the beginning of glorious intercourse.


    One that was fated to notst.


    [Curse, Heaven Decreed''s Punishment... has been breached... I, Zebellia, Time Valkyrie of Lord Toki''s Second Order... Shall punish you now, Conqueror]


    A mysterious wave spread around his body, one that Aurelianne detected toote.


    *WHOOSH!*


    Then next second, his body disappeared from this world, leaving a goddess in utter disbelief, unsatisfied.


    And wrathful.


    *RUMBLE!!!*


    Myriad spatial waves covered this world, thend decayed and rotted, and only Vita remained, a floating tree in the nothingness.


    "TO... KI...!"


    Aurelianne''s visage turned wrathful, she couldn''t believe it.


    Her perfect night, her excellent lovemaking session with her lover had been ruined.


    He was taken away from her.


    She wasn''t just going to take this.


    Within a haze of light, her body disappeared as well, a scorned woman is the most dangerous.


    **


    **


    A wave spread through the battlefield.


    "Samson, I swear I''ll kill you toda-!"


    *BAAANG!!*


    Constantine fell harshly on top of someone''s head, ruining an otherwise glorious discourse.


    He panted and looked at the ceiling, the ce lighted up by a fire as silence permeated.


    Something was beneath him, but he didn''t know what.


    Moving his gaze to one side, he saw some kind of weird creatures, big a green, holding clubs... more than thirty, ring at him.


    To the other side, he saw a group of ant-like monsters holding spears, once again, all ring at him, but more furiously than the other green creatures.


    He looked down at his raging still moistened member.


    ...


    Silence only made everything more awkward, thankfully some of those creatures spoke, but their words, he didn''t like...


    "Who the fuck summoned some manwhore!?"


    "Quickly kill that bastard!"


    *BAANG!!*


    He felt someone punch him ruthlessly, and his body fell to the side like a piece of trash, even then he didn''t feel pain, nothing hurt more than these blue balls.


    And the thought of jerking off in front of all these monsters didn''t seem reassuring.


    He doesn''t know where he is, why he ended up here, all he knows...


    ''In the name of my Goddess, Aurelianne, I dere... someone is going to fucking die for this and it might be you, Zebellia'' His words contained poison.


    [Good luck with that, Conqueror... I warned you several times, but you didn''t listen, now... face your punishment.]

 Chapter 15 Blood Of Sandork

    The situation was hectic, to say the least, Constantine grunted slightly, he had just been teleported here, naked... with a raging boner that was progressively dying at the sight of those insightful creatures and his hand was casuallyying on top of some shining ore that everyone here seemed to look with a covetous gaze of sorts.


    ''Perfect... is this really the kind of punishment you''re going to impart?!''


    [If you manage to get out of this alive, it might earn you some of my, Zebellia''s respect... now show me~]


    "Damn you!"


    The next thing he saw was a clean sweep of a spearing his way, his eyes caught it a shining glint!


    *WHOOSH!!*


    He evaded it and jumped back, surprised at how nimble this body is, almost rejoicing.


    ''I feel so young!''


    "Give back the stctite!"


    "Forlon, what are you waiting for? ughter that ant!" One of the green ogres, the biggest one, the one Constantine recognised as the big boss yelled with might as if mocking his homologue due to hisck of overbearingness.


    But the moment Constantine evaded that sweep, his body got coincidentally outshined by the cave''s mes, the torches that were being held by the members of either party.


    His hair shone brightly and those long ears were visible!


    !!!!


    "An elf!"


    "It''s an elf! a pure elf!"


    Constantine held that ore, looking at it with curiosity, it was some piece of shining blue stone, his gaze wandered around, looking at the shocking monsters.


    ''Is the fact that I am an elf so great?''


    He didn''t give it much importance, right now the priority is to run out of here, and then... get some clothes.


    Since they were interested in that stone, he threw it away swiftly towards the green ogre, causing immediate outrage!


    "NO! BASTARD!" Forlon, the giant ant wielding a spear yelled, sadly, Constantine couldn''t see that creature as anything else.


    "HAHAHA! GOOD RAT!" The leader of the other tribe, Samson, caught the crystal and by the time everyone recovered themselves, the small ''rat'' was already kicking one of those ants!


    *BAANG!!*


    He jumped with his entire weight kicking the ant''s abdomen, that particr creature had something that he needed, a torch.


    "UGH!!" That ant grunted and fell, the torch was taken by Constantine who immediately evaded a spearing from one of the other ants, and squeezed through the tunnels!


    "GET HIM! SAMSON! GIVE THAT BACK!"


    Half of the group went after Constantine, and it didn''t take long before grunts started to be heard through the channels.


    "Where did this roote from!?"


    "Get him! he''s an elf!"


    ...


    "Hehehe, I''m afraid this Blood of Sandork has exchanged ownership now... you''re sending half of your people after that rat, an elf, while the rest remains here, tell me... shouldn''t I take this chance to kill you right here?" The ogre''s gaze turned wicked, surprised at how fast the situation had changed in his favour, now not only had he gotten the stctite, but even the general of the other tribe is here, Vulnerable.


    "..."


    Forlon could be anything, but not stupid... realising his predicament he hurriedly led the rest of his entourage after the little rat!


    "RUN!"


    "You want to run now?! get that bastard, today we plunder their treasures!" The ogres tried to catch, their mere steps shaking this cave.


    The situation turned chaotic very quickly.


    **


    **


    ''RUN RUN!''


    Constantine squeezed through the tunnels, his heart palpitating as if he was back to his younger days, his hands waved, moving back and forth and protruding roots all over, trying to quickly cover the channels to stop his chasers, sadly... his magic was still too weak and the ants went through his roots as if they were weak timber.


    He could hear the yelling in the distance, he is faster, but they know the terrain.


    ''W-Where can I go?!''


    He panted, his feet pained after stepping on those raw rocks, not something he wasn''t used to.


    At some point, he saw the literal light.


    There was a certain hole where he could squeeze, with his size, he could, but the others couldn''t.


    But what if it is a dead-end?


    "Dammit, Zebellia!"


    [I would do it if I was you, do it, it will be fun]


    The voice sounded as if she was enjoying the entire show!


    "Damn you!" Without anywhere else to go, he decided to do just that, strolling inside the small hole he crawled his way through.


    *BANGG!!*


    The shocks were heard from the other side and he felt as if something impacted against his leg, a rock!


    "COME HERE LITTLE RAT! YOU''RE AN ELF, YOUR ESSENCE WILL BE SO VALUABLE!"<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Leave me alone! I''m a virgin!" They heard the echoes of that voice and their impacts stopped.


    "..."


    The ants looked at one another with a bewildered gaze.


    "What did he just say?"


    "He said something about being a virgin."


    "What does that have to do with anything!?" They didn''t understand.


    "Hmph! I knew he''s a manwhore, he has the appearance of a little girl, let him be, he''s going toe out sooner orter, two of you stand here, we''re capturing that elf!" One of them, the biggest ant ordered and following orders, two of them remained in the entrance of that hole.


    They couldn''t allow a precious elf to escape, the money they could make by ransom or simply using him as an incubator!


    "He''s a pure elf at that!"


    "Hahahaha!"


    "Let''s go, we have to go and help general forlon!"


    The rest of the antsughed and departed through the tunnels.


    **


    **


    "AAAHHH... AHHH" Constantine panted, he was squeezing through a tight dusty hole.


    ''That sounded a little dirty... what should I do now?''


    The whole went progressively narrower, disallowing him from going further, and he could still hear theughter of those ants from the other side.


    ''Should I use the roots...?''


    He thought having the flora magic was a blessing in a situation like this, he had already tried to use the roots before, and one thing he knew.


    Was that he could sense through the roots.


    ...


    Holding a deep breath he first rested, that was a great sprint he took to run away from that situation.


    ''Okay... now.''


    Closing his eyes, a root protruded out from his hand.


    That root extended slowly but that speed was enough for him, the root extended and although he couldn''t see, he could feel, the terrain and even the air flowing through, he''d use that to guide himself.


    ''This is marvellous... w-wait... what is this?''


    He felt something rather slim, like a polished surface that resembled the crystal that he had just taken from those creatures and returned.


    Everything was too abrupt.


    *BOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMM!!!!!--------


    **


    **


    The ants outside of the cave felt the shockwave spread through the entrance of the cave, outwards towards their bodies followed by a bluish haze and myriad dust!


    "CAREFUL!"


    They were sted away by the sheer explosion and the gate waspletely sealed.


    "T-That rat..."


    "He touched some vtile ores... what a fool."


    "That''s such a waste, an elf... where did he evene from?"


    "I don''t know, but we have to tell General Forlon... it''s no use staying here *tch!* that''s really a waste, let''s go."


    They left reluctantly, the bluish haze confirmed that it had been indeed a ''vtile ore''... one of the countless ones you encounter in this cave and have to be careful of.


    **


    **


    "W-What... the hell!?"


    Constantine''s body waspletely crushed by the cave, he coughed repeatedly as the air turned into a liability... something that he couldn''t afford.


    He inhaled as much as he could, and desperately tried to think of air, wind... wind magic.


    It took him several seconds but he managed to produce some air to breathe.


    ''A-Aurelianne, you said it would be difficult but this is ridiculous!''


    He was thankful that he had scouted the cave first, if he had met that explosion head-on, he''d perhaps not be here now.


    Merely minutes after arriving in this world!


    [Not bad~]


    While he thrived to survive, Zebellia was having the time of her life.

 Chapter 16 God Ascension Trial

    Constantine held his breaths, trying to calm himself.


    Without magic, he would not only be crushed beneath the debris but also¡­ asphyxiated.


    ''What to do¡­!''


    [Use your magic... what else do you have it for?] Zebellia spoke unexpectedly, he wasn''t expecting her words here.


    But right now, it was as if his entire senses were focused on creating that essential air that he needed to breathe, unable to move or even see anything, he never felt so helpless.


    [You''re a special case, holding four cores gives you the capability to use four different types of magic simultaneously¡­ keep making the air in your lungs, but focus on getting out of here too, earth magic is within your grasp!]


    "How? Earth¡­"


    His eyes closed and he decided to focus, this is not a hopeless situation, it would be if he was in that old wrinkled body, but that''s not the case anymore.


    ''Think, Earth¡­''


    [Think of it as creating a path for you, anywhere]


    It didn''t produce anything simultaneously, difficulties abounded as the second core rotated at a different wavelength from the rest, he felt the oxygen in his lungs turning a little scarcer, but this was within the calction.


    Slowly but surely, the soil moved away, he felt the weight on his entire body decreasing and his lungs were finally able to expand properly, absorbing that air he was creating.


    "Ufff¡­ Okay¡­ thank you, Zebellia, you''re not as bad as I thought." Having the capacity to at least expand his chest was such a reassuring feeling.


    [Hmph! Don''t expect this treatment often!]


    "Why?" He asked, genuinely confused.


    Zebellia answered no more and he could only groan at her attitude, he didn''t understand how she thought and why she was so hostile for no reason, yet at this junction, she helped.


    Deciding to put that in the back of his mind, Constantine kept moving the soil away, at some stage got a grasp of the entire matter.


    ''Was I always able to focus on more than a single thing?''


    The moment he regted his focus, two cores used wind magic while two cores used earth magic.


    ''I''m getting the gist of it.'' He smiled, now in a moderately sized hole.


    "What was it that exploded? I felt a soft surface like that crystal that those monsters had¡­ w-wait a minute, those monsters talked!?"


    [Only now you noticed?]


    "That was a hectic situation, what do you expect?" He groaned.


    [What caused the explosion were those stctites some of them are quite vtile and explode at the briefest touch]


    "What can you see? Also, you''re rather talkative today." Compared to when he was with Aurelianne that all she did was say some nuisance warnings, she was talking a lot now.


    [I''m your secretary, not your nanny¡­ as for before, why must I be around while the two of you act like two perverts?] Her delicate voice contained so much disdain.


    "¡­" He would have denied was it not the truth, he and Aurelianne were indeed acting rather brazen, mostly due to theck of anyone else in that world.


    [As for what I can witness¡­ I can only see what your senses perceive, and feel what you feel] She exined.


    "Hoho~ so you felt-" He began but she stopped him even before the thought concluded.


    [Shut up or you''re doing this on your own] Her voice contained rage.


    "Okay, okay¡­ but before we do anything, I believe introductions are in order¡­ I still don''t know who you are and this whole punishment thing, you owe me an exnation¡­ also, you said only after bing a magus I would earn any qualification, you''re quite arrogant you know." He sat cross-legged in this pit, he could feel he had enough magic to endure for a while.


    This conversation is important for him, at least he desired to know who was spouting nonsense in his mind all the time.


    [As I said before, my name is Zebellia¡­ indeed, I''m a Time Valkyrie a unique creature of the universe, a guardian of the time axis. Having an exalted existence like me by your side, Hmph, that''s not something some pathetic mortal like you canprehend.]


    "¡­" Let alone notprehending her existence, he didn''t even understand half of the words she said.


    [It means that I guard time itself. The past, present, and future, dumbo!] She exined further seeing the stupid face he was making.


    Clearly, he didn''t have a clue.


    "I see, then I''m Constantine." He said simply, what was the use of introducing titles that no longer mattered in this life?


    It was then that he recalled there were several titles that he did indeed hold.


    "Champion of the Goddess of Life, husband of five more goddesses~" He could take pride in these.


    [Conqueror, Emperor, God Aspirant, I know the story¡­ what do you want to know¡­? You might not be a magus yet, but you''re getting there] She literally rolled her eyes, were she to have any.


    "Why are you here?"


    [You were daring enough to y around and impregnate five goddesses during one of their thousand of samsaras¡­ not only that but with your wicked ways you corroded their minds enough to not want to live without you, hence stoping their slumber and restoration, that''s the reason I''m here conqueror¡­ this title befits you better than ''Emperor'' dare I say]


    "I still don''t understand, how are they connected to you and those punishments?" What''s more ridiculous is why having rtions with Aurelianne can somehow trigger a punishment from the ''heavens''.


    It was more like she wanted to bully him!


    [To make it simple, having earned the blessing of five goddesses, you''re fated to never be human again, to reach Godhood, one has to aplish three requirements, once two of them have been met, there is no going back¡­ you''re in the path to Godhood; the universe shall deliver to you the God Ascension Trial, but this trial is only for those that have met the second requirement, so you''re lucky in that regard]


    "¡­" Attentive like never before, he listened.


    [The first requirement is to have obtained a faith of your own and be a candidate for a particr divinity, you have achieved this, the inhabitants of your empire considered you nearly a God]


    [The second requirement is to have received the blessing of a divine being, either directly or through faith¡­ direct blessings are way stronger, you have six of them, one of them from a higher Goddess even, but you also have the curse from a higher god, so those are nullified. Perhaps in the entire universe, only you have this luck] Her voice even contained jealousy, one that he didn''tprehend.


    [The third requirement is to have a null Karma meter, this is where you fail¡­ and the purpose of the God Ascension Trial is to fix this and have you course a path to ascend to Godhood, as for me, I''m simply an entity attached to you, surveying your movements and handing the program on your stead, that''s all]


    "I have several questions."


    [Ask away, but beware of your mana levels, if you run out of mana here, you''re going to die]


    He knew that much, but curiosity as always is a human-derived curse.


    "What exactly happened to my wives?"


    [To recover from a particr war, they were to do a thousand samsaras to recover their divine bodies, after roughly half of it, they all met you in that same cycle¡­ experienced boundless feelings that awoke them from the samsara slumber and even gave you their blessing inadvertently, now¡­<novelnext></novelnext>


    none of them desires to continue the samsara cycle, all of them desire for you to be a god and be with them in the Divine Realms] She said, dodging a particr point quite conveniently, one that he didn''t dig upon.


    "¡­" He remained there, thinking for a while with a prideful smile.


    ''If that''s the case, then I have to be a foe as fast as I can¡­ just fixing my Karma, I was a good emperor so it can''t be that bad¡­'' He thought inwardly with enthusiasm.


    "How can I check my Karma points or whatever."


    [It is usually not shown, but I guess I can make an exception since your condition is special. Your Karma meter is like this¡­]


    **


    **


    [Status]


    Name: Constantine Lionheart (de Castile)


    ¡­


    [Magus Rank: None]


    [Magic: Light, Flora, Wind, Water, Earth, Fire]


    [Karma: -9.080.888.100 (Nine Billion)]


    **


    **


    He started at that phantom screen for such a long time, eventually, heughed.


    It was a burst of livelyughter at that.


    "Haha, I think you made a mistake, Zebellia~"


    [I didn''t¡­ the calction isn''t done by me, it is done by the Universal Fate Jewel¡­ should I summarise your history?~] Her voice contained so much poison as if she was about to deliver a bomb to his self-esteem.


    "¡­"


    [Let''s see, from the most meaningless to the most important events of your life that affected causality, you were one of the most influential existences in that world, without you, its fate would have been entirely different, however, you condemned the world just to grow your great empire, creating vicious circles of hatred that wouldn''t stop until at least a hundred generationster.]


    She went page by page.


    [You destroyed at least a thousand five hundred million acres ofnd in your battles for conquering in thest fifty years]


    [You burned two forests that couldn''t be recovered for the next two thousand years]


    "They started it!" He yelled straight away, what else could he do? They were being besieged!


    [Throughout your life, you slept with a total of ten thousand and thirty wives, from whom five thousand separated from their husbands, a total of three hundred were nobles; disrupting an effectively functional family that was fated to produce children that would create great revolutions.]


    "If you say it like that, I feel like shit."


    [Not only that but when you coveted thedy, you ughtered the husbands, here there is a premise as most of those were truly evil, with only ten of them being innocent¡­ hence, the score didn''t vary in this case]


    "You see!?"


    [But then again, you ended up breaking the hearts of thousands ofdies by leaving them after conquering their hearts from whomter in their life, at least three hundredmitted suicide, not that you knew¡­ did you think that just because you gave them money and riches, that was enough? Foolish.] She spoke neutrally as if passing the pages of a sheet.


    The sheet of his life.


    "¡­" His heart constricted, and it no longer felt like a joke.


    [Let''s not forget about Isabe¡­]


    "Please, don''t mention her¡­"


    [Very well, it didn''t alter the score anyway, the four children that you had with her became great citizens and hence, those are positive points for karma, meaningless in front of the sea of negativity I am afraid.]


    [You destroyed a total of three Kingdoms, conquering theirnd, ughtering a total of three million people indirectly, at least thirty per cent of humanity during that period.]


    [You ughtered a total of two thousand people with your own hands, from whom twenty were innocent civilians whom you wrongly judged]


    "¡­" He didn''t have anything to say about that, for those crimes rted to the empire, he felt no guilt.


    [From your five wives, and also, Isabe¡­ you viciously ughtered four of their soul mates which they were fated to join with during that Samsara, only Hector remained¡­ because he was smart enough.]


    "I won''t apologise for that!"


    [Stubborn¡­]


    [The majority of your positive points concentrate on the fact that you resolved your wicked ways after Caroline got pregnant for the first time, you also worked hard to ce your family at the top of the world,


    You might have treated the entire world like worthless trash, but at least with your family and Empire, you were considerate¡­ those were a lot of positive points]


    [In summary, your involvement in the world ended up creating the second most powerful dynasty in the history of that world, for the next hundred thousand years, the Lionheart Dynasty]


    "I didn''t want it to be called that, it''s not called that!" The mentioning of that name produced an unexpected reaction, he wasn''t willing!


    [It can be whatever you wish, but in history, that''s how it was called¡­ ten generations down the line, some of your father''s descendants took the throne from your grand grandchildren, switching the name permanently into the prominent Lionheart Dynasty, sad, right?]


    "NOOO!!"


    *RUMBLE!!*


    Losing control of his powers, the soil copsed yet again on top of his pitiful self.


    He couldn''t ept it!


    All of his achievements would bebelled after that bastard''s surname!


    [This is what Karma is like¡­ I''m Zebellia, and I''ll be the one distributing your punishment through the duration of the trial.]

 Chapter 17 A Cicada?

    It was like being thrown from the heavens to hell, to the warm embrace of his goddess to a cumulus of hatred.


    [¡­]


    Zebellia noticed this, his magic going haywire.


    [Regardless, it is nonsensical to think of your past and allow it to affect your present, Constantine¡­ the world you hail from, you can never go back, and even if you did¡­ those times are long gone.]


    "But I just came here, there must be a way I can turn back and-"


    [Do you desire to forsake your potential, the desire of your wives, and even your precious goddess, just for the sake of some petty vengeance?]


    "¡­"


    [With how much of a pervert you are, I''m sure you''re unwilling, hence, keep moving forward and forsake that past, the only remaining connection between you and them, is a karma influence in the fate jewel that you must decrease¡­ thest punishment, me sending you here, decreased three hundred points from that number so keep it up~]


    "Just three hundred!? Are you telling me that I nearly died for three hundred!?"


    [That small detail didn''t count into the meter, the fact that I stopped your precious bonding with the goddess did¡­ you see, I am smart, I know you don''t care about your life being in risk as you make it look]


    "Hey!"


    [But I know that you loathed to death not to be able to fill up that goddess with your seed~]


    "Damn you! I''m out!" Constantine didn''t feel like speaking with Zebellia anymore, she''s a witch!


    [You can ignore me as much as you want but¡­ I know what pains you the most, little conqueror~ and I''m going to use it against you until all those negative karma points are gone.]


    "¡­" Said and done, he ignored her and started to dig forward.


    ''I should return from where I came, that''s the only sure path back to the cave, assuming the cave itself didn''t copse with that explosion, that would be quite troublesome for me''


    Little by little, he started to use his earth magic to dig a path forward.


    "Zebellia, I see that this trial or whatever allows me to see my status."


    [Indeed, it checks your God Spark every so often¡­ your God Spark is a little orb located in your brain, it is what defines you as a divine being, or in your case, an aspirant]


    "Can I have a wa my to measure how much Mana I have left? I can sense it¡­ but this isn''t urate enough" Being able to know how many resources he had was paramount.


    [Sure¡­ I can do this for free, those metrics will tell you how much you have left.]


    "¡­?" He wondered what did she mean by free, surely nothing good.


    ¡­


    [Mana Capacity:]


    [1st Ether Magic Core (Wind): 72%]


    [2nd Ether Magic Core (Wind): 70%]


    [3rd Ether Magic Core (Earth): 42%]


    [4th Ether Magic Core (Earth): 38%]


    ¡­


    "W-What, two of them are so low already!?"


    [What do you expect? Not only have you been digging and ejecting pressure so the debris doesn''t fall on you, but you''re technically using magic that non-magus shouldn''t be able to use thanks to your ether cores¡­ if aside from that your magic consumption was low, I, a renowned Time Valkyrie, might as well kneel in front of you¡­]


    "I must get out of here¡­" With that information in mind, he decided to just go back from whence he came, the only spot he''s sure that there is a cave in.


    [Are you sure you don''t want to retain some of those stctites? They seemed to be quite valuable, the ones that didn''t explode that is, there are more ahead, after the explosion, some remained¡­]


    "Even if they''re valuable, I don''t have anywhere to store them, I''ll probably have to run the moment I leave this damned debris"


    [I can help you with that for a modicum price¡­] Zebellia literally whispered.


    "¡­" Constantine knew that whistle, ''I''m about to get scammed, right?''


    "And what is that price?"


    [You will have to heed one of my requestster on]


    "What kind of request?"


    [You ask too many questions, just say yes or not!]


    "Then no, you''re a witch, it will surely be something evil"


    [Hmph! Your loss, leave those precious crystals behind then]


    "¡­" He grit his teeth, she has a point there.


    He continued to dig until after roughly twenty minutes, he reached the main cave he entered this junction from.


    "Haaaa¡­" Exhaling a deep breath he crawled his way out, feeling like a new world had opened for him, but the only difference was that the whole was way wider, still a cave nheless.


    "I''ll just leave a mark to know where they are."


    [Clever¡­]


    He left a simple ''Constantine was here'' on the stone cave.


    [Not so clever¡­]


    **


    **


    Instead of directly walking down the cave and exploring, Constantine opted for remaining in a particr shadow in a corner, recovering his mana reserves.


    After they were filled, he began his intent.


    ''I have to feel air currents¡­'' he wondered if this was possible with wind magic, flora magic was a different sort of feelingpared to the rest.


    By using ground magic he couldn''t ''feel'' the ground, but by using flora magic, he could.


    [You''re an Elf and you also have flora magic, Light and Flora are your greatest assets¡­ don''t expect to be as proficient with other types of magic unless you''re stubborn, it is in your greatest interest to cultivate both of these magic elements]


    "I don''t understand how can you want to punish me and then help me at the same time."


    [Maybe because I want you to survive the punishment, fool¡­ even if you''re a shameless pervert, your potential is still immense]<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Thank you."


    [Aren''t you going to deny the ''pervert'' ims?]


    "Deny them? Of course not¡­"


    [Shameless! Hmph! Don''t even think about putting your hands on me!]


    "¡­" He had been meditating but her words caused him to stop abruptly and lift his eyebrows.


    "Oh¡­? So you have a physical body? I thought you were just some ugly voice"


    [Bastard, I won''t fall for that obvious trap¡­]


    *Tch!*


    He twitched his lips, indeed, he added the insult just to work up the Valkyrie into revealing her body, it didn''t work, instead¡­


    *RUMBLE!!*


    Time seemed to have stopped all of the sudden, not that he noticed.


    And the next thing was that his butt burned like never before.


    *SLAP!*


    !!!


    Constantine gasped and held his buttcheek in disbelief, he looked sideways and there was nobody, let alone he didn''t even see a hand!


    "Zebellia, pervert! you dare!?"


    [YOU dare try to trick me into revealing my sacred body? maybe receiving a p from the future will have you know who you''re dealing with~]


    "p from the future?" He gasped, not really understanding what she meant.


    [Want to feel it again?]


    "Stop! I won''t try to trick you!" A p in the butt would sometimes be rather lusty, this time, however... his butt was literally burning.


    [Hmph! You better, or else, it will be a kick in the sack next~]


    !!!


    Anything but that!


    Constantine decided to remain silent, he''d rather that than anger some sort of sadistic entity that he couldn''t see, but she could kick his balls whenever she wished, apparently.


    Thinking about the wind, he did something simple.


    "I can''t feel it, but¡­"


    He thought about the wind creating a gust of it outside, in front of him.


    Then took some soil from the ground and threw it.


    The direction of the dust changed abruptly, following the path to the left.


    He tried several times and receive the same reading.


    "Left it is¡­"


    [Why not right?]


    "Don''t you smell that?"


    [Yes, it is a nauseating smell¡­]


    "The flow ising from there, it is rotting flesh of some sort¡­ it doesn''t give good vibes, hence, we''re going left"


    [Your call¡­ call me if you need something, I''ll sleep]


    "Where exactly is your body?" The more he spoke to her, the more doubts he had.


    [S-Somewhere¡­]


    "¡­"


    **


    **


    Constantine had been following the trail of wind and dust for roughly half an hour without an encounter, there isn''t light and he had to create his own with light magic.


    ''How long is this cave¡­?'' He sighed and kept going on.


    But when he heard a sudden grumbling, he stopped.


    ¡­


    Turning his head sideways, he tried to hear that noise again and sure enough, it resonated.


    The slim noise of rocks falling.


    There seemed to be no issue until something started to protrude from one of the walls.


    !!!


    The size of the creature was¡­ moderate.


    At leastpared to the size of the cave, still, for the current Constantine who had yet to adapt to the fact that in this world there were such animals, he found himself retreating.


    "Perfect¡­"


    It was a cicada of sorts, a big one, and it was exactly in the way where he needed to go across.


    "Oh, a fresh meal~"


    ¡­


    "Does everything in this world speak or what!?"

 Chapter 18 Wickedness Beyond Redemption

    The caves were narrow, the weather inside dry and hot¡­ his sweat ran along with his running figure as he struggled to shut across the cave.


    *BOOMM!!*


    A great animal followed behind, crawling through as Constantine''s earth magic narrowed the path just so he could run faster and farther away from it!


    Waving his hands with a grin he continued to run, the situation so thrilling.


    "Zebellia, do I get something if I defeat this crab!?"


    "Who are you calling a crab, disgusting elf!?"


    [Get something?] The Valkyrie asked with bewilderment.


    "Yes, a reduction of my punishment, some sword or something!?" He yelled and evaded the creature''s w-like teeth, it wasn''t its manoeuvrability that troubled him more than its ruthless strength that threatened to cause the cave''s top to crumble on them.


    [Ah? Do you think this is a game or something? At most you will get a chuckle from me¡­] The woman spokezily in his mind, entertaining herself with this charade even if a little bit.


    "Hmph! Then it is not worth killing it¡­" As he thought about that with sadness, his gaze moved to the creature''s teeth.


    ''That could work as a weapon, but how¡­''


    *BOOMM!!*


    As the creature stumbled across the paths and he ran, jumping and rolling, he noticed precisely what he desired, the path is getting more narrow.


    ''Just a little more¡­'' Constantine grit his teeth in annoyance, he only hoped this path is not a dead end, but even if he is, he tried to chart the path in his mind.


    This thing was even more troublesome than the previous ants.


    "You little rat, stop running!" The cicada seemed to lose its patience, especially as the path constricted around it, its thirst for blood fuelled its movements even as the danger of death approached swiftly.


    *BAANG!!*


    It was then that Constantine started; the cicada wasn''t able to go further into the cave, but rather than run, Constantine grinned evilly.


    "Come here human!"


    Its body impacted against the cave''s hole several times trying to squeeze an inch further and wrap that disgusting elf In its ws, but Constantine wasn''t idling either.


    His magic rotated madly with all the cores focused on a single task.


    "Ugh!!"


    The cicada felt several tendrils start to protrude from the ground into its body!


    "AAHHH!! YOU!!"


    His roots kept the cicada in ce as he grinned, two more roots came out of the ground, trying to keep their head in ce by the mouth.


    Thews of the creature were forced open, Constantine had to use two more as the strength behind that jaw wasn''t a joke.


    "I''ll need those!" He grasped one of the teeth and tried to take it out, it was roughly the size of his entire arm!


    ''If this thing stabs me I''m done!'' He smirked, that''s precisely what he needed, something this sharp.


    The creature struggled but at least sixteen roots were keeping it in ce, it couldn''t even retreat.


    [Be careful, you''re using your cores a lot here¡­]


    [1st Ether Magic Core (Earth): 30%]


    [2nd Ether Magic Core (Flora): 28%]


    [3rd Ether Magic Core (Flora): 27%]


    [4th Ether Magic Core (Flora): 32%]


    "Got it!"


    !!!


    *CLANG!!!*


    He removed his hands just in time for the jaws to pierce through the roots and ng with such a strength that were his hands to still be there, they''d be goners.


    "You''re a bad crab!~"


    "I TOLD YOU I''M NOT A CRAB! RELEASE ME, ELF!"


    Four more roots protruded, it took a while but they opened the jaw once again, Constantine knew he has to be quick, otherwise, his magic will run out.


    "AAAAAAHHHHHH!!!"


    Twisting the teeth back and forth, he managed to take out one!


    !!!


    The creature groaned in pain, but with one of them gone, the other one was easy.


    He touched the sharp teeth, ''it''s so well for ance, enough for me to do for now''


    He pierced through the flesh encasing three more teeth and plucked them too, with this it''s four!<novelnext></novelnext>


    The creature groaned unintelligible noises, something along the lines of ''Let me go!''


    "You don''t look so frightening now, do you?" The conqueror held the sharp weapons and smirked, the cicada was in a helpless state, his roots had sunk at least a metre inside its flesh, but he could keep this no longer.


    ''The only reason I''m not killing you is because I can''t¡­''


    His roots couldn''t go any further into the insect''s flesh.


    He stopped his magic but the roots didn''t disappear, they just lost their durability.


    *CRACK!*


    At that very moment, cracking noises emerged as the roots cracked under the cicada''s struggle, but by then, Constantine was long gone further inside the cave.


    Howling noises were heard as the root finally broke from the core, still protruding into its skin¡­


    The cicada regarded the path with poison, but there was nothing to do, the prey was gone, together with four of its teeth.


    **


    **


    [Nice run, but your cores are almost empty¡­ if you encounter a threat now, you''re almost certainly dead]


    "And what do I have you for?"


    [To punish you? I''d be more than delighted if some of those ants came here and impaled you now]


    "You don''t sound convincing." He stumbled after having run for at least a few dozens of metres, the cave grew dangerously narrow, rendering him to believe that it was a dead-end -much to his disgrace.


    He hurriedly started to recover and absorb the mana around, panting¡­ he threw the four bloody teeth on the ground, those were the spoils of war.


    [*chuckle* there you go, are you content?~] Zebellia mocked, but relief could be heard in her voice.


    "Oh, shut up¡­" He rolled his eyes, sometimes the Valkyrie can be quite infuriating.


    [Sure sure~]


    [-20 Karma points]


    "What the fuck!? Why is my karma debt increasing!?" He immediate stood up in outrage!


    [Direct disrespect towards your secretary is obviously against heaven''s decreed punishment¡­ hence, you get minus twenty points] The Witch spoke haughtily.


    "You''re chatting bullshit!"


    [Uh huh¡­]


    [-100 Karma Points]


    "STOP!!"


    He grits his teeth so much that they almost bled, this woman is clearly doing whatever she wants, what ''Fate Jewel'' nonsense?!


    [You already owe the universe nine billion, what is a measly hundred?~]


    He wanted to cry but tears wouldn''te out.


    [You enjoyed being a tyrant, how does it feel to be helpless?]


    "If you ever show yourself in front of me, I''m going to p that ass¡­" Unruly as ever, but it wouldn''tst long.


    [¡­] He could swear he heard a smirk before reality dawned with the strength of a thousand suns.


    [-100.000 Karma Points]


    "Ha¡­Haha¡­ HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!" There was despair in there, when is he going to see his wives like this?


    [¡­]


    [-20 Karma Points]


    !!!


    "I''M JUST LAUGHING FOR FUCK''S SAKE! ARE YOU GOING TO INCREASE MY DEBT JUST FOR EXISTING!?"


    There was a smile on his face, but tears were rolling uncontrobly, the silhouette of his beloveds seemed so foggy now.


    [I should, you eitherugh or cry, pick one~]


    "I''m not talking to you anymore!"


    ''Zebellia, I''ll pay you back for this!''


    [HAHAHAAH!!!]


    The Valkyrieughed heartily, wherever her body was, one thing is for sure, she was twisting and groaning out ofughter.


    [Karma: -9.080.988.240 (Nine Billion)]

 Chapter 19 Trapped With Strangers I

    "The cave doesn''t end here... thankfully." He didn''t rest for long, already tired of this encroaching environment that made him feel ustrophobic.


    The path ahead of Constantine was calm, he used the same wind trick to notice that apparently while running away from that ''crab''... he had taken the right ce.


    [Why do you keep calling it a crab...? it doesn''t even have ws... that was a cicada.]


    "It looked like a crab to me..." He said simply and lifted his eyebrows when Zebellia''sughter resonated.


    [Hehe~]


    ...?


    ''Was that funny?'' He thought inwardly but didn''t voice anything out loud, fearing the vixen would increase his debt by a million just ''cause her butt happened to itch a little strongly.


    Let alone; ording to the trial''s assessment, his joking skill is [-F]... so, going by that not even the most katalgstic pierrot wouldugh at his jokes, let alone he wasn''t joking... why is sheughing?


    ''Forget it...'' he had better things to think about now rather than his psychoticpanion.


    Using his flora magic, he created ance of roots and attached the pointy teeth of the crab to it.


    They were merely four but... very sharp indeed.


    "Let''s continue... going down this path is my only option..."


    Without any other end to take, he continued onwards with a silent Zebellia paying attention to everything he did.


    **


    **


    "AAAAHHHH!!"


    Yells of pain and despair, followed by the cocky voice of one of those ants, disgusting and hideous.


    "WOOHOO!! LOOK AT ALL THIS LUMEN!"


    "Indeed, it is better than wasting time with the Blood of Sandork, a stctite like the one of today? that''s not happening again!"


    ...


    Constantine concealed himself in the shadows, the entrance of the cave, after so much walking he finally encountered something.


    This ce looked like a clearing, a convergence of dozens of tunnels, the voices stopped him from going onwards.


    It wasn''t much what he could see from this angle, but there were several humanoid figures, all of them wearing broken tes of armour and ragged clothes.


    Three males and two females, but there were several of those giant ants with spears around them, gossiping and yelling contentment.


    "What is that...?" He could see some sort of magic thingy around them, it was shiny and rotated, an earthen colour around four of the individuals, but around a particr man, there was also a rotating purple circle of sorts.


    [That''s a magic array...] Zebellia answered his indirect enquiry.


    "What does it do?" He inquired, his brain already working full time in looking around, attaining everything he could, this wouldn''t be an easy breakout.


    [I can''t tell from this distance, you have to get closer.]


    ...


    After giving the humans a few ps, the ants collected a bag filled with blue shining crystals and departed, leaving the secluded spot where they were.


    "This is a camp of some sorts, there are... eww..." He sighed in disgust after creeping his head through the shadows and seeing the clearing further... there were so many eggs, and ants... more than twenty that he could see, in the walls, the ceilings... and inside some sort of pods there were more, smaller ones...


    [This is their camp, what are you going to do now...? there are several exits]


    "I have to see which tunnel is the right one, crawling over all of them. Do you have any idea?" He thought of using earth magic at first to go through the ground, then there was the idea of using wind magic to make his steps soundless and tap his way in, but... with these many ants, he doubted such a method would work.


    [Your call, if it was my choice, I''d say you run straight through all of them and risk your life~ doing so would increase your karma points.] She suggested something outrageous right off the bat.


    "How much?" He inquired, his hustling mode activated, although he still didn''t know what the impact of those points would be... just the fact that he was sent to this cave instead of going straight into a more civilized city, was enough to tell him that he needed to decrease that debt asap.


    s... it wasn''t working so far.


    [Hmm... ording to the trial''s metrics, it should be three thousand positive karma points, do you dare? all you have to do is to take the risk and fight all these ants, easy...] She said neutrally but there was a concealed glint in her voice.


    ''Easy you say!?''


    "Just that? too low... it is not worth it." He discarded the proposition right away, his chances of dying if he were to fight all those ants was about 90%... for just three thousand?


    Perhaps with more knowledge of his magic and more information on the ants'' ns... he''d do it, but right now, his confidence was almost zero.


    He didn''t know if three thousand was a lot or a few, butpared to his nine billion debt... it certainly wasn''t worth it.


    ...


    [Then how about ten thousand?~]


    "Why are you bargaining!?" He almost yelled, isn''t it supposed to be some sort of fixed rate defined by the trial? the more she speaks about it, the more convinced he is that this dang woman is just here to bully him.<novelnext></novelnext>


    [I just want your karma meter to increase even if a little... you just increased your debt by a hundred thousand in a single day; if we go on like this... it is never going to end] She spoke as if aggrieved and frustrated at the fact that his debt was so high.


    "IT WAS YOU WHO INCREASED IT!" He tried to whisper but the shameless attitude of this Valkyrie surpassed even himself!


    [Oh, really? anyway... do you want the deal or not? my-*cough* the trail''sst deal is for twenty thousand, take it or leave it~] She offered as if she was some sort of pawn dealership, let alone her real intentions slipped right there, not that she cared.


    "You just said ''my''... as if... you..." He pointed it out, aware that it would be useless, and it was.


    [No, I didn''t...? take it or leave it, I''m sleepy so...] Her tonality sounded like she truly wanted to get over this and sleep.


    "Hmph, I refuse, fuck your metrics." Unbeknownst to him, a curse came out, his personality overflowing in front of this valkyrie''s shameless bullying, a budda can only take so much, let alone a sinner like himself.


    [Very well~]


    [-20 Karma Points]


    "Hmph! fuck you ten times..." He started to cast his magic, she wanted to control him with some points? fat chance... he''d just overthrow some kingdom or save some princess and that would surely decrease his debt.


    [10 * -20 Karma Points = -185 Karma Points]


    *Pft!*


    "Who taught you mathematics, youzy Valkyrie!" He mocked openly, going back at her even if just a little bit, unaware that he has just fallen into a quite crafty trap.


    [Oh, sorry... how shameful of me... my bad, allow me to fix it.] Zebellia apologised, her tonality even suggested that she blushed at her own mistake.


    [+185 Karma Points]


    The points wrongly taken out of him were given back.


    For the first time ever since they met, he finally had some positive Karma Points, at least that he could see, however, everything was shattered so quickly that he didn''t even feel pain in his soul.


    [10 * -20 Karma Points = -380 Karma Points]


    "..." His shivering body said it all.


    When was the renowned Emperor Constantine shamed such? Thest one that dared was buried without a coffin... and a skull.


    [It should be okay now, right?~] Zebelliaughed a little and asked as if genuinely questioning whether her calction was good or not, he could even feel the world start freezing as if his answer would determine if he lived or not.


    "Yes, your maths are wless, miss..." Constantine decided that it was pointless to even try to argue with someone that couldn''t make such a simple calction, let alone he suspects everything is nned.


    This shameless Valkyrie wants nothing but to drown him in negativity.


    ''But against all odds, I''ll always stay positive.'' He said inwardly, preparing his earth magic.


    ? [Hoh? looks like you''re learning how to be polite with your secretary... there you go~]


    [+20 Karma Points]


    It was like a drop of water for a thirsty mouth, he didn''t even pay attention to her and it caused yet another fit ofughter from Zebellia.


    [You''re such a funny individual to hang out with, Conqueror~]


    ''And you''re one hell of a crazy bitch, and god bless you can''t hear my thoughts otherwise, I''m screwed...'' He thought everything was safe until the world started to stop...


    [Did you just think something offensive about me?] She spoke coldly.


    [ -1.000.000


    "W-Wait!!! I DIDN''T! I JUST THOUGHT YOU''RE ALSO QUITE FUNNY TO HANG OUT WITH!" The moment he saw that number start to form, he felt like the world was stopping again, but it wasn''t the world.


    It was his old heart.


    That shameful tongue, trained for seventy years, had to be worth anything now!


    [R-Really? am I?] The world started to move again, and her voice appeared... flustered?


    "YES! Y-YOU''RE SO FUN, ADORABLE AND BEAUTIFUL! SEXY! HOT! YOU''RE SO HOT! PLEASE DON''T STOP TALKING!"


    This wasn''t simply bootlicking, he had done it plenty to reach the throne back in his time, all of them dead once he had the power.


    This was soil licking, shamelessly licking the soil she stepped on, the thought of doing it for Zebellia was unexpectedly irritating.


    He seemingly didn''t catch the fluster in her words, perhaps, her outrageous behaviour was already ingrained in his being.


    [I see... hmph! if you want to hear my voice that often, it will cost you...]


    [+20 Karma Points]


    There was so much relief in his sigh, he didn''t just dodge a bullet, he dodge an entire ballista with imbued fire and castle toppling ammunition.


    "I need to get going... too many heart attacks and I''m no longer in my old body, thankfully..."

 Chapter 20 Trapped With Strangers II

    "It''s all your fault, filthy non-magus!"


    "..."


    "If only you weren''t as mediocre!"


    "Shut up, Luke! You didn''t do any better! what is all that magic for? huh!? Nothing!"


    "Shut up for me you vixen! look at your sword! utterly useless!"


    The yells wouldn''t stop, once despair is due... the me has to be imparted and one of the haughty humans wouldn''t think twice before discarding himself of any guilt and imparting it to others as if they were gifts on Christmas.


    Five humans they were, Constantine had already learned their basic features.


    Three men, the haughty one was a baldy with robes and by his side, there was a broken staff... his gaze contained disgust to his party as he closed his eyes to sleep, in any case, they were already due to die, no one would save them in the forest, let alone this dungeon.


    Two of the men were bulky warriors, they had bodies that suggested at least a thousand pushups straight from the womb, they had so many scars that Constantine didn''t know if they were men with scars or scars with men.


    One of the girls had auburn short hair, she panted and tried to sleep too, too shy to involve herself in this matter, she had a pair of gloves which she probably used as a weapon, they were rusted and clearly not in the best condition, wearing trousers and clothes foreign to Constantine.


    Thest one was ady with purple hair in a ponytail, it was dirty... her eyes were blue and she was bruised.


    A silver te covered her chest, and he could ''feel'' with his gaze that area was a little constricted, unlike the other girl who seemed to be naturally ''t''.


    Of all of them, she was the one that wouldn''t tolerate Luke''s nonsense.


    ...


    Constantine heardints but he didn''t pay attention to them, crawling through the path his magic created, he kept moving beneath the ground to the next checkpoint.


    His head raised up from the soil, dirty and covered in dust, then his hands.


    He cast his wind magic and expected an air current, but... this one wasn''t it either.


    Sighing he continued, this is the third entrance and yet nothing, it is time for the next.


    However, as the mockingints kept resonating, even amusing the group of ants, he decided to give good luck to those humans.


    After some crawling, his head kept to the soil once again, roughly calcting where the humans would be, he looked to the sides and found nothing.


    That was until he turned around a hundred and eighty degrees toe face to face with a pair of buttocks covered in trousers.


    "..." He was momentarily stunned, as always his calctions were impressively urate.


    He could see the earthen coloured array start to engulf him and he felt suddenly weak.


    [Get out of this magic array, it is one made to suck vitality and turn it into those crystals!] Zebellia yelled and he did precisely so.


    Sinking back into the soil he moved away from the circle, but still close enough to the woman.


    [The other one is a magic limiter, stay away from that one as well, it seems that man is a magus] She said once again, a precious input.


    "How is my magic currently, I think I have used a lot..."


    [The dizziness wasn''t caused due tock of magic, it was that array... however, I can show you mana status if that''s what you desire...]


    "Thank you!" He said as enthusiastically as he could muster.


    [It was nothing...] Her voice sounded like a stutter.


    ''Treat the secretary well... treat the secretary well...'' That would be his new motto.


    ...


    [1st Ether Magic Core (Earth): 42%]


    [2nd Ether Magic Core (Earth): 42%]


    [3rd Ether Magic Core (Earth): 42%]


    [4th Ether Magic Core (Earth): 40%]


    ''I''m doing well with mana...''


    [Why don''t you try to contact them...?] She snickered, perhaps hoping that by doing so the ants would discover him and it would trigger a chain of actions that would decrease his debt.


    Or give her fun.


    But the thing with the conqueror... stupid he was not.


    "Hey, girl!" He whispered, still with his head protruding from the ground, it was the only part of him showing, he gazed onto that pair of constricted buttocks.


    !!!<novelnext></novelnext>


    The purple-haired woman heard his words, she turned back and forth several times but didn''t find anything...


    "W-Who is it?" She whispered back.


    It was relieving for Constantine that for some reason, everyone in this world spoke hisnguage... it would be so troublesome otherwise.


    "Can you see me, girl?"


    "No... who are you, where are you!? please help us..." She bent forward, and the curvature of her body pronounced on that glorious butt, he couldn''t help but gulp slightly, there is definitely something odd going on there.


    "B-Butt..." He stuttered and heard a disgusted twitch from inside, clearly Zebellia''s.


    "Ah!?" The woman eximed in disbelief, butt!?


    "Am I talking with my butt now? this array is definitely making me nuts!" She whispered, unable to hold her head due to her shackles, all she wanted was to p herself and wake up.


    "N-No! I''m not your butt, I wish was!" He said once again, one can''t me the emperor, that ce was so constricted, all he wanted was to research what was going on in there, it was as if the woman was purposefully trying to make herself ''in''.


    "Eh!?" Now she was slightly frightened, who is this butt-addicted entity?


    The more the voice spoke, the more confused she was.


    "Listen, let''s begin from the start..." He sighed, this is going nowhere.


    "Yes, please... exin yourself properly, how can I be talking with my butt?"


    "Simply... you aren''t... now, can we stop talking about butts? can you tell me how you ended up in this situation?" Regaining his regal self, he questioned the woman.


    "Please, first tell me who you are exactly, how do I know you''re not one of those ants, introduce yourself..."


    "I''m Constantine..." He said, introducing himself to someone in this world for the first time, his gaze set on the ants, the moment any of them caught his movements, he''d run.


    "What are you? a warrior, a magus... bandit? I''m Zamira, a warrior woman... where are you?" She introduced herself, a simple name he thought, and the upation for some reason wasn''t as important for him.


    "I''m behind you." He said, keeping his eye on the next exit, one that was crowded with a bunch of ants, for some reason, that looked like the exit and he didn''t like it.


    "So you''re my butt after all!? who named you Constantine!? I would have named  you Riku..."


    "..." He wanted to deadpan, but his hands wouldn''t reach his forehead.


    ''It seems I found a ''treasure''... in more than once sense...''


    "Please, stop talking about your butt, I''m literally behind you, if I creep up, those ants will see me, so just keep whispering."


    "Oh, I see... can you help us?" She requested formally, not actually expecting any human beside them to be in this godforsaken ce.


    "How did you get in here?" He inquired, hoping she''d say something useful, but that wasn''t the case.


    "We were captured in the Lindom Forest, the one next to Town of Loup." She exined the same way she''d exin anyone from the neighbourhood.


    He had no idea where the hell that was.


    "I see, I was captured there as well, but managed to escape... currently looking for the exit." He lied swiftly, it would create a lot of questions to say anything else, questioning he didn''t want.


    "It is not easy to escape this ce, this is the Infamous Cave of Sandork, who would have known one of its entrances was located in the Lindom Forest, right?"


    "I have no idea what this Cave of Sandork is... Zebellia?" He mumbled.


    [How can I know? this is my first time in Sandoria, Conqueror... I know as much of this ce as you do...]


    ''Tch!'' He clicked his tongue, refraining from insulting the useless Valkyrie lest his debt increased once again.


    "Who could have said, right? anyway... I''m looking for the exit, I can''t assist you now even if I wanted..."


    "Please help us, we can pay you back!"


    "How much money are we talking about?" Once again the hustling activated itself, he knew not what he could do with this world''s currency, but money is money here or in hell...


    "I-I can hug you?"


    "..."


    Her words hadn''t even finished when Constantine''s head had already sunk inside the soil, he didn''t evenugh at that joke.


    "C-Constantine...?" The girl had awaited his response, she was broke and imprisoned, what else could she offer other than a hug from her strong arms?


    The moment her new acquaintance ignored her, she felt like crying.


    Did he really have to leave like that!?

 Chapter 21 Abandoned Soul I

    "C-Constantine¡­ w-where are you¡­?" Zamora panted, she felt as if her life was stripping away from her body, unaware of how long has t been since hest came.


    Her new acquaintance hade to visit him, ording to him, he said that he was ''looking'' for the exit, and hence why he was still here.


    The two of them had conversations with her mostly giving him information¡­ she felt irritated that he hadn''t yet taken action, but also understood that if he did and failed, theirst hope would bepromised.


    Hence she neverined, not like herpanions? especially the radically bastard Luke whoseints didn''t stop even after the ants pped him shut, at some point sheughed when they speared one of his hands.


    "AHG!! DAMNED ANTS!"


    "Shut up and keep giving us lumen, human¡­ once you have done your fill, don''t worry, we will delight on your corpse~"


    !!!


    The ants weren''t merciful by any means, their intentions were clear.


    ''We''re going to farm you and then¡­ eat you''


    It filled Zamira with apprehension together with her other femalepanion, the girl with the gloves whose name was Anne.


    Both bulky guys were called Andre and Sam respectively, they fought with halberd and hammer, clearly their strong build assisted into wielding such weapons, while in Zamora''s case, a broken swordy beside her at all times, as if to entuate her weakness.


    **


    **


    [Aren''t you going to help them? They look so helpless¡­]


    "Since when do you care?" Constantine was back at his humble shadow, away from the ants, looking at everything, for thest few days he had studied the patterns, he determined the exit to be the one where the bunch of ants were reunited at all times, apparently discussing about their leader, some ant geezer called Forlon, and their apparent rivalry with the green ogres on the other side of the clearing, a few kilometres ahead.


    [I don''t care about them, I care about karma points you''re going to make if you save them~]


    "Throw me your best shot¡­" He rolled his eyes, not even nning to argue with her, he''d just allow her to throw some ridiculous hundred points and them remain silent.


    [A hundred thousand points¡­]


    "¡­" he remained silent for a while as of having heard that wrong.


    "You mean minus?"


    [Plus a hundred thousand points if you save them¡­ doing so will trigger the ants and hence, it will be like the previous deal.] she exined.


    "But wasn''t it twenty thousand for that? Howe now it is a hundred thousand¡­?"


    ''Is that girl a princess or something?'' That''s what he initially thought, but neither of the two looked pretty enough to be princesses, and as hot as the purple haired girl was, her face wasn''t quite there, so why are they so valuable?


    ''Is it the baldy magus?''


    ? [No particr reason, I''m just feeling generous today, if you help them, I''ll give you a hundred thousand cash¡­]


    "What do you mean cash?"


    [Doesn''t that word entice you further? What if I include you being able to look at my body for once?~]


    "¡­"


    She was being so generous that he was convinced something is going on here.


    There is a concealed, trap, danger¡­ maybe those bulky men would want his asster, there must be something!


    But a hundred thousand ''cash'' was enticing, as for seeing her body, sleeping as much as she does, he''s sure she''s some fatty, no interest there whatsoever.


    [I felt you somehow profaned my sacred body¡­ I''ll let this one pass, tell me, will you do it or not, Constantine¡­? Saving them¡­] She eximed once again with some insistence, as if truly desiring for him to save those people.


    "I already made my ns to save them¡­ I could have already squeezed through those tunnels unimpeded, can''t you tell?" He rolled his eyes, these people were the only contact he had so far, it would be sad to allow them to die without extracting more information.


    [But they''re about to die¡­]


    "I have a n, fret not, just let me do my thing¡­"


    [If you wanted to see my body so much, you should have just asked] She smirked at his switch of mentality, it is OBVIOUSLY due to hertest offer.


    ''Hell no!''


    **


    **


    Constantine sat in front of a pit, it was the closest channel to where the humans were located.


    His magic was empty after finishing his creation.


    [What do you intend to do?] Zebellia asked curiously, she had some ideas.


    "Nothing too shy¡­ you see, ground magic is quite useful for a variety of reasons." Chuckling he moved to the next destination and caved yet another pit until his magic ran out.


    Then waited for several hours until his mana recovered and grasped his staff with four spiky sharp needles from the previous crab.


    It stayed a crab.


    "It''s time¡­" He sank deeply into the ground and crawled his way to Zamira''s location through theplex underground channels he had dug prior.


    This ce had nearly be his domain, he made sure to not dig too much, otherwisepromising the foundation of the holes.


    "Zamira!"


    "¡­"


    "Zamira, is me, Constantine!"


    "J-Just leave¡­ I''m about to die anyway, I can feel my life slipping out¡­" She said with a high-lifeless voice.


    He realised that perhaps, his nning did take to long, Zamira was pale and her words contained poison, she was irritated that after several visits, he still didn''t help them, or even called for help.


    She felt abandoned of the only hole she had.


    Constantine looked at the other humans, the bags of lumen were picked up recently.


    [They won''tst two more nights¡­]


    "I don''t have anything to give them¡­ my ns doesn''t count with escaping straight away¡­" He grit his teeth, as always, the only missing consideration of his stratagems was to value human life.<novelnext></novelnext>


    [I can teach you something for a modicum price~] Zebellia''s scam mode activated, he could literally smell the pit he was digging for himself just by considering epting.


    [I''ll teach you a weak healing spell that works with light magic, it is east enough for you to learn, it will help them survive, but¡­ it wille with a price]


    "How many points¡­" He sighed and braced for impact.


    Meanwhile, not hearing Constantine''s words, Zamira bit her lips and resigned to her fate.


    [It won''t cost you points, just a favour¡­ you will owe me a favour which I''ll credit when I believe convenient] there was a concealed glint in her voice, this is clearly a scam, one he can''t easily detect.


    "What kind of favour, at least tell me¡­"


    [That''s not your leisure to take, yes or not?] She said dominantly, not specifying.


    At this stage he''d rather she says she''s taking a few thousand karma points.


    "Very well, teach me that spell¡­" seeing Zamira''s resigned expression, he sighed.


    [Good~ first go to a secluded ce, I have to teach you the principles of vitality¡­ if we use her as a test, she might die, so we''re using you as a test]


    "May my goddess Aurelianne bless me, for my body is in danger¡­" he prayed to his goddess, hoping the life embodiment would protect him against Zebellia''s wicked means.


    s, the goddess was powerless to assist without faith.


    **


    **


    [How is it¡­?]


    "I don''t feel anything different¡­" He clenched his hand back and forth, not feeling anything different.


    She had taught him how to think of light in the form of vitality, like the ''light'' that moves the body.


    A strong energy thates from the core of the body and gives life.


    These were Aurelianne''s Life Laws.


    The speak was called [Sacred Heal] simple¡­ but at the same time, difficult.


    A spell was essentially an instruction, engraved in one''s magic core to repeat without having to apply the same set of images in one''s mind.


    [Usually, weak mages need staffs with Minerals that work as catalysts, but you an elf with the blessing of several goddess, would insult all divine beings if you were to use a staff like that Luke fellow, just focus on the engraved spell in your core.] Zebellia said confidently.


    He did so and received the same result, nothing.


    [Because you have nothing to help dumbo, cut your finger first and then use the spell¡­] The Valkyrie rolled her eyes if she ever could and he did as she asked, cutting his finger until it bled, he used the spell yet again, focusing all his cores in light.


    He slit his finger slightly and then, surprise¡­ it stared to heal.


    "It works¡­"


    Zebellia said no more and he also moved into action.


    ¡­


    "Zamira¡­"


    "Are you still here? Why haven''t you left?"


    [Sacred Healing]


    His hand waved and he cast the spell on her body, Zamira felt the change straight away!


    "Constantine!"


    "Shhh!! Don''t make noise, one of the guards wille in ten minutes, I''ll heal your friends and want you to pretend your severely Ill, after he leaves, that will be the best moment to escape." He said his n, a part of it.


    "Y-You came for us¡­" She smiled, unaware that his spell was healing everything except her lifespan.


    And that included her scarred face.


    The speed was slow, but a sacred healing is a sacred healing.


    "When he leaves, I''m going to break all your shackles and you''re going to run in that direction¡­" He pointed towards a particr channel.


    "To the right, there will be a concealed path, once you''re in, destroy the entrance!" He uttered and before Zamira could even begin to wonder what his n was, he cast the spell three more times.


    He didn''t heal Luke.


    The reaction was instant on Anne and the bulky men, they felt refreshed and sane, but it was a progressive feeling.


    [You need to rest, casting it so many times in a row is taxing¡­]


    "I know, I have ten minutes¡­" He said confident in his n and addressed the girl yet again, all she could see was his dusty face protruding from the ground.


    "Zamira, exin everything to them¡­" He heard the anting, it was time.


    "What about Luke?" She asked with a frown, all she received was his re and she smiled in understanding, glee and ultimately¡­ agreement.


    "I understand, do what you must and¡­"


    "¡­?"


    "Thank you for saving us¡­ for saving me¡­" she smiled and it was then that Constantine caught a glimpse of her face¡­ half of it unblemished and the other half healing.


    But one half was enough.


    "Beautiful¡­ it is nothing." Having had an impression of her countenance, he simply looked aside.


    She was far from being able topare to the most important women in his life.


    Aurelianne and Caroline, Isabe¡­ could stop his heart with a mere gaze.


    Sadly or not, the conqueror is ''beauty-proof''.


    All he hoped was for them to guide him, nothing more.

 Chapter 22 Abandoned Soul II

    "What is going on Zamira!?"


    "I''m healing¡­"


    "Shush! Keep your voice down, listen and do what I say, we can escape this!"


    "What is going on?"


    Before Luke could utter anything else, the steps of the iing ants made themselves known.


    The baldy struggled to maintain his consciousness, his fussy gaze set on his panions''.


    He couldn''t see their recovering faces, and as if in a joint agreement, after Zamira gave them a nod, they understood.


    "Just don''t raise your heads no matter what, pretend you''re unconscious." She whispered, the visage of herrades stopped being tired as they progressively healed, it would bring suspicions to the ants if they were seen, thankfully, the ants didn''t care as much, when they died, they died¡­


    "W-Wait! What aren''t you telling me!?" Luke felt something was odd, why should they pretend?


    "Oh, you''re a stubborn one, yelling as always, magus or not I should just kill you, but then again, you''re the one that produces the most lumen here so, just shut up for a moment like yourpanions, will you?~"


    *BAAANGG!!*


    Luke got a fist square against his jaw from the ant, not the strength of a human, it was the strength of a creature.


    His entire face was flung to the side as he spew blood and along came unconsciousness.


    Zamira sighed in relief, had the fool talked any more, they''d be in trouble.


    The ant passed by, looking at their slumped panting expressions, their gazes couldn''t be seen, as if they forsook life and choose resignation, he smirked amused, took the lumen and off he went, pretending to tell Forlon that the humans only have a few days left before the dishes are served.


    ¡­


    After the ant left, it was instantaneous.


    "Zamira!" Anna yelled, scared¡­ she could feel her own body still weakened by the array, but way stronger than before, what kind of healing spell is this!?


    "J-Just stay clear, we have a helper, he''sing to save us¡­" Zamira said and got questioned about it, telling them that she had been speaking to someone throw thest few days.


    They would have thought she''s going delusional were it not for the spell.


    Minutes passed and turned into hours, but there was no sign of Constantine and Zamira was starting to get scared, did something happen to him? Did he get captured?


    By now she was convinced he''d keep his word, not only did hee back to her, he healed them too¡­ it is impossible he did that for nothing.


    It took two whole hours for Constantine to finally appear.


    "Zamira!"


    "Where were you!?" She asked with utter relief, by now her entire face was fixed out of scars, it was a the pretty countenance of a youngdy, not a girl, her silky yet still dusty purple hair had a few bangs that barely covered one of her blue eyes.


    "Recovering my mana¡­ its time, the ants are unaware¡­ and I was making a few more preparations in the meantime¡­" Constantine said, gazing her face for a little while before his hand snuck forward and took the shackles.


    *WHOOSH!!*


    Fire appeared from his hand, and it immediately triggered the people.


    His figure was covered with a mask made of nts, his ears couldn''t be seen, except for his clear blue eyes that were nearly white, nothing was visible.


    But right now he just used fire, burning the shackles, he''s a magus!


    ''We''re saved!'' They all thought, seemingly not paying attention to how his body sank in the ground, in their minds, he did this by hand, an extremely difficult job, but possible indeed with enough resilience.


    The shackles burned, they burned her skin too, she hissed in pain but took it like a champ, the process repeated four times and then he did the same to the other three.


    "He doesn''t deserve to be saved, what should we do now?" Zamira rubbed her wrist and picked up her sword, careful to not make a lot of movement or else, they''d attract gazes.


    Lukey unconscious, and he''d stay like that, eternally.


    "Thank you for saving us! I''m Anne!" The girl introduced herself and so did the bulky men who immediately nned to hug him!


    As if a phantom he blinked away from them with a weird expression.


    "Please, no hugs¡­" He said, shaking his hands.


    ''Especially from you¡­'' who knows what woulde after the hug, he didn''t even want to imagine.<novelnext></novelnext>


    [I''ll give you ten thousand points if you let them hug you~] Zebellia ''tempted'' him¡­ but to the conqueror, dignity is paramount.


    "Noment from my part¡­" He wanted to curse her but couldn''t, he was so in debt that he could win the biggest lottery and still be broke.


    "I''m going to run and start a fire¡­ cause amotion¡­ while I do that, gazes will be away from you, do as I said and run to that cave, lead them!"


    "Are you going to be okay? Let me help you!" Zamira insisted, the others too wanted to get involved, but he shook his head.


    "Listen, you''re going to get into that cave¡­ and I''m going to lure them away, using my own means I''ll get back to you and we''re out of here, do what I say¡­" He said with a re, those were orders, not suggestions.


    At his dominant tonality they perked up, to them, he looked like a weakling who was fighting his first battle, but the demeanour and the status as a magus were things they couldn''t ignore.


    "Understood, take care of yourself¡­" They started to run straight away, his fierce re fixed on them.


    Those weren''t the eyes of an elf, those were the eyes of a lion.


    [You don''t want any variables¡­]


    "Yes, if they helped me, we could escape in one go, but¡­ I don''t trust them."


    [Why don''t you just go with them and dig a tunnel all the way to the exit?]


    "That would take too much mana, it''s several hundred metres away, and I''d rather do it with the ants'' attention away." He used wind magic to make his steps lighter, easy to do and moved swiftly through the camp beforeing across three particr shacks, he could hear the ants talking inside, and some even¡­ moaning?


    "Eww¡­ thank your god, at least you''re going to die in pleasure." He sighed in disgust and lit up a fire.


    [What are those nts?]


    "Rosemary, my mom used to tell me that those catch fire real quick~" he created them with flora magic and then squished them to produce oil, the one he secretly poured on those shacks.


    [You love your mother a lot, don''t you?] she noticed he used to one way one another, always talk about her teachings.


    "With all my heart¡­ she was a florist." He said simply with a frown, clearly indicating he didn''t want to touch the subject and Zebellia unexpectedly heed.


    It started with a single shack, then two¡­ three, five.


    ''The more distraction the better~''


    *WHOOSHHH!*


    When the fire lit up, the panic was instantenous, with a root covered in fire, the silver rat ran and lit up the entire ce as if it was holiday.


    "FIREE!!!"


    The ants started to concentrate and they all looked at that silver blur with hatred, initially believing the fire could be contained, but the more shacks lit up¡­ the greater the despair.


    "Capture that little rat! He wasn''t dead after all!"


    With a smirk in his gaze, Constantine picked up his spear and ran with an entourage of ants behind, all of them wielding their spear and expecting to take at least a limb out of the rat for themselves.


    Forlon came out of one of the shacks with a gaze filled with hatred, fire lit up his camp from right to left, it expanded through ground channels, the oils served as the medium, the rosemaries as the source.


    It couldn''t be stopped.


    The humans did as Constantine said and destroyed the path to the cave, leaving them in an encased room, not to spacious¡­ they could only wait and hope, otherwise¡­ oxygen would turn into a primal need.


    As chaps wrecked the camp and Constantine squeezed himself in one of the channels, Zebellia regarded everything from this unknown realm.


    It was a gargantuan figure, she sighed and her head rested atop the soft grass,


    Floating above her was a big construct, like a floating crimson sphere with different dots rotating around it.


    A God Spark.


    Said sphere was covered by an immense cloud of negativity, dark fog, but as if time itself served as a barrier¡­ the ck fog was unable to touch the God Spark.


    [Constantine¡­ you could have saved them without causing this much destruction, as expected¡­ I can''t repress your destructive nature¡­] despite the fact that she felt amused at his methods.


    When thinking about the future, that smile disappeared and transformed in concern.


    [No wonder your divine was set to be¡­ the God of War, well, it''s better than the God of Lust]


    She sighed once again in anxiousness and decided to simply look at the scene.

 Chapter 23 Scourge Of Ants

    *FIUUSHH!!*


    Hit and run, guerri tactics, dirty means.


    So long as it allowed him to achieve his purpose, the conqueror would use it without shame.


    His spear pierced through, going through the first ant that dared go through the corner, he had seen this passage several times across the days and he had seen an ant being killed by him the same amount.


    His smile widened as the ant constricted in pain before being lit up mes.


    It''s pained howls deterred the rest from going further inwards, they were ten ants, they had fallen so many times, tripping against the roots on the ground that it was unbelievable.


    In the way, more than five had died already.


    "YOU SLIPPERY RAT!"


    Constantine smirked, that gaze would never leave his sight, he continued running to the next checkpoint.


    [+1000 Karma Points]


    "Ah-?!"


    He stumbled into one of his own roots before even realising what was happening!?


    "Zebellia!!"


    Some of the ants quickly lunged at him, trying to take advantage of his ''mistake''!


    *FIUUSHH!!*!


    He nearly didn''t evade that spear.


    [*cough!*]


    He felt outraged when she finally made a noise, and it was a cough!


    Could she even cough where she is!?


    With a swift kick, he kicked the chest of the ant that was on top of him, crawling backwards he started to run again, panting¡­ this simple thing had disrupted so much of his energy and ns.


    He hated to make mistakes, even if this wasn''t a mistake per say.


    [I''m sorry¡­ it wasn''t my intention] Zebellia spoke with a rather weak voice, but his wrath couldn''t be quenched.


    He was convinced that she wanted him dead!


    ¡­


    With his ns disrupted and momentum lowered, Constantine had to sink into the ground, one of his secret passages once his mana was about to run out.


    Ten ants died, the n was to ughter all of them.


    "Ugh!" He held his bleeding arm, at some point he got injured, his dirty self crawled in the tunnel.


    "How could you? I could have died!" If that spear had been a little more to the right, it would have been his head instead of the poor rock.


    [¡­] Zebellia didn''t say any words.


    Deciding to rest and recover his mana to cast a healing spell on himself, Constantine simply crawled his way to the nextplex of tunnels, he had left marks prior to guide himself in the darkness.


    He couldn''t even use light magic.


    Constantine was enraged with Zebellia, their previous words, to some extent were a charade, he was amused with herpany and he could tell she too enjoyed to be together with him, even if this rtionship of sorts was toxic.


    But right there¡­ it was a direct threat to his life, the meter increased right when hemitted that mistake, let alone he knew exactly where every root was.


    That root had risen more than it had been previously, altered.


    "Why did you do it¡­?" There we''re so many ways he could be punished, or the karma get increased¡­ why at that moment? He was a millimetre away from death.


    Unbeknownst to him, Death aura lingered slightly around his body, he had survived¡­ but it hadn''t been due to his own skills.


    [You have to understand, you''re being punished¡­ whenever the trial decides to punish you is not always in my control¡­ I didn''t bring you to this cave, Constantine¡­.] Her words were clear, she punished him before during his time with Aurelianne, but it wasn''t her decision to send him to this cave.


    "¡­ But it was you who punished me when I was back then with Aurelianne..." he red at the nothingness.<novelnext></novelnext>


    [I did, but your punishment was the frustration you felt, as for sending you here¡­ that was the trial. You will understand everything once you''re a magus¡­] She said¡­ going along their ord, she had to redit him.


    [+100.000 Karma Points]


    "I hope you will exin everything then, Zebellia¡­" He said fiercely, but his fierceness wouldn''t be met with submissiveness.


    The world stopped and the Valkyrie didn''t take kind to his words.


    It was as if two fierce beasts were having an argument.


    [Hmph! Don''t speak to me like that, even if you nearly died, you have that deserved¡­ I was merely saying¡­ it wasn''t me, I didn''t want your death] having answered that with a surprising stutter, she spoke no more.


    **


    **


    "Ugh!"


    Constantine''s head protruded from the soil and the group couldn''t finally sigh in relief.


    "Constantine!" The first to run after him was Zamira, she tried to pull him up and his body crawled on the soil.


    "Are you okay?" One of the guys asked as everyone encircled him.


    "I''m¡­ okay¡­" He said, panting and holding his spear lest any of them decided to get funny.


    "Thank you very much, but¡­ what are we going to do now? There is barely any air left here." Anna, the other girl, asked.


    "We''re resting for now, then we escape¡­ I have aplex of tunnels, we just have to crawl through, but¡­


    Looking at the bulky men, he didn''t even know if those guys would fit in.


    They understood his gaze and looked troubled.


    "Don''t worry¡­ you will surely fit inside."  He assured, not so confident.


    [Pervert¡­]


    *Pft*


    He shivered but maintained his poker face, Zebellia is still in the shadow zone.


    "I''ll rest for a while, until then, be ready¡­ we might get the beating of our lives if we''re discovered."


    [Not as much as Luke, dude is probably getting impaled as we speak, and not in a good ce]


    Constantine grit his teeth and resisted the urge tough, meanwhile Zebellia, looking at his repressedughter, pouted.


    [Why won''t youugh?]


    "Is that even funny? Keep trying¡­" He mocked.


    [You, with an -F are the most appropriate to gauge whether a joke is funny or not?~]


    He shook his head, still believing those metrics are wrong.


    And if they were calcted with someone with that proficiency in maths, more so.


    [There is something I still don''t understand¡­]


    "What is it?" He deemed himself merciful enough to answer her enquiry, after all, he did think herments were amusing even if he''d not admit it.


    [Why did you cut down all the paths to the clearing? Even the one you were escaping through? All of them closed¡­ wouldn''t you have met a dead end eventually?]


    "Hehe~ no reason in particr¡­ I merely wanted to test¡­ how many of them I could kill with my bare hands¡­ ten it was, nothing more, nothing less¡­" Smirking evilly; hey back and said no more.


    [¡­]


    Zebellia wasn''t convinced by his answer, and she didn''t deem it important enough to keep questioning.


    And even then, she and the group would never realise, for those slim walls were far too efficient in concealing the muted wailsing from the other side.

 Chapter 24 Identity Unveiled: To Trust

    The time to rest was short, heat spread across the small hole,ing from the parallel tunnels together with the corporal heat, the champion''s magic continued producing air, two cores were enough.


    The group eventually stopped regenerating, but the difference was categorical... none of them seemed to notice without mirrors though, the darkness of the encroaching ce was apparent and only some light fire lit up by Constantine made them know each other''s presence.


    By now they had realised that he must have been doing something, but none dared raise their voice except Zamira who unashamedly sat beside him.


    "What magic can you use exactly, is it necessary to cover yourself like that?" The purple-haired woman inquired as they rested, at first she thought it was some sort of camouge, but as time went on and he kept it, she started to wonder until realisation dawned.


    ''So he''s concealing his face as well...'' She sighed in wonder, ''why does he need to do that? he''s clearly a magus...''


    She had been paying too much attention to Constantine to notice the gazes she had been receiving, especially due to her face, being close to her, her expression shone with the me that he lit up, being visible to all of them.


    Still, they ignored this to pay attention to the magus in the room.


    "Yes, you''re our saviour, even if you happen to be a pretty boy, we won''t mock you!" Andre said while smirking, unaware that even his own ''trophies'' were now gone.


    "¡­" Constantine''s gaze moved back and fro between the two of them in confusion.


    ''Why would you mock me for being handsome?'' He stared at them with lifted eyebrows, he took everything as a joke, the way the bulky man said ''pretty boy'' irked him a bit.


    As expected, those bulky guys have something suspicious about them, the farther the better... he even suspected Zamira and Anne.


    No ass is safe in this world apparently.


    ''I want out¡­'' Constantine thought with grief if he could be back with his wives if only he could be back with his goddess, in the end, he decided to simply answer what was most logical.


    "I don''t like showing my face, as for my magic¡­"


    "You used fire magic before, but then¡­ this air, you''re creating it too, right? are you a dual element!?" Anne asked with a shining lustre in her eyes.


    She answered for him and unexpectedly saved him in that one, he nned to include Earth magic there too, but seeing she didn''t mention it, he didn''t either.


    He didn''t want to show too much, moreover, if they were already this surprised with merely two elements¡­


    "Yes, wind and fire¡­"


    "That''s surprising, it''s unusual to hear of someone with those two elements, it''s usually water and wind, or earth and fire¡­" Andremented and the rest nodded in approval, feeling slightly hot as the subtle smell of smoke seemed toe from the other side, only to be washed away by the renewing wind gales.


    "In any case, roughly ten minutes from now we''re going inside the cave channels, just follow my lead, the distance between us and the exit cave is not much, I have already dug most of the tunnel but it is not enough, theyers are slim which means any thoughts or movement will be felt, don''t get us killed¡­" he warned the group who simply nodded and decided to just rest since the uing hours would surely be difficult.


    Technically he didn''t have to save them anymore since Zebellia had already increased his karma points, but¡­


    ''Might as well go to the end and have them guide me to the surface, I need someone to assist me into knowing more of this world, and those creatures clearly won''t...''


    As they rested, Zamira sat closely next to him and initiated a conversation.


    "You''re the shy type, aren''t you?" She didn''t know what else to say, the boy was unapproachable, containing the arrogant demeanour only a magus could get yet still being extremely more bearable than Luke.


    "Not really, I just don''t feel like talking¡­ this is a dire situation, we must stay focused." He said, not trying to dwell further.


    But she nned to continue.


    "Are you from the town of loup or somewhere else? I haven''t heard of any dual magic user there, you''d surely be in the capital already, what rank are you?" Each question was asked with more intensity with the previous.


    "I don''t like being questioned, Zamira" He said sternly and he made her yelp slightly, as if by instinct, realising something¡­ she touched her face several times.


    He wondered why his answer would garner such a response from the woman; unaware that she attributed his cold attitude towards herself, to her appearance, but not for the right reasons.


    "M-My scars!?" She yelled, taking the attention from everyone in the room while Constantine nodded, her countenance had indeed been cleaned out of scars, pretty indeed.


    "Yes, they''re gone, you''re beautiful." He said naturally, but nothing could prepare him for thedy''s response to this situation, even the others seemed to cheer her!


    "N-No!" She hurriedly took her broken sword and pointed it at her face!


    !!!


    *PA!*


    He pped the sword away the moment he caught her intentions!


    "What are you trying to do!?" He yelled madly, her actions had been so swift and remorseless that they left him dumbfounded, she just tried to slice her face apart!


    "I-I have to, otherwise-"


    "Otherwise what? were you nning to injure yourself?!" He even kicked the sword away to make sure, utterly bewildered at her actions.


    [What''s wrong with her?]


    Even Zebellia wondered what kind of odd turn of events was this, perhaps she had some inner troubles, that''s what she thought, but sensing the odd gaze on the group, she figured something more must be going on.


    "Y-You¡­" seeing his reaction, the rest looked at him strangely, as if the only one out of tone was himself.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Constantine looked at the other girl, she had no scars either, but she wasn''t pretty¡­ in fact,  looking closely, she was ugly.


    His me lit up their faces, most of their scars were gone, in the case of the bulky men, well... theirs looked qualitatively betterpared to before, but they still had a long way to go... his reaction was natural, but Zamira''s wasn''t...


    The more the silence permeated, the more confused he was.


    "Your scars are gone as well, Anne, and you two... you''re looking better too, what''s the problem with that?"


    !!!


    His answer seemed to have caused inherent chaos within the group as they all touched their faces in realisation.


    His first test was to lower his own mask slightly, it was made out of leaves.


    He didn''t show his ears, only his face to them.


    It was instant. They all stopped their chaos to look at him as if he was some sort of wet rat.


    "A-As expected he''s just some pretty bo-" Andre''s expression contorted in disgust that onlysted a moment before he realised who he was speaking about!


    "Shhh!!" The other bulky guy immediately shut his mouth!


    Anne too was evading his gaze.


    ''What the hell!?'' If there is anything in this world the conqueror is confident about is his face and girt *cough* GRIT!


    He regarded the shocked Zamira whose gaze never left his until she couldn''t¡­ eventually, however, she steeled herself to ask a question that she knew was sensitive.


    "A-At least you''re a dual magus¡­ but us¡­ Constantine, you''re not human, are you?" Zamira asked with a curious glint moreover, her words seemed to convey the thoughts of everyone.


    She never seen someone''s expression morph like this in her life, it was as if the person she had met not too long ago transformed into a different entity.


    ¡­


    Constantine took his spear and they immediately grew alert.


    "Please wait!"


    He lunged at Zamira first!


    *WHOOSHH!!*


    She miraculously evaded the spear that went through her hair, fiercely sinking in the soil!


    The rest of the group retreated and didn''t even think of helping her, they''re in front of a dual magus who is likely not even human, as far as they''re concerned, without their weapons, they''re cannon fodder.


    Meanwhile, Constantine''s gaze contained nothing but killing intent.


    He didn''t know what he did, what he said¡­ what facial expression, what lifted eyebrow¡­ but he did something that allowed them to realise he was not human, at least notpletely human... the reaction of the ants before served to tell that elves weren''t quite appreciated around here.


    And the consequences of that were not something he was willing to test after havinge out of death not too long ago.


    ''I''d rather erase you now before I get stabbed in the back!''


    "Please, let me talk!" Zamira realised she had made a mistake, but by the time her words faded, the spear was already about to pierce her neck!


    "¡­"


    He stopped.


    Zamira''s expression wasn''t that of fear.


    "Please, you saved my life... I''m not going to harm you, let''s talk alright? I don''t know what you are, but I won''t hurt you... I swear on my honour as a knight!" She raised up both of her hands in a sign of peace, not even touching one of the spear''s stings that were poking her neck, drawing out blood.


    ''¡­ Knight''


    His blue eyes ran around the others, they were scared and shivering, different from Zamira''s determined gaze.


    [More than anyone you should know that an Empire is not formed without trust...]


    "You want me dead too, why should I follow your advice?" His voice was cold, not a shadow of the Constantine that had previously ''bantered'' with her.


    But then, hers grew serious too.


    [I told you, I don''t desire your death¡­ It is your decision in the end... right now, allowing them to live is your best option]


    "¡­"

 Chapter 25 Netherdepths Of Sandork I

    There was silence; with the capacity of hearing nothing but their own palpitations, the four humans and the half-elf remained silent.


    Constantine considered his options for a long time, but as much as he wanted toe clean and erase all possible threats, there were more reasons to leave them alive than reasons to ughter them in this hellhole.


    He removed the spear and Zamira sighed in relief like she had never done before in her life.


    "B-Brother, we won''t do anything to you either, in fact¡­ we won''t even ask¡­" One of the bulky guys who had underestimated hisplexion before now regarded him with apletely different light.


    "No asking about my origin, no asking anything¡­ you will all answer my questions and once we''re outside, we part ways, understood?" His voice was firm, the failure toply with these demands was... death.


    "Yes¡­" Zamira answered after dusting herself off and rubbing her bleeding neck.


    "What is this ce, where are we?" His questions didn''t make themselves wait, without the need to keep pretentious, his main objective was to get information about this ce.


    However, his question once again produced a round of shivering.


    "This is the mythical Netherdepths of Sandork¡­ I can''t tell you that much about this ce as we ourselves happened to coincide with this, please believe us, it is the truth!" Zamira answered with apprehension, aware that it would only increase his suspicions due to its insidious nature, she might not be wanting to reveal anything.


    And indeed, Constantine''s re made them know he wasn''t happy with that answer.


    [Sandork...?]


    "She''s saying the truth! we were going through the Lindom Forest when we found the entrance to the cave, it wasn''t there before¡­ or at least, I, the one that has spent the most time in that forest hadn''t seen it ever. We entered to investigate and were captured by those ants shortly after! We only know this to be their of that Joker God due to the stctites!" The scared trio immediately started to wave their hands back and forth in front of his ring, trying to exin the situation.


    "And how do you know how this ce is called if you have never been here, do you think I''m stupid?" He growled trying to find their lies.


    "I told you, we have records in the Community Library, those stctites are ''Blood of Sandork'' the Joker God, we saw them first in possession of those ants, that''s how we know where we are, but... we have no idea how to escape..." Zamira said with dejection, hoping his exnation would be enough for him.


    "..."


    "Do you know any ''Sandork'' Zebellia?" He mumbled for the Valkyrie to hear.


    [I know of a Sandork... a renowned Higher God a few hundred thousand years ago... but he would never be depicted as a ''joker''... so it must be someone else, they seem to be saying the truth, however, the stctite those ants had before did seem like a shard holding divinity, and it is also the same one that exploded upon contact.] Zebellia didn''t have much to say on the subject either, except for what she could analyse by watching his movements.


    The four humans awaited their verdict, but just going by his softened gaze, they knew they''d make it alive out of here, or at least, that''s what they hoped.


    "How are my cores?"


    [1st Ether Magic Core: 100%]


    [2nd Ether Magic Core: 100%]


    [3rd Ether Magic Core (Wind): 92%]


    [4th Ether Magic Core (Wind): 91%]


    **


    **


    "Prepare yourselves, we''re leaving... and if you''re going to cut your faces down, do it after we leave for god''s sake..." He groaned, with his cores already replenished, there was no reason for him to stay here.


    They all nodded in relief.


    Constantine wanted them to go first, but it was impossible, the one that has to dig the hole is himself and hence, whilst groaning, he gave his back to a bunch of strangers, feeling relief only in the fact that they needed him to survive and hence wouldn''t pull out any nonsense.


    While his imagination ran amok, the expression of humans was totally opposite to the wicked mask he seemed to ce them in.<novelnext></novelnext>


    They crawled through the channels, he had already known where the exit tunnel was, only needing to reconnect them, it would take a few hours, but he had enough mana to do so.


    "Why do you want to scar your face?"


    He asked suddenly even if to not remain in this awkward silence along the way, the bulky guys were struggling to go through, but they eventually managed after he made the holes a little wider.


    "There are many reasons... the main one is that... you''re likely to be discriminated as a human if you don''t look ''rude''..."


    "Ah?" He stopped abruptly, what kind of nonsense is that?


    "Yes, if you have a beautiful face and frame such as yours... people will think you''re just cking... our years of life are so short, you will be seen wrongly for not using them adequately, also... the best way to help our families, if you''re not a magus, which we are not, is to be a knight or a mercenary... and if you''re not looking like us, you''re not in." Zamira exined with gritted teeth.


    "There are also the ones from the scarred cult... if you''re caught wandering by them without at least ten... they will ''scar'' you... that''s how I got most of mine." Andre exined too with poisoning out of his mouth.


    "I-If you don''t look rude y-you won''t be getting chosen to procreate either, nobody wants weak children with a bad genealogy." Anne said with shyness.


    "..."


    ''What the fuck kind of world did I end into?''


    "Of course, everything is different if you''re a magus, although you might still be disdained for looking ''pretty''... everyone will still want you as magus are simply rare, and some like you... dual elements... that''s just one in a hundred magus, however... all magus tend to head to the Empire''s Royal Capital and never stay in the outskirts..." She said and all the others nodded in eptance, this seems to bemon knowledge.


    Constantine and Zebellia were simply processing everything.


    "There they''re chosen to marry with the imperial family, or if they''re stronger and have a lot of potential... they''re sent to marry anyone in the Elven Kindom or the Wolf Empire... everything for the sake of producing half breeds, those bastards only want our magic of the elements!" Zamira exined, gauging his reactions... but by the end of her sentence, there was clearly wrath in there.


    "I see..."


    Constantine thought that this world was quiteplicated,pletely different from the world he was in prior, the home of his empire.


    ''So in this world, you''re discriminated if you''re pretty? that''s why she was trying to scar her face? moreover... scarred cult?''


    "Can you tell me more of this scarred cult?"


    "They''re a group of psychos that have existed for several thousand years, their group''s size has vastly decreased, they worship the Scarred God, Dior... sadly, due to their leader always being an individual of great strength, usually at the peak of the Grand Magus; they''re allowed to do as they please in the Empire, saying that scarring us will ''please'' Dior and he will assist us In the war against the Demons, pure trash!"


    Anne took it upon herself to exin, but by the time her words finished, it was as if she realised the words she said and started to shiver!


    "P-Please, don''t tell them I said that..."


    "I won''t..." He assured thedy, tempted to actually do so when the timees just to see what reactions would he garner from the infamous cult.


    [I haven''t heard of any God called Dior. He, she or it... must be some runt wannabe Higher God ascended in Sandoria. Hmph! He''s likely dead and those fools are worshipping a dead god.] The valkyrie mocked heartily.


    "..." He said no words, the woman talks about Gods as if they''re infants.


    ''What''s the point of acting all mighty if you don''t even know maths..'' He mocked inwardly, making sure to not say a single word, the guys had already been looking at him weirdly as if he has some narcissisticplex to talk with himself.


    [*SNORT!*]


    [-20 Karma Points]


    ''So... I have no privacy?''


    [You don''t...]

 Chapter 26 Netherdepths Of Sandork II

    With an annoying smirk, shivering lips and a resolute gaze, Constantine decided that enough was enough.


    He already had enough intel about the awful Valkyrie to deduce a few things.


    His silence only served to irk Zamira who desired to know more about him, or even tell him some more information about their empire... his reactions, hisck of information, everything drew a picture of her saviour within her mind.


    Meanwhile, Constantine argued on his own battlefield.


    ''So¡­ this is a world where I''m going to be discriminated against for being handsome and looking a... and I quote ''pretty boy''; aside from that¡­ I have no privacy, correct?''


    [That is correct.] Zebellia didn''t make herself wait, in fact, her tonality sounded amused.


    ''You could hear my thoughts all along¡­''


    [I could.]


    ''But you didn''t say anything.''


    [I wanted you to look like a fool in front of others~] The Valkyrie clearly didn''t know her own limits if ever she had any.


    ''Fair enough, I can deal with it, however... now in a different tone, focusing... I want you to write in my personal note that I must ughter this God Dior and this cult for sullying the beauty of this world''


    ...


    There wasn''t even a single stutter in Constantine''s voice.


    [Excuse me?] The Valkyrie asked in disbelief, the naturality with which the sentence was said, didn''t diminish its impact and of course, she would have to react ordingly.


    ''Did you hear me stutter? I said write it in my personal note¡­ you''re my secretary, aren''t you?~''


    And there it was, theeback.


    [B-But] He didn''t stutter, but she did... the proud divine being nned to back off.


    ''No buts, are you¡­ a divine and prominent being; not going to abide by her words, have you no honour at all!?'' His voice contained utter disdain, the tone of an emperor looking from above at a peasant, both being individuals with distinctive degrees of honour, her being apparently superior... how dare she go back on her words!?


    [¡­] The Valkyrie was ''hands'' tied.


    For a long time as he crawled there was silence, each second of silence did nothing but further curl up his lips as a solemn aura spread through his mind.


    ''You used the wrong word, right?'' The Conqueror -having once again conquered an argument- said naturally, no remorse whatsoever.


    [I did¡­ I should have used-] The woman could no longer ignore his words, but he wasn''t nning on letting go of this opportunity.


    ''ve or servant¡­ I would have hoped, but we can''t go back in time and therefore, should be content with our lot, right Zebellia?''


    [¡­ Shameless]


    ''Ha... Haha! No... you definitely beat me there, so sit down tight and start writing¡­ Kill that God Dior and ughter that cult, they''re not needed in my future empire.''


    ...


    Once again there was silence until the Time Valkyrie resigned to her new fate, now she has a role and has to abide by it, her divine honour on the line.


    [Okay¡­ I will- w-wait, Empire?]


    ''Stablish my own Empire, make sure to write that as well¡­ and I hope your handwriting is not as bad as your maths, otherwise, you''re writing it again.''


    [¡­ aren''t you even going to say thank you?]


    ''Since when does a boss have to thank his secretary? that''s your job''


    [...]


    **


    **


    The hours passed and there was just crawling, heat, ustrophobia and limited amounts of air, Constantine had to create it for them aside from using earth magic to dig, it was taxing, but despite everything, that sinning smile never left his expression.


    "Ugh!" The group grunted and crawled out of the small hole one by one.


    There was finally a breakthrough, Constantine''s calctions came to fruition.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "H-How did you do it?"


    "Uh, algebra?"


    "Algebra? What is that? Some sort of sorcery?"


    ''No wonder, Zebellia.''


    [Bastard! I know maths very well, stop with your nonsense! a one time mistake, ONE TIME!]


    ''Haha, sure¡­'' The poison was already spewed, and he would not rest until the valkyrie''s honour, soul, body and mind were tainted.


    ...


    Once again there was a period of rest, crawling down for hours, his cores were once again empty, and if something he would not allow was to ce himself in a vulnerable situation again with his back to his enemy; spear in hand he leaned against a wall with all of them in his visual perimeter.


    "You really won''t allow us to ask you any questions?" Zamira was dying to ask, but since he said no, she wanted to respect him.


    "Not now, we reached the main channel, you all better be prepared because I don''t know whatys ahead."


    If there was someone he had a good opinion of in this group it was Zamira, the natural bias a man can have towards a beautifuldy, but Constantine was not an idiot.


    If something he knew as a womanizer, is that the most beautiful ones are also the most dangerous.


    Yet the woman disdained her beauty, moreover... her actions, expressions and even willingness to assist her group whilst the others didn''t even try to assist her when pinned by his spear were events shocking enough to tell him what kind of people he was dealing with.


    If there was anyone to trust, it was her.


    The group nodded and started to rest, but the otherdy of the group, Anne... was quick to point towards their back after feeling a sudden heat and rustling from behind.


    "T-That¡­" Anne pointed towards the path behind them, there, smoke wasing out from several of the fissures and if one looked closely, something was protruding.


    A scorched hand of one of the ants.


    !!!


    While the group was shocked in bewilderment, Constantine''s gaze was calctive.


    "So they reached that far, it seems I didn''t make them thick enough." He said, referring to the wall.


    ''That or those ants are extremely good at digging, which is likely the case...''


    "I have another question, this ''Blood of Sandork'' is it valuable?" He referred to the big piece of stctite that the big baddy ant had, which is likely still inside that ursed clearing of the cave.


    At his enquiry, there was a variety of reactions from the group, but most of them were greed...


    "It is extremely valuable, a single gram can get you a hundred gold coins in any exchange shop of the empire, the joker god left his blood, literally as a joke... most of the mineral is extremely vtile; exploding upon contact, but the ones that don''t explode have an immense amount ofpressed mana, Lumen, moreover, wisps of divinity are still inside, they''re treasures graves by alchemists and witches." One of the bulky guys leaned against the wall and spoke what he knew, having the others nod.


    "What can it be used for? why would it be valuable for them?" He was only gauging whether it was worthy toe back for those things, or perhaps... even take them from here straight away.


    For some reason, they all redirected their gazes at Anne as if she was the one who would likely know the answer to this question.


    "To produce catalysts for arrays, potions to breakthrough the magus ranks, even heal soul injuries¡­ they have plenty of uses all over the empire and even beyond, two days ago we saw the leader of those ants hold one that weighted at least ten kilograms¡­ the value of such a piece is incalcble, it won''t be sold merely by its price in weight!" She answered after some consideration, her eyes were even shining with emotion and also, regret...


    Regret at the fact that they entered this miraculous cave and were about to leave empty-handed.


    He remained silent, considering his options, truthfully her words triggered his greedier side, but it wouldn''t be able to overshadow his reasoning, Zamira''s words however served as thest push forward.


    "The Netherdepths of Sandork are a miraculously sculpedplex of caves that are extremely difficult to ess, right now we are merely at the ''surface''... their entry points vary and it is said that the joker god created a ridiculously immense array only to conceal its existence, yet... its dangers are equally devastating... as much as we''d like to investigate, going further down would only result in death, even for someone like you... those ants are one of the weakest tribes living here" She tried to convince him from the thoughts that were likely lurking in his mind presently.


    "I see..."


    ''But that won''t stop me from taking at least one of those stctites with me... if what the guy says is the truth, then the entrance of this cave is somehow not always the same...''


    He had a hard time coping with that nuisance, how could the entrance of a cave move?


    Every argument turned watery before his magic, this is no longer amon world.


    This is Sandoria.

 Chapter 27 Higher Realms Strife I

    The Space Realm, a primal regiment of the universe''s entire space, the distribution of the stars and worlds who continued to thrive each day, unaware of a primal force that allows its existence... shrouding amidst the endless realms was a ce belonging only to an ultimate entity, but this ce was currently unstable.


    And it had been for such a long time, its citizen lived in silence, thirteen they were... a single one missing.


    A flying castle travelled in the void as if surfing the endlessness, but this castle was empty, its Queen having not appeared for long in any physical manifestation.


    "Nova¡­ I''m here" a voice, it contained the wisps of panting and wrath in it, overwhelming indeed, but fussypared to the might of the endless space.


    *WHOOSH!!*


    Torrents of void moved through the universe like the currents of the sea, distributing the endless realms in movements that would take millions of years, but for the entities residing here, it was a mere second.


    In a ce where time a space worked in disarray, ultimately, both forces were fated to work together to maintain a bnce.


    But as the elegant yet wrathful voice resonated in the void, a shining bright light appeared.


    It began with a single seed, the roots spread from it at a ridiculous speed, something only a divine being was capable of, the tree formed from the nothingness, taking a humanoid form, its size¡­ greater than a small.


    "Aurelianne¡­" It was a distressed voice, it was bereft of the majesty that belonged to the entity uttering it.


    In front of this humanoid tree with a slender figure, beautiful countenance and seductive shape, a majestic fog appeared; so big in fact, that it covered the endless stars,pletely dwarfing the size of that ''small'' tree.


    But this fog wasn''t lifeless.


    "He-" Aurelianne, or better said, the gigantic tree of life, Vita¡­ was the first to talk, but as if omniscient, the fog already knew everything and some more.


    "Say no more¡­" Overwhelming wrath, something even Aurelianne couldn''tpare to, she couldn''t do anything more than simply stay silent in front of this might.


    "¡­"


    "My Keres, hail..."


    *RUMBLE!!!*


    *RUMBLE!!*


    ...


    One by one, in front of the gigantic tree, twelve figures appeared, as if space itself was contorting, they were small, six men and six women... all with white hair and wearing robes, their appearances too regal for this world.


    "We heed, her exalted being¡­" The figure in the middle said, a man with an elderly appearance and closed eyes as if the world itself was not worthy of seeing his eyes, aside from heeding the orders of his queen, he didn''t care about anything else...


    One of his eyes opened briefly to give the gargantuan tree a nce, the eye contained endless stars, only a brief stare before closing down again.


    "Aubrey, Toki has broken his deal¡­ we charge to the Time Realm!"


    Nova, the Higher Goddess of Space, wasn''t ying around.


    The man exhaled, still with his crossed arms, exhaled a deep solemn breath just as the other figures regarded one another inplication.


    Regardless of opinion, her majesty''s orders were absolute, even if the universe itself had to stop.


    They didn''t need exnations, reasons¡­ so long as a Nova said a word, countless realms would fall, myriad gods would perish, but not a single second would trascend.


    For time and space have halted.


    "SPATIAL KERES! FOR THIS MOMENT, WE WAR!!" He yelled, his voice producing shockwaves across the space as the rest of the figures opened their mouths as well.


    "AAAAHHHHHH!!!"


    *FIUUSH!!*


    It was a mere second, but with a single disturbance, The higher Goddess took her entire entourage across the universe... with the Spatial Keres and the Higher Goddess of Space ceasing their unstoppable work, the universe stopped.


    It was time for her to face her husband, The Higher God of Time, Toki.


    **


    **


    Across the universe, a majestic realm, perhaps even greater in luxury than the space realm, was the ce where the Monarch of Time resided.


    He sat on a chair made of gold, but it wasn''t any gold¡­ myriads threads could be seen entangling, merging.


    Time threads formed not only his throne but his robes too.


    Toki''s expression was hideous with myriad thoughts, despite that, everything was okay so far... until he felt it.


    !!!


    In front of him, there was a gigantic door, something to be for a mere ''human'' to go through.


    But contrary to expectations a female entered casually before kneeling.


    Her hair was a mix of silver and purple, long until it reached her legs, she had three horns contorted in different shapes, pointing in different directions, two long Angel-like purple wings and a regal dress.


    "Time Valkyrie of the First Order¡­ what has interrupted your slumber? is it my wife?" Despite his visible grief, Toki greets the female with a smile, his most loyal soldier, the second strongest being in this realm.


    He had already felt space halt, it was only a clear indication, that Nova has departed the Space Realm.


    "My lord¡­ Her Majesty Nova intends to visit our realm, however... I am afraid she doesn''te on her own..."


    The moment that name was mentioned, Toki''s eyes shivered with splendour and infatuation, but the following words twitched his eyes.


    "Is it Aurelianne?"


    The Valkyrie nodded and raised her head, but her words weren''t finished, boundless aura started to leave her body.


    "That''s wonderful¡­ but, why didn''t she-" He tried to say why didn''t she just contact him directly, and why did the other Keres stop their work as well... but the answer to his enquiries came abruptly.


    "My lord, all of the Spatial Keres areing with her!"


    !!!


    He wasn''t dumb enough to not know the implications of this, the previous happiness contorted into poison, but his wife wasn''t nning on giving him any respite.


    With a thunderous voice, her intent spread across the entire Time Realm.


    "TOKI! COME OUT!"


    *RUMBLE!*


    Her words resonated like two crashings, thunderous and mighty, even for the Higher God of Time.


    It certainly wasn''t a peaceful marriage, but even for Toki, his wife''s voice contained nothing but poison, he knew the reason and prepared to face her.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Lemenia, call the others¡­ it''s happening again." He said solemnly and stood u from his throne.


    *RUMBLE!*


    As if moving through the tendrils in time, his movements were faster than his words, the Valkyrie of the first order heed her instructions and her body started to morph into something regal, but also¡­ frightening.


    ¡­


    The purple fog had already settled in the time realm, frightening all the citizens... unlike the Space Realm with only thirteen individuals who conformed to it, the Time Realm was a colossal mass ofnd, epassed with great entourages... their job was a difficult one.


    Control the tendrils of time.


    However, the purpose of their divinity could only be fulfilled if the Space Realm was performing its endeavour correctly, s... that was not the case now.


    With Space, Time stopped as well.


    Hundreds of thousands of gods couldn''t help but nce above to the purple shadow swallowing the whole world, and together with her, twelve beings no longer looked like friendly-looking sages, their bodies seemed to be wrapped by space itself... let alone the gargantuan tree of life could better bebelled as the Tree of Death with the overwhelming killing intent it was releasing.


    The Space Goddess is here, sadly¡­ it doesn''t seem to be a happy asion, because beside her there are thirteen figures.


    The pressure of the Space Keres fell on this world like a mountain falling on a tundra, crushing everything in their way andying their intentions clear.


    WAR.


    ...


    But they wouldn''te to this ce as if it was their backyard, an entourage of gargantuan figures came to receive them uncordially.


    They were mares... all of them, but each one releasing the tyrannical aura that could only counter space, one of the primal forces of the universe, each of them having roughly the size of a small star.


    Time.


    The Valkyries, seven of them, although fewer in numberpared to the Keres, disyed might so high that it stopped all of them in their tracks.


    The leader of the Keres, Aubrey... ced his sharp gaze on the biggest of the gctic mares.


    Valkyrie of the first order, Lemenia, the only one that could be called his ''equal''.


    The two gctic silhouettes came face to face... none of them wanted war, but hundreds of millions of years of resentment were clear in those eyes.


    "Aubrey¡­ unbound your divinity, this is my Time Realm¡­" Lemenia uttered, her words containing battle intent, raging at the prospect of fighting the entity before her.


    "Your lord has crossed a line he shouldn''t, Lemenia. You either fight or get lost..." The same battle intent was given back from Aubrey''s gaze, even if both parties didn''t want this fight from a political standpoint.


    Personally, they wanted nothing more than to tear each other apart.


    *RUMBLE!!*


    His gigantic hands raised up and produced two gargantuan ck holes as easily as flickering his eyes.


    "You and your Space Realm don''t want this fight..." Lemenia repeated, and just like him, her power manifested itself in the form of timeflows, were it necessary, she''d not forsake her lord''s honour.


    Thankfully, the main host wouldn''t allow these two titanic beings to fight right away.


    "Stop, you two..." Toki said, his figure so smallpared to those two figures that it was almost imperceptible, but the might of an abstract being was there.


    "My lord..." Lemenia retreated, Aubrey didn''t... but Toki''s might was not something he could resist on his own, however... the purple fog covered him protectively, like a warm omnipotent mantle covering from the storms.


    "Lord Toki, unless her majesty says the word, I don''t intend to retreat..." Aubrey wouldn''t back off even when facing Toki''s tyrannical gaze, even then, he had to speak respectfully to one of the universe''s top entities.


    "Nova, what is the meaning of this? why this hostility...? what have I done to you?!" Toki regarded the entire stopped realm, the entire universe hade to a standstill due to this argument, Nova''s hatred was as clear as day, and although he knew, why... he''d not ept it.


    "Don''t pretend, Toki... you didn''t abide by our deal..." Nova''s voice resonated with poison, she didn''t need to give further exnation.


    The Space Goddess refused to show her humanoid form, instead... she showed her TRUE form, the purple fog.


    Aurelianne floated forward, the valkyries looked at this minor goddess in disdain, but being covered by Nova''s purple haze, they didn''t dare underestimate her.


    "What did I do?! He has been sent to Sandoria as we orded!" Toki avoided Aurelianne''s hatred-filled expression and addressed Nova directly, he didn''t care about anyone else currently, only his wife was in his eyes.


    "Why is there a Time Valkyrie with him!?" Nova began her usations, and they were stunning.


    !!!


    "Ah?" Toki asked, momentarily stunned.


    "WHY IS ZEBELLIA OF ALL PEOPLE WITH HIM?!"


    *RUMBLE!!!*


    Nova released her entire might, and if the gods of the Time Realm were able to at least hear before, now... they were frozen too, only the major existences of this world were still able to perceive past the time-space axis.


    Let alone Toki, even the Time Valkyries and the Space Keres stopped for a moment, they didn''t understand most of what was being said, but the name ''Zebellia'' was one they knew very well.


    ''The troublemaker?''


    ...


    The Goddess of Space is enranged like never before...


    Meanwhile, Toki stood there... looking at the purple palpitating fog in disbelief... until his gaze morphed into a smirk, a very wicked one that even Nova felt irked with.


    "I see... yes, I sent her with him." He dered.


    "WHY?!"


    "It is for our daughter''s sakes of course~"


    "... Stop your li-"


    "He has a lot of bad karma, Nova... a man like him brings nothing but trouble to this universe, me giving him a chance of being with our daughters is already beyond my scope of reason! I only sent her to keep an eye on him... that''s all... why? could it be that some unforeseen event happened so soon?" The more he spoke the more poisonous his words turned until by the end he was looking at Aurelianne with a re.


    "..." The Goddess of Life red back but wasn''t able to say anything, not in front of all these people.


    *RUMBLE!!!*


    Seeing his gantry and wickedness, Nova was prepared to engage and the Space Keres followed her will.


    This discussion wasn''t going to end friendly.


    But an uninvited guess woulde to save the universe, once again...


    "A million years and you two are once again at each other''s throats as the universe shivers... I am too old for this shit..."

 Chapter 28 Higher Realms Strife II

    The thunderous voice only served to leave this world even more standstill.


    Aside from Toki and Nova, in this universe... only a handful of individuals could still move, and those that weren''t here could only release a sigh before heading to the epicentre of this strife.


    *WHOOSH!*


    A gargantuan space gate opened in front of them, covering endless stars... a creature so big that all of them looked like infants, came out.


    It was a Dragon... two long white wings unfolded and covered the entire realm, its skin as white as a sheet of paper, imposing demeanour and equally devastating gctic-like eyes.


    "Paradox Under the Shade, Dragon God Gntis..." Toki groaned between respect, fear and contemtion.


    Before the Dragon God was able to express himself, however... several other gates opened by his side, all over the realm, dozens of them... each of them an individual whose existence was equivalent to the others in this area.


    Higher Gods.


    Each one uses its ownw, its own method of transportation...


    "The two of you are at it again... let me get my appetizers," One of them with a long golden trench coat said, he seemed to regard everything in amusement.


    "I came here for holidays, but might leave if the two of you keep up with this nonsense." Another one groaned, and this particr individual had both Nova and Toki re at him with hatred.


    "Don''t be too hard on the couple..." The Dragon God finally spoke, contrary to his imposing body, his voice was rather easy-going and more than wanting to apply pressure on the higher gods,


    "Gntis, is it still affecting the borders of your universe?" The second individual spoke with a mocking grin, the dragon merely lifted his eyebrows before answering.


    "Let alone my borders, I can feel Nova''s wrath from my very cave... what are you doing here, Centrino?"


    "Merely sightseeing, and expecting someone... or some women to be exact~" Centrino''s gaze roamed all over the Time Realm as if looking for someone.


    *RUMBLE!*


    before Nova and Toki could scream in outrage, a wave was released from Gntis, it covered the entire universe... and then, aside from the three of them, this time even the other higher gods, Spatial Keres and Time Valkyries were frozen.


    "You should all leave, Gntis... this matter has nothing to do with you" Toki began while Nova remained there floating in her purple fog, she rotated her powers and Aurelianne who had been frozen in time and space, regained her consciousness too.


    "Don''t say that when you have already stopped this entire universe with a mere argument... what is it this time?" Gntis spoke with annoyance, expecting an exnation.


    "Since when are you our marriage counsellor, Gntis? get back to your cave!" Toki was too wrathful to realise who he was raising his voice against.


    "Is that a challenge, Toki?" The Dragon''s voice no longer sounded friendly.


    "..."


    "Your strife is reaching my universe like thest time... and you should be well aware... that I don''t like intrusions in my territory."


    "We''re sorry, Gntis... but this still doesn''t give you the right toe here and act like a judge..." Contrary to Toki, Nova addressed the Dragon with respect, but also gantry, if there was to be a fight here, the winner would be inconclusive, and although the same oue could be expected in a fight between Gntis and Toki, thetter was a pacifist, something she was not.


    "Nova, are you not going to speak?" Gntis didn''t take offence, rather, he pressed... all he wanted was this to end.


    For several seconds of silence, nobody spoke until Nova released a sigh and the purple fog contorted into the form of a gargantuan hand that pointed a finger in Toki''s direction.


    "We made an agreement forty years ago... it hasn''t even been a century and he has already broken it!" She began only for Toki to groan.


    *Sigh!* The Dragon released an elderly sigh, its wings moved slowly as itnded onto the nothingness and gave the Time God a bored gaze.


    "And what do you say in your defence... Toki?"


    "I have not broken any agreement, I have sent our son-inw in a test... he is on his trial to be a god and needs to get rid of his karma, everything is going ording to what we orded..." At no point did he look at the Dragon, his gaze fixed on his wife as if expecting to be believed.


    But his lies wouldn''t be believed, not anymore.


    "I merely... ordered one of my valkyries to follow just so I could make sure that he wasn''t nning anything heinous for our daughters... tell me, Gntis, how am I guilty!?"


    "..." The Dragon frowned, if one thing he knew was that aside from their ''marriage'' issues, those two really loved their daughters, and if this was really the case, he didn''t understand why Nova would be against it.


    Something is not adding up.


    Nova and Aurelianne could only grit their teeth, indeed, Toki''s argument made Nova look like an overdramatic vixen and there was little she could say to defend herself.


    "If that is the case, and the Valkyrie is not nning to harm this ''son-inw''... why are you worked up, Nova?" The question she expected came.


    "... That was not a part of the agreement, he was supposed to do the trial on his own, yet this Valkyrie is ying games, she took him away from her private realm when they were... in the middle of something important."


    "Oh...? and that was?" The Dragon asked with curiosity while Toki''s gaze was growing more and more poisonous.


    "Eh..." Nova''s purple fog fluttered...


    "Bonding! We were in the middle of bonding when he was taken away, now I won''t be able to see him again until he has gained his footing in Sandoria, everything due to this valkyrie who wasn''t supposed to involve herself!"


    Aurelianne spoke this time with wrath, still recalling the marvellous nightmare, never in her life had she felt so unfulfilled and empty...


    "... Sandoria?" The Dragon mumbled before throwing that information to the back of his mind.


    "The way I see it, the two of you are exaggerating, how long will it take you to see him again, little goddess? a century? two centuries, for you... that will be like a breath."


    "But not for him!" The tree of life wanted to make her case known and considered, at this stage, Nova remained silent and allowed her to express herself.


    "And could I know what kind of bonding this was, Goddess of Life..." Toki added as if they were in some sort of court.


    "That''s none of your business Toki... get rid of that Valkyrie this instant and we can drop this matter!" Nova, aware that Aurelianne''s wordscked strength in front of Toki, would always face him herself, she made her request to end this ''war'' known.


    "I won''tply... it is our daughter''s security that is at stake!"


    "YOU''RE WELL AWARE THAT YOU ARE NOT DOING THIS FOR OUR DAUGHTERS!"


    "AND YOU ARE!?"


    ...


    "Aish..."  Gntis felt the wrinkles forming by merely listening to this argument, there is something happening in between, but that''s beyond his interest, all he wants is for these two to stop influencing her neighbour universe, Space and Time are powerful and unrestrained forces.<novelnext></novelnext>


    As a being of Space and Time himself, he knows that much.


    *RUMBLE!!!*


    "ENOUGH!"


    "..."


    "..."


    "Nova, you will go back to the Space Realm and continue your slumber... Toki, you shall remain in your Time Realm as for me... I''ll look at this boy for a bit and see if this Valkyrie will truly threaten your ''deal''... you should be content with that... right, Nova?"


    "T-That..."


    "You should be content with that, right, my wife?" Toki insisted on a smile that portrayed that he just had his way!


    "UGH!" A groan of disgust was released by the purple fog, her voice contained endless poison as if she wanted to ughter Toki right now.


    "Aurelianne, we''re leaving..." That''s all she could say in front of the Paradox Dragon.


    *FIIUSSH!!*


    With a single thought, the Space Goddess together with her Keres and Aurelianne departed the Time Realm.


    "I hope I don''t have toe again in at least ten million years, Toki..." Gtis red at the rejoicing god.


    "It is not my fault that you''re extremely sensitive to space and time..." Toki grinned, not nning to apologise to his counterpart.


    "Whatever, the show is over... go back to your ces..." Gntis released the other high gods or better said... made them once again be influenced by the forces of space and time, regaining their normalcy.


    Booing expressions were heard from the gods that wanted to gossip about the couple''s situation, most of them mocked Toki... Nova was a well craved Goddess in themunity, seeing them have their ''marital'' issues was nothing short of a show for them.


    Sadly, Nova couldn''t be courted.


    Aside from an entity with the divinity of Time, no one was qualified to join with Nova, and the same could be said for Toki whose partner had to possess the divinity of Space.


    Within the next moments, aside from a god who was regarding everything with a smirk, everybody departed the Time Realm.


    "What do you want, Centrino... I don''t recall having allowed you to enter my Time Realm, to begin with." Toki''s words were more of cordiality, he raised his hand and a temporal vortex appeared, he was more than ready to face the higher god in front of him.


    "Hohoho~ I just hoped that I''d be able to see your beautiful daughters, that''s all~ looks like they''re not here." In contrast, an aura of destruction was released by this individual, clearly not afraid of Toki, more curious about thedies'' locations.


    "Get lost before I lose my patience, mind you... I''m already at the breach of exploding."


    "Is that so? then I''m out... don''t be too stressed, father-inw!~"


    "I''m not your father-inw! disgusting bastard!"


    *RUMBLE!!*


    Sadly, by the time the vortex was able to swallow Centrino, thetter was already gone, having destroyed a section of space, he fled and left a torrential crack that took some while to fix itself.


    ...


    "My lord... you should sleep." Lemenia together with the other Valkyries approached and saw Toki''s expression that looked as if he aged several million years even as an immortal being.


    "I should... but I am afraid I will be woken up before even a century has passed... how I hoped we could sleep together just like old times, Nova... Lemenia, please, take care of the realm in my stead." He ordered his loyal Valkyrie before disappearing into a vortex.


    "Yes, my lord..."


    Before going to his slumber, however, there was somewhere else he desired to go.


    **


    **


    In the outskirts of the Time Realm, there was a certain prison in there... one which only the Monarch of Time and the Time Valkyries had ess to, or even knew its location... thews of time concealed its existence, it was no part of past, present or future... it simply, existed...


    Within a particr cell, stood an entity... shackled, a gargantuan array stopped her powers from evening out of her body, her silver bluish hair was haggard yet her expression remained neutral.


    A single horn contorted in odd shapes above her head as she looked at the person in front of her with disgust.


    "Why are you here? I already told you that your rein of time sucks... do you enjoy being insulted so much, Monarch?"


    "As aggressive as always... I came for no reason whatsoever, only desiring to look at you, my daughter."


    "Shut up, I''m not your daughter... even as a being of time, you and I have no connection!"


    "All of the Valkyries should and WILL always be my daughters and remain loyal to me; following my orders, only you were always troublesome to deal with, Zebellia..."


    "..." Her two sky blue eyes remained locked on him, as if everything he said was nonsense that she didn''t want to hear, it was ingrained in her existence, if he said an order, she had to heed.


    "If I tell you to go and kill yourself, you shall heed my orders, right?~"


    "I will heed the orders of the Monarch of Time, but as an individual, you... Higher God of Time, Toki... I don''t respect you!"


    "Your elder sister is still not in this universe..."


    "..."


    "It would be sad if she were to meet unforeseen consequences due to your obstinance, don''t you think?"


    "My sister is big enough to protect herself, contrary to my current pitiful self, now... if there are no orders, leave... your face disgusts me, your behaviour is not that of a god, Toki... you''re corrupted... you''re a human, not a god..." She spat to the side of the cell, her divinity wouldn''t allow her to spit on his face.


    "Hmph! No need for me to give you orders... it seems you''re already following my will very well~" He said those words and started his departure, his smile never so bright.


    "...?"

 Chapter 29 Dreams, Reality

    "Constantine Lionheart! Either you go out there and get some money for this house like I do, or don''t even think abouting back here again!"


    "M-Mother..."


    He was merely a young boy, perhaps not older than nine... flowing silver hair that met hers and pale blue orbs that also matched hers.


    The woman in front had a haggard expression that shouldn''t match her beauty, her hands punctured and with signs ofbour, heavy work that a female as beautiful as herself should not be doing, but she had to...


    "No, buts... get out of my face, I don''t want to see you... if you don''t bring at least three copper coins this evening, forget about sleeping in this house today... nine years were enough, it is time you learn what real life is."


    Saying no more words, the woman departed the small cottage they lived in, nothing more than a pair of beds on the ground, some guttery and nothing else.


    Seeing his mother depart for her job like always, Constantine wanted to go after her, but... her expression frightened him.


    For nine years she had supported him and he had a ''barely'' decent childhood, friends, scarce... he was new in town and his royal features made it difficult for him to have friends.


    He was called ''the prince'' but in a despective manner.


    From early, he learned how to fight to protect himself, aside from giving him food thrice a day, his mother did nothing else.


    No, love... no attention, no chatting between parents... instead she kept her distance from him.


    Despite all this, Constantine loved his mother and seeing her leave him behind so coldly to fend for himself... to bring back three measly copper coins that were valued to nothing for her, yet he wasn''t able to get easily... cracked his heart.


    "Mother, don''t go..."


    "..."


    She was already gone for the entire day, working in their family business, not in charge... as a mere employee, it was this or prostitution.


    The woman was too prideful to choose thetter and hence, she killed herself every day to bring food to the table.


    Something he had only noticed recently, watching his friend''s parents and the things they did to aplish the same, way easier... sometimes not legal, sometimes not moral.


    With nothing but the fright of not having a roof to sleep in for that day, the boy departed the house.


    ...


    "Oh, what a beautiful painting boy... you still have a long way to go but, it looks fantastic, tell me, what is this?"


    He sat on the stone floor, it was a rainy day and he had to use his clothes to cover the ''product''.


    A Painting.


    It was a mere painting of a hill he created by cracking rocks together to produce ink, he and some friends shared the same hobby.


    But back then, he never thought of mizing this hobby.


    "It is Longborn Hill at the edge of the town, Mr... if you''d like-"


    "That''s great, you have a great future ahead of you young man, but... you should get some mud on that hair or something..." The man stood up and didn''t even allow him to finish, didn''t give him anything to cover himself.


    He simply departed.


    Constantine sat there, sighing, this had been the third time.


    ...


    "That''s some amazing talent, boy!"


    "Y-Yeah, I like painting sceneries, but if you would like to get it-"


    "Sorry, I''m not interested, but keep working hard, alright?"


    ...


    "You used different shades, right? it is an advanced technique, where did you get that ink?"


    "I created it myself! actually, the technique-" This time he was interested, this person seemed to be rather knowledgeable, so much so, that he forgot about his original purpose


    ...


    "Boy, is that the Longborn Hill?" This time it was an olddy, perhaps in her forties and dressed formally, not regally.


    She squatted elegantly and took a look at the boy and also, the painting.


    "Yes ma''am... if you want it, it will be three copper coins..."  this time, tired... Constantine forsook his passion and focused on his objective, but... the ma''am wasn''t so interested in the paint either and he noticed this with her gaze.


    However, he also noticed something else.


    She was interested in something more.


    "How about youe to my house and we talk further about it, boy?"


    "A-Ah?"


    "You shouldn''t be in this rain anyway... where is your mother?" She looked sideways, the streets were crowded and she failed to notice the figure standing in a corner.


    "She''s working..."


    "I see, then there should be no problem if youe to my house for a bit, right? then you can go back after we ''chat''~" The woman licked her lips and took his wrist, as if she wasn''t about to take a no for an answer.


    The moment she saw that cute face and that flowing silver hair, that innocence, she knew what she wanted.


    "..."


    "If I go with you, will you... give me the three copper coins?" He requested innocently, only desiring to get those three coins regardless of what intentions this woman had with him.


    "No, she won''t..." A voice said suddenly, stunning the two of them, when Constantine saw the person, he paled.


    "Who are you?!" The woman yelled, thatment had been a clear menace to her.


    "I am his mother..." The silver-haired beauty said, her forehead dripping from the rain, she red at the boy as if saying ''confirm''.


    "Mother..."


    "Get lost..." Having her son recognise her identity in front of this woman who she was more than a little aware of what intentions she had, thedy didn''t beat around the bush and separated the woman''s hand from her son''s wrist.


    The woman had to reluctantly step aside, not before giving the boy a deep gaze, amidst the rains she departed.


    "Mother, I still don''t have the three copper coins!"


    "..." The woman squatted down, not paying attention to his words and took one of the paintings.


    "The Longborn Hill..."


    "..." He shivered, for some reason, he felt nervous when she looked at it, unlike when others did.


    "Who would have thought that a monster with Lionheart in the name, could create such a beautiful thing..." She stood up and his tears started to form, but she never returned the painting to him.


    Instead, she took out nine cooper coins from her dress and presented them to him.


    "Here... I''ll take this painting..."


    "..." He took the nine cooper coins and regarded them for a while before presenting three of them to her, still shaking.


    "C-Could I stay in the house one more day?" He requested, still bearing in mind herment about a ''monster''.


    It was something he would never forget.


    "Very well..." She took the three coins and grabbed his wrist, walking back to their house.


    "It will be three cooper coins a day, understood?"


    "Y-Yes, mom..."


    Amidst the rain, she took her upper coat and ced it on her son''s back as they walked in the rain.


    **


    **


    His pair of blue eyes opened instantly, and he found himself exactly in the same ce he had been, perhaps a single instant, not even a thousand of a secondter.


    *RUMBLE!!*


    His four cores ragged in madness and even the group around him felt the air around them turn slightly... pressured.


    "..." Constantine didn''t know what to say, something had happened, he had a dream, but... not even a second seemed to have happened in reality.


    [... Y-You have broken through, congrattions... you''re now a Magus] Zebellia spoke naturally, but her voice contained a curious glint.


    [Nascent Magus Stage Reached, Updating Trial''s Briefing...] The Trial spoke this time, not Zebellia, but he was too deep in his mind to think about everything happening.


    The Dream had been so livid, that he desired to live it again.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Is there anything wrong?" Zamira addressed him, they had been walking and he stopped in his tracks out of nowhere.


    "N-Nothing... nothing happened... let''s continue..."


    ''Zebellia, what was that just now?''


    [What are you talking about?]


    ''Did nothing happen at all?''


    [I don''t believe so, you broke through due to the extensive use of your four cores during this entire period, I expected it to happen a littleter however... you''re lucky]


    ''...''


    [The trial is updating your parameters, would you like to see them?]


    ''Please... Zebellia, I am convinced something happened just now''


    [It must be your imagination...]


    **


    **


    [Status]


    *Name: Constantine Lionheart (de Castile)


    *Genre: Male.


    *Age: 78.


    *Race: [Human] [Royal Elf] [God (sealed)]


    **Titles:


    [Conqueror Constantine]


    [Founder of the Lionheart Dynasty]


    [Bane of Husbands]


    [Heartbreaker]


    [Champion of the Goddess of Life, Aurelianne]


    [Husband of the Goddess of Death, Sandra]


    [Husband of the Goddess of Dreams, Phoebe]


    [Husband of the Goddess of Luck, Caroline]


    [Husband of the Goddess of Rot, Lucille]


    [Husband of the Goddess of Beauty, Melina]


    [Time God''s Utter Nemesis]


    [Space Goddess'' Beloved Son-inw]


    **Divine Blessings:


    [Blessing of the Golden Seed]:


    Blessing of the Goddess of Life, Aurelianne. Awake an individual limitless magic and divine potential and enhance your own potential with their own by using the sacred art of life... nt your golden seed into their souls for they shall be re-awaken with you through the tendrils of the tree of life. (Limited Use, Once a Month)


    [Blessing of the Adjourned Death]:


    Blessing of the Goddess of Death, Sandra. Cheat the infamous reaper from dragging you into the rivers of souls in the Death Dimension, be aware that with this you may incur the reaper''s wrath! (Limited Use, Once a Month) [Used]


    [War God''s Wrath (Sealed)]


    *UNAVAILABLE*


    [Blessing of the Daydream (Sealed)]


    *UNAVAILABLE*


    [Blessing of the Causality (Sealed)]


    *UNAVAILABLE*


    [Blessing of the Decaying Flesh (Sealed)]


    *UNAVAILABLE*


    [Blessing of Infatuating Eyes (Sealed)]


    *UNAVAILABLE*


    [Blessing of Spatial Conduct (Sealed)]


    *UNAVAILABLE*


    **Curses:


    [Grief of the Husbands]:


    The myriad husbands you have sinned upon have cursed you after their deaths, even their wives'' blessings can''t save you, scoundrel! the heavens shall punish you with wrath shall youy a finger on a single wife!


    [Heaven''s Decreed Punishment]


    With Karma great enough to belong to a God, you are qualified to be subjected to the trial, in order to return your Karma to neutrality, the trial reserves the right to ce you in pleasing/difficult situations, depending on your negative or positive Karma, this is your punishment, Mortal.


    [Timeless Distortion (sealed)]


    *UNAVAILABLE*


    **Abilities:


    [Swordsmanship: A+]


    [Horse Riding: C]


    [Archer: B]


    [Scheming: A+]


    [Seduction: EX]


    [Charisma: A+]


    [Hustling: A+]


    [Drinking: E]


    [Beast Taming: C]


    [Joking: E-]


    [Drinking: -F+]


    [Magic: A]


    *Magic Capacity:


    [Elf Magic: Light, Flora]


    [Magic of the Elements: Wind, Fire, Earth, Water]


    [1st Ether Magic Core (Wind): 72%]


    [2nd Ether Magic Core (Wind): 70%]


    [3rd Ether Magic Core (Earth): 62%]


    [4th Ether Magic Core (Earth): 70%]


    *Magus Rank: Nascent Magus (0%)


    *Karma: -9.080.888.220 (Nine Billion)


    [Nascent Magus is the first step into warping reality, your path towards Godhood has just begun...]

 Chapter 30 I Cant Control My Hand

    ''Aren''t those too many stats...? and what does the [Used] use mean in the adjourned whatever blessing¡­'' Seeing all of that information, he had more questions than answers.


    It was confusing but also, informative in a sense... if he had such a useful interface back when he was still an Emperor, it would have been so great.


    [You have somehow used that blessing, I presume it was when you were almost impaled by that ant before, or perhaps wholeing here from that goddess'' space¡­ perhaps you were fated to end in a worse situation, be it as it may, the blessing activated]


    ''What about the other, Aurelianne''s?'' The more he read that description, the more he thought about a certain taxing and pleasurable bodily function that he used to engage in often...


    [I have no idea¡­ I''m not acquainted with goddesses of Life as to know how their blessings work, sounds like you have to put a seed on someone¡­]


    ''That sounds yummy~''


    [Uh?] Zebellia asked in confusion, why is it yummy?


    ''Forget it¡­ regarding the curse of husbands¡­ I guess I''m guilty but¡­ *cough* what kind of punishment would that be¡­?'' He had the interest to know, he could see himself falling into that punishment after all.


    [I can''t tell about that either, most of the time the heaven''s punishment is a tribtion¡­ depending on the degree of the punishment it can transcend from difficult times to a powerful lightning strike falling on you directly from the skies¡­]


    ''That sounds awful.''


    [It is, anymore questions¡­ I need to sleep] Her voice indicated that for the first time she needed to sleep.


    ''Lazy Valkyrie''


    [Sinning Emperor.]


    ''Anyway, I have more¡­ but we need to get going, I hope you dream with a bunch of buffaloes running you over.''


    [And I hope a bunch of buffaloes actually run you over! Hmph!]


    "Fair enough." He smirked, though the entire time he kept his magic output normal, it wasn''t until a littleter when he was about to speak that he realised.


    "We rested enough, let''s get-"


    By the time he turned, what he managed to see was the catatonic bodies of the group, squirming on the ground!


    "What!?"


    [It is your magic cores! stop executing your magic!] Zebellia said right away, not minding her nap.


    "H-How!?" Not how he could stop them instead, how exactly was this happening, to him everything felt normal.


    [Remember that you have ether cores fool!! You didn''t notice the difference after the breakthrough of your cores, but they do!]


    "Oh shoot!"


    He immediately stopped using his magic, and rushed to assist them, cing them all against the wall as they started to cough.


    *COUGH!*


    At some point, the pressure had been too much for their lungs and they were asphyxiating!


    "W-What was that!?" Anne kept coughing and asked with tears in her eyes.


    "Sorry, I couldn''t control my hand for a moment there, are you okay?" He patted their backs, only a second afterwards he noticed the degree of involvement and stepped back.


    "Yes, please¡­ don''t do it again, I thought I''d die!" Zamira was still sobbing, to her, this was perhaps one of the worst ways to die.


    "I apologise, we can rest until you recover." it didn''t sound convincing but that would have to do.


    "This kind of pressure, I didn''t know you were such a strong Magus, were you holding back? Why suddenly releasing that pressure?" Anne inquired with interest only to shut her mouth the next second.


    They were supposed to not ask questions!


    The rest of the group reproached her but he only shook his head and refused to answer.


    "If you''re ready then let''s get going, going forward down this path is the only option¡­" Not waiting for them to confirm or deny, he set into motion.


    They had to follow.


    **


    **


    A little walking with weapons in hand brought them to a new environment, Constantine had expected them to need to walk more, but that wasn''t the case.


    "There is another clearing¡­" He said, regarding the entire ce in amazement after leaving the channel.


    It was gigantic, his me, now brighter than before, wasn''t able to light all of it, but, something else was giving them light.


    "But this one is dested and¡­ abysmal." Zamiramented, standing beside him... her head turned to her left and there she saw a fall, one that nobody would have noticed were it not for his me shining on the cliff.


    What they encountered upfront was yet another clearing, an underground cavity that covered several dozens of kilometres in size, resembling a concealed world.


    From this point, they could see shiny purple crystals on top of the cave, but the top of the cave was several kilometres away... they shone light purple stars, but the light was not strong enough to reach them this low either.


    Essentially, this was like a world beneath the world.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "That''s Blood of Sandork, but¡­ I don''t dare touch it, and since it is still there, either no one has reached that high, or no one is stupid enough to gamble their life¡­" Zamiramented while he moved to the border of what resembled an abyssal fall.


    Fog and darkness covered the fate of whatever fell in this abyss.


    "This is a way further into the cave, magus experts should be able to descend uninjured, but for our currents selves, it is suicidal." Anne added and the guys nodded, none dared to test their luck down there even if beneathy the tomb of a God.


    Meanwhile, Constantine was thinking deeply...


    ''If only I had a way toe back here¡­'' He knew this blood of Sandork was a treasure, a hot potato, but so far he knows the location of two pieces and has them firmly marked in his memory, forget about those on the cave ceiling; the ones he knew wouldn''t explode...


    Yet the way they describe this caveplex, is as if it is extremely difficult to ess it once they leave, all he could do was hope to prepare himself properly beforeing back here, having broken through, he had yet to experiment what the difference in his magic was aside from the sheer increase in output.


    [I can bring you back here whenever you wish, for a fair price that is~] The annoying Valkyrie spoke suddenly, producing a deadpan in the conqueror''s expression.


    ''Weren''t you sleeping?'' He grunted inwardly.


    [With a single one of my beautiful eyes closed, that is¡­]


    ''You''re quite narcissistic aren''t you? Whether those eyes are beautiful or not, shouldn''t I be judging?~''


    [An ugly duckling such as yourself? What do you even know of beauty¡­ I don''t know what was that goddess of beauty thinking¡­] Zebellia''s tongue was as poisonous and toxic as always, but this time, he had an Ace.


    ''I recall we had an agreement'' he even took his scammer pose, rubbing his palms together with a perverted grin.


    [¡­?]


    ''For a narcissistic, you''re quite forgetful, you would allow me to see your body if I saved those humans~''


    [It is about time I go back to sleep for real, this time with both eyes clo-]


    ''It is about time you behave like the Valkyrie you are, avid on your honour and keep your word.''


    [Bastard! That trick won''t work forever!]


    ''Trust me, it will¡­''


    [I shall show myself to you, but not now¡­ after you leave this cave]


    ''Are you going to de prestige your honour, Zebellia!?''


    [Hmph! Little runt, I said I''d show myself, I didn''t say when... YOU BETTER UNDERSTAND THAT I, ZEBELLIA, AM A TIME VALKYRIE!]


    Her voice contained might, but in front of him, that sounded more like bravado... he hadn''t fully yet understood her personality for it is still too early, but there were certain things he could understand.


    ''Sure, and I''m the God Emperor of Sandoria and all beautiful busty elves...'' He grinned, all of his actions made the group around him have their expressions contort


    [Are you mocking me?]


    ''That I am...''


    For several seconds nothing happened.


    ''Aren''t you going to decrease my karma points?~''


    [If I decrease your points for every second you act like an idiot, we will be here forever]


    ''Maybe... I want to be like this with you forever...''


    !!!


    ...


    The more the silence spread, the more wicked his smile became.


    ''Hoho~ did you just blush?''


    [Shut up! you can''t even see my face!]


    ''So you did blush~''


    [...]


    The valkyrie spoke no more, going to sleep for real.


    "Hahahahaha!!" The conquerorughed, so long as he didn''t go across the line and pissed off the Valkyrie, he could stille out with the upper hand.


    That''s the secret and what he truly knew of the Valkyrie''s identity... she''s a girl, not a woman... why?


    Even the Conqueror knows a man can''t defeat a woman in an argument, even if he wins, sleeping outside the bedroom is still a loss.


    He hadn''t been married to five goddesses for nothing, fifty-ish years of marriage had to serve him at least to put down this Valkyrie.


    "..." Seeing Constatineugh heartily like some mad king, the humans didn''t know what to think, perhaps following this individual was the wrong call and they were better off with the ants and Luke.

 Chapter 31 A Galactic Mare

    "I can see something..."


    "There is light!"


    Constantine saw the light and so did hispanions.


    Quite literally though, he saw that there was light beyond his fire far in the distance.


    The gigantic pit took them several hours to walk all the way through and there weren''t any unexpected encounters beyond some odd noisesing from the edge of the abyss, as if there were creatures below.


    Moving onwards there was a small clearing, but there were noisesing from inside it,ughter and even music!


    It was some sort of folkloric song that made Constantine lift his eyebrows, who the heck is throwing a party in this ce?


    The three stopped at the edge of the clearing where the tunnel turned narrow and then, he saw the source of the light as the voices inside became clearer.


    ...


    "Hahahaha! WE ALREADY GOT A BUYER FOR THE STALACTITE BOYS!"


    "Boss Samson, can we finaly get out of this disgraceful pit!?"


    "WE''RE LEAVING FOR THE WOLF EMPIRE!"


    "WOOOOOOOO!!!!"


    ...


    "What''s going on with them?" Constantine asked the group, not understanding the babbling happening inside.


    "It seems those ogres sell those stctites in some sort of ck market outside of the cave, humans don''t usuallymercialize with monsters, it is against the empire''s rules, we''re only allowed to settle deals with the Empire''smissioners, the Elf Kingdom or the Wolf Empire, but monsters aren''t hence, they must have found a buyer." Zamira exined everything and he got it straight away.


    His gaze moved around the ce, studying it.


    Just like before it was a gigantic pit, but a vertical one, the top of it was at least several hundred metres above and there he could see something that marvelled him.


    It is light!


    "That must be the surface!" He said without the slightest doubt, that the lighting from there indicated that the sun was shining brightly inside this pit.


    [It is not, no matter what don''t get close to that!] Zebellia yelled straight, her voice frantic.


    ''What do you mean? that''s clearly light!''


    [But it is not the light of a star... try using your wind magic and see whether the air flows towards it, I might be wrong as my senses are dulled]


    "..."


    While the group awaited his insight, he cast a small gust of wind and threw some dust in it, the wind flowed indeed, but not to the surface as it should have.


    ''What...?''


    [I told you, that is not the surface... that''s a dimensional rift, to think there is one here...]


    ''Dimensional what?''


    [Don''t bother, such a thing is too profound for the current you, it seems a god called Sandork the Joker was indeed responsible for creating thisir, do what you must but don''t get close to that, otherwise even I might not be able to save you.]


    The importance she gave to this matter made him believe she wasn''t uttering any of her satirical jokes.


    ..


    "Forget what I said, that is not the surface... we need to find our way around without alerting the group."


    He said to the awaiting bunch and began analysing everything around this area, the movements of those ogres, even how many steps they did for that weird dance of theirs.


    "If pushes to shove, I can lure them while you escape, Constantine..." Zamira didn''t think twice before suggesting that, all she wanted was for him to leave this ce safely, however...


    He simply flicked her forehead as she rubbed it with a pout.


    "Stop suggesting nonsense, not everything needs to be done with a sacrifice, there are plenty of options avable, don''t be a dumb beauty, use your brain."


    "..." The purple-haired warrior simply tilted her head to the side ''dumb beauty...?''


    "We can assist you into fighting the group, from here I can see only seven ogres, we should be able to fight a single one of them into a stalemate, but the rest..." Andre and the other guy dered, even Anne said she could fight one of those ogres so long as it wasn''t the biggest one that danced and his mere steps shook the ground slightly.


    Constantine touched the walls and frowned.


    ''These won''t be easy to dig into, I can''t create a channel to the other side...'' the walls were done by hardened soil, instead, it was tough stones and minerals.


    His sight moved all along, the pit, the walls that formed it, he had several ideas, but not a way to execute them.


    "Go back to the bigger area from before, let me think..." He said to the group, deciding to simply sit down at the edge and study the group''s movements.


    "Can I stay with you?" Zamira asked with hope, she wanted to see what he would do.


    Constantine simply nodded, "Just don''t make any noise and be on my call, if they spot us, we have to run."


    "Hmn."


    The three others left back to the origin of the cave where the Blood of Sandork shone high above, leaving the duo to think about their options.


    ''If only I had explosives...'' He thought, Blood of Sandork could work, but it was too vtile.


    Constantine rubbed his forehead, there was a definite n that would grant him sess, but he didn''t have the means to execute it.


    Zamira simply limited herself to see.


    ''Zebellia, what would you take from me in order to teach me about those magical arrays?''


    [What do you have in mind?]<novelnext></novelnext>


    ''I need explosives...'' He lifted up his hand and produced a gust of small fire, having to control it as otherwise with his Nascent Magus magic, it would create something greater.


    He wondered if with this magic output he''d be able to defeat those ogres on his own, the odds were against him.


    [Hmm...] Zebellia thought deeply.


    [You already owe me a favour...]


    ''Yes... I can see the scaming, wait for it...'' He rolled his eyes, expecting her to duplicate his debt for a mere favour.


    [Hmph! what scam? close your eyes and rx your mind...]


    ''Huh? do you want me to meditate?''


    [Yes, close your eyes...]


    The conqueror did as requested even when he didn''t understand what she intended to do.


    For several seconds what enveloped his eyes was the darkness of his eyelids as the breathing turned rxed and natural.


    [Feel your connection with the trial...]


    ''H-How do I do that...?''


    [Canalise your own divinity, in order to be subjected to the trial, you must''ve had the prelude of divinity already in you. The trial formed your God Spark... feel it like your heart, but the heart of a God, one overflowing with faith and desires...] The Valkyrie uttered ''sagely''.


    "..." Rather than answer she only increased the fussiness of his thoughts, but, he unexpectedly felt something.


    Those thoughts were canalised in the form of thrill for battle.


    Thirst for destruction and desire for strife and conquer.


    [Feel it, the true nature of your power, this is what you''re fated to be, so long as you can feel it, you can alwayse here...]


    As the thirst for battle increased, he felt the shadow of his eyelids switch into a bright light.


    [Open your eyes, God of War... or at least, that''s what you will be were you to surpass this trial...]


    When his eyes opened, he found himself in a new world, a bright world filled with raging lively mes, they shone like the surface of a star, but were brighter than the original orange, yet not blinding.


    ''T-This is...?''


    "This is your soul..." A voice said, one he could recognise but this time not so foreign.


    Turning around, he came face to face with something that he would never forget.


    It was a gigantic mare, gigantic... so much so that her body resembled a mountain.


    Laying on her stomach with a pair of wings covering her body.


    Purple skin, sky blue hairs and a majestic appearance.


    Her eyes resembled gxies and they looked at him as if expecting the same profoundness from his sky blue orbs.


    "T-This can''t be you..." He uttered in disbelief, his eyes shivering, as much as he wanted to taunt her, those words wouldn''te out of his mind in the first instance.


    He always had a passion for horses, whenever he had a campaign, his noble steed would always apany him, Cdbolg was his first noble steed, then... Gjarhorn.


    And now he had his gaze set on the third, it was a remarkable increase of level considering this freaking mare is the size of a mountain.


    "Is my beauty too much to bear for an ugly ducking such as you, human? has my majesty finaly enlightened your pitiful self?" To say there was pride in her was an understatement, her tail made an act of appearance waving on and about.


    That movement alone created shockwaves.


    "Such a foul-mouthed,zy, utterly unbearable-"


    "Stop lying!"


    *RUMBLE!!*


    Her powers rotated inside his soul, and he felt it more personal than ever before.


    She didn''t raise up, her head had a single horn contorting in several shapes, her entire appearance, entric.


    Her wings were covering an extensive part of her body, resembling that of a swan''s but looking softer.


    "I brought you here so that we could train... I will teach you what I know about magic arrays, but bear in mind... a divine being such as myself doesn''t need to use such charades, what I am going to teach you, is quite preliminary..." Rather than start bickering, she decided to focus on what was important.


    "Is this really my soul?" He regarded everywhere, the zing world until his gaze set on top of them, there was a shining sun in there, but the mes were crimson rather than the usual orange.


    "It is, and that is not a sun; it is your God Spark, still forming... it will take long before it takes a solid shape as it should" She spoke, exining but like a curious child, his gaze set on on something else.


    "What is that wound?" Perhaps due to her distraction, one of her wings moved away from her body, giving way to a gnashing wound to be visible, he pointed it right after, frowning even.


    That wound was the only imperfection in her perfect self.


    She shivered slightly and ced her wing back on top of it, concealing it.


    "None of your business. Sit down and let''s begin with the training, I''m sleepy." The Valkyrie used her bullet-proof excuse as if being sleepy was enough to resolve the world''s hunger.


    "We have to begin treating each other better, Zebellia."


    "Now that you have seen my beauty, have I be your next target?~"


    "Oh shut up, let''s begin the training." He dismissed her much to the mare''s irritation.


    So much as desire her, obviously not... but, he hade to see Zebellia with different eyes today.

 Chapter 32 Magic Triggers & Catalysts I

    After some insistence from both parties, they decided to do what they were here to do rather than scorn each other in their usual way.


    The mes within his soul calmed down the moment Constantine sat down in a lotus position to pay attention to Zebellia''s words.


    "Before we begin, there are several things you have to understand." The mare got in position, sitting down with her head in front of Constantine, she was so big that his body was merely the size of one of her eyes.


    "First you need to understand that magic is merely an extension of divinity¡­" She began.


    "What does that mean?"


    "Simply said... in the case of elves to put an example, a God must have existed long ago with the capacity to use a divinity rted to light, also having several racial traits¡­ this divinity was passed down the line in a degraded version thatcked faith, eventually turning into ''light magic''¡­ this is the case for all magic that exists, divinity does not need mana as divinity is produced within the God Spark while mana is merely god''s faith scattered in the world."


    "Got it." He said those words but still felt a little confused as concepts like those were simply foreign to him.


    "Magic arrays are constructs, like having a servant and giving him an order, he''d do what you set him off to do instead of doing it yourself, am I understood?"


    "Hmn¡­"


    "In order to use magic array without divinity, you need two things, one is a catalyst, the other is a trigger. Depending on the quality of the catalyst, it can also be a trigger, for example the Blood of Sandork which you have encountered previously, the divinity contained inside it will not only work as both cases, but it is so powerful that it will also enhance the spell!"


    "So that''s why it is so precious¡­"


    "Among other things, let''s begin with a trigger¡­ the way to create a trigger is to focus your magic on a single spot and condense it into a physical embodiment, usually this would be done with the usage of a single core, but since you have four, in your case it should be easier..."


    "I''ll try..."


    "You can begin by using a simple gale spell, you have used it several times now to chart the cave''s airflow, the difference is, you have done so instinctively rather than following a transcription."


    He did as she asked and began using his four cores focused on wind.


    Slowly but surely a green light started to appear between his palms, but no matter how much he tried, that light couldn''t condense into something physical.


    "You''re spreading it too much, focus on a single point, imagine a dot with your gaze, and put everything in it."


    No sweat ran down his forehead but the tension was palpable, when he saw a small droplet of green jade form in his hands, he slumped back tired.


    "Ooofff..." Exhaling a breath he didn''t know he was holding, Constantine picked the green jade that had the size of a grain of rice.


    "Congrattions... you have created your first trigger, but it has no spell engraved into it, at this stage, it is more of a catalyst than anything else." Her eye focused on that drop and it floated on its own.


    *WHOOSHH!!!*


    The drop exploded into gales of wind that flurried his hair madly.


    "I''ll try again, I only have to think of the gale while creating this ''catalyst'' right?"


    "Indeed, when your magic is condensed into a physical form, it will always be a catalyst, only once it has something engraved in it will it turn into a trigger, think of the spell and then activate it by focusing on your energy... you created it."


    "Hmn..."


    It took several tries, at no moment did he be frustrated over trying to create this array, in the end, however, he did manage to create his first array a mere gale spell.


    *WHOOSH!*


    "Yes!" He could already think of several use cases for such a technique, most of them focused on warfare...


    "Nicely done I guess... however, In your case, you want an explosive correct? I''m afraid you will have at least some basic knowledge of how an explosion works before creating it." The mare huffed a breath all over him.


    "Have you heard of ck powder?" He asked suddenly, but the valkyrie was clueless.


    "Ah?"


    "It is abination of inmable materials that produce gas once ignited, I know how it works, but I don''t know how to trante that into magic¡­ hmmm" For several minutes he just sat there, thinking about how to do this, but nothing came to mind, he only knew that those materials ignited once lit up on fire, but the internal process of those materials and the changes within them to create that reaction were always taken for granted.


    "There is a form of fire magic to create explosions called Combustion, but I don''t think you have the time to learn it and it is also not something the current you can use." Zebellia said, seeing that he had been thinking for too long.


    "Can ground magic be used to create different types of minerals other than controlling soil?" The Conqueror inquired, having a brief idea of what to do if only the answer was positive.


    "The boundaries of ground magic are unlimited as an original branch of creation divinity, in its maximum expression it can create anything that doesn''t possess life, even an entire world¡­ depending on what you want to create, you could even use it right now, once again, your capacity to turn the impossible into possible  within your own mind is the limit."


    "Hmph, there is nothing impossible for me... I want to create several elements, but¡­ how" Initially unty, he soon realised that merely thinking about ''creating'' a rock wouldn''t be enough as not all rocks are the same, creating a ck rock... how many different ck rock-like minerals there were?


    "Use one of the ground magic''s basic attributes, transmutation, it will cost you a lot of energy but with four ether cores, you should be able to pull it off."


    "It seems you''re not a dumb mare after all."


    *Snort!*<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Say that again and you will be sitting here on your own!" The horse threatened to go and sleep.


    "Okay okay, sorry" there were many thoughts that didn''t daree forward, the temptation to tease the mare was too strong.


    The temptation to tease a monster the size of a mountain, a madd indeed.


    "Remember that everything that happens here, is not happening in reality. This is currently a ground for practicing and you have to replicate what you learned here, in the outside world..." One of her wings waved and a small vortex appeared , from there, several rocks of different sizes popped into life.


    "Those are different rocks with differentpositions, I''m unaware of what you desire to create, but you can try with that first¡­ the way to use transmutation is to imagine the difference inposition of the elements you desire to change, good luck with that¡­" The mare smirked andy down, as if aware that he would spend a lot of time doing so, even though she herself didn''t know what he had in mind.


    Her gaze merely set on him, watching his every movement as he fiddled through the rocks, what was in her mind, no one knew.


    But she would be surprised as he wasted not a single second.


    "This is charcoal, nice! this¡­ I don''t know what this is¡­" Constantine started to survey every rock that she created and even experiment with his ground magic, creating several different minerals.


    Sometimes he squashed the rocks together or rubbed them.


    "How can you know what they are just by nce?" She asked suddenly as he kept rubbing several minerals together with enthusiasm.


    "I used them to paint, in order to produce ink you quash rocks and they produced different colours, by seeing the texture and the ink produced you can know what kind of mineral it is, by rubbing them against one another, depending on their durability, you can also ssify them"


    "..." She maintained her silence, obtaining his ''wisdom'' until her eyebrows lifted slightly at some realisation.


    "I didn''t know you paint¡­"


    "¡­ why would you?" He turned around and gave her a weird gaze.


    !!!


    "N-No, someone as dumb as you doesn''t look like you''d know anything remotely artistic, that''s what I meant!" Huffing in disdain at his apparentck of art insight, she decided to leave him to his own research and say no further words until he finished.


    "¡­" He red at the entric horse before getting back to his task, ignoring her and hence, missing her relieved sigh.


    **


    **


    For several minutes he looked at those minerals and even requested her to produce more.


    "I think I''ve got it now¡­ can you tell me a little further about the catalyst? and what does the trigger do again...? can I create them separately and somehow merge them together, what are my limits?" He sent a flurry of questions towards the horse in question.


    Having several ideas in his mind, he only needed to know if they were possible.


    "The trigger is where you engrave the orders, just create the physical representation in the form of an engraved jade¡­ as for the catalyst, it is a condensation of your magic which will trigger the spell, you''re free to decide theposition of the array to your will."


    "I see..."


    "If you''re skilled enough you will create a catalyst and a trigger in the same jade, if it is convenient for you, you can do it separately, depends on you and the effect you desire the array to have, some expert gods would create chains of effects, I have even seen arrays with hundreds of catalysts and thousands of triggers, marvellous creations, some others even created a variety of arrays and chained them through their triggers, there are no limits"


    "Why would you chain several arrays together instead of doing it inwardly?"


    "It is rted to modrity, some gods are quite exquisite and creative when ites to making their arrays, but you''d be surprised that with the correct arrangement of arrays, even artificial life can be created."


    !!!!


    The more she spoke the more curious he became about the limits of this technique.


    Saying no more he went to work and instead of doing everything in one go like with the gale array, he intended to do so one by one.


    Constantine first tried to create the supposed trigger, focusing on his ground magic, ''what I want you to do is¡­''


    Slowly but surely a zircon-like shining stone began to form.


    "Excellent, see, it wasn''t difficult¡­ now the catalyst, it will be slightly harder since you have to make sure it doesn''t get vtile, you managed to do it before, this time however since you''re using a branch of creation magic, you have to put a lot more magic in it than for that gale spell." Zebellia said her input, she didn''t expect him to fail after what she has already witnessed.


    "Easy¡­" He smirked confidently.


    cing the crystal to the side and with a lot of gantries, he began to concentrate all of his unrestrained magic!


    ¡­


    *BOOOOMMM!*


    His burned body fell to the side amidst theughter of a horse.

 Chapter 33 Magic Triggers & Catalysts II

    "Stopughing!"


    "Ha¡­ HAHA! I-I just told you- HAHA!!!" The gigantic horse''sughter revered in his entire soul, so much so that with her wings pping she forgot to cover her gnashing wound.


    "Damn you I swear I''ll p that arse of yours at least once." He grunted in disdain, getting back to his own work instead of talking with the clearlyzy horse.


    "And then I''ll kick your balls."


    "By then I''ll be long gone."


    "I''ll always find you regardless of past or future¡­"


    "¡­" The two of them red at one another, he felt a hidden meaning behind those words but dismissed them.


    "You should continue¡­ your group of humans outside are getting restless, especially that girl" She huffed a neigh and turned around;ying down again while using her wings as a quilt, letting him do his own thing as he had already caught the hint of her teachings by now, he could continue on his own.


    The two didn''t speak to one another as he continued trying to create his improvised array.


    **


    **


    It took him a few hours before eventually created the piece of the array, it was a grey coloured stoneposed of three triggers and a single catalyst.


    Three grey coloured stones with different shades and a small ground magic catalyst, she thought it was quite neat to be his very first creation.


    "You''re done, what exactly do these do?" The mare asked with intrigue, having them float in front of her eyes for inspection, as far as she could tell the engraved spell was merely a spell to create minerals.


    "Look and behold." He activated it with his own magic and the grey stones shone before starting to produce something.


    It was three sorts of different powders.


    "You''re quite talented, three triggers and a single catalyst... I guess I indeed am a good teacher~" She unted her ''academic prowess''.


    "*cough!* sure... that explosion had to teach me something too." He decided to not sour the moment by calling her illiterate, mathematically dysfunctional and a literal horse.


    ...


    Surprisingly, once activated, the array just kept creating those three small amounts of powder, nothing else... She was slightly disappointed, thinking it would be something more amazing.


    "What are you going to do with that?" Zebellia didn''t understand, she thought he was doing something else.


    He merely smiled and took a handful of that powder before using his magic to condense it into a single tablet with measured amounts of the three of them, by using this tablet, he created yet another array using it as an ingredient.


    A fire arrayposed of the tablet and a small catalyst and a me spell.


    It was as if his imagination was giving free rein to his creativity, the moment he knew the rules of the game, he couldn''t wait to y it.


    In the end Zebellia saw how he created yet another array, this time remarkably faster than before, in fact, it was as if he had been creating them for at least one month.


    As for those three elements, they were some he knew very well... Sulfur, Salpetre and Charcoal.


    Having finished his product, he threw it away until it was far enough and then activated the array.


    *BOOOOOOOOMMMM!!!*


    The explosion wasn''t massive, a gust of gas spread across together with debris, but his eyes shone at that moment, let alone not only his, Zebellia''s too were.


    Because aside from some me magic she didn''t detect anything else, where did the explosione from?


    "¡­" The Valkyrie was left out of words, trying to understand the implications of what he just created.<novelnext></novelnext>


    ''Did he just create a bomb that can''t be detected by me?'' She thought in disbelief,


    "It is done¡­" He saw her reaction and frowned, in this world where supposed gods roam thend and powerful creatures like her exist, she doesn''t know what ck powder is?


    Thinking about their magic cultures, he somehow came to understand how this was the case.


    ''Over-reliance huh...?'' He deduced correctly, over-reliance on magic.


    "How does that work?" She asked with new-found curiosity.


    "As I told you before, those are inmable elements, when in contact with fire they will ignite and produce gas in great speeds... do you remember the rosemary from before? it is almost the same but with a more wild reaction."


    "How do you know all this? aren''t you supposed to be some womanizing emperor?" She threw a low jab even if it was unintentional, sadly for her, the conqueror saw no shame in being a womanizer, but there was more.


    "Hmph! Don''t mistake me with your bastard of a boss... an Emperor needs weapons when there is war¡­ it was a dear friend of mine who showed me this, he was quite smart, these explosives were created by him back when we were in the academy, I''m merely replicating it¡­ in the end, I was always more wicked than him, using his invention I destroyed his army..." He sighed and recalled those old times.


    ''I hope you rest in peace, Hector¡­ and thank you, once again.''


    ...


    "Then it is time for you to go back, show me what you can do with that~" She was thrilled to see the mayhem that this new array that he created would cause, usually...bustion magic could be detected by anyone with a remote knowledge of magic, but this artificial explosives, if he could find a way to conceal the ze spell, they wouldn''t be noticed, ever...


    Her words made him smile, he was also quite eager to see how everything could turn out to be, this was quite the interesting learning session, the knowledge acquired here wouldn''t be wasted, in fact...


    He''d use it during his entire stay in Sandoria.


    "I''ll show you more than what you''re hoping for, Zebellia~" Closing his eyes he resolved to go back to the real world and put his ns back in motion.


    **


    **


    "Zamira." His sky blue orbs opened and what he saw was a beautiful purple-haired girl pressing him down on the ground, he frowned.


    ''Isn''t this a little too fast? we haven''t gone on a date yet...'' He wanted to say, only to end up hearing the curses of the mare inside his soul.


    "You''re awake! I was starting to get worried, you have been like that for hours!" Zamira yelled and pulled him up, she thought her saviour had just died like that, even his heart had stopped and she thought he had some sort of cardiac arrest.


    "Yeah, I was¡­ thinking, let''s go back, I have a n to tell to the others." With a lot of enthusiasm, he saw that the ogres were still in the midst of their dance, now less than before as some of them apparently went to sleep, but there was no threat.


    Pulling her arm he head back inside the clearing


    "Hmn¡­" She simply nodded and allowed herself to be led with her broken sword in hand.


    ¡­


    They walked back to the entrance of the channel where he found Anne and the other guy talking closely while Andre was unexpectedly doing some push ups.


    He only regarded the man with an odd expression, ''The hell are you doing?''


    The bulky guy is seemingly not content with his own body yet...


    "I have to be strong at all times!" Andre felt his discriminating gaze and resolved himself to answer with his best response, it had nothing on the conqueror who only thought the man was ''sus'' and his original distance limit from the man would have to increase an additional centimetre.


    Anne and the other guy, Sam also dusted themselves off to pay attention to whatever n he had.


    "S-Sure¡­ listen up, take your weapons, I know what we''re going to do and we may have to fight." He sat them all down and began to exin his n, for them it was basic.


    Fight.

 Chapter 34 A Massive Onslaught

    The lighting from the ''dimensional rift'' couldn''t work as anything more than the perfect cover.


    Using light magic he made sure to cover himself from the gossiping ogre''s eyes.


    For thest two days he had kept looking at this cave, but the ogres seemingly didn''t approach the big clearing where the group was located, from conversation to a conversation he heard that the missing presence of the ''wild tooth ants''  had rendered them to suspect something was wrong.


    Hence, he sped up his ns and stopped being paranoid, climbing up the walls using earth magic he had already made more than ten of those arrays he carried in his body.


    With light magic he produced a small mantle of light, it would have normally attracted eyes, but with the dimensional rift shining above, that wasn''t the case.


    He exhaled a deep breath and ced yet another one of those custom arrays.


    Everything was prepared, the trap, the bait, if this n failed he''d be theughing stock of his ancestors.


    "Ooff" He rubbed his forehead and went for the next, having already nted five, surely one more won''t be an issue, right?


    [... I''m surprised by the degree of cautiousness you ce in your ns.] Zebellia said not with a tonality of praise, but rather, contemtion.


    ''Can''t be depending on luck when I have a debt of Karma that''s greater than an Empire''s treasury... even if you recite all my sins again, I am convinced that thing was calcted wrongly'' He thought with grief, much more so assured of his deration if she was the one that actually calcted it.


    [Hmph! say that to all those pitiful husbands who lost their wives]


    ''Shame on them, is it my fault that they''re ipetent in the bed? THEY should have bad karma for leaving unhappy wives to knock on my door!''


    [...]


    The Valkyrie was less speechless, it wasn''t his words, it was the fact that he was seriously ranting about this as if the heavens had aggrieved him with such a difficult responsibility.


    ''If I touch their bodies and they don''t reject, how is it my fault!?''


    [You''re unreasonable... whatever you say, you''re still guilty.]


    ''I am simply a man that wants to make women happy, am I guilty for that? of course, I am!'' With the passion of his discourse, the conqueror even forgot to ce thest bomb.


    [Focus on your work, happyman]


    ''Don''t worry, I will make you happy too.''


    [D-R-E-A-M]


    Constantine smirked, not saying a single word, facts would talk louder than words, having already had two noble and content steeds, how could he not know how to make this horse happy? perhaps he''d even be able to discipline and correct that mouth of hers.


    ...


    ''It is done...'' He rubbed his forehead, looking down the ogres were still dancing, but a group of two had already left the cave, leaving ten of them from his current location, this didn''t seem to be theplete camp.


    [Why are you even going to do this? couldn''t you just escape now?]


    ''I want one of those blood of sandork, can''t get it without being noticed, those things treat it as if it is some sorcery item...''


    He saw that everything was in ce and decided to continue with the next step of the n.


    Beneath, the pit''s entrance, the area where his group was concealed, there was something on the ground covered by some rags.


    Zamira''s head protruded and looked up, Constantine''s figure could be barely noticed due to the light, she had to struggle to see what he was doing.


    When he started to wave in her direction, she knew it was time.


    "It''s the time guys, prepare!" She took two of those arrays in her hand and held them tightly, the rest of the guys nodded and followed her orders as she approached that covered object.


    With a swift movement, she uncovered it and ran back to her position!


    ...


    The ogres were dancing and doing their own thing, awaiting the other group toe back after having sold some minerals that they collected.


    They all danced around the piece of sandork as if worshipping the resources already palpable in their hands.


    "H-Hey... w-what is that?" One of them said, attracting the attention of several others.<novelnext></novelnext>


    He pointed towards the cave''s back entrance, the one that led to the abyssal pit.


    There, something shone with a brilliance that immediately triggered their most wicked greed.


    "B-Blood of Sandork! For the Beast God, that piece is so BIG!"


    "L-LOOK!!! IT IS A MASSIVE STALACTITE!"


    It was a piece of Blood of Sandork, at least twice as big as the piece of trash they were worshipping.


    But the ogres weren''t stupid, the Joker God Sandork is renown for his bad jokes.


    "W-Wait..." Samson, the leader of the tribe, stopped his group and red at the piece, how could thate out of nowhere?


    It clearly wasn''t there a moment ago, his gaze instinctively looked up to the dimensional rift with lifted eyebrows before taking a stone.


    "Take some distance..." He said to the group and they heed.


    He threw the stone to the gigantic shining stctite and the moment it impacted it, the rock fell dully to the ground.


    !!!!


    It was as if the greed exploded madly around the ogres, yet he still yelled.


    "WAIT!!!"


    "..." The group stopped in their tracks as he once again took several stones of different sizes, and started to throw them at the stctite, perhaps it was less vtile than the others, he thought.


    But the stctite never exploded, after the fifth time, he smiled.


    "TAKE IT!!!"


    "YEAAAAHHHHH!!!"


    Like a stampede they ran towards the piece of stctite to see who would im it first, only Samson smiled wickedly, already feeling himself going back to the main tribe to disy his wealth in front of the imbecile leaders.


    However, there was a problem.


    "It is not budging!"


    The ogres tried to pull that piece of a stctite from the ground with all their strengths, but that thing simply wouldn''t budge.


    When eight or so ogres were congregated around the piece, Constantine knew it was time.


    With a wicked grim he activated all the arrays together.


    The ones sticking on the rock walls of the pit and the ones nted near the ''blood of sandork''.


    *BOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMM!!!!!---


    "W-WHAT THE!-"


    *BOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMM!!!!!---


    ? *BOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMM!!!!!---


    *BOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMM!!!!!---


    *BOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMM!!!!!---


    ...


    All Samson was able to see was the clouds of gas being produced while his entourage was sted into pieces as gigantic pieces of rocks rained on them from the skies, squashing those that were lucky enough to avoid the explosions.


    A Massive Onught.

 Chapter 35 Battle Of Sandork

    *COUGH!*


    *COUGH!*


    Zamira coughed as smoke came from inside that cave, the wails of despairing from inside told her that Constantine''s ns had seeded, she was awed... initially she understood nothing about his ns, it was all so vague.


    **


    **


    "W-What is this thing?" She asked whileying on the ground together with Constantine, careful to not be detected.


    He was using his magic to create something, it was like a piece of silver rock that resembled the blood of sandork, but it was lightless, missing the might of the primal mineral.


    "This is a stone called quartz... look."


    Using his light magic he made a small wisp of light inside the quartz mineral and Zamira''s eyes widened.


    That looked exactly like a Blood of Sandork!


    "Quickly cover it." He said and she used some of her rags to cover the stone.


    He then took two bomb arrays of his own and nted them in the soil, making sure to cover them properly.


    "H-How did you make it shine? is it fire magic?" She asked, notpletely assured of the understanding of his magic, as far as she knows he has fire and wind magic, but that doesn''t look like fire, it is just light...


    "Yes, it is." He lied, light magic is supposed to be used only by elves ording to Aurelianne, he couldn''t tell her that yet.


    After regarding the stone for a while, he decided to do something extra just in case, with his root magic, he created several roots from the ground up to hold the stone in ce, this she couldn''t see.


    "That should keep them in this area." He said.


    "Could you exin what you''re doing?" She requested; believing she''d be more efficient in this n if she actually knew what he is doing and how is he doing it.


    "There is no time to exin, follow orders... once the operation is finished, I''ll exin... those ogres don''t pay attention to this entrance which is supposed to be the connection to the ''wild tooth ants''... I suspect it is something rted to that abyss and I won''t stay here to prove it." He said and crawled back to the group, she followed.


    "I need you to pay attention to my every movement, Zamira, you''re my right hand as of now" He took out two of those weird red balls which contained magic and presented it to her.


    She nodded with some apprehension and epted it, although she knew how to fight, she didn''t know how to follow orders and fight in an organized manner.


    "I''m going to go out there and nt some bombs, take this... they''re bombs, when you see me making you signals, take the cover out of the stctite and retreat back here." The rest of the group approached and listened to his orders.


    Most of them were clueless but he simply smiled and waved his hands.


    "Don''t worry, your part in this is simple, wait for the explosion... the path will most likely be blocked due to the fallen rocks, use the bombs to clear inwards, there might be some ogres still remaining, that''s when youe in, kill whoever is left!"


    "What if it goes wrong?"


    "Well, if it goes wrong, in the worst-case scenario, the stones will be too strong for my bombs, in which case we will have a difficult battle ahead of us as the bombs I nted beneath shouldn''t kill more than two or three ogres, meaning we''d have to kill the rest on our own."


    "We will be ready!" Andre said with an enthusiastic smile, he wanted to see what the oue of his ns would be.


    "Hmn, then I will be going, you can all remain here. Zamira!e, it''s beginning!"


    "Yes!"


    **


    **


    Everything had gone exactly how he expected it to go, to the point she felt frightened.


    The group stood in front of the dusty entrance that was blocked by rocks, it wasn''t a denseyer, and the light on the other side could be seen from the cracks.


    She simply ced the two bombs she obtained in front of it.


    *BOOOOOOOMMMMMMMM--


    *BOOOOOOOMMMMMMMM--


    The two bombs exploded and cleared a small path big enough for them to pass.


    "MORE EXPLOSIONS!"


    On the other side, they heard the voice of the leader, Samson, together with several grunting ogres.


    They readied their weapons and Zamira signalled for them to charge!


    "WWOOOOO!!" The war cry was released and although it didn''t go along with Constantine''s wishes, at least it served him to know that the operation wasing to an end, his gaze set on the biggest ogre in the room and he prepared to fight.


    Phasing through the small gap they encountered a scenery of terror, perhaps the number of rocks that came loose due to Constantine''s explosion was more than he expected, but at least a quarter of the ogres'' camp had been destroyed by the fallen rocks, only three ogres remained.


    Samson was staggering as apparently, a heavy rock fell on his head while the other two were heavily injured...


    Three out of eight, five had perished with their corpses lying beneath the merciless rocks.


    The moment Samson saw a group of humansing out of the crevice, he knew everything had been stagged!


    "KILL THEM!"<novelnext></novelnext>


    He rushed back to the camp to get his weapon but at that moment something fell on top of him, Constantine jumped and glided using his wind magic until his spear was straight on Samson''s back!


    *PUCHI!!!*


    "I WILL TAKE CARE OF THE LEADER, YOU GET THE OTHER TWO!" The conqueror yelled his orders and plunged his customizednce as deep as possible into the ogres'' flesh!


    "WOOAAHHH!!"


    The ogre was strong, of that, there was no doubt, but Constantine refused to let go of his weapon, the moment that happened, he''d be dead.


    [Your magic is quite low, act with caution... this is the best moment for Heaven''s punishment to take action, remember!]


    [1st Ether Magic Core (Wind): 12%]


    [2nd Ether Magic Core (Wind): 20%]


    [3rd Ether Magic Core (Earth): 8%]


    [4th Ether Magic Core (Wind): 12%]


    Constantine frowned while looking at those stats, he decided to focus on using a single core to allow the others to restore themselves, since the 2nd core was the one with the most mana, he used that one.


    Eventually, his spear was released from the ogres'' back as he stumbled toward one of the tents but regained his bnce midway.


    "DISGRACEFUL HUMAN!" Samson took his halberd and regarded the bastard that caused this disaster, a little girl that looked more like a manwhore than a warrior.


    "YOU SHOULDN''T HAVE COME HERE, GIRL!" Samson prepared to charge toward the ''girl'' that stopped with a gaze filled with disbelief.


    "... excuse me?" Constantine thought he heard wrong.


    [Hahahaha! He thinks you''re a girl! THERE YOU GO HAPPYGIRL!] The Valkyrie wasted no time to release her poison like the vixen she is, not that he cared, already used to the tongue he''d eventually discipline.


    If before he wanted to kill Samson, now the two couldn''t live in the same cave.


    *CLAANGG!!!*


    !!!


    The impact of his spear and the ogre''s halberd had him know that he wasn''t the ogres'' opponent in the physical department.


    *WHOOSH!!*


    Using the magic of his second core to the limit, he focused on the fire, expecting to see a small gust of mes heading in the ogres'' way.


    Instead, it was a moderately sized barrage of mes that caught the ogre by surprise.


    In the distance, the group was fighting the other injured ogres, it wasn''t a difficult fight for them, they werepetent, that much he could tell.


    "So you''re a magus, peak of the nascent magus going by that spell just now..." Samson regarded the ''girl'' with cautiousness, the human had a mantle covering his head and a set of clothes and robes that made him look more like some sort of shaman than anything else.


    "..." Constantine didn''t say anything, he just became a Nascent Magus, but his opponent didn''t need to know that.


    Aware that physical damage would be useless against this monster, he could only hope to tank whatever he had until his cores replenished.


    But there were several ways in which he could face this ogre until then.


    *BAAANGG!!*


    The ogre''s stamina was running away due to his injuries, but he never stopped his attacks, the fact that this little shit destroyed years of work in a single second scorched his sickening bones.


    For several minutes the fight continued in which Constantine merely evaded all of his attacks with an analysing gaze, only sometimes did he encounter obliged to strike back and in such exchanges, he always lost due to the difference in strength, but never enough to show an opening to the ogre.


    *BAANG!!*


    "DO YOU ONLY KNOW HOW TO RUN!?"


    Samson whose stamina was starting to reach the brink, felt irritated, especially when his partners were far away, only one remained to receive a merciless beating from the four humans until he perished.


    "No..."  Valentine said calmly, smirking even.


    The ogre shed forward once again, but at that moment, he felt how his leg slipped on ''mud''... and he lost his bnce.


    !!!


    ''W-What just happened?''


    *BAANGG!!*


    His body fell heavily due to the momentum, enough for Constantine to approach casually and plunge his four-stings spear into the ogres'' head with all his strength as if he already knew where he was going to strike, where he was going to step, where he was going to fall.


    "You repeat the same movement too much, monster... who is the girl now?" He smirked evilly, making sure to extract the bloodied spear and plunge it back enough times until he was sure that the demon had died.


    [...] Zebellia couldn''t say anything.


    And the humans who regarded him plunging his spear in a corpse multiple times... certainly couldn''t either.

 Chapter 36 Lindom Forest

    [This was a little... anticlimatic...] Zebellia said, still recalling his movements just now, nimble and precise, not wasted efforts.


    [+30.000 Karma Points] The trial announced, surprising Constantine, those are a lot of points.


    ''Why am I getting points?''


    [Who knows? this was an evil insurgent group of ogres, perhaps they hadmitted a lot of evil deeds?]


    ''But why didn''t I get points for the ants then?''


    [Those seem to have been originally from this channel of caves while the ogres came from the outside, perhaps there is a connection there... anyway, I expected something else from your fight with that ogre]


    ''What did you expect?'' Constantine thought and released his bloodied spear from the leader''s corpse, the rest of the group -who also had their bloodied weapons- approached him; surprised that not only did he defeat the biggest ogre, but he also did it so easily without sustaining a single wound.


    [I thought you''d use your magic to obliterate him]


    ''Why would I waste my precious magic when I can do it with my weapon?''


    [...] She decided to simply stay silent, it seems their trains of thought are different.


    **


    **


    Ogres were creatures physically superior to humans, without magic a normal human would have a great disadvantage fighting one without the proper skills, skills they didn''t have, they were merely mercenaries belonging to a town on the outskirts of the empire.


    Zamira''s eyes shone when she saw his proud back.


    "Look for the blood of sandork, after getting it we''re leaving..." Constantine said, believing that by now he needn''t exin what his n had been all along.


    The group was silent, they simply did as he said, not daring to ''cross'' him, if before they thought he was strong, that strength was now more than confirmed, he didn''t even use a lot of his magic to deal with that ogre.


    [You transformed the earth into mud right where he was going to step... how did you know?]


    ''I only knew... if you fight with an individual long enough, don''t you learn his moves too? aren''t you supposed to be a mighty warrior yourself? or are they just myths?'' He smirked and kept looking inside the tents where there was nothing


    [I... do...] Perhaps what surprised her the most was not the technique as it was indeed something verymon.


    It was the execution that left her in awe, everything was so automatic as if he had already fought a million simr battles enough to know what the next timeframe would be.


    [I simply didn''t expect you to be this skilled... this early, that''s all.]


    ''...''


    He started to search inside the tents, and the moment he did so... he came front to front with terror, now understanding why he received positive karma points upon ughtering these ogres.


    There were bones, all kinds of bones, human bones, but not only that, other races'' bones too... ''Is this some sort of collection!?''


    [Something deeper was going on with this group it seems]


    The rest of the group had simr reactions, Anne was the one to find the Blood of Sandork beneath some debris while on the other side, Andre screamed.


    "T-This!"


    "What''s wrong?" Constantine tilted his head at the man''s sudden reaction until he saw what he had in his hands, it was some sort of royal clothing.


    "That''s a prince''s royal garments!"


    "Could it be prince Harrow!?"<novelnext></novelnext>


    "It was said he disappeared a few months ago..."


    Constantine wasn''t following the conversation but he could understand that this prince seems to have been the victim of those ogres.


    He approached Anne and took the blood of sandork out of her hands as she had been looking at it with greed.


    "Let''s go, if you like those garments, you can keep them..." The conqueror said dismissively and moved to the exit of the cave where their path forward was, he didn''t wait for anybody, only Zamira followed after him together with Andre who was inspecting the royal garments.


    It took a few seconds for Sam and Anne to follow after they regarded one another with a mysterious glint.


    **


    **


    "Prince Harrow was one of the youngest princesses of the Magnus Kingdom, one of the vassal kingdoms of the empire, his disappearance was announced a month or two ago and there was even an award to anyone who found him." Andre said while Constantine listened, he held the blood of sandork against his waist and walked forward through the cave, lighting it up with fire.


    "I see, then you can get the award if you give them those garments, I guess..." He said dismissively, not interested.


    The group kept gossiping with one another for several days in which they had little to no rest, only when he saw them struggling to keep up did he stop.


    Three dayster, they finally found the surface.


    **


    **


    Constantine inhaled a deep breath of fresh air, finally outside of that ursed channels, nothing like a free world.


    "I can recognise this ce, it is the Southern in Lands, it is so far away from where we initially entered, moreover, I also don''t remember this cave being located here."


    "What do you mean?" the conqueror regarded the bulky guy with a re, does he mean that these caves are mobile or something? that''s ridiculous.


    [It is possible, with a dimensional rift in there, a God''s interference is more than assured, trust me... cing a dimensional rift in there is way more difficult for a god than creating a piece ofnd that moves on its own, this ''Joker God'' was certainly no joke.]


    ''What exactly is that dimensional rift?''


    [I told you, a passage to another world or dimension, it could be anything... if you don''t hear tales of it, that means no one came back...]


    He felt the shivers after hearing that sentence.


    "How can we reach the nearest civilisation?" He asked Andre, the one who is an ''expert'' in exploration.


    "It would be for the best to head straight to the town of loup, it is a five days journey from here." Andre waved his hands and indicated, giving a brief exnation of where they were.


    "This are the Southern in Lands, they''re filled with creatures, to the north is the town of loup, a small town in the outskirts of the empire under the regiment of the Magnus'' Vassal Kingdom, to the east you will find the capital, thought the journey is extremely long and it is best to go in the railway."


    "Railway?"


    "Yes, the machine that can traverse long distances that I told you about... to the south there are other towns which we are not familiar with, and to the west... it is the border with the Wolf Empire, a dense and ursed forest... as we travel we have to be careful with the scarred cult too, our faces have no scars, especially yours, s-sir..." He didn''t even know how to address Constantine anymore, hence he addressed him as it is usually done to powerful magus.


    "Then let''s go to this town of loup, I have no problem, Zamira?" He asked the purple-haired beauty who so far had been listening and contemting something.


    "Y-Yes, that''s where I usually live as well... if that''s where you''re heading I can show you around." She fidgetted as if wanting to say something that wouldn''te out of her mouth.


    With everybody agreeing, they decided to head towards the Town of Loup to the North.

 Chapter 37 Humanitys Vane, Greed

    "I think you should conceal the blood of sandork, Constantine... it will be bad if we meet werebeasts while you''re holding it." Zamira suggested as they walked inside the forest, leaving the innds.


    The night wasing upon them, it was time to rest.


    Rather than follow her advice, Constantine smiled and looked around, "Let''s rest, for now, we have been walking for a long time and the journey across the caves was taxing as well... I''ll go there to take a piss" He pointed to some bushes away and the group nodded.


    He left, leaving the group to their own things as they regarded one another with concealed messages, only Zamira and Andre seemed to be in a different symphony.


    Constantine came back shortly afterwards with a gaze filled with relief prepared to give his group a good rest.


    "...?"


    Zamira regarded him with a tilted head, since when does he care whether they''re tired or not? he''d usually stop when they''re already falling due to the fatigue and are unable to walk anymore.


    Still, they wouldn''t reject an opportunity to rest, it was an entire day of walking.


    Constantine surprised them even more byying against a tree and cing the covered blood of sandork by his side!


    !!!


    The entire group regarded one another for a moment as if unconsciously before they eachy against their own corners, Zamira made sure to stay close to Constantine.


    "I will guard as you sleep, in a few hours I''ll wake someone up to rece me, sir" Sam said out of nowhere, they needed someone to stay their guard in case anyone came with ill intentions, especially the scarred church or the werebeasts.


    "That''s a great idea, Sam." Constantine smirked and agreed, further increasing Zamira''s apprehension.


    The night went normally with Constantine leaning against the tree with his arms crossed, snoring while Andre and Anne also quickly fell as asleep.


    During the night, Zamira couldn''t sleep, she was staring at the rock by his side all the time, the moonlight shone upon them slightly, it was enough for her to not distinguish when two figures stood up in silence.


    By the time she even realised, one of them had already taken the rock and threw it to the other as the two of them ran!


    !!!


    "Wa-! Hmn!" Zamira was about to run after them when she felt her entire body get constricted by something as even her mouth was blocked!


    "Shhhh..." She heard that noisee from Constantine who was smirking to the side, she gasped.


    Her body rolled mysteriously towards him and the things constricting her movements eventually released her, the young man pulled her in his arms.


    "Sleep, everything is okay..." He caressed her purple hair, entric and silky indeed.


    Still awestruck, she found reprieve in his caresses and her eyes turned weak, her snores followed until the day woulde once again in the form of shiny sun rays.


    **


    **


    When she woke up Constantine was there, smiling at her.


    The purple-haired mercenary noticed that she was in his arms, basking in his warmth and having the best sleep she had in a while despite his confusion, certainly... Constantine had used a bit of his magic to warm up the ce around them, this forest was slightly cold.<novelnext></novelnext>


    She blushed and moved away from him without saying a word, recalling that her face is still not scarred, and the thought of scarring it didn''t appear in her mind as often now.


    Andre also woke up only to notice that Anne and Sam weren''t there anymore, weren''t they supposed to wake him up to guard?


    His gaze wandered around until itnded in the ce where Constantine had left the blood of sandork, the same one he had red a lot at before falling asleep.


    "Ugh, w-what happened?" He rubbed his head pained for some reason as if something had hit him during the night.


    "Why did you stop me? now they have it!" Zamira yelled at Constantine who was still sitting there nonchntly.


    Andre immediately caught up on what had happened, Sam and Anne had stolen the Blood of Sandork!


    "Rx..." Constantine yawned, it wasn''t much the sleep he had during the entire ordeal, he had awaited the softness of ady''s attributes but what met him was the toughness of the tes Zamira used to constrict them.


    How sad.


    The pairmented themselves while Constantine smirked and Zebelliaughed madly inside... he stood up and dusted himself off before walking back to the ce where he said he''d pee.


    Sinking his hands in the ground, he extracted a pristine piece of Blood of Sandork.


    !!!


    "W-What?" Zamira gasped and so did Andre, how could they not know what happened? he staged everything!


    "How can I possibly keep travelling with people I don''t trust? their greed was too evident, yours was too, but they had a scheming glint in it, they spent too much time together and gossiping, I''d rather get rid of them sooner thanter." Constantine rolled his head and awaited Andre''s directions, he''s the one that knows where they''re heading after all.


    He simply stagged the best scenario for human nature to show itself.


    "You know, I felt  greed too, if we could sell that in the ck market, our lives would be resolved." Zamira confessed with shame while Andre nodded, Constantine simply smiled and patted their shoulders.


    "It is normal to be greedy at the prospect of a treasure that can change your life, but only those that can control themselves amidst their feelings and see the greater picture, are worth trusting¡­"


    "..."


    In front of them, this person no longer looked like a ''pretty-boy'' teenager, but rather, a sage in disguise.


    ...


    [Why didn''t you just kill them if you knew they weren''t loyal?] Zebellia questioned right away.


    ''If I had killed them, would Zamira and Andre be feeling respect right now, or fear?''


    [...] She couldn''t question his reasoning.


    ''Loyal subordinates feel respect, fickle and traitorous servants feel fear... I need no traitorous bastards by my side, I need people to trust, and these two fit the bill as of now''


    Constantine smirked and followed Andre''s direction.


    Straight to the Town of Loup.

 Chapter 38 Magnus & Delafell

    "So you''re saying this ce is the Sadamek Empire?"


    The small group of three walked across the forest following the bulky man''s lead, he was still rather depressed, apparently, he and Sam went along for a long period, and even though during their small journey together he did see some signs of him approaching Anne, he still didn''t expect the man to betray him such.


    The ''n'' of stealing the Blood of Sandork hadn''t been discussed with him.


    "Yes, the main continent in Sandoria is divided into three major territories, the Wolf Empire, the Elf Kingdom and the Sadakmek Empire... we have lost a lot of territory to both sides, more the Wolf Empire than anybody else... the elves are rather arrogant and haughty, they don''t bother toe to this ''dirty''nd... but the werebeast are wicked, they see humans as nothing more than livestock or means of reproduction... ever since humanity was cursed, we have lost a lot." He exined things that even schoolers should know to this ''sage''... by now he''s aware this persones from far away and he might even be a god envoy.


    "The Sadamek Empire is divided by three vassal kingdoms, the dynasty of Sadamek which is straight in the capital, the Magnus Kingdom and the Dfell Kingdom, both are extremely weak territories that have lost their power with time and are perhaps going to disappear in the future, we''re currently in the vassal kingdom of Magnus." Andre kept exining everything he knew.


    Constantine wondered what was it that kept those kingdoms upright if they were that weak, they should have been consumed by the Empire long ago.


    "Is there anything that the vassal kingdoms do for the empire?" The conqueror inquired.


    "Vassal Kingdoms have the responsibility to pay taxes to the empire in the form of resources, it is taken from the towns each month, they also have to send prominent talents that they find to the capital, failure toply with these instructions would render heavy punishment." Zamira added her own piece of information, wondering why he was so interested in those matters that are usually never touched upon by people like them, well, he is indeed a strong magus, but even strong magus stay away from politics unless necessary.


    "How are the rtionships between the Human Empire and the other two?"


    "Hostile... we''re in a sort of cold war, there are no hostilities between one another, but we''re also not allowed to enter their territory, the joke is... special envoys of their empires are allowed to enter here, what a joke..." Andre disdained.


    "Howe?" He opened his eyes slightly, this was a clear sign of servitude or at least, the regiment of the Human Empire was being negligent.


    "The Elves and the Werebeasts aren''t stronger than our magus, but... they are greater in number, in a full-blown war, we''d lose, in order to maintain peace, some concessions were done, one of them is that political individuals are allowed to enter the Empire unrestrained, they''re usually nobles of either kingdom or empire thate here seeking ''breeding stock''..."


    "What does that mean?" Constantine growled, it sounded like very.


    "As you heard, theye here to seek partners to mate with, mostly humans with the magic of the elements, after having descendants with them, they hope their children, hybrids, to inherit it... afterwards they leave, that''s all they want from us... they alsoe for resources such as the blood of sandork in your hands, but those are quite scarce in these already plunderednds..."


    "It might not be as you''re thinking Constantine, it is not as if they can simply take whoever they want, however, the empire also won''t protect them more than necessary, usually, if a wolf noble to say, wants to take a maiden for himself from a duke family, they have to agree to give her away, if they don''t then both families will send an envoy to fight, if thedy''s family loses, she has to go... this only applies for royal families, however... if it is amon individual who is chosen, unless he or she can''t protect themselves, they''re ruined "


    Zamira saw how his expression turned ugly at the mention of ''breeding-stocks'' truthfully that''s how they were called as they were used for that purpose or nothing else, but at least, the different forces in the Empire had made sure that humans could at least fight their way out of apromise.


    "... are females from the Wolf Empire and the Elven Kingdom also picking up males here?"


    "Yes, it happens as often as males do... there was a story that once a male prince from the Dfell Kingdom who was proficient in the magic of two elements, got chosen by three werebeast nobledies of three different houses, he rejected thepromise as he was already due to marry a human duchess but his house lost the fight and he was taken away, ording to them, he was supposed toe back a few dayster after having sessfully given up his seed, but... it is said he never came back, it became huge political strife, apparently he died there, that or for some reason he never came back." Zamira ced her finger on her lips, trying to conclude.


    ''Lucky bastard, why would hee back!? I would not... and even if he died he must have died happy.''


    [You rogue!]


    ''Never said I wasn''t...''


    ...


    "But this doesn''t happen the other way around, if a human magus wants to marry a werebeast noble, he is simply unable to unless she''s the head of the family, and hering here to live with him would be the same, his family would have to ept her, it is quiteplicated... both the Elf Kingdom and the Wolf Empire don''t want humans to get a hold of their magic either so such arrangements are almost impossible, thest time a werewolf female intended to marry a man ande to the Sadamek Empire, both were ughtered, it was an example..."


    "Madness..." He said so, but analysing the underlying politics, he could understand the reason for their movements.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "In this world, everything is about power, Constantine."  Zamira remarked.


    "In every world, that''s how it is." He corrected her, his world hadn''t been any different.


    But he wasn''t yet aware how much distinct both worlds were, when she said ''everything'' she wasn''t saying it literally.


    **


    **


    It was once again time to rest, theyy against the trees and Constantine said he''d guard this evening, he tried to process all the information given to him by both people.


    ''How are my cores, Zebellia?'' He inquired while swinging his two legs to the sides, paying attention to everything in this forest, yet aside from some minor animals like squirrels, there was nothing noteworthy.


    Their eyes contained greed, but the moment they saw him, they backed off.


    [They are in their full capacity, what do you n to do?]


    ''Nothing, I just want to be ready if we''re attacked.''


    [Have you felt any presence?]


    ''I have felt nothing, this ce is quite deste, not even monsters, however, the distances are rather far, five days from the forest to a town, I guess we were quite far away.'' He deduced; the unbearable need for a steed resurfaced in his mind, every journey would be much faster that way, lucky, there was already a horse nearby.


    ''Zebellia?''


    [Hmn?]


    ''How do I tell you to be my personal little horsey without you getting pissed at the request?''


    [...]


    [-20 Karma Points]


    ''Now that I remember, isn''t being my horse part of your secretary responsibilities?''


    [FUCK YOU!] She wouldn''t allow herself to be yed again, a steed is definitely NOT a secretary.


    ''Oe oe, no need to get so upset?~ I will give you a nice meal daily'' he said as if it was the best bargain in the world.


    [-20 Karma Points]


    ''Aight, I will shut up... but I won''t surrender'' thest thing he wanted was his mouth to ruin the increasingly great progress of his decreasing debt.


    Having an intergctic horse as his noble steed would be his biggest conquest yet, and the conqueror never gives up.

 Chapter 39 The Beautys Admiration, Divinitys Oversight

    "Constantine..."


    "...?" The man, still contemting on what sort of meals he''d give Zebellia, regarded the figure of Zamira who had been resting on the ground, raising up and staring at him through the darkness.


    "What''s wrong?" He didn''t intend to switch guards as he still hadn''tpletely trusted either of them, but it would certainly not take long before he was able to give them his back.


    "Can I talk something to you?" She spoke with a small stutter of insecurity.


    "Just say it." Andre was already sleeping and the night was evident, he simply wondered what was the need for secrecy.


    "I was wondering... if you would allow me to be yourpanion?" Still stuttering she threw her preposition, scared.


    "Huh? what sort ofpanion?" He red at her, ''It is not what I am thinking, right?''


    [Pervert! Disgraceful!]


    "I mean... your servant, or knight... whichever you prefer." She cleared the matter, what else could it be if not that?


    "Do you want to pledge your allegiance to me?" He asked while smiling, what is this girl on about?


    "Yes, I want to follow you." She requested with a serious expression and even managed to ce her eyes on his again.


    "Tell me your reasons." He said in ax manner, it has been countless times that someone asked to be able to be his knight, servant, maid... most of the time he''d reject, that right is earned, not requested.


    "You saved my life, your skills are top-notch, you''re brilliant, confident... I-I have a hard time finding something you''re not... I am simply impressed by your qualities, Constantine..." As if having dozens of reasons, she told them one by one.


    "And how does that trante into you wanting to be my subordinate?"


    "You''re clearly new in this ce, someone like you would need guidance... I want to offer that guidance, and in my case, I need someone that can teach me to be stronger... I not only want to learn from you but genuinely believe you will reach great heights, I want to be by your side when you do!" She knelt in front of him while the conqueror sighed.


    "You didn''t mention my magic."


    "I am indeed impressed by your use of magic but,pared to your other qualities... it is not noteworthy." The beauty spoke and thisment of hers truly won his attention, as far as he knows in this world if you''re not a magus is like you''re a dump on the road, yet she''s not interested in that?


    He approached her and raised his chin, "Then what do you think my best quality is?" his eyes literally pierced hers and she couldn''t help but blush.


    "T-That..." Her lips opened and plucked out slightly before she bit them.


    "That what?" He smiled and rubbed them.


    "The fact that you can look to me in the eyes like that... you embraced me, you look at me straight in the face, you''re not disgusted by me, that is the main reason... why I want to follow you... I don''t have to conceal myself with you, it is... refreshing." Deciding to not beat around the bush, she spoke honestly.


    "Why would I-" He once again rolled his eyes, again with this ''disgust'' thing, if one thing he hated was when a bombshell wasn''t confident in herself, it ruined her charm.


    "Stop... you don''t understand, when we''re in the town you will see... women like me, they''re not... seen with a good eye, just like you''re called a ''pretty-boy'' with disdain, that way, me too..."<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Do you see me as a disdainful pretty boy too?" He asked with a sarcastic smile, already aware of the answer.


    "N-No! you''re amazing! but you must understand, this is my current opinion of you, back when I met you... I thought you were some pretty boy that only works as a servant" Her eyes were staring at him with a new light.


    Those feeble features and beautiful expression seemed to have gained a different contour, while coated with his previous glory, the current him didn''t look weak, he looked full of gantry and confidence, so much so that she had a hard time keeping her eyes away.


    Constantine couldn''t understand, why such a beautifuldy would consider herself, ''disgusting''... even if in this world weak-looking people were disdained, why would beauty be disdained?


    [That Scarred God, Dior... perhaps he has something to do with it, or is some other god, the presence of divinities in and greatly determines people''s beliefs in their concepts and emotions... a world in which beauty is disdained, is not as odd as you might think, in fact... by appreciating her, in this ce, you''re the odd one...] Zebellia said, not concealing her wrathful tone from earlier.


    ''...'' He remained silent, indicating for her to contextualize.


    [Would you think that someone is normal in your world for ying together with pigs in the mud, getting himself dirty and eventually making love to them?] She squirmed at her own words.


    ''Of course not, that person is obviously a disgusting bastard...!'' He even shivered at the thought.


    [Well, such a person could be the proud emperor of a powerful multi-continental empire, so long as a God had imprinted such beliefs in that world... if in this world beauty is disdained, it is definitely the act of some rogue God that held those beliefs and imnted them into his worshipers] Zebellia concluded and by then Constantine had finallye to understand how bizarre the existence of a god truly was.


    ''That''s ridiculous...''


    Zamira saw how Constantine seemed to have a hard time considering it and thought she''d get rejected.


    ''As expected, my face...''


    "I will ept you, but if you want to be my subordinate, there is something you have to do first."


    "I will do it!" She said with determination and awaited her orders.


    "You have to be a worshipper of the one and only living goddess of Sandoria!"


    "Eh?"


    "The almighty Goddess of Life, Aurelianne!!"


    Constantine spread his arms like a psychotic priest.


    It was time for him to start doing his job as a champion, and the perfectb rat had presented herself in front of him in the form of a purple-haired beauty.


    "..."


    [...]


    Now he, a non-religious had to persevere through the challenge imposed on him by fate, and turn the girl into a believer for his beloved buxom goddess.

 Chapter 40 The Goddess Faith

    "Do you believe in a particr goddess?" Zamira asked, agape... she didn''t think he''d follow some god especially since he clearly wasn''t from this world.


    The theory of him being an ''envoy'' made more sense now.


    "Of course, who else would I believe other than our beloved goddess of life?" He blurted as if holding ultimate confidence.


    ''I can only use the method utilized by modern churches in my world, I hope this will work'' he thought, someone like him faithless, what else could he do if not copy?


    "Sorry, I don''t know any goddess of life." The girl confessed awkwardly.


    "How dare you heretic!?"


    !!!


    "S-Sorry...! I really don''t know any goddess of life!" Zamira stuttered, she didn''t expect him to switch all of the sudden.


    *WHOOSH!*


    "Burn in a hole for your sin! only the goddess of life can save you! kneel down and pray!" He cast some mes in his hand and it was the girl''s time to be terrorized.


    [I don''t think you''re going to get any worshippers that way...!] Zebellia seemed to be struggling to talk instead ofughing out loud.


    ''That''s what they did back in my world and they were quite sessful, give it time... I know she will like it''


    [There is no way she''s going to like it! Look! She''s scared shitless!]


    By now Zamira was more than a little frightened ''burn her in a hole'' what kind of goddess of life is that?!


    Seeing her like this, Constantine had to sigh and admit perhaps that wasn''t the best method, just maybe...


    *COUGH!*


    "Sorry, Zamira... I got a little carried away, it is just... I love my goddess too much." Constantine, seeing her shivering body, decide to restart his preaching, clearly, the first impression had been a failure.


    "I-I can tell..." Zamira, if not for having understood a little of his personality and hispassionate self, would have already run for her life, forsaking Andre.


    "Anyway, it is the truth, if you want to serve me, you will have to serve my goddess first." He patted her shoulder, trying to calm her down as she was still shivering.


    She took several seconds to calm down, thinking that he just wasn''t the best apostle around, eventually, the beauty asked something and this time he really didn''t know what to answer.


    "Is your goddess on good terms with the God Lucius?"


    ...


    ''I didn''t think being a priest would be soplicated...''


    [You''re making itplicated!]


    "No she isn''t, my goddess is the only one living goddess in Sandoria, Lucius is death, you should know that..." Constantine answered from what he learned with Aurelianne.


    "Humanity hopes that he is still alive, but looking at the current world, that''s impossible, right?" She asked with little to no hope.


    "Yes, but in his ce there is a new goddess who ispassionate and noble, Aurelianne..."


    "Can you prove that she is alive?" Zamira red at him, beliefs were aplicated topic in Sandoria and even if she wanted to be his subordinate, her beliefs were something else.


    Her determination to prove him, made Constantine a little apprehended, he didn''t know how to reproduce a ''proof''.


    ''Shit... how do I swindle her?'' He bit on his nails, ''with magic?''


    [...]


    ''Back in my world the priests used to stick a piece of meat inside his robes and made it appear in front of the hungry as if it was magic, a miracle... should I do something like that, where do I get meat?''


    [You suck at being a champion... just pray to your goddess and she will feel your faith, fool]


    ''Is that an actual thing?''


    [Of course, it is, do you think you''re her champion just for show?]


    ''I will try...''


    "Oh goddess of my heart, please may you show mercy on my soul and show your beautiful countenance in front of me, I miss you! I miss those two BIG eyes of yours!" His hands extended to the skies, awaiting his lover to express herself in any way, a gale of wind... rain... even if a little itch in the butt that would be okay.


    [What kind of bullshit pray is that?! are you praying or trying to swindle somedy!?]


    ''Oh shut up! I have never prayed in my life!''


    ...


    In counterpart, Zamira blushed when she heard his words, she thought they were quite romantic.


    *RUMBLE!!!*


    All of the sudden, the world atmosphere changed, gaining a degree of ''weightiness'' to it, so much so that Zamira and Constantine felt it.


    [This is divinity... she''s here, to think that rubbish prayer worked, foolish lovestruck goddess...]


    Constantine gasped, Aurelianne is here?


    All of a sudden they felt the ground shake and beside their struck eyes, from a small root, a tree started to form out of nothing, Andre who was nearby never woke up, instead, he felt as if the ground was more cosy and soft, emitting a warm vitality thatforted his soul.<novelnext></novelnext>


    The tree kept growing for several seconds in front of Zamira''s awestruck expression, it wasn''t a small tree by any means, it looked like one of those trees that have lived for thousands of years, reaching a height of thirty metres.


    "..." Constantine was silent all along as he saw how in the tree''s stem, the figure of ady started to form from the wood.


    Her wooden eyes opened and settled on his body.


    "Say that again..." The voice was filled with overwhelming divinity of life as the trees around all grew slightly in size and strength.


    "Aurelianne..." He didn''t listen to her words, rather his captivated eyes settled on her figure, he had missed her.


    "My champion, your prayer... please say it again..." She requested, cing both arms on her belly and smiling with expectations.


    "Oh goddess of my heart... please may you show mercy on my soul... and show your beautiful countenance in front of me... I miss you... I m-miss those two big eyes of yours..." he repeated it, still awed at her from inside the wooden steam, he had truly missed her.


    The Goddess giggled, taking her wooden arm to her mouth, "I loved it, those two big eyes huh, I guess my two big eyes are really BIG and soft~" A knowing glint was exchanged between the two, a slightly lusty one.


    He smirked, "You know what I mean..."


    "Come here..." She said, beaconing him toe by her side.


    The champion did and asked and approached her.


    "Mortal, turn around..."


    She then said to Zamira who was released from her awe and hurriedly turned around, THAT''S A GODDESS! A REAL LIVING GODDESS!


    When Constantine was in front of her, they merely looked at one another with passion concealed beneath, recalling theirst wonderful yet pitiful memories.


    Her body was exactly like her whole self, wearing a dress that wasn''t translucent now as her entire body was made out of wood.


    "Worship me~" She requested and raised her chest up proudly.


    "You''re such a perverted goddess, Aurelianne~" He whispered into her ears and ced both of his hands on her boobs, they weren''t soft by any means, but she relished at the touch.


    "I love you... my eyes have never left you, I saw every moment, but... I couldn''t do anything to assist you if you didn''t pray to me" She said, rubbing her cheeks against his and hugging him against her body like a mother hugs her child that she hasn''t seen in a long time, it was the deepest love.


    "Me too, I missed you..." He embraced her back, it hadn''t been long but her figure together with his wives had been in his mind at all times.


    "We didn''t finish our bonding." The Goddess whispered by his ears huskily, not trying to do anything lustful as with her current body, it would be for nought.


    "I will be a demigod soon and make sure that you''re properly satisfied and filled once I return, alright?" Her huskiness couldn''t possibly match his, even if her boobs were made out of wood, he could still feel the phantom softness only she could provide.


    His words contained a promise.


    "I can''t wait, please do it fast~ now, I see that you got me a worshipper that threatened my faith? should I be jealous?~ but I don''t think it is unexpected..." The goddess pouted and he moved to the side, holding her hand.


    He simply shrugged.


    "Tell me something, what about Zebellia...?" The Goddess asked with a re.


    [Tell her that she can mind her own business...] The shameless horse didn''t think twice before openly ndering and insulting, a message he wouldn''t ry.


    "She said that she will be a good little horse and cause no trouble." He smirked, aware that it wouldn''t end at that, and indeed, it didn''t.


    [HEY!!!]


    *RUMBLE!!!*


    A big shockwave left his body at that moment and the world came to a sudden stop!


    Constantine saw how everything turned grey except for himself and Aurelianne in the tree.


    A massive eye opened in front of him, purple in colour, slit.


    "Time Valkyrie..." Aurelianne growled, the same entity that had been in her mind all this while.


    "As I told him, you can mind your own business, Goddess of Life, you should know why I am here..." Zebellia spoke solemnly, her voice that of a mighty creature.


    "Toki..."


    "That''s it... until hepletes the trial, I will be apanying him, don''t think that I am afraid of you, Goddess of Life, you''re a mere minor goddess, regardless of your origin~"


    !!!


    The Goddess gasped at thatst part and her re on her intensified further, "If that''s the case, I also know there is something wrong going on with you, Valkyrie."


    "Don''t try to act cooky, so what if you have conjectures? in the end, you have nothing... but I know everything about you, bear that in mind."


    *RUMBLE!!*


    Having already delivered her message, the eye disappeared and the world went back to normal, the butterflies kept flying and Andre kept snoring, the oxygen flowed across Zamira''s lungs, not even a second had passed.


    "What does she mean, Aurelianne...?" Constantine had heard everything and there is obviously something going on, what is it about Aurelianne''s origin?


    "She''s talking about something personal, the way I was birthed into this world, you don''t have to worry, I think... she doesn''t have ill intentions." She bit her lips and caressed his cheek, eventually moving her gaze to the purple-haired girl.


    "Rise your head, mortal."

 Chapter 41 Opening Heart, True Prowess

    Before Zamira stood in the presence of a true god, the moment she raised her head and saw Constantine holding that tree''s ''hand'' she knew it. It wasn''t faked or a lie.


    "No god has been witnessed ever since the curse of Rotborn gued humanity and the death of God Lucius¡­" she said with awe, looking up and down to the person before her, it could be fake... it could simply be magic, but then again, what magic? the trees are moving and the entire forest is responding to this person''s presence.


    Without divinity, that''s impossible.


    "My name is Aurelianne, Goddess of Life. State your name, mortal." The Goddess didn''t release Constantine''s hand, she wanted to address several things, but her first-ever worshipper was also important.


    "M-My goddess, I''m Zamira, may your name be haughty across all kingdoms!" Zamira didn''t fail to shower the goddess with praises, such is the way for mortals to address Gods.


    The treedy nodded with contentment, "It seems my champion has made an acquaintance out of you, I must thank you for assisting him through his first days in thisnd, you have my deepest gratitude."


    ''Champion!?'' She was wondering what their intimate rtionship was, that is no different than an envoy.


    "N-No! He saved my life! It is me instead who should apologise for challenging your faith, my goddess... it won''t happen again." She apologised deeper, challenging a living god''s faith would oftentimes result in death, a sudden disease, or a lightning strike, sometimes the gods were even more overbearing and threw a mountain up their heads.


    She didn''t want to go through it.


    "Do you believe in me now?" The Goddess inquired with a cute tilted head, just to make sure.


    "Yes!"


    "Will you worship me as your goddess, life for my sake and receive my blessings?"


    "I shall worship the true goddess that lives above thend, please tell me what my endeavour shall be, my goddess." Zamira knelt down happily, it was such an honour.


    Aurelianne extended her hand and a translucent sparkle of light left her body, entering her body, she felt indescribable warmth.


    "I''m afraid my greatest blessing has already been given away, but for assisting my champion until this moment, I shall gift you with vitality, this should slow down Rotborn for several decades."


    !!!


    "Thank you! Thank you!"


    For any human in Sandoria, being able to extend their lifespan was the greatest of blessings.


    "As for your endeavour, please, assist my champion in the mission with which I have sent him here, that''s all I ask of you." Aurelianne asked kindly and Zamira noticed how some roots came out of the earth and caressed her knees.


    "I heed!"


    "Could you allow us a few moments alone, Zamira?" Aurelianne no longer called her ''mortal'', with Zamira being her first worshipper, her existence became ''relevant''.


    Zamira nodded and bowed once more before leaving the area.


    ...


    "What about him?" Constantine pointed at the sleeping bulky man who apparently was having a good dream, salivating even.


    "Don''t worry, he''s still sleeping, a rather heavy sleeper dare I say~" She was referring to Andre and with no one else around she quickly pulled him against her wooden body.


    "Is there a particr reason as to why you wanted her to be my worshipper and not that man?" Aurelianne pouted and embraced him by the waist, it wasplicated for him as he simply was unable to embrace the entire tree''s stem in this position.


    "There are two big reasons." He whispered beside her ears huskily and her eyes rolled.


    "Yeah, sure¡­ I know what reasons are those¡­ my champion it is time for me to leave, thank you for gaining me my first worshipper~" Her nose touched him and she rubbed them cutely, even if it wasn''t as soft as usual he still relished in the feeling, she was so cute all the time...


    "I have a question, regarding the blessing that you gave me¡­ it is called the blessing of the golden seed¡­" He gulped slightly and began his enquiry.


    "Yes~" She gigged.


    "And it says that I shall gain someone''s potential by inserting my seed in them."


    "Yes~ you will awaken their potential too, it is a seed of ''life''~" The Goddess giggled again.


    "And how exactly do I insert that seed *cough!*" That''s the most important part.


    "That''s something you''ll have to research on your own, I am not about to tell you what you have to do as I would be a failure as your woman to do so. One of my legs is already in the realm of Inexistence just by giving you that blessing, the moment your wives see it, they''re going to hunt me down~" She caressed his cheek.


    "Why?" He couldn''t understand, by now he knows what exactly the blessing is, if that''s the case, why did she do it?


    "I desire that you enjoy yourself as much as possible in Sandoria, my champion, you have already suffered enough in your world, Dragoncrest. Just make sure to protect me from them when the timees~"


    "Always." He was happy with the ''gift'' but it also producedplications in him, such power was something he would have killed for before ''settling down'' with his wives, but now.


    A new addition like Aurelianne was an exception, not the rule.


    "But remember who is your goddess, alright?"


    He nodded with a slight glint of suspiciousness that she noticed and onlyughed lightly as a response, it was slightly odd for him still that his five wives, being goddesses themselves, had allowed Aurelianne to make him her champion.


    "Can someone be the champion of two goddesses?"


    "It is possible, but extremely unadvisable... depending on the rtionship between gods, they might even kill each other for a champion, but don''t worry, the sisters won''t cause trouble for this~" She said with a straight face, but he could notice a drop of sap rub down her forehead.


    "..." That didn''t sound good.


    "Will you get jealous when the timees?" He referred to the time when he was to impart the ''seed''.


    "I will not so long as you don''t be someone else''s champion. Why would I? Love is an expression of life, the golden seed of life can only be given to those you love, I only hope you will be responsible this time and not leave a sea of broken hearts in your wake."


    "A-Are you telling me to make a harem?" His eyebrows twitched, she''spletely opposite to the rest.


    ''I can already see Caroline bullying her...''


    "You didn''t hear that from my mouth, farewell, my champion~ whenever you pray for me, just remember, I am always hearing." The goddess'' lips sealed and the silhouette morphed back into the tree as her divinity was banished, even then, the tree remained as it looked amazing and bigger in between all those smaller trees in this forest.


    The testimony of a god''s presence.


    **


    **


    "H-How should I call you now?" Zamira came back after being called and afterwards knelt down to continue what they had left off, her pledge.


    "Just call me Constantine, listen, I don''t want a servant or a maid, I want apanion¡­ if you want to stay with me you will have to get stronger." He helped her up with a sigh.


    "I will try hard, Constantine." This is exactly what she wanted, that prowess he disyed, she wanted to emte it.


    They sat against that same tree, it was still the night and the sun was far froming up again, he patted hisp and she blushed and eded,ying on it while he caressed her hair.


    ...


    "Could I ask you a question?" She suddenly asked to break the silence that the nightly insects weren''t able to achieve.


    "State it."


    "Why would you only introduce her Grace to me but not Andre?" She looked at the still sleeping Andre and also switched his way to address her new goddess.


    "Three reasons, first off you''re a girl..." He confessed unashamedly, there was no need to conceal it.


    [...]


    "And how does that rte?" She didn''t understand why would that change anything, and it made him understand that rtions in this world were truly skewered, it seems being male or female is indifferent, in hindsight she and Anne were working just as hard as the other guys to survive.


    ? "It is easier for me to trust women than men, a matter of preference, the second is that we''ve had fairly good chemistry and you''ve been very helpful ever since we met, Zamira. I trust you" he didn''t add ''notpletely''.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Yes... and what is thest?" Ever since she saw hope in him showing up with his head through, she trusted him, to her, life is extremely important.


    And that''s because ''life'' is the only thing she has, at least until Rotborn takes it away.


    "That is, that unlike Andre; you have nothing to lose." The Conqueror smiled.


    "H-How do you know?" Her body shivered and for a moment she felt vulnerable, but his soothing caresses made her know otherwise.


    "That face and behaviour of yours... you scarred your face because no one would take care of you, you''d have to fend on your own. You''re not scared of Luke''s threats because nothing awaited you outside that cave, you were as good as dead."


    "..."


    "The way you fight, how you carry your broken sword, we''vee across several better weapons along the way, but you''re still hanging onto that sword... someone gave you that sword when you had nothing, and for you, nothing is as valuable."


    "... How can you know?!" She was awed that he could realise so many things about her without asking directly, merely unconscious actions of hers.


    "Because I have gone through the same, before... that''s why I trust you. I can tell that you have nowhere to go back to, Zamira." He twirled some of her hair strands.


    "Hehe, that''s right, I have nothing else... are you intending to use that against me?" She smiled self-mockingly, that''s what people in this world would do, take advantage of someone else''s vulnerability, without even knowing she exposed herselfpletely to this man, however, it wasn''t only her, all of them did.


    "Would you believe me capable of doing so?" He actually deadpanned, ''do people perceive me that unfriendly?''


    [I would...]


    ''Nobody asked you.''


    [See? you''re quite unfriendly.]


    ''Certainly miss tactful horsey.''


    ...


    "If I did, I wouldn''t have pledged myself to you... I trust you." She held his hand and blushed, but then she also noticed hisck of reaction, his smile contained kindness, but nothing else...


    "Then I won''t~ instead, I will help you attain things you can call your own."


    "Can I ask you a question, now that we are in this setup?" She shot Andre a brief gaze.


    "Say..."


    "What exactly is your magic? you said it was wind and fire but... some other things don''t make sense... I''m not a magus, but magic isn''t exclusive to magus, there are artefacts that we can use as non-magus as well, arrays and so on, they''re quite expensive... I know that you didn''t use just wind and fire." She said, especially the wholes that he made, it was so obvious, no one said a word after his threat but they all suspected he was using Earth Magic.


    And with that, there were many questions, that ''quartz'' that he made in front of her, they were just afraid to ask and get killed.


    "Well, you got me there, it is not like I was trying to conceal it excruciatingly." He scratched his head and sighed, in a situation like that, how could he not use every means avable for survival just for the sake of concealing his true prowess? it was merely a matter of trust.


    "Then..." The purple-haired beauty insisted on her question.


    "I can use all of the elements. Earth, Wind, Fire and Water."


    !!!


    "And I am an elf hybrid, I can use light as well... you better keep this a secret~" He whispered beside her ears, amused at her reaction.


    "Y-You!" She looked at him up and down in disbelief, her perception had changed.


    ''H-Hybrid, a Goddess'' champion, someone that can use five elements...''


    "What?"


    "You''re a monster!! do you know how incredible is for anyone to be able to use merely TWO elements!?"


    "Don''t yell or it won''t be a secret anymore..." He closed her mouth and she was left mumbling in his hand, he didn''t really care if Andre heard, he nned to make the man into his retainer as well, butter.


    "There might not even be anyone like you in this world, I will keep this SECRET WITH ALL MY-"


    "You''re yelling again..." He sighed.


    "..." The girl calmed down, but the light shining in her eyes wouldn''t fade.


    "D-Do you have a red core too?" She asked suddenly, a question he didn''t understand.


    "Red core?"


    "Your magus core... is it red?" There were apparent expectations in her words?


    "Before that, could you tell me what types of cores are known?" He requested an exnation, as far as he''s concerned, ''Ether'' is the only one.


    "ck, yellow, blue and red... those are the standard grades, it usually determines how strong the spell is once cast, how fast a person can replenish their mana reserves, sometimes even how versatile they are with their spells, the natural capacities they have with their inherited element, and much more, red is the top of this world, is yours red too?" She wanted to know, it would only ce her surprise yet another step up thedder.


    ''T-There is not even an Ether core here!?''


    [It is not that there aren''t there are several types of cores which are exceptions, whereas those she mentioned are the standard among mortals, yours is merely one of the exceptions.] Zebellia stated.


    "Hmn, how normal is it to have more than one core?" He decided to avoid that question for now and instead ask something else.


    "U-Uh...?" She didn''t even want to imagine the implications of his question, eventually, suppressing her curiosity, she answered.


    "T-The Witch Queen Aemir, the strongest and most evil witch in the ancient times... was said to have three cores... she could control a lot of elements, even profane divinities, but she''s the peak of magic beneath the Gods, don''t tell me you have three cores too!?"


    *COUGH!*


    "Of course not!"


    ''Zebellia, what the hell!? why am I so loaded?! they don''t even have these ether cores thingies here, the strongest has less than I do?! I didn''t have any of this before!'' Sometimes having too many secrets and strengths was a disadvantage, especially when one is still vulnerable.


    [Why is that a problem? isn''t it better to be stronger?]


    ''I just don''t want to be seen like a walking treasure by revealing prowess that I shouldn''t possess!''


    [Clever... what do you expect? all of those blessings were ingrained in your soul due to the constant bonding with five powerful minor goddesses, they unconsciously nurtured your soul to this stage, it would be odder if you ended up being a normal human aftering here... ether cores might be odd here, but they''re not that strange in the entire universe, as for having several cores, I know a lot of emperors who possess five divine cores.]


    "I see..." It was sort of relieving to know there were precedents he could analyse


    [But even them with five standard cores can''t begin to approach what you can achieve with four ether cores, what kind of monster you''re going to turn into, I am already aware of... how sad that such potential is wasted in a wife stealer]


    ''It is unfair to call me that without putting ''Emperor'' after.''


    ...


    Constantine coughed slightly after his inner rabblings with Zebellia and addressed Zamira.


    "Listen Zamira, I have a lot of things that I can''t reveal, I hope you understand... they''re sensitive and would put us in danger if known." The most he could reveal was his half-elf origin.


    "I know, you don''t trust mepletely yet, I will make sure to earn your trust, nobody will know! NO! I WILL KILL ANYONE THAT DISCOVERS IT!" The girl nodded excitedly.


    "I like your enthusiasm!"


    Andre''s eyes moved back and forth, annoyed at the noise that people were making, he just pped several insects away before going back to sleep.


    "Hmn dear, I w-will be back... soon, I survi...ved..."

 Chapter 42 Magnus Kingdom, The Town Of Loup

    "This is the first time nobody has woken me up to guard."


    "No worries big guy, I don''t need to sleep most times anyway... and it looked like you were having a good dream, with some ''dear''~ I wonder who that is."


    "T-That can''t be..."


    "I didn''t know you had a family, Andre."


    "There are many things nobody knows, you should be aware yourself that not everything should be revealed to one''s partners in this working circle."


    "Her name is Sophia and we have a daughter, I haven''t seen them in months now... she is thirty-five." He said solemnly and although he didn''t get it straight away, she did.


    "Has she started to present the symptoms?" Zamira inquired.


    "Not by the time I was there, that''s why I am in a hurry to go back, being captured in that damned cave was unexpected."


    "You''re talking about the curse." he got involved in the conversation with more than a single clue.


    "Yes, most don''tst more than forty years, I only want to be there when we part ways." Andre''s words contained sadness as well as eptance.


    "..."


    "..."


    Zamira and Constantine simply sent each other a deep nce, just now she received a blessing from her new goddess, it increased her lifespan for ten years, to Constantine that was nothing, but to her, a treasure.


    ...


    "That is the town''s entrance, whatever you''re concealing beneath those rags, is it important?" Andre asked as they concealed behind some bushes, there was a mural in front of them with several guards at the entrance.


    He was referring to the rags covering his ears.


    "Zamira, what will the implications be if they know I am an elf?" He whispered in Zamira''s ears, if such a status would give him a good footing, he might as well just disclose it, but merely by instinct, the conqueror could tell such wasn''t fated to be a good idea.


    "They''re going to ask for your delegated badge where it is stated that you''re allowed toe here from the Elf Kingdom, if you don''t have it, you will be immediately attacked and apprehended, causing amotion here will only draw more guards, I don''t advice revealing it, they won''t pay much attention to it anyway." She answered also in a whisper while Andre awaited.


    "What about them knowing I am a magus?"


    "If you''re not yet in an academy or belong to any family, your existence will be reported and you will be taken into custody and led to either the capital to study and be a magus or as a vassal for the noble families of the kingdom, regardless, it won''t be a cute sight, Constantine." Zamira sighed, it wasn''t easy regardless.


    ''It is troublesome, it might be useful to just report myself and be sent to the capital in the academy, but what will my degree of freedom be in that case?'' He considered his options, and in no time came to a conclusion.


    Freedom meant everything.


    "Then I can''t allow them to see, Andre." The conqueror ryed his decision and Andre nodded before exhaling deeply.


    "They''re going to try to inspect us, but I am a friend of one of the guards, with some words I can have them not search you, the problem is that they have never seen your face and someoneing to the outskirts of the Magnus Kingdom is odd, don''t worry, I''ll sort it out!"


    Clearly, Andre knew his way around and that was something Constantine was paying extra attention to.


    "They''re going to ask about your mercenary badge, this is what you''re going to say." As they headed to the entrance, Zamira started to whisper in his ears.


    His backup story.


    ...


    "Andre, you''re back." One of the guards said while the other three stood on guard, not recognising this fellow.


    "Felix, it''s nice to see you, I aming with Zamira and some mercenary we encountered along the way, he lost his badge in a cave." Andre showed up with a badge and so did Zamira while Constantine simply shrugged his shoulders.


    The guards regarded him for a while before their sights turned into mocking grins, then they moved towards Zamira whose face was devoided of scars even as she tried to cover it with a cloak, yet her bloodied broken sword told tales on its own.


    "What about the others?" The man asked, he had been present when Andre''s entire entourage departed the city several months prior.


    "They didn''t make it, we''re extremely tired, allow us in."


    "Hmn..." The guard inspected them and didn''t pay too much attention and simply focused on Constantine who was sending a neutral gaze his way.


    "What''s your name boy? aren''t you too young and fragile to be an adventurer? where did you lose your badge" After a brief inspection, the guard''s gaze settled on the big rock that was being held inside rags?


    The covered Blood of Sandork.


    "I lost it in a cave in Lindom Forest, as for my origin, Ie from the City of Mailegars to the Northeast, I came for some minerals."


    "And what is that?"


    "It is some pirita that we found, nothing important." Before Constantine could answer, Zamira interjected and scratched her cloak, Pirita was one of the cheapest minerals in Sandoria, even rock this big shouldn''t be any value for them.


    "I see, to think they''d send a pretty boy to get minerals, the Dukedom of Mailegars is truly declining~ very well, you can go in and don''t cause trouble, make sure to get a recement badge, boy." The guard Felix warned them before standing aside, allowing them in.


    "Sure." Constantine rolled his eyes, never had his pretty face been disrespected such.<novelnext></novelnext>


    ''No wonder Zamira scarred her face, with imbeciles like these all around...'' he thought with irritation, let alone those guards were all bulky and looked like they had gone through thousands of battles, this world is truly something else.


    The trio entered the ''town'' and that was when Constantine marvelled at the architecture disyed.


    ''What is this...?''


    The buildings presented a gothic design, bricks covered the entire ground without a wisp of soil to be seen.


    Zamira and Andre noticed Constantine''s reaction and they were slightly curious about what kind of scenery he had lived in so far, a forest?


    For the current Constantine, used to soil grounds, wooden buildings and straightforward architecture, with his castle being the greatest of creations, the current setting was nothing short of the ''future''.


    "What is that Zamira?" He pointed towards something with four wheels that was moving, there weren''t many like those, but they''re certainly were.


    It was a horseless carriage.


    "That''s a vehicle, it is impulses with magic arrays ofbustion, only rich people have them, there are several such families that spent their time in the town of loup, although it is not one of the best towns in the Magnus Kingdom, it is also not the worst... moste here to spend theirst years as they find the capital oftentimes too ''corrupted''.


    "Vehicle..." He saw how a man sat in the driver''s seat while twisting some sort of wheel, the machine was rather silent


    ''Fuck the horses, I want one of those!'' A carriage that could move on its own! who needs some gossipy talking gigantic horse anyway!


    The carriage can''t talk, that''s the magic.


    [HEY! RESPECT YOUR SECRETARY!]


    ''Hmph! Horses shit too much everywhere too, I am sure those machines won''t leave shit around as you will!''


    [STOP DISRESPECTING ME, MORTAL! I WILL KILL YOU!]


    ''Kill me then,e on~''


    [...] Zebellia''s bravado died off as his audacity increased, and it would eventually explode through the skies.


    It was then that he felt a disruption in time and something pped his butt, hard!


    *SLAAP!!*


    ''You bitch!''


    !!!


    "Is everything okay?!" Zamira saw him jump like a cat who got a bucket of cold water thrown at it and she got worried.


    "I am okay..." He answered her while rubbing his butt.


    ''I will remember this, Zebellia, just remember that, each and every single p, I will give it back.'' He growled


    [Go ahead,e here and p me now with that small hand of yours~]


    ''...''


    His bravado decreased yet again as her confidence settled down, there was once again bnce in the universe.


    And just like the universe, a lot of time would be needed before these two left each other''s throats.


    ...


    *BROOMM!*


    Something resonated and he saw how a woman wearing a rather delicate dress was moving in one of those ''vehicles'' but this one had two wheels instead of four, the air made her dress flutter and he gulped, seeing that beneath her dress, she was as in as the day, not even a single curve.


    ''How disappointing...''


    "And that is?" He pointed at it and moved his gaze around, there were people, scarce but present.


    "That''s a bike..." Zamira''s eyebrows twitched, she felt like she was teaching a kid the most basic o the basics.


    Females were dressed in foreign attires that he hadn''t seen before, one-piece dressed, tes, skirts, boots. The same could be said of men.


    Most of them however showed a remarkable physique that showed signs of training.


    His interest in this world increased several notches.


    "I appreciate your enthusiasm, saviour, but I''d like to see my family now, if that''s okay..." Andre felt anxious and Constantine realised that he had been constraining the man inadvertently.


    "Oh, then we will follow you for now." Constantine suggested, Zamira didn''t have a problem.


    Andre simply nodded, trusting that they wouldn''t cause trouble and ran in a single direction.

 Chapter 43 Peace In The Vicinity

    It was such an intricateplex of streets that Constantine was starting to get suspicious.


    Scarce clouds covered the sun ray and stopped it from shining on the otherwise ''beautiful'' streets, the height of those buildings, at least five stories each, also prevented the light from hitting the darkest corners.


    "We''re close." Andre said while noticing his suspiciousness; entering a building after pressing a key against a door.


    Going up all the way to the third floor, he knocked on a door and it opened.


    A pair of children, boy and girl, opened it cautiously, but all that cautiousness went through the roof the moment they noticed the man''s expression.


    "Daddy!!" The girl yelled, her hair fluttered with tears as she jumped into the bulky man''s arms in a single impulse.


    Andre embraced a girl not older than ten years old, it was clearly his daughter, the two didn''t look simr, but her raven hair and his matched wonderfully. Behind her was a boy of simr age holding what resembled a club that was bigger than his own body, yet he was wielding it with courage.


    The moment he saw the man, he shivered slightly before lowering it.


    "Anya, I missed you." Andre tightened his embrace around the girl, feeling her warmth, he had reallye back here after so much.


    "D-Daddy! why did you take so long?!" The girl continued to sob as both Constantine and Zamira smiled at the reunion.


    There were some sobs before everything went back to normal, for some moments there was a gaze of reconnaissance as Constantine and Zamira evaluated the entire situation, the nearby doors were opened slightly with some gossiping eyes trying to see what was happening in the hallway.


    Andre lowered the girl before throwing the boy a dangerous nod, thetter shivered and they entered the house.


    "My saviour, this way... they''reing with me."


    Without thinking twice, Andre rushed further into the house to a particr room followed by his daughter and the boy while Constantine and the purple-haired beauty inspected the house.


    "It is a humble ce... but it is better than where I used to sleep."


    "Not anymore, Zamira." He reassured her, unaware that she didn''t feelplicated about this.


    "Hmn... it doesn''t really pain me as you might think~" She looked unexpectedly happy as he patted her back.


    The ''department'' was slightly run-down, it needed some attention, but hygiene had been carefully paid attention to.


    "Sophia!"


    They heard Andre''s anxious shouts from inside the house and decided to follow them.


    The bulky man leaned against a bed where an average-looking woman rested, panting slightly, her countenance was rather blushing in clear fever, but a kind and reassured gaze never left her face as she looked at her man.


    She was only happy that he was back.


    "Dear, you''re back... I thought-" She sobbed, he said he''d be back in weeks but three months had passed, she thought her husband had died and left her alone with their child, such a thing wasn''t umon, but it didn''t mean she desired it.


    Especially with her current condition.


    "I am okay, Sophia, when did the symptoms start, is it only a fever?" He asked, cing his hand on her forehead, it was so hot... amon fever is not this hot.


    "Two weeks ago... it is just a fever." She said, not believing her own words.


    "Amon fever won''tst two weeks Sophia, what have you been taking?" He started to shiver when he heard her say ''two weeks''.


    "We have gotten medicine for her with the money you left Daddy, but... it is not doing anything." The girl, Anya, interjected, holding both her hands together as if in prayer, Constantine wondered which God she was praying to.


    "It is the first symptom, periodical longsting fevers, it dposes a person''s immune system and renders them vulnerable, thisst for one or two years before the second symptomse forward... the red marks" Zamira said bluntly, she thought it would be worse to deny the evidence at this stage; this only increased Andre''s panic.


    "N-Not... Rotborn..." His body shivered, perhaps not even a fight against a bear would cause him the fear that the Curse, Rotborn, was currently causing him... it happened decades ago with his parents, and now it is happening again.


    [Foolish human, he already knows this is going to happen, why is he afraid?] Zebelliamented much to Constantine''s surprise, however, he didn''t take kind of her words.


    ''How can a divine being like you understand what it feels like to be human? to know that you''re going to lose a person important to you, without being able to do anything... no matter how strong you are, is the worst thing ever.'' He growled inwardly at her inconsideration, having alreadye through this scenario six times in his previous life, each worse than thest.


    [I understand... more than you think...]


    ''How?'' He frowned, why would a being like her, able to even stop time... ever feel ''weak'', that words don''t go along with her.


    [...]


    She didn''t answer again.<novelnext></novelnext>


    ...


    He could ce himself in Andre''s shoes very well, thankfully for Andre, not all hope was lost.


    Aurelianne came into his mind and with that the blessing she had given Zamira.


    *COUGH*


    "Don''t worry, it will pass, could you tell me who are these people Andre?" She shamelessly deviated the subject, so brazenly that her husband could only clench his hand.


    Sophia figured if he brought them here, they must be trustworthy acquaintances of his as for a mercenary, others knowing the location of their home is a great weakness... Andre hadn''t ever brought anybody here.


    Her gaze then rested on Zamira, and when she saw that ''beautiful'' face of hers... she felt relieved.


    ''Obviously, Andre wouldn''t get interested in such a face.''


    Zamira felt like she wanted to kill someone out of nowhere.


    "This is Constantine, Sophia... he saved my life, if not for him I wouldn''t havee back... Zamira, she formed part of the exploration group I was in, we were captured in a divine cave and he appeared like a God''s envoy to save us!" Andre spoke with thrill and held her hand tightly as if transmitting his enthusiasm.


    Sophia, Anya and the boy''s eyes shone when they regarded Constantine, suddenly his pretty face didn''t look as gruesome.


    "I-Is that so, I apologise for my incapacity, thank you for bringing my husband back to me, it is nor something our family will ever be able to repay!" Sophia wanted to stand up, but Constantine shook his head and waves his hand in denial.


    "There is no need to worry yourself, madam. Rest assured that Andre assisted me in escaping from that cave as well. He''s a very capable man, you''re lucky to have married him"


    !!!


    "R-Really?" Andre was left struck by such valorisation, he didn''t even believe he heard right at first.


    "Yes~" Constantine smirked and he saw how Sophia''s eyes shone when she looked at her husband.


    "Sorry, I wasn''t able to introduce my family properly, I was anxious... this is my wife, Sophia and my daughter, Anya..." Andre scratched his head and presented his two motives to keep living, his gaze then turned poisonous and he harshly pulled the boy who looked troubled and scared.


    "Come here brat!"


    "Yes, sir!"


    "This is my daughter''s childhood friend, Malik... he is the neighbour''s son, but they passed away not too long before I set off, we decided to keep him as he''s quite capable and trains properly, SO YOU BETTER DON''T DISSAPOINTMENT ME BRAT!" It was as if a different Andre came forth the moment he talked with the boy.


    But Constantine merely ced his gaze on Andre and sighed, recalling some memories.


    ''You''re fooling no one, Andre... I am a father too''


    He could still recall how many times he had beaten his sons-inw before they married his daughters, it had been fun until he was locked away by his five wives, only being released the day of the wedding.


    As for how they locked him as the Emperor? well, Caroline had always been the wife that knew him the most, she had the wicked yet brilliant idea of locking the six of them naked in a secluded tower on the outskirts of the empire to ''make time''.


    They ended up making more than just ''time'' though, five more children were produced during that week.


    ''Caroline you seductive vixen, you really did me good back then... wait ''till we meet again'' He growled at the memories, did he regret it? not a single second.


    ...


    "YES SIR! I WON''T EVER DISAPPOINT YOU!" Malik stood straight while Anya and Sophia both giggled at their attitude.


    "I BETTER NOT KNOW YOU TOUCHED MY DAUGHTER OR YOU''RE FUCKING DEAD!"


    "I DIDN''T SIR!"


    "ARE YOU SAYING MY DAUGHTER IS UGLY!?"


    "I D-DIDN''T SAY THAT SIR!"


    "THEN WHAT DO YOU FUCKING MEAN! HUH!? HURRY UP AND SAY IT!"


    Malik only wanted to cry in a corner.

 Chapter 44 Miss Amelias Strawberry Cheesecake

    "Daddy please stop! you''re making our guest ufortable n-cice to meet you, s-saviour, thank you for saving my daddy." Anya surprised Constantine when she knelt down, took the back of his palm and kissed it.


    "Girl, there is no need for you to-" He wanted to stop her, or at least have Sophia or Andre do so but none of them did, in fact...


    It was then Sophia who struggled to do it, she knelt down, took his palm and kissed the back of it too.


    Then Andre did it.


    Constantine was left out of words, not even when he was an Emperor had a random citizen of the empire willingly shown this much respect to his person.


    These people clearly valued their life above anything else, considering they had so few years to live, it kind of made sense.


    "Please, allow us to thank you, you have no idea... how much you have helped us, if my husband hadn''te back, I don''t know what would have happened... I don''t have much time left, my little girl is still not mature enough. You have saved us, we don''t have money, we don''t have anything... at the very least, ept a kiss from the pitiful me on your palm as gratitude..." The woman sobbed and Andre held her, nodding his way.


    "You might not be used to it, my saviour... but in this world, nobody helps anyone, what you have done for us is a unique gesture that I personally will never forget, our family is forever indebted to you."


    ''You''re really cing me in a pinch here...'' they were so overly courteous that he felt ufortable for a moment.


    *SIGH!*


    "I ept it, please stand up and go back to the bed, you will get worse." What else could he say, he only helped her up and Andre carried her back to the bed.


    Zamira smiled at his kind gesture.


    "Thank you, Saviour." Sophia said once again, she smiled andy against the bed.


    It was then that Constantine noticed the still scared boy and pped his shoulder softly.


    "You''re quite the brave brat aren''t you? you had a pole before, was it to defend your girlfriend?~"


    !!!


    "S-S-S-S-She''s not my girlfriend!" The boy turned pale and threw a gaze towards Andre who was still taking care of his wife, but for the briefest second, he noticed the re of a snakeing from him.


    "I-I''m not his girlfriend!" Anya also giggled with a blush.


    !!!


    At the girl''s clear rejection, one could see a crestfallen Malik and the happy Andre.


    Sophiaughed lightly from the bed, she loved her family.


    "Foolish brat, don''t dig your own grave to regret itter! if you want someone, you have to go for them!" Constantine tried to convince the boy to not feel afraid of Andre''s mocking re, the man clearly wanted Malik to be with his daughter, he was just testing the boy.


    And the way it is going, how could this average-looking boy possibly stand up against the bulky, over-the-top massive Andre?


    "N-No, sir¡­ I-!" Malik felt he was between the sword and the wall.


    "YOU BETTER HAVE NO IDEAS ABOUT MY CUTE DAUGHTER!"


    "Sir I wouldn''t dare!"


    "Malik, y-you really... reject me so adamantly..."


    "N-No! Anya I-!"


    *Pft!*


    While Sophia wasughing himself off, Constantine realised this was nothing more than a family of bullies, poor kid... by the time he realises they have been ying him, perhaps he will be traumatised already.


    "Hahaha!~ You''re all so funny¡­ thank you for being here today, Sir Constantine." Sophia said all of the sudden as if having some mercy on her future son-inw.


    "It is nothing¡­"


    "You''re new here, right?" She then asked and he tilted his head in surprise, what gave him away?


    "Oh?"


    "I can see it all over your face~ I''m originally not from the town of loup either, what surprises me however is the way you look at our house, the ce where youe from, is it so different from here?" It was her time to tilt her head as everyone in the room paid attention.


    "It is indeed quite different, madam." Constantine scratched his head and didn''t give too many details as it would be meaningless to do so.


    "Please just call me-" She began, only to be swiftly shut down.


    "Madam..." He sent a re her way which made her gulp a mouthful of saliva, clearly, he didn''t want to be any ''closer'' than this, previous experience.


    [Should I give you some positive karma for this? looks like you''re correcting your wrong ways, I just wonder if your reaction would have been the same if she was an ''ugly duckling'' like Zamira]


    ''O-Of course it would be the same... you should go ahead and reward me for staying loyal to my beautiful wives and goddess'' He nodded shamelessly.


    [Sure... you deserve it, what a great effort you''re making at staying loyal.]


    [+1 Karma Points]


    ''Oi, what''s with that pitiful amount?!''


    **


    While Zamira wondered why Constantine looked so pissed, Andre spoke once again to rify his wife''s thoughts.


    "We just arrived today, Sophia¡­ Mr Constantine is not from around here, I should guide-"


    "Then how about we all guide our saviour together?~ it has been so long since we came out to do anything, I don''t want to keep us all here on such a joyous asion." She struggled to sit up slightly only for Andre to immediately reject her notion.


    "You can''t! You''re still-"


    "I don''t want to stay in bed, husband¡­ please." She begged and Andre was left starstruck for a moment, he could technically see in her face that she was still scared of Rotborn, regardless of whether she had many years still to live, even if in illness, the first symptoms served like a life ultimatum that waved around in front of her face.<novelnext></novelnext>


    ''You only have this long to live...''


    "¡­" Andre thought hardly, he didn''t want her to move when she was this weak, but if she wanted toe out with them, he didn''t want to reject her either.


    "Let here, Andre, your wife wants toe with you on a date, be a gentleman and carry her." Constantine suggested and his words brightened up Sophia''s countenance as she nodded and expected her husband to ept.


    *Sigh!*


    "Okay, hop on my back Sophia, we will go out and have some fun as I guide Mr Constantine through the city!"


    "Yay!" Anya and Malik yelled and they were all smiles.


    It was then that the family decided to head out and have some fun and rejoice in the fact that Andre hade back from a life and death situation.


    **


    **


    "W-Whoa, this is so delicious!" He was bbergasted.


    The family sat in a venue of the city where there weren''t many individuals present, horses kept moving along and every so often a vehicle would make its way through the streets as Constantine saw the peasants walking gloomily, wearing their fine attires or rags depending on their status.


    Some of them seemed to be smoking something, it was indeed a different world from his. Andre had taken them to what he called a ''bakery''.


    How could he have forgotten the cakes from his own world, but nothing could prepare him for the shocking difference in craft between both worlds.


    This thing called ''strawberry cheesecake'' is just so good!


    From the other side of the counter, ady saw Constantine eating her cake with such a delighted expression that she simply blushed and nodded several times in contentment.


    The waiter was a nine years old boy that quite resembled thedy at the counter, clearly, he was her son and they owned this shop, it was beautifully designed, sadly, there weren''t that many customers.


    Zamira''s eyes twitched and her wallet suffered, the same could be said for Andre who saw how his wife, daughter and future son-inw delighted on the expensive cake.


    But seeing her smile like that, was worth it.


    "This is a bakery, there are several in this city, but in my opinion, this is the best one" Zamira said, she thought to introduce him to her favourite dish and it hadn''t been a mistake.


    "I love the bakery!" He said without thinking twice and shot a gaze to thedy behind the counter who upon noticing him, evaded his gaze.


    At least thirty years old... raven hair... not a beautiful face but not ugly either, her body couldn''t be seen from behind the counter, but to be able to make such delicious cakes...


    ''You''re definitely in my strike zone.'' He thought with a desire to conquer.


    [-1 Karma Points]


    ''Hey! what was that for?!''


    [Give me back my kindness.]


    ...


    "T-There are no desserts where youe from?" Zamira asked when she saw Constantine suddenly stop eating his cake, he regained his rity and decided to deal with Zebelliater.


    "Uh? None this good, no¡­ this is just too delicious, what else is there?"


    "There are crepes, lemon cakes, breadcakes... I can tell you that Amelia is an expert in creating all types of cakes, is her family craft."


    "*Cough!* Z-Zamira, you shouldn''t praise me this much..." The girl blushed from the other side of the counter and threw a gaze to Constantine as if saying ''I joined the conversation''.


    He smirked, "Then I guess it is my turn to praise Miss Amelia''s godly hands, I had never tasted a cake this good in my life."


    "Thank you very much! My mom taught me how to do all this, and her father taught her..." She nodded with mncholy and stepped out of the counter, there he could finally see her entire silhouette.


    ''Definitely charming''.


    "Come here, Sammie." The girl called the boy out and he obediently bowed and came her way.


    "Yes, mom."


    "This is my son, Sammie... I hope he will inherit all of my recipes before the timees, he''s such a good son." She rubbed her flustered son''s head before looking at Constantine with a concealed innuendo.


    "He looks like a really responsible little man, surely his father must be quite proud of him." Constantine sent with a smile, expecting her reaction.


    Amelia bit her lips and smiled mncholy, "He sure would, my husband passed away a year ago, Rotborn..."


    "I am so sorry..."


    "Please don''t be... s-so what takes you to this city?~"


    ...


    The family regarded how Constantine and Amelia quickly hit the ground running, chatting with each other as if they went back ages.


    Zamira was left awestruck as well as bitter when she saw how Constantine looked happy while chatting with Amelia.


    It was also at that moment that she realised that Constantine really seems to like ''ugly'' women.


    There is a reason why Amelia has remained single for a year ever since her husband passed away, in this society, she simply wasn''t that good of a prospect.


    "If it is okay with you. could you have a breadcake? this time it was prepared by Sammie and I''d like to have a third opinion, Mr..." She mumbled and lowered her countenance, expecting him to say his name.


    "My name is Constantine and it is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Amelia... It would be my pleasure to have one of his cakes~"

 Chapter 45 The Guild, Wickedness Incarnate I

    Amelia presented her son''s newest craft, a bread cake with clusters of cheese inside.


    It wasn''t only Constantine who sampled it, the entire family did.


    It tasted wonderfully.


    ''I know you would have liked this, Lucille¡­ you always ate everything, sometimes even took my dishes, little mink.'' he sighed at the fact that he couldn''t eat this revolutionary dish with his wife, Lucille.


    They often went out to eat a lot of everything.


    [S-Save some for me¡­ that looks-] She was about to say ''tasty'', but how could he allow her?


    ''Who''s saving anything for you? Fool! I''m eating everything!''


    [You damned cheapskate!]


    ''Miss one karma point, why do you even need a cheesecake? You''re the size of a mountain, go eat a star or something.''


    [*SNORT!*]


    ¡­


    "It was wonderful, Sammie, you''re defiitely heading down the right path." He rubbed the boy''s head and disarranged the hair that his mother surely spent a lot of time tidying up, regardless, the boy was content, it is the first time anyone tastes his craft.


    "You''re wee, Mr Constantine!"


    ''Such a good boy Aish, he reminds me of Brandon... stop thinking about them, they''re here no longer...'' He rubbed his forehead, he''d surely find Lucille, but his descendence, they''d stay where they are and that''s for the best.


    ...


    Amelia paid attention to how Constantine treated her son with a concealed glint.


    "Thank you for your hospitality, Miss Amelia." Zamira, seeing that once again Constantine was engulfed in his thoughts, spoke while Amelia and her son said their farewells to the family.


    It was then that yet another gaze was shot at Constantine.


    "It was nothing, pleasee here again whenever you like, Mr Constantine. I will have lots of delicious treats prepared for you." She giggled even, producing yet another twitch of the eye for the warriordy.


    ''Why is she focusing on him!?'' Zamira clenched her hands tightly.


    Sophia''s gaze moved back and forth between the three of them before she giggled and held her clueless'' husband hand tightly.


    Anya also held the clueless Malik.


    "I''ll make sure toe whenever I desire a ''treat'' Miss Amelia, have a good day."


    Zamira and Andre ended up paying for the cheesecakes, the bread cakes were given for free as they were ''sampling'' them.


    A hundred cooper coins total for five cheesecakes, a single silver coin.


    ording to them, this was quite expensive, but even then Constantine thought it was worth it.


    Or at least, that was Amelia''s excuse.


    ''Souvenir Treats, huh? I''ll definitelye again. What a delicious widow'' Constantine thought, his gaze fixed in Amelia who was now attending another customer as they left.


    [You mean the cakes...]


    *cough!*


    ''Yes, that.''


    ...


    With everything said, the group excused themselves leaving a rejoicing Amelia whose face started to turn slightly red.


    "Oh my... what a wonderful first meeting, perhaps- I hope he doese again sometime." She drifted in her thoughts while taking the customer''s order, ced her finger underneath her chin and started to ''think''.<novelnext></novelnext>


    She had the bad habit of thinking too much.


    ''He has such a fragile looking body yet is so confident, Mr Andre seemed to respect him a lot too... and Zamira, that girl''s gaze could tell stories, but she''s a mercenary while I... am just amoner... a widow even, with child, thirty-three years old already, not too long to go... perhaps he won''te again...'' The more she thought about her circumstances, the more depressed she became.


    "Are you okay mom?"


    "O-Oh, yes... son, I''m very okay,e on, why don''t you be a cutie and prepare some more of that cake? they loved it~"


    She tried to act strong for her son, thankfully, he was still too young to notice her loneliness and maybe, until she perishes in the hands of rotborn, he never will.


    ''And that''s for the best.''


    "Yes!" the boy yelled happily and started to prepare his cake, unaware of his mother''s dark thoughts.


    **


    **


    "Where can we find an exchange ce, Zamira? It''s time we go and sell the ''goodies''~" Constantine moved the rock that was hanging from his back and pped it several times with clear intent.


    They did a slow tour through several spots in the city, clothing stores, weapons shops, pubs, there were many ces that Constantine wanted to visit, but he couldn''t keep relying on Andre and Zamira''s pockets.


    !!!


    She naturally understood where the ''Goodie'' was.


    In truth, she didn''t want to touch upon that subject just yet, but if he wanted to do so, she could only relent.


    For a moment the family wondered what he meant, only Andre and Zamira knew.


    "Oh¡­ there is actually one, but it is concealed well¡­ mercenaries are allowed entry."


    "Are you taking him there, Zamira?" Andre''a gaze turned solemn.


    "It is better if you don''te Andre." Zamira told the bulky guy who upon recalling where they''re heading, he couldn''t take his family in there and hence he just nodded.


    "We will wait for you in this street, please, be careful, even if violence is prohibited there, those bastards know their way." He warned her and she nodded, taking Constantine with her.


    ¡­


    "Constantine, the ce we''re heading too is slightly dangerous, but it is the only ce I think we can sell something that valuable." She led him by the hand into an alleyway after waking several blocks.


    "What''s the mystery around this ce?" He looked around, it was quite concealed, his alerts rang inadvertently.


    "Valuable items like our ''goods'' can''t be exchanged normally in a simple shop, we have to contact the underworld." She said, the size of that rock was enough to tell that it would likely be above the thousand golden coins, something too valuable for a normal shop to suffice.


    !!!


    "Underworld!" His blood boiled and possibilities rained in his mind.


    ''So there is such a degree of corruption here too? as expected, wickedness abounds regardless of the ce~''


    [Why does that make you happy? won''t that make it more difficult for you to start your ''Empire''?]


    ''Of course not, why do you think corruption exists?''


    [Greed...]


    ''Correct, it is created by those that seek profit with underhanded methods, so long as you give them ''profit'' they''re going to willingly wave their tails to others than the ones that gave them that privilege in the first ce~''


    [So you can use it to your advantage?]


    ''Watch me.''

 Chapter 46 The Guild, Wickedness Incarnate II

    Zamira thought for a minute what kind of exnation she''d give him to make it rational, unaware that the conqueror was way deeper in the matters of the underworld than she could imagine.


    "Yes, it is a ce where illegal activities are conducted, the organisation is called ''Guild'' and is maintained by the main cults, one of them is the scarred cult which I previously mentioned to you, but there are a lot more. Most of the time influential people are the ones involved, but we mercenaries are also allowed to ess it to purchase exclusive goods, sadly, most mercenaries don''t have the funds to purchase those goods and hence, branches of the guilds like the one in the town of loup don''t have that much exclusive gear, it is mostly used for mercenaries to sell the goods they find."


    "Why would they have a branch in such a remote ce?"


    "Because treasures can still be found even this remotely away from the capital, and those bastards are more than a little interested in purchasing them, aren''t we one of those cases?" She whispered by his ear, not desiring to make a lot of noise as all the walls have ears.


    "Indeed... economy needs demands and offer, they offer and you mercenaries demand."


    "Correct." She said, nting an interesting eyebrow in his eyes, not expecting her to be this clever.


    "Is there a rule?"


    "The only rule is that you need a badge to enter and violence is strictly prohibited inside, other than that, you can do whatever you want so long as you''re allowed entry... I havee several times to acquire minor goods like healing potions and such."


    "That means we can still be ambushed outside of the shop..." He concluded.


    ''He''s quite shrewd and unconfident in others.'' The beauty analysed.


    "Yes, that''s why I say it is dangerous what we''re about to do."


    "You''re unexpectedly smart, Zamira." He praised her openly.


    "What do you mean unexpectedly!?"


    "I apologise, perhaps I worded it improperly." He coughed but that didn''t make her feel better.


    ''Women with big breasts like you tend to not be quite smart... but I''d be insulting my wives if I said that-''


    [I will save this forter...] Zebellia''s voice contained poison, it seems she felt offended too by thatment.


    ...


    While they walked in silence, thedy noticed he was once again deep in thoughts, in truth, Constantine was just bickering with Zebellia.


    "You think a lot, don''t you?" Zamira took him out of his thoughts as they kept walking across the dark corners, where the sun no longer shone amidst the buildings, instead, he could see people watching through the windows.


    "What do you mean?"


    "You''re almost always deep in your thoughts, I just noticed"


    "So you''re paying attention to everything I do, huh? Cute~"


    !!!


    She blushed but didn''t deny it.


    "You''re so odd, h-how can you call an ugly woman like me¡­ cute." Her words made him yet again sigh, she was more confident in her fighting skills than her beauty.


    ''This world is truly messed up, how can a bombshell like her consider herself ugly, while this haughty ugly horse inside me thinks herself to be some big shot.''


    [¡­]


    ''You''re already sleeping?!''


    "You don''t need to pay attention to what others say, Zamira. To me, you''re beautiful and cute... don''t ever try to ruin your own face."


    "Hmn..." She simply nodded with a sigh, holding her chest and thinking about the earlier scene with Amelia.


    **


    **


    The path taken to go to this exchange ce was so intricate and shallow that Constantine yet again found himself doubting Zamira''s intentions much to her dejection.


    "Sorry, we''re about to reach there, you can trust me a little more!"


    "¡­ what with these architects and these tight corners."


    He felt like at any moment a bandit woulde out to draw a knife across his neck, thankfully it didn''t happen.


    But he saw through the building windows, the families¡­ there were so many of them,ying on bed, feeling fever.


    Some were worse, they had red spots all over their skin.


    "It''s Rotborn¡­ this damned curse." Zamira growled in a whisper, clenching her hands.


    For thousands of years, humanity still hadn''t gotten used to the Curse of Rotborn.


    No one would ever get used to seeing their loved ones die so early.


    Children without parents, surviving on their own¡­ parents dying and leaving their vulnerable children behind, unwilling.


    ''Such a disastrous curse, who in their deranged mind¡­ could do something so sinister.''


    Even he, a person that would do anything for the sake of defeating his enemy, hadn''t performed anything so disruptive.


    At least he never burned an inhabited forest, it was merely to destroy his enemy''s resources.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "We''re here."


    They reached something resembling the entrance to a building, but this one was pitch ck.


    There was a guard in front wearing ck armour and his aura was so dark that it was as if he was merging with the corners bereft of light.


    "Your badge¡­" He spoke solemnly.


    "He''sing with me, he''s a magus." Zamira showed her badge and the man nodded moving his gaze towards the young man afterwards.


    Constantine showed his magic and the man lifted his eyebrows in slight surprise.


    "A magus in this town?" He frowned inside his helmet.


    "I''m a mercenary from the city of Mailegars who lost his badge I just came to see what this branch has to offer." Constantine spoke confidently.


    "I see, you can enter, don''t make trouble boy, I will be watching you..."


    **


    **


    What awaited the duo on the other side of the door was a different world.


    Literally.


    It was like stepping out of a jungle to enter a city, if before he thought the scenery was ''futuristic'' much more so now.


    Weapons, armours, clothes¡­ all of them apparently expensive, a gloomy atmosphere with scarce customers and the noise of a violin out of tune.


    There was a shirt that cost three golden coins, ording to Zamira, a hundred copper is one silver and a hundred silver is one gold.


    ''And a single gold coin is enough to rent a house for a year or more, yet these bastards are taking three for a mere shirt!'' He thought with utter outrage.


    "Wee, what can I do for you?" A beautiful receptionist asked, and Constantine noticed her blonde hair and pointy ears!


    ''An elf!''


    Those were the primary targets he desired to stay away from the most, how unlucky to find one of them here.


    Her gaze rested on Constantine for a moment before bing sharp, he felt foreign energy.


    [She''s scanning you with her magic, no worries, she won''t get anything important¡­] Zebellia said all of the sudden.


    The conqueror sighed in relief and they approached the counter.


    "I''d like to get ess to the deepest floor to sell some goods," Zamira said straightforwardly as they had nothing to do in this section of the guild.


    Constantine moved the stone from his back, it had been strapped to his body with roots.


    "¡­" Thedy didn''t answer, instead, her gaze was stered on Constantine''s face.


    "Is there anything in my face?" He asked when he noticed that her gaze was turning a little too intense.


    "Aside from those beautiful blue eyes?~ I wonder what else can I see."


    !!!


    "Uh!?" Both Zamira and Constantine gasped at her words.


    ''This woman¡­ is she¡­ flirting with me?'' He didn''t understand.


    "What n are you from, little hybrid?~" Her words turned both Constantine and Zamira pale.


    ''You said she wouldn''t know anything!!!'' He immediately reproached that useless gctic horse.


    [Anything important¡­ I even had to cast an illusion to change the colour of your hair, there are things I can conceal but, do you think elves won''t be able to recognise their own with a single gaze? I''m a Time Valkyrie not an illusionist, don''t expect me to save your ass all the time, instead, you should be lucky that the trial is not messing around with you now.]


    ''...'' The worst part was that he couldn''t berate her words.


    "My partner has the right to reserve his answers, that is the guild''s policy." The purple-haired beauty clenched her hands in rage, she didn''t want Constantine to be exposed here, it would be her failure as she''s the one that brought him here.


    "Hoho~ a weakling human actually dares to speak to me like this? you don''t want to live anymore..."


    She lifted her hand a produced sparkles of light that were actually hot, but Constantine raised his own to produce fire, zing mes.


    "You insist on protecting that human? if that''s the case~ let''s go outside and sort this out." When she saw Constantine trying to protect the human instead of siding up with her, an elf, she went even madder.


    "I won''t allow you to speak to my partner like that, elf or not." He wouldn''t back down from a fight, but he also wasn''t stupid enough to ce himself in the line of fire when he held the advantage here, clearly, this woman won''t make a move right here.


    [Fool, this woman is not an opponent you can face! She''s stronger than the Nascent Magus Stage!]


    ''Why do I have such a powerful time-controlling secretary then?''


    [Shameless! Don''t you dare count on me! I''ll let you die in a ditch somewhere!]


    ''Tch, so unreliable...''

 Chapter 47 Noble Elf, Ludmilla

    The two of them had a deadlock for a while in which Zamira grieved that she wasn''t able to defend herself.


    It didn''t matter how strong she was, against a magus, it was hopeless.


    "No need to get upset cutie, tell me, don''t you want to go somewhereter?~"


    The woman decided to back off, if they didn''t want toe out, she couldn''t force them but she also couldn''t engage in a fight inside the guild''s premises.


    ''Why is this woman so brazen?'' He didn''t understand, let alone, ording to their standards, shouldn''t he be some ''pretty boy'' that nobody wants?


    "Please, take us to the deeper end." Zamira insisted, she just wanted to get away from this insistent elfdy, to be this insistent and work in the guild, she had enough deterrent to scare her off.


    The girl threw Zamira a re that moved past her to Constantine, considering her options, she led them to the elevator.


    "Very well, this way, dear customers~" With the fakest tonality possible, she did her job.


    ...


    They entered it and Constantine marvelled at the futuristic invention, it worked with a magic array apparently and although he wasn''t foreign to elevators, he didn''t know of one that didn''t need some guys pulling from above.


    For a while there was an awkward silence until the girl decided to speak, cing her hand on his shoulder with confidence that made him move away, never had he seen a woman this pushy, let alone he didn''t know the reason why she''s doing it.


    As if instinctively his gaze roamed her body, she was wearing a tight suit, curves she didn''t have, but he had to admit that she looked charismatic in this outfit.


    s...


    ''You''re so in it hurts...'' Compared to his bountiful goddess, it was as if the standards had changed.


    Her face was stunning, but her body... wasn''t a single curve to be seen on this hill.


    ''She must be a mountain of information if she works for this organisation... but she''s too pushy and dominant, difficult to control.'' He was already analysing her behaviour and the ways to exploit her, with his current strength, they were quite scarce.


    "So¡­ you don''t intend to answer me, but can I at least know your name? My name is Ludmi Zephyr~"


    !!!


    ''S-She has a surname¡­'' Zamira thought in panic.


    "Constantine de Castille." He said, smirking; having noticed it too... he had been lucky to have forsaken his surname the moment he arrived in this world, not expecting it to be something so important and distinctive...


    ''De Castille? he had a surname?'' Zamira tried to conceal her reaction to not appear too obvious either.


    "I never heard of that n, are you from some faraway ind?~" The girl questioned further, utterly breaching the privacy use in which a client wasn''t obliged to answer.


    "Yes, kind of." He took advantage of this and didn''t reveal much, only what would be an advantage for him to reveal.


    The elevator''s door opened and Zamira finally saw a way out of this nightmare, half of it at least.


    "It is here, I hope you have a nice exchange~"


    That''s what she said, but before the elevator closedpletely she pulled Constantine back in and Zamira was left outside!<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Hey! Constantine!"


    ¡­


    Back in the elevator, Constantine found himself pinned to the elevator''s wall by a smiling blonde beauty.


    "To be a little elf with a nobledy throwing herself at you, you''re quite apathetic." She said with twitching eyebrows.


    "So what do you want me to do? Lick your feet? it is not happening." Get off me before I cut that slender hand of yours.


    One of his hands held the big rock but the other was ready to strike away.


    "What I want is to know why is there a hybrid elf without a permission badge so far in this disgusting town~ who allowed you in? Was it that human? Why does she respect you, I''m so curious... humans hate us elves, all of them as if we care what those ants think, right?" She caressed his cheek before being pushed away.


    ''So she''s some racial absolutist?'' He theorised.


    "Hehe~ Don''t you want to be my little pet? I''ll treat you well." When she caressed his cheeks saying that, it was hisst straw.


    "Fuck off! I''m nobody''s pet!" The demeanour of an Emperor came out with a vengeance and the woman found herself momentarily frozen.


    "¡­" Being rejected this adamantly by him, her countenance grew irritated, as a noble elf, she could have whoever she wanted and they should be begging, yet this little shit is so stubborn.


    "Little Constantine¡­ you don''t know what''s good for you, I''ll wait for you outside..." She growled, it was clear she wouldn''t let this matter rest, the more he rejected her, the more she wanted him.


    "Let me out, bitch..." He spat by her side, if one thing he doesn''t like is insistent women like her, and too far she went indeed.


    [It is likely her intentions are ulterior.]


    ''Oh really? If you don''t tell me, I won''t notice.''


    [Idiot, what I mean is that she doesn''t intend for you to be just a pet... it must be some sort of custom of the elves in here.]


    ...


    The elevator door opened again when she pressed a finger and Zamira came rushing inside, checking if Constantine was alright before throwing the smirking woman a re.


    "I will see you soon, Constantine. Don''t take too long~" She waved her hand back and forth with a vicious re.


    "See you soon, Ludmi."


    Another day another fight, it hadn''t been more than a few days since he arrived and he was already involved in a deathly fight against someone.


    When the elevator left, Zamira knew that she had messed up, she brought him to such ce where his identity was so easily unveiled with mere nces.


    "S-Sorry, I am so sorry!" She apologised right away, it hadn''t been her intention.


    "Don''t worry, Zamira... I''d rather be discovered here than in the middle of the forest." Constantine rubbed her hair with a smile, it wasn''t that bad of a situation to be in.


    At least here the rules of this ''guild'' protected him and gave him enough time to think about what to do next, but if he had been discovered in other circumstances, it could have been a disaster.

 Chapter 48 Wicked Keeper

    "Did something happen? what did she do to you?" Zamira inspected him cautiously, the nce that woman gave just now, she wants trouble!


    "Nothing, but she''s going to wait outside... that woman wants a fight, Zamira"


    "N-No... I am sorry, I shouldn''t have brought you here!" Although she believed him, all of the girl personnel were people above the Nascent Magus stage, that woman wouldn''t be an exception, let alone she''s a noble elf, all of them are monsters!


    "Don''t worry, I will be okay... but I need you to leave." He ordered, but the purple-haired beauty wasn''t about to take that.


    "I won''t leave you here on your own!" Now she regretted having taken him here, it was a deadly mistake.


    "You''re so stubborn... I''ll allow you to stay and look, but you can''t involve yourself, I don''t know how strong she is and I can''t protect you as I fight." If she wanted to stay like the warrior she is and die together, he''d not stop her, she''s a warrior, not a flower.


    ...


    They were speaking, unaware of their surroundings and didn''t even notice the distasteful violin symphony that suddenly stopped, only when there was a change in the atmosphere did they perceive something.


    The violin stopped ying for a moment and it was then that they noticed someone was in the room.


    It was a round room filled with shelves with books and treasures all around, but in the middle sat an individual covered in a ck cloak and a crow mask, his or her appearance was eerie, to say the least.


    "..." Constantine felt an evil auraing from this person.


    "Hmm hmmm, customers... and who might you be that you believe yourself qualified to step in this deeper end? you better show something worthy or else¡­ not even your corpses will remain, children" That voice couldn''t possibly belong to a human.


    ''Demon?'' Zamira frowned, it wasn''t confirmed, the only thing she knew is that this ''thing'' is not human or even an elf.


    "Where is Mr Seledus?" She asked, it was the person that had been originally here all the time she came.


    "Oh... Seledus... he has resigned and returned to the Wolf Empire. I am taking his ce now as the leader of this branch, my name is Inkseth and people around call me the Keeper... it is a pleasure to meet you, or not, pitiful humans... a mere mercenary and a nascent magus, how distasteful." Constantine''s eyebrows twitched when he saw the man shake his head in disgust.


    "Your face is distasteful."


    "Thank you~" He answered Constantine with a mocking voice, this mere response served for him to somehow associate this person with the ''scarred cult'' but he could be wrong.


    ''It seems there is no one in this damned ce that is friendly.''


    [Truly no one.]


    "Thatment before about us not leaving this ce... was that a threat?" He asked the man with a re of his own.


    [No, it is a birthday invitation, fool!]


    Constantine ignored the annoying mare, it is not like she ever says anything useful.


    "No, it is a birthday party invitation, young hybrid~ of course it is a bloody threat." He could see the ''thing'' roll his dark eyes beneath the mask.


    ''... quite the joker isn''t he?''


    [See?~]


    "You know you suck with the violin, right? I have heard sewer ratspose better" He had to get back at the bastard somehow.


    "I am sure you have, some of them happen to have more witnesses than most of us. but you know little hybrid, even then¡­ I love my violin... in any case, tell me what is it that you hold? I have beautiful symphonies topose and can''t waste any more time with the likes of you."


    ''Beautiful symphonies my ass!'' He thought but didn''t voice it out loud.


    Constantine also didn''t want to waste time, he ced the rock on the ground and uncovered it.


    The man raised his cloak with his hand concealed beneath and the rock started to float to his side as he ''inspected'' it.


    Valentine thought he was going to steal it until the man started to speak.


    "I see, I see¡­ a majestic stctite of Sandork''s Blood, the crystal divinity of the Joker God¡­ let me weight it up... Hmn, twenty kilos¡­ non-vtile, it could work perfectly for a formation I have in mind¡­ how about ten thousand gold coins?~" The man said straight away with a concealed glint in his sinister voice.


    Zamira''s lips started to shiver, ''Ten thousand... gold coins...''


    But if that number left her speechless, the following words would make her lose her bollocks if she possessed any.


    "Fifteen thousand, it is twenty-five kilos we''re talking about, do you think it is easy to get it huh?! I almost lost all my limbs for it!" He screamed in outrage as if the amount the man offered had been a p to his face.<novelnext></novelnext>


    !!!


    ''E-Eh!?'' Zamira didn''t expect her saviour to reject this adamantly, let alone... isn''t the story a little over-dramatized?!


    [*PFT!*]


    "Oh? Is that really the case?" The man''s gaze rested on Constantine and he could feel some pressure on his shoulders as if the man was asking for the truth.


    And the truth he''d get.


    "Only because I was strong enough to protect myself against that three-headed drag-" Constantine hurriedly covered his lips as if he just said something he shouldn''t have!


    "Speak boy! what did you see!?"


    "..."


    "If you don''t say it, don''t expect to leave this ce alive!"


    "Three-headed dragons." Constantine spoke solemnly, his body even ''shivered'' at the recollection of those mighty dragons.


    [Those are a lot of heads hahaha!]


    ''Don''tugh dammit or I willugh too and then we''re fucking dead!'' His body shivered indeed.


    "T-Three-headed dragons? d-did you really see them?" The man asked in awe, it was difficult for a person to lie under pressure, surely the hybrid is saying the truth, and his capacity to resist the pressure further proves his prowess.


    "Of course we did! Three-headed Dragons, they spit lighting even! Do you have any idea how much I had to work for this piece, for merely ten thousand gold coins!?"


    ''Where were those!?'' Zamira wanted to yell but she realised that she better shuts her mouth here or they won''t be leaving this ce even as corpses.


    In truth, Constantine''s knees were barely holding... but when hadn''t he been under pressure? when didn''t he have to survive in tough circumstances, in order to reach his status as an Emperor... this is not the first and it certainly wouldn''t be thest.


    ''I''ll make sure to squeeze as much as I can!''


    ...


    "To think the cave of Sandork still contains mystical dragons and with ice attribute! this is such a revolutionary encounter and piece of information!" The man''s voice contained enthusiasm while Constantine struggled to keep his facade and notugh out loud.


    "I mistakenly gave you this piece of information for free, so you should show me some love too, fifteen thousand..." The poor bastard merely wanted to be paid properly for the hard work he did.


    ''What invaluable information!?'' Zamira didn''t know if she shouldugh or cry, whichever it might be, she had to do it outside or this creature would spot them.


    "Hahaha~ you''re so interesting boy, to be able to obtain a treasure this big and stille alive and boast in front of me, you have guts, how about this, I''ll give you ten thousand gold coins and I''ll allow you to keep them after you leave, what about that?~" The amount of wickedness contained in that voice was not something Constantine had ever heard before.


    And the worst is, he expected it.


    "Ha!? What the hell is that supposed to mean!?" He asked, acting oblivious.


    "What? aren''t you content? with strength merely at the nascent magus do you believe yourself qualified to go around holding ten thousand gold coins? The moment you stepped outside that door I would have had your neck~ but since you gave me such a piece of precious information, I''ll allow you to walk out of here and y rich for as long as Rotborn doesn''t strike you, you can''t say this is a bad deal... but there is a single condition, the next time I make an excursion to the Cave of Sandork, you muste and guide us, otherwise, I will make sure to hunt you even if it is thest thing I do, boy!"


    Inkseth wasn''t joking.


    "Bastard¡­" Constantine realised that it would be difficult to squeeze more money out of this old fox, it was the truth, if this man wanted to ambush them outside, assuming his strength is greater, there is nothing they can do... let alone there is already the threat of Ludmi around the corner, having these two experts ambush them, he might as well slit his own throat right now and save everyone the trouble.


    "Ten thousand and something else¡­ do you anything to distinguish me from other customers? Like a badge that would allow me to easily enter?" He proposed thest straw.


    "Of course, with that much wealth around it is my best interest that you spend it in our shops~ take this badge, only ''especial'' customers are allowed to hold it, but there is a condition." The man took out a pitch ck badge with the sing of an eagle.


    Constantine took it with a frowning gaze.


    "What is it¡­"


    "You have to spend a thousand coins in my store within the next ten days¡­"


    "You wicked fiend, I get it¡­" They really knew how to sell their products.


    ''I need to spend some money anyway to defeat that woman...'' He sighed, one thousand coins would go down the drain so quickly, but even then, he still had his own ns on how that money would be spent.

 Chapter 49 Shopping I

    The deal was done, Constantine held in his hand a guild badge and a thousand gold coins.


    "T-That''s so much money Constantine, I never expected it to be so valuable, the way you carried it... were you carrying twenty-five kilos all around as if it was nothing?!"


    It certainly was something she could carry as well, but he did it so easily that she thought the stone weighed about two or three kilos.


    "Yes, I am surprised as well butpared to the prices in this store... ten thousand coins might not be that much money." He ignored her surprise over his strength and continued to think what was it that he was proposing himself to do with that money exactly, he had to spend a thousand here, that''s for sure.


    "It is only the items in the guild, if we head to any other armoury around town, you will be able to gear up an army of a few thousand with that money."


    Not having yet left the deeper end of the facility, the rejoicing keeper took the big stone to what Constantine could only guess was hisir and left them to look at the items distributed in this ce.


    "You can look at anything you want and tell me if you''re interested once Ie back, all prices here are negotiable by me, you won''t know how valuable they are until I tell you. And if you ever think about taking anything from here in your sleeves hehehe~ let''s just hope I don''t catch you."


    He disappeared amidst the shadow rooms and it became only Constantine, the treasures and Zamira.


    Thankfully there wasn''t any violin ying either.


    ''This bastard, he wants to judge how profitable an item is depending on who he sells it to.'' He couldn''t think of any other reason as to why the items disyed here wouldn''t showcase any price.


    It is an utter scam, but one that had be a business model.


    "Here, have this, Zamira..." Constantine ced some of the coins in the rag where the rock had been in, three thousand coins.


    !!!


    "I can''t ept this!" Zamira refused straight away, even going as far as to make some distance.


    "You have already saved my life, how can I possibly take money from you?!" In truth, her body shivered, it was a battle between her honour and her greed, having lived in the streets most of her life, struggling, how could she not desire to simply take that rag and run.


    But she believed by doing so she would lose something greater.


    Constantine, however, was up to no games or exnations as there was no time, a knife called Ludmi hung up his neck, their necks...


    "It is an order, Zamira. ept it and use it for the best of both our cases, to get what we need, you''re a smart woman so I can trust you on this. If you''re not willing to use the resources I give you in my assistance, if you''re not willing to humble yourself to ept what I give you, then you have no use to me... if you can''t ept this arrangement, then take a thousand coins for your help prior and leave."


    His voice was cold and the kind and warm Constantine that she had seen so far, was nowhere to be seen.


    If one thing he despised the most was insubordination, a war involving thousands of soldiers could be lost by the insubordination of a single one.


    !!!


    Zamira''s eyes shivered, the way he said it, it was as if something inside her cracked.


    "I-I''m sorry... I don''t want to leave, please forgive me." with a shivering hand she epted the three thousand coins and decided to stick around her saviour.


    Constantine nodded in approval, "It is yours, but since you''re my subordinate now, it is your job to use that efficiently in a way that will help us, and right now... what we need is to survive this ce, understood?"


    "I will do my best!" She didn''t want to see those cold eyes again, ''Those eyes don''t fit you...''


    With that sorted out, Constantine''s wave moved around to see if there was anything of interest in this room, but knowing that Inkseth was going to scam them for every single one of them, made him think twice before even cing an eye on anything.


    Thankfully, however, aside from the obvious weapons, none of the two knows what exactly those treasures were, some looked like arrays, and some others were attires or clothing.


    ''There are even bloody thorn rags, who the hell would want to purchase that?!'' He thought in outrage and decided to simply go up the lift to the level where they previously were, it was then that he noticed Zamira looking at something amidst the shelves.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "..." She simply frowned as if she had seen something interesting, but aside from some darkness on the front of that shelf, he saw nothing.


    Zamira stretched her hand forward inside the dark shelf and grunted slightly when she grasped something.


    Pulling, she took out something from the shadows.


    It was a gigantic sword.


    A red handle with ck dots, it was some sort of sword he had never seen before, only a single edge and a curved design, the sword was so big that it was probably bigger than Zamira.


    "Do you like that sword? how did you even know it was there?"


    "I don''t... know?" Zamira held the sword in awe, testing its weight, it was extremely heavy, but not something she couldn''t handle.


    "INKSETH! WE WANT TO BUY SOMETHING!"


    "N-No! I was just looking at it!" Zamira hurriedly yelled but her hand wouldn''t leave the sword.


    ? In fact, Constantine didn''t think about immediately buying it either, he only wanted to know the specifics.


    "My-my, a person can''t jerk off in peace it seems."


    !!!


    "Bastard, save your private life for yourself."


    "I was trying to see if I found any trace of Dragon Blood in that stctite, little elf, you weren''t lying were you?~"


    "Of course not, I managed to flee that ce without injuring the dragon even once, if you find any blood, it will be mine, why would I lie, old man? it is not like you gave me anything more anyway."


    "..." The dark figure furrowed his brows with his eyes locked on Constantine before sighing.


    "What do you want to buy?"


    "What is this sword about?"


    "Oh... Kurohana''s Odachi... now I wonder how that ended up here."


    "Kurohana?"


    "It is from a particr n of the Wolf Empire, thousands of years ago, said to be blessed or cursed with its owner''s soul, Kurohana... she was a were-fox... but there are several mysteries around her death, at least, that''s what the rumours regarding this sword are."


    "Why shouldn''t it be here?"


    "It was originally located in the Capital''s branch, do you think this measly town is qualified to hold such a treasure? it seems some manager of the guild wanted to be funny and brought it here or something, you''re lucky... I can sell it to you for three hundred gold coins."


    !!!


    "T-That''s too much!" Zamira yelled straight away, even going as far as to put the sword back where it was, but Constantine held her wrist and stopped her while smirking.


    There weren''t leaving just yet.

 Chapter 50 Shopping II

    "N-Now now, we''re here to bargain isn''t it, that''s a little too pricey for me, how about thirty coins?" He said without a single drop of shame.


    "Are you going to cut an entire bloody cero out!?" Inkseth felt so outraged that the atmosphere itself turned darker as if his magic was going out of control.


    "A hundred?~"


    "Two hundred ny-nine, if you dare decrease it, I will kill you."


    "Hey! that''s not how bargains work dammit!" Constantine yelled, it is difficult to bargain against an individual who knows what your wealth is, is stronger than you, and basically has you by the balls.


    "Do I look like someone that cares about rules and procedures?" Inkseth lifted up his arms inside the abyssal cloak and Constantine realised that to be dressed around like a master of clowns, he must indeed not care about rules.


    "O-Okay... two hundred ny-nine." The conqueror rolled his eyes and inhaled deeply, he gave Inkseth the money and pulled the shocked Zamira away.


    She looked at the sword as they walked, it was so beautiful and it now belongs to her... a blush crep in her cheeks and she held it tightly, however, herpanion wasn''t that happy.


    "This ce is a scam, I am nevering back to this shithole, fuck you!" It''s clear he''s pissed.


    "Thanks for the money, boy~ make sure toe and give me some more, by the way, that sword we would have sold for two hundred coins, so... thanks for the extra ny-nine cash, I will spend them wisely~"


    Inkseth wickedughter was everything Constantine saw once they entered the elevator.


    "Fuck you!"


    That''s all that could be heard before the elevator''s door closed.


    The annoyed rabblings of a conqueror.


    **


    **


    "I am sorry and... thank you." Zamira''s gaze looked at that sword as if it was a new toy, she couldn''t wait to test it.


    When he noticed that gaze he realised that it had been worth it, but ny-nine coins were a lot of cheesecakes and breadcakes from Amelia, he swore to curse Inkseth for eternity.


    "You''re skilled using the sword, and this does certainly look like the type of sword you had before, the broken one... so work hard to be stronger with it, alright?"


    "Yes!"


    "I will train your fundamentals that are stillcking severely, and after that, you''re on your own." He decided to do so, as his retainer he desired for her to be the strongest possible, let alone he still needed to find additional ways to make her stronger as humans were simply too weak in this world.


    "Thank you, master." She held his hand tightly and giggled, her purple hair shining more than ever.


    "I am not your master..." Constantine sighed, that was a troublesome rtionship to have with a woman, going by precedent.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "For as long as you teach me, you''re my master~"


    "..." He could only resign himself to his fate.


    Seeing his silence, Zamira was happy to win at least one argument against him, she''d make the women-folk proud.


    **


    **


    They reached the upper levels where they saw Ludmi behind the counter, the moment the elevator opened and she saw Constantine, it was as if her target had been locked upon, she rested her head on top of her palm from the distance and ''stalked'' him for all she was worth, there were no customers which made it easier for her to look creepy while ncing at him from all the way there.


    "..." He could only tolerate that piercing gaze while Zamira grit her teeth and looked at Ludmi with anger, but right now there was nothing they could do.


    "Make sure to grab your items ande to the counter to pay for them, sweety~ then we can go out and solve our marital situation." Ludmi, seeing that she was being ignored, didn''t waste a second to make her presence known.


    ''Marital my balls!''


    [It would be hrious to see you alone in the same room with this girl, just to see if you will remain a womanizer after your little buddy is cut down.]


    ''You know, even if you hate me, that''s too much...''


    ...


    Deciding to ignore Ludmi and the sadistic horse, Constantine moved along the corridors with Zamira, looking at the items.


    "Okay, we have to spend another seven hundred coins, might as well do it now, what do you know about elves, their magic, the way they fight." He whispered to Zamira, the more information they had about Ludmi, the easier this operation would be.


    "I haven''t seen any of them fighting personally, but they''re renowned for their use of light magic, it works as a source of heat that shots at amazing speeds and is difficult to evade. Most elves are archers with only a handful of them focusing on another sort of weapon." Zamira mentioned whatever intel she had on them.


    "So do you think she''s going to use a bow?"


    "Not necessarily, noble elves have gimmicks of their own just like human noble ns have especial spells belonging to them, I don''t know about the Zephyr n but it would be wise to be prepared, do you have a n?"


    "The n is to flee." He said right away and she looked at him in disbelief.


    !!!


    "What do you expect? She is clearly stronger than us and I still don''tpletely trust Inkseth, we could be attacked from two fronts and we''d be over. The main objective is to flee... she doesn''t know where wee from so as long as we make it out to the Main Street, we will be alright... if things turn difficult we could always jump back here, if that''s still an option."


    "I understand." She didn''t think he''d use such cowardly means, but in the current situation, what use there was of dying with honour? all she wanted to do was survive and go in a journey with him, not die here like dogs.


    "Take me to the section of magical arrays, that''s going to be our salvation."

 Chapter 51 Simple Execution

    "We have everything we need, some smoke arrays, some explosive arrays... you said that it is not worthy to get clothes here?" Constantine and Zamira were still checking for items, having taken a lot of stuff that they carried in their hands.


    "Yes, only the armour tes, they have mithril and iron here, but the clothes are too expensive, I know a shop we can get better clothes for way less price!" She didn''t want him to spend anymore, a thousand gold coins were enough money for a normal family to livefortably for the rest of their lives, and they just spent it in less than a day!


    The Quality of the things they had gotten was undeniable, but it came along a big price.


    "We have spent almost a thousand now, there are a hundred coins left." He said, that was his deal with Inkseth and he nned to move along with it, the special guild badge was something he deemed extremely necessary.


    While walking through a passage filled with artefacts, Zamira''s eyes focused in a single one, shining brightly.


    "There are three spatial rings! those are extremely strange, each costs a hundred... to think they have three in this branch." She said and picked one before eyeing him back and forth, the ring was beautiful.


    "What''s a spatial ring?" He regarded it with disinterest, aside from looking morous, it didn''t look quite special.


    "It is a ring that allows you to use a subdimension where you can store things, those rings are created by sorcerers and witches, they''re extremely difficult to find as space magic is ancient magic that no longer exists as amon trend, the rings that exist are the only ones there are, at least in this town of loup there is not a single sorcerer able to use Ancient Magic." She exined the item''s origin and Constantine considered buying it as its usage was amodity, to be able to carry stuff without a pack or even showing it for potential thieves?


    This was a must-get item.


    [You don''t need to get yourself one, I will create a subdimension for you.] Zebellia said suddenly, much to his bewilderment.


    ''And what do you want in exchange?'' He wasn''t stupid, that greedy horse does nothing for free.


    [It is good that you''re a quick learner. My request is simple, once you''re strong enough... I want you to go in that dimensional rift that we found in that cave, right now you''re far from being qualified, butter you might grow strong enough to merely take a peek.]


    ''Why don''t you go there yourself?''


    [Because I can''t, fool! I can''t head into a dimension that''s not where you''re at.]


    ''So troublesome...''


    [You can always reject and get your hands in that rubbish, useless ring instead of the quality product that I, a time valkyrie, can give you.]


    ''Is that some sort of shameless marketing strategy?''


    [It is, so? yes or not...? I don''t know where it will take you, but it is likely to be the Realm of the Gods... if that''s the case you should be at least a demigod before you step in there.]


    ''What would be the difference between a subdimension created by you, or one created by the ring?''


    [Of course, mine will have higher quality! if you destroy that ring, everything inside it will be lost, but with mine, not only will you get as much space as you need, it won''t be easily destroyed either.] She exined proudly, too much may he add.


    ''If that''s the only request you have, I ept...'' It wasn''t a promise that needed to be aplished straight away, without any pressure on his shoulders, Constantine had no reason to deny, in fact, there were no uses in here, she said ''once you''re strong enough'' she didn''t specify how strong or a time limit.


    ''You''re such an easy horse to scam.''


    [Did you say something?]


    ''Not at all, when are you making the ring?'' He smiled brightly.


    [I will create it then, but not here, who knows what sort of entities are in this ce, I might create spatial waves that could be detected, once you''re in a secluded ce, I will do it.]


    ...


    "There is no need for me to get one, Zamira... I will get you and Andre one each." He exined to Zamira and ended up taking the three rings anyway, since they''re as odd as she said and this shop only has three, he might be able to find some usage for the third ring.


    "Andre?" Zamira noticed that he had been buying weapons, and equipment for three people instead of two.


    "I n to have Andre as my retainer as well, if he epts." He had his doubts, but there was something within that told him that Andre would ept, the man''s love for his family mostly, but that love could be taken into two different approaches, it all depended on Andre''s decision.


    "He''s quite capable indeed, b-but to think I''d ever have a spatial ring..." This was top-range equipment that only the wealthiest of humans possessed, nobles above all, then there was her new sword which she considered to be a gift from him to her, she loved it.


    "And we will get our hands in more, Zamira... this is just the beginning~" The conqueror said enthusiastically as if he could feel the wealth in his hands already.


    "Hmn!"


    "With this, we have everything we need, the problem is, we need to check them with Ludmi before purchasing them, that''s as much of an advantage as it is a disadvantage." His mind had already gone through several ideas, stratagems and steps.


    "Yes, she can check what we have and figure out our ns." Zamira thought they could distract her somehow, it was easy to tell that they nned to escape merely by looking at the number of smoke arrays they had gotten, but there were explosives too.


    Constantine shook his hand with a chuckle and embraced her by the shoulder as if they were pals, making her blush at his sudden action.


    "Watch and learn, Zamira... sometimes you have to give a person a different impression to lure them into what you desire of them, a person is a cluster of feelings and intentions, manipte them at your will~" He said and his entire behaviour changed into that of a man ready for battle.


    So far she had questioned herself why he never looked afraid while she couldn''t help but feel apprehension at the prospect of facing an elf, a noble one at that, she''d rather face the group of ogres from before than that woman.


    ''I-Is that the reason he''s not afraid? is he so confident in himself like that?''


    Zamira didn''t understand entirely, but she was beginning to do so, slowly but surely.


    All she desired was to possess that confidence.


    **


    **


    "Now now, let''s see what you''ve got, explosives... is that how you n to face me?~" Ludmi checked the items one by one, shamelessly ogling and thinking of what strategy the little hybrid came upon.


    "I''m going to fight you head-on, Ludmi... the moment I put on these tes, you will see." Constantine''s re was equivalent to sharp daggers, it sent Ludmi the message that now that he was properly equipped, he was confident in facing her.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Don''t worry, I won''t kill you, that human woman, however, is a different story." Ludmi giggled and all of her killing intent was focused on Zamira who merely red back at her with unfriendliness.


    "A thousand two hundred twenty gold coins~" Her hand extended forward, awaiting the pretty gold coins.


    "Here... Zamira, let''s go and change, we need to wear the tes, do you have any changing spot?" He said, having long seen the location of the changing spot.


    "There, don''t take too long." Ludmi started to do her own business, cing the coins inside a small chest while they walked away towards the ''changing spot''.


    "Girl, I have a question for you, why is your face not?-" She suddenly asked only to see how halfway through, Constantine and Zamira changed directions, heading straight for the shop''s gate!


    !!!!


    *FIUSSHH!!!*


    The moment he gave Ludmi the money and packed his stuff, seeing that she wasn''t following, that was the moment Constantine made his move... he took Zamira by the wrist and the two shoot out towards the shop''s gate as fast as possible, too hell with changing!


    "Coward! do you dare run from a fight with me?!" Ludmi technically jumped over the counter, the chest fell on the ground heavily and she prepared her light magic only to feel a devastating pressure on her shoulders the next moment, she couldn''t use it inside the shop!


    ''What are you doing, girl?'' A tyrannical voice said in her mind.


    "They''re my prey!" She dared to yell that and continue her pursuit.


    ''Whatever you want to solve, solve it outside, otherwise... die!'' The voice made it clear that attendant or not, she''d still die if she didn''t follow the rules.


    !!!


    ''S-Sorry!'' She, a noble elf, apologised to this entity and continued to run towards the gate where Constantine and Zamira had already reached.


    Constantine looked back only to see a wrathful Ludmi chasing after them through the shop, her speed wasn''t that fast, and the magic that she had previously prepared, disappeared the next moment.


    ''As expected she can''t use magic here!''


    "Zamira keep running!" He took out all of the smoke arrays together with one of his personal explosive arrays from before, ck powder.


    ''Please, work!''


    The moment they sted outside of the gate, he threw them everywhere!


    *BOOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!!----


    *BOOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!!----


    *BOOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!!----


    The smoke explosions resonated with the guard of the gate ring at the running Constantine and Zamira, he was about to give chase when Ludmi came out of the shop with her magic already prepared, however, they couldn''t see anything with the amount of smoke and gas that was all over the ce, thankfully, there was only one path forward!


    "Constantine, you won''t escape!"


    Ludmi chased all along the straight path, their only way out, she ran for several dozens of metres untiling out in the main streets, but by then... she didn''t see anything.


    "Dammit!!!"


    *RUMBLE!!!!*


    Her body exploded in a spectacle of light that almost burned everyone''s eyes.


    "Light magic!"


    "It''s the elf from the guild! quickly hide, someone pissed her off!"


    "Run! Run!"


    By the time her wrath subsided, the street was empty as she panted.


    "Brat, you better wish I don''t find you, you said we''d fight, dammed liar!"


    The woman regained herposure and fixed her dress and hair before walking back to whence she came, when passing by the corridors, she failed to notice an oddly-looking wall amidst her own anger.


    "Ludmi..." The front door''s guard looked at her with a menacing re that made her shiver, he didn''t like trouble in front of the shop.


    "I am sorry, it won''t happen again." She went back to her own work reluctantly, the Guild''s rules were carefree, but once broken, there was no going back from it.


    ...


    For the rest of the day, the smoke cleared and the night came, it was only then that the faulty brickwork in the wall crumbled to give way to Constantine and Zamira''s forms, they hadn''t even reached the streets, he sted a piece of wall and concealed them in it, covering it with his faulty replication of bricks using ground magically.


    "Let''s go... Andre and his family must have been waiting" He whispered by her ears, the shop was several dozen metres away and he didn''t know if Ludmi was still there, in any case... they couldn''t go back to that shop now.


    ...


    "W-We''re really saved..." Zamira exhaled, her heart still palpitating fast, she just spent half a day in an encased spot with him, too dark to do anything except feel his body against hers.


    Not like she''d focus on those details, instead she held her new sword and the ring filled with items as they walked by the corridors, eventually reaching the main street that was deste.


    Constantine thought that perhaps the nightlife in this town wasn''t that lively.

 Chapter 52 Afraid Of Lightning I

    "Hahahahaha! that was so fun!" Zamira ran behind him and yelled in euphoria, they had just outrun a noble elf who''s likely above the nascent magus rank!


    A soft drizzle apanied the moonshine with their silhouettes hastening across the corners towards Andre''s house, they had already passed by the meeting spot and as expected the family wasn''t there.


    "Don''t make too much noise, Zamira! We''re in the middle of an empty street, she could be nearby." Constantine reprimanded and only then did Zamirae into realisation, but her smile didn''t stop showing itself.


    "I''m sorry! it is just, I hadn''t had this much fun ever!" It was as if someone was tingling her, she just wouldn''t stopughing.


    "Fool, what''s so fun about risking your life?" He smirked as they ran across the empty streets, aside from some eavesdropping eyes in the windows, thiste at night there was no one around.


    Eventually, the drizzle turned into rain, scarce clouds covered the moon and except for the street lights, darkness covered the world.


    So much so that the dark silhouettes around werepletely concealed as they looked at the duo.


    [Be careful, there are people around, on top of the buildings, but they''re not attacking you...]


    ''...'' Constantine''s gaze roamed all over the buildings and yet he failed to see any of them.


    *CHAA!!!*


    A lightning strike fell suddenly, lighting up the city as he finally visualised some of them.


    Dark cloaked individuals with white void masks.


    "You don''t think it is fun?" Zamira asked suddenly, it seemed like the girl was oblivious of the fact that they were being watched.


    "Not at all."


    "Then, why are you smiling?~" She asked with a giggle of her own, that previous confidence didn''t vanish, but it had decreased to a degree.


    "Of course, because my n was a sess. Make haste, we''re not by ourselves." He pointed to the top of the buildings discretely and she nodded in acknowledgement, ready to take out her sword just in case.


    The rain poured harder together with several thunder strikes across the skies, a small storm.


    They weren''t too far from Andre''s house when it happened.


    [+10.000 Karma Points]


    [Careful!] Zebellia''s frantic voice resonated and he realised that once again he was being messed over, but where would ite from!?


    His gaze moved to the skies and then he saw iting as if time had slowed down.


    Zamira''s eyes shone with a purple light for a moment.


    "Constantine!"


    *CHAAA!!!*


    *BOOOMMM!!*


    An explosion of white lightning blew them away and produced a lot of debris until the spectacle of lightning subsided.


    A lightning strike had fallen exactly where he had been but while the rain fell on them, Zamira tackled him, taking him away from the strike and having both of them fall on the wet pavement.


    "..." He panted from the running and his blue eyes locked on her purple ones, she was on top of his body.


    "... a-are you okay?" She asked after some seconds of awkward silence.


    Constantine was baffled, how did she see that lightning strikee?


    "Are you okay?" She asked again, worried this time since he didn''t answer.


    "Are you insane, Zamira, you shouldn''t have jumped into a lightning strike like that, how did you even evade it!?" He pushed her away and scolded her, she could have died!


    [You could have died too, that was by no means a sh ofmon lightning, that was a bolt of tribtion lightning, but... how interesting... that sword] Zebellia''s voice resonated, she sounded tired.


    As a matter of fact, Zamira had not evaded the lightning strike.


    If one looked closely, sparks of light could be seen coursing through the sword on her back.


    "I... d-did it by instinct, you could have died too!" Zamira yelled back, not liking that he was scolding her instead of praising her. She then looked at her numb hands in bewilderment before Constantine pulled her away from this ce, afraid that those eavesdropping silhouettes would turn wicked once given the chance.


    What happened just now?


    She saw the lightninge down and hit Constantine... she then instinctively jumped towards him, only to notice that no lightning had fallen at all.


    ''Was it some sort of illusion? Am I tired?''


    The two ran in silence until reaching the building where Andre and his family lived.


    "In any case, don''t try to save me like that again." He said dismissively and started to try and see how to open this door.


    What he didn''t expect, however, was for his subordinate to not answer with a ''yes''.


    "I will try to save you if I ever have the chance, regardless of what you say." Zamira answered resolutely with her eyes focusing on him,


    however, when he turned back in surprise at her retort, it was as if half of her bravado vanished as she struggled to not shiver.


    "So, you''re going to disobey my orders?" He asked coldly.


    "Only in this regard... In every other situation... I will do what you tell me to." She began but by half of it, became unable to meet his gaze head-on and turned away.


    Constantine sighed and knocked on the door.


    "Stubborn girl, I hope you know I can''t do the same for you..." He spoke naturally, not a bit of mncholy in his voice.


    He had been given a second chance to meet his wives, with Aurelianne... ''Sorry, I can''t waste my life to save you, I can only hope you get strong enough and we never reach that junction.''


    Zamira smiled in understanding, feeling a little bitter still, but that was her desire.


    "Hmn, I wouldn''t expect you to."


    No words were exchanged between the two as he knocked on the door several times, each harder, but Zamira''s eyes wouldn''t drift away from his body.


    ''Should I st the door open? or I could try to reproduce the key.'' He thought inwardly, but that was merely a distraction from what his main thoughts were.


    ''She saved my life... I think...'' He sighed, he could have evaded that lightning strike, but Zamira had been surprisingly faster.


    [It has something to do with that sword, but I can''t point out what it was, I only saw the sword consume the lightning strike]


    ''What happened exactly?''


    [It was the trial, be careful since it could happen again.]


    ''I need you to exin to me, Zebellia, was that you? if you don''t exin to me how it works, I can''t trust you...''


    [I don''t need your trust, Constantine... how the trial works is not something for me to exin, it will seek the best moments to punish you ording to your karma, that''s all you need to know, sometimes I can stop it, sometimes I can''t...]


    ''When can you, when can''t you why are you stopping it?''


    [If the trial is determined to punish you, I can''t stop it... in all other circumstances, I can prevent it. As for why? Suffice to say that without my assistance, with such a great amount of bad karma, you''d be dead already, the first day you stepped in Sandoria.]


    ''...'' Constantine clenched his hands, not liking that at all.


    ...


    "You''re back!" Andre opened the door for them shortly after, he hurriedly pulled the two of them in before looking outside to see if there was anyone close, when he saw nobody, he sighed in relief and closed the door.<novelnext></novelnext>


    His gaze hadn''t moved up above where dozens of cloaked figures could be seen, when he closed the door, they all dispersed.


    ''Reporting, A Hybrid elf at least in the peak of the Nascent Magus Rank and... The Fallen Queen, Kurohana''s Cursed Thunder in the hands of a human. Both in the Town of Loup.''


    ''Unscarred.''


    **


    **


    "Are you two insane!? The scarred cult moves around at night, even if they won''t normally attack in the city, it''s dangerous, he doesn''t know but you should, Zamira!" Andre was frantic, he kept looking towards the door and windows as if afraid someone would barge in any second.


    "Sorry, we were forced toe out thiste, it wasn''t intentional."


    "Don''t worry too much, Andre, we are okay, in fact, I only came here because I imagined you''d be worried about us." Constantine reassured them but Sophia staggered to hold his hand as she looked at his body covered still in rain and dust.


    "Dear Saviour we were so worried! Anya, go and prepare a bath for them, they''re covered in dust!" She hurriedly said and the girl nodded but Constantine stopped them once again.


    "No need, we won''t be staying for long, we came just to reassure you and I don''t want to impose." He took Sophia back to the bed, this woman didn''t know how to properly rest.


    "Are you nning toe out again!?" Andre couldn''t believe it, it is as if his warning went through one ear and came out the other.


    "We had some issues but managed to seal the thingy, I have something important to talk to you, Andre, if it''s not inconvenient, I''lle tomorrow afternoon with Zamira." He ignored the man while Zamira started thinking about what hotel they could stay in, after what they had previously faced, the scarred cult didn''t seem so scary.


    "You cane whenever you want, in fact, you should stay here! we will sleep on the sofa! the house only has three bedrooms so..."


    "Are you mad? If you sleep on the sofa how are you going to ''catch up''?~"


    !!!


    Andre and Sophia''s faces turned into tomatoes.


    "W-We can keep it quiet." Andre scratched his head and it was Anya and Malik''s time to close their eyes in shame.


    "D-Dear!?" Sophia held her palpitating chest amidst theughter of both Constantine and Zamira.


    "Hohoho~ I''d rather not, anyway, we will be back tomorrow, here, take this, it is your part of the spoils." Constantine extended Andre''s hand and ced a Big pouch of coins in it.


    Andre and Sophia were momentarily awed but they thought the coin was filled with copper coins and they were more than happy with that.


    Zamira and Constantine left a part of ashamed Andre and Sophia before going in their way.


    ...


    "Aren''t you happy, dear?~ he was kind enough to give you a part of it, told you so." They had discussed this already and she had previously told Andre that their saviour would likely give him a chunk of the stctite''s price since he was so kind.


    "Yes!" Andre was happy, even if he only got a small bit of what the blood of Sandork was worth, he''d still be content with that.


    He still thought the bag was a little heavy, copper coins weren''t this heavy, not paying any kid to that he opened the pouch and the two of them looked inside, ready to rejoice.


    Malik and Anya too wanted to see how many copper coins there were inside.


    When they saw what was inside, however, four bangs were heard of bodies hitting the floor, the four passed out and they wouldn''t wake up until tomorrow morning.


    **


    **


    "I know a hotel where we can stay, it opens twenty-four seven." The pair ran through the rain once again, even if the scarred cult wouldn''t attack inside the city, many cases of disappearances weremon.


    "then let''s run, the rain is getting heavier!" Constantine smiled and allowed himself to be led by her, they soon reached an empty district filled with lights, and when he saw what hotel Zamira was talking about, his eyebrows twitched.


    ...


    "Could we have two rooms, boss..." Zamira said as if she was acquainted with this person already.


    The old man instead looked at them as if they were monsters,ing thiste at night, since it was Zamira he could only sigh.


    "Okay, twenty copper coins the night~"


    ...


    They entered the rooms and Constantine''s previous eye twitch turned into full-blown ticks.


    Broken bed, watering through the gaps, the windows are broken and the cold wind ising in!


    "Here it is... do you like it?" Zamira smiled and rubbed her wet hair.


    "I refuse to sleep in this shithole!" How could he, the emperor, sleep in this rundown ce!?


    "Ah!?"


    "There must be something better than this, goddam!" Without thinking twice he pulled the dumbfoundeddy away.


    ...


    "Look, this one must be quite nice." Constantine smirked and entered the twelve-story hotel filled to the brim with shining lights while Zamira vehemently tried to run away but couldn''t.


    "And expensive too!" A woman who had spent her entire life saving and surviving indeed.


    "Madame, my lord... are you sure you have enough money to pay for our premises?" The man looked at both of them with a gaze mixed between contempt and disgust.


    "Shut your mouth and tell me how much it is..." Constantine said in a ''casual'' manner, but his tonality and sentence were enough to irk the attendant.


    "It''s twenty silver coin for each room for a nigh." He spoke with further contempt.


    Zamira was about to turn and around and pull him the hell out of there, but Constantine wasn''t about to spend a night in a dripping hotel.


    "Here, I want five nights." He presented two golden coins!


    "F-Five! Dear customer, we!-" The attendant''s behaviour changed as if he had seen the Emperor''s face upfront!


    "Go and bootlick somewhere else, I want my breakfast brought early in the morning."


    "Yes!"


    "Do you have ''cheesecakes'' here?"


    "C-Cheesecakes, sorry I don''t think we have that on the menu."


    "You don''t, useless bunch, then just bring me whatever cake you have in the morning, got it? And it better be tasty!"


    "Yes sir!"


    ...


    While walking to their rooms, Zamira swallowed a mouthful at her master''s discontent expression, everything because there was no cheesecake.


    "H-How can you get so ominous over cake?"


    "Got a problem with cake?"


    "Not at all!"


    No matter what, she wouldn''t joke about his desserts.

 Chapter 53 Afraid Of Lightning II

    Constantiney in bed after separating from Zamira, each remaining in their respective rooms as the rain assailed the hotel with the lightning strikes threatening to breach through as if seeking their lives.


    The Conqueror was not afraid however, he sat on the bed for a moment, thinking about the incidents today.


    ''What should my next code of action be...?''


    [...]


    ''Aren''t you going to say anything?'' He asked Zebellia who would usually interrupt his inner monologues.


    [...]


    ''Are you sleeping?''


    [...]


    ''She''s sleeping...'' He sighed and recalled how she taught him before to show the trial''s interface.


    All of his cores were loaded by now as they ran with only one producing air, he figured that producing the hair subconsciously in his lungs was quite effective in battle situations.


    Laying down on the bed he began to pray, there was something he needed to ask his goddess that had been budging him ever since he met Andre''s family.


    ''My beloved goddess, I need to speak to you about something, could you decend and attend me?'' He tried something basic without much of an imagination, needless to say, it worked.


    For several seconds nothing happened, but then he heard those thoughts in his mind.


    ''Dear? I have received your message.''


    Aurelianne made herself known in his mind, her voice always glorious as he felt a rush of health enter his body.


    ''This is neat.''


    ''Yes, I have several ways to appear in your world, this is the one that''s easiest for me, I can only do it with you however, as you''re my champion, what can I do for you? I''d kiss you if I could but I can not'' the voice ended slightly crestfallen.


    ''It is about the blessing that you gave Zamira before... the one that increased her lifespan by ten years... is that something that can be used regrly?''


    ''You want to give that blessing to someone?'' She asked, for affirming purposes.


    ''Yes, but if it is something that you can use seldom...'' He didn''t want to ''waste'' a precious resource since they might need itter, but if he could use it, then Andre''s wife was his first candidate.


    ''It can be used whatever amount of times dear, but some conditions must be met, first, the person must have faith in me... and second, you must have faith in me, but that faith will be consumed each time you use the blessing, the more worshippers you get for me, the more you will have, right now since it is only Zamira, it is quite low, you will only be able to use it once.'' She said with a lot of conviction, that the way he had managed so far told her that the number would surely increase quickly.


    ''I see... how can I use it?'' Constantine was happy that he could use it straight away.


    ''Just ce your hand on the person''s body and pray to me for it.''


    ''Thank you!''


    ''Anytime for you, dear~''


    ''There is another question I have... is it possible for you to erase Rotborn?''


    ''... It is extremely difficult to erase Rotborn, analysing it, I realised that it''s core foundation is built in powerfulws of death... although story tells that this curse was created by the Witch Queen Aemir, a human... that''s likely not the case, it has to be a powerful God of Death required to create this curse and cast it on the entire of humanity.''


    ''Like Sandra?''


    ''Yes, but by then your wife was no longer in this world, so it has to be another God or Goddess of Death.''


    ''I see... I have faith in you, my goddess.''


    ''I know~ have a nice sleep, my beloved, how I wished to be in your arms right now.''


    ''We will...''


    ''But in the meantime, I am sure someone else can be in your arms~''


    ''...''


    Aurelianne''s presence disappeared leaving a bewildered Constantine... ''she truly doesn''t care...?''


    Even if Aureliane doesn''t care, his wives care... so he decided to remain in hisfy bed, trying to sleep while the rain served as a beautiful background symphony with thunders.


    For an entire hour, he couldn''t catch his sleep.


    ''You''re kidding me...'' It was an ufortable feeling he couldn''t get over, the worst part is that he had a hunch over what it was.


    With irritation, he stood up and walked to the door where he stood for several seconds before opening it.


    When he came out to the hallway and turned his head to the right- the direction of Zamira''s room- he caught her there, holding the knob of her door.


    "..."


    "..."


    Both of them remained silent, but he could visually see a small drop of sweating from Zamira''s forehead in the darkness.


    "Where are you going?" They asked simultaneously.


    "... I am afraid of lightning." Zamira shamelessly evaded his gaze and said that, causing him to smirk.


    ''Girl you''re such a bad liar...''


    "W-What about you?" She then asked him, finally closing the door of her room.


    "I am going to the toilet." He said with all the nature in the world, however, he didn''t notice how she lifted her eyebrows slightly before smirking.


    "The toilets are inside the rooms... master, you''re such a liar."


    !!!


    "I didn''t know... see you tomorrow then."


    "Can''t we sleep together?"


    "Hmn?"


    "I told you, I am afraid of lightning... can''t we sleep together?"


    **


    **


    The pair found themselves in Constantine''s room, where they stood there, she felt a sudden pressure on her shoulders, especially when his gaze continued to roam her body.


    "You didn''t take a shower?"


    "N-No..."


    "Why?" He frowned, she was still covered in dust.


    "Why should I?" She asked matter of factly and he just couldn''t believe it!


    "Undress..."<novelnext></novelnext>


    "..." Zamira did as asked and without any shame in the world, she started to take out her dusted armour and ragged clothes, eventuallying upon two tes that pressed harshly against her chest and bottom.


    When she released them and they fell harshly on the ground, her naked body was uncovered for him to see, those big breasts of her fell unconstrained due to the natural gravity, but in her butt''s case, it stood up proudly and toned.


    She had a marvellous body, but one of a woman that clearly worked out, she even had marked abs yet her femininity was distinguishable.


    For some reason, unlike ever before, Zamira started to be conscious of her own body, she even used her arms to cover her breasts, she recalled that he was attracted to ''ugly'' women like her and therefore, became more conscious of his gaze and her own body.


    "W-What now?" She asked, trying to get over the awkwardness and heat that she was feeling.


    "Let''s go to the bathroom, you can''t possibly sleep like that." Constantine pulled her to the bathroom where he once again was left at a loss on how this mechanism worked.


    Zamira had to teach him how taps and the like worked before a steady torrent of water started to wash over her body, she said that she could wash, but he rejected.


    She marvelled when Constantine discarded his own clothes and entered the shower with her, but his body had been cleaned prior.


    "I used water magic, didn''t know you had such a modern mechanism to take a shower here." He said while scrubbing her hair, she merely grasped his hips, looking down to his body that wasn''t as bulky as the majority of proud men outside, yet he had his defined muscles, her fingers started to trail them.


    "And how do you wash from where youe?"


    "You take buckets of water and pour them?" Constantine said, though in his case, his wives would pour it for him and vice-versa, there were also baths filled with warm water.


    "I see, that''s... how I used to wash myself, once a month..."


    "Once a month!?"


    "Y-Yes... that way you don''t spend-"


    "Listen well, Zamira! if you want to remain with me, you better get used to washing yourself daily, unless we are unable to... in all other circumstances you can even tell me and I will wash you up with magic."


    "Hmn..." She nodded, it is not like she liked to be dirty, only... when living in the streets one had to cope.


    He washed her body all over, underneath her arms, her hair, her crotch... he pointed out the fact that she was rather ''hairy'' down there, and much to her shame trimmed her the small purple bush in there.


    Shey on her back with her legs spread open, panting like never before, a curious result since they weren''t even working out, her panting came merely from her excitement.


    "Doesn''t this look and feel better?~" He whispered, sitting between her legs, holding her tights open with the water raining on them as the heaviest blush of her life crept over, his fingers rubbed her slightly hairy mound and she nodded, figuring that during her training she''d likely sweat less in that area.


    "You know, Zamira... there is nothing better in this world than a woman that''s confident in her own body and beauty." He kept rubbing his thumb over that bush of hair, merely inches away from her palpitating pearl that seemed to be brimming with expectation, Constantine had never seen a woman with purple hair before, this was his first time, initially, he believed she just used something to colour it like that, but her lower hair showed otherwise.


    "I am not a beauty..." She evaded his gaze, but the happiness in her heart couldn''t be concealed in the form of a smile.


    "Don''t worry, I will make sure to convince you otherwise." He licked her ears slightly while she just evaded his gaze, thinking he was just lying like he always does.


    After he finished rinsing her up, she proposed to wash him instead, and he epted.


    She used the soap provided by the hotel to wash his body clumsily, it was the first time she had done something like this to a man or to anyone ever.


    When it was time to wash his crotch, she was in a dilemma, she wanted to do it, but didn''t know if he would be offended if she did it.


    "Should I-"


    "Do it."


    "Y-Yes."


    The purple-haired beauty proceed to rub him up and down until he waspletely ''clean''.


    ''I-Isn''t it supposed to get hard when you touch it? that''s what they say...'' She noticed that his long member was still ''sleeping''... several thoughts came up to her mind, depressing ones.


    ''He was lying after all... I am not good-looking...'' She thought, her depression reflected in herck of momentum that Constantine noticed.


    "What''s wrong?"


    "Nothing..."


    "If you don''t tell me, I will get upset."


    "... why is it not... hard?"


    "Hmn?"


    "This thing... why is it not hard? you said I am beautiful, but it is not hard... does that mean you were lying?"


    "Ah, that... like this?"


    !!!!


    She felt how the ''thing'' started to grow stiff in her hands and she gasped, "Y-You can control it?!"


    "That I can... you''re a splendid woman, Zamira... I was merely keeping my urges in check." He confessed it was the truth, the ''control'' was merely him trying as hard as he could to not stand up, with the explosive body that she has, it was difficult.


    ''He''s aroused... for my body...'' She thought with renewed enthusiasm.


    Their shower took a little longer than usual.


    **


    **


    By the time they came out of the shower soaking, he threw her on the bed and covered the two of them with a quilt, it was time to sleep.


    His body hovered above hers beneath the quilt, Zamira had a new shine to her purple eyes that were looking at him unlike before, something was different.


    He felt some rustling beneath, it was her opening her legs widely.


    "What are you doing?" He frowned when she felt her legs wrap around his waist.


    "A-Ah, i-isn''t this normal?" She asked with yet another heavy blush as another thunder strike fell and she didn''t budge the slightest bit, there goes her fear of lightning.


    She felt how his still sturdy thing pressed against her flesh, now more than a little moistened, rather than the answer he fondled one of her breasts.


    "Hmmn!~" She suppressed a heavy moan that surprised him.


    "As expected, you''re quite sensitive here~ I noticed before when I was washing you up, how you squirmed at the slightest touch and also..." removing his hand he noticed a slightly whitish liquid, her breasts werectating...


    "Are you pregnant?" He frowned heavily.


    !!!!


    "I am not!!! I haven''t ever done it before, what are you asking?!"


    "But your breasts are spilling, that happens when you''re pregnant..."


    "T-That... it has happened to me for a long time..." She bit her lips and looked away, this was something she was ashamed of, asking several women, she knew that none of them went through that except when they were pregnant, but in her case, it always happened ever since she became a mercenary.


    "..." Constantine started to think before he came up with an unrealistic clue of sorts...


    "It might be the constant rubbing against the metal tes that you use, your breasts have be extremely sensitive."

 Chapter 54 Purple Affair

    When she opened her eyes, the ''frightening'' lightning strikes were no longer falling recklessly in the world, the downpour had stopped and a bright sun shone across the window of the regal hotel room.


    Zamira yawned and rustled as the memories of the previous night came crashing down, producing a blush as well as a disappointed sigh.


    She felt warm like never before, for the first time in her life she hadn''t slept alone, moreover, for the first time in a long while she had slept in a decent bed.


    Looking down she saw and felt his firm grip over one of her breasts, their entangled legs and how her entire back brimmed with warmth.


    Without thinking anything she realised that he had yet to wake up and therefore, she wouldn''t wake him up, instead; taking advantage of this fact, shey back down, cuddled further and prepared to sleep some more, still sighing.


    **


    **


    The previous night had been exquisite.


    "Hmn!~" Zamira moaned, not having the time to think about what he said just now.


    It made sense, ever since she started wearing those tes to press her breasts against her body, they started to react this way, the same couldn''t be said about her butt, however...


    Constantine was analysing her body, merely rubbing her nipple would make it turn erected, bloated and red before a slick substance came out, milk.


    Trying to restrain the urges to simply sink his mouth in there, he realised that this was a real issue for her.


    "When you fight, does it bother you?"


    Zamira evaded his gaze, biting her finger and feeling half of his weight press on her before nodding, "I-It does, but... it feels worse when I don''t have the tes on and instead use a shirt or something else..."


    "Because they''re constantly rubbing against the shirt."


    "Yes, I have... I have thought about cutting them several times." She came clear about her intentions but his abrupt answer made those same intentions disappear into the nothingness.


    "No way!" Constantine couldn''t believe the degree of heresy he had just heard, as if to entuate, he pressed one of her buttons slightly, nting another moan and yet another small torrent of milk toe out.


    "What do you feel?"


    "I-I don''t know... it feels different."


    "How does it usually feel?"


    "It usually hurts, but now... it feels... good."


    "How good?"


    "Really good, like... I want you to keep doing it."


    Constantine sighed, his head came down, eyes connected to hers at all times and he gave the other nipple a slight lick.


    !!!


    "Ahn!~"


    ''For the gods...'' He never saw breasts so sensitive before, putting aside how wonderful of a lover she''d be because of this, it was sure to be a detriment for her training if not treated.


    "Haven''t you tried to use a potion or have them checked?" It was then that he recalled Aurelianne''s blessing which was supposed to have healed her, or at least it erased her scars, yet the blessing hadn''t healed this.


    "I have never got them checked, I am shy about it... an ugly woman like me, shouldn''t be showing her body... not everyone is like you."


    "I see." He decided to not berate her, change woulde from the inside, slowly but surely she''d stop saying those unconfident lines.


    Hey down, spooning her while holding her abdomen, preparing himself to sleep, they were covered by the warm quilt and to Zamira, the current position couldn''t be any morefortable.


    But... he just stopped.


    "Aren''t you going to continue?" She asked, almost feeling outraged.


    "Doing what? it is alreadyte, we have to sleep for tomorrow."


    "M-My breasts, aren''t you going to... fondle them?"


    "Do you want me to?"


    "I don''t know..." She thought her words weren''t making any sense, the desire was there, but she didn''t want to be the one requesting it.


    "Hmn!~" When she felt one of his hands fondle her chest, the happiness returned.


    "Maybe if I empty them out, you will feel better." He said, merely theorising.


    "Yes, please try that..." She bit on her finger and felt how his w started to massage her breasts from all sides, having the milke out in a steady flow, it pained her slightly at first.


    Her liquids stained the bed and rather than feel disgusted, she felt as if her crotch was on fire.


    Throwing a furtive nce at him, she said, "It is staining the bed...p-perhaps it would be better if..."


    "If?~" He asked, whispering wickedly against her red ears, she was blusing madly.


    ''If you suck them!''


    Zamira didn''t dare culminate that sentence and hence, he had to finish it with action, changing positions, she found herself straddling his crotch above, as if instinctively she raised her torso slightly, trying to ignore the heating object pressing against her core.


    Constantine started to drink everything she had to offer, one breast at a time for the next half an hour, the flow was too slow and if he pressed her breast harder, it would hurt her.


    Zamira''s moans never ceased for half an hour, in fact, he felt his crotch moistening at a ridiculous pace given just by how many juices she was secreting with her constant climaxes.


    Before long, the milk stoppeding out and a tired Zamira slumped on his chest, feeling as if a mountain had been taken out of her shoulders, literally.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "You had so much... I am sure you''re going to feel better now." Constantine felt literally ''full'' in fact, her breast had visibly decreased in size after all that sucking.


    "..." Zamira was panting in exhaustion with literally one step into the dream world, all she could do was nod and stutter.


    "Y-Yes, I feel much better, thank you, master." She snuggled closer to him with a smile as her breathing softened and she dozed off.


    "You''re so stubborn calling me that... disciple, servant... what exactly are you?" By the time he sighed and asked the question, she was long gone into the dream world, he switched their position, cing her tightly against his chest, resisting the urge to im the price that was moist and ready...


    ''That disciple-master rtionship is so troublesome...'' he thought recalling his own experiences before as he had expected, the drowsiness overcame him.


    As it turns out, the Conqueror can''t sleep properly if there is not a woman in his arms.


    **


    **


    Zamira felt shame, ''I feel asleep...'' she thought with indignation, although not experienced in rtionships, she knew quite well what is the next step after what happenedst night, indeed, it was a nice treatment and her breasts felt lighter and smooth, but the pleasure she had felt was undeniable.


    The desire for ''more'' was growing prominent as well.


    It didn''t take long for Constantine to wake up as well and the first thing he receive was, of course, a curse from Zebellia, a splendid way to start the day.


    [Naughty and unloyal fiend...]


    ''We did nothing...'' said the Conqueror while squeezing Zamira''s breasts for the first time today.


    ...


    "Good morning, master."


    "Good morning, Zamira, do you feel better?"


    "Yes, It hadn''t been so prominent before but, now I feel so much lighter and better~" She stood up from the bed and stretched, turning right and left as her chest wiggled in freedom.


    "You can''t wear those tes anymore, it is not good for you... when we get clothes to cover the tes we purchased, you can get something lighter."


    "But... they''re going to be in the way of my swordsmanship." That was the main reason why she pressed them, they produced an unnecessary pulling everytime she turned both her top and bottom.


    "That''s because you don''t have the right technique, don''t worry, I will teach you swordsmanship that will use them to your advantage rather than a disadvantage." He assured her while wearing his clothes.


    ''I never thought I''d teach your sword style to anyone, master...'' He sighed with mncholy, recalling his time in the knight academy back in his previous world, back then, ady with a chest size roughly the same as Zamira''s, danced in the field with her entire body moving inpass with her sword, no strain whatsoever.


    Once again he found himself enthralled in his memories while Zamira who was also dressing up, noticed his head without the band, his silver hair cascading down and also, his pointy ears.


    "I-I hadn''t noticed your ears before and also, an elf with silver hair..." She mumbled in contemtion, extending her hand forward.


    "What about them?"


    "Can I touch them?" She requested with her hand hovering mere centimetres from his ears, however, he moved away slightly.


    "You can''t..." Constantine declined.


    "Why?" His rejection soured her heart slightly, she had heard that in the elf kingdom, elves only allow their ears to be touched by their partners or important people, His declining to allow her to touch them, meant they were not in the same symphony.


    "Only my goddess and wives are allowed to touch them." He said as natural as the water flowing down the river.


    "..." But to her, that was not a river of water but a river of mud, her heart suddenly stopped in realisation while his words kept ying in her mind.


    "Y-You''re married!?" She asked in disbelief, he hadn''t said that before!


    "Yes, I have five beautiful wives and a precious goddess, though I need to find my wives... their location is unknown to me as of now." He confessed, having enough trust in Zamira to tell this.


    "Why didn''t you say anything?"


    "Is that something important between us?" He finished settling his clothes and only noticed that she had stopped midway with hers.


    "W-We did ''that'' yesterday..." She looked away, blushing as he approached, took her top and made her wear it.


    "And what exactly is ''that''?~" Constantine whispered on her ears with a smirk.


    "T-That!-"


    "I gave you some treatment and since you were afraid of lightning, we slept together, isn''t that right?~" The whispers of the devil entered her ears, and rather than feel convinced of that ''truth'' she instead started to feel some heat in her crotch.


    "We slept naked..."


    "It was quite hot so we had a shower and were too tired to bother to wear those dirty clothes."


    "B-But..." She gasped, how could he make those perfect justifiable lies that even she believed to some extent, but she shook her head, that''s not right... they didn''t sleep naked for that reason, those possessive hands, she felt them.


    Constantine noticed her doubts and smirked further, kissing her cheek slightly, moving his hand beneath her now covered chest until its weight fell on his hand naturally.


    "Or would you rather I say... that we slept naked because we had some other intentions? some naughty intentions~"


    "No... the other one is right..." She bit on her lips, taking his palm but not moving it away, finally mustering the strength to look at his eyes.


    "Nice, then let''s go... Andre and his family must be waiting for us."


    "Hmn."


    As such, their first night of five in this hotel continued, but... it seems paying for two rooms would end up being a waste.

 Chapter 55 Flower Girl, Raki

    "What are our ns, master?" Zamira and Constantine were walking rejoin the streets of the Town of Loup, heading back to Andre''s apartment.


    Zamira merely wanted to know what would be his next code of action, that way she''d act ordingly.


    Walking around, still wearing her same clothes, she felt as light as a feather, her breasttes removed, her butt free of constrain, her body was wiggling in freedom with every move, surely to be a bother inbat, but so far she simply feltfortable.


    Having had his fair share of ogling, Constantine started to think what his priorities were.


    "I want to investigate and learn as much as I can, my priority is to increase my magic rank, but I have no idea how to do so." Increasing one''s strength was paramount and he came to realise too soon how advantageous magic was in front of an opponent, even more than one''s skill with the sword.


    The more he increased Aurelianne''s ''cult'' he saw sure trouble would arise and strength would be needed.


    "If that''s the case, I''d rmend that you head to the capital, that''s where the pinnacle of human magic is practiced, but..."


    "But?"


    "I might not be able to go with you, the capital is for magus and influential people... I won''t be allowed entry." She said, dejected but also expectant.


    "Then we''re not going until you''re ready, I''m not in a rush."


    "Master..." Her expectations had been met and Zamira felt happy, she''d give it her all to be epted in the capital by sheer prowess, that was their next destiny.


    As they walked the pair was stopped by a sudden calling.


    "Mr and Mrs! You''re mercenaries, right? Would you like some flowers?"


    It was a young girl with fair body, wearing torn rags and a cloak, she had long hair that reached her back, it was in disarray.


    Her appearance ced her in between fifteen and eighteen, while the most prominent characteristic of hers, aside from several scars in her face, was that eyepatch that Constantine couldn''t take his eyes from.


    In all right, to him she was ''beautiful'' sadly, that wasn''t the case for everyone else.


    ...


    The flowers were red in colour and slightly shiny, simr to a sunflower but dark red in tonality, when Zamira saw them she was awed at first nce.


    "Those are nomon flowers." Constantine analysed the girl''s product, those flowers he had never seen before.


    "That''s sulfur grass, girl, why aren''t you selling this in the pharmacy?"Zamira questioned with a frown.


    The girl looked away with apparent irritation before answering with a pout, "They want to take it for cheap, I risked my life to get them, I can''t sell them cheaply!"


    "Oh?" Constantine gave this girl a deep look, she is roughly in her fifteen years of age, an eye patch in one eye, several scars in her face, her countenance concealed a beauty beneath the surface, her hair was light auburn and she was coated in a denseyer of dust.


    ''How hard do kids have it in this world...'' Constantine sighed in sadness.


    [Human kids to be precise...]


    "What''s your name, girl?"


    "My name is Raki! Mr-" the girl trailed, clearly indicating that she wanted to know his name too.


    "Constantine."


    "Mr Constantine, aren''t you too weak to be a mercenary? and thisdy here..." The girl analysed the two of them and the more she saw them, the more convinced she was they were liars, if not for Zamira''s sword in her back she wouldn''t believe it, clearly that sword is quite valuable.


    "How can you tell whether I am weak or not?" The conqueror''s eyes twitched.


    "Big brother, with that body I don''t think you would be able to lift me up the ground! Much less be a mercenary." She mocked him slightly only to close her mouth the next second after the deed was done, seemingly realising that they''re ''customers''.


    "Naughty girl, I''ll have you know I can even lift up mountain sized horses!"


    [I dare you... see how that karma meter multiplies]


    ''You''re on, once I be a god, we will see.''


    Constantine''sment which wasn''t an intentional joke had the little girl giggling,


    this was perhaps the only customer that had stopped to talk to her like this.


    "Anyway, what uses are there for this grass, Zamira?"


    "Alchemists use it to produce a powder of sorts that can momentarily increase physical strength, it is usually found deep inside the forest, I am surprised you could find one of them and survive, girl."


    "I was lucky, madam-"


    "Just call me Zamira."


    "Madam Zamira, this one was located at the outskirts of the Lindom Forest, I was collectingmon flowers when I saw it, but I briefly managed to run a member of the scarred cult along the way... as you can see, not for free."The girl pointed at her face with a sad expression, the scars were recent.


    ''How can any of those bastards scar the face of a girl like this!?''


    Constantine was determined to ughter any of them members of this cult that he saw, they were extremely vile to the point of no redemption.


    "And what happened to your eye?"


    "T-That was a fight that I lost... are you interested in my flowers, Sir?" She moved the topic away, not desiring to carry on recalling her grievances, a truly mature thought to have for a teenage girl like her.


    "I''ll buy everything you have."


    !!!


    "S-Sir you must be-!" She wanted to reproach him for increasing her expectations, but the moment she saw the gold coin, she knew he wasn''t joking.


    "I want everything..." It wasn''t merely a gift, Constantine wanted to study this ''sulfur grass'' for himself.


    "Sir you don''t have to!" She tried to reject at first, convinced that he was doing it out of pity.


    ''So you still hold pride, Raki...''


    "Just give me all those flowers girl, and keep the change, we''re too wealthy and I don''t have any lower coins than this!" He spoke with a certain degree of disdain that surprised even Zamira.


    Ultimately, the girl decided to give away the flowers.<novelnext></novelnext>


    ''If I don''t do it like this, you won''t ept it...'' He could see himself in this girl,


    on her own, risking her life for some flowers, rejecting to sell her effort short and still holding pride amidst the constant blows.


    He took the flowers and they disposed themselves to leave, but then he felt the girl pull on his sleeve with aplicated gaze.


    "S-Sir could I ask for a favour?"


    "What is it?"


    "Could you apany me to the exchange shop? If I appear on my own, with a gold coin..."


    He didn''t need to be exined to understand what her worries were, and once more, he apuded the girl''s shrewdness.


    "Sure." He nodded towards Zamira and the two of them helped the girl change her golden coin for several bags of copper coins and silver coins.


    "Where is your house?"


    "It is this way!" Raki understood that he wanted to take her to her house and decided to ept, feeling confident.


    They arrived at a slump of sorts after a few minutes of walking in which Raki remained silent with a happy expression in her face.


    "M-My daughter..."


    "Father!"


    They entered the humble house and found a manying on a bad, he looked young but his countenance recalled them of a man in his deathbed.


    Raki embraced her father tightly, even allowing the bags of copper coins to fall on the ground.


    The man was covered in a quilt andying on the bed, he extended one of his arms forward to hug the girl as they shared a moment.


    Then, his gaze settled on Constantine and Zamira, with a threat.


    "W-What do you want with my daughter!?"


    "Father, they''re customers, they helped me!"


    Raki tried to diffuse the situation swiftly and after a brief exnation, the man understood yet still regarded Constantine with dubiousness.


    "Now that my daughter has the change, she can pay you back... she doesn''t need to owe you anything." The man spoke solemnly only for Constantine to sigh and look at Raki.


    "Could you leave us alone for a moment, Raki?"


    "..." Raki looked at her father who nodded before leaving the room.


    "Are you stupid?" Those were Constantine''s first harsh and cold words that left Zamira and the man breathless.


    "What did you say!?"


    "I am asking you if you are stupid... your daughter had a streak of luck yet you deny it to her... you''re struck with Rotborn."


    The man but his lips and moved the quilt away, what remained was something that even Constantine couldn''t expect.


    Except for his right arm, the man was missing all of his limbs as a hideous stench resurfaced.


    Zamira bit her lips, this sight wasn''t surprising.


    "That''s thest stage of rotborn, you don''t have more than a month to leave, sir..." That''s all she could say in resignation.


    "If that''s the case, even more so, fool! Why will you deny your daughter''s luck!?"


    "Are you expecting me to deliver my daughter right into your or anyone''s ws!? E-Even if I can''t protect her like in the past... even if I''m now a coward that can do nothing but look how his beloved daughter goes out andes with an additional scar every day, I AM STILL HER FATHER!" In the eyes of this man, there were tears that Constantine couldn''t help but look at.


    "Even so, if you''re about to die, shouldn''t you think for her future? I don''t have any Ill intentions with the girl and I don''t n to take the money back either."


    "..."


    "You want someone dependable to leave her with..."


    "..."


    ''Zebellia, the blessing of my goddess to heal.''


    [That is not strong enough to heal limbs back... moreover you can only use it once until you drastically increase the amount of believers... are you sure you want to use it on him?]


    ''...''


    "There are no dependable hands in this town... everyone is for their own gain, my daughter hasn''t made it into the mercenaries at this age... everyone refuses to teach her how to defend herself... with her looks, she''s also not a good candidate for marriage, I fear for her life."


    "I will train your daughter..."


    !!!


    "A-Are you a mercenary?" He looked at Constantine up and down, surely he''s jesting.


    But when Constantine raised up his hand to lit up a me, everything changed.


    ''Magus!''


    "I will train her until she''s strong enough to defend herself... sorry, but I can''t save you, I can''t save everyone I meet..." Constantine said with solemness, the best way to help people is to erase the cause of the collective suffering.


    Helping every single individual is a waste of time and resources, the best he can do is tackle the main issue, Rotborn.


    And doing so while using Aurelianne''s name is perfect advertisement to the Life Goddess, effectively aplishing his ''job'' as a champion.


    "... Please, take care of my daughter... me and my dead wife will be in gratitude with you for a thousand lives."


    That''s all he could say, the man left his daughter in someone else'' care.


    With all the bitterness in his heart, he decided to trust.

 Chapter 56 Getting Disciples

    "What is your name, Sir?" Constantine asked the man after they had concluded.


    "I''m Ossie... once again, thank you for what you''re going to do for my daughter..." The man couldn''t stand up or bow, all he could do was close his eyes and wave his arm, a pitiful being... one could see sadness at the fact that his daughter was going to be taken away from him, even if it was for her own good.


    Constantine noticed and shook his head repeatedly.


    "I''ll begin training her if she epts, but that doesn''t mean I''m going to take her away from you." He assured the man.


    "I understand and you have my sincerest gratitude for that, I couldn''t wish anything other than seeing my daughter for myst days, it would break my heart otherwise..."


    "Hmn."


    "Could I ask you a question?"Ossie asked all of the sudden.


    "Ask away..."


    "Before, you said that you couldn''t help everyone, if that''s the case, why are you willing to help my daughter?" That was perhaps his only inquisitive question, and at the sound of it, Zamira also red at Constantine not in a doubtful manner but rather, curious, it could be said that the reason he is also helping her and taking her in, is attached to the answer to this enquiry.


    "Your daughter has potential... she can go to great lengths to assure your and her own survival, suffering pain that other kids wouldn''t be able to easily hold... such traits are deserving of assistance, at least from my part, I''d rather have a disciple that can face life''s harshness head-on than one that can hold a sword straight but is not able to do the former." That was the Conqueror''s natural answer.


    Zamira nodded several times with a smile while the man visually gasped.


    ''This person is so well-spoken and filled with wisdom... I feel like I''m talking with a monarch. R-Raki couldn''t be in better arms.'' Ossie swallowed a lump of saliva.


    Constantine, Zamira and Ossie kept talking about several other prominent details before the man recalled his daughter into the room.


    "Raki, my daughter... you cane back now." The father said and Raki entered the room as if she was eavesdropping from the other side all along, when she saw her father''s uncovered body, she resisted the urge to cry and covered him back up.


    "Father, you shouldn''t do it, it will get worse."


    "I''m sorry sweety..." That''s all he could say to his daughter whom he already considered an adult.


    "Raki, from now onwards, you must be respectful towards Mr Constantine and Mrs Zamira, alright?" He patted his daughter''s head, she was perhaps as tall as him already, but for him, it was still his cute daughter.


    "Ah?" Raki didn''t get it at first, it''s not like she was going to mistreat them anyway.


    Rather than waiting for Ossie to exin, Constantine moved forward.


    "Raki, I''d like to offer to train you into a ''mercenary''... I can''t give you all of my time, but I''ll give you a ce to stay, food and training until you''re good to go on your own, if you ept that is, you can still decline."


    !!!


    It was like a rain of words impacting Raki''s cortex, a rain that she couldn''t or even desired to stop.


    ''Who would decline such invitation!?'' Bing a mercenary is the easiest way to survive in this world, any other than that is a life filled with suffering, she didn''t have the face or the body of a woman that would be easily epted and trained in the organisation, being rejected countless times, but now...


    Help has finallye her way; given the man''s previous behaviour, her suspicion was minimal, all she could do was look at her father as if wondering if he agreed and the father nodded solemnly.


    "T-Then, please... I''ll be in your care! thank you very much for your kindness! I will try the hardest I can!" She said those words yelling them with emotion as if Constantine was a hundred kilometres away, he and Zamira simplyughed at this.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "No problem, if I happen to have a way to help your father before the inevitablees, I''ll do so, but don''t hold your hopes too high... it is time we leave." He said before excusing himself and pulling Zamira away.


    "Thank you! please visit my shop often also... g-guide me... I don''t know what I should do now..." The girl asked confused, she didn''t know if she had to go to his ce, or stay here... or head somewhere to train.


    Constantine returned and patted her head.


    "Don''t worry, once I am ready for your training, I will try to find you myself, it should be in the next few days, spend some time with your father while you''re at it."


    "Hmn!"


    **


    **


    "M-M-My saviour..." Andre opened the door for them once they arrived at his ce, his face was pale, and he was shivering.


    "Good morning Andre, why are you shivering?" Constantine asked with furrowed brows, prepared for a fight even, he thought Andre and his family had been assaulted.


    "W-We just woke up..."


    "Just now? you must have slept like a log yesterday, oh wait... hehe, bulky bastard~ no wonder you''re shivering. If you''re shivering then she must be..." He snickered but Andre didn''t have time for his naughty jokes, he pulled both him and the giggling Zamira inside the house before closing it harshly.


    Now inside the house, he found himself once again in the sight of the entire family, all of them pale and shivering, giving him their thanks, even Sophia who should be in the bed and not kneeling.


    "We ept our saviour''s kindness!" Contrary to what he expected, they epted the money, but he could tell that either Andre or Sophia decided that.


    "I am happy that you ept and do not make too much inconvenient for me."


    "B-But if it is not too much to ask, could you take half of it at least?" Sophia''s lips shivered as she inquired, she knew that the way he gave that money away, it was because he didn''t want it back... but it was simply too much for them.


    "No."


    "Ou..." It was as if somebody just punched their hearts.


    "Andre, I have something that I''d like to propose to you-" Having declined to ept the money, Constantine then addressed Andre.


    "No."


    "Ou...?" Constantine felt a minor impact in his heart too while Zamira and Zebelliaughed heartily in the background, punishment was due for at least one of them, the other was too big to spank.


    "My Saviour, no, Constantine.... you don''t like to be called saviour... I was going to do it on my own but after seeing my wife, doubted... please, allow me to follow you as my subordinate." Andre asked formally whilst on one knee and no one in the family thought this was out of ce.


    "Why...?"


    "You have been extremely kind to us, you have saved me, but most importantly, you''re a magus and clearly not human..." Andre confessed, feeling a sudden pressure on him when he mentioned this.

 Chapter 57 New Allegiance

    "..." Constantine''s re contained that pressure.


    "I doubted because I thought I should stay with my wife until Rotborn takes her life...but then I realised, that would be a cowardly action."


    "..." The Conqueror and Zamira smiled.


    "You''re the closest thing to hope that I have, I don''t want my wife to die... I don''t care if Rotborn is absolute or not, if you believe there is a chance, something that we can do, a resource that we can find... to extend her life, please... I will follow your orders and work as your hammer to crush your enemies, I will be stronger, guide you in this world that you don''t know... so long as you help me with this, my wife and my daughter... they''re everything to me..."


    "I understand, Andre... and that''s precisely one of the reasons I came back today."


    "Huh?"


    "There is a way for her to be temporarily cured." He crossed his arms and said with confidence.


    !!!!


    "What is it?!"


    "For it to work, you have to believe in my goddess..." Those words were said naturally by him, but the reception wasn''t.


    "H-Heh?" They all regarded each other in bewilderment, did he just say ''goddess''?


    "The True Goddess of Life, living in Sandoria, Aurelianne... if you believe in her, I can heal you from Rotborn!" Constantine began his speech with twitching eyebrows, of all speeches he has given, this is perhaps the most awkward.


    "The Goddess of Life... I didn''t think you''d worship any other god than Lucius... and she''s alive?" Sophia inquired at first, Lucius is the god worshipped by most humans, in fact... in some ces of the empire, as the capital, spreading other gods'' faith is a huge crime.


    "Yes, she''s a goddess that lives, I have seen her with my own eyes!" Zamira added her own wood to the fire and the family all gasped when they looked at her.


    Worshipping a God and ''seeing'' a God were twopletely different things.


    As far as they''re concerned, a vagrant could worship his empty bottle of rum as a God and tell others, ''hey,e and worship my god''.


    But if Zamira said she had ''seen'' a God, that''s different.


    Belief is the core of Faith.


    "Sophia, please believe what he says..." Andre stood by his wife''s side and implored her, he knows how faith works and if his wife doesn''t believe, then whatever he is going to do, is not going to work, even if he held doubts in his heart, his wife shouldn''t.


    But she had underestimated the cement that Sophia had given Constantine in her heart, in a healthy way that is.


    "I do, if he says there is a goddess out there that can heal... and Mrs Zamira has seen her, I believe!" It wasn''t because of his words, it was because of his identity... for Sophia, Constantine was no different than a Saint, he had returned her husband home, and now even helped them financially when he could have just run off, moreover ''financial help'' was a little far-fetched, they were technically rich now... then he came back to im that he could heal her too.


    If she wasn''t going to believe this person''s words, who would she believe?


    "If that''s the case, then allow me to test your faith." Constantine said, walking up to her and cing his hand on top of her head as if he was patting a kid.<novelnext></novelnext>


    ''Now how do I do this?''


    [Blessings are given away with prayers, just the same way you pray for your big-breasted goddess... now pray for her to heal this woman.]


    ''That''s a remarkable description''


    *Cough!*


    "My Goddess, I, your champion, ask for your favour in this tribtion... please, heal thisdy out of her grievances and give her a new lease." To add some spice to the prayer, he used his magic to produce some wind around them that gave the room a hint of mightiness.


    It was as if Sophia''s belief increased several notches the moment the wind started to blow her hair and the goddess'' voice resonated in his head.


    ''It shall be done as youmand, my champion, keep working hard and enforcing my will!''


    *RUMBLE!*


    This time it wasn''t his magic that reacted in the room, a soothing feeling of life and freshness enveloped them all before it swiftly entered Sophia''s body, and she felt as if her vitality started to increase ridiculously by the second.


    !!!!


    She gasped and visually saw how all of the wounds in her body, scars, started to disappear, it wasn''t only her, Andre, Malik and Anya noticed as well.


    "M-Mother!" Anya ran beside her mother when she was able to see how even her haywire hair turned into smooth silk, this was perhaps the most ridiculous change to see.


    Sophia felt how she regained strength in her legs, a headache that she had vanished as well, it was an utter miracle.


    The entire processsted several seconds and by the time it finished when Constantine removed his hand from her head, Sophia immediately left the bed and jumped, hugging him!


    "Thank you very much! I have never felt so healthy in my life!" She felt as if she had been born a second time.


    "It was nothing, keep living for the Goddess'' sake, that''s what you can do for me, spread her faith."


    "Yes!" After Constantine patted her head again, Sophia released him and saw her family looking at her in disbelief.


    "I am okay! I feel wonderful, husband! I feel wonderful!" She jumped on Andre next and nted a deep kiss on his surprised face, truth be told he had faith in Constantine, but as a human, he couldn''t help but doubt whenever the word ''god'' was mentioned, Sandorians were quite particr in that regard.


    The couple shared a moment before Sophia, with the same enthusiasm hugged both Anya and Malik with both her arms, tightly... her family.


    Constantine and Zamira merely looked at the entire thing with a smile.


    ''I can''t save everyone individually, but guess doing it once in a while is not that bad either.''


    [+100.000 Karma Points]

 Chapter 58 The Mercenaries

    ''Isn''t a hundred thousand a little too much?'' Constantine thought when he received the notification from the trial.


    His debt is ridiculously big indeed, but that is also not a small number, all he did was increase Sophia''s lifespan by ten years... nothing else, he didn''t even save her, how does that amount to that many points?


    Unbeknownst to him, there were two individuals whose eyes were shining and those were precisely Andre and the little boy, Malik, their eyes were shining with utter respect towards him.


    [The Fate Jewel is the one that calctes how much your actions are worth, you have just changed someone''s fate in this room... It is not necessarily Sophia''s... whoever Fate you switched, it will have immense repercussions to this world and even beyond.] Zebellia gave an exnation.


    ''Then for the sake of my debt, I should start healing people...'' He didn''t think that each time he performed this ''ritual'', it would amount to so many points.


    ''Might as well just exploit my sweet goddess'' blessing to clean my own name''


    [It won''t guarantee anything but indeed, perhaps you can be lucky again and again... you''d have to save the enterity of Sandoria to clear this debt though.] Her voice contained mockery, truly the person in this universe with the highest debt.


    ...


    For some time the family had a sweet chat with Valentine in which all of them pledged that they would be of use to him in some way, Anya even started calling him big brother but he had to refuse, she eventually settled for some ''Brother Tine'' as she thought his name was too longpared to hers.


    The Conqueror had to reject again, much to her sadness, he couldn''t allow himself the shame of being called such.


    "What is our next course of action?" Andre asked while they had some casual dishes cooked by Sophia.


    "We have to do many things... the first thing I want you to do is to get us a property, I want it to be big enough for all of us, have one floor for Zamira and me, one floor for your family and a groundmunal floor... I want it to have a huge clearing as well were we can train, I''ll be training the two of you..." Constantine started to talk like the Emperor he was, but his orders weren''t caught immediately by the family who simply looked at one another in disbelief.


    Certainly, they now had the money to get such a property... but the naturality with which he demanded all of that luxury still surprised them, with their life on the line they managed to get this small apartment that not many have the luck to say they own.


    Still, since they''re his orders, the only way forward was to follow them.


    "What can you tell me about this mercenary organisation, how does it work, how does one be a mercenary?" He needed information about this as well.


    "Mercenaries are recruited by rmendation... you need to catch someone''s eyes with your skill, your appearance, your behaviour... some mercenaries will decide to coach you into their teams and that''s how you be a mercenary, you can''t ''apply'' to be one... and that''s where the most difficult partes in..." Zamira exined only to end up with a gaze filled with resignation looking at Anya and Malik who certainlycked the ''bravery'' of a mercenary.


    Anya scratched her elbow in shame, "We have never left the town... usually we have to leave and make our own adventures, defeat monsters and bring their skulls or something else back in order to convince mercenaries to coach us."


    "That''s ridiculous..."


    "But that''s how it is, they won''t waste time in someone without potential... in order for me to be recruited in my first team, I had to hunt a crimson tiger... I nearly died back then but after managing, I was recruited in my first team..." Zamira confessed her experiences while Andre too mentioned something about killing a gori and bringing back an arm.


    "I don''t want my daughter to have to do that to survive..." Sophia sighed in sadness while in the other part, even if Malik wasn''t one of their own, the boy worked hard to get his way around the town without having toe out, but eventually he''d have to.


    "I usually get fruits and deals from other shops that I go around, that''s how I survived before you all took me in, thank you again."


    "Don''t worry Malik, your mother was my friend, I wouldn''t be able to let you out when you''re not yet prepared, moreover, Anya clearly likes you... you two should stop being nonsensical and have a child already..." Sophia groaned and scratched her own head while Andre felt like he was going to get a heart attack.


    !!!


    And he wasn''t the only one, Malik was having a heart attack too.


    "MOTHER!" Anya blushed in shame but one could see she was... smiling, meanwhile Constantine visually gasped.


    "S-Sophia..."


    ''S-So soon?!'' All of his daughters had gotten married in his thirties... and that''s because he was restrained, otherwise... they might have remained as saints -how he wanted them to remain.


    He couldn''t conceive that Sophia was asking her daughter who was still this young to not even reach his chest with her height... to have a child.


    "Constantine, girls that aren''t good prospects usually have their first child by the age of fourteen while mercenaries like me usually don''t have a child until theirst moments, they even choose their partners carefully... j-just so you know." Zamira looked away, recalling the scene from the night before where they were quite close to ''making a child'' she wouldn''t have minded but she fell asleep... she could only sigh in repent, thankfully, he had said he wanted an entire floor of their own.


    ''Nights like the ones before are bound to repeat...'' She thought with excitement, the still gasping Constantine couldn''t notice the furtive nces she was throwing him, he also didn''t notice how she licked her hand a little before using it to send back her hair, entuating her face.


    Clearly not an action of someone that thought her face was ''ugly''.


    "That''s right, Mr Constantine... Malik and Anya are always outside fending on their own, although we''d normally not allow Anya to be with anyone who is at least a mercenary... I am quite content with Malik~" Sophia confessed while cupping her own cheeks lovingly, still enjoying how healthy she was feeling, so much so that she couldn''t stop herself and cooked.


    However, her ''eptance'' wasn''t agreed upon by the bulkier man in the room.


    "BUT I AM NOT CONTENT WITH YOU BOY! SO YOU CAN ONLY DREAM! EITHER YOU BRING ME THE HEAD OF A DRAGON, OR YOU CAN FORGET ABOUT HAVING MY LITTLE GIRL!"


    "..." The Conqueror saw some many resemnces with himself in that single sentence, that he wanted nothing but to curse out loud, ''did I look that stupid when I said that back then?''


    Zebellia didn''t miss the chance to make fun of him.


    "YES SIR! I DON''T HAVE THAT INTENTION SIR I WILL THE DRAGON SIR!" Malik stood upright as if he had been called for war, those weren''t the words he wanted to say, but those were the ones that came out to save his life.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "You don''t?" Anya seemed as if she was going to cry.


    "Here we go again..." Constantine smirked and had his tea, yet another lively morning with this family.


    **


    **


    After the poor Malik was ''disciplined'' into sitting in a corner for no reason, Constantine finished his meal, he felt like having a cheesecake and therefore, decided to head to the streets.


    "Anyway, I will be leaving the housing issue in your hands." He said and stood up together with Zamira, he intended to take out some money for this purpose, but the family rejected him adamantly.


    "Please, no... we will get it with our own money, allow us to do this much." Sophia said, she couldn''t allow him to give them even a coin more, it would be an insult, all she could hope was that he didn''t insist.


    Constantine shrugged his shoulders and epted.


    "Sure, Zamira and I will be off, I want to visit this mercenary organisation myself."


    "Please take care, I will have dinner ready by the time youe back~" Sophia waved to the two of them and even led them to the door.


    "COME HERE BOYY!!"


    "F-Father-inw p-please leave me al-" By the time the poor boy realised what he said, it was toote.


    "WHAT DID YOU SAY!? BOY, YOU WANT TO LIVE NO MORE!"


    With giggles and despaired groans as the background, Zamira and Constantine hit the streets again.


    **


    **


    "They''re such a lovely family, right master?" Zamira smiled and bent forward as they walked, looking at his gaze directly with that same infatuation from before, Kurohana hung proudly on her back.


    "Sure they are." He shivered, perhaps they''re too lovely.


    "I wonder how would it feel to have a family like that, to have children..." She asked while fidgeting, sending a furtive nce his way.


    "It feels wonderful." He asked from experience, at least the first years are wonderful, once those little rats grow up, it is all trouble.


    "D-Did you have children, with your wives...?"


    "Yes, I did..."


    "I see... that means you will be a wonderful father~" She started dejected but then her countenance brightened up in realisation.


    "... and you will surely be a wonderful mother too."


    !!!


    "H-How can you tell?" She asked with curiosity, what aspect of hers would make her a good mother?


    "You''re quite strong and beautiful... shrewd and protective, qualities that a mother must have to properly protect her children, regardless of what you think, I believe you would be a wonderful mother."


    "Thank you."


    What followed afterwards was an awkward silence in which Zamira wanted to say some words that wouldn''te out of her mouth, while Constantine sighed, not able to say the words she wanted to hear.


    ...


    "Do you know where we can find an Alchemist, Zamira?" He asked while they made their way to the mercenary organisation, Zamira was leading him... there weren''t that many people in the streets today and the sun was shining brightly with a light breeze.


    "Mostly in the capital, it is extremely difficult to meet anyone involved with magic and craftsmanship in the outskirts... another way is, that an alchemist has presented a quest in the mercenary organisation."


    "A quest?"


    "Yes, Alchemists usually send mercenaries and other groups to get ingredients that they''recking for their preparations."


    ''Secretary, sit down and take note, we have to meet an alchemist to study those flowers and also, to see what I can do to grow up in this magic field.''


    [...]

 Chapter 59 Youve Done It Now

    The day hasn''t lost its lustre... Constantine deemed it necessary to head somewhere first before going to the mercenary association, thankfully, ording to Zamira, those ces happened to coincide in the same road.


    "You really love cheesecakes don''t you?" Amelia giggled and stood beside the table where the man with his head covered and the purple-haired girl were having some of her cakes.


    She always delighted in how much he seemed to always enjoy her craft, her customers weren''t many, they seemed to decrease with every generation just as the gloominess of the city increased, perhaps... people no longer held hope in a lovely slice of cheesecake for cheering their days.


    Constantine hummed with memories in his head as he devoured the slice before sending Amelia a natural sight.


    "No, I love yours in particr, Amelia."


    !!!


    As expected, there was a reaction... a rolled eyebrow from Zamira, a blush from Amelia.


    "Is that... so..." With a ''stupid'' face, Amelia blushed and giggled, her son was attending to some other customers and he couldn''t help but want to yell to his mother toe back to work, he knew, however, that such an action would earn him a p.


    "You said you''re moving to this city, right?" Amelia began.


    "Yes, though I still don''t know where." He affirmed, that hopefully, Andre and his family would be able to find something ording to the image he held in his head.


    "And where are you staying now?"


    "We''re staying in the luxury hotel in the 3rd Street."


    "W-What!?" Obviously, Amelia gasped, that''s the most expensive hotel in the whole town.


    "Yes, my master is quite demanding when ites to his bed, I am still hurt for spending that much money when we could have slept in Andre''s house for free." She nodded ''sagely'' while the pair gave her a slightly disgruntled sight.


    Zamira calling Constantine, ''Master'' wasn''t that umon for Amelia, for all she knew perhaps Zamira was being taught something by him, it was a quite casual mannerism to have.


    That didn''t stop her from growing alert since this ''master this and master that'' might end up evolving into something else.


    While Amelia''s mind was clouded with misunderstandings, or not... Constantine was filled with the thought of taking away the money he had given to Zamira...


    ''I think she''s not going to spend that money any time soon...'' this woman is capable of not eating a saying that it is better that way since her empty stomach means less weight to carry around, utterly ridiculous.


    "That''s amazing... if you''re moving then I could... d-deliver you some cheesecakes when I have the time, on my own." The woman fidgeted, she made the most brazen move she has made with any man since her husband passed away.


    This business has no delivery policy whatsoever and before Constantine could delight at the idea, it was Zamira who spoke!


    "That won''t be necessary." She coughed slightly, finishing her entire cake.


    "Oh?" Both Constantine and Amelia nced her way, expecting an exnation.


    "I will be cooking master some cheesecakes on my own!" Zamira said with gantry, for her, preparing a cheesecake couldn''t possibly be more difficult than defeating a tiger in a contest of strength.


    ''So what if she can prepare beautiful cakes? I will prepare tastier cakes for master!''


    She recalled some words from the man who had taken care of her during a period of her life, Seledus.


    ''The stomach is always the way to please a man...'' she nodded sagely but there was something else she was forgetting in that passage, something else he said.


    ''Oh, that''s it!'' it dawned on her like purple lightning.


    ''But if you don''t know how to cook, then use your chest, remember this, Zamira...''


    While Constantine looked at Zamira''s determined nodding expression, Amelia didn''t lose a chance to mock anyone that dared topare their craft with her multi-generational one.


    "With all due respect, Zamira but... do you know how to prepare them?~" For Amelia, this was such an easy argument, especially if the other part is the klutz, Zamira.


    "I-I will learn, it can''t be that hard..."


    "That''smendable, I will give him mine until you learn~" Amelia nodded, there you go, argument won.


    "I can learn very quickly!" The mercenary insisted shamelessly.


    There was a brief staredown before Constantine decided to step in and break down the argument with utter contundence.


    "I don''t mind having both of your cheesecakes." He said, taking thest munch to his cake, sad that it was already finished, if they weren''t in a rush, he''d take another one.


    "..."


    "..."


    [...]


    "That''s not valid!" Bothdies stood up with a headstart, an insistence and determination that a mere cheesecake topic wasn''t worthy of.


    "Why not?" He didn''t understand why he couldn''t eat the two of them.


    "B-Because, it is not valid!" Zamira was adamant, she needed her master to have her ''cake''.


    [Are you ying a fool or something?] Zebelliaughed lively and questioned his ''denseness'', she didn''t believe for a second that he wasn''t aware of where this is moving towards.


    ''Why? is it so bad to eat both of their cheesecakes?~ is the trial going to punish me for it?''


    [As I thought, it is impossible for you to be dense, do you have fun ying withdies'' hearts?] She reproached him, ament he could onlyugh at.


    ''I am ying with no one''s heart... I am just enjoying some delicious and pure cakes, I love cakes, horses and pussy cats the most~''


    [I don''t know why but I feel like increasing your debt...] Outrage was not a word fitting enough to describe Zebellia''s current feelings.


    ...


    "It was wonderful, Amelia... we''re heading to the mercenary association now, or is it organisation? why don''t they just call themselves mercenaries?"


    "They''re both an organisation and an association... they''re kept by the empire and the cults all around; formed and controlled by groups of mercenaries that are divided by their strength." Amelia gave him some exnation before her gaze turned grave.


    "Be careful... with that body, y-you might get bullied... I wouldn''t like that." She didn''t know how strong he was, but Zamira''s expression had changed since thest time she saw her, and he too... they''d be mocked in the association with those appearances.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Do you think I am some ''pretty boy'' without strength?" He asked, getting rather close to her, enough to invade her ''private area''.


    "O-Of course not... but even if that was the case, I think you''re a good person, Constantine..." She didn''t back down, indeed, he didn''t have the bulky appearance of a man that brought security but, he enjoyed her cakes, was quite assertive and overall, attractive to her, sadly... in the association, they wouldn''t think the same.


    Hearing her say that, Constantine could only scratch his head ''I am no good, but I am good the way I am...''


    [... I guess that''s right, though you could be a little less perverted.]


    "Thanks for your cake, Amelia."


    "To you... please, once you move, tell me your address." She asked shily after writing down their address to him.


    Constantine took it with a smile and ced it in one of his pockets, "It is me who might visit you earlier."


    "My son and me will receive you with our best cakes~"


    "Sure, I will try toe more often, take care champ."


    "Take care, Mr Constantine, Mrs Zamira!" Sammie waved at them together with Amelia, it was such a cheerful aura they emitted.


    "Take care, Amelia."


    "You too, Zamira."


    Gone was the cheerfulness, here there is only rivalry.


    **


    **


    In the same road there were plenty of smiths, clothing shops, even shops that created perfume, but at the end of it ally a great building with slightly modern lookspared to the rest of the area.


    There was a congration of people reunited at the entrance, all of them wearing clothes that had tes, weapons and so much more.


    "Mercenaries..." Constantine saw them, big, intimidating, bulky, scarred... rogues, hooligans, you name it and here it is, sadly, there were also a lot of shivering children around... either it was their first time here or they were trying to test their luck, their ages between twelve and fifteen, not a single one older than that.


    "I was expecting something more..." With his gaze set on the building, he had to contemte.


    "Posh?" Zamira tried toplete the sentence.


    "No, the opposite... you''re supposed to be mere mercenaries yet possess such a refined facility." In his world, mercenaries are nothing more than bandits, they kill people and are paid for it and society rejects them... a facility like this is impossible to exist there.


    "Mercenaries are what remains of humans that don''t have the privilege of being born as a magus... they, no...we are the hope of humans to keep thriving against the elf kingdom and the wolf empire... the demons too although by now, they''re far from being the threat." She said and pulled him inside, sure enough the disgusted gazes didn''t make themselves wait, specially focused at Zamira.


    He realised now that she had such insecurity with her face while his innermost feelings called those bunch ''idiots'' again and again... how stupid they were was beyond him.


    "Look, we have a picksqueak~"


    "What do youe here to do, boy... go back and suck momma''s tit some mo-!"


    *BANG!!*


    Constantine''s kick went straight to the chest, the man clutched in pain and fell on his knees.


    "I wanted to ignore you all pieces of trash but you had to go and talk about my mother..." He sighed before his leg swung again amidst themotion, impacting square against the mercenaries'' face.


    *BAAANGG!!*


    Blood was spilt in the clear ground as the man was flung back together with his entire weight, falling on his back in disbelief, that shrimp, where did he take all that strength from!?


    "Having strength and being ''tough'' is so important among you."


    *BAAANGG!!*


    Another kick in the stomach was enough to throw him towards a table where several people were sitting, he destroyed the table as everyone moved away, looking at Constantine in amazement, but thetter wouldn''t budge, he kept walking towards that pitiful bastard while Zamira struggled between stopping him or allowing him to continue.


    "Y-You! AHHH!!!"


    A foot stepped on his chest, keeping him locked in ce as he looked up to the reason of all his wrath and shame, Constantine''s wrathful visage.


    "Do I look strong enough, tough guy?!"


    *BAAAANGG!!*


    Another kick and the man was sent away once again, if Constantine hated something, was for someone to insult his mother... this man was nothing more than a flying corpse by now.


    However, something was bound to interrupt his outburst.


    "Boy, you should know when to stop... even if you''re stronger than you look, we don''t likemotion here." Some man stepped out of the crowd, tall and grumpy as the rest, but contrary to the rest whose gazes held awe and also surprise, his was dead cold.


    A rusty armour, a big broadsword hanging on his back.


    Constantine noticed it upon sight.


    This is what experience and killing intent looks like. No cheap tricks.


    "Who are you, old man? he insulted my mother... death awaits him whether you like it or not."


    "You should learn to respect your elders, if you demand someone''s head, do it outside with your sword." The man took his sword and prepared to fight right on the spot.


    "Are you his father or something? why do you care?" Constantine didn''t know why this person is meddling while the rest only looks.


    "Master, it is no good to kill people in this facility, please, refrain..." Zamira caught up, having to move across a crowd to reach him.


    "You''re causing amotion inside the association, if you want his head, kill him outside and deal with the consequences outside."

 Chapter 60 Fear, Respect & Memories I

    "..."


    Silence ensued in the entire ce with only the groans of the mercenary beneath Constantine''s foot to serve as background noise.


    The Conqueror evaluated the situation, this guy had more than ten people with him and the nasty bastard''s foul mouth had been shut, there was no need to continue unnecessary violence, moreover, he gained an extra disy of fear to stop anyone from trying to get funny with him and Zamira.


    "I don''t want any fight... this trash just happened to talk about someone he shouldn''t." Constantine released his foot from the man''s chest, he was still bleeding from several ces just from the thrashing he got.


    "You have as many balls as you have strength, boy... what''s yer name?" The grumpy man spoke with a smirk, not releasing his weapon just yet much to Constantine''s thrill.


    "Constantine... and you?" He''d usually not bother asking, but his re was fixed on that man, the only person that he believed was ''qualified''... the man had so many scars that he couldn''t point out his true age based on his appearance, but he must be in his thirties for sure.


    "Grave... never seen you here before, hope you get the rules quickly before your gantry costs you your life..." With those words said, Grave led a group of at least ten people out of the building.


    "Ugh." The mercenary that he thrashed like a doll cleaned the blood in his mouth and saved Constatine''s face in his memory, but not a neutral face like the one he expected, no.


    Constantine red at him as if he was less than a corpse, ''try anything and see how I end you'' that was the gaze he saved in his memory; staggering he left the ce while everyone watched Constantine with aplicated sight.


    He looked so weak, yet he was so strong.


    ...


    "You''re so strong, master!" The beauty''s eyes were shining, she just saw him totally obliterate that man that she''d probably have to struggle to defeat.


    "Not really... you just need to know when and where to hit, Zamira... the rest will move on its own, my physical strength shouldn''t be superior to yours." He led her to the ce where a shaking man awaited behind a counter, he imagined this is where they would be attended.


    "C-Can I do anything for you, s-sir..." The receptionist was a man, rather muscr yetckingpared to the rest, he had enjoyed the entire show and now faced the man himself.


    "I want to know about quests made by alchemists..." He was straightforward.


    "Yes, one moment please!" The man went back to look into some of his papers behind the counter while they waited, his gaze roamed the ce only to notice furtive nces sent his way from all over, gossiping and even some challenging gazes.


    ''Looks like a beating wasn''t enough... a single one never is anyway.''


    "Sorry, it won''t take me longer!" The man said again much to his bewilderment and annoyance.


    "No need to yell, I don''t like people that yell..."


    "Sorry!"


    "Master, are you upset?" Zamira asked, noticing his irritation, he wasn''t like this before they came here.


    "A little..." He confessed; it happened because his mother was mentioned.


    After some moments, the man came back holding a folder.


    "Sir, we only have a single quest from an alchemist, he wants twenty branches of a tree called ''Heaven Envision'' ording to him, it can be found in a secluded ce in the Lindom Forest, many have tried it but none has seded...st time was two months ago, the mercenary came back heavily injured but didn''t manage to find the tree." The man resumed the task, helpful indeed.


    "I will take this quest." He said, taking the sheet of paper from the man with a sigh, he''d like to have some information regarding this alchemist, but it seems the client''s privacy couldn''t be disclosed.


    "Could I have your badge?" The man extended his hand and Constantine took out the badge he got from the guild.


    At that moment, the entire ce stopped dead and if before there was fear, now there was horror and apprehension.


    The man gulped, "Sir, t-this is the guild''s badge..." not only that but it is also a high-priority badge of the guild!


    "Doesn''t that work? I lost my mercenary badge" Constantine said, adding a slight growl just for the sake of it, Zamira was working hard to notugh and uncover them in front of everybody.


    "No, but... I can add you to the Town of Loup''s registry straight away!"


    "You''re still yelling." He growled again.


    "Sorry... we''d usually need a rmendation and your records, but... sir I can do it quickly for you for some... incentive."<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Are you extorting me?" Yet another growl, this time, hideous...


    !!!


    "Not at all! It is just a... hastening fee." The man didn''t have a hair stupid.


    "Very well, here... but in exchange, I need you to tell me what you know of this Alchemist~" Constantine tossed a silver coin and that was enough for the man to hasten the process, where there is corruption there is a way.


    "We don''t have much information about him, only that he doesn''t live in the town of loup and rather to the North, he might not even be from the Empire overall or even a human."


    "Got it."


    Some moments passed in which the man was writing something on a sheet and afterwards, he came out with a badge simr to Zamira''s but with his name instead of hers.


    *BANGG!*


    The table shook amidst his fist.


    "WHO TOLD YOU MY NAME!?" Constantine wanted to tear some head apart, before Zamira could exin, the man lifted up both of his hands and shook his head repeatedly.


    "I heard it a minute ago sir! you told your name to Sir Grave!"


    "Is that so? hehe~ my bad then."


    ''He''s a psychopath!'' That became an unravelled truth in the receptionist''s mind, he only hoped that he wouldn''t have to attend this mercenary ever again.


    "... H-Here, I have assigned this quest to you, the clearing reward given by our customer who also left this for those that epted the quest, is a single gold coin, it is an extremely difficult quest, be careful." The man delivered a sheet of paper to him with shaking hands, there was a picture in it, the branch of a tree.


    "Thank you, let''s go Zamira... we''re finished here..." Having finished his business- and having scared the heck out of the receptionist- Constantine decided to head back now since there was nothing else to see here.


    "One moment, I want to ask something too." Zamira moved forward to talk to the receptionist.


    "What can I do for you?"


    "Do you have any information on an old man called Seledus? From the Guild?" She asked with a worried expression.


    "Seledus... member of the guild''s branch, the white lion...?" The recepcionist spoke right away, clearly, he knew the name.


    "Yes, has there been any information rted to him recently?"


    "I am afraid we have no reports about him, thest one was a year ago" The man spoke with a sigh, if they had a report, selling that information would have been quite profitable, but there was nothing.


    "I see, I am aware of that report... thank you."


    **


    **


    They departed the organisation with Constantine sending some furtive nces towards Zamira who seemed to be rather dejected, that name he heard her pronounce before in the guild back when they were talking to Inkseth, apparently, he had been the manager of the shop before the gloomy-crow-idiot took the spot.


    "Who is this Seledus, Zamira? You can refuse to answer." He inquired, allowing her to keep it to herself if she wanted.


    "N-No, I wouldn''t seal any secret away from you... He''s an old man that has helped me a lot... he gave me a lot of advice after my parents passed away and I was in the streets." She revealed with sadness.


    "When did your parents pass away?"


    "I don''t know... I remember to have woken up when I was in my ten years of age, in a house... the owner said that my parents passed away, I don''t remember them. But I was forced to fend for myself from an early age... when I was about sixteen years old I met Mr Seledus, that was when I became a mercenary and went to the guild for the first time... he was there as the manager, the ce Inkseth is keeping now. The first sword I got, I got it from him, he said I had potential..." Her memories resurfaced, ones that Constantine wasn''t privy of, but some that seemed to rejoice in her soul.


    "It must have been difficult for you." He led her to some bar nearby, it looked like she was opening up, this was a good moment to drink!

 Chapter 61 Fear, Respect & Memories II

    "What can I get you? something for sadness, heartbreak, depression?~" On the other side of the bar, there was a fairdy, once again not the prettiest flower in the garden, but she was getting there.


    "Can I just have a beer?" Zamira sighed and requested that before sitting there with Constatine taking a seat beside her, quite close... and she liked it that way.


    "Same" He said.


    The woman giggled seeing their interaction and got to work, "Right away!"


    ...


    "Yes, it was difficult... but now everything is okay, I met you..." She blushed and looked away, taking the chance to pay attention to this bar she had nevere into, she never had the money for anything this posh.


    "Do you want to look for that Seledus geezer?" He proposed. Perhaps, it would make her feel better.


    "N-No... he probably just went back home... I just hoped he''d say goodbye at least but, I was trapped in the cave of Sandork during that time so... guess he couldn''t say goodbye" she fidgeted with some tears in her eyes, it seems this Seledus was really important to her.


    Seeing hisplication she decided to exin.


    "He was the closest thing to a father I had... he gave me my first sword, gave me advice... sometimes even food... I didn''t really know why but, he only said that I had a lot of potentials and that it would be a pity if I died out of hunger..."


    "Here you have, dear customers." The woman served the beers rather quickly, she winked both their ways and moved away.


    "Since this Seledus is so important to you, want to cheer for him?"


    "Cheers."


    "Cheers!"


    *CLACK!*


    The two cups shed lightly before the two of them downed the drinks in one go.


    "Fuaaaa, not bad!" He smirked, Zamira too liked the taste of it, it made her feel better.


    "Thank you, Master... you''re so kind..." She huped slightly before making that remark, Constantine felt troubled, he didn''t want the conversation to head that way.


    "Why was he called the white lion?"


    "He was a werebeast, ording to him... a white lion, but he never showed it to me... besides, the werelions are extinct, I never believed him."


    "Extinct?"


    "Yes, out of all the werebeasts, the werelions and weretigers are extinct, he said he was a white lion a particrly odd variant, no one believed him... but I guess, if he managed to be such an important person in the guild, it was for a reason..." She deduced, be it as it may, it was toote now.


    "I thought all of the werebeast are evil..." That''s what Aurelianne told him, the Wolf Empire is not a good ce.


    The woman saw that they downed the beers in one go and brought back another pair, Constantine decided to pay in advance and dashed a silver coin for the woman who smiled wlessly.


    "Thank you!"


    "Just keep bringing them!" He said cheerfully, so long as Zamira enjoyed herself, he didn''t mind.


    ''Don''t drink too much, champ~ it is bad for your health, give it to me, I will drink in your stead!''


    ''Oh Lucille... leave me alone, I''m having a good ti-''


    ...


    He gasped.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "They are, most of them... but he wasn''t... he was kind to me whenever he could or at least... whenever I visited him in the guild, I never saw him out of it- Master?" Zamira saw that Constantine seemed to have rather pale skin and thought something was wrong.


    "It''s nothing... you were saying?" Constantine shook his head, ''I''m imagining things now... perhaps since I have her so close, bing a god, no more no less...''


    [What''s wrong with you all of the sudden?]


    ''It''s nothing... nothing at all.'' He downed yet another beer.


    By the time Zamira finished recounting her experience, they had already finished four beers each, in resume, the old man had helped her a lot.


    "Did he ever tell you something that you keep to this day?"


    "He taught me that men have to be kept with food and chest!"


    *COUGH!!*


    He spat all of the beer, nting a giggle out of her and the barwoman.


    ''Quite the wise lion ain''t ya!?''


    "Didn''t he think you were ugly? you said women with big chests aren''t attractive, a stupid way of thinking dare I say." He mentioned that and the barwoman -who was serving another customer- instinctively looked at her own chest which wasn''t that big, then at Zamira''s and then at him.


    Whatever she was thinking, nobody knows.


    "I don''t know, h-he never looked at me with... w-with the eyes you look at me." Zamira saw an opportunity and took it.


    Constantine who was in the process of taking another sip, had to stop when he heard her suggestive voice, it was coupled with a deep gaze that came from her, the gaze of a predator seeing her prey... Zamira was looking at her target.


    "And what eyes are those?" He asked, returning that gaze.


    "Master, what do you think of me? after what we did yesterday-" She began, but he didn''t allow her to finish.


    "I think you''re a lovable girl that deserves to live for long, should have more confidence in her own body and self... that''s what I think."


    "Is that all?" The beauty asked hopefully, by now the barwoman was listening with some spice on her ear


    "You''re also a lovable girl... that I hope to spend a lot of time and fight together with... I wouldn''t mind us dying together on the battlefield."


    Zamira didn''t know what to take on his words, it was a proposal to be together forever, but not as what she desired them to be.


    "I''m going to give you your first lesson, Zamira, as your master." He downed an entire bottle and looked at her with some tipsiness.


    "What is it?" She approached just to hear clearly what the ''first lesson'' was going to be, she hoped it to be a kissing lesson, but it never came.


    He pinched her slender nose and smirked.


    "Don''t fall in love too fast... or it will cost you dearly. Come, let''s go and train... we have to look for those branches too." Waving courtly at the barwoman, the conqueror started to go on his way with the footing that resembled a pirate''s.


    "..." Zamira sighed and followed along, ''Love...? Is that what I am feeling?''


    She didn''t know for certain, what she expected them to be, what she wanted to do with him... all she knew is that...


    She wanted thest night to repeat, and it couldn''t be with any other man, it had to be him.


    Unbeknownst to her, a lightning aura was starting to envelop her body ever so slightly, giving way to a power that had been there all along, but unavable.

 Chapter 62 Sparring I

    The pair departed the city through the main gate, Constantine still felt a little frisky after having merely four beers, and perhaps that''s what upset him the most.


    "Once we''re outside we might be attacked by them." Zamira started once they crossed the big gate to the wilderness, leaving the town, it was roughly midday and they didn''t n to go back for some time.


    "The scarred cult huh? I saw some geezers jumping across buildings in ck cloaks before... why don''t they attack in the city?" He was still questioning himself regarding this topic,


    "It might not be the scarred cult of all groups, many cults dress gloomily like that... their faces can hardly be seen though, the town of loup is one of the few where they can''t act rampantly... the city lord keeps them at a bay, anywhere else, they''re a nightmare... I scarred my own face back then, for precaution and to help myself too." Zamira scratched her head as they made their way through the trees shoulder to shoulder.


    "How strong is he?" He was interested to know who the top dogs of that city were, Inkseth seems to be one or at least that''s what he thought.


    ''I need to form some connection with that geezer, thankfully I alreadyy down a foundation for that, I need to be stronger before he decides to go on an expedition to that cave of sandork.'' Many ns floated in his head, many of which needed further preparation.


    "I don''t know but he''s strong enough to keep the cult on the line, moreover... he''s not a magus, the only thing known about him is that he''s a hybrid between a werebeast and a human..."


    "How can he keep up with them without magic?" The scarred cult can supposedly use some sort of profane magic,


    "Nobody knows, he hasn''t made an appearance for a long time yet the cults know better than to mess with him."


    ...


    They walked through the outskirts of the Lindom Forest and came upon a small clearing, Constantine regarded it, the ce was fit enough for a small duel, he only desired an open space where he could urately gauge Zamira''s performance.


    "Anyway... we can train calmly here." Casting aside the topic of the altruistic city lord, they had more important matters at hand.


    Noticing Constantine''s smirk and his solemnity, Zamira knew that the stage was on.


    Birds chirped all around, soon to scatter under some undetected pressure, the world was turning slightly denser.


    "What are you going to teach me first, master!?" Without waiting much longer, Zamira took out her new sword, Kurohana... she had been wanting to test it for a while and there was no better opponent than the man before her for that.


    "I won''t teach you anything at once, this time it will be assessment, I want to see how good you are first, don''t expect me to be kind." He didn''t take out his weapon and instead red at her sword.


    "Yes!"


    "Put that thing away, the first assessment will be with our fists~" Crashing his fist together, he prepared for her rampage.


    "Eh? Why?" Zamira asked with a pout and dejection, there goes her test of the sword.


    *WHOOSH!*


    !!


    His feet moved as nimble as a leaf as he threw a jab!


    Zamira managed to evade in time, groaning and making some distance, but it wasn''t enough for the uing left swing!


    *BAANGG!!*


    She felt a devastating force impact her guard fiercely, sending her away!


    With three steps Zamira regained herself and red at her master, gritting her teeth and rubbing her forearm.


    ''How can he knock me back this much?!'' She couldn''t believe it, his movement concealed no profound secrets, his frame rather fragile, where was this strengthing from?


    "I don''t know what you''re doing master, but you''re cheating!"


    "Cheating? preposterous... why don''t youe here and prove I am cheating?~"


    "..." Zamira red at his smirk, curious about his stance, it was like nothing she had seen before.


    "HAAA!" She lunged at him and threw a punch.<novelnext></novelnext>


    *BAANG!!*


    The next thing she knew was that she was nted on the ground with a pain in her back, looking at his face in disbelief.


    "For the love of the goddess, don''t scream like that every time you attack, please..." He rubbed his forehead he had grown some pain all of the sudden.


    "O-Okay..." It made her ufortable, but if he said so, she''d try.


    He pulled her back up before pushing her away to make some distance and went into the offensive.


    His fists calcted, Zamira had enough sense to see theme, evade and block, a basic fighter but one with the strength to spare.


    ''She has certainly worked out.'' he thought, continuing his onught.


    At some point she kicked back, trying to get out of this deadlock and he allowed the impact.


    *BAANG!*


    !!!


    ''Her physical strength is ridiculous too, and she''s not even using her body properly...''


    Right now he felt as if he just impacted a bull, thankfully he retreated just in time to lessen the force of the kick and jumped back to recover his poise, an opportunity that a smirking Zamira took confidently.


    s...


    The next time she punched forward, he took her hand, swiftly ced himself beneath her body and pushed up.


    *BAANGG!*


    Zamira rolled through the grass.


    ''How is he doing it?!''


    "I see that those beautiful muscles of you aren''t for show."


    "..." Aside from blushing in shame, she could say nothing else.


    "Your physical strength is top-notch, you know how to evade, block... but you''re not organised, you focus too much on my fists, look into my eyes more often."


    "I can''t..."


    "Why?"


    "If I look into your eyes... I get distracted." She fidgeted and he had to roll his eyes yet she was able to see a faint red tonality in his cheeks.


    "Stop your nonsense... I hope you know why I am not fighting you with the sword. What''s the point of going for the sword, if your battle sense is not right? you still have plenty of fundamentals to learn, your skills resemble a vagrant that has just learned how to survive in the streets, not a knight!" He scolded like a proper master, or at least, how his master had taught him.


    Contrary to the outrage he felt back then, however... Zamira was rather honest and obedient.


    "Got it, master! though... that''s not really wrong." The girl yed with her hair, not bothering to dust herself off, feeling thrilled about the exchange they had just now.


    With that mere exchange, she could sense his wisdom, far wiser and stronger than any human opponent she had faced so far, knowing that someone like this was going to teach her, she felt confident.


    "Now, I want you toe at me with everything you''ve got! forget about fists, swords...e at me like you want to kill me!" Constantine prepared himself... at moments like this he desired to have more information about Zamira, the first step was to see the extent of her emotions, and how far they would take her.


    "Hmn!" Zamira nodded and lounged at him with her fists prepared.


    Round two was on.

 Chapter 63 Sparring II

    He downyed his game to match hers, evading, blocking and counterattacking every so often; Zamira felt like it was an even match.


    "Is that all you got?~" Mocking urred with low frequency, but it didn''t fail to trigger her emotions.


    Slowly but surely, he noticed something strange... Zamira stopped using her fists and instead, she used her palm wide open.


    "What are you doing?" He evaded one of her ''ws''.


    "This is so fun, master!" Instead of answering, Zamiraughed livelily and kept chasing after him in the small clearing, sending attack after attack, at some point she could literally see a ''mirage'' version of him, moving around, but this mirage was still far from being able to copy his original movements.


    ''She''s predicting me? mediocre still but... that must be it.'' At first, he thought he was lucky, Zamira is a natural inbat, whether it was her rough raise or her survival conditions, its origin didn''t matter... so long as she keptbating like this.


    ''Now, how do I trante this fierceness into her sword, master?'' Constantine asked to no one in particr.


    [There is something odd with this girl...]


    ''Hmm...?''


    [She''s emitting a subtle charge?]


    ''What do you mean?''


    [She''s emitting a subtle electrical charge, her body is... like magic but not quite it. this is not static] Zebellia tried to analyse Zamira, but with her current situation, it was too difficult.


    ''What is static?'' Constantine conversed with Zebellia while Zamira seemed to be growing fiercer and fiercer by the second, but he could still see rationality in her eyes, she was just having fun.


    [It is a type of electrical charge, too advanced for your little mind toprehend, anyway... I''m going back to sleep.]


    ''Now that you''re here, I have a question for you.''


    [Ask away...]


    ''Before, when I was with Aurelianne... the trial punished me.''


    [Rightfully so...]


    ''... why didn''t it punish me with Zamira yesterday?''


    [...]


    *BAANG!!*


    "Your strength is increasing, do you want to kill your master that much?"


    "Sorry! It is just... I got a little thrilled, can we continue-"


    *BAANG!!*


    "Don''t ask, juste, I was expecting a little more from the fierce little girl, I guess I choose wrongly~"


    "You didn''t!"


    ''Zebellia?''


    [I don''t know the reason.] Said the whistling horse.


    ''Was it the trial, or was it you...''


    [*WHISTLE!*]


    ''There is something you shouldn''t ever do to a man Zebellia... you shall never stop a man from his joyful time... I will have you back for this, I promise.''


    [Hmph! Good luck with that, stay away from the goddesses and the wives and I will be merciful.]


    ''So everything else is fair game, even you?~''


    [Stay away from females of all races shapes and forms and I will be merciful.]


    ''You can''t do that to me!''


    [I certainly can, in fact... that would help us in your little debt.]


    "Fuck the debt!"<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Master?"


    "Sorry... I was just thinking about something, keep going, or are you tired?~"


    "Not at all!"


    In his outrage, Constantine failed to see how Zamira''s nails were ergening a little.


    [Anyway, I will allow you to be yful once in a while... guess a beast like you can''t be without flesh for too long]


    ''Oh my goddess, I''m d you understand! we''re finally starting to understand each other here!''


    [You''re a lost cause, I''m back to sleep.]


    ''You need to sleep and I need women, aren''t we perfectlypatible? we both have an addiction.''


    [Please, I''d rather you call me a hornless valkyrie thanparing me with you.]


    ''Whatever...'' She could sleep for eternity for all he cared, so long as a lightning strike didn''te down to strike his life down whenever he touched some boobs.


    ...


    Some more hours of sparring were enough for Constantine to start noticing Zamira''s attacks to grow rather sharp, but he didn''t pay attention to it initially, instead, he was surprised at her stamina, at some point he had to start using some mana to produce air directly on his lungs and feel less tired, but she seemed like she could keep going.


    ''She doesn''t have the skill, but instead... a lot of instinct, like a wild animal, what a troublesome yet exciting girl!''


    *WHOOSH!!*


    Like a gale she appeared, leaving a slight purple hue behind anding straight with her opened palm.


    This time he didn''t hold back either, his fist shed against her palm, releasing a small shockwave that left him rather emotional, this time she wasn''t blown away despite his stronger stance.


    And seeing this deadlock, Zamira''s gaze grew slightly... predatory.


    ''Master, you''re so strong!''


    *BAANG!!*


    He kicked her stomach, sending her back and this time it didn''t take her nearly as much to rpose herself, he evaded two of her offensives beforeing to a stop due to a tree being behind him, without enough time he decided to not block the next one and instead, duck!


    *BOOMM!!*


    Her palm impacted a tree where Constantine''s head was supposed to be, he evaded it and the impact blew away a piece of the tree''s stem.


    Zamira didn''t notice how a small drop of sweat flowed down his forehead.


    ''Isn''t she going a little too serious?''


    ...


    "I didn''t think fighting with my bare hands would be this fun~" The beauty held her knees and exhaled deeply, she was tired, finally...


    ''Her senses are increasing.'' He thought, rubbing his head where the rags that covered his head had been torn slightly, showing off his silver hair a bit.


    He had to prepare new ones just in case.


    "Don''t you feel tired?~"


    "Y-Yes, just a bit, b-but I can keep going... I don''t why master, but I feel I''m getting stronger! I LIKE FIGHTING LIKE THIS!" The thought of using her sword popped up in her head, but not in a conventional way.


    Constantine decided to allow her some time to breathe.


    "Well, you''re certainly a fast learner, but something''s not right, you shouldn''t be growing this quickly,e at me with your sword next, I want to see how you handle it." The ''fist'' test was done and she passed with flying colours, now he needed to know what she actually knew about swordsmanship.


    She nodded and went to pick up her sword left against the tree.


    Within his conversation with Zebellia and the fight with Zamira, Constantine lost track of time and only now do they notice the falling sun.


    "It''s almost night." He looked at the dawning moon, and she nodded, however, the voice that answered him wasn''t hers.


    "You''re right, little hybrid, it is time for scars~"

 Chapter 64 Cowardly Scars

    One by one they started to appear amidst the darkness, all around.


    Covered in ck cloaks and mumbling profanities.


    "Where are your scars."


    "I don''t see them."


    "A shame to our noble god."


    Their identity was exposed, not that they tried to conceal it, Constantine couldn''t help but smirk, so they had finallye on their own.


    He only had a single phrase for this disgusting bunch.


    "Your god can suck my balls, twice if possible." Message delivered, he prepared for a fight and so did Zamira - who knowing the cult''s identity, didn''t hold back and prepared her sword.


    "Insolent to thest moment."


    "We can put some scars down there as well."


    "Those will be more painful for him, I like it~"


    The cultists started to daydream about scarring his balls, something the conqueror wasn''t quite fond of as even Zamira''s body shivered at the thought.


    "Which one of you was it...?" Constantine decided to avoid the talk in which his balls'' fate would be discussed, instead, he asked all of them a question, it was five in total.


    "What, do you think you''re in a position to-"


    "The one that injured the little girl... the one with the flowers, who was it? is it any of you?" He prepared his stance and his cores for this fight.


    After a moment of brief silence, the five individuals broke into aughter that only enraged him more.


    "Hehe. It could have been any of us, try to be a hero and get revenge for her, you little shit." At that moment, a mysterious ck fog appeared in one of their hands and he knew things weren''t going to be simple.


    "That''s the magic of scars, be careful master!" Zamira yelled and prepared to engage at any moment, if possible she didn''t want to fight with the cult as those that retaliated didn''t live to tell the tale, but something inside was screaming to let loose, she longed to keep fighting as she had been until now.


    Unlike her, however, was determined to allow augh toe out of his lips, "I will get revenge for the girl. but trust me, the state I will leave your disgusting copse at... I won''t bebelled a Hero~"


    "MERE BRAVADO! ATTACK!" His words were enough to trigger the five men who hurriedly went for the offensive, only to stop when a majestic blue magic aura left his body!


    "Water magic, prepare!" They didn''t take it as anything important for the first few seconds, but then... they had to.


    *RUMBLE!!*


    Because the moisture and pressure of the sea could be felt in the entire area!


    [Are you mad?! Don''t use all your magic in one go!]


    ''That''s precisely what I want to do, I want to see how strong it is while unrestrained!''


    Using all of the mana he had avable in his ether cores, Constantine focused his imagination on a single thought, producing water and a wave.


    "Zamira, I want you to go insane, don''t feel any fear!" He encouraged her the moment a gargantuan torrent of water appeared above his head, like a geyser!


    *WHOOOSHH!!!


    Constantine used all of his strength, all of the mana of all of his cores... everything at once, focused on a single element, Water.


    ''If I use fire, I might cause a wildfire, so... water it is!''


    Water was produced with such an abysmal speed that the members of the cult could only watch in awe.


    "He''s an Adept Magus!"


    "I saw him! he used no spells!"


    "AAAHHHH!!"


    "Get on the trees!"


    The cultists went chaotic the moment the first wave of water came crashing down and making them stumble into a small current, they tried to jump on the trees, but someone was there to stop them.


    "I won''t let you!"


    Zamira jumped and pped the heck away of one of the cultists, it produced a spurt of blood that sent the man crashing towards the iing wave.


    The moment she touched the water, she didn''t feel like she was being pulled by a current unlike them, it was as if she was standing on ake, aside from feeling marvelled, nothing else came to mind.


    "Come!" Constantine pulled Zamira with a watersh and the two rested behind a tree, only to see how the water progressively levelled around them as the yells from the cultists ceased.


    [You used all of your magic in one go... all of your cores are empty, that was some madness move, be prepared to fight them face to face, those guys can use faith... its magic belonging to that God, Dior.]


    ''I wanted to try how strong my attack would be, didn''t expect it to be that strong.'' Looking behind he saw how the wave travelled across, it seems that one of the members was swept away by the wave and only four remained.


    "Let''s go, there is no way water is going to finish them but at least they should be dizzy, kill on sight and don''t pay attention to any cult or whatever!"


    Zamira wielded her sword, but the way she handled it was just ridiculous, she held it like a knife, backwards.<novelnext></novelnext>


    When Constantine saw that he didn''t know what to say, there is nothing more unknightly-like to do than hold the sword that way.


    "I feel morefortable like this..." That''s all Zamira uttered with a troubled gaze while running towards the closest scarred cultist.


    ''This girl...''


    **


    **


    Four down and thest one managed to give some fight.


    Before the ck smoke could so much as touch him, Constantine punched the guy''s gut, before kicking the crotch, right where it hurts the most.


    "AAAHHHH!!" The man twisted in pain on the mud produced by the wave, four corpses behind him, the other fool hade back to his grave, thankfully, it''d be troublesome to chase him all the way to the wave''s destination.


    "You know, there is something about kicking bastards like you in the balls that never gets old, wanna try, Zamira?"


    "C-Can I?"


    "Of course..."


    "N-No- AHHHH!!!"


    "It feels nice~" Zamira giggled, it felt so nice to cause so much damage with so little effort, only a wicked mind could ever consider such.


    "You can do that to anyone that''s not me, alright?" He rubbed her head dearly, his ''little'' disciple is learning, he felt lucky that she was such an obedient woman.


    There goes another memorable lesson.


    "B-Bastards... If you touch me aga!-" The man held his nonexistent crotch, all other wounds in his body seemed to be unimportant, but when he was kicked right in the face, he had to concede.


    *BAANGG!!*


    "If I touched you, what?" Constantine held his cor and disposed of the cloak covering his face, he noticed something that disgusted him to no end.


    "What a disgusting piece of shit you are... I was expecting to see a face beyond recognition but will you look at this? pristine like a baby..."


    He had uncovered the face of one of the members of the cult, it was a raven-haired man with a maniacal expression and his face didn''t have even a single scar.


    They go around putting scars on people''s faces to promote ''salvation'' yet they don''t have a single one themselves, how bloody hypocritical is that!?


    ? "Our god choose us to ce scars on others so that they can be saved, we don''t need them!"


    *BAANGG!!*


    "You don''t? and a little girl does huh? don''t worry... I''ll make some for you before you''re on your way, when you die make sure to have your disgusting God see your face and congratte you for them but hey, perhaps he''s not even alive, like Lucius~" His words produced a shiver of wrath in the cultists'' eyes.


    "Anyone there, Dior?! will youe and save your little ve?!" Constantine threatened God''s faith right in front of the cultist who was hoping for the majestic appearance of his god.


    But utter silence was the answer.


    "You! our god has more important matters to attend than!-"


    "Indeed, even an ant''s time is too valuable for the likes of you, let alone a god... die."


    *CRUNCH!!!*


    Breaking his neck, he didn''t waste time.


    "Master, after this... there is no going back, they will cklist and hunt us." Zamira stuttered whilst a little dizzy; the fight against the cultist had been a thrilling one, but perhaps, the fatigue was starting to catch up to her.


    *CHA*


    A single charge.


    Constantine stood beside her, his arms crossed and considering the price of his gantry.


    "It doesn''t matter... if theye we fight... if they''re less than us we kill, if they''re more, we retreat to another town... if the God wants to get funny, I have a Goddess behind me as well... don''t ever feel fear, Zamira." He produced some water for them to clean their hands, as for disposing of the corpses? they could just rot here.


    "Yes! I''m sure Lady Goddess wille and help us in our times of need." The beauty nodded with a lot of faith, just now that Dior hadn''t appeared, but she had seen Aurelianne with her eyes.


    Her faith in the Goddess of Life increased once more.


    "How did you feel?" He asked her as they prepared to depart the area, back home; Constantine noticed she was struggling to walk and assisted her.


    "It felt wonder-f-full..." Her voice turned weak and she ced her hand on his chest for support, that''s when he saw it, her hands... her nails were so long and purple!


    "Zamira, what''s wrong with your hand?"


    "E-Eh?" She mumbled before unconsciousness took her, she fell on top of him the next second.


    !!!


    "Zamira!?"

 Chapter 65 Nocturnal Symphony

    "Hmn."


    Zamira stirred awake only to regard the vast ceiling above, shining dots portrayed in it like stars of an artificial night, all she could recall was a faint numbness and pain all over her body.


    "You''re awake."


    Her master''s words made her eyelids flutter open.


    "Master..."


    "You passed out after fighting for so long... I assume."


    Constantine said with a weird gaze, that was the normal conclusion, not the logical one.


    He had taken her to the hotel where they still had several days to spare and didn''t bother going to check up on Andre and his family''s progress, it had already been night and Zamira had worked quite hard in her performance.


    ...


    "Hmn, I''m so tired..." Zamira eximed, groaning a little only to notice that she was resting on the bed with her head on his legs against a pillow.


    ''It feels sofy...'' She thought and failed to recall the earlier memories, they were faint but progressively clearing themselves to the view.


    "Something is wrong with your body, Zamira... you had ws." Constantine didn''t evade the subject and upon his words, a big chunk of her memories gained light, she recalled how she had moved, it was mostly instinctive yet the feeling of power and fun could still be felt, tingling across her body overshadowed by the numbness.


    "I don''t know... I had never seen that before."


    "You never had to fight with your hands before?" If she had done so, this same incident should be mere repetition.


    "I always used a sword because it is better to use a weapon, right? but even the times I used my hands, this never happened." She scratched her head in apparent awkwardness, her experience with the sword wasn''t that great.


    ...


    ''If she has some power that she''s not aware of, it is better that she learns how to control it quickly.'' He thought.


    [Perhaps that charge that I told you before is the key, though she''s not emitting it now] Zebellia deduced.


    ''Can you feel anything else?''


    [Not right now... there is something odd happening with this girl, prior I could feel so much energy, but right now it is as if she''s nothing more than a mere human... couldn''t be any moremon... it is as if something is hiding her prowess as for what made ite out, it could be either her feelings for you or that sword, I''d bet on the former... what a poor girl] Zebellia''s sigh resonated in his mind, she was somehow disappointed with Zamira.


    ...


    "Did you feel this thrilled each time you fought?" He was trying to deduce what was it that caused this effect to replicate it, it would do wonders to her prowess.


    "Eh? d-depends, I don''t care most times but, when there is apelling rival, I want to fight him or her indeed!" It was as if a fire lit up in her again, soon to be swayed by the waves of numbnessing to her body, she could move but not much.


    "Who taught you to use the sword? was it Seledus?"


    "No one... I learned on my own fighting other mercenaries and beasts... Seledus only gave me the sword."


    "..."


    "But if that''s not enough-" She began, thinking that she had failed the test with dejection.


    "That''s not the problem, you did wonderfully... anyway, we can see how things go as we move, you can keep sleeping it is still early in the night." He caressed her long purple hair and convinced her to keep sleeping.


    "What about Andre and his family?" She relished on those caresses.


    "We can go tomorrow, there is no rush."


    [Why are you so good to her?]


    ''Am I? I think I''m just nice to women in general.''


    [Really? you behave like shit with me.]


    ''Well you just so happen to be a horse, so...''


    [Is that racism?]


    ''Noment.''


    [Then perhaps I should show you my humanoid form...]


    ''Do it!''


    [Noment.]


    ''...''


    **


    **


    "Are you sure you don''t want toy down?" Zamira couldn''t sleep even afterying down for several minutes, she didn''t think their current position was fair, moreover... he fought a lot too against those cultists, shouldn''t he beying down too?


    "I am okay, moreover... those bastards coulde for us now, someone has to guard."<novelnext></novelnext>


    After some brief considerations and a mild blush that confused Constantine, Zamira spoke again.


    "Then...we can both remain awake, d-don''t you want to check if my chest is okay?" With a stuttery voice yetcking any shame, she uttered her request.


    "Is it hurting?" He smirked and pressed his hand softly on the top of her chest.


    "A little...?" The woman evaded his gaze yet again.


    "Are you lying to me, Zamira?~"


    "Master I''m not!"


    ''It doesn''t hurt enough for you to bother checking, but... I want you to check.'' She bit her lips and continued.


    "It is just... it feels weird not to have the tes... it feels free, but, also ufortable since I am not used to it, perhaps... a massage could help me."


    "So, you want me to massage your breasts?"


    "If the master is okay with it, if not..." She moved her hands upward, swallowing a mouthful and then, squeezed her chest softly, pressing it forward.


    "I w-will do it myself..." She squeezed tentatively, expecting him to reject that notion, but instead, Constantine smirked and leaned back as if to prepare for a show.


    "Ho?~ then how about you do it."


    "Okay, but you must turn away." She smirked this time too, and as expected he fell straight in.


    "I have to check that you''re doing it properly~"


    ''You just want to look, master.''


    "Hmn~" Without taking down her blouse, she started to squeeze from all angles while Constantine bit his lips.


    He couldn''t help but make mentalparisons, Zamira ranked perfectly in the middle with his wives, the more he thought about it the more unbelievable he found it that she considered herself ''ugly''... her body and face are a masterpiece.


    Thankfully, she seems to be getting over that ridiculous belief.


    While she kept squeezing he saw a small shadow appear on the blouse where her little pink buds were supposed to be, she''s stillctating but not nearly as much as before.


    "T-They''re still s-sensitive... Hmn~"


    "Does it feel better?"


    "It felt better when you did it, master." She pouted with a gaze of request.


    "Yours are quite big you know? I don''t know if I can handle it"


    "You handled them well enough yesterday, and yes, I think they''re unnecessarily big... I am hated for that... mercenaries say they get in the way and, they''re not wrong... but today I felt like they weren''t interrupting me as much, it is different with the sword."


    "But you don''t hate them, right?" Her fluttery eyes asked with hope.


    "Of course not, fool." He flickered one of her nipples and the moment he did so, it was like a dam broke and a small torrent sshed straight on his face as she moaned.


    That was the moment he felt a raging fire and gulped, casting aside myriad thoughts.


    "It is stilling out, but not as much... that means that your chest is constantly producing milk and before you were just... loaded." He struggled to keep it professional, licking the small bit that fell on his face.


    ''I had never seen this condition before.''


    His small action was the drop that topped the cup and the purple-haired beauty didn''t feel like keeping any more pretences.


    Zamira crawled up before pushing his chest down and on the bed like a tigress, effectively pinning him against it.


    Then she loosened her shirt and took it away, having those beautiful lumps spring out with life.


    "Do you want to suck them?" She asked with a voice that drifted between seriousness and lust.


    ''You little mink...'' If he rejected them, it would cause dejection in her... if he epted... then that would be admitting that he likes her breasts.


    "I do..."


    "Then I am d~ I wouldn''t ask anyone else to do this for me, please... suck it out." Raising a bit with her hands on the bed rest, her lumps floated in front of him as she smiled and prepare for yet another onught of pleasure.


    The woman didn''t seem to be cing much attention on her crotch that was pressing against something sturdy, their trousers in the way lessened the stimtion.


    "Is this going to be our little ritual?" He asked with a sigh, a ritual he might get addicted to.


    "As long as they keep producing it, I''d like master to take it all." She presented the pink bud in front of his face rather insistently, her breaths so hot they could be seen in in sight.


    His tongue crawled furtively out of the cave and a soft yet long lick started everything.


    "HYAN!~" Zamira released a moan that could be said to have made all of Constantine''s hairs stand on an end, and the hairs weren''t the only thing that stood straight for sure.


    "Now that''s an exhrating moan~" A little more thrilled than before and swallowing a mouthful of the vital liquid, he went for the other one, roughly.


    "W-Wait Master! d-don''t suck s-so! Ahn!~"

 Chapter 66 The Librarian I

    "Hum hum~"


    Zamira''s happy mumbling as she dressed back up to begin their day.


    Constantine''s eyes opened only to see the sight of Zamira bending down, portraying all her glorious back to him as she wore back her trousers first.


    "Good morning, master."


    "Morning... I fell asleep..." Constantine too yawned in shame, after yesterday''s meal he went straight to sleep after both of them had discarded their clothes.


    "We fell asleep." She confirmed with a small giggle; trying to not have him reproach himself for jumping the guard.


    "Is your hair longer?" He saw her lustrous purple hair that not only looked slightly longer but also, voluminous?


    "It is your imagination, I feel it the same, in fact... it feels lighter~" Lifting her arms she wore her shirt, it pressed tightly against her chest.


    Deciding that he had gazed enough, Constantine prepared to dress himself up, beginning with the mantle on his head.


    "Master?"


    "Um?"


    "I love you~" Having said her words, Zamira continued to dress up clumsily while Constantine simply remained there, scratching his head.


    "..."


    ''Okay, she''s happy...''


    [Aren''t you too, pervert...? I''m surprised you didn''t go all the way.]


    ''I''m not yet clear about this whole ''Golden Seed'' thing that Aurelianne gave me... I don''t want Zamira to end up pregnant.'' He didn''t dispute the ''pervert'' usation.


    ''I should ask her next time...''


    "Would you like to have your breakfast before departing, dear customer?"


    While he and Zamira disposed themselves to leave, the receptionist asked them.


    "Master?" Zamira''s stomach indicated that she did want to have breakfast but he...


    ''I''m still a little full from yesterday...'' It was such a weird urrence, Zamira is undoubtedly one in a million.


    His encounters withdies usually end up with them filled to the brim, yet right now he''s the one ''filled''.


    "Okay, but I''ll be having something light." He groaned and the two headed to the noble restaurant where they were the only customers, Zamira''s mood was high in the skies and he couldn''t me her for all the moaning that took ce the day prior.


    ...


    "What are our ns for today?" She asked as they walked on the sunny streets, the ground was moist and the sunshine reflected it, apparently, it had rained.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Today we''re heading to Andre''s and see if they got the property I told them, afterwards, the fastest possible we''re heading to the Lindom Forest to search for this material." He wanted to focus onpleting this quest, aside from that, everything else was second ce in priority, even their lodging... perhaps that would be theirst day staying at the hotel despite the fact he paid for five days, in any case... the second room''s payment was already lost.


    "Um." Zamira nodded, simply willing to follow with her trusty sword in her back, she hoped they''d have a chance to spar soon since she wanted to try it so bad.


    ...


    As they walked Constantine was thinking about his magical prowess, thest attack made him know that magic was something he needed to control after creating a small tsunami by using his entire power.


    ''I need to think of a way of joining my swordsmanship with magic, to create something deadly...'' His sword wouldn''t be enough to defeat the greatest opponents, and his magic wouldn''t be enough to stop those that came in close quarters, the scarred cult was a rather easy bunch, but ording to Zamira, they''re the weak ones, there are stronger members and they need to be prepared.


    "Is there a library in this town?" he asked suddenly and she pursued her lips beforeing up with an answer.


    "Yes, there is- oh! There are plenty of magic books in there, master, they''re quite basic but they should work for you!" As if catching the idea mid-air, Zamira reproached herself for not having talked about that sooner, he is a magus and of course, he''s going to need magic books to grow in this aspect.


    The problem is, she only went there once, the idea would have never popped up no matter how hard she tried.


    "Have you read any?" He inquired, already knowing his answer if only by how much of a klutz Zamira is when she proposes to be.


    "No... I don''t have the magic of the elements after all, but they should serve you well, master,e this way." They switched paths and Zamira led the way towards the library, but they were bound to pass by a certain someone''s house along the way.


    **


    **


    "Sir, Madame!" A girl yelled after finally having caught a glimpse of the person she was looking for, Constantine.


    "Oh, Raki~" he saw her in the distance, running and panting, apparently she got herself some new clothes although they looked cheap, those were casual clothes of the kind he''d never see back in his world, long trousers that seemingly clutched on her waist, a shirt and some shoes.


    After running a small sprint, Raki came to a stop in front of them while panting, her auburn hair let loose.


    "I-I have been looking for you, S-Sir, I didn''t know where you''d be." She was panting but still greet him cordially, she also nodded towards Zamira who merely greeted her back with a smile.


    "It''s good to see you''re okay, you got yourself nice clothes~" He praised.


    "F-Father said that I couldn''t present myself in front of you with those rags, it would be... unsightly." She fidgetted and awaited his reaction, but all she received was a pat on her head.


    "Then your father is rather wise." He thought she looked pretty, her eyepatch and those few scars slightly ruined her otherwise wless countenance, but it wasn''t something that he cared for at the moment, the girl was doing better and that''s what matters.


    "Where are you heading to?" She asked then, obviously nning to stick along.


    "The library... are you free this week?"


    "Yes! If I can I''d like to begin the training right away!"


    "I love your enthusiasm, very well, you''reing with us to the Lindom Forest, I''m looking for a certain material, here... I want to meet an alchemist and see if he can tell me something about the flowers I got from you." He gave her the sheet with the description of what they were looking for.

 Chapter 67 The Librarian II

    The girl took a good glimpse of the sheet of paper, trying to think of where she had seen that tree.


    "I have seen trees like this one, but not exactly this one in the Lindom Forest, but they''re deep inside... werebeast tend to frequent there as it is past the border." Raki said cautiously, even furtively apparently getting memories from an earlier experience in that ce.


    With all said they made their way to the library


    "How is your father?"


    "He''s not okay..." She wouldn''t lie and say that it was perfect, she had already resigned herself to her father''s fate, but it was still saddening to see him in such a condition, sometimes she thought it would be better for him to just die than suffer the way he is, but her inner selfishness woulde forward, telling her that she wanted to be with her father as long as she could.


    Seeing her dejected expression, Constantine had to pat her head with a sigh, he didn''t want to give her expectations as he couldn''t yet use the blessing, but after gaining some more followers, perhaps he''d be able to heal her father.


    ''How many followers do you think I will need?''


    [I have no idea, it usually depends on the blessing, since it is merely a lesser healing blessing, three more worshippers should do, it is not your goddess'' faith that has to increase but yours as you''re the one imparting it... are you sure you want to waste it on him though? if any of yourpanions is ever injured or at risk of death, that blessing could save their lives]


    ''...'' And that was exactly what Constantine was thinking, did he want to save Raki''s father?


    The answer was no... he hadn''t known them that long, but Raki was going to be his disciple and assisting her this way is something he''s ratherpelled to do if he has the means.


    "I want to tell you something, there is a way for your father to be saved but it won''t be immediate or certain, I don''t want you to hold high hopes, but I also don''t want you to be all dejected, it will ruin your training."


    "R-Really!?" Those words immediately impacted the girl''s heart, she clung to his hand with hope.


    "Yes, I''ll try to make it work before something happens to him, but... I don''t want you to have high hopes, Raki." He looked at her sternly, emphasizing those words, however, given his capacity and the favours he had done for her so far, she wanted to believe.


    "I know, thank you sir... I-I will do my best so please, do your best too, it''s my daddy..." She begged, aware that it was selfish to ask him to do this, but even then, it is her beloved father who had given his best to raise her until he could no more, if she could have him live for even a month longer, that would be enough for her.


    "Hmn..." He simply nodded and decided to leave the matter to rest, he still had to introduce her... Sophia, Malik, Andre and Anya already believed in Aurelianne and he had to be careful too since the big man said that spreading someone else''s fate was dangerous.


    He didn''t think for a second that he could just kill a group of cultists and get on his business, there was bound to be repercussions, the question was, which direction is the blowing from?


    As long as he could be prepared for every oue, nothing else mattered.


    **


    **<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Good afternoon, my name is Sarah, what can I help you with?"


    ''Another beauty... and she''s gloomy even.''


    Constantine entered the library together with the two girls, it was a humble ce, rather dusty... clearly, no one had stepped foot in a long time, the person in front of him was a raven-haired beauty... or better said ''ugly'' girl... she looked gloomy as if her soul had departed long ago.


    He could only sigh.


    "My name is Constantine, could I find your books rted to magic, Sarah?" He asked cheerfully and the girl tilted his head at his tonality before nodding.


    Sarah was surprised that someone was interested in magic.


    "Nice to meet you, Mr Constantine, this way, please..." She beaconed for the group to follow and the girls limited themselves to not talking, they weren''t interested in any library after all, however... Zamira kept eyeing up this girl, Sarah... she''s ugly indeed but she knows that for her Master, that is not the case.


    ''Master has weird tastes after all...'' She sighed, having to include herself there too.


    Meanwhile, Raki simply walked around them, paying attention to everything Constantine did.


    "How long have you been working as a librarian, Sarah?" He began.


    "Since I was a child, I''m twenty-two years old now... I took over my father''s role, he passed away three weeks ago..." She said, her voice natural but sadness was perceivable in there, even if just a small drop.


    "My condolences..."


    He had noticed that most people seemingly always took over their parent''s job after they passed, the sadness of having to watch your rtives die so early.


    "Do people usuallye to the library? It is rather... unkept." The ce was dusty and dirty, his words produced a shiver in her as she bit her lips.


    "No, the library is kept by the city lord''s budget... it is used mostly to research resources, nts and other information that mercenaries need for their missions, but most of them are too arrogant to step in here to get information or just don''t have time to waste it ''reading''... why are you interested in magic books if you allow me to ask..." She tried to evade the topic of the library''s maintenance and he noticed.


    "Personal research, I''m just interested to know what knowledge you have avable in town regarding magic and magus."


    "We have extremely basic books, no one has taken them for years, thest magus to be born in the town of loup was killed in an excursion, a sad epilogue." She sighed and took them to a certain category where there were at least five magic books, all dusty as if they had ever left the shelf.

 Chapter 68 The Librarian III

    Constantine took one of them and opened them, reading a few words.


    ''Amazing, I don''t know what thisnguage is, but I can read it...'' He imagined Aurelianne or the trial had something to do with this.


    [It was your goddess, she achieved it by transforming you into a hybrid elf... the trial doesn''t have such a capacity.] Zebellia interjected.


    ...


    "I see, so these are magic spells..." Constantine read the book that was mostly focused on the element of wind, basic spells such as gales were shown in there, arrays too and how to create catalysts it was a useful basic piece of information.


    "Yes, they''re basic spells, some say those books were written by apprentices hundreds of years ago, they said that most magus is born without any knowledge, taken advantage of before they can fully exploit their talent, and hence they made these free books... the manuscripts created by adepts and advanced spells are only avable in the capital for the academies." Sarah exined the knowledge she had gotten from her father before his passing.


    "Father always said that we had to be extra careful with these books even if no one read them, the magus is extremely helpful for humans and we have to nurture them as much as we can, he said that someday another magus mighte to the town of loup or even be born here and need them, hence we had to secure them appropriately, I was supposed to clean them, all of them..." She said dejectedly after her long discourse.


    He understood that there was an underlying depression there.


    "I believe your work is very important as was your father''s, Sarah."


    "Ever since father passed away... I have stopped taking care of the library... Ie here as he told me, but it is always alone... nobodyes here, is it even worth being careful with these books?" Tears welled in the girl''s eyes, it was no longer the same.


    Zamira and Raki looked at one another, they didn''t know what to say, to an extent all of the citizens of this town carry demons or penitences inside, they didn''t expect the girl to just cry, but they understood that was one of Constantine''s effects.


    He always knew what to say, it was like standing in front of a grandpa, an odd feeling considering he was a rather ''feeble pretty boy''.


    "I think it is worth it, Sarah, you see... books are the source of knowledge, without books, there would be nothing in the past that couldn''t be moved onwards to the future... moreover, your father was right, someone dide for these books, right?~"


    "Yes... M-Mr Constantine, are you perhaps..." She didn''t want to believe it, after so long, someone had finallye for those books.


    He ced a finger on his lips in a sign of silence, "Don''t tell anyone or yell..."


    A gust of small fire appeared in his hand and she gasped before cing both of her hands on her mouth before her yells came out.


    "Magus!" Her eyes flickered between him and the me that soon disappeared.


    ''I told you to not yell...''


    Even Raki who hadn''t seen his magic yet was struck, this incident came too impromptu for er as well.


    "Do you think I can borrow these books?" He requested and she was ced in a troubling situation, books couldn''t be taken away, but he''s a magus, her father always said that the books should be kept for them to use.


    "Huh... I-I don''t know... even if nobody takes them..." Sarah was ced in a dilemma, she wanted to lend them but didn''t know if she could trust Constantine to take them back.


    "I promise that I''ll give them back to you in a week, I can pay you~" He tried his old trusty and took out some coins.<novelnext></novelnext>


    ''Corruption for the win!''


    "T-That... sorry, I can''t ept your money, but you can take them for a week or two, those books are for you to use, no one can use them except for you! but please, return them... they were my father''s treasure." The girl sighed, her father always said that they couldn''t charge and she intended to follow this to the end, she was paid by the town''s city lord indirectly to maintain this establishment.


    [Corruption failed!~] Zebellia smirked yfully.


    ''...'' Constantine ignored the horse and rather settled his gaze on Sarah, smiling afterwards.


    "Thank you, I won''t forget this..." Then he proceeded to take every single book of magic!


    "E-Eh!? Are you taking all of them!?" She thought he was going to take just one or two!


    "Yes."


    "But it is impossible that you can read all of them in a week!"


    ''Well, that''s because I''m going to replicate them...'' That''s not something he''d say out loud.


    "You don''t need to worry about that, I''m a fast learner~ here, have this, I don''t like owing people things..." He threw some coins on her desk before taking Zamira and Raki''s wrists!


    !!!


    "N-No sir, this is too much!" She saw that there were at least thirty silver coins in there, that''s perhaps what she gets in a year of work.


    By the time she finished, the books had disappeared and Constantine was on his way together with the rest of the girls who simply waved at her with troubled expressions like ''don''t mind him, he''s always like this!'' kind of expression.


    ''I hope hees back...'' Sarah said, looking at the coins inplication.


    ''Father, I haven''t cleaned this ce in such a long time, perhaps... it is time for me to start doing my job properly, someone came for the books as you said...'' She ended up smiling and recalling some memories.


    ''How curious...'' She thought, taking the broom with tears in her eyes, ever since her father died, she had lost all interest in following along this ''legacy''.


    But the more she thought about her responses as the soft brush undusted the floor, she realised that her depression was well justified.


    The moments when she cleaned the library together with her father... those were her happiest moments, the memories she had deprived herself of.


    ...


    With renewed enthusiasm, Sarah began to swipe, this time with a smile, keeping her father and even her own legacy, perhaps, one day she''d have a child and that boy or girl would also feel prideful of her mother.


    Her singing hums coloured the atmosphere.

 Chapter 69 Home Sweet Home I

    From the other side of the street Constantine managed to see the moment Andre together with Sophia, Anya and Malik wereing back from the North of the city.


    "Andre!" He yelled to gain their attention and naturally, the big man yelled back with equal enthusiasm, no, he overpowered Constantine in this aspect!


    "BOSS!"


    "..." Constantine sighed, yet another way of addressing him. Sir, Mr, Boss, Master...


    "We found a ce that resembles what you''re looking for, but the price oh... this girl." Andre began exining the situation and it was only then that he and his wife noticed that there was someone else with him that they didn''t know.


    Raki.


    Anya saw that Malik was ring at Raki slightly, she pouted and elbowed the boy harshly on his ribs!


    "HAAA!!"


    "What''s wrong, Malik?" They all asked him with Anya and Sophia both giggling.


    "N-Nothing!"


    ...


    "Hmmm anyway, She''s Raki, a disciple of mine, she''s going to be training with us." Constantine patted Raki''s shoulder; concealing the worry he had for Malik''s livelihood with this family.


    "But she..." Andre saw Raki''s appearance, she didn''t look like mercenary material, those cars and eyepatch made her look tough but that''s about it, if he were to join his thumb and index finger together, the circle in between would still be wider than Raki''s muscles... and she''s a fifteen years old girl.


    He didn''t count on the fact his hand is bigger than normal people''s.


    "You should never judge a book by its cover, the girl is tough even if she looks feeble, tell me what you found." The entire party entered Andre''s house for their meeting.


    "Would you like to have lunch?~" Sophia leaned forward in a rather bubbly mood and asked them.


    "Don''t worry, me and Zamira had breakfast already and we''re still full, but you can prepare some for Raki, thank you, Sophia." Constantine waved his hand in dismissal while on the other side of the table they saw how Zamira''splexion gained a subtle blush.


    "Ara... why are you blushing, Zamira?" Sophia wondered with a finger on her cheek, resisting the urge to giggle, those two disappear together and don''te until the next day, she''d be stupid not to know as she also happened to have some quality time with her husband.


    Yes, things are going splendidly!


    "It is a little hot in here that''s all!" Zamira pouted and prepared to have lunch, contrary to Constantine who was full she felt ''sapped''!


    ''I''m sucking Master''s milk next! I''ll have him know how it feels!''


    s, the idea she had of ''sucking milk'' was not the same one he had...


    **


    **


    "There is a property for sale that fits your descriptions, boss... there are many but they''re all quite expensive in the middle of the town, this one, however, is the biggest yet also the cheapest." After everyone had their breakfast and some mild conversation, Andre decided to touch upon the main topic.


    "And what''s the catch?" The conqueror askedzily, lengthy area, big property, cheap price... it wasn''t his first rodeo.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "It is outside the town''s murals... the area is extensive but it is not protected by the town''s boundaries it is like a farm but with a small mansion in it, it is being sold since several profane cults had used it before to perform their activities having the owners, some nobles, move away to the capital as a result... it is selling for two thousand gold coins."


    Andre exined and he didn''t sound quite convinced while his wife and the rest of his family simply awaited Constantine''s decision, by now they considered themselves his vassals, they''d go with him and support him however they could while praying to the goddess.


    That was their new path.


    "I see... we''re getting it."


    "Are you sure boss!? that''s going to be dangerous, the property is out of the town''s boundaries which means the scarred cult, bandits... we could be invaded by anyone before the town guards even reach us." He exined the detriment, if the other properties were not so expensive, he wouldn''t even have considered proposing this to him.


    "Watch me face danger, Andre... since when do we need guards? let''s go, I want to settle this quickly we''re going on an expedition afterwards." Constantine wasn''t at all bothered by the property''s conditions.


    "Should we go!?" Sophia and Anya wanted to go and look at it as well, but Constantine and even Zamira shook their heads in refusal.


    "I''m going..." Malik said, standing up front while the champion simply nodded with a smirk, if the boy wants to be brave, let him be.


    "You cane, boy, you two stay since it is not secure." Standing up he led the entire entourage of himself, Zamira, Andre, Malik and Raki away. Only Sophia and Anya remained in dejection, Anya didn''t think it was fair for Raki to go and not her, but their master''s words were absolute.


    "Understood, please be careful." The two bowed down in eptance as the party departed with the destination bean this ''town''s state agency'' the establishment that regted the ownership of properties in the town.


    **


    **


    "So this is it, it is quite big indeed." Constantine judged, that the mansion was four stories big, more than what he had previously said, it looked wonderful in design but it was dirty and needed maintenance.


    Overall, the structure looked better than most mansions and pces he had seen in his previous world, mostly due to this one''s advanced technology and perhaps even magic.


    ''Fitting of myself.''


    [Just throw some more garbage and then it will be fitting for you]


    ''Oh shut up... we could throw some straw and horse shit, then it would be fitting for you.''


    [Wanna fight?]


    ''Show me your human body if you have the balls.''


    [I''m a female horse, I have no balls... but if I had, I''m sure they''d be way bigger than yours]


    ''Of course, you''re a damn mountain-sized horse, if we think about proportions, I''m sure those balls would be bigger than your brain~''


    [Bastard!]


    ''Not like you can calcte anything with your math skills~''


    [I will kill you!]


    ''I beat a female in an argument? boy, I feel lucky today!''

 Chapter 70 Sweet Sweet Home II

    "Boss? are you listening?" Andre saw that Constantine wasn''t paying attention and was once again deep in his mind.


    "Ah, sorry... I had some funny thoughts in my mind, they were about some big stupid horse that can talk but doesn''t know math, isn''t that something really stupid?~ what a foolish horse." Heughed heartily but only one person found amusement in that joke, Raki.


    "..." (Andre, Sophia)


    "..." (Anya, Malik)


    *PFT!* (Raki)


    "That horse... is it male or female?" (Zamira)


    The reactions were rather mixed with Sophia asking Zamira if he drank the night prior.


    "Y-Yes! He drank a lot!" Zamira blushed and yelled, prompting the rest of the family to sigh inprehension.


    "I see, no wonder."


    [I will increase your karma!]


    ''Hmph! Go ahead, in any case, I''m already drowning in debt, even if you increase ten or a million so what? now stop talking, you''re distracting me, look everyone''s looking at me like a madman because of you.''


    [YOU''RE THE ONE THAT SAID NONSENSE!]


    ''...'' Constantine decided to stop paying attention to the babbling horse and focus on the matter at hand.


    Being ignored by the family a man was standing nearby questioning his prudence were he to remain close to this family, especially the man with a mantle on his head.


    "So tell me, Joseph was it? cockroaches, rats, ghosts... horses... what does this property have for you to sell it so cheap?" Constantine red at said man for the first time and as a response, the person, Joseph, coughed slightly before rposing himself.


    ''Why are horses no good?'' He asked inwardly, deciding to ignore the words of the person who is the one in the group who likely has the most screws loose.


    "Sir, I assure you there are no ghosts in here."


    "So there are rats, cockroaches and horses?"


    "No Sir... but there are vagrants that have taken over the property and other cultists from profane sects that perform their sacrifices here too."


    "And you''re telling me there are no ghosts?"


    "Sir, ghosts don''t exist."


    "Do demons exist?"


    "Yes?"


    "Then how can you tell me ghosts don''t exist if there are demons?"


    "M-Master, you''re troubling the agent."


    "I''m just saying... I don''t want to buy a property with ghosts, I can kick the asses of some cultists, but I can''t throw ghosts out..."


    "Sir, I swear for my life there are no ghosts in here."


    "Very well, If I see even a single one, you should know I''m going after you."


    *BANG!*<novelnext></novelnext>


    A fierce kick was heard from one of the sides of the house at that moment and the agent started to sweat bullets, they all red at him.


    "That must have been a drunk vagrant, I assure you it is not a ghost!"


    ''Why are you acting as if a vagrant is not any worse?''


    ...


    *COUGH!*


    "Allow me to tour you along the property''s area." The man tried to deviate from the topic, he had to save his skin in or way or another, it is better to tour this guy around and show him that there are no ghosts.


    "This is the warehouse." The moment he opened the door a man covered in rags woke up upon the shine of the sunlight, who knows how many days he has been in here without a single wisp of light.


    "We won''t be responsible for taking them out, once you purchase the property, you can thenwfully take out any intruders, sir."


    "That''s nonsensical." Andre couldn''t believe that they''d have to do the cleaning themselves, no wonder the property is this cheap.


    As if he didn''t care at all, the vagrant threw a few curses and went back to sleep.


    "Don''t worry pal, I''ll be back for you soon enough." Constantine said those words as they continued their tour.


    "Take your time, pussy!" That vagrant was fearless.


    ...


    "This is the farming area, it used to be filled with crops but..." Joseph exined as they walked the vast emptynds that were burned from previous events, devastating whatever growth had urred here.


    "No need to exin."


    "There is a small river a few kilometres away from where a well used to be ced, it is no longer.


    "Where exactly is the area limited? if I want to ce a fence, how wide should it be, what exactly are this ce''s limitations and measurements?"


    "Rest assured that you can expand the farm''s area as much as you''d like so long as it is not towards the town, sir, the only advantage you can have with the town is the fact that the western gate is close and there should be guards in there, the town doesn''t make itself responsible for any incurred damage, that''s one of the catc- *cough!* disadvantages..."


    Then came the indoor tour, thankfully, aside from some vagrants here and there, blood spilt everywhere, mysterious cult symbols and some sacrificed animals, there was nothing left.


    By the time the tour ended, Zamira hoped her master would reconsider, but Constantine looked rather happy with everything he saw.


    "No ghosts, good."


    ''Is that what you''re worried for, master!?'' They wanted to spit blood when he said that.


    "The ce is perfect, we''re getting it...


    ''PERFECT!? I WOULDN''T PAY A SINGLE SILVER COIN FOR THIS!'' The purple-haired beauty thought but to be fair, Zamira wouldn''t pay a single silver coin for anything, perhaps cheesecake for him.


    "Then I will prepare the paperwork." The man smiled as if a mountain had been taken out of his shoulders, he couldn''t believe such a dumb customer existed.


    "By acquiring the property the city lord or town lord or whoever manages the town can''te and tell me to leave at any given moment, they can''t tell me what I do with it, how I remodel it or anything... right?"


    "That''s correct, in fact, in the case of other properties, refurbishment and rebuilding are not allowed, much less expanding the property''s limitations but in the case of this property you will be fully authorised to do whatever you want with it and by expanding it further you''re doing the town a favour... it is a once in a lifetime opportunity, it will be also protected by the town guards were anything to ur, theoretically, this is still within the town''s borders."

 Chapter 71 Sweet Home Alabama III

    The man tried to add some spice in case there was any doubt about how much of a bargain this property was, but it wasn''t working all it did was produce disgust in everyone''s faces at this clear ripoff, the town was trying to get rid of a property that wasn''t providing any profit, and they were making money in the process.


    Constantine rolled his eyes in annoyance but he was okay with such an arrangement, ''I will experiment to the limits here.''


    He had ns and things he wanted to research with his magic and arrays and this was the perfect ce to do so, moreover, the area for training was immense, it fit the criteria to the tee.


    "Yeah yeah sure, take your money and get away from here." He took out some of the money but it was then that Zamira held his wrist, making him frown.


    "B-But master, it is a ripoff! you can find better properties, smaller... but cheaper inside the town" She didn''t want him to spend so much money on this property that had to be worked.


    "But I won''t be allowed to do what I please with those properties, don''t worry, Zamira, I know what I am doing~" He said those words and she could only sigh in eptance.


    "Moreover the mansion is already done and I like how it looks... we''re going to be living here, do you like it, Raki?" Constantine patted the girl''s shoulders and she made a troubled expression, all she could do was believe in his vision because in front of her this ce looked like the most dangerous building she has gone to.


    "Wherever master goes, I go..." Raki said with determination, but her slender body was shivering... as far as she''s concerned as long as he trained her, she didn''t mind sleeping under a bridge.


    "So no longer sir. Instead, master..."


    Raki smirked and threw Zamira a challenging look, ''I''m going to be the strongest, master will be proud of me!''


    ''We will see about that, brat.''


    **


    **


    After finalising the purchase they were two thousand coins short, Zamira gave a thousand of her coins and Andre gave a thousand of his, they refused to see him pay.


    "Very well, all of the refurbishment will be done by ourselves but we need to do some cleanup first, let''s take these ''ghosts'' out~"


    ...


    "W-Who dares to face the wrath of the almigh-!"


    *BAANG!*


    "Get the fuck out of my property, I told you I woulde back for you, bitch! did you think I was joking!?"


    "Y-You! my god will-"


    "Tell your god to go suck his momma! this property now belongs to me and my Goddess, clear out!"


    *BANGG!!*


    "AHHHH!!"<novelnext></novelnext>


    It would take them several minutes to clear all the rooms one by one, a total of thirteen individuals sleeping in a ce that didn''t belong to them, all thrown into the forest, they''d sleep better with the scarred cult.


    ...


    "M-Master, I don''t think the goddess will be content if we behave this way..." Zamira said with worry while they rested on their new soil,pared to her the rest of the group was amused, especially Andre who got to kick some ass.


    "What are you talking about, my little goddess likes spoiling me, she won''t mind." Constantine said matter-of-factly,


    ''I might even pray to her tonight to get some more spoiling~''


    [If you go on like this she will be recognised as the goddess of hooligans instead, as her champion, your actions reverberate heavily in her reputation and the faith she garners, not that I care, from the Goddess of Life to the Goddess of Hooligans, that would be quite hrious to see~]


    ''It would be hrious indeed, that''s why I''ll keep doing it~'' Little did he know that he''d be putting his goddess in a pinch, not that she cared.


    **


    **


    After taking the trash out of the property, they found themselves in front of a dirty big mansion, the shade of what had been a noble structure before.


    "We need water, a lot of water... but we can''t do that now, I want to head into this expedition to the Lindom Forest as soon as possible, I need to meet this alchemist..."


    "If you allow me to ask boss, why are you so interested?"


    "Alchemist products are sold expensively in the empire, right?" He theorised but recalled the pricing in the guild and indeed, his theory was on point.


    "That''s correct... alchemist potions, lumens extracted from magus, catalysts, they''re all quite expensive in their own right, but no doubt the most expensive resources are potions and pills created by alchemists to enhance a magus'' prowess, do you intend to incur in this business, master?" Zamira asked with intrigue, thinking that if that was the case, what would she do?


    "Yes, the money we have is a good headstart, but it is not enough, I also expect you two to create sources of ie, we will need a lot of money to grow this little ''cult''... My Goddess can defeat Rotborn, but we need to increase our numbers."


    ''But before increasing those numbers, I must be strong enough to protect those numbers.'' he scratched his head, so much to do and so little time.


    "I was thinking of a farm, they''re scarce around and most of the food is brought by the nearby towns by the merchants, creating a farm would be worthwhile." Andre gave his idea.


    It was then that all of them looked at Zamira as if expecting her to give an option but all she could do was look away in shame, economy wasn''t her forte.


    "Resources and particr flowers for alchemists can be grown in the specialwn as well, I read it once in a library, but magic is needed." Raki said all of the sudden and sent a gaze in Constantine''s way.


    Meanwhile, Malik was thinking, in this kind of expanse territory, what kind of business could be done, his idea would end up being the core of the cult''s main activities.


    Effectively, the Cult of the Goddess of Life would be partaking in underworld activities, ck markets, auctions and extortion; everything for the sake of the Goddess.

 Chapter 72 Back To The Wilderness

    "Anyway, we''re going to our first expedition after going to get some equipment, aftering back we can sort out this ce, I hope by then I can think of a way of protecting the borders as well, until then, no one can live here... we can''t have Sophia and Anya in this insecure ce."


    Until he had ced all the arrays and murals and traps, he wouldn''t allow anyone to leave here, leaving some ''scarecrows'' would perhaps help keep some disgusting fellows away.


    "Thank you, boss!" Andre noticed sincere care for his family in there, once again reaffirming that he had made the right choice, without further ado, Constantine set motion.


    "Let''s go. We have to get some gear for Malik and Raki before setting off, they can''t go like that." The boy and girl nodded with appreciation, they had no weapons and no tes, stepping out like this were they not to be apanied, would be suicide.


    **


    **


    It was swift but going to some cheap shop Constantine got Malik and Raki a weapon of their preference, Raki choose a sword merely because she wanted topete with Zamira, though instead of a massive Nodachi like Zamira''s, hers was a standard double edged broadsword. As for Malik, he choose something rather amazing.


    "A crossbow?" Constantine tilted his head, a rather odd choice for young minds, most that have nobat experienced wouldnt chose this weapon.


    The answer that the boy gave him, left him momentarily struck.


    "I noticed that we''re all close quarter fighters, master... I think we need someone for long-range." Malik said with some nervousness, he didn''t consider himself particrly good with this weapon or any other in particr, if that was the case, then he''d rather begin with this one.


    "Ho!~" It wasn''t only Constantine, even Andre had to further evaluate this son-inw of his.


    "Boy, I didn''t know you have this degree of awareness, is your uracy alright?" He asked, though what he said is true, it would all be for nought if hecks talent with the weapon.


    "I will try my best!" The boy yelled.


    "Very well, but If I see you don''t have potential with that weapon, you''re changing it."


    "Thank you, master..." Malik smiled and held his new weapon dearly, by now he might even put a name for it.


    ''With all these brats calling me master all of the sudden, this is going to be hellish... what the hell did I get myself into, I never had more than one disciple before...'' He always ced his entire focus on a single disciple, now there is an entire group he has to teach.


    ''How troublesome.''


    **


    **


    "We won''t be back in about a week, are you sure you don''t want to speak with Sophia, Andre?"


    It was time to leave, the group stood in front of the gate that gave way to the Lindom Forest, the mission, was to find that tree, take the branch and take it back to subsequently meet this Alchemist, someone that would be a magus.


    "I''m good, boss... I already told her we''re going away for a week or two, no worries." The man waved his hammer back and forth with enthusiasm, wondering what kind of training he would be subjected to during this trip.


    Zamira too held her sword proudly, she couldn''t wait to test it.


    "Then we''re on, here... look at this tree, this is what we''re looking after." He showed the sheet to those that still had doubts as the group started to walk away from the town and into the forest.


    "I have never seen it." Malik scratched his head awkwardly.


    "As I said, I have only seen it once in the deeper parts of the forest, i-it is dangerous..." Raki continued.


    "Good, I want you all to be strong and motivated, whoever I see cking is going to stay behind, I''m not savingzy people!"


    "Yes!"


    "Let''s go!"


    **


    **


    An entire day of trip into the forest got Constantine to know what field they were in, a rather simple forest, the clear sky indicated no iing rain, animals were sightseen randomly, nothing special like what he had seen in the Cave of Sandork.


    "What can you tell me about the creatures of this area, Zamira, Andre?" He asked them, just to be ready for any possible inconvenient.


    "This area has a lot of predators, boss... they''re big and usually go in packs, there are also poisonous insects, a lot of them if you know where to look, theye out mostly at night but stay away from fire, aside from that, in the outskirts of the forest we are not bound to find anything interesting, the problem is when we hit the core of the forest, there...I don''t know but people have even talked about gigantic creatures and there are the werebeasts too, this forest is the border between the Sadamek Empire and the Wolf Empire... there are no physical borders, this forest is the border.


    "How wide is it?"


    "Several dozens of kilometres from the Wolf Empire to the Sadamek Empire, the forest is massive but most of us don''t even touch upon or even scratch its surface, master... we''re taught from an early age to not go too deep into it, most of us stay in the ins and tundras to the East and South of the town." Andre concluded, not feeling nervous at all even when he knew that is precisely what they were doing.


    ''That means I only need to be careful with this Wolf Empire or whatever... werebeasts... creatures that have humanoid form but they''re animals...'' when he thought about those possible assants his gaze moved onto Zamira for a moment with suspiciousness.


    The beauty seemingly detected his gaze and smiled back.


    ''You''re too coolheaded...'' He sighed.


    "I''m going to be training you all every morning, Andre, you''re undergoing handbat with me, I need to test your skills, Raki and Malik, the same. Zamira, you and I will be sparring by the end of the session... after I get a grasp of his skills, Andre will join us. We will repeat this every... single... day... understood!?" That would be the training regime that they would follow until they were qualified to stand up proudly whilst holding a weapon.


    "Yes." They answered, Zamira and Andre louder than the rest as Malik and Raki didn''t seem as motivated, however, they would.


    "Raki, Malik! I didn''t hear that!"<novelnext></novelnext>


    "YES, MASTER!"


    **


    **


    The journey through the forest was rtively peaceful with only some boars and small predators going here and there, they didn''t have a chance and ended up being something he used to decrease Raki and Malik''s fear.


    It was quickly bing the night and he decided to stop for today, while Zamira cooked something together with Raki and Malik, not too far away he and Andre were sparring.


    *BAANGG!!*


    Andre''s hammer crashed heavily on the ground, denting the soil and throwing debris everywhere, but it was unable to touch Constantine who merely sidestepped.


    ''As expected, Andre is quite strong... with that body it would be a disappointment if he wasn''t.'' He thought, evading yet another slow but powerful swipe.


    Andre was strong but also rather slow, natural given his size.


    "You need to work on your speed, big man!" Constantine took the chance of the opening to sh forward and deliver a rough punch straight to Andre''s uncovered ribs.


    *BOOMM!!*


    !!!


    *COUGH!*


    The man had to spit some saliva, nearly releasing his hammer and staggering back!


    ''How can he punch so harshly with that small frame!?'' It was as if a mosquito suddenly pped you and instead of feeling nothing you felt a real p, it''s ridiculous.


    "You want to learn it?" Constantine asked, still in that pose and with a smirk on his face.


    "Y-Yes!" He wanted to know how what he did, but Constantine wasn''t going to easily deliver.


    "Thene at me and try to replicate it, look at my body, my momentum, the way my muscles move, my entire torso, even the exact spot where I am sticking you, replicate it, Andre!"


    *BAANGG!!*


    It was time for another round and the big man was ready to go.


    ''Among all of them, I''ll have the least mercy with you... you and Zamira have the highest potential.''


    **


    **


    "KYA!"


    Raki fell on the dirty ground, getting her close full of dust and rubbing her pained chest.


    She looked up in disbelief to her master who she had been sparring with just now, he stood there with a cold gaze that she hadn''t expected.


    When he said he was going to do her assessment, she didn''t expect him to be so... merciless.


    On the side stood the others their gazes straight towards Constantine who had done exactly the same test for all of them, regardless of Andre or Raki, he requested the same for them.


    ''Come to me with all you''ve got.''


    "Stand up, Raki." He said coldly, only for the girl to start shivering.


    "..." She had never fought, she had been hit and suffered, but she had never fought anyone in her life, only escaped, her first time actually wielding a weapon and using it was not too long ago against a boar that Malik killed... now, for the first time in her life and against the person she wanted to do it the least, she had to fight.


    "You said you want to do this, if you''re not up to it, you can always go back, I''ll take you-"


    "NO! I CAN DO IT!"


    The prospect of being abandoned and losing this opportunity seemed more terrifying to her eyes, with a lot of reluctance but a determination to change, Raki stood up and held her sword, all she had to do was to go with everything she got, she knew she was going to lose... winning was not important.


    ''I just... have to give it my all and fight master.''


    "Thene, your physical strength is not up for it, but try to do it the best you can, I want you to wake up early every morning to work out with me, VERY EARLY!" Constantine knew her body wasn''t up to the task, and hence, she''d have to run and work out a lot, but this is the path she choose.


    "YES!" Without further ado, Raki charged, Constantine allowed her several failed strikes before he once again countered.


    *BANG!*


    "Ugh." She fell.


    "Stand up, your opponent won''t allow you to stand up as I do."


    ''Once you be strong enough, I won''t allow you to stand up either...''

 Chapter 73 Unexpected *

    The one to be tested next was Malik, while the rest prepared for their night, he took the boy away to hunt some prey for dinner.


    The boy knew how to fire the crossbow but his uracy left a lot to be desired, that didn''t stop him from trying hard and under Constantine''s advice the champion saw Malik''s increase in dexterity.


    "You''re not that bad with the crossbow, Malik... at least you know how to fire it, but I won''t allow you to simply focus on long-range, if anyone everes close enough, you''re dead.that " He said seriously, focusing only on long-range was a suicidal move, a person needed to be able to defend himself or herself in close quarters.


    "YES, MASTER!" The more Malik went around hunting bunnies with his new master, the more he respected him.


    Contrary to his ''father-inw'' whose strength was admirable yet his wisdom shallow, Constantine was an all-rounder, it felt as if he had the answer for every question, the best method and for every encounter, the wisest words for any circumstance.


    Malik literally felt himself progress in a single day of training, it had been difficult, but the results were there, motivating him to move forward.


    Constantine took out something from his waist at that moment.


    "Then take this."


    "A knife?" Malik received it, it was a knife but not just any knife, it looked high-quality at first sight with a size of roughly nine inches.


    "Yes, it is the best you can use mixed with a crossbow... be careful when you use it, we''re going to be sparring now before going back, I want to see what you''ve learned!e at me with that thing as if you''re going to chop a chiken!"


    "AAHHH!!" Malik didn''t need to be said twice.


    s, he wasn''t yet ready.


    "UGH!"


    "Okay... use it as if you''re chopping your father-inw."


    "HAAAA!!!"


    "Heh~ better."


    **


    **


    Everyone was panting and tired while Constantine remained, doing some push-ups.


    ''I need to take this body to the limit too.''


    [...] Zebellia saw everything and she didn''t know what to say, his dedication was remarkable.


    ''No wonder he''s a candidate to be the God of War, such cohesion with his underlings, but there is something else... some other divinity.


    Looking above her, the trial was rotating and emanating a fierce aura... the ck miasma floated around it, kept at by due to her energy but something was not right.


    ''If only I knew more about the trial... I just rushed here, without informing myself properly...''


    She sighed in a mysterious contour.


    ...


    The night quickly came as they had left the outskirts of the forest and started to get a little deeper in.


    The group was naked and Zamira tooy down, wanting nothing more than to sleep, but she saw her master sit by the bonfire with the magic books, checking them.


    "Master... I can-"


    "Sleep, I will guard, I need to check these books anyway." He assured her, that a part of him was enthralled by the magic spells and utilities shown in this book, the other part or better said his left eye, was looking at Zamira''s cleavage.


    ''What a way to multitask...''


    "Aren''t you tired?"


    "I am, but I need to copy all these books in less than a week to give them back to the librarian."


    "... can I stay awake with you?" She asked hopefully, even though that wouldn''t be the best option for her.


    "You can''t, I will be training all of you every day, so you better rest as tomorrow won''t be any easier."


    "I don''t want you to work hard alone."


    "Fool, I''m not working hard alone, we all are... I''m just doing a little extra." He patted her head, but for the purple-haired beauty, today that kinship wasn''t enough.


    The bonfire fluttered as she approached, her lips close to his.


    Contact, it was brief but contact nheless, it served for Zamira to evaluate the situation, making some distance she realised that her master was looking at her not with a re of disapproval.


    Constantine moved forward and met those sweet lips with his own in a slow kiss, a teaching kiss. Aware that it was her first one, he took it nicely.


    Their lips danced in a way in which Zamira started to learn, slowly but surely.Moving away the passion in her chest to give way to the desire to please the other party and increase the quality of her performance.


    Zamira rejoiced, a part of her expected him to reject her, but such an event didn''t ur.


    For an entire mseveraldelivered a number of kisses to each other, by thest one she grew bold enough to bite his lower lips and smile.


    "Master, what are we?"


    "Master and disciple, now go back to sleep." He said, looking away and preparing to read his book once again.


    "Is a master supposed to kiss his disciple?~" But Zamira didn''t think bout sleeping at all, that sequence of kisses drew all the fatigue away.


    "I could ask you the same, is a disciple supposed to kiss her master?" His words were so nonchnt that it was obvious he couldn''t care less about that seniority, ''Not the first time I break a taboo.''


    "No... but I don''t care." Zamira''s gaze and eyes reflected his, in any case, they wouldn''t be master and disciple forever if that was an issue.


    "Then I don''t either, go back to sleep or I''m going to p your big butt in punishment."


    The purple-haired beauty was ced in a Dilemma, go and sleep? or not go and sleep?


    The answer was obvious, her master is very permissive and spoiling, at least when they''re nShesparring so...


    Her had crawled forward and entered his shirt.


    "Zamira..."


    She didn''t say anything, instead, started to deliver kisses all along his neck.


    "Master, my breasts, they''re a little heavy."<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Now, that''s an inconvenient." He smirked.


    "Yes, if they''re this big... I can''t train properly tomorrow, could you help me, master?~" She knew what part of the stone she had to hit to have the sculpture shatter the way she wanted, they had already yed this game of denial before.


    And she loved them.


    "What do you need me to do?" He ced his hand on her leg and closed the book, it is on.


    "Well, I need a master to suck them until they''re empty, perhaps then my mobility can go back to normal."


    "They''re sleeping."


    "Then we should go somewhere where we don''t interrupt them." Like a subus she pulled him from the bonfire to the abyssal pit where his soul would be consumed, or perhaps, not so metaphorical, the beauty was too desperate to take him so far away, a tree in the near distance would do.


    They still needed to guard the group.


    The moment they were away from prying eyes, it was as if oil was intorown to a living fire.


    Hands started to fondle and caress, Zamira locked their lips and sat him by the tree, straddling his legs and making sure to push her entire weight and breasts on his chest, squeezing them in between for all they were worth.


    "Hmn~" She moaned when he fondled one of them and making sure that she had an ample sight of the sleeping group from her position, she let loose.


    "We can''t take our clothes, if we need to run-" He began only for Zamira to open her jacket and lift up her shirt, those two big lumps floated out producing a bouncing noise that caught his attention from the get-go.


    "There is no need to take our clothes~" She smirked before sealing his lips once again, opening his shirt as well, she intended to suck his ''milk'' today.


    "You''re getting better at kissing." He put a finger in her mouth and she licked it seductively, it wasn''t with the intent of appearing ''lusty'' it was what she desired to do.


    "I learn from the best, Master." By now Constantine couldn''t control himself anymore, he took one of her big jugs and put it in his mouth, sucking with strength as the vital liquid entered his mouth, there wasn''t as much as she had said, obviously this had been a mere excuse but he didn''t care.


    "Hmn~ m-master, suck them more." She bit on her finger, caressing his head and even scratching one of his elf ears by mistake.


    !!!


    "Ahn!~" She gasped when she felt his bit on her nipple with force.


    "Lower your voice, and be careful with my ears... or I will have to devour those lips." He sighed, if this reaction was produced from her touching his ears, then there was nothing more to be said about his feelings.


    All he could do was punish this fiendish disciple of his by moving his fingers along her abdomen until they entered the forbidden zone.


    !!!


    "Y-Your fingers!" Zamira eximed, holding his sinning hand that was prodding all the terrain beneath.


    "What''s wrong with them?~" He felt the wetness, the softness and without thinking introduced an entire finger.


    "A-Ahn~ i-it feels so good."


    "So you want to suck my ''milk'', what a naughty disciple~" Two fingers went in, in and out, in and out as Zamira squirmed, she had never touched herself, this is her first time experiencing the wonders that her lower body can provide.


    Gasping and trying to keep herself together, she could do nothing... feeling earth-shaking stimuli resurface in her crotch, she believed she was going to pee, but this ispletely different!


    "Master~ Ahn!~ s-something! something ising! ahn!~" Her eyes opened the furthest possible even shining as some lightning sparks resurfaced when she felt something in her interior explode with might.


    "Ahn!~" That moan didn''t deter Constantine who after hearing her cries of pleasure seemed to not care about consequences.


    Zamira climaxed and Constantine grunted, pressing her against the ground and lifting her legs high on the skies.


    "Even I have limits, Zamira, you''re bing simply too seductive, if I don''t give it to you, you won''t stop." With hisst bit of rationality he looked to the side and all around them, with a panting Zamira now silent, he could hear everything and as far as he could tell -not that he checked too much- there were no intruders.


    He saw that the group was still sleeping, there were still no movements around or anything, and then he fiercely sank his mouth into one of her breasts while the woman struggled with her own passion.


    "Y-You''re b-biting ahn!~"


    After some seconds of fierce sucking, he finished his job, no more milk wasing out.


    He released that nipple with a pop, not before thieving thest lick, his smirking gaze contained nothing but unrestrained lust.


    "I''m finished there, no moreing out~ now..." With his tongue he drew a trail along her abdomen where he opened her trousers and lowered them, giving way to some soaking panties.


    "W-Wait, t-that ce..." Before she could finish, she felt something she had never felt before, a long-seductive lick all the way from her crack to her lustrous erected pearl, her little clit.


    It was a single lick in which he could taste everything she had to offer.


    "Ahn!~ M-Master, you can''t!" She tried to push his head away from her crotch, not because it didn''t feel good, but because she believed it to be an insult, that''s where she pees from!


    "You can''t! t-that ce is dirty!"


    She eximed, everything in vain, all she could do was allow her legs to be opened the furthest possible, buckling her waist in pleasure as a tongue went deep in, savouring everything.


    "Come on, there is nothing dirty in you, let me give it another taste." Her taste was splendid, slightly salty but so soft that he couldn''t way to move along the next phase, as if to try and silence Zamira, one of his fingers entered her mouth and she bit it slightly to suppress the pleasureing from her crotch, she was like a beautiful insect entangled in webs, no capacity to retaliate whatsoever.


    Her purple hair started to shine slightly like a loading charge of lust.


    "N-No! m-master your tongue! Hmn!~ I love your tongue." What began as reluctance turned into pure ecstasy, she didn''t know what he was doing, but she loved it.


    It was a long lick, a single kiss on her clit and then, through invasion, a never-ending cycle that drew her crazy.


    Zamira''s ruffled moans resonated until she had to cast her gaze up to see a shadow looming above them!


    "MASTER! CAREFUL!"


    "Please, h-help..."


    *BAANG!*


    Before the two of them knew what happened a body fell on top of Constantine, prompting him to sink his mouth the furthest possible into Zamira''s crotch.


    ''What the hell!?'' He thought, his inner voice silenced by the moan that was uttered when he mistakenly bit on Zamira''s sensitive clit.


    ...


    "AAHNN!!~"


    *GROWL!!*

 Chapter 74 Fugitive I

    Calm had to be regained eventually after the minimal chaos Constantine and Zamira just went through.


    A minimal mistake by lowering his guard he believed, the allure of that flesh was too much for him.


    Fixing up the tie he didn''t have, Constantine saw how Zamira struggled to put back her clothes with the greatest blush in her life, her gaze moved from time to time to the still sleeping bunch -she wondered how none of them woke up with that.


    "Thankfully no one woke up, I left them battered." He said, moving his gaze to the elephant in the bonfire.


    This... creature.


    It is not human, but her body and shape depict her as a human, not only that, a ravishing one at that.


    "Who is this... woman?" He asked only for Zamira to end up fixing herself up as if nothing happened, that is of course forsaking her still moistened crotch and chest which she didn''t bother cleaning right now.


    "She''s a werebeast, a werewolf? no... a werefox?" She sat by his side, regarding this creature, it wasn''t her first time seeing one of them.


    "They have many forms, humanoid, integration and beast... I believe this is integration, but... it could also be beast..." She continued with a curious glint.


    She tried to decipher what exactly is this creature, it was the slim and seductive body of a female,pletely covered in lustrous white hair, her head had an even denser and silkier mane of white hair and she also wore a ck mask on her face, Constantine saw several shes of blood all along her body, she had been attacked and was bleeding profusely but her wounds seemed to be healing at a slow pace.


    "We have to be on stand by, this woman was being hunted by some other beasts, if they find her we will all be implicated, the best we can do is ditch her somewhere and save ourselves the trouble" He concluded with a sigh, it is not what he wanted to do, but it it was the safest course to take considering that Raki and Malik were here, they were undergoing training and it was different to evade the beasts while they fought by themselves than being targetted by the beasts.


    ''Leave her somewhere... that''s not good.'' Zamira bit her lips, she didn''t want to do that either, especially since this woman was in a vulnerable spot, but... her opinion of this werebeast was already negative.


    She happened to appear during the worst time possible, ''W-We could have continued and done... so much more!''


    "Master, but she asked for help, I remember..."


    "We can''t help everyone Zamira, this person is beyond our scope of ''helping''... they''re werebeasts and we''re in a group with kids that are still learning during the night, being ambushed now would be a catastrophe."


    That''s what he said, sadly... that''s not what fate had in store for him.


    *RUMBLE!*


    The world shook for a moment, but only for him, not for Zamira as he felt some heat in his chest.


    [Conditions met... Initializing God Spark''s trial... Bncing karma...]


    [Shit...] Zebellia said, her voice not friendly at all.


    ''What do you mean ''shit''...?!''


    [Demigod Quest Generated...]


    [The Crown Princess of the Wolf Empire suffers in peril for her beliefs, her death would mean a major turnaround in the Wolf Empire and the Sadamek Empire''s history, save her and stop a catastrophe.


    Completion Rewards: 10.000.000 Karma Points + 12 Hours in the Sacred Land of Demigods.


    Failure Condition: Furtive Spirit Princess Dies.


    Failure Penalty: 12 Hours in the Abyss.]


    ...


    ''What the hell is the meaning of this, Zebellia...? what is the sacrednd of demigods, what is the abyss!?'' The trial had spoken, yes, but he didn''t understand shit.


    [This doesn''t make sense, those quests are supposed to start once you reach the demigod stage, why?!] Zebellia instead ignored him and he felt how the heat on his chest started to diminish slightly, she was doing something.


    ''Exin!'' He yelled in anxiousness, if what that thing was said is the truth, then he couldn''t ignore this ''princess''.


    Zamira limited herself to see what was going on, she saw his change and asked what was happening but he didn''t answer.


    [That''s the trial of gods... the trial has begun... it is going to issue quests for you to keep evolving until you clear your Karma and be a God, but... those are supposed to be for Demigods! From now onwards you have to be extra careful, the only good thing about this is... that after the trial has been issued, random bad luck streaks like before shouldn''t happen as often, the trial is challenging enough in itself.]


    "Master?" Zamira asked with more insistence, even shaking him.


    "We''re in some deep shit, Zamira..." He sighed and scratched his head.


    "Eh, why? d-do you know her identity?"<novelnext></novelnext>


    "She''s a princess of the Wolf Empire and apparently she''s being hunted." Solemness clouded his words.


    !!!


    ''What is this Abyss?'' He thought maybe by leaving her here to die... twelve hours in this ''abyss'' might not be that bad.


    [It is a horrendous realm... a universal sub-dimension with destion, I have never been there but have heard the stories... even Gods will find it difficult to survive in there, let alone Demigods... you... suffice to say that the current you, just by being there is already in the greatest of dangers, I advise you to do this quest and not try to trick the trial, the Sacred Land of Demigods is the opposite, it is a ce you must absolutely go to as there are endless opportunities to grow stronger but... it is the same, in thatnd, there are only demigods and divine beings, all of them strong enough to devastate you, however, if I had to choose between the two, I''d choose the Sacred Land thousand times over.]


    ''So I am screwed regardless of what path I choose?'' Neither soundedforting but to be sincere... the ''sacrednd'' sounds a hundred times better than the ''abyss''.


    [I can''t assist you in the abyss and that''s also not a ce where I have been, but I have been to the Sacred Land, I can assist you in there. Dammit... why is the trial going this fast, even if I am-]


    "Hmn." The woman mumbled in his arms and her eyes fluttered between opening and closing, she was stirring awake.


    "She has a wound near her heart, Zamira, bring me some nts." Moving some of the furs away, Constantine saw that there was a bigceration on her chest, regardless of whatever happened, right now he needed to save this girl and make it so that she could at least defend herself.


    "Yes, should I wake up the others?"


    "Do so, we could be attacked at any moment; moving away from here is a priority." With magic, he began cleaning the wounds using water and then swiftly threw some of it to the bonfire, creating a shower of smoke that brought darkness to their entire location.


    ''They''re beasts that are hybrids between animals and humans, mostly predators... get rid of vision, nocturnal sight... camouge... get rid of the smell...'' He thought, his mind thinking at several kilometres a second.


    "Hey wake up! we have an incident..." Zamira began to stir all of them awake, yelling in their ears loud enough for them to be awakened, but not enough for the entire forest to know... in any case, the previous moan had been more than enough to attract anyone.


    Little did she know, that was not the case, because what she released wasn''t just a moan.


    ...


    Andre woke up with a headstart only to get his mouth covered by Zamira who shook her head and made a signal with her eyes, he understood immediately.


    Malik and Raki followed they nodded at each other they didn''t understand what was going on but since they were supposed to be on guard; readying their weapons, the pair set their guards up.


    "W-What''s going on bos- HUH!?"


    The moment Andre saw the werebeast in Constantine''s arms he knew the mess they were in wasn''t a normal one, it was the worst case.


    "B-Boss! I''d rather have itching balls than this!"


    *SLAP!*


    That p finished waking him up all the way.


    "Keep your voice down and your metaphors or yourself! now stand there and bring me some branches and stuff, we need to camouge, this woman is being hunted and I can''t throw her away..." He said the woman seemed to be still in a state of catharsis, not yet waking up but not sleeping either.


    She showed signs of poisoning.


    ''I need to create some nts...''


    "Yes boss... you two,e, we need to set a guard for now, remain attached to the trees and don''t move, don''t make a sound." Andre took the lead and began giving orders to Malik and Raki who nodded and did as he said, Zamira too readied her sword.


    Using his flora magic, Constatine started to create a particr type of flower, one that his mother used to hate the most.


    Dead Horse Arum Lily.


    The moment one of them was in his hands, he resisted the urge to puke and crushed it, rubbing it all over his body, even the woman''s gaze started to contort.


    He then made some more but before he did so, theints began.


    "This smells like shit!" Andre said, looking in Constantine''s direction with a sight filled with disgust.


    "You better hold it in, take this, crush it and rub it all over your body, it will get rid of your smell." He handed all of them a single petal of the flower, a single petal was enough.


    "But boss..." He''d rather shit and smear the shit all over his body than this thing... even Raki was looking at it as if the flower was something taboo.


    "Do you prefer dying!?" Constantine rolled his eyes.


    Reluctantly they did what he said, unaware of how much he just saved their lives, they''d know in a minute.

 Chapter 75 Fugitive II

    Shadows and red hues covered the endless skies, the dark clouds made it look like it was going to rain in this scorchingnd, but those clouds merely fell on the world producing cracks and destruction, dividing anything in their wake.


    This is not Sandoria, if Constantine had been here he''d be able to know perhaps, that this is a sub-dimension.


    The private realm belonging to a God, its powers unknown, but an Evil Divinity nheless.


    *RUMBLE!*


    But in the wake of this nightmare, there was sudden light.


    The entire world shook upon the arrival of another entity.


    !!!


    "How..." A mighty voice said as among the shadows opened an eye,pletely red and slit like the freshest blood, ck cracks encroaching it all over its surface, its hideous look only turning eerier.


    It redirected itself towards a brewing light that began as a mere root.


    The root expanded on its own, forming a figure... the figure of ady encroached in roots and emitted the aura of life that kept at bay the darkness in this world.


    Thedy red directly at the eye, not flinching even if in this realm she''s at a clear disadvantage.


    "It is you... another living God, who would have imagined... this one thought Sandoria was dested and bereft of Divinity... it seems that bastard wasn''t lying, Gods conceal like rats in every corner hehe~" The eye mimicked a maniacalugh of sorts, not taking this entity seriously but still wondering.


    ''How did she manage toe here... for Gods to invade other''s private realms, it is needed a profound knowledge over the concept of the other god''s... our concepts couldn''t be any lesspatible.''


    "Nice to meet you, Dior... God of Scars... I''m Aurelianne, The Goddess of Life and I believe we havee upon one another through mortal outlets." The Goddess began with a rather courteous tonality as if she was referring to an equal.


    "Goddess of Life, this one assumes youe here seeking to apologise after your little vassal challenged our deranged faith." Dior too despite hisment, seemed like he didn''t want any trouble against this other entity.


    They were both Lesser Gods, weakened, a fight between them would be meaningless, but... the pride of a God is stubborn and unfathomable.


    Dior couldn''t forget about that little bastard that killed one of his cultists and challenged his faith.


    "Haha~" The Goddessughed alluringly upon hearing hisment, it was a funny joke.


    "What is so funny?"


    "My Champion believes in his goddess to the utmost, what is wrong with that? You''re wrong, Dior... I came here to warn you... you better allow mortals to solve their own strives... if you involve yourself, I won''t answer lightly... my champion has my entire support regardless of what decision he makes." Her tone switchedpletely at that moment, from the beloved Goddess of Life to an entity that resembled anything but life and peace.


    The contrast surprised Dior, goddesses with such divinities aren''t usually this threatening and bad-mouthed, however, there was something else that called for his attention.


    "Your champion? that weakling?ughable... this one feel even less apprehension towards you now, we had never seen a God reduce him or herself to such an extent; guess even for existences as old as us, there is always a first time." The voice contained disappointment, the Goddess ignored his chattery and awaited his answer.


    "How about this, Goddess of Life, since we''re both in a weak position... your faith isughable whilst we remain injured.. let''s do as you say and allow Mortals to do their wicked ways, but... with a little bet in between if even to not allow our immortal serves to die of boredom." Unprecedented wickedness was released.


    "..." In contrast, Aurelianne was all serenity, she even curled up her lips slightly.


    "What are the terms?"


    "If you''re doll wins, hand over your God Spark... if my cult loses, you shall take ours, deal?~" His bargainship produced the woodendy to tilt her head in contemtion.


    "Your garbage divinity? the power to create scars over concepts and weaken them, a lesser divinity of destruction... interesting... it might end up being a good gift for my dearest... I ept, Dior. I hope you won''t dishonour your own words when the timees."


    Leaving those words and having reached an agreement, the goddess had no reason to remain in this pestilent realm, she disappeared in a gust of leaves that dematerialised before Dior had the chance to erase them with his will. She was seen rejoicing, not only did she secure a nice battleground for her beloved champion, she even secured him a gift.


    Just like he had faith in her, she also believed that there was nothing he was unable to achieve, and Dior together with his cult was merely a ''Lesser God''.


    "Hmph! Never had I seen a goddess so delusional, a mere Adept Magus and he dares challenge my hundred-generation cult? some people just don''t desire to live... and some other gods don''t value their sparks~ better for me, by consuming hers I''ll finally heal~"


    The eye closed and the world regained its normalcy, a deal had been achieved between both Gods.<novelnext></novelnext>


    **


    **


    Constantine was already tired... for how long he had remained like this, he didn''t know, but hey down together with this weird woman, Zamira, Andre, the boy and the girl... all of them pressing their nose as dozens of shadows leapt above the trees, this had been one of the many groups who they reckoned were looking for the princess.


    Their speeds, ridiculous... their strength, enough to shake any three they lept on.


    Werewolves, ck and abysmal.


    After the group passed by, ten minutester, they rose, Andre puked directly, not a problem since the puke smelled better than the flower''s odour.


    "Can we please get out of here?" The woman, covered in her white hair cleared her nose and literally begged.


    "The reason we''re not trapped is because of this smell, are you sure you want to go away?" Constantine crossed his arms, what was this little smell? hundreds of rotting corpses smelled worse.


    "Sorry..." Her long ears fell in dejection while Raki struggled to hold herself back from patting the princess.


    At some point Constantine even killed a boar nearby, tore it apart and ced it there just to justify the smell, they couldn''t allow themselves to be found by those numbers.


    "How about you begin by stating who you are?" He started the conversation, always on guard, regardless of where they moved it would only be worse, the best they could do was to remain here... they would need to stop searching eventually.


    "My name is Nia Kurogiri... y-you are?" The woman sat in a lotus position, and looked at the entire group as they introduced themselves to her, they noticed she seemed to not be constrained by the fact they were humans, werebeasts are usually quite territorial and racist.


    The woman looked around, cing her gaze on Constantine and Zamira for a little longer than the rest, especially Zamira, when she saw her, a little gasp was produced, one that the purple-haired beauty didn''t understand.


    "My name is Constantine, we found you in the forest... period." He coughed.


    It is better to say that than exin the actual circumstances in which they met.


    "Oh... yes, I remember I was running when I saw you, you two were- hmn!" Before she could finish, Zamira covered her mouth with a blush.


    "We were eating and doing some workout, nothing you need to concern yourself about." The champion coughed again, trying to deviate the subject.


    "But boss, you''re not supposed to eat and work out at the same time." Andre, the smartass, couldn''t stop himself from adding his opinion while Malik and Raki both nodded in agreement.


    "But we can... and we do it very well. As for you, Nia... Just tell us who you are, what are you doing here... and if you need help." By now he''d just part ways after having assured that the other party is healed, but he couldn''t do that.


    The woman would likely go, get herself killed and vo twelve hours in the abyss where death is anything if not guaranteed.


    "B-Before I tell you anything, seriously, w-what is this horrid smell?!" She''d pay anything to get away from here, but then she recalled the packs of wolves going after her and the smell suddenly turned sweety.


    "You better get used to it because it just saved our lives... you''re being hunted by at least twelve groups of three werebeasts each, or at least that''s how many times they have passed by us in less than three hours, we even had to corpse to justify the smell and avoid suspicions." Hisment was ignored when Nia spit some saliva on the ground as if to feel better.


    "For the Goddess, it smells so bad!" as a Werebeast she had a way more sensitive nose than them, if the smell was killing them; that equalled her nose burning.


    "Right? Master is so mean!" Raki followed along and everyone seemed to nod.


    ''Maybe I shouldn''t have created such an overkill flower.'' He thought, in any case, it was toote.


    Just in time he heard something in the distance and pulled everyone back down before whispering.


    "Careful, another group iing." His words served as a warning that everyone followed, especially Nia who seemed to snuggle against him further, an action that Zamira didn''t seem to like.


    !!!


    This time they seemingly stopped amidst a jump,nding dangerously nearby.


    "UGH! W-WHAT A DISGUSTING SMELL!" One of them yelled and even waved his hands as if he could feel the flies messing around, but there were none.

 Chapter 76 Fugitive III

    As if cursed by his Karma, Constantine''s idea had been the one that brought this pair in here, the smell was too distinctive from everywhere else.


    He went alert immediately, those two werewolves, they were big.


    His mouth covered the princess'' one when she saw them and the entire groupy down like corpses in the bushes.


    "U-Ugh! It is a perfect chance to have a chat... no one is going toe here." The other werewolf said, one of them was pitch ck and big while the other was more moderately sized with brown fur, both looked terrifying though.


    "The princess is nowhere to be found, She might have already infiltrated the Human Empire."


    "Lord Daijou won''t be happy..."


    "It doesn''t matter, it is not our head that is rolling, we will search for another day and call it quits, the Lindom Forest is simply too big, if no other teams have found her, she''s gone."


    "But there is always the chance that we find her~" The brown werewolf said with a suggestive tone, and Constantine felt Nia shivering in his arms.


    "What are you saying?"


    "Wouldn''t that be the perfect chance to have the princess?~"


    "Do you want to earn the Emperor''s ire!?"


    "The Emperor doesn''t need to know, we''re perfectly capable of breeding her on our own, in any case... nobody knows where she is, our children, they''d be strong... they''d have her affinity with the spirits, and we''d no longer be vassals, don''t you understand?" He insisted, but his gaze contained wickedness he was thinking of something else beneath the background.


    ''As if I''d share the princess with you.''


    "Your ambitions are immense, Tosuke... better pray this is not known by anyone. Tch! this corpse is still putrid... but it is also fresh." The ck werewolf happened to step on the dead boar and smelled around it, he lifted his eyebrows slightly, something is not right.


    Constantine prepared his magic, this was the worst-case scenario, they were at least ten metres away from the corpse.


    "It must have been some boar nearby." The brown werewolf said dismissively, his eyes still retaining wickedness whereas the other big monster instead emitted a threatening aura all of the sudden, his fur stood on an end and he red at the surroundings!


    *RUMBLE!*


    "..." There was utter silence as he inspected the area, but one could see his head shivering in disgust with every second.


    "UGH! I can''t take this smell!! it is three times worse when I''m focused, this is the worst corpse I have ever smelt!" He prepared to live, not wanting to remain even a second more in this ce.


    "Think about what I said... the princess, she could be ours, I assure you the other teams are thinking the same, even Lord Daijou."


    "Hmph! First, we have to find her and then... we will see if your delusions are possible, runt."


    *WHOOSH!!*


    *WHOOSHH!!*


    The two animals leapt on the trees and disappeared as fast as they appeared, moving on their way.


    Constantine didn''t allow anyone to rise even after ten minutes had passed, only then did he deem the ce safe enough to move.


    ''Those two were stronger than the rest...''


    "Thank... you..." Nia said suddenly releasing him, her gaze contained a lot of feelings, outrage, wrath but also fear...


    "..." She threw Constantine a re, looked at him up and down and then spoke.


    "You won''t breed me, right?"


    "No... I think." He smirked, returning the gaze around her entire body, it wasplicated, but she was hot.


    "Master, don''t scare her!" Zamira got in between, for some reason, although her voice contained reproach towards Constantine, her re was directed towards the woman.


    "Why are they going after you? also, what are you a Werewolf? you don''t look like a wolf." The more hepared her with the previous two, the farther she was from resembling them.


    "I''m a mutated hybrid... a hybrid between a wolf and a kitsune, my father is the Emperor, my mother is the Shrine Saintess of Beasts... I''m the only daughter with three brothers." She said with some dejection as if her appearance was nothing to be proud of.


    "..." The group allowed her to continue.


    "I discovered something I shouldn''t have... one of my father''s concubines was together with one of my uncles, that Daijou you heard about, they had an affair and colluded against my father... originally I didn''t support his reign but my father is still my father, I couldn''t allow them to y him like that, sadly before I knew I was being pursued and... my father doesn''t believe me... he and Daijou wererades for centuries." Her ears fell once again and this time Raki didn''t hold back, she caressed them.


    Apparently, Nia liked that.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "What about your mother?"


    "My mother sleeps, until she wakes up I can''t speak to her."The woman focused on Constantine who she already deemed as the ''alpha'' amongst these people.


    ''What exactly do I have to do for this girl to be ''safe''? what a pain in the ass...'' He heard about the entire thing, and for her to be safe... perhaps taking her with him would do?


    "Can you go back to your human form?"


    "Yes, why are you still in your integration form? it will be harder for them to smell you."


    "S-Sorry, this is my humanoid form..." The woman sighed and leaned against Raki, she seemed to be really enjoying having the girl y with her ears.


    "Impossible!"


    "I''m a mutated one... I can''t ever look ''human'' moreover I''m a direct descendant of a Kitsune and a werewolf, sorry for not looking so ''human'' alright? it''s not like I want to..."


    "Alright, don''t get upset..." Constantine sighed once again, it would be impossible to conceal her if she''s looking like this, unless they turn her into a mummy.


    ''Maybe we could, the mansion is outside the town of loup, no one will ever see her.'' He thought, so long as they didn''t take her inside the town, there would be no problem.


    "Have you ever seen this tree..." He gave her the sheet of paper and she took it in confusion.


    "Eh, I do... I passed by one of them on my way here, why?" She answered and that''s all the answer that Constantine needed.


    "Very well... Andre, I want you to take Malik and Raki back to your house, me and Zamira will stick around together with this girl until we find the tree... we might not be back in a while." He said all of the sudden, his voice brought sadness to the group, this is where their journey ends.


    "Boss, do you think I am unqualified?" Andre asked with reluctance, he wanted to stay and help.


    "You are qualified and strong, but someone has to take Raki and Malik back... I''m counting on you, big man, we''re going to go on another adventure, but this one is too risky."


    "I got it, boss, I know you''re strong but be careful, werebeasts are extremely wicked, just like them... only for the prospect of attaining a stronger offspring, they wouldn''t mind sullying their Emperor''s daughter." Andre red at the girl who in turn red back.


    "Take care all of you, I need you all to prepare the mansion, but don''t move there, just make it avable."


    "Sure!"


    Raki ran and hugged him tightly, she didn''t want to leave, but one of his important lessons and words was ''to recognise your own weakness...'' and she knew... merely ncing at those werewolves before, she felt pure fear.


    "I will be okay, Raki... stay safe and keep training, if by the time Ie back you can''tnd a hit... I''m going to be pissed."


    "Master, I won''t disappoint you!" She said before releasing him and retreating, she didn''t know how long it would take, but she''d be a different person by the time he came back.


    "Come here, Malik." Constantine pulled the boy that obviously wanted toe forward but didn''t dare to.


    He scratched the boy''s head.


    "Go back there, train... protect Anya and your family and by the time Ie back, show me what you''ve got... I will give you a challenge, beat the crap out of your father inw~"


    "I will do it, master!"


    "Boy, I dare you!"


    "Stop yelling and go..."


    "Please be safe..." How couldn''t Andre know what Constantine is nning to do, if he''s going to stick around with the princess, there is only one possible answer, he''s entering the Wolf Empire.


    "I''m sorry for causing you trouble, but I can''t count on anyone else..."


    "We''re stuck with you until you''re safe... but I need you to be honest with me and tell me what''s going on."


    "There must be trusting from either side, how about you start by telling me why you, a hybrid elf with divinity are going around together with a weretiger? I thought they were extinct."


    "..."


    "Come again?"


    It wasn''t Constantine, it was Zamira who had to make an incredulous look, what did she just say?

 Chapter 77 Wolf Empires Issues

    "What do you mean?" Herment brought an abrupt stop to their conversation; Constantine''s gaze was constantly switching between Nia and Zamira, especially Zamira''s reactions.


    "I don''t know what you''re talking about, I''m human..." The purple-haired beauty didn''t doubt for even one second.


    "That''s weird."


    Nia approached Zamira and tried to smell her, sadly there was something else covering the woman''s odour.


    Suffice to say she had to swallow back her vomit.


    "I know you saved me and all, but I won''t ever forgive you for this!" She insisted, pinching her nose as tight as possible.


    "... just exin yourself." Constantine had no time for games, what she said just now had raised his alert against Zamira who he believed had already told him everything there was to be said, nevertheless, if there is something one can''t everpletely trust is another individual.


    "I can''t see this woman''s features or anything that would define her as a werebeast but... I remember having heard her mating calls and even before I passed out she growled too... didn''t you hear?" Nia furrowed her brows, still looking at Zamira up and down, especially her breasts which she thenpared with her own offhandedly.


    "M-Mating calls!?"


    "Yes, I''m someone that is very sensitive to the spirits and I could feel yours through your mating call... I saw what you two were doing even if you deny it." She looked away with a faint blush that was barely visible through her white fur.


    "..." The pair ignored that statement.


    "But this indeed odd, I''m currently unable to tell taking your smell as a factor, but... I was almost certain you were a were-tiger. Are you concealing your identity to survive? are you afraid you will be hunted down?" Nia asked with concern, something involved with the fact that as Zamira had mentioned before, the were-tigers and were-lions were extinct.


    Hearing the woman''s words even Constantine had to send Zamira a re, he didn''t want to believe she had been concealing something after everything they have been through.


    His gaze hurt Zamira in many ways.


    "Master, don''t look at me like that! I don''t know what she''s saying! you! stop spouting nonsense!" Zamira pointed her sword towards Nia who didn''t back off in the slightest and instead red back at the ''tigress'' wondering if she made a mistake, only to put her gaze on the sword the next second.


    "T-That''s... Kurohana..."


    "Yes."


    "How did this sword end in your hands!?" Before she could take the sword, Constantine got in between.


    "We bought it and you''re not taking it back..." Constantine said defensively, deciding to believe Zamira over this neer, so far he had noticed some oddities in Zamira, but nothing that could deterministically say that she was not human.


    [Perhaps this girl is right... there are a plethora of divine artefacts that can even conceal a person''s race, but if that was the case, Zamira should be conscious of it, either of them is lying... or the girl is just confused... moreover, I heard the growl that she''s talking about too, back when you did ''that'' to her.] Zebellia added her piece of information as he contemted.


    ''Could it happen that Zamira is something that she''s not aware of?'' It sounded ridiculous, but he took his own hybrid-elf race as a standard, it didn''t feel that much different from being human except that he could use magic and had some moderate increase in physical strength.


    [It could but under quite specific conditions, it is not somethingmon for someone to not realise their own race, in fact, for us Time Valkyries that is borderline dishonourable.]


    ''...''


    "I''m not going to take your sword, I just hope you will take care of it... Madame Kurohana was two generations of priestesses above my mother, her death was a pitiful one." Nia put her hands together and seemingly prayed towards the sword.


    "I will, it is very important to me." Zamira nodded and sent her master another re only to feel relieved when his contorted visage didn''t show suspiciousness.


    "I think it would be better to not be stating baseless assumptions... this is what''s going to happen, you have two choices girl... I can''t leave you alone until you''re ''safe'' so... you tell me where you think you will be safe or I will have to take you with me to the Sadamek Empire." They had plenty of time since they were unable to move away from here until the hunters receded and therefore, it was time to n their next move.


    "Why does it sound like you''re kidnapping me?!" Nia covered her chest and shivered.


    "Stop joking and tell me your options, we don''t have all day these guys are still hunting you." He rolled his eyes, she was attractive indeed but that was a terrain he didn''t dare tread.


    Is she human? is she an animal? he couldn''t yet tell.


    "..." Nia began to contemte, still pinching her nose furiously and the two of them decided to help her since she seemed to be in a rather clueless position.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "You said your father doesn''t believe you." He began.


    "He doesn''t... my father is a hooligan always fooling around with women and sometimes going to fight demons or noble elves for territory, that''s all he does, he blindly trusts his ''pack''... perhaps it is not only that bastard Daijou''s who is nning to overthrow him." Nia bit her finger in wrath, she was really pissed at her father''s attitude.


    "And how is this Daijou nning to mess your father up?"


    "By removing what makes him be trusted and epted as a ruler by the werebeasts... my father is a descendant of the Deranged Wolves, the ones that overthrew the lions thousands of years ago during the great war against God Lucius, that and the fact that he also earned my mother''s favours, she''s technically a saintess amongst the folks and many take her words for granted... she ns to have me as her sessor, and Daijou''s n is to get to me before she does, earning my favour, something that will never happen! If not then he nned to simply kidnap me and breed me like the rest, my child would have the blessing of the goddess and that would be enough for him to gain a footing equal to my father''s"


    "And can''t your father easily prevent that?" He thought it was quite a skewered mess, yet amonce amongst court cases, typical concubine being unfaithful to a general, thankfully it didn''t happen to him since he only had five wives and they were all a little... skewered in the head.


    The five Empresses, each ruling their own region madepletely sure there would be no... concubines.


    This however wasn''t the case with most Empires and Kingdoms, there was no easier way to conquer than to begin in the royal court, seeking one of those unsatisfied concubines that would do anything to get some pleasure and betray their king, he ha taken down at least three kingdoms like that and this Daijou seemed to be copying that technique.


    "My father could easily stop Daijou but he won''t...not only doeses he trust Daijou a lot, but my father hates the fact that mother is always sleeping and doesn''t pay attention to him... our rtionship is not good... he taught me how to fight and defend myself but after I was strong enough, I was left on my own... several aunties of his court take care of me, but some hate me as well... I just happened toe across that scene and they noticed me, my father is going to head to the Green Sea to the East and I assume that''s when he was nning to... attack me."


    "Does your father know that you''re in this predicament at all?"


    "I already told him what Daijou was nning, but he didn''t believe me! auntie kept harassing me to keep my mouth shut, I still told my father about it but she resolved it with that sweet mouth of hers, a single night in his bedroom and my father dismissed my case... I didn''t know what to do and just ran to the forest but they took that chance and started hunting me... Daijou is one of the generals that controls the borders, the moment I step back, he will know."


    Her story led him to believe she had little possibility of turning back to that empire and being ''safe'', Constantine couldn''t help but deadpan at this ''Emperor''s idiocy.


    ''If you want to live under a woman''s skirt, fair enough, but don''t allow her to take you by the balls... aish. It is a standard case but knowing what kind of individual he is will make things easier for me... perhaps even taking this entire Wolf Empire for myself won''t be that difficult~'' His gaze nestled on this girl, the one that would make this possible, this was, however, a faraway achievement.


    "Then what do you n to do? I can only help you... I can''t lead you." He decided to see how she''d handle things for now.


    Zamira and Constantine awaited her response for several minutes.


    "Then... could I go with you for a few months?" She eventually asked hopefully, it was a lot of imposing but she felt lucky that she met theseprehensible humans, naive indeed.


    "Why a few months?"


    "My mother awakes from her slumber once a year during a full moon, she stays awake for a month she usually spends with me and then goes back to sleep again... in roughly three months she should wake up again, I have to go back to talk to her then." That was her n.


    "If your mother handed you over her blessing, what can she do?"


    "My mother is the priestess, she has the favour of the Beast Goddess! even if she''s not as powerful as she used to be in the past, no one dares to mess with her, if I tell her; father will heed her words and Daijou''s head will roll" Having exined her n she awaited their approval with enthusiasm, for her, this path was the way forward.


    "... what do you think?" Constantine asked Zamira who looked at him dumbly afterwards.


    "W-Why are you asking me, master?"


    "You''re my travelpanion, I''m asking for your opinion..." He smirked and waved his hand, giving her the chance to make decisions and give her opinion would work wonders not only in her confidence but also, in her growth.


    !!!


    "Then, I think it should be alright if we take her with us, Master... so long as she covers her appearance no one should proactively try to uncover her, moreover... the werebeasts would have to decide whether theye to the Sadamek Empire or the Elf Kingdom, their borders are furthest to the North." Zamira coughed and delivered her considerate opinion, he nodded in approval.


    "Very well..."


    [Why don''t you ask for my opinion?]


    ''Who wants your opinion!? If I get trapped in the bloody abyss, I will ask your opinion then!''


    [Sure, I will make sure to sleep all the way, since you don''t want my opinion and all... when you get your ass eaten by a ten-headed darkness hydra, I will also be eating, guess what? popcorns...] The horse seemingly pouted in outrage before going back to sleep, in any case, he''s well apained.


    ''Do whatever you want, and what''s popcorn?'' He didn''t get that joke if it was supposed to be, it seems like he''s not the only one with a [-E] in joking skills.

 Chapter 78 Troubled Wolf In A Valley Of Sheeps

    The nning and shattering didn''tst long it was decided that their first step would be to use Nia''s help to take a branch from the tree they needed before heading back to the Town of Loup where she would settle with them for the next few months.


    The threey down as if considering their own agendas but something troubling was moving back and forth in Zamira''s mind, something that she didn''t know if she should say or not.


    "I believe that''s a good n, master... could I bepletely honest with you?"


    "Go on." He uttered with lifted eyebrows.


    "I have been feeling... weird recently." She began, making some emphasis on her abdomen or stomach.


    "What do you mean?" He asked while Nia''s long ear shook a little, clearly eavesdropping.


    "It''s like I want to puke sometimes, could I be pregnant?" Zamira''s voice sounded aggrieved when she said that, even if her eyes were shining slightly as well in... interest.


    !!!


    He felt an urge to spit blood when she said those words, "How will you be pregnant?! don''t talk nonsense." they had been close several times but never went all the way, how will she be pregnant?


    "But master, we have slept together several times now... isn''t that enough to get pregnant?"


    "..."


    It wasn''t only Constantine even Nia -the youngdy, threw Zamira a look that said it all without words ''are you stupid?''.


    She felt the urge to impart Zamira with her wisdom.


    "Tch! You know nothing... it is only when you grab a male''s hand for a long time that you get bred, that''smon sense."


    "..." A drop of blood was rolling down his lips.


    [... is that how it is now?]


    ''YOU TOO!?''


    [Uh? what? of course I know how to make little foals... I''m just joking.] Zebellia said with utter confidence at the beginning, but thosest words were said with a stutter.


    ''...'' For some reason; maybe theck of confidence or EVERYTHING about her inner self and behaviour... he didn''t believe her.


    Constantine didn''t know what to think, he rubbed his forehead in exasperation... if this is not putting a wolf in the middle of sheep, then he doesn''t know what it is.


    ''Is this a part of the trial? am I supposed to stay loyal even when ced with all these clearly ignorant gullible girls? are my wives spying on me from somewhere? Is Aurelianne a spy? Will I wake up one day and find my prick missing? I don''t get it! I''m supposed to have bad luck, how does this trante to bad luck?!''


    "Who taught you- ugh forget it... no Zamira you''re not pregnant... It doesn''t work like that." Exining these two how anatomy works, was not worth it.


    "See? as long as you don''t hold his hand for too long, there is no problem." Nia puffed out her chest as if she was some sort of smartass.


    ''Please don''t say any more...''


    "Is that everything you wanted to say?" He repressed his sigh but still conveniently avoided exining to Nia how babies are made, truly a shrewd bastard.


    "No, if I''m not pregnant then... I don''t know what it is, but something odd is happening with my body, my abdomen, my muscles even my eyes." Zamira continued, a little dejected for some reason.


    "Since when?"


    "Since I met you."


    "Aren''t you just enamoured?" The fox girl deadpanned.


    "Y-Yes but it is not that... I just feel my senses are a little too sharp, it is ufortable sometimes. As if I can see things that are farther away than they look and the darkness is no longer as... dark."


    "You''re an odd one... but those are the symptoms of a werebeast that''s awakening past the humanoid phase... if you''re really a weretiger I should be able to tell, don''t worry, count with me, Zamira." Nia reassured the purple-haired girl. If there was such a thing as her transforming into something she didn''t know, at least there would be someone to support as Constantine didn''t know anything about werebeasts.


    "I''ll be in your care, Nia."


    "We can''t move from this ce yet, one day from thest sight of a hunting group, hopefully, they didn''t go Andre''s way, even if they did they won''t stop to get some humans if they''re hunting for someone."


    **


    **


    Half an hourter the group continued onwards, needless to say, the first thing that Nia sought was ake to clean herself from the disgusting stench of the flower, the forest was peaceful and the teams hunting her seemed to have dispersed already.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "That particr tree that you''re lucking for, it is called Tree of Certainty, an odd mutation of trees that is usually in the middle of ake and we take its branches for medication... it can be found in the north beneath some particr caves, there are stronger creatures in that area, are you sure you want to go?" Nia warned them.


    "Don''t underestimate me." That''s all he said while Zamira too nodded while holding the handle of her big sword.


    "Well, you''re a hybrid elf after all..." Her gaze roamed him up and down.


    "You got a problem with that?" He didn''t like her analytical gaze.


    "No... but I have been wanting to ask, which goddess do you worship?" Nia ced her finger on her lips and asked in wonder,ing to an abrupt stop and encircling him.


    "Why does that matter to you?" He grits his teeth, ''this woman...'', even if the fur is covering her important parts, she is still pretty much naked, and those curves are noteworthy.


    "I told you I can see the spirits, elves usually worship either the Fallen God Lucius or the Fallen Goddess of Elves, Purina... in your case, it is none of them, I can see an aura of life in you that I can''t recognise."


    "You know that the God Lucius is dead..."


    "My mother told me~ it ismon knowledge in the Wolf Empire and the Elf Kingdom. Only humans would have enough Despair as to worship a dead god, but with the curse of Rotborn wrecking them apart, they can''t be med..." She shrugged her shoulders with not a single wisp of mercy to the humans.


    "Listen well, my Goddess is the one and only Goddess of Life, Aurelianne!" Constantine yelled with a lot of momentum and even raised his arm in a victory pose.


    ...


    "Sorry, I can''t recognise that name." Nia deadpanned.


    "Then let me ask you this, this supposed goddess of the beasts that you say, have you actually seen her?!" It was time to challenge someone''s faith!


    "I have~" Nia smiled cutely.


    "Eh...?"


    "Our Goddess, Lady Samya is a beloved individual that represents the full moon and fertility amongst the beasts. As I told you, only me and my mother can contact her, she more than me... whenever she''s sleeps my mother is serving Lady Samya." Nia summarized.


    ''Aurelianne told me there were no living gods...'' He frowned, willing to talk this with herter, if she hadn''t said this, why would he brazenly challenge everyone''s faith left and right with the reputations that gods have in this ce?!


    [She probably meant that there are no ruling gods... as in a ce like Sandoria it is impossible that there are no gods at all, this Samya might not necesarily rule this Empire with Iron Hand, she''s just there and has worshippers. Ruling gods serve as Emperors to Realms while using their avatars, quite theughable joke for us higher beings, it is like ying with ants.] Zebellia scoffed, one of the reasons she didn''t respect this God Lucius at all.


    "Now I ask you, this goddess Aurelianne, have you seen her?~" It was then Nia''s time to answer back with a blow of her own, s... Constantine was prepared.


    "Of course!" It wasn''t only him, even Zamira served as a witness.


    !!!


    "R-Really?! T-There shouldn''t be any gods willing to descend to the Earth to prove themselves... who are you exactly?" Nia thought for the goddess to show herself, they couldn''t be nobodies.


    "I''m no one, in particr, she just happens to like the way I ''worship'' her~" Now that he thought about it, it was about time for him to worship Aurelianne''s brea-*cough* holy self.


    "How do you do it? aren''t you just lying to me?" Nia asked suspiciously.


    "That''s a secret, if you behave I might teach you and we can worship that Goddess of yours together." There was so much evil beneath that smirk.


    "Really?~" Nia smiled innocently, unaware of what kind of bear trap she got herself in.


    [You''re the worst fiend around...]


    Constantine ignored the horse that was spitting truths and instead coughed before asking something he considered important before all of this ''worshipping'' even took ce.


    "Bye the way, how old are you, Nia?" Her appearance was already a barrier, he didn''t know if he was going to do it with a sexy beauty, or an animal... if aside from that she happened to be a child, he wouldn''t be able to move forward, let alone herment about the lewd hand-holding let him know that she was maybe not that old either.


    ...


    "I''m fifty-two this year~" Nia giggled.


    "..." (Constantine)


    "..." (Zamira)


    ''T-That''s impossible...''

 Chapter 79 Ambush & Chaos

    It took a while for the realisation of Nia''s age to settle in, it allowed Constantine to know that age is not a synonym for experience and wisdom.


    They continued, the forest was quiet and there weren''t as many creatures as they expected, perhaps the packs of werewolves the days prior drove most of them away back to their caves and nests.


    "This Goddess that you mentioned, Is she a newly ascended Goddess or something? or perhaps shees from the Sacred Lands?" Nia inquired while they moved some branches aside to pass to what seemed to be a clearing.


    "You know a lot, don''t you?" He frowned, the terminologies she had been using, and even the casualty with which she approached these topics, she was knowledgable.


    "Each time mother wakes up she teaches me something different hoping that I will seed her in the subsequent centuries, my mother has lived for more than three hundred years and there have been at least a thousand generations of priestesses before her, even before the Wolf Empire or the previous Golden Lion Dynasty ever existed... but that story is long gone." Nia exined with a voice that indicated thrill and emotion, she liked what she was talking about and to be this ''priestess'' that objective was rutted in her being.


    ''That goddess has been existing for a long time.'' That''s what he deduced it was then that he began to think... how long had Aurelianne been living for, how much exactly, the knowledge she had about Sandoria was quite scarce as well...


    "My goddess is beloved and merciful, she makes sure that the myriad beasts leave in peace with one another after they had been long ved thousands of years ago by humans and other races... what does your goddess have?~" Nia asked challengingly, convinced that this ''Aurelianne'' couldn''t possibly match Samya.


    "A big pair." He said nonchntly, even Zamira had to stop herself from spitting out some saliva, she looked down at her own chest and nodded in approval, big indeed.


    "Ah?" Nia didn''t get it and he wasn''t about to exin her either.


    Zamira saw something that caught her interest and moved ahead of them with shining eyes.


    "Forget it, are you sure this is the correct path?" His eyes settled on this clearing, it was a long terrain with scarcer trees and he saw something that attracted his attention, there was some sort of massive rocks that had some stctites or minerals attached to them, there were several different sizes.


    "Yes, if we follow along this path we should find one of those caves..." Nia continued while trying to decipher what was the right path forward, when she saw those mineral rocks it was as if she recalled something.


    "No matter what you do, if you see some big rocks that look valuable, don''t tou-" Her words hadn''t ended because she sought Constantine with her gaze and found him beside her, then the two of them searched for the purple bush of hair... and they found it.


    Zamira was standing in front of one of those rocks, with her back towards them, not only that but there were at least a dozen more rocks behind.


    "Zamira..." Constantine deadpanned while Nia got on guard and exhaled reassuringly.


    "Don''t worry, it is not all hopeless... those are sleeping creatures if you didn''t take the red one-" Nia tried to exin, but it was then that the teary Zamira moved aside, her hand was tightly grasping and pulling the red crystal that looked like a valuable mineral.


    "Well, that''s what they use to reproduce." Nia gulped audibly.


    *CHYAAAAAA!!!*


    !!!


    A high-pitched chill emanated from the creature, clearly, it wasn''t happy that some human was tightly grasping its ''reproductive system'' as if it was an ice cream cone.


    ''Sorry mate, If you clutched my balls like that I''d be crying as well.'' Constantine couldn''t even me the creature...


    One by one the yells spread and all of the creatures were waking up one by one. Zamira sidestepped away from it only for tentacles to start to appear beneath it, resembling an octopus of sorts.


    "There are too many of them, we can''t fight!" Nia yelled and prepared to retreat, only to see the greedy gaze portrayed in both Constantine and Zamira -who was now wielding her sword.


    "Are those things valuable?" He asked, licking his lips even.


    "WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT!? THOSE THINGS ARE STRONG! MOREOVER, THERE ARE MORE THAN A DOZEN OF THEM, NEVER HAD I SEEN SO MANY OF THEM!"


    "... is it bad?" Zamira asked, if they happened to be too strong he''d just retreat and keep in their way, they didn''t look as if they were particrly strong.


    "We have to be quite unlucky to meet so many of them at the same time." Nia prepared to fight since this reckless bunch obviously was not thinking about retreating.


    [I wonder who is the unlucky bastard...]


    "Sorry, I have a horse that represents a bad omen with me, that''s why..." Constantine growled and lunged at the first creature for a contest of strength.


    [And you me me!]


    This time he used a simple Earth spell, wind sh.


    Creating a de of wind he shed towards one of the tentacles and once it impacted, it wasn''t directly able to pierce through the entire tentacle, but it did cut a big chunk of it.


    *BAAAANGGGG!!!*


    The tentacle crashed down together with the creature''s pained yells, but he managed to evade itfortably, there were at least a dozen of them but they didn''t seem to be that hard to defeat.


    "I think we can do it, Zamira, kill them and let''s take the crystals."


    "..." Upon seeing him so easily handle of the creatures, Nia thought that it might be possible, she charged toward one of them and used her ws to repeat the same.


    ? *SLASH!!*


    She shed forward, but unlike Constantine, she did cut one of the tentacles easily, risking her position and going too close she found herself in the creature''s attack range, but just as nimbly as she approached, she sidestepped.


    *BAANGG!*


    "They''re fun! I thought they were harder than this." She smiled and saw how Zamira was having her way against one of the creatures in a rather outrageous manner, Zamira shed the Nodachi Sword, impacting heavily against the creature''s carcass and almost slicing through!<novelnext></novelnext>


    !!!


    Both Constantine and Nia were shocked with the former thinking that he needed a sword that was good, little did they know, Zamira''s physical strength had a lot to do with the effect produced as well.


    Zamira herself felt stronger and faster, she smirked and continued to rampage around the creatures while noticing that her chest wasn''t giving her as many issues as she thought it would.


    The ''peaceful'' skirmish wasn''t fated tost.


    Because right at the entrace of this clearing, two figures appeared after hearing themotion, a dozen of those creatures fighting and growling were still rather noisy.


    "Look, it''s the princess!"


    One of them uttered with a grumpy voice, earing Constantine''s attention.


    "Fuck..." That word came out of his mouth when he saw two werewolves standing side to side eyeing the fighting Nia as if she was some sort of treasure.


    Without even wasting a second, those two bastards jumped and arrived beside Nia!


    !!!


    She noticed them tote, but thankfully for her, Constantine wasn''t any slowpoke.


    "Zamira!"


    "Yes!"


    <Gale!>


    He used yet another spell one that consistent in a strong gust of wind, he used to of his ether cores at full throttle and the two werewolves felt as if their bodies stopped abruptly before Zamira ran by and picked Nia, forsaking the monster that she had been fighting.


    Chaos ensued to quickly and unrestrained, twelve of those monsters protruded tentacles and yelled as if they were in front of a buffet; they started to attack in a different pattern, opening their big mouths and spitting some sort of liquid that even a kid would be able to tell was poisonous.


    "Who are these two bastards?!"


    "Two humans, one of them is a magus even!"


    Both werewolves growled after being taken back several steps by Constantine''s gale spell, he noticed those two were quite rough, werebeasts are no joke.


    "Zamira, protect her!" He knew that in this junction, it would be difficult to escape, they moved quite fast and the three of them won''t be able to outrun them.


    "Yes!" Zamira answered and focused in one of the werewolves whose sight was ced straight in Nia while Constantine faced the other, everything while the carcass creatures approached seamlessly as if awaiting them to kill one another before they went into the offensive.


    ''I have to stall them or kill them here...''


    AZamira brandished her sword and charged towards one of the werewolves, but with the first strike she received from it, she realised how much the difference in physical strength was.


    The difference was abysmal.


    *BAAANGGG!!*


    "UGH!" Constantine received a kick from the wolf who then lunged seeking to bite the neck, only to meet air, but at that moment, the mantle that had been covering his head was discarded and his ears and hair were shown to the world.


    "Why is an elf taking care of the princess?!" The werewolf growled in contemtion, this just turned moreplicated, if they were just humans there would be no problem, but this is a hybrid elf... a hundred percent of the times they belong to a noble elf family.


    On the other hand, the other werewolf didn''t seem to pay too much attention to this detail, his eyes filled with greed and perhaps even lust towards Nia who was standing by Zamira, awaiting the next strike.


    "It doesn''t matter, take her and go, I''ll deal with these nuisances."


    "Where should I take her?"


    "You know where~"


    "How about you take this instead!" If something the Conqueror didn''t like was to be underestimated, regardless of how convenient it was to face such an ignorant foe.


    Constantine took something out of his ring and without thinking twice, threw it!


    *BOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMM!!!!*


    The explosion shook the clearing and chaos ensued once more when he took three more and threw them as well!


    *BOOOOOOOMMMMMMM!!!!!*


    *BOOOOOOOMMMMMMM!!!!!*


    *BOOOOOOOMMMMMMM!!!!!*


    While the entire weight of the creatures pressed on the ground, the explosions shook it as well... all of them failed to see how cracks started to spread beneath them, slowly... but unimpeded.

 Chapter 80 Collapse

    Constantine''s gaze moved left and right, on one side there was those molluscs sort of creatures, on the other side aside from some burns his bomba hadn''t done anything to those werewolves except for some burning, thankfully, however, there was now a very convenient cloud of smoke that was covering the entire field, but with the forest''s wind, it would disperse soon.


    "Zamira, take her away back to the horse!" He yelled while halting one of the werewolves.


    The purple-haired girl was momentarily bewildered, ''what horse!?'' but she then recalled the name of the flower they had used, Dead Horse, he just said it like that for the werewolves not to know where that location was just in case.


    "... Okay!" Without doubting his orders or his capabilities as she knew that would only be a detriment, Zamira rushed to grasp a surprised Nia who couldn''t believe they were just going to run and leave him here.


    "You''re not going-"


    *BOOOOOOOOMMMMMM!!!*


    Another one of the explosive arrays exploded in front of that werewolf''s face, having him lose sight of the pair of girls who rushed into the distance.


    "It''s me you''re fighting, furry..." Constantine had sessfully garnered the attention of both groups of monsters, but one of them had already fallen into his trap, he needed to get rid from at least one of them and his flora magic in one of his cores was already working full throttle for the sake of that purpose.


    "A mere adept dares to act-" When he was about to step closer to Constantine, only then he noticed the floor to be a little, slippery as something grasped his leg tightly.


    With the roots bonding his legs like a vice and the cloud of smoke still distracting his burning friend, the werewolf who once again underestimated his adversary, would pay a big price.


    In his belief, Constantine was an elf hybrid who surely had control over wind and earth elements aside from his innate light capabilities that he hadn''t yet shown, a genius in all sense of the word, what he couldn''t possibly expect was for him to have yet another element, three more in fact.


    When Constantine''s hand turned scalding hot all of the sudden, shining in an orange colour even, he didn''t expect that.


    <Heat!>


    "What? are you going to underestimate me as well?~" Those were hisst mocking words towards this disgraceful foe.


    "You bastard!" Trying to escape the werewolf realise that those roots weren''t soft by any means, they were as hard as steel.


    *BAAAANGGG!!!*


    Constantine''s scalding hand burned the tissue and went through the skin with difficulty but sessfully nheless, he came to realise too soon that those werewolves'' kind was surely durable if even with this method it was costing him so much.


    The despaired fool had enough time to deliver to punches to Constantine''s ribs, ones that he felt a little too much if the blood spilling from his mouth was anything to go by, but he didn''t relent and kept sinking his hand inside the werewolf''s chest where he believed the heart to be, squeezing between two thoracic bones and eventually arriving at his target, when he grasped the heart directly, a gasp of pain as despair was what remained visible in the werewolf''s face.


    He had read it in the magic books he took from the library.


    A basic spell, ''heat'' but this time being used in the right way and with the capacity that only his ether cores could deliver.


    "AHHHHHHH!!!"


    "Yonbu!!" Hispanion who had just gotten rid of the cloud of smoke, regained his visibility just to see how hispanion''s heart was exposed like a trophy, melting inside Constantine''s scalding grasp.


    "How lucky, so the heart was indeed in this position~" He retracted his hand and the werewolf''s corpse fell, crushing what remained of the werewolf''s heart, Constantine saw the creatures around them... start to retreat slightly.


    *CHYAAAAAA!!!*


    They all yelled threateningly but after the earlier disy, it was as if they were not as willing as before to attack.


    The same couldn''t be said about the remaining werewolf who quickly lunged at Constantine, but his gaze contained seriousness, obviously he wasn''t nning on underestimating this enemy.


    "Haha~ Careful, little dog." Constantine evaded constantly, not willing to engage in a full-fledged physical battle, but he made sure to counter some of those attacks by sinking his still-heating hand into several spots of the werewolf''s skin, burning him to a crisp!


    [Be careful, this spell is taking a lot of your energy, you''re less than 30% in all your cores!] Zebellia added some important information that made him frown, the situation wasn''t looking all too great.


    The shock of the creatures pursuing the corpse of the other werewolf and them, started to shake the entire foundation of the clearing and unbeknownst to the two of them, cracks spread through.


    The wolf and Constantine continued to fight during the entire ordeal as the cracks in the room continued to spread across, the weight of the stctite creatures didn''t seem to be helping either.


    "You''re stubborn!"<novelnext></novelnext>


    The werewolf continued to be surprised at Constantine''s prowess, a hybrid elf with the capacity to use at least four elements, not only that he hasn''t shown his light elements innately belonging to his elf race either.


    "What kind of monster is this?!" The more he thought about it, the more he thought that perhaps killing this elf wouldn''te unwarranted, he must belong to some prominent family to have this much talent.


    "The one that''s gonna end you." Those were Constantine''s words but they couldn''t be any father from the truth, he noticed that the wolf was way more physically stronger than him, therefore a fight of attrition wasn''t optimal, there were too many variables as well like the other creatures that seemed to have started getting irritated as their home was being wrecked.


    Constantine saw the time to flee the moment Zamira and Nia''s figures weren''t visible, the way he said it just now, Zamira should understand that the meeting point is where the stink flower is, the one that has the name of a ''horse''.


    "Who are you with?! why will you meddle in the Wolf Empire''s business!" The werewolf yelled impatiently and evaded one of the creature''s tentacles, he delivered a swift kick that blew that creature away in a surprising fashion.


    Upon hearing the werewolf''s question, Constantine contemted, this was a chance to do so many things, with the most deceitful smile he yelled.


    "I''m from the Zephyr n of the elves, and Princess Nia now belongs to us~ don''t worry, we will make sure to breed her properly~ by then, taking control of your Wolf Empire will be like eating cake." Those words were said with arrogance, inwardly however, Constantine was working hard to not break out into a fit ofughter as even Zebellia wasn''t far off.


    "BASTARD! Do you know who you''re messing with! that''s the Emperor''s daughter and General Daijou''s niece, even the Beast Goddess won''t let you off!"


    "So what? what can your bunch do against my Zephyr family? the princess is already on her way to the Elf Kingdom and there is nothing you can do, we even have the Queen''s support, once they breach the border, all of your heads will roll~ You should instead be a good doggy and clear out from this ce before you make me upset, you can still run... I don''t want to waste my energy with you."


    "..." The werewolf body shook at Constantine''s threats, and the possibility of fleeing while he still could be floated in his mind like a wicked temptation, he didn''t know where the princess had gone to, knowing General Daijou, their heads would roll if they didn''t find her, but escaping meant also forsaking the Wolf Empire where he had lived all of his life and where his ''pack'' was.


    *BAANG!!!*


    The brief distraction was enough for one of the creatures to hit the werewolf square in the face only to grunt and hear the evilugher of the elf before him, a smile that wouldn''t be longsting.


    Constantine resumed his chase, but an unexpected event took ce first.


    *BOOOOOMM!!!*


    The ground crumbled beneath under all the weight produced in this clearing, and upon feeling the influence of gravity, he gasped.


    ''This ground is hollow?!''


    [Grasp unto something!] Zebellia yelled immediately and he felt her power start to influence the surroundings.


    *RUMBLE!!!*


    Constantine felt how the entire time slowed down around him, but it didn''t slow him down... sadly, the margin was still too great... there was nothing to do, the entire ground several dozens of metres in circumference crumbled as if this had been some sort of trap.


    He saw in slow-motion how the werewolf jumped across fragments of falling debris trying to make his way out.


    Constantine rotated his wind magic and fire magic in an intent to propel himself to the edge of the pit, extending his hand as far as possible.


    But it wasn''t enough.


    *BAAANGG!!!*


    His body crashed against the edge and bounced pitifully, falling into the pit.


    "Dammiit!!!!"


    His body copsed together with the rest of the creatures only to see how the werewolf panted with an evil smile, having saved himself and seeing how the entire area crumbled.


    He never knew that such a trap existed in this area.


    ''That''s what you get, Zephyr family huh? to think the elves had already started colluding with the princess, this is bad, I have to report this news back to General Daijou... perhaps if I give him this news, he will allow me to live and will kill the others''


    That''s what he hoped at least.

 Chapter 81 The White Lion

    *BAANGG!!*


    The noise of heavy collision was what greeted Constantine, he had the means to reduce the speed of the fall, but he couldn''t stop all of those creatures from falling beside him, even the corpse of the previous werewolf that he managed to ughter had fallen and technically pped him across the face.


    ''Dammit of all moments!''


    When he regained his bnce, looking at the skies above, he saw there was still light, he only needed to crawl out of this pit using his magic.


    *GROWWWLLLL!!*


    But the creatures weren''t going to put things easy for him, in fact... they all lounged at him simultaneously as if he was the one at fault for what happened in this ce.


    "Why don''t you all attack each other instead!"


    [Be careful with the capacity of your cores, if you spend everything fighting them, you''re doomed, I can''t help you again!]


    "You don''t need to tell me twice."


    Constantine wouldn''t be able to make his way out with these creatures constantly using their tentacles to mess him over.


    The way to go about those creatures was with fire and flora magic, but with the current capacity of his cores, Constantine was limited.


    He kept evading in the pit, perhaps trying to make a window in which he could squeeze from them and start crawling up; while calcting how he was going to do it, he noticed something in the stoned walls of this pit.


    ''What is that, a person!?''


    Constantine saw how there seemed to be a corpse of sorts ingrained in the stone thatposed this pit, it was some sort of shadow figure with a sword, but unlike the corpse, the handle of the sword was sticking out.


    He deduced it was merely a person that happened to fall here and didn''te out, be it as it may, that wasn''t his priority.


    Constantine continued to fight those creatures one by one, cursing at the fact that he got a sword for Zamira but not a weapon for himself, at that moment his sight focused on that sword.


    He rushed towards it, evading one of the creatures'' tentacles and grasped it.


    The golden sword was deeply ingrained in the stone.


    "Release your hand, bastard!"


    !!!


    Instinctively he released the sword while gasping, what was that just now?!


    *BAANG!!!*


    One of the creatures was so ravenous that it jumped and crashed straight where he had been, crushing the sword apparently sliced through the stone, falling on the ground, however, after evading the weapon was far from his reach.


    Constantine decided to ignore the voice that he heard previously, believing it was his own imagination since even Zebellia didn''tment about it, he needed to run an entire circle around these creatures in order to reach the sword, but he desperately needed a weapon if he wanted to limit his usage of magic.


    ''There is no other option...''


    While evading them he thought about decreasing their numbers by attacking the flesh instead of the shell. More precisely, the flesh that protruded from beneath together with the tentacles, the creatures resembled some sort of snails or crustaceous.


    *BAAANGGG!!!*


    He managed to finish one of them by using flora magic, protruding the roots from beneath it and slowly impaling it, but he sacrificed a lot of magic to do just that, now, he only had three cores with one of them fully depleted.


    ''Dammit dammit... these things are a pain in the ass!'' He thought, there were at least ten more to go, and they didn''t seem to be about to begin resting.


    **


    **


    Grasping the sword, Constantine fought those creatures, it was magnificent; cutting through but not enough due to hisck of physical strength.


    He didn''t know how much he fought, but upon the arrival of the night time there were still five of those things left and two of his cores were depleted, it was bing harder to run away and there was barely any visibility due to the arrival of the night.


    Thankfully, the Sandoria was gracious.


    He noticed that one by one those creatures seemed to be going into a hibernation of sorts, they stopped fighting but looked at him with cautiousness, hiding back inside their shells.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Thankfully,e on big man, go and sleep some!" He kicked thest one away with all of his strength and that seemed to have done the deed, thest one of them went to sleep.


    Constantine slumped on the dark ground, holding the golden sword and utterly tired.


    [Nice job... at least I know that you won''t be utterly hopeless if we''re to fall into the abyss... that princess is on her own with Zamira now.]


    ''I trust Zamira will be able to keep her safe. If I know her as well as I do... she''s going toe here thinking I disappeared.''


    [Hopefully... are you crawling out of this ce now? you have two of your cores almost depleted, one of them slowly regenerating, the other onepletely empty... you''re basically naked]


    ''Not yet, there is something I want to see first.''


    Constantine remained looking towards the starry skies for a while, it was utterly dark with only the lighting from the stars reflecting subtlety inside, sadly, the moon wasn''t shining this way.


    As he panted, he saw how some of the stars on the border started to disappear or at least, that''s what he believed he saw, but with this much fatigue, he didn''t bother to check further.


    Staggering up he walked towards the direction of his objective, that person that seemed to be stamped against the stone but now the sword was in his hands.


    He paid attention to it, the weapon was remarkable, whether it was gold or not he didn''t know, but it certainly weighted as much, It was a broadsword roughly half of his size, about a metre and fifty. Long and regal.


    There were words on one side of it, glyphs that he couldn''t recognise normally but due to Aurelianne''s blessing, he knew what they said.


    Single King.


    ''Was this guy some king?'' He assumed.


    He touched the corpse for a brief moment, feeling slight mncholy, a mncholy that wouldn''t be longsting.


    "GIVE THAT THING BACK, BOY!"


    !!!


    His instinct was to point the sword in all... there was no light, the enemy could be anywhere.


    "Why are you turning around like an idiot? I''m here!"


    "Where?!"


    "Here!"


    "Where is here?!"


    "Right in front of you, little runt!"


    "..."


    It was the stoned statue of the person, but it didn''t make sense, he heard the voice as if someone was speaking, but this corpse wasn''t moving its mouth.


    Constantine started looking at it and produced a wisp of fire to light up the ce, that was when he saw that horrendous visage, the corpse was a skull with the mouth wide open in his direction.


    "AAAAAHHHHH!!!"


    His first instinct was to yell to the skies.


    "My ears!" The ''person'' answered in irritation.


    "W-What are you!? wait, what ears?!" The voice of the corpse echoed in the pit, there was some silence before he heard that voice again.


    "I''m but a despaired lion without hope... even a little runtes here to steal my sword, what is your name, boy...? what a pitiful being you must be if you had the bad luck ofing here just like me..." Mncholy was everything that this corpse had.


    "Before I tell you my name, what is this? where are we?" He''d normally say that this was merely a pit, but the formation of this ce wasn''t natural, how could it be hollow when that clearing above waspletely sealed with soil? that shouldn''t be possible.


    "We are in one of those gods'' bins, that bastard Sandork... right now we''re nothing more than trash." The voice spoke as if it was drunk, yet another delusion.


    "Sandork again... I don''t get it."


    "It is simple, you will remain forever here with me until we''re both stered against this tone hehehee~"

 Chapter 82 Commitment And Opportunity I

    The prospect of death.


    "In fact, my body is so strong that I merged with the stones, but you? you''re going to be crushed into a patty~" The voice was amused, but Constantine wasn''t.


    "My name is Constantine."


    "You''re oddly calmed..."


    "Not my first time about to die, but if you could tell me how to get away from this ce, that would be helpful." Constantine scratched his head, in any case, he needed his cores to replenish and chatting with some skull seemed like the perfect thing to do.


    "My name is Seledus, the White Lion."


    !!!


    "What?!" He obviously remembered this name, having heard it for a while prior to falling into this pit.


    "It seems you know me, rare... I have no recollection of your face."


    "You''re Seledus, the one that has helped Zamira?" The conqueror probed, there could be many Seledus in this world.


    !!!!


    "Y-You know her?!" That reaction told Constantine everything he needed to know.


    ''so this is where he ended'' he sighed with pity before answering the enquiry"Yes, she''s mypanion."


    "What do you meanpanion?! you little bastard!" The voice answered with outrage and wrath that Constantine never expected, like a father who just heard his daughter has a boyfriend.


    "We''re... travellingpanions..." By now Constantine realised he better didn''t talk about their intimacies, this is obviously the same Seledus from the guild.


    "Where is she? where is the young miss?!" The voice asked with a form of addressing that once again surprised Constantine, ''Young Miss?'' it was respectful humour.


    "She''s safe, just now I sent her away as we were attacked by some werewolves... I killed one of them but the other escaped, however... they can''t know where she is, Zamira is together with the princess of the Wolf Empire, the daughter of the Priestess, do you know?" Constantine didn''t mind revealing all of this information to a corpse, in fact, it might be worthwhile to obtain more information.


    "She''s safe... she''s safe... w-wait, the daughter of the priestess, they''re together...?" The voice sounded with a stutter of measurement before shock ensued.


    "How can wee out of this ce?"


    "..."


    "Why aren''t you answering?!"


    "Has the young miss... has she gotten the sword?"


    "Sword? yes, she has." He contemted, how? ''how can this person know that Zamira got a sword? moreover... could it be-''


    "Tell me the name." The voice asked threateningly, he could even feel pressure, it was ridiculous, this is merely a corpse stered against a stoned wall, yet... it can emit such a pressure!"


    "Kurohana."


    "I see... you''re indeed acquainted with the Young Miss."


    "What do you know? about her or about the priestess'' daughter, Nia?"


    "..." The voice didn''t answer, rather, it seemed to be contemting, this silence wasn''t working for the impatient Constantine who also began emitting a pressure of his own.


    "Why don''t you answer!? How can I get away from here?!"


    "You have the aura of a king but the strength of a shrimp... how hrious. There is no hope for me boy but you can still escape... however, you have to do it fast otherwise you will die."


    "Why didn''t you say that previously?!" The conqueror screamed in disbelief.


    "I thought we could spend some time together until you died, sorry, loneliness is disgraceful~"


    "Bastard!"


    "Listen and listen well, boy... you must take care of the young miss... I can''t do it anymore, I''m beyond salvation... the curse of sandork has poisoned me and I''m already merged with these rocks, I can''t escape..."


    "Curse of Sandork? what exactly is this ce dammit!"<novelnext></novelnext>


    "The exit up there is closing as we speak, the portal is going to open soon... if you don''t get out of here you will be dragged down there and who knows when you will being out."


    [You need to get out of there, he must be talking about an interdimensional portal like the one from before!] Zebellia referred to the one they had so adamantly avoided above the ogres'' hideout.


    "I happened to fall with some bastard, we had an intense fight and before I noticed... the exit was already closed... only then does the entrance to that ursed ce open, and it is unavoidable... you need to escape!"


    "You should have said it sooner!" Constantine got to work soon


    "Wait! Boy!"


    "What?!"


    "Please, the young miss... you must take care of her, no one can realise her identity, not even you... allow her to have a peaceful life."


    "She''s a weretiger." He deadpanned.


    !!!!


    The voice shivered momentarily before he heard a sigh of relief.


    "Y-Yeah, that''s it... she''s a weretiger, that''s what you know and leave it at that, I''m going to give you something, if her identity is ever revealed, with your current strength you won''t be able to do anything except watch her be taken away..."


    "Why are you telling me all this?"


    "Because I have no other option, you happen to be the only person I have met after being taken to this disgraceful ce, and you happen to be acquainted with her too, that can''t be a coincidence."


    *RUMBLE!!!*


    Foreign pressure was emitted together with a white aura of gantry, and then he saw it, something started to protrude from the corpse


    "UGH!!" The voice yelled in pain and despair.


    It was a heart!


    "T-The heart... of a lion never dies before its owner... you need to eat it, eat my heart and be stronger... I hoped toy my heart bare for the young miss to devour... but that moment won''te, the moment it is separated from me, it will die... you need to eat it directly from my corpse!" The voice grunted, cursed inwardly that this elf bastard is taking so long.


    "Very well... but what is going to happen to you?" As for Constantine, it wasn''t his first time eating a raw heart, at the times of survival, everything is legal... he grasped it, still a little reluctant, the heart was big, hot and palpitated like nothing he had seen before, it was like a piece of organic steel.


    The Hearth of a Lion.


    ''I hate lions with all my heart, but if I can be stronger by devouring this, fair price.''


    "After you take my heart, what do you think is going to happen? at least... at least I will finally be able to rest knowing that the youngdy is in good hands."


    "About the sword."


    "Keep it, but be advised, the bearer of that sword has thousands of enemies."


    "... thanks for the info."


    "It''s yours but you better not treat it wrongly boy, that sword belongs to my lineage! whenever you use it, make sure to annihte your enemy and leave nothing left, conquer thend and plunder the riches!" The voice once again emitted pressure.


    ''He''s quite passionate about his sword...''


    "Thank you Seledus, do you have any other request aside from helping Zamira?" He''d do that even if this man didn''t say anything.


    "Nothing... our Golden Lion Dynasty is long gone, everything sacrificed just to save a single individual... there is nothing I can ask you that is nearly as important as the youngdy... only, if she ever remembers... if she ever recalls my presence. Tell her that she doesn''t need to worry about me, for assisting her was my pleasure."


    "... I will do it. What is going to happen to me after I eat this?"


    "Bastard can''t you just eat the heart and shut your mouth!?


    "Answer the question, do you want me to just eat a raw heart that was presented to me without even the slightest suspiciousness!?"


    "Tch! so stubborn, others would just dig in this marvellous opportunity... you''re going to be a werelion... you will gain my white lion mutation and be a werebeast, you have potential boy, but the current you is too weak... Sandoria is a merciless world, if you''re not strong enough, whatever it is that you desire will be plundered by someone else, some other warrior, some other god... remember that."

 Chapter 83 The Secretly Sealed Monstruosity

    "I have one more question for you, who or where can I reach if I want to be stronger with magic... or even as a werebeast." It wasn''t every time Constantine managed to meet someone with so much knowledge, yet this damned skull is so eager to perish... he wanted to extract at least a bit more information.


    "Go to the academy in the capital... conceal your prowess, if you show too much, I''m afraid your life will stop being yours... if you don''t show enough, you will be cast aside, bear in mind my words. As for your werebeast powers... hehe~ let it flow, boy. There is nothing better than sumbing to one''s natural instincts, allow them to guide you!"


    Constantine''s hand holding the heart shivered as he smiled, a little expectant even.


    "... very well, Seledus. Thanks for everything." He disposed himself to devour this raw heart that was still connected to his body through a membrane.


    "Hurry up before this entrance closes, by then you will be doomed!"


    [This old man is quite strong for this world''s standards, he barely reaches the demigod rank, by devouring his heart you''re going to experience a huge bacsh, brace.] Zebellia spoke words of caution.


    Constantine was already thinking of giving a single bite, but as if the skull could already sense his thoughts, it spoke.


    "You need to eat all of it, otherwise... my life will be wasted. I can''t tell you anymore, if you get to know the current priestess, she will tell you everything you''re qualified to know, your strength shall determine it. Go ahead."


    With no words to say but the determination to show, Constantine opened wide.


    He gulped and took a huge bite.


    The voice didn''t say anything or expressed any pain, or a grunt... nothing.


    The taste of the heart was horrendous and the impact was immediate against his body, like sending magma to a frozenke.


    "UGHHH!!!!" He grunted his eyes opened widely going immediately bloodshot.


    If he were to say how it felt in words, perhaps... throwing himself from an infinitely tall abyss and impacting the ground an hour after, such an impact, he felt it all over his body, but it didn''t kill him.


    He felt his consciousness giving away by the mere impact, but Constantine tried as hard as he could to resist it.


    "Y-You can''t lose consciousness boy! or you''re dead, this ce will be closed in less than an hour!"


    "UGH!" All that passed by Constantine''s mind was the image of his wives, the image of Aurelianne... Caroline, Lucille... he couldn''t die again.


    As if knowing his circumstances, he felt a sudden surge of positive energy and his mind cleared, the aura of life.


    *RUMBLE!!*


    Even the voice felt surprised by the sudden aura of life that engulfed this ce.


    ''My Goddess...'' This life aura could only have a source.


    ''Dear,e out of there!'' Aurelianne yelled in his mind after having imparted him a small blessing, one that made him regain his consciousness greatly,


    Without thinking twice, Constantine ced the entire heart in his mouth and devoured it like a hungry vagrant!


    No more words were said from Seledus except for thest thought.


    ''Young Miss...''


    Constantine fell heavily on the ground, contorting, twisting but with a clear mind, he experienced the pain at least ten times worse than thest due to that rity, but his mind was not blown to the backyard, instead... he panted and recovered, feeling how his entire body itched like never before.


    "U-UGH!"


    [Your body is adapting to this new power, you need to keep this rity, otherwise, you will turn into a mindless animal!]


    ''I-Its... easier said than done!'' He grits his teeth harshly with everything he got, the pain the itch.


    His visual zoom increased, his smell turned notorious and his eyes profound and dted with a ck border around them.


    *GROWWLLL!!!!*


    "Out, I have to get out of here!" His hand took the sword and ced the handle in his mouth, unbeknownst that his teeth had already started to change, those sharp teeth bit violently against the golden sword.


    It was then that his gaze set on the skies as if gaining an artificial light that wasn''t there previously and he noticed that the stars were not disappearing, the entrance was closing!


    [You can''t wait until the pain recedes, do it now!]


    Constantine staggered up, feeling how his limbs expanded and his entire body seemed to grow white in colour.


    "U-UGH!" He grunted bitting harshly against the sword that seemed undaunted by the pressure of his jaw, right now, bitting that sword was the only thing that brought him calmness.


    His hair grew in size and when he ced his hands on the rocks, he saw them... small ws.


    He hooked them against the stoned wall, sinking the nails the furthest possible in and tried to crawl up, all it whilst still trying to recede the pain that still rocked his body mercilessly.<novelnext></novelnext>


    One by one he made his steps out of the pit, almost falling several times.


    *GROWLL!!*


    [You''re losing yourself, Constantine!] Zebellia eximed but there was no consciousness to heed, only a lion.


    *RUMBLE!!!*


    Just as the opening on top was closing, the world started to shake beneath as a portal began to open, pitch ck.


    !!!!


    [It''s the portal! keep going! don''t allow it to suck you! this one is worse than the other, this is not amon subdimension!] The mare''s voice contained anxiousness, she couldn''t do anything now, it was all on him.


    Constantine felt his body being sucked in there, but his ws kept him tightly bound to the walls!


    *GROWWLLLL!!!!*


    Whilst being Constantine de Castille crawled out of the pit as it was about to fully close, releasing a slight growl as it still was deep in the night, not the best moment for him to be around.


    He felt hungry, insatiably so...


    But the portal wasn''t finished, it had something else to offer, something wicked and terrifying.


    "AURA OF LIFE, IN THE FALLEN SANDORIA."


    !!!!


    From the pitch-ck darkness, a white silhouette became visible, like a ghost on the other side of the river, watching.


    His small hand extended forward, and the moment it crept through the portal, it was no longer small.


    A single finger was already massive!


    Everything was being sucked into that pitch-ck portal until nothing remained except for those walls, those walls that suddenly shone with inscriptions, a seal.


    "I SHALL FINALLY WITNESS THE STARS..." The terrifying voice from the abyss said with longing but another entity in this world wouldn''t allow it.


    *RUMBLE!!!!*


    It was then that a gigantic red-slitted eye appeared behind Constantine as he continued to crawl out, unaware of the madness happening below... a sh of gods.


    ''Why is there an atrocious entity sealed in here?! moreover, thisw... Inexistence?! A foreign High-god...?'' She couldn''t understand, why was this seal so weakened that it opened under mere weight, ''either this seal is extremely weakened, or something tampered with it...''


    It didn''t matter, all she knew is that if she didn''t do anything, Constantine would be no more.


    With her current powers, the only physical part of her body she could materialise in this mortal world or any world was a single eye.


    "BACK OFF!!" But a single eye was enough to send a threatening primordial time aura. Zebellia could do nothing but try to tamper with whatever this entity was, something terrifying that even she felt anxious about!


    "TIME VALKYRIE, WHY IS THERE SOMEONE LIKE YOU... IN SANDORIA, INTERESTING. THE CURRENT YOU CAN''T STOP ME! I SHALL SEE THE STARS!"


    The finger came into contact with the eye, producing a st that shook Constantine''s body and pushed him further out of the pit his body was still that of a hybrid elf, but there were several patches of white mane around his hands and legs, his skin had gained a whitish tonality and his hair, the mantle that covered was discarded and gave way to a big white mane of fur.


    The White Lion was sted away from the closing pit while Zebellia''s physical form, the eye, was technically destroyed with a single touch, however... by the time the finger reached the surface the seal was almost closed.


    "JUST A LITTLE MORE... THE STARS... NOOOO!!!"


    But the seal didn''t heed, the entrance closed before the finger could reach the exit, a small quake shook the world and the only thing Constantine could hear was thementations of a Fallen God.


    "DAMN YOU!! SANDORK!!!"


    The world had turned grey under this entity''s might, but upon being engulfed by the seal, the clearing went back to what it used to be.


    *GROOWWLLL!!!*


    Constantine growled towards the night, feeling an eerie dark and abysmal aura start to dissipate after having appeared for a mere second as if the entire world turned sad, there were no animals, there was no life, everything turned grey.


    ''Dear...'' Aurelianne spoke in his mind still feeling his faith, but he wasn''t in his right mind either.


    Constantine felt more hunger than anything else, an insatiable hunger.


    A boar nearby became his first victim.

 Chapter 84 Ultimate Hybrid

    It had already been roughly half a day since Constantine told them to leave, Nia and Zamira were already waiting in the ce where they had previously concealed, but the purple-haired beauty was already losing her temper, getting worried.


    "Master hasn''te back, we have to go for him!" Zamira tried to go and surprisingly enough, Nia didn''t try to stop her.


    She was also getting worried about her saviour.


    "Let''s go back to that ce, but we have to go cautiously, there are more of those teams still hunting me and... even if I surrender myself they''ll still try to get you too, just you and I can''t find a single team of those bastard who is already in the integration stage, do you have a-anymore of those flowers?" As much as she disgusted those flowers and the stinky they were, right now they were in a ce where they couldn''t allow such a small detail from preventing them from moving on.


    "I thought you''d tell us to remain here, guess you''re not as bad." Zamira said, sadly they didn''t have any more of those flowers but there were still some petals scattered around.


    "Why would you think I am bad? he saved my life, I wouldn''t want him to perish in that ce."


    "Is that all the reason there is?" Zamira red suspiciously even threateningly.


    "Of course! It''s not like he''s a handsome elf or anything like that!" The girl blushed.


    "... Fair enough." Zamira smiled,pletely reassured that Nia had no other reasons; the two went on their way, rubbing the dead flower all along their bodies to deter anything from approaching... certainly, between a pair of klutz they kind of understanding one another.


    **


    **


    Constantine opened his eyes without knowing particrly well what time it was or where he was... there was some slightly odd odour all around his person but he didn''t initially pay attention to it.


    As the memories of the night prior seeped through, he shook his head in irritation feeling a mild headache, when he looked down at his body, it was coated with blood and his clothes ragged.


    Looking to the side he saw the Golden Sword, fiercely sinking in the soil coated with blood, it no longer looked golden by the amount of blood that had coated it.


    His body had merely moved by mere instincts.


    When he lifted up from the ground he saw the dozens of corpses pilled around, boars, snakes, bunnies even a single werewolf, all of the corpses weren''tpletely eaten, they merely had some chunks missing as if he had grown ''tired'' of them midways and decided to hunt something else.


    Lions were fickle beings, just like men, they''d hunt their prey and get bored of it, they''d mate with some lioness and get bored of her, truly of the worst creatures in the forest. But that''s the kind of creature he happens to be now.


    A White Lion.


    "Human, elf, Lion, what''s next..." He sighed, scratching his head and trying to stand up, but it was then that he heard that ''melodious'' voice in his head that recalled him that he wasn''t on his own.


    [You''re no longer human... your werebeast side has utterly suppressed your human genes, you should try and see if you can still use magic] Zebellia''s voice sounded tired.


    "How long have I been unconscious?"


    [An entire day, three hours, twenty minutes and ten seconds.]


    ''How urate.''


    He lifted up his hand and created some fire.


    "So I can use the magic of the elements even if I''m not human? how do you know I am not human?"


    [The trial changed your status...]


    **


    **


    [Status]


    *Name: Constantine Lionheart (de Castile)


    *Genre: Male.


    *Age: 78.


    *Race: [Werelion] [Royal Elf] [God (sealed)]


    Titles:


    [Conqueror Constantine]


    [Founder of the Lionheart Dynasty]


    [Bane of Husbands]


    [Heartbreaker]


    [Champion of the Goddess of Life, Aurelianne]


    [Husband of the Goddess of Death, Sandra]


    [Husband of the Goddess of Dreams, Phoebe]


    [Husband of the Goddess of Luck, Caroline]


    [Husband of the Goddess of Rot, Lucille]


    [Husband of the Goddess of Beauty, Melina]


    [Time God''s Utter Nemesis]


    [Space Goddess'' Beloved Son-inw]


    *Divine Blessings:


    [Blessing of the Golden Seed]


    [Blessing of the Adjourned Death]


    [War God''s Wrath (Sealed)]


    [Blessing of the ck Flower] ++


    [Blessing of the Daydream (Sealed)]


    [Blessing of the Causality, (Sealed)]


    [Blessing of the Decaying Flesh (Sealed)]


    [Blessing of Infatuating Eyes (Sealed)]


    [Blessing of Spatial Conduct (Sealed)]


    *Curses:


    [Grief of the Husbands]<novelnext></novelnext>


    [Heaven''s Decreed Punishment]


    [Trial''s Karmic Wheel] ++


    [Timeless Distortion (sealed)]


    *Abilities:


    [Swordsmanship: A+]


    [Horse Riding: C]


    [Archer: B]


    [Scheming: A+]


    [Seduction: EX]


    [Charisma: A+]


    [Hustling: A+]


    [Drinking: E]


    [Beast Taming: C]


    [Joking: E-]


    [Drinking: -F+]


    *Magic Capacity:


    [Elf Magic: Light, Flora]


    [Werebeast Berserk Attribute: Transformation]


    [Magic of the Elements: Wind, Fire, Earth, Water]


    [1st Ether Magic Core: 100%]


    [2nd Ether Magic Core: 100%]


    [3rd Ether Magic Core: 100%]


    [4th Ether Magic Core: 100%]


    *Magus Rank: Adept Magus


    *Werebeast Rank: Humanoid Stage


    *Karma: -9.070.888.000 (Nine Billion)


    ...


    [Trial''s Karmic Wheel]:


    * Allow the trial to begin your judgement, quests shall be sent upon to you to test your might and present you with opportunities of growth or doom, only the mightiest demigods shall remain.


    [Blessing of the ck Flower]:


    * Blessing originally belonged to the Legendary White Lion, handed to him by his mother,te demigoddess and champion of the Beast Goddess, Kurohana. Allow the ck flowers to taint your foes in disgrace, your blood is the ultimate weapon of bad omen.


    **


    **


    Constantine held his head in pain, so much information wasn''t helping his headache.


    "So I received even his mother''s blessing... thank you, Seledus... but I don''t understand what the hell that is supposed to mean, my blood?" He inspected that supposed blessing of the ck flowers.


    [I think your blood turned into a weapon of sorts, you will have to experiment, your magic rank has increased as well perhaps during the time that you were fighting those creatures, you almost depleted your entire magic, and a lot of things have changed now... I advise you to head to an academy or find someone that can help you, your stats are immensely unbnced.]


    He thought she was right but right now it wasn''t the time to think about it, instead, his gaze roamed around the forest in the hopes of relocating himself, the sky even the position of the sun, but he couldn''t find any clues, this is a forest, not a town.


    "Where am I?"


    [You roamed around the forest killing whatever stood in your path, if you had met an entire team of those werewolves that would be a problem, you will find it difficult to return to the ce you were previously at.]


    "Did I leave any marks or anything?" He could only hope.


    [Perhaps the corpses at your wake, other than that, no marks... you headed up north or that''s what I believe...] He actually heard her yawn, she was about to go to sleep.


    Constantine felt like joking with the mare now, to lighten the mood and also to thank her, even if her action hadn''t been of much help (slowing time) it was indisputable that she had tried to help, so far he believed he was on his own, ''At least now I know if I''m in danger you will at least intervene, as much of a pain as you are sometimes''.


    "Now I am a lion, Zebellia, a white lion in fact... I hate it but it will give me some advantages with you."


    [What is that supposed to mean?] She asked, genuinely confused.


    ''Now I am no longer human so we can be together without constraint~''


    ...


    [Eww... I''m going back to sleep and hopefully I will die in my sleep so I don''t have to see your face again, pervert! I''m a graceful and delicate mare while you''re a disgusting lion, how dare you!?]


    ''You''re as delicate as the thumb I use to clean my ass.''


    She remained silent right after, perhaps feeling more irritated with hisugh as the background.


    "Now how do I get back... corpses, follow the corpses... I feel my body way lighter than before, more agile, fast... but also strong... lions are animals that focus on strength rather than speed, but even then, I became faster..." Constantine took some clothes out of his spatial ring to wear and ced the band around his ears once again.


    He took the golden sword and put it inside the ring as well, he recalled Seledus'' words, the bearer of that sword has a lot of enemies, ''Enemies is what I need the least unless they''re dead enemies, I like those.''


    The Conqueror kept regarding his body, experimenting... his ws could appear willingly, but the mane and all other characteristics, he didn''t know how to trigger them to appear.


    ''I''ll ask Nia when I find her... and... how am I going to tell Zamira, about Seledus.''


    Then he thought about the incident, Aurelianne had also been involved in it, there was minimal information that he could remember, ''I need to talk to her soon.''


    He was not are that he stepped inside a High-God''s prison, and survived, and maybe... it would be better if he never knew since the mere memories of that creature were enough to bring immense trouble and greed from others.


    Some entities still living in Sandoria, seeking treasures left behind by the lofty Gods.

 Chapter 85 Tree Of Certainty I

    *WHOOSH!!*


    Precision and swiftness.


    Constantine''s steps revered through the forest like void gales. His speed faster and sharper senses, it didn''t take long before he came to a realisation.


    ''Werebeasts are the best!''


    As a warrior and knight, no one could tell him more precisely what abilities were more necessary when it came to fighting, scheming and even fleeing.


    Speed, muscle tension, reaction speed, sense and why not? gantry.


    By bing a werelion the increase in all those aspects, particrly in the gantry department, was abysmal.


    *BOOOOOOMMMMM!!!!*


    His mind and consciousness sought both Nia and Zamira in the forest as he headed south following the trail of corpses he left behind until they disappeared, but the other part of himself, the new predator, would desire to at least imnt a good bite into anything that moved in this forest.


    ''I can''t control these senses properly... they''re overwhelming.''


    [It is because that old man was strong, you didn''t inherit his entire power as you merely devoured his heart, but... his centuries of struggle and experience, predation and senses, I assume they should be washing over you, if your mind and soul wasn''t strong enough... right now you might be nothing but a rabid beast thirsty for blood.] Zebellia yawned, apparently having woken up not too long ago.


    ''Good to hear you... did you sleep well?''


    [Y-Yes?] His unanticipated attention brought her to a standstill.


    ''What exactly happened in that pit? I can''t remember very well, but I remember that you yelled something at someone.''


    [That cave wasn''t a God''s ''trashbin'' as the old lion called it. It was a prison created by someone to keep an entity sealed, a Foreign High-God] Inside of his inner realmy a gargantuan fatigued mare, the ck miasma struggled to spread relentlessly, yet her aura kept it at a bay.


    ''What is a foreign High-God?'' He gulped, the name sounded overbearing enough.


    [We call it foreign because that entity is not native to this universe, that is an extremely odd urrence, there are forces in this universe that prohibit foreigners from entering, two of them are your father and mother-inw, the forces of Space and Time... if he was able to bypass them, it must have been millions of years ago, back then... perhaps even I didn''t exist yet, but my older sisters should have...] When she mentioned ''older sisters'' that wasn''t pronounced with a kind tone.


    ''And High-God?''


    [This is not something you need to know yet, but even among gods there are different ranks, you can see it this way, mortals are prone to worship gods, right?]


    ''Of course.''


    [Well, in the case of High Gods, their faith doesn''t feed on mortals, instead... they have millions of gods worshipping them.] Her tone contained an envy of sorts, as if this was a realm unreachable for her, yet there were those close to her that managed to attain it.


    !!!


    He couldn''t even begin toprehend what the scope of such an entity was, to put Aurelianne as an example, he thought of her as an ultimate entity, her capabilities depicted her as so, ''Yet there are individuals who would have gods and goddesses like Aurelianne worshipping them.''


    [There are several High-God level existences in this universe, for the most part they''re called either ''Rulers'' or ''God Kings'' but two of the most famous, you are acquainted with... Goddess of Space, Nova and the God of Time, Toki.] Her voice contained no calcble amount of disdain towards either of them, her contempt wasn''t directed merely towards Toki.


    Of course at the mention of his scummy ''father-inw'', Constantine''s visage dwarfted to one of annoyance, it didn''t help that such an annoying person happened to be so mighty as well.


    Then it changed towards curiosity to this ''mother-inw'' that apparently looked at him with quite a good eye to go as far as to give him a blessing, yet she hasn''t appeared even once.


    He could only sigh, hoping to meet her eventually.


    ''Who are the others?''


    [I only know three more God Kings... one of my elder sisters who was able to achieve this rank after existing for millions of years, the oldest of us... Time Valkyrie of the First Order, Lemenia. Another one is a Spatial Keres, Nova''s right hand man, Aubrey... He''s so strong that across the universe he managed to obtain his own title, ''A Crack That Spreads Across'' and the God of Destruction ''Unshakled Core of the Universe'', Centrino... there are dozens of others, but they only appear once every dozen of millions of years, thest time they appeared, I wasn''t even alive.]


    ''Why do Nova and Toki have no title?'' She hadn''t mentioned them at least.<novelnext></novelnext>


    [They are different, where other High Gods or strong existences hade to be through the passage of aeons with their own growth, Toki and Nova have exited since the beginning of the universe as one dissociated entity, their power ultimate since the dawn. Hence, from the beginning of times their titles are ''Time'' and ''Space'' nothing more, nothing less.... other concepts hade to be, but those two existed from the beginning. At least hailing from this universe, there are no stronger entities.] Even if her attitude towards them was not positive for her own reasons, the tone of reverence couldn''t be erased, she knew those two were unmatched.


    ''To think you Gods have such hierarchy...'' Constantine considered himself small, thinking that his pitiful seventy-ish years of reign had been an event of grandiose proportions, turns out... there are such devastating entities in this universe.


    [The hierarchy is way wider than just that, but... that is something forter, right now you aren''t even a demigod yet know they would pay their own lifespan to obtain~]


    ''Why are you with me, Zebellia?'' He asked suddenly,ing to a stop in the middle of the forest, on top of a branch.


    [...] She didn''t answer straight away, hence, Constantine insisted.


    ''Why are you with me, in this trial?'' He asked again, solemnly.


    [Why do you ask? what do you gain with my answer?]


    ''I don''t understand you, sometimes you''re a wicked bitch.''


    [*SNORT!*]


    ''But most of the time... you help me and guide me... it doesn''t look like your responsibility. It feels to me, that you''re doing it because ites out of you.'' The conqueror spoke honestly, if there was something he hated was not being able to decipher and individual, and unlike everyone else he has met, even Aurelianne.... he hasn''t been able to figure out Zebellia, The Time Valkyrie, there are so many secret around her that she knows he''s aware of, yet she won''t exin...


    [...] Silence yet again, but he felt he was getting somewhere, as if that wall is cracking.


    ''I''m not a little kid, and there are still a lot of things I don''t understand, when I was an Emperor, I knew nothing of this... nothing of my wives'' identities... Gods, worlds, magic, dimensions... I just don''t want to be left in the darkness... if there is something I don''t know, I want to understand it.''


    [Constantine Lionheart... that is what you are, no matter how much you deny it.]


    ''...'' He frowned, yes, that small sting in his heart, he felt it yet didn''t retort to her words even if he didn''t understand what it had to do with his enquiry.


    [All I can tell you is... that I am here to make sure things are the way they should have been. Please, ask no more. Until your trial is finished, I''ll stick around with you, after that, we will part our ways.]


    ''... You won''t tell me, no matter what?''


    [It is for the best... the best for you and the best for me, the best result.]


    It wasn''t the answer he desired, but it he''d have to be content with it because Zebellia would say no more.


    ''I understand, just tell me this... were you someone important to me?''


    !!!


    [What?] Her voice sounded stuttery, mncholic.


    ''I don''t know how... or when, but you know me... you know things about me that even I am unaware of, you spent time with me and hence, you are doing this... I''m not blind.''


    [...] She didn''t want to answer that.


    ''Just tell me this, were you important to me? would I have given my life away for you?'' His fists clenched, if he wouldn''t know who she was, or why was she doing this, at the very least he wanted to know if she was someone worth appreciating and keeping close, yet her answer was not what he hoped to hear.


    [No, you wouldn''t have...] Those words were dry like a desert, emotionless like her original being.


    ''Got it.''


    He kept jumping and no more words were exchanged between the two, but he felt a pain in his chest, acute like a long yet thin sting poking through, but it perhaps wasn''t his.


    It belonged to the gigantic valkyrie that was in there, managing the trial that would one day turn him into a God, and perhaps... by the time that happened, she wouldn''t be there, watching.

 Chapter 86 Tree Of Certainty II

    With a mind filled with iprehension, Constantine kept going onwards trying to find Zamira and Nia, not having a lot of progress.


    The forest was gargantuan yet he failed to make contact with anything of interest. What he found whatever were those annoying fellows.


    *BAANG!*


    Hended heavily on one of them, three destroyed corpsesy nearby.


    Constantine''s ws clutched this man''s neck relentlessly.


    "In what direction do I find the town of loup." Those were his mere cold words.


    All he received from this member of the Scarred cult was a spit of saliva on his cheek and a maniacalugh.


    "Our God won''t let you off, we know who you are, punk... our strongest members are already hunting you down."


    *CRUNCH!!*


    His maw sought the man''s neck, biting it harshly, he pulled the cartge and it came loose like the pulp of a watermelon, washing blood all over his body.


    He spat that man''s neck away and stood up in disappointment, not having gotten the answer that he desired.


    There were no longer leads, he didn''t know... thanks to the sun''s position he could know where the north and south were, reading the books given to him by the librarian there was geographic information and maps but he still couldn''t tel with uracy where the town was, it might even be that Zamira and Nia are not there.


    ''How troublesome...''


    It had been days since he had a proper shower or a decent sleep either.


    Not too long after he reached a mountain of sorts or better said; a small stoned hill.


    Finding a cave, Constantine rested there for a while, contemting his next movements what would Zamira do... she probably went back to the hole where he fell, that clearing yet she found it dested, there would be a trace of corpses and she''d likely not follow it.


    She didn''t know about his transformation and hence, seeing a trail of corpses, the direction of a deranged beast... tailing it was not something Zamira and Nia would do.


    ''But they would stille to the North to look for the tree''s branch, they know that''s what we''re looking for and Nia mentioned the trees were found to the North. Perhaps if I seek the branches, I will be able to find them.'' Constantine contemted, that was his only lead.


    As the night fell upon and his senses turned sharper he noticed that the cave went deeper than anticipated.


    Crawling in he investigated it further.


    "Is that the tree, but... what is that?"


    It was certainly the tree, but sleeping beside it there was a creature.


    ''Nia didn''t say anything about a creature guarding the tree...''


    It was a gori, at least four times Constantine''s size.


    He gulped audibly, this is by no means a weak creature, its appearance was already frightening enough.


    ''Should I try to fight it? that would be a mental thought to have.'' In no corner of his mind that was a good idea, if push came to shove he''d fight this creature, otherwise... deception it is.


    An idea portrayed itself in his mind, a way to get this gori out of this ce enough time for him to get some of the branches without begin caught, he could take advantage of the fact that it was the night, but sure enough this gori must also have a sensitive gaze.


    ''I can only hope.''


    Using light magic like before wouldn''t work, that time he simply covered himself in the shower of light by creating his own, but producing like in this darkness was ridiculous.


    Crawling forward me tried to make the least noise possible, a rather easy thing to do given his new earned bnce and furtiveness.


    ''I need to make more bombs.'' He thought, taking out thest bomb he had created from that moment in the cave of Sandork, throwing it would produce a huge explosion that could cause two possible effects, one of them would be to seal the entrance of the cave, a catastrophe.


    ''I can crawl my way out, the walls are made out of the soil, but sealing myself here with this creature is not a good idea, it won''t allow me to breathe.''


    ''If I start a fire there is a chance the gori will take the tree and go, it is more than capable of doing that.'' He considered all of his options, and what he could do with his magic.


    ''Seal the entrance and erase the oxygen to kill the Gori... it could kill the tree, rendering the branches useless.'' He didn''t know if that could happen, a nt could survive for a long time even if it didn''t breathe, but by then the fire would have extended, killing the nt.


    He needed to make noise, but the bomb was too overkill, hence, he did something simpler, take a rock.<novelnext></novelnext>


    ''Lure the gori away, take the branches... then I''ll have to meet him in the entrance.''


    ''Create a fake tree with flora magic to deceive it, that won''t work either, I don''t know what tree is that, I can''t recreate it.''


    He sighed, everything indicated that at the end of the night, he''d still need to fight this gori to death.


    It was then that a bell rang in his head, thest idea.


    His smile broadened wickedly.


    ''That could work, but... are my cores good enough to do it? I just broke through perhaps... it could be a nice way to test my current limitations.


    Constantine stopped crawling through, not at least twenty metres away from this white ape that was still shamelessly dozing off, unaware of his or her fate.


    Constantine''s w touched the soil and rotated his cores, he needed to do a few tests.


    The roots extended from his palm and sank into the soil, crawling through, when he found out that he could have his roots effectively crawl through the soil as it was still not dense enough, the first phase had been cleared.


    ''Now, the second phase, seal the entrance.''


    It wasn''t only to seal the entrance, he needed to close it in a way that not even a gust of air could pass through, this was going to be a difficult endeavour but one that would pay lots!


    ''I wonder how much this ape''s corpse is worth~''


    He calcted that he''d not need to waste his time for money in Sandoria anymore, and he wasn''t wrong.


    Vines of roots started to form a web in the entrance, crawling through the soil into a resistant matt, he made sure to produce severalyers of it, and then it was time for earth magic.


    [2nd Magic Core (Earth): 82%]


    ''It is doing great...'' His greatest worry was that his cores wouldn''t be capable enough to do what he had in mind.


    ''I need a LOT of water...''


    Several soilyers were addedter, the entrance was almostpletely sealed, he made it strong enough for the ape to not be able to break through, or at least, that''s what he thought.


    ...


    ''Second phase ispleted. Good, the entrance ispletely closed and now the clock is tickling, if this ape is sensitive to air currents, it should notice soon.'' His gaze moved left and right, it was time for the third phase.


    An escape route or in this case a concealment area. It was easy, he merely dug a hole in the Ape''s blind spot.


    By the time preparations were finished, one of his cores, the only one he used was merely fifty per cent capacity while the others were full.


    ''It''s time...''


    Constantine crawled into the hideout and exhaled deeply, there was darkness all around and aside from some grumpy noises, this ape hadn''t done anything else too extraordinary.


    With his core at fifty per cent capacity on stand-by and regenerating, he extended his hands forward and rotated all of his three other cores with a simple purpose.


    To create water.


    ''Slow it down, Conqueror... slow at first.'' He exhaled, regting the output, afraid that he''d shot a bucket of water on top of the Ape''s head, waking it up and everything would be messed up from then on.


    Instead, a steady flow of water came out of his hands, staining the soil and sinking initially moistening it until it eventually turned into a smallke.


    A few minutester his cores were barely scratched yet there was already a barely noticeable pool of water that was starting to converge in the area where the ape was.


    It harrumphed slightly at the sudden coldness but didn''t have that much of a reaction once the water touched its body, this same conduct continued at least a few minutes forward, and the water pooled around the area, barely scratching the ape''s bottom.


    Constantine hoped by the time the ape noticed, he''d have already sunk deep in the water with no visibility whatsoever, and such was the case, he started using his remaining core to get some air straight in his lungs and waited.


    Soon enough, the Ape''s eyes opened.


    And it wasn''t very happy.

 Chapter 87 White: Lion Vs Ape

    Constantine could no longer ce his gaze on the mighty Ape, but he sensed the movement spread in the form of a soft wave on theke.


    The Ape raised its head, slightly disoriented; its focus switched time and time again as if regaining itself after a deep slumber, lifting his paw he noticed it wet.


    *GROWL*


    A soft growl of confusion was released as it lifted uppletely to see the entire cave flooded as eternal darkness encroached the ce; if not for the bright light emitted from the tree of certainty, it wouldn''t be able to see anything, a contradiction as there was usually a brief lighting from the cave''s entrance product of reflection.


    Each movement shook the environment, monstrous size with an unmistakable white mane; using its four legs it moved forward yet failed to find the entrance of the cave and that was when it noticed something was wrong.


    The ape growled yet again before Constantine -still sinking beneath the water- heard it, a voice and not any voice, a female voice.


    "SOME RAT IS PLAYING A LITTLE JOKE." The voice was grave yet feminine and filled with mock, ''she'' turned around and those eyes shone with wrath and perhaps even some desire.


    The desire to y with prey, only a confident predator could hold such a gaze against an unknown foe.


    !!!


    ''It speaks!'' That was his first reaction, and it was a serious blow to his scheme.


    That''s just something he didn''t want to know; as soon as the n began, an unexpected factor didn''t fit properly with his ns. The Ape''s intelligence... gone was his intention to be furtive; throttling up as much potency as he could out of his cores, water began filling up this ce the same way he had done before against the cult, but this time at least twice as fast due to his breakthrough!


    *WHOOSH!!*


    From the slight brightness, the Ape noticed a sudden wave crashing with strength against her body, the water went from barely covering her paws to engulfing her entire bottom in mere seconds!


    "BASTARD! DO YOU KNOW WHO YOU''RE DEALING WITH!?" The Ape cursed loudly still with that grumpy voice.


    ''She'' readied herself and extended her hand back then shot it forward like an arrow.


    A single fist from this monstrous creature was enough to let him know the peril he had ced himself in.


    *BOOOOMMMMM!!!---


    The wave was blown apart, creating a catastrophic shockwave; it crashed against the cave''s walls, destroying and causing debris and dust madly, the wave went through Constantine''s body like two metal swords colliding and made him spit blood he didn''t know which but one of his organs suffered a great deal of damage, he could only exhale the oxygen that was being produced in his lungs in disbelief.


    ''It didn''t even hit me what kind of monster is this!?'' The danger of this endeavour had just increased to ridiculous proportions, but it was toote to abort, if he crawled inside the soil now, her fists would create a greater deal of damage than in the water.


    [1st Ether Magic Core (Water): 39%]


    [2nd Ether Magic Core (Water): 42%]


    [3rd Ether Magic Core (Wind): 20%]


    [4th Ether Magic Core (Water): 52%]


    It wasn''t looking good!


    The ape growled once again and looked back and forth up and fro, anywhere; she hunted for the origin of the water which was likely to be the location of the little bastard, her punches wouldn''t do anything, the water sshed everywhere but it kept taking the space, the water was being created at such speed that it went from covering her legs to covering her entire lower body in a matter of half a minute.


    This whole ce would be flooded in less than ten minutes at this pace!


    And that was not something she could take lightly.


    "LISTEN, LITTLE RAT... SHOW YOURSELF AND I''LL GIVE YOU A PAINLESS DEATH!" Her threatening voice shook the ce almost as much as her fists.


    The silence was what received her threat producing a dangerous smirk, she still felt confident that the moment she knew where the rat was hiding, everything would be finished.


    "VERY WELL, YOU CHOOSE SUFFERING!"


    *RUMBLE!!!*


    The ape stood in her two feet and had her arms extended only to fiercely sh them the next second!


    <INSATIABLE HUNGER!>


    A red aura started to leak through the Ape''s body, every single pore; like flowing magma. The water slowly but surely began to boil! It was insane, the temperature increased and when her eyes opened they were shining, it was a ridiculous monster.


    He didn''t even know at this stage if this was merely an Ape belonging to Sandoria or if thanks to his damned karma he just happened to have an encounter with yet another ridiculous ''High-God'' in which case, then he was surely fucked since there is no way a ''High-God'' would ever die by something as ridiculous as drowning.


    That was a good sign since he could tell the Ape was concerned now.


    ...


    The temperature continued to increase as if she wasn''t yet showing out her best potential, even then, the volume of water totally dwarfed whatever heat the Ape was producing, if her purpose was to boil down the water, she could try something else.


    s, that wasn''t her intention.


    Her eyes moved to a corner and that grown mouth twisted into a deranged grin.


    "THERE YOU ARE, LITTLE CAT!~" Her voice contained wickedness albeit surprise, but in any case, as much as she was concerned, this individual was already a corpse, werelion or not.


    !!!!


    ''She found me!?''


    The werelion hybrid could believe she was merely bluffing, a cheap tactic used by a desperate beast to make her foe crawl out of its den. But he felt that killing intent! perhaps due to his now switched race of a Lion, he felt it... a bigger predator looking at him with the intent of devouring!<novelnext></novelnext>


    Constantine didn''t stop to think whether it was merely a trap or not, as fast as possible he switched the position of his hands that were still producing water madly, and impulses himself outwards!


    *WHOOOSH!!*


    And thanks to the goddess Aurelianne that he did!


    *BOOOOOOOMMMMMMMM!!!!!--------


    Another fist was thrown, another shockwave barraging his body, and the ce he had been at was sted apart, leaving a massive hole in the cave!


    "LITTLE WEAZEL, DO YOU THINK YOU CAN SURVIVE FOR LONG!?" The ape said that still a little awed that her first fist had been evaded, but the water was already reaching her neck, what had been previously confidence had swiftly turned into cautiousness.


    There wasn''t the worst ce for her to fight than this cave, encased, filled with water and without a single wisp of light, the tree of certainty had already sunk inside the water, this was the worst ce for her to fight a foe, let alone this ''ant'' wasn''t just any ant, it was a disgustingly annoying ant!


    ''THIS BASTARD SET ME UP GOOD!'' She couldn''t believe to have fallen into this dire situation while asleep, this is clearly a magus, a strong one in fact to create this much volume, a crafty bastard, his intentions unknown; for now, he wanted her death, that much she could tell.


    This scheme also portrayed his weakness, if he needed to drown her in order to defeat her, then his strength was apparent.


    Constantine took advantage, he kept moving like a rocket across the cave, underwater; using the impulse to keep himself away from her fists believing that her vision wouldn''t be as effective, sadly... that killing intent never left his body, thankfully he could create his own air for his lung''s usage, otherwise, that would have been enough to leave him breathless!


    ''Dammit!''


    He knew his cores wouldn''tst longer than with this output of water magic, filling it up to this extent was already a feat of marginal proportions, but it wasn''t quite enough, there was still twenty per cent left of the cave of fill!


    The problem wasn''t really his cores, the problem was whether he could stay alive until then while being directly locked by this Ape!


    No doubt a fist of that creature would kill him if the mere shockwaves were already causing so much damage.


    *BOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMM!!!----------


    *BOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMM!!!----------


    *BOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMM!!!----------


    One after the other, she kept throwing punches, urate toward him as if she knew where he was going to be, but the water did a great job in erasing most of the strength that the fist possessed and also, speed if this was the surface, not even his corpse would remain by now.


    But Constantine saw light when the agitated ape finally sankpletely into the water, there was no longer room for her to breathe!


    She didn''t bother growling and wasting her oxygen, instead, frantically punched the walls, again and again, hoping to create a hole from where air woulde from and that''s precisely what he wanted to see!


    For several seconds those shockwaves caused him heavy damage but who cares? the te is served!


    When she saw that there was no possibility of that, however... her eyes went mad!


    ''I CAN''T BELIEVE A LITTLE RAT IS GOING TO END MY LIFE... LIKE THIS... ONE OF THE SAGES! BUT YOU''RE COMING WITH ME!! I WON''T ALLOW YOU TO LIVE, LITTLE BASTARD!''


    Everything lost, the Ape went with everything against Constantine, he could only hope that her oxygen would finish in the next few minutes, by now his mere will kept him moving, he was sure something was wrong with his body, those shockwaves had popped off something and he felt awkward and hurt, but that didn''t matter, this was thest line and the bet had paid off!


    ''I can get the tree and this ape''s corpse!'' The berserk desire to get a nice bite out of that Ape''s neck kepting with endless temptation, a single bloody bite with enough flesh to boast a conquer!


    *BOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!----------


    Her fists were like an earthquake, if this cave wasn''t so deep inside that rock from earlier, so down inside the earth, no doubt her fists would have already destroyed this ce, creating a huge crater, but the pressure from the soil above was too much even for her strength, she knew she was doomed.


    ''NOOOOO!!!''


    When she felt herst string of oxygen, the ape started to shiver while Constantine smiled wickedly, finally... his cores were depleted, a mere 10% capacity, that was literally nothing, hopefully, it would be enough to crawl his way out of this cave through the soil using flora magic, but with the depths of this pit, even that was within question.


    The Ape shook pitifully, asphyxiating and giving a conclusion to his ns, regarding this man with wrath and reluctance.


    Constantine bit his lips harshly, she looked pitiful indeed but such is thew of the forest, you kill or get killed and he needed this tree.


    *GROWWLLLLL!!!!*


    It was then that he saw the Ape''s body start to shine in berserk red colours, bubbles of boiling water surged, increasing the temperature of this ce immensely.


    He didn''t know what was happening but it didn''t look good, usually, Zebellia would give some input by now, but she was apparently still asleep.


    When he saw this ce get so hot, his instincts screamed at him for something.


    ''RUN!''


    But where could he run?! this was a prison, no more and no less!


    Using his earth magic he began creating a cocoon of sorts, he didn''t know what she was doing, but whatever it was, he needed to protect himself!


    Before the cocoon was created, however, all of the strength of this Ape was let loose.


    <SACRIFICIAL SOUL!>


    *BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!--------------


    Like an exploding volcano, this fight reached a conclusion.

 Chapter 88 The Great Sage

    A relentless search, the pair of girls had investigated, sought and scavenged for Constantine''s location, ultimately reaching nothing as the purple-haired beauty''s countenance was starting to show signs of anxiousness.


    Especially when they found the previous clearing of the fight, and they didn''t find anything.


    No Constantine, no werewolves, no creatures or corpses.


    Not even the signs of battle.


    That had been extremely worrying for her and Nia had noticed, thetter wouldn''t confidently say she was totally unconcerned either.


    *BOOOOOMMMMM!!!-----


    !!!


    "What was that!?" Zamira and Nia, both making their way across the forest; saw in the distance an immense cloud of smoke, birds flew all over, fleeing from that location in a fit of screeches.


    Regardless of a living being, going to such a ce would be seen as a bad omen, but Zamira frowned instead of thinking about several possibilities.


    Eventually, she paradoxically thought about what Constantine, her master, would do.


    "We can''t follow that direction." Zamira tried to pull Nia who shook her head with a gaze that depicted shock, thankfully, she had caught onto something more aside from the obvious danger that wasing from that ce, there was also an aura, a flux of spirits.


    ''W-Whis is she here?!''


    "That''s the old sage! Zamirae!" Nia pulled Zamira''s wrist and the pair ran fast through the trees and vines, Zamira furrowed her brows further.


    "But master-"


    "He might be involved in this!"


    "..."


    **


    **


    The two quickly arrived at a ce -thankfully close to their location for more than one reason; it was a gargantuan crater coated with heated and smoking soil, ridiculously big, several hundred of metres in width; inside this crater, there were two ''individuals''.


    If they could still be recognised as such.


    "M-Master!!!" Zamira panicked horribly at what she saw, running desperately inside that crater and jumping. There he was, her master, his skin scorched and missing two limbs not with the subtle cut of a sword or weapon, but harshly torn apart in a gruesome sight.


    Her mind already thinking about the worst.


    Nia too witnessed Constantine and paled in distress but then she saw beside him, that gigantic Ape,pletely burned to a crisp to the point that its white fur as she recalled it could no longer be seen, now it was ck, smoky and even peeled in some ces, giving way to the bone.


    "Sage Kumo used her sacrificial soul!?"


    Zamira rushed to Constantine while Nia stared in shock at the burned ape, it was barely breathing as if striving to survive its gaze containing disbelief whilst looking at the skies with an apparentck of lucidity.


    ''He did this?!'' Nia could only contemte at the result and reach that conclusion, as ridiculous as it was, fully aware of what a ''sage'' represented.


    ...


    "Master!" The purple-haired were tigress slumped and held her master, not knowing what to do, she immediately took a pill that they had gotten from the guild, a healing pill and ced it in his mouth, forcing him to take it in, at this moment still unaware that there was something already helping him. The pill would, nevertheless, maximize his healing progress.


    "Z-Zamira..." Constantine''s eyes opened as slow as a snail, shivering and failing to see clearly what was in fronthe sun and something was coveringing it, but muffled. A purple bush of something.


    "Master, you''re healing..." Constantine was missing an arm and a leg, his entire body burned to a crisp with only several parts still looking ''healthy'' as if breathing a little too heavily against his face would finish the job at any moment.


    Thankfully, a bright golden light seemed to be healing his body relentlessly, she guessed it must be the Goddess of Life trying to preserve her champion''s life, because the regeneration could be seen with the naked eye.


    Zamira''s presence brought Constantine enough peace for him to fall unconscious, further scaring the warriordy who thought that was it... he died.


    "He''s okay." Nia crouched near her and touched a certain spot in Constantine''s neck, feeling his pulsating veins.


    ''W-What exactly happened... he turned into a werebeast?! moreover why is he fighting the sage, he even forced her to use her sacrificial soul, was he always this strong?!'' Nia''s brain was a mush, she didn''t understand anything that she was seeing, and by the look of it, she wouldn''t get answers soon either.


    "Zamira, I know this ape... she''s... a friend of my mother."


    "She was killing master!" Zamira''s eyes contained lightning and hatred when she looked at the ape, no backstory whatsoever, she only this creature had been fighting her master and he somehow managed to survive this catastrophe.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Please don''t get angry! I know there must have been a reason!" Looking around amidst the debris, she saw it.


    "Look! It is a tree of certainty, it is... destroyed." The tree''s stem was broken into tiny pieces, no longer shining as it always would.


    "Could it be-"


    "They must have been fighting over the tree... Zamira, help me take them away!" Nia crawled on top of the Ape who by now seemed to have lost consciousness.


    "How are you going to take that Ape away!?"


    "Just leave it to me..." Nia went to the Ape''s body, on top of it, she pressed her hand on the Ape''s chest.


    ''Oh, Lady Samya I beg you restore this sage beast back to its lucidity and save its soul from perishing, only you can prevent the reapers from taking away her soul...'' Unbeknowst to Zamira, Nia was praying; her words would be listened to and even answers.


    ''As reckless as always, Kumo...'' That voice was revered in her mind as wise and beautiful as thest time she heard it.


    A bright white light shone in the form of stardust on top of Nia''s body before travelling across the air andnding in her palm.


    The stardust entered the calcinated beast''s body and produced a fierce palpitation.


    Its body started to shrink under Nia much to Zamira''s amazement, it took several minutes before the gigantic ape became a dark-skinneddy with white short hair, her body still quite damaged and battered, she was unconscious as well.


    Nia took her on her shoulder rather unpolitely, "We have to go, an explosion like this is going to get a lot of attention, we were lucky to have been this close to it! Follow me!"


    Nia began running as fast as she could, the dark-skinneddy didn''t seem to be as heavy for her as Zamira though.


    Instead of taking Constantine like a bag of potatoes, she did ce him on her back before shooting out in Nia''s direction.


    **


    **


    Constantine''s eyes opened, and he got the scare of his life.


    "..." The silence of the other party, the creature in front of him, was apparent.


    In this dream-like world, there was nothing except a white light that fulminated everything and covered everything in light, sadly, there was Constantine himself, naked as the day he was born with a gaze filled with terror.


    There was also a piece of ss in front of him, one of the infinite proportions, emitting a ck haze, the ss seemed to possess no limits known to man, it expanded infinitely to its ''Y'' and ''X'' axis.


    And it served... as a barrier.


    "Are you so afraid of death, Constantine Lionheart?" The voice constituted everything that was evil in the Conqueror''s consciousness, everything that sounded horrible, everything that one detested enough to look away.


    The next second, that hideous creature, that abyssal existence, that entity that could only be Constantine''s biggest nightmares, a formation involving a gigantic lion that better resembled a hideous ck quimera; dispersed, giving way to yet another fearful yet more eptable silhouette.


    The figure of a man with a ck cloak that covered his entire body.


    "Are you so afraid of it, despite the fact... that you have bestowed it upon the innumerable."


    "... who are you?"


    "I''m one of the delegates of death, and Ie for your soul, for you have perished."


    !!!


    "But... a powerful goddess of death seems to be quite fond of you, [The Blessing of Adjourned Death] is not given out lightly, let alone... most Death Gods aren''t even qualified to possess it."


    "..."


    "Yet you."


    *BOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMM!!!!---------*


    From that abyssal ck cloak, a gargantuan w belonging to a creature extended and impacted heavily against the ss, creating a thunderous resonance that nearly sted Constantine''s hammer bone.


    Once again the terror resurfaced as this creature showed its clear intent.


    "You sand therefortably before the reaper, and I''m unable to harvest your soul, mymitment..." The voice said with wrath, the rage of a person who can''t do their job because something is in the way.

 Chapter 89 Death & Truth *

    "..."


    "The soul, primordial part of life, coexists with the body and the consciousness of being."


    "W-What are you-"


    "Your body belongs to thend from whence you came, your consciousness belongs to the higher gods and beings that reign this universe, but your soul."


    The ck miasma covered its body before what could only be described as astounding, lustful, beautiful... it formed itself in front of Constantine, in the form of a woman.


    "Your soul belongs to the death even as you live~" She walked forward from that ck miasma, naked with that lustfully splendorous body that would make the most primal gods lose their minds.


    Thedy, the death, stood before that ss... touching it with he finger, unable toe across.


    "Even champions of life aren''t different, once your time hase, you''re mine... shall your body return back to thend and turn into dust, shall your consciousness re-enter a new cycle, bereft of memories to create life anew, but YOUR SOUL..." She made extra emphasis on those words, making sure to lift her other hand to fondle her own breast -her size beyond perfect, might he add.


    "Your soul has toe back to me, for I am the deposit of your experiences and the peace thates after~" Like the ultimate contrast, what had prior been the voice of his deepest fears, had now turned into ''her'' voice... one of his deepest desires, one that couldpel no one but HIMSELF, to submission.


    "... Isabe." He murmured, his face grim and disbelieving, his eyes taking all the details of her every cell, details he already knew prior yet missed as he had done with no one.


    The person he had loved the most through his life, no doubt, no one couldpare.


    Yet she stood right in front, showcasing her marvellous figure, coated in the loose ck miasma that failed to protect the purity of what was important, no, that miasma desired to showcase and tempt a poormb.


    "I know all of you, everything you are and were... beyond Sandoria... in the deepest corner of your soul, you love me." Her tongue crawled out, licking that ss lewdly, pressing her entire body against it as if she wanted nothing more than to get rid of this pesky barrier to hug the love of her life, and also... to be hugged back.


    "..." Constantine frowned, his entire body shivering, perhaps more than thirty years of desires agglomerated together.


    "Come to this side... we can make so much love and never be apart." Shey her words like honey on a te, making sure to rub her body, her breasts, her legs, everything against it, squishing them for him to delight in, making sure that he knew what he was missing.


    His hand extended forward, touching the ss and briefly protruding it, an opportunity that she took.


    Her tongue licked his finger and Constantine felt an electrical current pass through his body, one that resembled the edge between pleasure and pain.


    Wanton, lusty... her links her only resource was relentless, he extended it forward, giving her, even more, a second finger, and she made sure to squeeze her tongue between the crevices.


    "I love you." She said, licking her lips, floating up and pressing her breast against his fingers, with a scheme.


    Once again he extended his hand forward a bit,pelled to grasp the entirety of her boob, squeezing it with such euphoria, recalling those old beautiful days.


    Her breasts produced milk, they spilt on his hand tantalizing.


    And that was when she giggled, moaning to the white world how good she felt, once again she floated above, making him touch her naked insides, introducing the fingers herself, doing all the job.


    "We can do so much more if youe, Constantinee, please, I can''t wait... like the old times, do you remember?"


    He felt that moist and delightful flesh that would engulf him were he to agree, but thedy noticed... she noticed his stimtion wasn''t as big as before and hence, switched her tactic and retreated a single step, cing his hand back in her breast, ones that he squeezed madly yet again, ting a giggle out of her.


    The pesky barrier, the blessing of adjourned death, seemed to be a nuisance for the two of them.


    "Suck them."


    "..." His body shivered again with that sweet voice, her breast pressed forward, squishing against that ss, he noticed something that he didn''t see before, aside from her nipple.


    A crack.


    Yet her nipple, soaked in milk and tantalising; was so close.


    That his head couldn''t help extending forward to give it a lick.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Hmn!~" Her moan was way stronger.


    "D-Don''t lick, suck, please suck them, they are yours, have always been..." Her voice soundedpelling, anxious, like she seriously needed him to suck her breasts or she would perish.


    His mouth squeezed out of the ss and took a good bite of her breasts, something that prompter her... to take a good grip of his entire head and smile.


    "That''s it, I love it... it is tasty, right?~" She didn''t forget to ce his hand, which was already out, against her pussy, rubbing and rubbing, moaning.


    Almost half of the job was done, no petty blessing would stop ''her''.


    Her hands squeezed his head, pulling, a millimetre every minute was enough, taking his head out of that ss, he sucked relentlessly, yed with her nipple, licked it, sucked so much of that milk that his mind seemed to go crazy, memories flooded, so many special memories.


    "Yes, that''s right, my son~"


    "..."


    And that was the moment everything stopped, she frowned when he stopped sucking, his hand also stopped conquering down there.


    Everything came to a standstill.


    Because ''she'' would never say those words... while they''re doing ''this''.


    As fast as lightning he retreated back into the security of that ss, that blessing given to him by one of the individuals he loved the most in this world, that woman he lived long enough just so she could see her part.


    Sandra.


    With his eyes filled with wrath, he regarded the visage of ''Isabe'' who no longer looked as pleasured and happy, instead... her gaze contained nothing but Death.


    "You can''t just give a taste, without obtaining the whole experience." Thedy tried with a sigh, knowing by now that she had made a mistake and this reap would likely end up in failure.


    The Death would be bereft of a single soul, for the time being.


    "You''re not her... and even if you were, it doesn''t matter, I''m not going with you... she would have never desired for me to abandon what I have... and what I am... for ''her''... I always hated that so much, but what can I do?" Constantine said with a self-mocking smile, feeling endless sadness.


    The woman''s previously breathtaking visage turned into a hideous smirk filled with evil.


    "That''s a mother''s job." He closed his eyes and the next second, she was no longer there.


    *BOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!--------------------


    That gargantuan w once again shook against the ss, producing several cracks, using the previous one as the base, but ultimately, it failed to shatter this resistance.


    Death failed to im his soul.


    "CONSTANTINE LIONHEART!! YOU CAN''T ESCAPE FOREVER!!"


    A ck hole appeared behind that hideous creature, sucking it back to where it belonged, a reaper could only be in this world for so long, their existence unfair to reality, they belonged to thews of death, and forever would.


    "Thank you, Sandra." He said with endless gratitude as the dreand banished with the echoes of that creature leaving his soul ever so eerie.


    He had escaped death, but for how long?


    ...


    [Blessing of Adjourned Death (sealed)]

 Chapter 90 Family Issues I

    His lifeless eyes regarded the house in front of him during the night, that was the difference, regardless of anything that could circumvent a life, whenever he entered this door, the world would no longer be chaotic.


    His mother was already inside, finishing cleaning up, the house was rather pristine, with little furniture; nothing much more than a table and two chairs, not much more than a few pans and nts, folks and knives.


    Not much more than a pair of beds in the same room.


    Yet that seemed to be enoughpared to what the outside world had to offer. That could protect them from the cold rain and sometimes scorching sun.


    Constantine''s body was battered, his clothes, however, particrly his shirt, wasn''t that torn apart... his cheek swollen, obviously having gone through a fight, things were so much different a few yearster after he had started drawing and believing that he could win his life that way, by selling art.


    Things had changed, reality dawned and perhaps it did nothing more than to make him understand the struggles of the woman before him, what she had gone through during the time he was still allowed to be ''innocent''.


    His hand held a small bag filled with coins, the conclusion of the day, or perhaps a few days of effort.


    "Who did this to you?" The silver-haired beauty asked with a deep frown, her gaze concealing distress. Her hair was no longer as pristine, her attire no longer as clean and tidy, it seems she wore it for a few days, there weren''t many so she had to take care of her clothes, something she had fiercely engraved in him by now.


    "It was just a fight, mother. Here..." His hand presented the small pouch with money, she took it with a frown, opened and when she saw the amount of money inside, gasped a little, biting her lips for whatever reason and throwing him a re.


    "This is a lot more money than you should give me..."


    "It is for the house and also for food..." He answered, closing the door and entering. Having now secured his space in this house, he took a seat.


    "Even for food-" She continued, not to finish.


    "Just take it."


    "... Okay. Wash your hands." Her gaze contained reluctance, but aware that she wouldn''t gain much more by questioning, she stopped.


    The ''boy'' in front of him, that fourteen years old boy, wasn''t quite so anymore... contrary to what she expected he had truly held his words, helped her with their joint economy, allowing her to think about their hygiene and also clothing... she didn''t know how he did it, perhaps now she does after a particr incident, but in the end, their rtionship had transformed into that of an awkward realm.


    Deep inside she knew this ''boy'' was the man of the house, the one that would shoo thieves away, would bring back money for the house just as she did, he wouldn''t cook but he certainly tried, just... he wasn''t that good at it.


    She could no longer forcefully extract words out of his mouth, exnations or perhaps even apologies, they weren''t at that level.


    Now there was equality.


    When the food was ready, Isabe ced her son''s dish on the table and they ate together in silence, a rather ostentatious dish, but she considered and always taught him that if both of them killed their backs to survive, at least they''d do so in quality and hence, despite not having a noble status, their status wasn''t low.


    If anything, any perception that the citizens of this town might have of her was categorically her fault, a widow wasn''t a nice status to have, especially one with a child that''s already grown and also has a reputation of a troublemaker, she didn''t need any husband and the fact that men shooed her away was a certain plus.


    Sadly, it allowed perverts deranged thoughts about her figure... thoughts that thankfully didn''te to fruition due to Constantine''s reputation. Sadly, he was merely a fourteen years old boy, even if a gangster of sorts, still young.


    The silence broke off when she deemed it necessary to tell him something that was making her anxious, one of the many issues that arose today.


    "Constantine, I won''t be working soon." She said, gauging his reaction.


    "Why?" Aside from merely rising his eyebrow, the boy carried on eating.


    "I was fired."


    "Why...?" He asked again.


    "I had a fight with one of the other girls that work there, I think you know her, Briane." When thedy mentioned that particr name, her re entuated deeper.


    "Ah... she."


    "So you do know her... I beat her up badly." It was said like an achievement.


    "I have sold her my art before..." He didn''t dwell further, and she frowned, heavily.


    "Constantine, how are you making this money?"


    "The guys and I are just hunting around and selling some leather, mother, that''s all... what is it with the questioning?" He frowned, surprising her with his attitude, as expected... this was no longer the cute boy that would always do what she said.


    She made sure of that, and now bore the consequences of this indifferent rtionship, before they could continue, however, something happened, an incident that she expected but hoped wouldn''t happen.


    *BAANG!*


    Someone knocked on the door, heavily, several times.


    "Open the door, bitch!"


    "..." The moment Constantine heard that threatening voice, he furrowed his brows heavily and dropped his wooden fork, this person hadn''t even entered and he was already calling his mother that word, it was a taboo word.


    "Who is that?"


    "It must be Briane''s husband, let me-"<novelnext></novelnext>


    "I will go."


    Despite her outward gantry, fear clouded her mind, especially if Constantine was going to involve himself, by the time she proposed herself to reject, he was already opening the door lock.


    "Constantine!"


    The boy opened the door only to see a man towering above him, not with an athleticplexion but certainly not a weakling either, he knew who this man was -not in a good way- but the man didn''t know him for sure, at least not as an acquainted.


    "Who are you and what do you want?" He asked threateningly only to be shoved aside by the man who entered the house as if he owned it.


    "Get out my way brat!"


    "Hey listen! who do you think you are to pummel my wife''s face?!" He walked in and faced the standing beauty, giving her entire body an analysis, indeed, thisdy is as ravishing as the rumours said dirt? no one in this town wasn''t dirt.


    This was the empire''s shithole.


    "She can''t even protect herself and you have toe? you... a manes to harass ady?!" She retorted heavily, but her words had little effect especially when she had already detected that gaze that disgusted her so much, the same gaze Constantine''s father ''the noble'' had... as if she wouldn''t know the conclusion of that gaze.


    "Lady? now that I think about it, you''re indeed a finedy." He gazed at her with a dubious expression that made her shiver in disgust, meanwhile, Constantine went to the kitchen to take something, certainly, the boy knew how all of this would end, and he wouldn''t ce himself in a disadvantageous position when he was already weaker than the man in question.


    The man came closer, too close in fact, she had to retreat against the table.


    "I can end you right now, no one is going to protect you, Isabe... I originally wanted to kick you and your son a bit but, that would be a waste... how hrious, if you didn''t have that little shit of a son, how many would be queuing to get in your skirt, had he been born a fine youngdy instead... hehe~" The man''s gaze reached the pinnacle of disgust an evil and once her son was insulted, just like with his wife, she wouldn''t tolerate it.


    "Shut up!"


    *SLAP!*


    She pped the man''s cheek, sadly, that was hardly any deterrent, he took her wrists and licked his lips, pinning her to the table, apparently she had just given him an excuse to act.


    "I don''t really care about the brat, I can make your life easier, Briane doesn''t need to know... what we''re going to do, I''ll give you the money, just be a good girl alright, and I won''t hurt your son, you care about him don''t you!?" He pressed his head against her chest while Isabe struggled with tears in her eyes, cursing this weakness.


    "Get off!"


    *BAANGG!!*


    That was when a heavy object impacted against the man''s head, sprawling blood, liquor and pieces of broken ss all over.


    Isabe gasped, she didn''t even know they had alcohol in this house.


    "You scummy brat!" The man cursed and staggered while Isabe rposed herself, Constantine, however, went for the kill.


    The man still dizzy, nted a fist square in the iing Constantine''s face, sending him tumbling against the wall with a bloodied nose. It was then that Isabe, enraged, took a bouquet of flowers that were in a bottle and smashed it against the man''s head, preferably in the spot where hisceration was, creating further damage.


    An onset for Constantine to nt the broken bottle into his abdomen, producing a pained shriek and more blood toe out, sending him to the ground.


    The bottle went in and out, once, twice, thrice... as if he was hunting for leather, he didn''t stop until the person stopped moving and all of this was witnessed by Isabe with disbelief.


    "Stop! you''re going to kill him!"


    Isabe pulled her rabid son when she saw the man was no longer moving, hopefully, unconscious by some miracle of the gods, sadly... that wasn''t the case.


    Constantine panted and calmed down, the image of that man pinning down his mother, what had previously been wrath, had swiftly turned into insanity.


    "Release me." He ''ordered'' to her, coldly.


    Isabe shivered and did as he said, in this situation of vulnerability, what else could she do.


    Moving to the body, he pressed his finger against his vein and... nothing, he was dead.


    Without saying another word, Constantine went to the door and saw that everything was dark outside, then proceeded to take some sheets that they used for their bed and envelope the body then with a lot of struggle, he tried to put the body on top of his shoulder, unfruitfully.


    "..." Isabe couldn''t believe how natural it was for him to do all this, she bit her lips harshly and walked towards him, producing a frown in her son''s gaze.


    "Why can''t we draw the body?" She thought it would be easier... this was a grown man even between the two of them he was bound to be heavy.


    "If we draw it, it is going to leave a trail of blood that we won''t be able to see during the night, but... the guards will in the morning. We have to clean all trails that might lead here... hopefully, no one will see them."


    Her lips shivered so much at his words, his lengthy exnation of a crime.


    It indicated experience.


    "I will assist you, where?" All she could do was support her son, if they were discovered, it would be terrible.


    "The forest."

 Chapter 91 Family Issues II

    Thankfully the bastard decided to do his evil deed by night when the town had little to no guards, but there wa always the dangers of creatures lurking, something they didn''t seem to care about.


    The two caved a small pit where they threw the body, careful to not be seen by the guards of the town during the night.


    "How many times have you done this?" She asked as they threw the body inside and covered it with soil, it was obvious that something had happened here, but no one cared, so long as it couldn''t be traced to them, crimes happened every day.


    "Many..."


    "So this isn''t the first person you kill..."


    "No, let''s go back." Constantine wasn''t about to answer her every enquiry, he merely pulled her by the hand back into their house, trying with his gaze to see the ground and catch any blood, but there was nothing, then again, it was the night with scarce visibility avable.


    ...


    Both mother and son without even regarding one another went back to the house in the darkness, making sure to not be seen.


    Once the door was locked Isabe sighed in relief, there was a monster in this house with her, but this monster was her son and ally, it inspired security.


    Too much security.


    "You have blood all over, I-I will prepare the bath for you." She said, they hadn''t finished their dish, but she didn''t think that was important now.


    Although surprised by her attentiveness, Constantine simply nodded and continued having his dish -which he did believe to be important.


    "It is ready..."


    He lifted his eyebrows, seeing her covered only in her silk that she regrly took a shower with, it wasn''t the first time but it wasn''t something she did naturally.


    When he stepped into the bath which was merely a bucket filled with warm water, she entered with him, rendering his eyebrows to frown.


    "Mother."


    "I will wash your back." She frowned, daring him to reject her.


    "..."


    He didn''t disallow her, up until he was 10 she still washed him, after that he had to fend for himself, now he was fourteen and they retook an old custom unexpectedly.


    She started by his hair, it was so dirty that it no longer resembled its silver natural lustre, and... it was the same in her face, she too took showers merely twice or thrice a week.


    The silence was the norm, shame nonexistent at least on one side... Isabe, found herself blushing, but ignored it... her son had grown up, his height was now less than three inches less than hers and surely in two years maximum, he would surpass her.


    His body indicated strife, battles she hadn''t wanted him to go through, but in the end, such was life.


    "Have you been drawing?" She asked suddenly, feeling interested in his matters, today she realised that she didn''t know her son... the MAN that left every morning and came back every night was no longer a boy and she hadn''t even noticed... too busy working, preparing the food that he ate in the morning and then in the night before carrying on her own business.


    Apparently, she forgot to be a mother and decided that perhaps, there was still a chance.


    "No, I left it."


    "Why?"


    "No one wanted to pay for my paintings, they wanted them for free... or... they wanted something else." He confessed, rather hurt, it had been a hobby he enjoyed, but hunting was starting to be just as interesting.


    Her hand clenched in his hair and he noticed it.


    "And what do you do to entertain yourself now?" Her question seemed friendly, but there was an undertone to it that Constantine wasn''t quite catching.


    "I hunt with the guys, Marco..." He said, evasive.


    "He died..." She recalled the news of the boy, having been his mother''s friend, now no more.


    "He taught me how to hunt, so... I decided to do that for a living and we have a small group of kids now that like it too so, we go... around."


    Nothing of what he said exined why he knew how to bury bodies, but she had other priorities, jealous and self-centred priorities.


    Once his entire body was cleaned there was only one more ce to clean, but Constantine took the bar away from her and began cleaning himself before she could even ask, it did nothing but increase her anxiousness.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Constantine..."


    "Hmm?"


    "You were having sex with Briane behind her husband''s back." It wasn''t a question.


    "..." His movements stopped for a moment before continuing as if he had thoroughly ignored what she said!


    "Yes or no?" She grits her teeth, clenching her hand that was holding his waist, even ignoring to hold her own silk, having it fall on the ground.


    "Yes." In the end, he had no reason to lie, and he epted it. That was like an explosion in Isabe''s mind, she gasped with a mind filled with wrath, what she never wanted to believe, made a reality.


    "Why? Money?!"


    "Yes."


    "Constantine!" She couldn''t believe he was so natural about it, her issue was, if Briane was the truth, then... several others likely were as well, her son had whored himself in the streets at some point and she just realised!


    "I don''t do it anymore, that''s why she was upset." He exined, noticing that she was getting increasingly upset, his knowledge about women, way broader than it should, told him that he needed to step down, even if this was his mother.


    "..." She crossed her arm and tapped her fingers, turning him around to LOOK at her, instead of deviating his gaze, apparently forgetting she was naked or not caring whatsoever.


    "I started hunting with the guys and selling leather, making more money... and she was upset, did she say something?" Constantine who so far had his face down lifted it just to be face to face with perfection, or at least... perfection covered in dirt.


    His gaze wandered, but he didn''t allow his eyes to continue, fiercely refocusing back on her face, something that she noticed.


    And choose to ignore.


    "She insulted me... she said that you were a ''cheap'' scoundrel that goes around whoring yourself, stealing people and overall... someone that should be thrown away from the town, me included... she used several women in the factory of sleeping with you, who in turn also mentioned her... I had to beat her up just so she shut her mouth, I think she was fired too for herments even if she was my superior." Isabe exined, feeling a slight itch whenever she recalled that Briane had been her superior.


    "..." He couldn''t say he was happy with the oue, Briane was a great lover and rather alluringdy... she wasn''t his first, but certainly there were a lot of ys that he did with her ''first'', therefore learning quite a bit, at some point that rtionship went beyond client and employer, perhaps scrapping the realm of love.


    Sadly, she was a possessive one. she paid a lot of money just so he didn''t sleep with anyone else, she wanted him ''reserved''... money that her husband delivered... she needed money after all to please her lover, there was already money being paid for his time, then she needed money for gifts... unbeknownst to the dead bastard, he was paying someone to screw his wife... and he never knew, perhaps slight mercy amidst the karma.


    The moment that he told Briane ''no''... things stopped being wonderful and lovable, they turned wicked and toxic, this was merely the oue, one in which he and his mother would have suffered huge consequences, were they harmless orcking in strength and shrewdness.


    ...


    "Don''t do it again." Isabe gripped his shoulders, hard.


    "I can''t promise that."


    "Don''t do it again!" She yelled this time and he was forced to look at her eyes, taking in this mock intent of discipline.


    "..." Constantine felt himself back to those days for even a second, but then recalled that things were different and his coldness returned.


    Seeing that he wasn''t convinced, Isabe decided to test.


    "I''m going to look for another job, would you like it if did that? whoring myself out there, do you think I haven''t been proposed!? then that''s what I''m going to do from now on!" She said defiantly.


    "No!" He yelled, equally as defiantly, holding her wrist and daring her to do so... naturally, Isabe was no intention to do so, but... she got a nice input.


    "T-Then... don''t do it yourself, son. We will be alright, I''ll figure something out."


    "Okay." He wondered how long it had been since she called him son, he knew a lot of prostitutes out there, friends of his even... it wasn''t a nice life to live, and the reason he lived it, was so she didn''t do it... they say that their lives are prostitutes are way easier than most women, but also, the prize is dignity, and asset that one doesn''t recognise how important it is until it is lost... and once it is lost... it neveres back.


    He belonged to the streets, one of his best friends, ady called Odelle... she had been murdered by one of her clients recently... one day they had a rough session in her house, just having some fun and perhaps even relieving stress from both sides afterwards, whileying on his chest, she said words he''d never forget


    ''In your case, it is different because you''re a man... ''whoring yourself out'' there is no such a thing... you''re hunting and you''re even being paid for it when most have to struggle because you''re beautiful, strong and desirable... despite being so young, that is not dignity loss, Constantine... unlike us, that shouldn''t make you feel that you''re worthless, that should shot your dignity to the skies, you''re absolutely worth it! I don''t know what will be of you, but... I''m sure you will be someone big~'' Those words segmented her identity in his heart, not as a lover but as someone important that he would never forget.


    For the future Emperor, Constantine, that prostitute, Odelle... had been one of the most important people in his life.


    He didn''t want to see his mother in Odelle''s ce... yet unbeknownst to him, it wasn''t only the feeling of protectiveness with influenced his mind, but also something else... something that he didn''t feel for any other woman regardless of friend, girlfriend or client.


    Possessiveness.

 Chapter 92 Breaking Barrier I

    It was time for her to have her own wash, and things were going to be a little differently this time.


    With the bucket filled with his dirty water, he retreated and she took another one that she had prepared from the side, sitting in it... Constantine was going to leave when she stopped him, taking his wrist softly.


    "Clean my body."


    She said, taking a seat in the bucket afterwards... extending her hair back, long silver hair that reached the floor.


    "Okay..." As odd as the situation was since they never did this, he thought that perhaps it wasn''t that unnatural for a son to do this for his mother, for one he had never seen an instance, moreover... she already cleaned his body.


    He began scrubbing the ''secure'' ces, such as her ribs, back, neck...


    "Do you think I should cut my hair?" She asked suddenly.


    Constantine didn''t know what to say, she had never asked him his opinion on anything remotely esthetic.


    "I don''t know."


    "Do you like my hair long or short?"


    "Long..."


    "Then I won''t cut it." That was her smiling conclusion.


    Another row of silence ensued as he scrubbed her ribs again, he had run out of ''secure'' ces to clean, his gaze then moved down to see that reverse heart shape.


    He gulped.


    "What should I-" He wanted to know if he was allowed to clean that ce too, yet she, still with her eyes closed seemed to expect that question and interrupted him.


    "You can clean everything except my vagina."


    "..." Constantine threw her a look that she retorted with her own ''look'' which was obviously stronger than his.


    "You know what a vagina is, don''t make yourself innocent... you have been with those sluts." Contempt and poison were all her words possessed.


    How dared they? How dare they take her son''s services? How dared he offer services in the first ce to some other women?


    ''How dare he not offer me that service...'' She grits her teeth, trying as hard as she could to discard that thought but it was impossible, the seed had already been nted.


    ''I was the first one to purchase your art when no one would... I should... have been the first one to take your service too... the only one.''


    It had put food in their mouths, but she couldn''t ept it.


    "Are you upset?" His voice didn''t sound as cold as before, rather, once again the boy seemed to not want to see his mother angry.


    "Of course I am upset! thank you for asking!" She flung her head to the side, evading his and fuming.


    "..."


    Once again using his experience, Constantine decided to shut up, nothing that he said now would change this situation.


    He used a cloth and squished it on top of Isabe''s head, the water flowed all over her hair and body and he began to dutifully clean her as the water flowed.


    Her hair progressively regained its silver lustre, though not entirely clear, it looked cleaner.


    He scrubbed her body, this time going further... her breasts were so round, not sagging, constrained by the force of gravity indeed, but still perky... he could tell, having seen a lot of sagging breasts, women that didn''t take care of themselves properly either.


    He could tell good breasts when he saw some, and these were particrly... alluring.


    Isabe bit on her finger when she felt her buds get scrubbed insistently, closing her eyes, forgetting the real identity of whom those hands belonged to.


    Then he had to grasp them with his forearm and lift them up to clean the underside properly, her belly button, Isabe lifted her arms to get under and clean.


    Constantine indicated her to stand up and she did, he scrubbed her slender long legs, her rear, the crack... a single finger from bottom to top... her mouth opened but she bit her finger before any word came out as he made sure to clean that ring, her most private ring, even more than her vagina.


    Isabe cursed herself, she should have said vagina AND asshole, but she forgot about thetter, the breasts seemed to not be important or perhaps... the breasts were the intent all along, everything else was an extra.


    Constantine panted, trying to focus on anything other than his thoughts.


    ''Is this what a son and a mother... should do?'' The question lingered but apparently unimportant, after all, a son cleaning his mother''s body shouldn''t be anything so bad, at least that''s what he convinced himself with.


    But back to Isabe... cleaning her rear was difficult. Her cheeks were a bit fat yet toned, squishy and wiggly, difficult to spread open and hence reach the content inside.


    "Bend forward." He said, looking at her from beneath only to notice that her gaze had been on him the entire time, there was this subtle light in her eyes that he had seen several times before.


    ? "Why?" She panted.


    "It is difficult... to clean you... your butt is too big, mother." He gulped.


    There was a brief moment of silence in which Isabe considered whether to destroy this barrier or not, her son might still be innocent enough to send away all the signals, but she wasn''t... she knew exactly what they were doing, giving herself an excuse by pretending this to be a merely body-washing.


    And she wasn''t backing off.


    "Hmm..." She bit her lips and bent forward, holding her knees for support... ashamed, but thrilled... not very different from a virgin who exposed herself for the first time, her most vulnerable spot.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Those rather ''pesky'' buttcheeks opened instinctivelyying down the content within, Constantine exhaled deeply and got to his job, cleaning her thighs first before going up.


    "Constantine..."


    "Yes?"


    "Clean my vagina... as well." His mother stuttered, it goes without saying how nervous she was when those words came out.


    "I don''t think I should-" There were limits that he didn''t know if he wanted to cross, a degree of awareness bing apparent... after all a son could wash his mother''s body, but... a son... should see this kind of ''sight'' from her, let alone touch.


    "Why not?"


    "I-"


    "You''re my son. Nothing is going to happen if you clean me, right? Because you''re my son." Without a second thought, she twisted their rtionship, without a wisp of guilty.


    Constantine didn''t yet know, if those words she asked him, or if she asked herself.


    "No."


    "Then do it, you have touched me... there... and that''s already worse, so... just finish." Still feeling embarrassed, she moved her gaze away, forward... yet didn''t ignore... she didn''t ignore those feelings and arousaling from her crotch, she didn''t reject them... Life had been hard enough to reject a single instance of pleasure.


    He cleaned that back ring diligently, due to its nature he had to stick a finger inside briefly to make sure it was thoroughly cleaned.


    When she felt a finger go briefly inside her asshole, Isabe gasped like never before but refused to moan, not even her own fingers had gone that far with the purpose of ''cleaning''. She refused to give this entire situation a sexual connotation, she refused to lust after her son''s body... so long as the pleasure remained within, there was no problem.


    He was ''cleaning'' her... nothing else.


    But things only got worse, when that finger started to go in and out, despite... despite the fact that it was already cleaned.


    Constantine panted and exhaled loudly at some point he couldn''t hold back and pushed his index finger as far as it could go.


    "Hmn!"


    Only to take it out and realise that his middle finger was at least one inch longer, without any qualms he introduced it too, it was difficult and tight, but he managed to go all the way with it.


    "Ahn~" Isabe didn''t know what she was feeling, as far as she was concerned, that ''ce'' shouldn''t be pleasurable, yet why does it feel so good?!


    "I''m making sure that it is cleaned properly, mother."


    "G-Go on..."


    The truth was that so far no womanly body he had interacted with couldpare to this, not by a long shoot... he wanted to put... thick and long things inside... but his fingers were the limit, every single one of them went inside at least once, even the thumb, by that point Isabe''s legs were shivering and there was a small cascadeing down from her legs, the origin he knew very well.


    It almost seemed an insult to call those people, his clients... ''women'' in the same category as this WOMAN.


    He wanted to keep experimenting with her, "M-Mother, there seems to be some dirt... inside."


    "O-Okay, go on... do what you must." She nodded, ''believing'' whatever crap he spouted.


    Quickly enough he left her rather small hole in peace after so much cleaning and stimtion and moved to the next objective to clean.


    Scrubbing his hands to make them soapy he began and at the moment of contact, it was as if Isabe''s legs went weaker, he had to hold her for support.


    "Hmn!~" It had just happened, her son touched her vagina.


    His ears ignored that moan, but the rest of his body didn''t... he continued to hold her now weak body, but the ''scrubbing'' didn''t stop, there was so much to clean.


    The soap ended at some point, but he didn''t stop.


    "Ahn!~" Her fingers weren''t enough, Isabe staggered, moaned loudly, she concealed her ecstasy no more, to ''support'' her, his hand reached her breast, squeezing it.


    All of her weight was being supported by him, both standing up by now, she felt something hard on her back but ignored it, the sensitivity raising in her crotch was more important.


    "Hmn!~ g-good!" Two fingers went in to clean the insides, scrapping and scrapping he knew what ces tend to get dirtier, every lip, those same ces in a woman''s vagina that are more ''sensitive'' than the rest.


    "Mother." Her moans were too delicious,pared to those women she was so much on another level.


    The fingers increased in tempo, he squeezed her breast and pinched her nipple as well, nting a happy moan as at some point, amidst the moans, Isabe started tough...


    "S-Son, g-go on ahm!~ UHM!~" When she reached the end, he saw it, her entire body buckled and squirmed, squishing his hand with her tights, bending and moaning to the skies, a shot of ''water'' was released from herhers creating a wet spectacle that left him bbergasted.


    ''W-What was that?!'' He wondered, he thought that his mother just peed herself.


    Both ended up falling down, after the ''cleaning'' was over.


    He ended up sitting on a lotus position, with her on top, panting... looking at the ceiling in a mix of feelings that she couldn''t unsolve.


    His fingers were still inside, reluctant to let go, but eventually... he had to, sadly, he''d have to clean her again because this slimy liquid wasn''t water and soap.


    Isabe''s eyes lost lucidity, when was thest time she felt it? climax?

 Chapter 93 Breaking A Barrier II

    Last time she felt pleasure?


    Never...


    Fourteen years ago, her undesired fianc?? from the Lionheart family had overstepped his bounds, he sought her body before marriage was due, abusing her... and as a consequence, she gave birth to this child, back then... nothing more than a monster in her mind, several times she thought about killing that fetus, but using the marriage as an excuse, she, Isabe Greenwood, condemned herself to live with a man she didn''t love and raise this child.


    But fate wasn''t that kind.


    It wasn''t until she gave birth to that beautiful child that she realised, this was no monster, sadly... the Lionheart family wasn''t willing to take responsibility and the engagement was called off... her family a low-tier noble family couldn''t possibly rival the Earl family of the Lionhearts... her own family betrayed her for no longer being ''pure'' and with a child even, as if it had been her fault.


    ''It wasn''t my fault!'' was not something she could tell a hungry child.


    Thankfully, some members of the family were willing to help her, until they weren''t.


    She struggled to not hate this child, what she believed to be the cause of her misfortune. it was so hard to not hate him, eventually, she realised that the best she could do was to ignore him.


    But she was his mother, and this child was her son... she couldn''t ignore him, at least her heart didn''t allow her to do so.


    Isabe''s mind regained its lucidity with realisation, the realisation that this little monster -her son- just gave her pleasure in a life of pain, was beginning to dawn.


    And it came along several other minuscule realisations, how this ''little monster'' had done his best to make their lives easier, she didn''t work as hard as before, because he helped... she didn''t fend off the thieves or angry neighbours because he did... she didn''t have to always clean the house, because he helped.


    Her life was easier, because this little monster that she decided not to kill and instead raise as difficult as it was, was here and he became indispensable in her life.


    Even now, fired and unemployed, she didn''t feelpelled to go out there and whore herself out, because he was here, and as ridiculous as it was, with merely fourteen years of age, he was putting more money on the table than she did, regardless of the method.


    He had be a young man, no longer a kid. It was more than evident, that this person was no longer a ''son''.


    Not after today.


    And her silence indicated that she didn''t know how to cope with it.


    ...


    "Mother, are you okay?" He saw that for the longest while she didn''t even move and began to get worried, ''did I get carried away?''


    "I-I am... are you finished?" Her gaze didn''t even look at him, how? what gaze would she look at him with? A mother in love with her son? A woman in love with her potential mate? she no longer knew what she felt... and tears were threatening toe out as that realisation continued to dawn, what she did, what she allowed him to do with her body.


    "Yes, I finished but... you stained yourself, I should clean it." He said still stuttering, a young man that tasted the ultimate forbidden fruit and wanted more, sadly, she wasn''t up for it now, there were more important things in her head.


    "Leave me... I''ll clean it... leave the bath, Constantine... go to sleep, it iste." She needed to think, by herself.


    Obediently, he stood up and departed the room, only to be stopped midways.


    "Constantine."


    "Yes, mother?"


    Hugging her knees in apparent vulnerability, she saw her son, standing up in front of her and seeking the objective of her vision, she saw ''it''.


    There it was, standing erect proudly, bigger than what a boy his age should have, she wondered where he took those genes from... in any case, a smile made way to her lips before she dismissed him.


    "Don''t do this to anyone else..." Her meaning was apparent, ''what we just did... that you''re very aware of, I don''t want you doing it with anyone else.''


    "Yes."


    Having left the room, Constantine stood there, naked and with a raging palpitating heart, with a raging and painful boner wondering what he just did... what they just did.


    Wondering if things would ever be the same. Whilst at the other side of the room, Isabe hugged her knees, ignoring her furiously palpitating heart, and failing horribly to do so.


    Swinging between two worlds, one where she condemned herself... one where she rejoiced.


    The feeling of condemning herself was all toomon for thest fourteen years when she regretted not having kicked that bastard''s balls before he ruined her life. It contrasted horribly with the much more happy and fulfilled feeling.


    The feeling experienced for the first time by ady in her twenty-eight years of age... that considered herself for once... a desired woman.


    Isabe Greenwood remained there, thinking for at least two more hours before finally cleaning herself down there and departing.


    ...


    That night Constantine had been trying to sleep after a deep time of consideration when the door opened, giving way to a much cleaner Isabe who used a cloth to dry off her hair, her naked body couldn''t be seen properly in the darkness as there was no candle burning... her bed should have been empty, they used her bedsheets to cover that bastard''s corpse.


    But that wasn''t the case, Constantiney raw on the bed while his sheets rested on her bed.


    She smiled and walked up to his bed, sitting on the edge, regarding her son''s ''sleeping'' face.


    An agglomeration of thoughts and intentions had just brought a cataclysm of feelings, those that she had denied for the longest while and that due to the nature of their rtionship, she could bear to deny stubbornly.


    Until now.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Unlike him, reluctant, she knew deep inside it wouldn''t ever be the same.


    Once the silhouette of this individual fully transformed from ''son'' to ''man'' she knew there was no going back.


    And as taboo as it felt to think that, the world had been so cruel that little did she care about what it thought of their private affairs.


    If the world wasn''t concerned enough to care about how they fed each other or the struggles they went through, then surely the world is not qualified to impose on her how she chooses to love her son.


    It all had a start and it would certainly have an end.


    When she heard the rumours, about that silver-haired brat that women got for pleasure... about that brat that was apparently so good in bed, those sluts wouldn''t say names... they had husbands to conceal the truth from, but she knew.


    And she knew she didn''t feel offended that her son was doing such a nasty thing behind her back, no... that was what began the mush that her brain currently is.


    She felt jealous that they were doing that with HER son, when she could only look at him from the distance and silently regret having been so cold, having not cultivated their rtionship... not having been a good mother, even when he had been the best son there is.


    It was toote to be a good mother, the barrier between them couldn''t be easily toppled by either of them, a barrier that she had created herself as sad as it was.


    But she realised today that she could be something more.


    Looking down she saw him still ragging hard and gulped taking her hand there without much thought, gripping him by the base.


    !!!


    Constantine''s eyes opened abruptly in the darkness where he could merely see a silhouette as well as the wet silver hair falling on top of his face, dripping.


    "Don''t say anything..." She said softly, pumping up and down.


    "M-Mother..."


    "It must be painful, right?"


    "Yes."


    "Then... I''ll relieve it just like you did to me... and then we can go back to sleep."


    "O-Okay ugh..."


    "Does it feel good?"


    "Yes..."


    "Then... once you feel like... you need some relief, just tell me... Constantine, you don''t need to tell anybody else."


    He gasped, she was suggesting...


    "And when I need it, I''ll tell you too... no one else." Her eyes contained seriousness.


    "..."


    "We''re mother and son... so doing this, shouldn''t be unnatural for us." She had lost it, and she didn''t care.


    "M-Mother I-" He felt iting under her ministration, faster than usual, his resistances seemed to crumble whenever she was involved.


    "Let it out." It was like amand that activated his senses, only she had the mandment'' to order his body, a right that she would use throughout their lives. Soon he''d also realise that his voice had the same mandment'' against her body, but it wasn''t today.


    Today they just broke a barrier that would crumble to never raise again.


    "Ugh!"


    ...


    Constantine opened his eyes abruptly, feeling a moist, wet and delicious feeling in his mouth.


    He found himself out of that cluster of memories, instead... there she was, that silver-haired elf goddess.


    Once feeling him regain his consciousness she pouted with tears in her eyes.


    "M-My Champion!"


    "Aurinne..."


    Oddly enough Constantine saw that world filled with trees and life, her private world.


    ''How did I end up here... and... Isabe...''

 Chapter 94 Two Souls

    "You almost get killed!" Aurelianne reproached, rubbing her head on his chest as if to know that she wasn''t dreaming, even with the certainty right in hand.


    "I''m sorry... didn''t really know that apes can explode... since that was a gigantic ape, I guess she could do it." He rolled his eyes in annoyance, there was nothing worse than a n noting together.


    [To be fair, you did defeat her... your karma score has decreased by five million.] A massive eye appeared in this beautiful world.


    "Zebellia... why?"


    [You died, whenever you die your karma score will decrease as this is the intrinsic experience of ceasing to exist, but... in your case, not much more happened. so aside from mere five million karma points, nothing much changed.]


    "Thank you, Zebellia." Aurelianne stood up, looking at the eye.


    [You''re wee, elf...]


    "Why are you thanking her?" He frowned, to his knowledge, those two were friendly with one another.


    "Well, you''re not aware but you almost died twice... if she hadn''t protected you from that High-God, even if for a brief second, you wouldn''t have made it... and I''m sure, she sacrificed a lot for that even if your spoils were great." The goddess remarked rendering both of them silent.


    "Thank you, Zebellia." He bowed slightly, one had to recognise when one was helped.


    [Hmph!] The horse scoffed, not feeling praised at all, he only did it because the goddess told him to, not out of his own volition.


    "Stop doing that, it is not attractive."


    [Who wants you to get attracted to her!?]


    "..."


    ''Your thoughts are spilling out.''


    "If you''re okay with it, before he goes back to his body, could we speak, Zebellia?" Aurelianne addressed the big eye again.


    [What about?]


    "Several things, the trial... the time realm, Toki..."


    [Very well, you really pulled a reckless move there... Blessing of Adjourned Death, I wonder what other ridiculous effects your other goddesses'' blessings have, that one, Blessing of Adjourned Death, is the only one I''m acquainted with, aside from the Blessing of Spatial Conduct.]


    "Is it that amazing, Sandra''s blessing?" Those things were still quite foreign to him.


    [Naturally, you might not be aware, but every single existence in this universe has a soul, and every single existence in this universe dies... which means, their souls move on to the Death Realm, I and this little goddess are no exceptions]


    "..."


    [Of all concepts, Gods of Death are immensely odd and also... wicked beings. For every hundred gods of otherws, there is a single God of Death, they''re individuals capable of reaching a great altitude with thews of death some of them able to even cheat the reapers, like your wife.]


    "That creature..." He still felt like shivering by recalling it, he couldn''t believe that creature took his own mother as a disguise to lure him.


    [That was a reaper, they''re merciless genderless existences that work merely for the sake of death as they''re a part of them... they manifest themselves in the soul realm where most individuals are powerless once they die, whether you''re a god or a human, for them... it is the same... They will mercilessly reap your soul. A blessing of adjourned death is a highly sought blessing and now you know why]


    "A blessing of Golden Seed is also immensely craved." Aurelianne pouted.


    [Sure if you want to be the God of Lust... anyway, I''m out, I don''t want to see you two doing naughty humanoid stuff, I''m a mare.] The eye disappeared after throwing a disgusted re at the couple.


    For several seconds there was silence between the two before Constantine took action, this was her private realm, where he had initially been, he wasn''t supposed toe here until bing a Demigod, but... now there was a chance, he could interact with her body, touch her... fondle her.


    Ask her questions that marred his head.


    Constantine turned them around, pinning her on the grass, "I missed you."


    "But you yed quite a bit with Zamira. You have sucked her breasts... and thest time you almost did it with her, I have seen all of it." Her tone contained yful jealousy, obviously, she didn''t mind... but the goddess still thought he''d rather suck hers than Zamira''s.


    "Are you a stalker?"


    "Yes." She dered straightforwardly, no shame at all.


    ''Ooookaaay.''


    "Aside from when I give my energy to vita... I''m looking at you, whatever you do, where you look at, everything... I''m obsessed with you." Aurelianne raised up merely to give his chin a possessive maw that sent shivers all over his body, she was honest... excessively so.


    And it rendered more questions.


    He fondled one of her breasts, when she wanted to retaliate he pinned her down on the soil with both of her hands pressed by a single one of his, giving him room to ''manoeuvre'' with a single hand.


    "Despite my obsession and boundless love for you, My champion... I''m still upset." She said solemnly, not resisting.


    "Why?" His thumb encircled her nipple, it was difficult to take her seriously when their bodies were naked and rubbing one another on top of this soft grass.


    "During the entire time that I observed you, I was bbergasted, you''re so proactive and resourceful, shrewd."


    "Thank-"


    "But you don''t take care of yourself... you take immense risks as if keeping your livelihood is not a priority..."


    "It is... but I have always considered my objectives to be more important" He always thought that there wasn''t a prize without risk, so long as there was at least a 10% chance of survival, if the loot was tantalising enough, he''d do it.


    And most of the time end with sess.


    "That might be the case for you, but your life is the most important for me- Hmn!~ Constantine!" When he took a bite of her nipple, it was like a deration of war!


    "Who are you?" He asked suddenly, since she already said what she needed, it was time for him to express his thoughts.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "W-What do you mean?" The goddess didn''t get it.


    "What are you hiding from me."


    "..." She evaded his gaze and with that mere movement he realised that he wasn''t wrong, this goddess is capable of hiding things, but she''s incapable of lying.


    "There is something you''re hiding from me, I don''t know what it is, but there are hints... your secretism with Zebellia... even your motives for approaching me... why would you be given priority over my wives..." He frowned, he loved being her champion... but if what she said is the truth, his wives wouldn''t have ever epted it.


    He didn''t know easy-going wives... they were delightful, yes, but they were possessive as hell. For a reason, there were five empresses and not a single concubine in his Empire.


    There were concubines... but buried.


    "..." Once again Aurelianne decided to not answer, a typical trick, she had the right to remain silent.


    "I love you, Aurelianne."


    "That-" She was about to pout and said that it was an unfair wicked move for him to pull out the ''I love you'' card.


    "But I don''t want to be disappointed, I have this feeling that I know for so... so long, yet at the same time... you''re not like her." He caressed her silver hair with mncholy.


    !!!


    Aurelianne bit her lips hard, so hard.


    "You feel like my mother... but you''re not my mother, I can tell that much, you''re somebody else... but your body, your eyes, your hair... your demeanour... my mother isn''t as happy-go-lucky and klutz as you are."


    "..." She didn''t know if she should get angry at that proposition.


    "Tell me... Zebellia doesn''t want to tell me what her deals are... and that''s fair enough, I am sure I don''t know her from anywhere... but you-"


    "I''m hiding nothing that will make you disappointed in me..." She answered, hoping that a shallow answer would be enough for him to leave the matter aside.


    "But you''re hiding something."


    "Must you know? Can''t we love each other as is?"


    "I''m hiding nothing from you, Aurelianne... I don''t like secrets." He pressed, her insistence to keep the secret, irritating.


    "But you kept me as a secret from them..." She spouted, also irritated.


    "..." Constantine was momentarily stunned by thatment.


    "You never told your wives about me, even if they knew, it was not because of your mouth, son." She sobbed, not able to keep it any longer.


    !!!


    His countenance paled, and his fingers shivered while holding her long near-miraculously pristine silver hair that resembled his own, for a reason.


    "M-Mother."


    "I''m notpletely her..."


    "You''re Isabe! my mother!"


    "Don''t call me that!" For the first time, Aurelianne''s voice sounded aggressive and reluctant, she even held his wrist tightly.


    "..."


    "I''m not your mother... anymore... I''m Aurelianne, the Goddess of Life." She spoke with conviction, her past would never be revived, but yet when she said that, the tears wouldn''t stoping out.


    "Why are you crying? y-you need to exin to me." He hugged her the tightest he could against his chest, he knew... that sentiment couldn''t be concealed, a child would always be able to recognise his mother.


    "I''m merely half... I''m Isabe, but I am also Aurelianne... please ask no more."


    "You can''t just tell me that and pretend for me to be content!" He held her head, shivering hands filled with disbelief, he couldn''t believe it yet, even holding the thought that she was pretending only to conceal a bigger secret.


    "Moth- Aurelianne... you need to tell me, who did this to you? H-How did you end up like this?" He needed to know or he wouldn''t be able to sleep peacefully tonight.


    "It is a long story and we don''t have the time, you will wake up soon! Zamira, Nia... even that Ape, they''re waiting for you!" Clearly, Aureliane didn''t want to talk, but she was not Zebellia... he''d force the truth out of those lips.


    "I have the time, you''re more important to me!"


    "... you''re as stubborn as alway- hmn!~" Aurelianne gasped when he harshly pulled her head and sealed her lips, so forcefully.


    His tongue snook inside so passionate, biting her tongue, sucking it... every single inch of her mouth belonged to him and he knew... Aurelianne, Isabe... she melted, her eyes lost lucidity and it was as if her body finally recalled who she belonged to, the kisssted for so long, even after he ran out of hair he kept devouring her mouth like a man that hasn''t tasted water for aeons.


    Ever since she passed in his arms, all he ever desired was to do this.


    By the time their lips separated -leaving a slim trail of saliva, her tongue still seeking his in the agreement of its ownership- her brain was already turned into a mush, much like back then... whenever they kissed, he always yed her like a table of chess and now it was no exception.


    "You need to tell me." Hemanded his woman, regardless of what life it was, present or future.


    His mother would always be his.


    "O-Okay, If you''re going to be so insistent... I will tell you." And she knew, but this wasn''t only Isabe... that other person, that other individual had already recognised who she belonged to as well.


    She pressed her finger on his forehead, and the memories began to flow, shocking him to the core and revealing a secret of Two Souls.

 Chapter 95 Past Memories: The Meeting I

    "I love... my son." She confessed to this paradise, a confession that only brought more tears and guilt to a dested soul, there were so many causes to feel guilt, that she no longer knew which was the cause of her tears.


    Was it that she was not a good mother? or a good lover? was it that she should have been more selfish?


    She cried desperately, her heart torn to pieces... this was an older woman, her hair no longer silver, instead white due to the age.


    Her first day in paradise, yet there was merely endless sorrow.


    On the earth, she left the love of her life.


    "Can you stand up?" A morous feminine voice that contained unparalleled might said suddenly, yet it didn''t feel pressing, it felt like the mandate of a queen.


    Isabe looked to the sides and there was only a white world, she thought this to be ''paradise'' after all... she just died several minutes ago in the arms of the love of her life.


    "W-Who are you?" She asked, puzzled, still sobbing.


    "You could address me as an existence that transcends time and space." The voice didn''t seem to be good at socializing.


    Isabe kept sobbing, now with added confusion, "I don''t understand what you mean."


    "Basically... I am someone that''s extremely powerful, you died... yet the reaper had yet toe to bring you to the Death Realm, so I took your soul." Once again the voice spoke confusing words that rendered the olddy stop sobbing and instead roll her eyes a little in annoyance.


    "How about you tell me your name? I''m Isabe Greenwood." She began with a simple introduction,mon education.


    "I know who you are, Isabe, but you don''t know who I am."


    "That''s why I am asking your name!" Does she have to be this cryptic!?


    A sigh resonated in the empty world.


    "I''m Space... but you can call me Nova."


    "That is my name."


    "That is a weird name... Nova, Space... are you some sort of Goddess?" Isabe never considered herself someone religious, especially when her son made it hismitment always to mock any living religion that existed during his time as an Emperor... life wasn''t kind to them, so she believed in no god, if she were to worship someone, it would be her son.


    "Godse in different genres, sizes and shapes... I am a Goddess indeed, but the term is smallpared to my magnificent being."


    ''And you''re quite narcissistic too...''


    "And what can I do for you, Nova...? why do you need me?" She felt awkward calling someone that, but between Nova and Space, she preferred Nova.


    "Are you feeling better?" The voice asked offhandedly, only for Isabe to recall her previous grievances and once again get crestfallen.


    "No, I... I still feel horrible."


    "Do you want to see your son again?" The voice inquired softly.


    "No." Isabe answered deterministically, so much so... that her entire body shivered as the tears threatened toe out once again.


    "Why not?" Nova certainly didn''t understand that answer, why wouldn''t she? she had seen a lot of things which indicated that thisdy should have desired to see her son again.


    "I am old... I am his mother... I-I shouldn''t... love him as I do, it is bad." It was like a mechanical answer she was programmed to say.


    "After being his lover for dozens of years and having sired several children with him... do you still think it is bad?" Nova couldn''t understand, there was not an instance of any of these events in which thedy wasn''t smiling, there were painful moments indeed, but... did she really care?<novelnext></novelnext>


    "We could never be happy... our children never knew who their parents were... they would be ashamed of us... the days that used to be happy turned into painful for me... I was forced to allow him to go... when they appeared and his eyes were dragged to them, and I could do nothing... I could only ept it. Because I am his mother."


    "But even when he left, your affair continued."


    "That-"


    "He kepting back to you, the two of you engaged in the most carnal and depraved of pleasures behind everyone''s back, going as far as to draw your intimacies with ink, paintings that you looked periodically just so you could cope with your loneliness when he departed back to his fiances'' embrace."


    "S-Stop."


    "And when you were too much in need for his caresses, you sought him, you went to the academy where he was with his fiance, and without caring about her status in his heart, took him inside you right in his room where they usually slept, the two you would enjoy each other''s body for hours and no one would ever know... because you''re mother and son, it was perfectly normal for you two to be together in a room, by yourselves. You wantonly sought your son''s seed in your womb and only after you were filled to your heart''s content would you return back to the beloved mansion he got for you where you would once again wait for him while making your beautiful flowers, living a happy life..."


    "Stop!" Isabe was shaking.


    "My point is... it didn''t seem to be a problem for you that he was your son, you loved him. So why are you denying that now? when everything is already finished... consequences has already beenid bare, does it matter?"


    "How can you understand? you''re al almighty goddess, do you even have children?" Isabe''s words contained poison, that''s right, she did all those things and she regretted them.


    "As a matter of fact, I do... I have several daughters for one... and you''re acquainted with them."


    "Huh?"


    "Caroline, Phoebe, Sandra, Lucille, Melina... they''re my daughters and the reason why I am here..." The goddess said their names one by one and they impacted Isabe''s head harshly, especially Caroline... yes, her rival.


    Her son''s first fiance and perhaps the only one of them that knew their affair.


    "T-That... all of them?! Don''t you have any males?"


    "Yes... as ridiculous as it sounds, your son, a mortal... conquered all of my daughters, strong goddesses... during one of their samsaras. As for yourtter question, I do have several sons, but they''re not in Dragoncrest."


    "Dragoncrest?"


    "That is the name of the realm you live in, in the godlymunity. Isabe, I presume there are a lot of things you don''t understand."


    "Yes, I... to be frank, I don''t understand almost everything of what you''re saying." Except for the deration of her inws being some sort of goddesses, yes, she wasn''t getting anything... just now she was scolded by this goddess and what was most frustrating... is that she was right.


    "Then what about I tell you... that the reason I brought you here is that I desire to learn andprehend your son more."


    "Eh? why?" Isabe frowned, she didn''t want to know that this almighty goddess had some bad intentions with he son, if what she''s saying is right then she''s her son''s mother-inw... and they well... they tend to be quite the bitches.


    "Because he has managed the impossible... you see, my children... they all hate one another deeply, they''re always fighting and we''re not talking about siblings fighting... we''re talking about wicked fights, poisonous strives... my daughter Sandra, the youngest, is also the most hated... she''s a goddess of death you see, they''re quite rare and her methods are dubious." She spoke as if this one was her most troublesome child.


    "Really? what about your husband?"


    "I don''t want to talk about him." The voice changed, no longer friendly, and Isabe realised that was a territory that shouldn''t be thread... if anyone were to talk to her about the damned Lionheart family, she too would want to avoid the subject.


    "My daughters are currently undergoing samsaras to restore their divinities, basically... they''re living again and again and again... without their original memories, to restore themselves after having perished in a big battle, I even lost one of them..." The voice said regretfully.


    "Lost?"


    "Her divine spark remains, but her soul is forever lost... she was murdered by one of her sisters..."


    "I''m sorry..." Isabe didn''t know what to say, it was such a pitiful conclusion.

 Chapter 96 Past Memories: The Meeting II

    "... were they killing each other, I mean... all of them?"


    "Pretty much... some of them allied together, some of them betrayed one another, everything for power... to topple the very gods and earn their freedom. In every samsara, they''re always enemies, for that''s their nature... they have killed one another endless times, and they will always instinctively fight one another regardless of their reincarnation. But that wasn''t the case this time." Nova''s tonality resurged with curiosity.


    "..." Isabe noticed with a frown, that whenever she talked about her son, there was this... tone, that she wasn''t quite liking.


    "Your son made all my daughters fall in love with him, to the point they don''t care about their own fight... they even SHARED something for the first time in dozens of thousands of years! Those girls don''t even share the stars we gave them for toys!"


    ''S-Stars... TOYS!?''


    "That''s why I desired to meet you, the person he had loved the most in his entire life, from start to end." Nova finished her summary.


    "That''s impossible." Isabe bit her lips and shook her head, she refused to believe it, she refused to be the person he loved the most, even if proof said otherwise.


    "Why do you deny it?"


    "I''m old and-" Once again she began to the point even Nova felt annoyed.


    "You''re old and? didn''t he stay with you until the end..."


    "He was disgusted by me."


    "Isabe." The white-haireddy could literally feel the goddess tapping her fingers in a disciplinary way.


    "..."


    "You know that''s a lie."


    "He shouldn''t have stayed with me for so long." She sobbed, breaking down.


    "It hurt me so much... that I couldn''t... be up to his level... he always shone in brilliance while I... I was at most a forsaken nobledy that just happened to be a little sexy... It sounds ridiculous, right? I always regretted that I couldn''t give my virginity to my son of all people... when he made love to me despite my wrinkles, when he was so attentive sacrificing his own time just to self some flowers with me, despite being the Emperor... howprehensive he was with me when I told him... that I was already too old toy down with him, *sob* how he came back to me... even when I told him that I didn''t want to see him anymore. Nova, I didn''t deserve him." Her heart wouldn''t stop stirring. "I don''t deserve to be the person he loved the most."


    Even if those were her feelings, the goddess wasn''t nning to hold back.


    "The truth is that... you''re the person he loved and still loves the most in his entire life, for a year after your death, he held suicidal thoughts and almost achieved it twice."


    !!!


    She gasped, feeling a big sting mercilessly piercing her chest.


    "If not for my daughter, Caroline... convincing him, he would have killed himself in his despair to follow you. It was only after this that he finally moved on and loved my daughters truthfully, sadly... it never quite reached what he felt for you... what he went through with you pained him so much, yet he still choose to live to the end until every single one of my daughters passed away their samsara, I don''t know what to tell you. You raised a magnificent son and I''m thankful to you, Isabe... because he made my daughters who up to that point knew nothing but pain and war, genuinely happy."


    She cried madly... Isabe couldn''t contain the happiness in her chest, for many reasons, the fact that her son had gained such an achievement with a powerful existence, yet all that paled inparison, the pride of a mother paled inparison to what she felt as a woman, to know that he had moved on from her and kept living.


    Nova couldn''t understand, and the more her senses rested on this woman, the more she wanted to know, so far... her instincts were screaming and they weren''t lying.


    ''This is the right person.''


    "Isabe..."


    "..."


    "Were you happy?"


    "He made me so happy... so loved. Nova, I WAS... SO HAPPY!" Broken yet reaffirmed, she stopped denying what she believed as the truth, it would be an insult to her son otherwise, to keep denying his hard work.


    Every single pain that she lived, even the worst ones... if it meant that she could have Constantine in her life again, she would go through them a hundred times with a happy smile, give birth to that perfection of a son, and engage in the most pleasurable and happy affair that she could have ever lived... this time early on instead of having wasted so much time, so many nights... being such a bad mother to him.


    Isabe Greenwood just couldn''t stop crying in destion, she wouldn''t live that ever again... and there was no bnce in her heart, she received tones of love, and only gave away grams.


    She died but this debt hadn''t been paid.


    Isabe felt someone pat her head and that was when she saw her.


    That beauty that shouldn''t exist in this world, her hair seemed to be made by the very stars, her dress concealed a body that made her -an astoundingly sexydy at least in her prime- feel envy.<novelnext></novelnext>


    If her hair was the stars, her dress was the space that contained those stars and the myriad nebulous.


    "That''s the reason I needed you... that unparalleled happiness that not even the very gods can conceive, that love that only mortals can understand, I... want to understand it... would you allow me to live it through your eyes?" She requested, raising the olddy''s chin, what remained of a woman that had lived her life and sexuality to the maximum extent.


    "Can''t you do it?" Isabe didn''t understand why this goddess was asking for permission.


    "I can... but... I want to ask you because those are your most important memories, I don''t want to look them up without your permission, I will be seeing what you saw, feeling what you felt..."


    "... why?" Isabe frowned, those were precious memories, those she didn''t want to share with anyone, her son and herself during the most primal euphoria, no one had ever known and she held no doubt that even after her passing, her son hadn''t told anybody.


    It was not because the secret couldn''t be revealed... several times they went beyond that boundary, and their love and desire for one another took them to the most precarious of ces... they even made love in the barracks when the soldiers were still amidst their training... surely more than a hundred or a thousand people amongst the nobles of the empire already spected it, but knew saying a word meant their heads being removed. The reason to conceal it was... that those memories belonged to them, no one was qualified to know.


    But even then, Nova insisted.


    "Because my power is so abysmal that... I don''t understand what love is, but I must... for the sake of ''bnce'' between Time and Space." Nova gave her words, rather ambiguous but with deep seriousness concealed within.


    For several seconds Isabe didn''t answer.


    "What is going to happen to me?"


    "I took you away from death... the reapers wille after you, but since this is my private realm- an isted dimension out of the very multiverse- they can''t reach you... there is the option of staying here forever in this white world with me."


    "..."


    "There is the option of going back to Death and obtaining the result of your karmic score, whether it be paradise or damnation."


    "... is there a way for me to go back to him?"


    "No."


    "..." Sadness.


    "Not conventionally at least, lucky for you... I am not a conventional goddess."


    "What way is there!?"


    "Allow me to see your memories and experiences as if I was you... and after I finish, you will know."


    "Is this some sort of extortion?"


    "Of course not, but I can''t wait... I want to experience it Isabe, please."


    "Are you attracted to my son?" She asked, threateningly.


    "I am a being unable to feel love."


    "..."


    "But yes, your son attracts me."


    "Hey!"


    "What? I''m space, attraction and gravity are forces working under my domain, I don''t love him... but I have this desire to know more about him, even if I see the entire timeline over and over, a hundred million times, I can''t understand... it is beyond myprehension as a high goddess and primal element of the universe to understand the affairs of mortals, yet I want to know."


    "..."


    "And evenpared to my daughters, you''re the perfect individual for this, Isabe... will you allow me?"


    "I don''t get it but... okay... if it will help you, just... if you can make any choice that I couldn''t and can somehow alter my actions, please... love him... with all your heart."


    Thedy giggled, "I shall~"


    She then ced her hand on thedy''s forehead and the event that would switch the entire axis of fate in the multiverse began.

 Chapter 97 Past Memories: Isabella Greenwood I

    Gods and Mortals regardless of whether it is an ant... or a human or an elephant, aside from power and might, their existences hold a sort of resemnce.


    For one, Nova knew that mortals live for feelings even whilst they hold beliefs.


    While Gods merely follow their beliefs; thew that they represent and cast everything else aside..


    A God of Death will produce Death and send anything that lives into their domain, nothing else matters; it is their rightful belief.


    Among Gods, the concept of love is scarce and non-existent, even her own marriage held no love but the primal purpose of bnce between Space and Time, the principle that kept the universe tied.


    Love was something too ''small'' for the likes of the prideful Gods.


    That''s why it was difficult for her to see a human and feel their pain with empathy just as difficult it was for a human to feel pain over an ant''s hurdle.


    But if one looked at the ant long enough, one would begin toprehend... even if one couldn''t feel pain, one could feel sympathy.


    Having witnessed Constantine''s life millions of times, his rtionship with her daughters and that feeling called ''love''. She still unable toprehend it, and hence, this time; unlike the previous millions of times. She''d witness it from a human''s eyes... and therefore, she needed to cast aside her unparalleled power and existence.


    She needed to cast aside her godhood and be wholly mortal.


    ''There is only one way I can do this...'' She thought, perhaps even afraid to some extent, feeling surprised that the mere first step of her journey was already calling for a single emotion that she had never sensed. The fear of not being what she was, a Goddess.


    Even then, she was relentless... there was a motive to this madness.


    With ultimate powers of space and nearly as powerful powers of time -which belonged to her husband- Nova proposed herself to witness the man that has captivated her daughters so much by leaping back to where everything began, discarding her Godhood in another timeline, sending merely her consciousness and a small wisp of soul.


    She needed to understand where this pain in her chest wasing from, that pain caused thousands of years ago, this pain that was breaking the bnce between Time and Space.


    Her eyes opened for the first time... looking at a ceiling, she was held by some hands and presented in front of a woman with silver hair and haggard countenance.


    "My daughter, you''re so cute... f-from now on, you shall be Isabe... Isabe Greenwood~"


    Nova and Isabe''s eyes fluttered with life for the first time then.


    **


    **


    Nova, despite merging with Isabe still found it difficult to feel emotions, the lively youngdy was an expression of Isabe, not Nova... the Goddess sat on the back, feeling and experiencing everything, enjoying the slow stimuli of a mortal life.<novelnext></novelnext>


    When she was born as Isabe Greenwood in a disinterested family product of a forced marriage, she couldn''t tell much... but she quite liked her mother, until she passed away due to a disease... it was sad.


    When she went with her friends running in the fields and picking up flowers, it was fun.


    When she was raised to be a finedy, she couldn''t say much... her father was quite strict, she didn''t feel nice with him.


    When she met her first crush, a young man called Sirius from the Capital, a boy that yed with her often and who was sent to the war and died... she... felt odd... it was sad.


    When she was said that she would have to marry the heir of the Lionheart family, a man whose reputation couldn''t be any lower and unworthy, she... felt apprehension.


    When she tried to run and was captured she felt despaired... the emotions were beginning to grow in size and the goddess that had been sitting down in the back, began... to stand up and feel.


    When he invited her to a date she felt that perhaps there could be a chance, but his wicked intentions drew her away.


    When he abused her that night against her own will... she realised she was no longer a goddess... her space powers no longer worked and the human emotions took over in a shower of despair and destion. Even when holding the knowledge of the future, she couldn''t help feeling despaired, sitting on a corner, embracing her knees, feeling sullied.


    When her family med her for the incident instead of supporting her, she felt betrayed.


    When she was told she was pregnant... she wanted to be happy... because Nova knew, this is Constantine, the purpose of her leap. But she couldn''t... all she could feel was wrath and hate for this child... contradictions and moral ethics, ''Should I kill him or not?'' months of the same thought over and over.


    When the engagement was cancelled for ''her fault'' at not being adequate enough, she once again fell into despair and hate, more particrly... for this child... her hands and powers would never reach that bastard... but she could very well hate this child with all her heart, and no one could tell her otherwise.


    When she was thrown away from her family by her cowardly father, she already expected it, what she didn''t expect was for some other uncles to help her, it gave her hope as she carried this monster that she decided to not kill in the end... she''d make sure he lived and suffered with her the consequences of his father''s wickedness. Nova''s struggle in trying to not hate the child seemed to lose whenpared to the depth of Isabe''s human feelings.


    When she worked sewing in her uncle''spany it brought her hope, at least she''d be able to put food on the table, it was a life so far away from her noble life, her friends no longer spoke to her, the noble men who once sought her now evaded her like the pest, they gossiped as her belly grew in size every day... Nova wanted to leave the capital... it was toxic it felt so horrible... but she needed to survive, for herself and for this monster too.


    When she started to feel her uncle''s gazes, she knew something was not right from her human instincts... that shouldn''t be the gaze of an uncle... especially when he looked at her belly.


    That morning... he tried to abuse her, only to be stopped by her aunt... who once again choose to believe the bastard, throwing her away... the hate for this child, who was about to be born... increased... it wasn''t even his fault, but at least there was someone to me for this sorrow, a lucky charm that could hold all this negativity.


    With enough money that she saved for months she left the capital... it would be cheaper to live in the side and there would not be toxicity or gossiping, a rundown town received her with contractions and heavy rain. It was then that she finally gave birth... ditched in a corner, helped by some vagrantdies... who were way more weing than anyone in the capital. When she finally managed to see his face, she realised... he was cute and beautiful, she couldn''t believe how such a monster that she hated so much could be so cute... his face was like a mirror of hers, but sadly... he had that bastard''s eyes.


    It was her baby boy, Nova rejoiced but...


    "You will be named Constantine Lionheart... the disgrace that your father caused me you will bear it in your name for the rest of your miserable life..."


    Isabe wasn''t willing to forgive.

 Chapter 98 Past Memories: Isabella Greenwood II

    She quickly found a job cleaning houses and doingundry, he was there with her at all times... looking, the hate started to subside slowly... but the hate was still immeasurable.


    While Isabe hated... Nova... loved, a feeling she didn''t realise she was experimenting.


    Nova felt thrilled, the goddess felt motivated to work cleaning floors to support her son... the strongest being in the universe... cleaning floors to support her son, and it made her happy. Yet Isabe''s wrath wouldn''t fade away, ''why do I need to do this... for this brat'' s, whenever she saw his cute face... it was as if everything was suddenly worth it.


    As he kept growing so did her hate, he was getting handsome, but life wasn''t getting any easier... it was more difficult... she was getting uglier and filthy from all the work and hence... it was time for him to go out there and experience what life felt like... when he first left the house that day she felt like her heart was going to break, but it was necessary.


    That day she received him with coldness in the house and saw his face punched, she desired nothing but to unleash her spatial might in this miserable world... but she couldn''t, there was no such power any more.


    When she saw him start to get used to the streets, bringing money back to the house, she felt reassured, he would be okay even if she wasn''t around, a sense of motherly fulfilment she never felt with her divine sons and daughters. it gave her a level of security and for the first time, that hate that Isabe felt for him, started to decrease.


    Each day she began to realise that her ''son'' was drifting away farther and farther, spending less time in the house, sometimes noting at all, but alwaysing back with a profit of some sort. She began to get worried, would he leave and nevere back one day?


    She decided to change, she began cooking better, making the ce better... making a ''home''.


    When she saw that it worked, that he began spending more time back in the house, she rejoiced, unaware that there was no longer hate, there was love, the pure love a mother feels for her child even if she couldn''t express it.


    When the thieves first tried to enter the house and he beat the crap out of them, she felt secured, even with his cold visage, he did seem to care about their home. There was finally a man willing to protect her... even if this man was her son, a mere thirteen years old boy.


    Whenever she saw him... she began to feel something different, something that she shouldn''t.


    When she heard Briane insulting her son in front of everyone, calling him ''cheap'' she couldn''t take it any more. Aware that it would cause trouble, she couldn''t allow this woman to still have her whole teeth after talking bad about him. When she beat her to a pulp... it felt amazing, way better than destroying countless stars in a fit of anger.


    When he saved her from Briane''s husband, those feelings that she had been holding back perhaps couldn''t be contained for longer, seeing his experience in murder, contrary to scaring her, ced thest droplet needed to get rid of her inhibition, yes... this is not a ''kid''.


    When she washed his body after so long, she realised that he had grown up, too much... she felt jealous seeing his member, it had gone inside so many females... already. The goddess never knew that she''d ever be interested in a mortal''s reproductive organ, yet she wanted to touch it... sadly, he didn''t allow her to. She felt disappointed and decided that no matter what, she would touch it.


    When he began cleaning her body, she felt... something, something that for aeons of existence, she never felt... the desire to be touched. To have her body in contact with his, more in some ces than others, her moans escaped and she repressed them, this was still her son. But when he began ying with her back... that ce, she knew there was no way she could stop her moans and desires from unleashing.


    High Gods like her, aren''t supposed to feel this, how could she exin herself...? how to say that she wanted his finger to go deeper inside her asshole, how does that selfish desire match her billions of years of existence as a Primordial Goddess of Space.


    When he began ying with that important and primal ce, she nearly lost it... Space and Time lost all meaning for even a minute, as she focused on his fingers going in and out. Yes, she eximed her desires and asked him to go deeper, she loved her son, he was so considerate, dozens of years of pain seemed to be washed away by his mere fingers... billions of years of meaningless existence seemed to gain a meaning.


    When she considered whether to allow this affair or not, her knowledge as Nova told her to go on with all possible green lights, yet Isabe''s apprehension was palpable just as were her desires.


    This woman wanted her son as her lover and denying it at this stage was impossible. That''s why when she entered the room once again and saw that erection covered in a mantle, she knew there was no going back.


    Said and done she touched it, he refused to allow her before, but now surrendered pitifully in her clumsy ministrations. The goddess sought to give him a better pleasure and thus, began experimenting... a human''s reproductive organ turned out to be so... desirable.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Or perhaps... it is only his.


    Things improved only for a single week, until they were obliged to leave the town since the corpse of the man was soon being traced back to them after being discovered, Nova felt sad, their lives were just getting together... one work at a time, one night at a time.


    Moving to a new ce, she felt hopeful, a new town where they now had enough money to survive with a better life, Constantine told her to make a flower shop, he even built the stall himself with his friends, turns out her son knew all along that she loved flowers, yet another detail that added to her budding feelings.


    Leaving a life of misery no more, her beauty resurfaced from the mes like a phoenix... now she had someone she wanted to look nice to.


    Her beauty contributed to the selling and it was soon a famous spot that allowed her to make more friends, sadly... there was a side of hers that her friends shouldn''t know.


    The side that walked from her bed to her son''s bed to suck his cock once every two nights, it was a marvellous experience between the two, and she also made sure to check that he hadn''t been going around and fooling with women, sometimes she noticed it and punished him for it, he was still selling himself to maturedies for money... after cleaning the residues of her job up to thest drop, she''d leave him there, squirming... hopefully empty just so he''d have nothing to give those women when the time came... she''d then return to her own bed to sleepfortably.


    Sadly or fortunately for her, the same card yed the other way when Constantine felt in the mood... the brat would enter her bedsheets and spread her legs wide, what would receive him was his mother wearing nothing beneath and soaking in expectation, she knew that he wasing... it was the side that opened her legs wantonly for him to pleasure her once every two nights... she clutched her bed and moaned to the skies as he sucked, touched, introduced... and made her feel the pleasures that a mortal woman delights on, then he''d give a slight kiss to her clit and close her legs back, leaving her panting and tired before he went back to his bed, having sapped her energy.


    No words would ever be exchanged between the two, until the next morning where they were once again ''mother and son''.


    Nova realised how pleasurable it was to love Constantine and how nice it was to be a woman more than a goddess, she LOVED being a mortal.


    But there was a particr incident that would make her ce her foot down. That day she arrived from work and there was someone else... a woman, beautiful with auburn hair... she knew who this was, the wife of the city lord... she was dressing in what she could only describe as brazen attire, her cleavage visible with breasts only a little smaller than her own, the smell she had in her body... she recognised it.


    It was her son''s smell... the deadlock in the door remained only for so long before the woman ran away, limping slightly dare she add. That day she and her son had a rough fight where her heart was nearly broken... because that woman was not a client... she wasn''t paying him.


    Her jealousy had increased to a degree that for an entire week she didn''t visit his bed, she was upset. Nova felt outraged... how dared he bring a woman to their house... she didn''t realise this sting in her chest was precisely the key... the purpose of her time leap, this jealousy.


    She didn''t know what to do, confuse reigned her mind... he had as much right to bring a woman to the house as she had to bring a man, both of them paid this house... and he was her son, ''I shouldn''t be stopping him from being romantically involved with anyone...'' she thought, but... thinking that made her feel like pulling her own hair.


    A weekter she thought it was enough, once again she found ady in their house! but this time it was different in many ways... this time she realised she really needed to do something.


    It wasn''t a client, it wasn''t an affair... Nova knew exactly who this person was and her apprehension increased several notches.


    Caroline de Castile, that was her name... an absolutely stunning youngdy that also happened to be... a princess. Constantine was fourteen now while Caroline was fifteen.


    Her eldest daughter, the Goddess who inherited thew of ''Luck'' and causality. Nova knew that her daughter and Caroline were fated to be together, it was sealed in the future, that is how it was supposed to be.


    She had realised what mortal emotions are, right at that moment she was feeling so jealous and clouded, as if Caroline''s mere presence in this house was already eating her peace away.


    Nova felt jealous of her own daughter, because that smile that Constantine had while chatting with her... should only belong to her.

 Chapter 99 Past Memories: Isabella Greenwood III

    As it turned out, Constantine had saved Caroline and her entourage from some bandits with his group, he confessedter that they nned to steal the loot, but after realising Caroline''s astounding beauty, he couldn''t.


    Caroline was merely trying to convey her gratitude, but Nova, after living thirty-ish years of Isabe''s life, was no longer ignorant in the matters of love, that gaze that she was throwing her son wasn''t that of ady in gratitude.


    It burned something in her, especially when Constantine also seemed to be equally thrilled.


    Her motherly feelings came loose, this was his chance... a nicedy with a great background that could help him out of this hole that he lived in, this town was too small for Constantine and she didn''t have the means to give him any better, but this girl could.


    Yet why does this hurt so much?


    The young princess of the Castille Dynasty departed that night but not far off; saying that she''d stay in town for a while to sightsee. Lies, she wanted to spend some more time with her saviour.


    It hurt so much that all he talked about once she left, was about that girl, how beautiful she was and how much wealth she likely possessed, ''we can go to a better ce'' he said while smiling, thinking about the possibilities.


    That night he went to sleep with a smile, yet she wasn''t smiling.


    ''What if I don''t want you to leave me? have you thought about that?'' The Goddess'' mind deviated between her woman''s side and her mother''s side, she found herself taking the exact same route that Isabe had, even when she said... it would be different.


    She crawled from her bed that night and into her son''s.


    Men had a particr weakness, they would be erect every morning... something that gave her an excuse to y with him under the pretext of ''calming him down''. It was a bond of sorts that they shared.


    But her mind was in disarray and today she didn''t feel like using her hand or mouth would be enough, she wasn''t relieving his stress, but her own.


    Constantine moaned like always in surprise, she''d usually crawl into his bed before he fell asleep, not deep into the night, still, he didn''t reject her and showed her the usual love and attention that they shared during this bonding.


    Her tongue did miracles as ever, but once he finished, she didn''t do the usual, leaving him panting to crawl back into her bed silently, instead, he felt how her tongue drew a line along his abdomen until she reached his mouth.


    !!!


    A kiss, he gasped.


    Even when having done this for perhaps a month or so, every day. There were no kisses involved.


    "M-Mother, wait-"


    "I won''t wait."


    Nova/Isabe, discarded her underwear and tore his ones apart with a strength he didn''t even know where it came from, it was her policy, her rule... that they had to take care of clothes even if things were better recently and they could get more, she just went against her own rule.


    When he felt something soft and moist touch the end of his ns with her panting on top, Constantine knew tonight was not going to be like other nights.


    Nova descended, biting her dress to give him a nice and broad view of her body, she gasped when she felt her insides engulf him for the first time, he held her waist instinctively, his gaze and shivering eyes telling tales of what he was feeling.


    It was a primal connection that couldn''t be denied.


    Without any exnation or even a word, she began rocking her hips back and forth, basking on this pleasure she had been deprived of for billions of years... moans and grunts indicated their pleasure, taboo unrestrained.


    Constantine''s eyes were fiercely glued to her body, her hair fell on his face, smelling like flowers and fragrances, her insides couldn''tpare to anyone he ever had before, she was on a level of her own... and she was his mother.


    The pleasure quickly reached a crescendo and that was when the two exploded, Constantine grit his teeth, pushing her away, she was tightly glued and despite how good this was feeling he knew he needed to do it outside or it would be dangerous.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Sadly for him, Nova didn''t have that n, she just experienced the greatest pleasure a woman can feel, and she wouldn''t get a half-assed experience, hence when she felt him push her away, she pulled with greater strength, constraining her body against his and feeling how those jets of hot liquids entered her womb.


    "Hmn!~"


    Constantine gasped again, his hands instinctively held her butt and pulled it, nestling him deep inside as he bit on her neck, it was done... there was no going back now.


    For several seconds he kepting, feeling the spasms and impulses, letting out a load at a time, their crotches had be a mess.


    Nova nted ast deep kiss on his mouth, his mind blown with the experience they just had before standing up and allowing her dress down, her womb filled and spilling, with a smile she staggered back to her bed, having gotten what she wanted... she had marked her son as her own, and had been marked in return as well.


    The beauty slumped on her bed, still feeling brief spasms of her orgasm, her first ever orgasm with her son. After thirty-ish years, after billions of years.


    However, that night wasn''t fated to end just yet.


    Also with silence, a panting Constantine crawled from his bed, into his mother''s bed... there was no way just once would be enough, he needed to feel that again.


    When she felt his embrace from behind, she didn''t know what to say or do... except for feeling happy, what else was there to feel?


    Spooning her, he lifted her dress up, taking one of her breasts just for the sake of it, they were his so he didn''t need an excuse to take them... then her leg raised and he aligned himself with her entrance once again, she was dripping so much, clearly, the amount he left inside, the sheer volume was too much for her to hold it in.


    That didn''t stop him from silently inserting himself there once more, the first one deep, making sure to knock on her cervix before beginning a piston, Nova''s moans began yet again, this time more intense since her vagina was quite sensitive from the previous intercourse.


    His cum served as a lubricant that only stimted both of them further, creating the sloshy noises that her memory would never forget, that dubious and debauched scent was drawing the two to a deep abyss.


    **


    **


    The next day Nova woke up, fulfilled and brimming with love in her son''s arms.


    The sun woke her up and she realised that she needed to prepare breakfast for the two of them as he had already left all of his energy inside her.


    Humming and even singing the goddess first washed her body since it was coated with cum and juices from yesterday, she made sure to do so thoroughly as once her son/lover woke up, he''d surely want to see her in her best light, her crotch was particrly slimy... having gone through this once before, she wondered if she was pregnant... the goddess didn''t seem to care, but Isabe was filled with apprehension, there were certain potions that one could take to prevent this although they weren''t a hundred per cent certain so she deemed it necessary to get one from the town''s pharmacy.


    Little did she know Nova could easily prevent this and she did.


    When she felt his embrace that morning, Nova couldn''t describe her happiness. They greet each other normally, like mother and son... like what happened the night prior had been a dream, but they knew very well it wasn''t.


    That girl was so confused when she came back, Caroline de Castile... the boy she was crushing on and that previously behaved so flirty... he was still a gentleman but there was thisyer of indifference in his eyes, she was a princess and knew very well that she couldn''t be with this boy even if he saved her life, but... she wanted to at least get to know him more, his mother, that woman was so astonishingly beautiful, her silver hair seemed to reflect the very stars.


    That day she invited him away from the house and Constantine epted, wanting to take her around the town as well... Caroline and Isabe threw each other a deathly re before going on their own ways.


    She still needed to get a job and taking advantage of this opportunity she departed their ''nest of love''... still smiling, so what if she took Constantine? there had been love in his gaze when he looked at HERSELF from start to finish.


    The bunny was in the bag.


    Sadly, a few weekster, reality would dawn on her once again.

 Chapter 100 Past Memories: His Love Is Bonkers

    Two weeks of visits from Caroline de Castile; two weeks of unrestrained passion during the night.


    What initially seemed to be an activity of stress relief, quickly dwarfed into the realm of active pleasure-seeking, any time, any moment... so long as they were in their house and there was no one else around, the couple would quickly engage in a session of kissing that heightened with a crescendo into beautiful intercourse.


    Sadly, they were almost caught by Caroline or his friends more than once, forcing them to tone it down, that day they were at it in the kitchen, her legs opened wide with her back on the table, Constantine thrusted fast and hard as the moans resonated, only for the door to knock.


    It was very early in the morning, they weren''t expecting any visits... panic was visible in her eyes as the realisation dawned yet again, this is her son... they can''t be seen like this... even if there were hints for normal couples of what they had prior to a visit, that couldn''t be the case in their situation.


    So she fiercely pushed him away and dressed up, cleaning everything and every stain of juices that they could have left, it had been Caroline who came earlier than usual, insistent on having a pic.


    In the case of his friends, it was even worse, unlike the educated Caroline, they were a bunch of hooligans, she had almost no time to clean before they sted the door open, and Constantine had to kick them out of their ''insistence'' in truth, he had to kick them out because otherwise, they would have seen her naked, sweaty and with a dripping snatch.


    Be it as it may, all dreams were about toe to an end, or at least, what she considered to be their happiest time.


    Caroline de Castile, now more than a little infatuated with the boy, invited him to the knight academy in the capital, she would have his rmendation and her father''s since he was quite happy for the boy to have saved his daughter.


    It was a golden opportunity. Constantine was thrilled, he wanted to do it, attendants to the knight academy had an ie depending on their ranks, it was quite profitable, he thought he''d finally be able to give his mother the life she deserved, but... to do that he''d have to sacrifice his time with her.


    Isabe/Nova clenched her fist in contemtion... and that was the first time.


    The first time their wills shed, andpared to before now, Nova who understood and felt mortal feelings, had as much will to decide as Isabe.


    Isabe, the woman who loved her man and had forsaken her motherhood, desired her man to stay with her, he didn''t need to go and be in some academy where he would likely be mauled, they were doing well and she would get a job, he could keep hunting and they could live together in this small house basking in each other''s bodies and presence until... until...


    Nova, the goddess who basked in her son''s ministrations yet kept her motherhood, desired for him to be a greater person, he wouldn''t stay with her forever under her umbre and the chance for himself to finally be great hade not only that... but she also needed to consider her daughter''s happiness, she knew Caroline and Constantine were fated, and she couldn''t be in the middle, so... he had to leave far from her... until...


    Until they died, leaving him for his own life and designs.


    The path to take was evident; forsaking her own feelings... Nova/Isabe, smiled at her son with teary eyes and told him to go with Caroline to be a knight and have a better future.


    **


    **


    When her son departed a few weekster, the pain was worse than expected, Nova hoped that by making love to her son relentlessly for thosest weeks, she''d be coated with his scent and thus, she wouldn''t miss him so much, she only made it worse for them as by the time the moment came even Constantine was reluctant to leave... he was told that he would be able toe back for a single month every few months but that seemed so much time...


    Kissing his forehead, she told her son everything would be okay, he needed to be strong and also... he needed to understand that there were better things beyond her.


    Waving her hand, she saw the carriage leaving and she saw his deste look as he looked back and she couldn''t take it... the tears were too hard to hold, she was consoled by his friends and their mothers who she was acquainted with, but nothing could be done... the moment Caroline stepped into that cold house bereft of her son. Her knees gave away and she cried, she cried like never before until she passed out.


    Two days ahead and she felt like a year had passed, people were starting to get worried about her... in those two days she hadn''te out, she hadn''t even eaten.


    Regardless of Nova or Isabe... they were both devastated.


    It was only after some of her friends convinced her, ''He wouldn''t want to see you like this... when hees back, how will he feel?''ments like those made her regain her strength.


    Constantine had left all of his savings, everything he possessed in here, she still had her flower shop which didn''t produce as much ie, but with this much money, she didn''t need to worry... all she needed to do was wait.


    The people in the town, particrly men, were puzzled... every man desired Isabe Greenwood, but no man dared to trespass the ''flirty'' line.


    Constantine Lionheart was a name that funded fear in everyone''s hearts, he had a reputation even if he wasn''t personally there, not only that, he was also sent to the knight academy, and no one dared to offend his mother.


    Ten days had passed and she had to do it once after holding back.


    The moans could be heard in her house but only on the inside, on her son''s bed, Isabe introduced her own fingers relentlessly inside, calling for his name... regreeting her decision, Nova regretted her decision, Isabe med herself.


    Fingers couldn''t reach as deep, and even if they could, they weren''t his fingers... her body already recognised who it belonged to, and since the owner wasn''t around... depression began to loom.


    A month in and she was struggling, Isabe took care of herself, she even worked out, she joined a local group ofdies that wanted to keep healthy... her already astonishing body improved, even more, growing toned... ''He will like it when hees back'' that was the thought that kept her going.


    Another month in and something unexpected happened, a carriage came, she rejoiced and ran towards it... but her son wasn''t there.


    Instead, a noble man departed the carriage and greeted her.


    "Isabe Greenwood?" The man looked at her with a weird gaze, up and down.


    "Y-Yes... where is my son?" She asked with despair, confirming to the man that this is indeed the person he was looking for.


    He couldn''t believe this youngdy is Constantine''s mother... she looks more like his older sister.


    "Mr Constantine is not here, but he sent a delivery for you, Madam." He brought her a neat royal package that was slightly heavy.


    *SOB!*


    "M-Madam?" The man tried to see what was going on with her, but aside from the sobbing and despaired woman, he saw nothing else.


    Isabe''s friends also tried to help her, eventually bringing her to her feet.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Where is my son...?" She cried, this isn''t what she had been expecting... how many more months does she has to wait?


    "Your son is doing well in the academy madam, he has been rising up the ranks very quickly, you should be proud of being that little monster''s mother. Then if you excuse me." The man got on the carriage and the horses began their departure.


    Still sobbing, Isabe took that package and brought it to her house, running.


    She tore it apart, hoping he would somehow be inside there... sadly, that didn''t happen as ridiculous as it was. There were several things inside the package. A bottle, a letter, two pouches with money, a dress and a flower. With despair and tears, she opened the letter.


    Nova began reading.


    ...


    "To the most beautiful Mother."


    "I''m sorry that you haven''t heard anything from me for the past two months, mother... I have been busy, life here wasn''t easy initially... I was bullied for not being noble, but... those dogs were all barking and not biting."


    She giggled and cleaned her tears, yes... no one would ever be able to beat her son.


    "I haven''t made too many friends, but so far aside from Caroline... I have three, his name is Hector and he''s a noble from another kingdom, his maid Saline who clearly has a crush on her master but he doesn''t seem to notice, andstly my teacher of the sword, Penelope... she- she''s a beautifuldy, mother."


    Isabe gritted her teeth, she saved that name, Penelope.


    "But even then, there is no one in this capital that I have seen, that can even begin topare to how perfect you are, mother... it was only aftering here that I realised that you were unmatched and that town is too small for you as well... I have been going on adventures, you know... doing my own thing... Caroline''s father, the King of the Castile Dynasty is a nice man, but her mother didn''t like me initially... it was only after a brief ''chat''... a long chat actually... that she began liking me... a little too much."


    ''You brat...'' Isabe clenched the letter again, not knowing if she shouldugh or cry as if she didn''t know what kind of ''chat'' was that!


    With the Bloody Queen!


    "Her name is Ste de Castile, I try to not be with her too much... but she reminds me of you... mother I miss you."


    "I miss you too son, I love you..." She cried again, sad that he had to find a ''substitute''.


    "In order to express my love for you... I got you a few things... one of them is a bottle of wine, it is called the ''undefeated''... it is one of the most expensive bottles here, I took a sip from it..."


    "..." She looked at the bottle in disbelief before taking it and opening it, she took a sip straight from the gourd and it tasted wonderful, afterwards she began reading the letter, blushing profusely and having her heart palpitating madly.


    "Did you feel my kiss? Did you kiss me as I expected you to? I hope you did... otherwise, it would be so sad if you already forgot me."


    "I did, son... I did! How can I forget you!? How can I stop loving you?!" She licked her lips, how much she loved this man! how much she desired he was here... this letter was his personification, but it wasn''t enough...


    "I felt so thrilled to know that you would have this bottle... that even when I wanted to just ce it closed, I had to kiss the tip, just so I could in some way... kiss your lips. There are two more things, one of them is a flower called Queen''s Land, apparently, it is only raised here in the capital... it is extremely expensive but how curious, it can''t begin topare to you... nothing does."


    "Oh my god..." She was reading and sobbing, in disbelief that these were her son''s feelings through these months.


    "Thest is a dress, this one is rtively cheap... but it was created by an olddy who I consider a friend of sorts, even if we don''t speak much, I saved her shop from some burrs... I asked her to make a dress for the woman of my dreams, who also happens to have silver hair... and she made this, please have it."


    She opened the dress it was a long one-piece white dress, beautiful.


    "I''m sorry that I can''t send any more, this is as much as we''re allowed to send outside the capital, I would send you a sea of flowers, I would even send myself in the envelope if possible, but we''re not allowed to leave for another two months... you will find three pouches with golden coins, be careful while having them mother as they''re quite valuable, take two for yourself and give one to the boys... I know they must have taken care of you... they''re my bunch, tell them that I need them here in the capital... and... I need you too... if you want toe, mother, you cane, this is enough money for you toe."


    "Son you want me to go..."


    "Lately I have been feelingplicated... I think I love Caroline."


    !!!


    "But I can''t stop thinking about you, I only get involved withdies that remind me of you... but when I realise that they''re not you... I leave them, they get upset with me, but there is nothing I can do, mother... they''re not you."


    "..."


    "Caroline is so attentive, flirty... she likes me quite a bit, isprehensive... she knows what I am doing and she doesn''t like it... but she doesn''t judge me either... I think I am going to begin something with her, but... I want to wait to know what you think... Mother, I love you... why can''t I just tell you this openly... it is so sad... I hope to see you in two months unless... unless youe here with me."


    "With love, your dearest son, Constantine Lionheart."


    Once again that sh began... Isabe was despaired, after reading this letter she wanted nothing more than to see her son... to kiss him to make love to him, how dare he tempt her so from so far away? how dare he re-awake this euphoria with mere letters?


    "I have to go, go to the capital straight away and forsake everything... I have to be with my son!"


    But Nova... the Goddess... she cried in despair, her daughter was probably feeling sad... she hated it, she hated that he had to sleep with other women, it made her feel raw outright jealousy, but... the thought that he did those noble women while thinking of her was so banal and satisfying... even then, she had to nt her foot down


    "Son I love you so much but... I can''t go... if I go... you two won''t be together... you will keep recing me for others, that''s not good."


    This time, the moral battle between the two of them was more bloody, Isabe even clenched her hands until they bled, injuring the two of them... she didn''t understand, if she wanted to go, why couldn''t she just go?


    Once again she med herself, she didn''t love her son enough that''s why... using ''I''m his mother'' as an excuse, she was making her son sad, and she med herself for it.

 Chapter 101 Past Memories: Cant Get Enough I *

    Those two damned months passed swiftly, but somehow Isabe managed to keep standing. She kept doing her routine with the localdies, now having formed her own entourage of sorts; everyone recognised her as the ''mother of the knight'' after the carriage incident. It was widely known that only high-ranked knights had the capacity to send a noble carriage over to the outskirts of the Kingdom.


    She had somehow be the spiritual leader of this small town now.


    ...


    When his silhouette departed the carriage. The world seemed to have stopped for her. Isabe was there wearing that white dress that she received as a gift.


    "I''lle for you in a month, Mr Constantine."


    "Alright, Mr John. Have a safe journey."


    It wasn''t only his mother receiving him... the entire group of memories, the entire town wanted to receive their hero. But she was at the front. Her steps dragged her forward little by little until she ran; Impacting against his chest.


    She embraced him as tight as she could, making sure this was not a dream... the man in front of her was no longer a boy. This gentleman was dressed regally, his muscles were harder she could feel it, his height no longer shorter than hers. He was now fifteen years old, but he looked like a grown man, she wondered how could somehow change so much in merely four months.


    Hooked on his waist there was a sheathed sword, her son was a bonafide knight.


    Constantine held her waist, taking a wisp of that silver hair''s smell and kissing it.


    "I missed you, mother."


    "I missed you too, son."


    She took several wisps of his scent as well, saving it, aware that she wouldn''t get what she wanted right away.


    It was after a few seconds that they werepelled to separate since there were onlookers. Constantine, taking her hand in hand, greeted every single one of his old acquaintances, even those he had shared a great deal of poison with in the past seemed as if they forgot every grievance. His friends, their mothers... they all regarded him with respect. The women he had previously bedded looked at him like prey, this young man had reached sess; he was an ultimate lover and husband material that wouldn''t be here for long. They knew the only reason he came was to visit Isabe, his mother, so they had a chance.


    If only they knew.


    ...


    A small banquet was held to wee him. They departed a few hours afterwards, walking with long strides back to their humble house. Constantine looked at his home with joy, several things had changed, there was a beautiful garden covering the entire house, all sorts of flowers, his favourite, tulips, were the main spectacle and the property was also painted in a delightful white colour. It wasn''t being rented any longer, Isabe bought the terrain from the owner, this was now their house, their little nest.


    Her flower stall was nearby, remodelled and beautiful as he recalled.


    It made him feel as if he hadn''t been here for years, but it was just four months.


    "We''re on our own now." He said.


    "Let''s go in, son." She answered.


    Once the door closed, passion could no longer be stopped.


    *BAANG!*


    Isabe didn''t wait, she pinned her son against the door aggressively, holding his cheeks in a rough and desperate tongue kiss; he was awed at her roughness, there was so much saliva and tonguing. A mere kiss was enough to tell him that this wasn''t going to be a simple love-making session. She had four months of pilled lust, and he had four months of pilled-up frustrations.


    His hands went down to squeeze her butt tightly, tearing her panties apart and spreading her cheeks until his desperate fingers found those wet petals. He pressed her against his body with the intent of merging, a sadly unfruitful oue. She moaned, having her pussy yed from behind but this wasn''t near enough to make her reach the crescendo that she desired, the mother raised her arms instinctively and he took her dress away, tearing her bra apart and within seconds she was naked.


    Whether it was Nova or Isabe it didn''t matter, he wasn''t able to hug her because they knelt down agreesively to open those trousers, forsaking the belt that ended who knows where, she found him hard as steel, how could he not when his hand had been in her vagina during the entire banquet, ying her to his heart''s content?


    She swallowed him to the base with despair, all that there was in her mind was lust, she didn''t know how many women he slept with, if it was Caroline, whoever it might have been for those four months, she was going to rewrite his body and coat it with her musk, it was a promise.


    Her head bobbed up and down with Constantine grunting and tying her hair in a ponytail just so it wouldn''t get in the way or wrinkle up. Such was the necessity to mess her up today that he was even worried about her beautiful silver hair''s wellbeing.


    Isabe wanted that cum in her mouth, but she wouldn''t get it, he wanted to finish in her womb, not her mouth. Hence, with harshness, he pushed her to the new table where shended in a panting motion, Isabe felt her legs getting pulled only to see her son technically lift up her waist to his head level and sink his mouth inside her dripping pussy, he was going to have his meal before the main event started.


    "Ahn!!~" Nova moaned to the skies, she didn''t want this... the pleasure was addictive but there was no time to lose, the Goddess of Space felt that Time was scarce, why wouldn''t make haste and fill her up?


    "C-Constantine, fuck me! uhm!~ FUCK ME NOW! FUCK YOUR MOTHER!" She had never said that before, ever. Not so slutily, not with such ack of proper decorum belonging to a nobledy. Lovemaking between them was a sacred act of love and bond between a sinful mother and a sinful son, yet now.


    All she wanted was to get fucked, creampied, impregnated... four months of missing addiction begged for a shaking rpse, her womb was empty, dried even, and needed a healthy dose of his warm fresh cum.


    Constantine growled like a lion, her words served as the most potent aphrodisiac, he licked her juices that remained on his lips, "As you wish, mother."


    He discarded his own clothes, she opened her legs as wide as possible and without thinking twice he aligned up and sheathed himself forcefully in that pussy.


    Both of them grunted in satisfaction, finally... like a thirsty man that finally got water, like a zing fire that was finally extinguished, like a mncholic traveller that finally arrived home, like a lost ship hitting port after a long journey.<novelnext></novelnext>


    They were both where they had to be.


    "AHH!!~" How much she had longed for this that when it happened, it was unbelievable... he too grunted harshly before resuming in a forceful piston, holding her legs and spreading them like scissors, giving himself room for impact.


    "Ahhn!~ Ahhn!~ AHHHH!!~" Constantine looked at his mother, ignoring the sloshing noises produced by their union, he had his bloodshot eyes focused on his moaning mother, she was enjoying this so much, tightening herself up down there, holding the table for support and trying to answer back with everything she had.


    How could he not have noticed the upgrade in her body, it was toned, slim, her legs were fuller, she was absolutely gorgeous, ''she did it for me'', ''she wanted to look nice for me''... those thoughts kept reying; working as fuel for his piston and dragging strongerbustion out of his muscles, he wanted to cum inside so bad.


    The ecstasy continued and she didn''t hold her moans, perhaps they could even be heard outside just given how hard she was moaning, Constantine grunted, he didn''t treat her pussy like any gentleman, for the first time he literally roughed his mother up. His mind let loose and so did hers.


    This was the closest to a battlefield a love chamber could take them, the tingliness was increasing, the sensitivity, they knew what''sing, the pping noises went stronger. Isabe bit her lips, resisting, she wouldn''t cum yet, this had tost... four months of wait couldn''t finish in mere minutes, their intercourse would continue through the night, for several days if necessary until she was sated, but this first orgasm had to be the best.


    Constantine fought hard to resist his own climax, he saw her looking up at him stubbornly, refusing to let go, his mother''s pussy tightened, pushed, pulled, ground, tortured his penis, she wasn''t trying to ''defeat'' him, she was begging him tost a second longer.


    But he had different thoughts, all he wanted to do was to finish inside her womb and im back what he believed he had lost.


    How dare those bastards openly flirt with his mother when he was present? he had to sink his fingers in her vagina to keep his calm during the banquet and now, no one could ever tell him to stop.


    Therefore, with the desire to conquest, he grunted hard and jets of cum shot out with vigour. Isabe/Nova gasped, with a single shot her barriers were destroyed, her vagina sensed the intent of impregnation and sent the reaction straight into her brain, bringing her to the ultimate peak of ecstasy, a heart-shaking orgasm that threatened to render her unconscious.


    Climaxing hard he filled her womb, holding onto her waist, pulling her crotch against his, knocking past the cervix to make sure every single drop of cum went the farthest possible.


    One, two, three, four. A total of four loads went deep in while both gasped and forgot the existence of oxygen.


    *RUMBLE!*


    A small shockwave of space was released as Isabe''s eyes shone and the strength she just lost returned to her body in a berserk manner; she pulled her fatigued son and turned him around on the table forcefully, he didn''t know where she had taken this strength from.


    She pinned her son on the table and started rocking her hips on top, hard... forsaking his sensitivity, Constantine had to hold her tights and grunt while she humped her big butt down, doing it so hard that he felt small impacts against his crotch, the sensitivity sent him over the edge shortly after, sending yet another load of cum deep inside, but Nova wasn''t about to stop.


    "M-More! Ahn! More! son! give me more!"


    With equal euphoria, he decided to answer her prayers, tonight would be one to remember.


    From the kitchen to the bathroom, from the bathroom to the room, from the room to the hallway... there was no ce untainted, Constantine fucked his mother everywhere, standing in the middle of the house sideways, every single position he could think of, she was insatiable, desiring more and more... the night turned into the morning, the morning into the afternoon, knocks were heard on the door but no one answered, they thought no one was home and left, in truth his mouth had Isabe''s sealed as he thrust in... deep inside her asshole from beneath in a lotus position, right in front of the door... he exploded and filled her up for the uncountable time.


    There was no ce in her body that he didn''t own, no ce he hadn''t marked.


    Her soul - conquerednd. Her mouth - tasted delicacy. Her breasts - invaded mountains. Her vagina - plundered garden. Her womb - a filled treasury. Her asshole - charted cave.


    Constantine owned his mother.


    "M-Mother ugh I love you!" He bit her neck just like that first time, they were in the same ce where everything began, his bed.


    "Call me by my name, don''t call me mother!" Her waist sped up in a rage. That word, ''mother'' was what prevented them from showing this love to the entire world. She didn''t like it... she didn''t ept that status... she hated it.


    Nova and Isabe both hated being the ''mother''... it gave someone else the right to be the first wife, her rightfully belonging ce.


    "Isabe..." He called her. At this stage, he''d do anything to bring her pleasure even if a centimetre higher, his cock was numb yet he couldn''t stop... this is what he missed, not a singledy in the capital couldpare to this.


    It wasn''t that they weren''t good, it wasn''t that they weren''t sexy.


    But they''re not ''mother''... the most beloved existence to a son.


    "N-No... not that name." She licked his cheek, begging to be addressed properly by her soul-mate... billions of years of love ingrained in a single individual, The Goddess of Space was in love, the true and authentic meaning of the word that she sought, she found it just now.


    "Ah?" He felt momentarily confused amidst the ecstasy. He would call her anything so long as she felt good, but he really didn''t know.


    !!!


    It was then that Nova realised what she just said and before he could begin questioning, pushed him down and sealed his mouth.


    The self-consciousness began, when did it happen? when did she mistake herself for Isabe? when did she forget who she really is?


    These were no longer memories, the goddess of space realised, and just at that moment she was hit with yet another climax, that once again made her doubt her identity.


    Was it even worthy to be anything other than his mother?

 Chapter 102 Past Memories: Cant Get Enough II *

    An entire month of ecstasy ensued in which those two were inseparable... Constantine retook his hobby of painting, sadly, Isabe said that she couldn''t go to the capital. Not only did she feel well here, but he also needed to be together with Caroline this was a point Nova wouldn''t negotiate.


    He was reluctant but ended up epting, in exchange, he painted. He painted her in all forms and poses, naked every time, with a different expression of ecstasy after a delightful session, it was their little secret, another one. A private product for the two of them, paintings that would immortalize this moment; she would look at them and recall what they felt for one another, he would regard them in the capital and recall his secret treasure in the outskirts.


    This decision marked a barrier. She had just made a barrier in which every year she''d be with him merely two months, but that was enough for her, slowly but surely her mind was beginning to ept reality.


    It wasn''t only raunchy sex, even though most of the time they were indeed at it one way or another, Constantine pleased his mother in a plethora of ways, for those two months, making her smile was his mission. He sold flowers with her, they walked through the woods and rivers, Had pics and slept in the wilderness. They went hunting together... they made love anywhere of interest and kissed so long as it was a private environment. He even got his friends to extend her moderately sized house into a three-story house, the biggest in the town and the most secure as well.


    Isabe scared away any ''suitor''. Several of her friends even dared to try and court him, she thought they were out of their mind. He was HER fifteen years old boy... no one else''s, she could ept Caroline, she could ept him fooling around, but for those two months he was hers, and that was non-negotiable.


    The day before the carriage came back to fetch him. They made love yet again in that house, this time more daring, on top of the unfinished attic, looking at the stars, trying to not make too much noise since this was the open world, not their littleir.


    She grind her son''s cock for every single drop that he had, making sure by the time he departed, he''d be nice and empty, Caroline would have to wait, she''d get nothing.


    How many times she said it she didn''t know, how high she yelled this when they were supposed to be silent, she didn''t care.


    How much she hated to be his ''mother'' but how immensely pleasurable this taboo was... no one would ever be able topare, she had been ruined to other men thoroughly and that had been Constantine''s mission.


    Thest sprint was more intense, both closed their eyes and allowed their hips to do the job, intense and forceful, her womb was already filled to the brim, but this was hisst shot.


    "I love you! s-son C-CUMMING, I''M CUMMING! AHN!"


    *PA!!*


    *PA!!*


    All she needed to do was to keep her waist in ce, a difficult task to aplish while he thrust up and knocked her cervix each time, scraping every g-spot along the way recklessly and bawling down the ce that he already owned.


    "UHMM!!~"


    "UGH!"


    Eventually, they sessfully reached a climax, falling down, tired... his cock and her pussy were gone, used well beyond human standards, a healthy couple shouldn''t ever be having this much sex.


    "I-" He began, but his newfound determination was fated to shatter.


    "You have to go, son..." She said, biting her lips; already aware of what he was about to say, the words she wanted to hear.


    "I know... mother, I know." Constantine sighed, rubbing his eyelids, perhaps that was his only moment of doubt, he had a life in the capital. A reputation, even a big ce. A girl waiting for him, even his master. It was difficult to abandon what he had struggled to create in four months only for his mother... yet he had been willing to do it.


    This house felt like a ''home'' even more now than ever, but the shadow of their true status would always loom.


    "That girl, Caroline... make her happy, stop fooling around with women that resemble me... you had enough of me so... focus on her now." Isabe said deterministically.


    "I didn''t have enough of you." He growled and held her butt tightly, making her shiver like amb.


    "T-Then let''s keep going until you have enough, we have... a few more hours." Her voice sounded like a stutter, like a little rabbit mustering courage to fight a lion.


    "I don''t have anything left to offer." He pumped himself a few times... totallyid and even a little painful. She sighed in relief, despite saying that she didn''t know if her pussy, breasts... her very soul... could take any more.


    Theyid down like that until it was the next day, thankfully no one was funny enough to crawl up or they would have been discovered, the sex left them so tired that they literally passed out on top of the house.


    She cleaned him up and he returned the favour. It was a long cheerful mother and son moment in the bathroom, this time a lot more wonderful andfy, it wasn''t a bucket with cold water. She had gotten an expensive bathtub and a charcoal heater.


    She prepared his clothes like a dutiful mother and dressed him up, softly cing his sword in the scabbard and now he looked even more perfect than when he left.


    "You look so handsome, son." She smiled and fixed his jacket, feeling immensely prideful. Her son was such a fine young man, a knight from the capital, one with a high rank at that after merely four months. She giggled and they held each other''s hands in front of the door, once trespassing it, they wouldn''t be able to show any intimacy as the people in the town wanted to say their farewells to him.


    "You''re my pride... I know I have not been a good mother." She began, feeling like she needed to take this out of her system now.


    "..." He frowned but listened.


    "For the earlier years of your life, I hated you so much... Constantine, I''m sorry from the bottom of my heart. I treated you so bad and ignored you when you needed me... perhaps if I had been a good mother back then... we wouldn''t have ended like this." Her heart was always confused, Nova considered Isabe a mncholic individual... but how could she not when they had such a difficult life; regardless of how pleasurable this taboo was, it was a mistake and no one could deny this.


    "It is okay, mother... I know your reasons." Constantine never judged her, it was quite early in his life that he realised that she deserved to hate him. His ursed surname had caused the two of them nothing but sadness.


    "No, it is not okay... I shouldn''t have gotten angry with you... you were just a little boy..."<novelnext></novelnext>


    "I''m d that things ended that way." He said, caressing her lips.


    "..." She licked his finger, an impulse.


    "Otherwise we wouldn''t be what we are, this is wrong... what we do, what we are, but I can''t live without it." It was then that he licked her finger, she too had ced it on his lips.


    "I hate being your mother." She confessed.


    "..."


    "But I still am, I need you to know that I love you with all my heart, but Constantine I''m still your mother..." So, she stopped licking his finger and instead took his hand, rubbing her head against it the back of it.


    "This is the best for you... there is a girl there that loves you, perhaps more than I... she''s willing to tolerate and wait, there are people there that respect you and a master that teaches you how to use the sword, there is a better world there than this town. I belong in this town, you belong with them... don''t make them wait anymore,st time you left but your heart stayed here... now you have to leave,plete. Last time a piece of me went with you, now I remainplete." She smiled, this time she was determined to not cry... but Nova had consciously said a slight lie.


    ''There is no way she loves you more than I, she''s not even close.'' But a mother was still a mother.


    He sighed, crying was not something he was used to... whenever she spoke, it was always the same, words that would separate them, yet it was always so logical.


    "I will always be here when you need me... my eyes can''t see anything else between the roses and you. There is no other man that can ever please me... I''m shaped to you, so rest assured, my heart is chained. Just, keep sending those letters, I love them. Juste here whenever you can, I''m always patient, always waiting." She sobbed with a smile, a little irritated that she still ended up crying. This was her confession and it wasn''t a lie,pared to him... everyone else was so inconsequential, they weren''t worthy.


    At that moment he couldn''t resist himself, pulling her softly like when one plucks a flower, he kissed her, she sobbed and answered back in a passionate and tender kiss.


    *KNOCK!*


    "Boss, aunty!"


    The door opened abruptly and ady entered forcefully, both mother and son literally panicked and she twisted her face as fast as lightning.


    The girl stopped there for a moment, seeing how Constantine had his arms around his mother''s waist, "Come on, it''s not like you won''t see each other forever!"


    "Felicia, how many times...? you have to knock before entering!" Angry, Nova knocked this tactless mortal''s head.


    "Mou! you two are as close as always!e on the carriage is already here!" Felicia, one of Constantine''s subordinates held her forehead in outrage before making her way out, they didn''t have to hit her alright?!


    Constantine and Isabe walked to the carriage while greeting the cheering crowd.


    There he gave her ast hug for the next four months, or at least, that''s what he believed.


    "I love you."


    "Me too, im victory, son."


    He nodded and boarded the carriage. Now more determined than thest time he left. This was her choice, in the end... she choose to be a mother instead of a woman, and that''s how it had to be.


    Nova and Isabe waved their ''hand'' repeatedly, smiling and secured. Her son and daughter would be okay and that''s what mattered. Many people in the crowd looked at her, some with sadness since they knew she''d be alone again, some with happiness since they saw that she wasn''t looking as sad as before, by now, this entire town''s mood seemed to depend on her mood.


    Some others looked at her with suspiciousness... her rtionship with her son was... a little too close. They went everywhere together, that wasn''t so odd... the problem was... that she didn''t get together with any men, even promising men that didn''t have any ill background... her son also didn''t get together with any girl, beautiful girls who technically jumped at him, let alone both seemed to be quite ''protective'' of one another.


    It was suspicious, but what could they say? it wasn''t their business.


    "Aunty is quite close with the boss." That girl, Felicia... said with a frown, she respected her quite a lot, like a second mother, but had feelings for Constantine since quite early, now she was a beautiful youngdy, rather voluptuous although missing ifpared to Isabe. She couldn''t understand why he didn''t look at her at all for two entire months.


    "Yes, we have gone through a lot and... others won''t understand how much we love each other."


    "..."


    "As mother and son that is~" Smiling, Isabe walked back to her house to prepare and sell some flowers, because the departing carriage wouldn''t turn around no matter how much her desires channelled it.


    Nova smiled, the bnce was always needed and she now understood... Space and Time, sadly.. she thought there wouldn''t be any bnce this time around.


    ''Compared to us, Toki and his slut can''tpare.'' Nova sighed, there wasn''t even a point inparing, those two were far gone from her mind.


    She took that anti-pregnancy potion from the table... biting her lips she threw it away and didn''t look back... whether it was Isabe or Nova, it didn''t matter, this was a unanimous decision.


    In the end, she couldn''t forsake her womanly side begging to bear her beloved''s child.

 Chapter 103 Past Memories: Struggle & Passion I

    Nova hummed, preparing her garden together with some girls and some of her friends, life was happy and the sun was shining. It had been two months since her son left again... she realised she wasn''t pregnant... and that was perhaps... a relief.


    She had been quite daring at that moment, desiring nothing but to get pregnant to somehow bnce that woman side of hers that she had forsaken, perhaps giving Isabe some respite, but it hadn''t resulted.


    There had been issues across the months, apparently, some men grew more daring, going after her in a forceful manner, they were all taken down by her son''s group... quite ruthlessly at that.


    In this town, no one dared touch her... she had learnedter that her son had paid a lot of money for her security... it wasn''t just his group, their weapons and gears, apparently, he had created a faction and one of those groups was sent here, merely to take care of her.


    Aside from smiling, she could do nothing else.


    He wasn''t here but his presence seemed to be noteworthy... she didn''t know how he did it, but there were different flowers arranged in her house each time she came back from work, there were packages with clothes... the town lord came to tell her that the house''s terrain had been expanded and she had more space to grow her flowers, there was even a well.


    She didn''t know if it was possible to love someone more than she loved her son... he was not here, but it felt as if he was.


    Her days were bright even when it rained, Nova no longer masturbated... just looking at those paintings of herself with that satisfied smile was enough, she loved her son in body and spirit, wholeheartedly believing they were connected even when he wasn''t present.


    Life was wonderful until that letter came after a month of non-activity.


    ...


    To my dearest Mother-inw, Isabe Greenwood.


    I wonder if you still remember me mother, it is me, Caroline... I''m writing you in my dear''s stead... to tell you that he was just sent to the front in the war against the Heatherfell Kingdom who just dered war... I insisted on him against this... but he proactively enlisted himself after Master Penelope''s rmendation... Mother, I couldn''t stop him... depending on the length of this war, it might be months if not years before hees back from the front, he told me to take care of you for the time being so I''m sending you this letter to let you know that I''ll head to the town personally to fetch you back to the capital during his period in the front. I just happen to have several matters to attend to as the princess before I can do this.


    Please wait for me patiently and don''t feel discouraged, Constantine is a very strong man, a very strong but stubborn man...


    Your beloved daughter-inw, Caroline De Castille.


    Second Princess of the Castille Dynasty.


    ...


    Isabe''s psyche copsed.


    Nova already knew the oue of this war, yet she was unable to stop Isabe from beginning to imagine the worst scenarios, scenarios that the moment she saw them... disturbed her goddess'' being as well.


    Her knees went weak and she copsed.


    **


    **


    Isabe moved into the capital with Caroline, she got to know the ce where the rich life, she was told of her son''s struggle, he was admitted into the academy by the King but still abused due to his status... Caroline attended the Academy as well but one year higher, unlike her sisters who were finedies, she was interested in the art of fighting and stratagem, something that quickly ced her away from the rest of her royal family.


    Isabe really liked and hated this girl at the same time, she like her because she was a perfect candidate to marry her son. She hated her because she was the perfect candidate to marry her son...


    Caroline spoke openly about their private affairs, saying that she had to thank her... ever since he came back after his second holiday, he stopped almost all of his affairs here, it was a nasty event with those women getting really toxic. He eventually settled for her and after that, they had their first time together.


    It itched a little in Isabe''s heart, something that Caroline noticed in the carriage as they spoke.


    "How many lovers does that brat have?" She rubbed her forehead in exasperation, that womanizer even though she told him to leave aside the ''recements''.


    But then she thought, perhaps he genuinely loved thosedies, they weren''t recements.


    "Including you and me? four." Caroline said seriously, ring even.


    !!!


    "W-What are you talking about?" That red Isabe she sent back contained poison.


    "What I mean is... that he is so attentive to mother that it almost looks as if you''re a couple." Caroline giggled but her gaze didn''t look very ''yful''.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "I see, yes... he''s such a wonderful son." She red back, not saying another word... any other mother would have thrown a fit ''How dare you to insinuate that!'' but she didn''t...


    ''What you''re saying is the truth, but you won''t hear it from my mouth.''


    Those two red at one another for a good two minutes before harrumphing and looking away.


    Nova couldn''t believe her eldest daughter''s reincarnation was so childish, she thought so while pouting.


    "..."


    "And who are the others?" The curiosity was killing her, Caroline rolled her eyes.


    "His master, Sword Saint Penelope..."


    "That brat..." She thought in anxiousness, ''How could he be together with his master?''


    As a matter of fact, how could he be together with his own mother?


    "And my mother." Caroline blushed for some reason as if she got sudden shameful memory!


    "That brat!!!" Isabe literally stomped on the carriage, ''How could he be with his girlfriend''s mother?!''


    ''That little brat is breaking every possible taboo!''


    It was an odd feeling for Nova, she felt jealous because Caroline was calling someone else''s mother... and that same woman was also screwing her son.


    ...


    As much as they were like water and oil, it was Caroline''s presence that gave Isabe some rest.


    She met bothdies... the Sword Saint Penelope... a breathtaking cold woman, about her age in herte thirties with long raven hair and a figure that would tempt any pope intomitting a crime, and then, the Queen... yet again a blonde woman around her age, early forties... a rather displeased beautiful wife, an older copy of Caroline with mature charm... her husband spent most of his time either hunting or eating... he also had several concubines who were rather displeased, they didn''t understand why that man enjoyed more eating than anything else, as for his sexual life? perhaps the bears were banging him and nobody knew...


    Thedies had tea parties every week to discuss how the war was going on and news about Constantine... curiously, the only ones that knew in the entire Kingdom who his lovers were... was them.


    Moreover, it seemed to be an untold secret, but they all believed something was going on between Isabe and her son.


    Whenever they openly discussed his prowess in the bed, she felt ufortable, because it was a trap.... they were expecting her toe forward and said ''He did me like this...'' but she wouldn''t... she would take this secret to the tomb.


    ...


    The time of waiting... two years during which Constantine only sent letters. He, at mere sixteen years of age, became the youngest general, he won prominent battles... his leadership capacity was unmatched... he almost died several times, he lost other battles, lost friends... lost soldiers... he had suffered... but he was still alive.


    By his opponents he was known as ''The Carnage'' because he would devastate his enemies so bloodily... that those he hadn''t yet fought were already scared before stepping on the battlefield... his opponents were outright scared.


    He set traps that marvelled other generals, ambushing groups and leaving their heads hanging... no one could believe this boy was sixteen years old. The biggest piece of surprise was yet toe.


    Enemies researched him, they wanted to know what his weakness was, it wasn''t long before they reached a name, Town of Duck... a small town on the outskirts of the kingdom, poor and unheard of, they technically lived due to the grace of the lord since no one cared about them.


    But that was his weakness or so they believed... he had a mother there.


    Constantine knew what his weakness was... and he knew they were going to go for their weakness... cing a group of his in there wasn''t merely to protect his mother, even if that was the primal purpose, in truth, he still cared about that town regardless of the past, it was his and his mother''s home.


    The ambush was brutal, and the spy... captured. He opened his mouth after relentless torture giving great information that would help Constantine in his campaign. Two monthster, the war ended with Constantine taking the opposite general''s head.


    No one could believe it.


    He came back to the capital, victorious but injured where he was received by those fourdies. When he saw his mother, he technically passed away in her arms.


    "Wee back."

 Chapter 104 Past Memories: Struggle & Passion II

    Constantine was back more rugged than ever.


    She enjoyed his tales, the scars on his body told more than what his mouth could, but despite all this, he looked splendid and happy.


    Constantine was awarded for his service... plentifully.


    He''d be awarded a noble title by the King and Queen, a count... he''d be given a piece ofnd in the Kingdom from which he choose thend that covered his hometown. He''d be given Caroline''s hand in matrimony whom he would marry once the two of them ended their period in the knight academy.


    Nova... Isabe... they couldn''t be any happier for him, but the distance between them was increasing, she stood there together with the King, Ste and Penelope in the promotion ceremony where Constantine and Caroline danced and smiled, they looked so beautiful together.


    Nova knew who she was in reality... but Isabe felt so inferior.


    Compared to Caroline the future Queen, Ste the current Queen, Penelope the Sword Saintess... who was she? a discarded noble. No one ever said anything disrespectful to her, she was treated with the utmost decoration, they knew very well what Constantine ''The Carnage''s reverse scale was; his mother. Her thoughts and perceptions were her own, the very first thing Constantine did after being able to stand up from the hospital''s bed, was to make love to her there and then.


    Despite his efforts in trying to have her stay in the capital, Isabe stayed with him for several weeks before deciding to go back.


    "I don''t feel good here." She evaded his gaze, still pinned to the bed with her legs hugging him tightly, his loads stilling inside her womb.


    The thing is... in the same room upstairs was Caroline, deeply asleep and filled to the brim, after finishing with the main wife Constantine had crawled through the night to his mother''s bedroom, as usual.


    "Why? is anyone treating you wrongly?" He asked, frowning and willing to break the arms of whoever did it.


    "I don''t like that I have to conceal what we are, even at ''home''..." She couldn''t be openly romantic with him without getting weird gazes, perhaps in the town, everyone thought they were just too close but here they were looked at wrongly, it was as if people were ushering for her to separate from him, he was the capital''s treasure, the nobles wanted their daughters to catch his eye and be concubines in the future since he''d be the King. But that wouldn''t happen if he was by her side and Caroline''s at every moment.


    But here... they were being looked at wrongly... then there was the other group, the worse group.


    ''Isn''t that Isabe Greenwood?!''


    ''The one that was exiled sixteen years ago!?"


    ''For the gods... is she Constantine''s mother! w-wait... Lionheart, I see it now!''


    Those were the ones she detested the most, whenever that gossip started, she''d run and Constantine would have to p a few people, she didn''t like it.


    When Constantine was outside with Caroline, everyone smiled... when it was with her, everyone frowned. Even Penelope had free reign, they were Master and Student. So long as they didn''t get too touchy, no one would say anything... that didn''t seem to be a problem for the cold Penelope, she wasn''t a ''dating'' girl... she enjoyed fighting and sex... that was it.


    Her only constion was that Ste seemed to be in the same predicament, The Queen couldn''t be seen walking around with her son-inw when her daughter wasn''t present. But even she could say that she was calling him to talk about her daughter, then screw her son in close quarters.


    All the while she could only wait for Caroline to go to sleep before he crawled into her bed... it wasn''t fair. The gazes of the people weren''t something he could prevent... he couldn''t just p the entire capital''s faces.


    Now he was the Hero and huge expectations were already being ced on his shoulders.


    "Constantine I have to go..." She said, once again evading his gaze.


    "I don''t want you to go." Her son kissed her neck, begging.


    "If you love me... you have to let me go, please... I''m not happy here..."


    "Then I will go with you for a few months." He insisted.


    "You can''t."


    "THEN WHAT DO YOU WANT!?" It was then that he raised up with headstart, angry, so angry... she''s the one setting barriers, he couldn''t understand why she cares so much about what other people say.


    "..." She gasped, he had never screamed at her like that.


    "Why do you care so much?!"<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Son, if you don''t care then tell them... tell them that I''m your woman." She red at him and he returned an equally intense gaze before, much to her panic, he began standing up!


    !!!


    "WAIT! W-WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?!" She pulled his arm and threw him on the bed, once again he didn''t know where the hell she was taking all this strength from.


    "I''m telling Caroline, she already suspects anyway, then we can make the announcement." He prepared to head outside again but she locked him up between her legs, hugging him tightly, to get out of this deadlock, he''d have to injure her, something he''d never do.


    "Are you out of your mind?! this could destroy the reputation of you two!" The outside struggle was nothingpared to the inner struggle, Isabe fought tooth and nail to be recognised, it was Nova who had to stop her.


    "I don''t understand you, you tell me to do it, but when I''m about to, you stop me... excuses, is that it? you don''t want me? no, you found someone." His gaze turned poisonous, unhealthy.


    That usation was a fierce blow for either of them, so much so that Nova''s tears squeezed out.


    "No!! Y-You h-how can you- IT IS NOT FAIR FOR YOU TO SAY THIS TO ME! YOU HAVE THREE OTHER WOMEN WHO YOU CAN HAPPILY GO OUT WITH WHILE I STAY IN THE SHADOWS! YOU''RE NOT SUFFERING MORE THAN ME, CONSTANTINE!"


    She felt like a lover when she should be the main wife, it was unfair. Why did she have to wait until Caroline was satisfied and only then would it be her turn? in truth Nova felt she was just being selfish. Penelope and Ste had already epted their positions, but she was still reluctant.


    "..." It was his time to get awed at her explosive reaction, he knew it was frustrating for her as well, but


    "Okay, you cane with me for a few months, but you must understand... things have changed, son... you''re a general now... you will be the king." Nova sighed, she didn''t like this, fighting with him... but a part of her understood this was frustrating for them both, he had reached a point where he didn''t care about anything, he''d discard his future for her, but she couldn''t allow this... in this taboo rtionship she had to be the voice of reason.


    She held his head.


    "YOU WILL BE THE KING."


    "I don''t want to be the king." He growled, it was mere casual, he loved the battlefield, he loved conquering, but he didn''t like the responsibility that came along, the charades, the politics, the charades, the banquets, he hated them.


    "But you want to marry Caroline."


    "..." He couldn''t deny that, he was in love with Caroline.


    "And she wants to be the Queen."


    "Yes..."


    "Hence, you will be King, a very capable one... don''t deprive thisnd of a great king... just for my sake."


    "I hate that you underestimate yourself, always..." He hated it, she was not selfish she didn''t ask for anything, there was so much he could give her but she never wanted anything, he hated it.


    "I hate that you love me more than you should..."


    His head sank in those breasts and he began to thrust in hard once again, each time harder than before, her moans increased as well trying to keep him at a bay, but she was unable to, he was determined to knock up her cervix each time.


    "I don''t know anything... I just know that I love you... I want to go in deeper..." He said, forsaking the sweat and struggles, all he wanted was to climax now.


    "Hmn!~ m-must you find... the authentic me deep inside before you''re content... the me that represents space." Nova said, at this stage, her frustrations were the greatest, so long ago she had recalled her real self, the Primordial Goddess of Space, perhaps those billion years of creating stars had been so meaninglesspared to mere forty years of Isabe''s life, that she had forgotten her true self.


    But now she desired to be loved as such, an unfair reality, in this life she was not Nova, she was Isabe Greenwood.


    "W-What do you mean?" His head raised in confusion, grunting and pistoning to oblivion.


    "Ahn!~ j-just kiss me."


    For that entire night, Isabe and Nova let go of their grievances and engaged in a reckless and passionate session; aware that no matter what in this mortal life, some thresholds shall never be trespassed.

 Chapter 105 Past Memories: Struggle & Passion III *

    Nova, disagreeing with Isabe as always, decided to stay for another week instead of permanently moving to the capital, she was also worried about the town since the insurgents of the Heatherfell Kingdom went there in order to capture her.


    It was unfair for her son, she could tell... he wanted to spend more time together and she too wanted to check and verify that his rtionship with Caroline was going well. Aside from, of course, spending more time with him.


    It was during those days that it happened... someone knocked on their door in the private lodgings of the academy... someone she didn''t ever want to see again.


    "Who are you?" Constantine opened the door, there was an old man in front with two beautifuldies at either side... the two of them had silver hair whilst the old man had clean white hair.


    "I''m rence Greenwood, your grandfather." He said, smiling with the brightest smile he could muster.


    "..." Never in his life had Constantine heard that name. He knew his mother''s name had ''Greenwood'' in it, his name had ''Lionheart'' in it from his father''s ursed family, but nothing more... he didn''t even know what his father''s name was and he didn''t care either. His time in the capital was not spent with noble families, that was usually Caroline''s job.


    "Sorry but I don''t know you... get back to where you came." Constantine didn''t have much to say, he was shrewd enough to know the purpose as to why they wereing.


    "Can we talk? it is important." The old man insisted and the girls beside him regarded Constantine with a gaze filled with interest, Constantine imagined them to be his ''aunts'' but they were quite young to be his mother''s sisters.


    Curious as to who was knocking on the door, both Caroline and Isabe walked by with their noble attires and thetter palled when she saw that person and thosedies beside him.


    "Big sis!" The two girls immediately ran towards her, and embraced her tightly, something that only made Isabe pale further, Constantine didn''t know what to say, he imagined they were acquainted, but his mother''s next cold words would astound him and Caroline greatly.


    "Release me." The silver-haired woman said, her gaze as chilling as the coldest ice.


    "B-Big sis?" The girls didn''t release her but instead looked at her with aggrieved expressions as if saying ''you don''t remember us?''


    "Stop your charade, I don''t know who you are!" She pushed them away with apparent disgust and it was then that Caroline got in between, "Release my mother-inw... Baron Greenwood, what is the meaning of this?"


    "Isabe, my daughter, I think we can-" The man began, trying to approach her, but no one could have expected the maddened outburst that came out of the mother''s mouth.


    "D-Daughter? Get lost! GET LOST! HE''S MY SON! MINE! I RAISED HIM BY MYSELF! I COOKED ALL HIS MEALS! I TAUGHT HIM HOW TO READ AND WRITE! YOU HAVE NOTHING TO CLAIM HERE! YOU HAVE NO ONE TO VISIT HERE! WE DON''T BELONG TO YOUR DISGUSTING FAMILY AND HE''S NOT YOUR GRANDSON! GET FUCKING LOST BEFORE I KILL YOU, MORTAL!!"


    By the time she finished not only were spatial waves being produced, rendering everyone in the room slightly dizzy, but Nova was fiercely panting and looking at her father with enough poison to kill the entire capital.


    When she realised what she did, she tried to regain herposure but the worry was evident.


    ''He will know...''


    Never in his life had Constantine seen his mother fuming like this... she was red... she was filled with wrath, he even felt dizzy like there were a few additional kilos on his shoulder and even the old man had to support himself by grasping the doorframe.


    ''Nova?'' There it was, that foreign voice.


    Isabe gasped slightly, looking sideways briefly in confusion. She heard that voice, where did thate from? everyone was looking at her in a mix of awe and bewilderment.


    ''Dear, is that you?''


    ''W-Who are you?'' Isabe thought back, feeling slightly scared, the appearance of her family together with this was producing her a great deal of stress.


    ''...'' Nova remained silent, he musn''t know...of all high-gods, he musn''t know... it was incredibly difficult to conceal herself from him, now... she messed up... she couldn''t believe she lost her control like that, but when she recalled all that pain, and after all these years these people came to pretend to be family, she couldn''t help it... if this was not just her soul but her entire divine being... just now... this and all surrounding stars might not have survived.


    It wouldn''t have been a mere space ripple, it would have been a spatial cataclysm.


    Constantine didn''t understand where all that wrath came from, but since their mere sight was something that pissed her off, he quickly got to action.


    "You heard my mother, get lost... I don''t want to see any of you again around here, if you dare to so much as approach my mother or this house, you will all be goners, understood?!" Constantine mercilessly pulled those youngdies who apparently had been ''faking it'' and threw them all out of his house together with the old man before mming the door right on their faces.


    "Mother are you okay?" He came to her, holding her cheeks, Isabe looked confused, even Caroline was worried, just now she felt such a killing intent, the harmless mother apparently wasn''t so harmless... with how much harshness she had lived, it made sense.


    "E-Eh... n-no I heard a voice just now."


    "Rx, I threw them away."


    Isabe heard the voice no more and thought that perhaps it had been her imagination.


    "Thank you... thank you, son." She cried in his arms, she hoped to never meet them again, let alone in these circumstances, it was evident... their rundown family wanted to im something now from her son who was now a Count and would soon be the King. They could only dream.


    Still, she wondered where those wordse from... those hadn''t been her words, moreover... ''Mortals?'' her mind was turning slightly fuzzy and when Constantine checked her up, she was hot... they ced her on the bed and called some nurse who said she merely had a slight fever,


    Constantine and Caroline both noticed the usage of that word, even thetter felt a little... peculiar. She felt a little nauseated just now, but they didn''t give it much thought.


    Until the next day when even a worse individual came, and he was prepared.


    **


    **


    "Who are you?" It was so obvious, the only thing he took from his mother was her hair, everything else was so ''alike'' to this man that he felt disgusted.


    "My name is Harrow Lionheart... your father."


    The man stood there with his open arms and an entire entourage of ten knights behind him, all looking at Constantine solemnly, sadly, those arms weren''t going to hold anyone in a hug today.


    It was as if myriad volcanoes were about to erupt, when Isabe saw this man, she immediately started sobbing... and when their eyes made contact and that bastard smiled, her tears came out.


    Constantine was about to m the door on this person''s face, it was that or killing him by mistake, but Caroline stopped him while shaking her head, tightening her hand so much around his wrist to stop him from directly sting this person''s face.


    "Dear.. he''s a duke, please..." She was still the Queen to be.


    "Caroline..." His gaze contained request and longing, ''Let me kill him'', but he knew this time he''d have to relent, Caroline never asked for anything, she never demanded anything, thest thing he would do was anything that would tarnish her image or future prospects, therefore... he held back.


    "Please, allow him to speak, then Duke Lionheart can be on his way." The blonde addressed the man with the utmost poison, making it clear... ''say what you have to say and then leave''.


    The entire entourage entered his lodging before he took a sit in front of the regal table; then one of those knights walked forward. She took her helmet and ced it on the table, revealing a beautiful auburn hair before sitting next to the Duke.


    Constantine sat with his mother on one side and Caroline on his other side, each seemed to be holding his hands like the shackles of a beast. Isabe red at this man who red in return with a gaze filled with yfulness.


    "You''re way more beautiful than before, Isabe."


    "If you look at my mother for another second-" Constantine wasn''t going to take any crap, and the Duke seemed to understand, he wouldn''t piss off the ''carnage''.


    "Sure... I don''t want to antagonise you, son."


    "Don''t call him ''son''..." Isabe technically growled, perhaps she''d be the one to jump at him and twist his neck past the limit, the memories of that night were long forgotten and rewritten by her son, but the mere sight of this person was already causing her repelling.


    "He''s my son."


    "You left."


    "You never loved me anyway." He dared to excuse himself.


    "It doesn''t matter if I didn''t love you or not! you should have been responsible for what you did!" That''s what she should have said back then, right now she was just thankful that he left, the problem is, why did he have to show up again?


    "I couldn''t be with a woman that hated me."


    "Stop with your bullshit! you abused me! what do you think I would do, apud!?"


    "We don''t have time for nonsense... Duke Lionheart... state what you want and leave..." Caroline saw that things were heating up and as much as she wanted to keep being polite, she was the only one in this group of three that didn''t want to jump and ughter that man, and even she held the thought of switching positions.


    "If you''d allow me, Count Lionheart." The woman beside the Duke spoke, her sight fixed on Constantine, he too nced at her with sharpness, this woman is a great warrior and he can tell.


    "And you are?" He asked.


    "My name is Alisha Lionheart... your younger sister. I have been wanting to meet you for a long time, brother... but I didn''t dare until now." Her voice contained respect, but s... Constantine''s eyes were judging, just bearing the Lionheart name would be a cross that would never allow them to see each other to the eye, at least not now.


    "Until you saw there was something you could take out of me?"


    "It''s not like that, brother!" She stood up, trying to exin but she wasn''t allowed to.


    "It doesn''t matter, you have not yet said your purpose here... state it and leave." Constantine stated, it was clear, either you say what you want now, or I will throw you out.


    "We''d like to officially recognise you as a member of the Lionheart Family..." Harrow said with aplicated expression, he knew they''d deny but he was prepared.


    "I refuse." He said, obviously. Caroline sighed... it would be the best for them if he didn''t but she couldn''t go against his decision in this matter, it was personal.


    "But you can''t refuse~" The Duke smirked.


    "I REFUSE!" It was then that Constantine stood up with a headstart, enraged and forsaking the ''shackles''.


    As a response, all the guards pointed theirnces at him from a prudent distance, "Please general, we don''t want to fight." They said, his reputation spoke on its own, perhaps all of them here might not be able to defeat him, this man was more of a beast than a man... so long as he had a sword, which he had hanging by his side, who couldn''t he kill?


    "Then hurry up and get lost!"


    "You have the royal surname Lionheart and I have witnesses to prove my and your mother''s rtionship... our entire family wants you, not just me... they''re sorry, they even scorn me. By acknowledging this you will own a part of our family''s heirloom, what originally belongs to you... what is wrong with joining your new territory to ours when yours is already smaller...? You''re a single count yet we''re a Dukedom existing for centuries, son... it is you gaining in here, not us... I merely want to extend courtesy and fill the gap for all the years that I wasn''t present."


    "You''re disgusting, Harrow..." Those were Isabe''s words, she knew nothing about politics, but there was so much pretentiousness in there, such a disgusting man, she could only apologise to her son for giving him such a horrible father even if it wasn''t her fault or choice.


    "..." He held noment, instead, he waited for Constantine''s answer.


    "The one that will be the KING is MY son... do you want a piece of that?~" It was as if she became another person, her voice became suggestive and poisonous to the point everyone in the room swallowed a gulp, she took her son''s wrist and sat him back beside her, but there was something else she did with his wrist...


    Constantine and Caroline didn''t get her tone, until they both saw how she took Constantine''s hand and ced it on her crotch!


    !!!


    Constantine gasped, even if they had already made some sort of public ''shows'' before, this was too much!


    As for Caroline, she couldn''t even believe what she was seeing but the two of them quickly went back to normal while Isabe kept devastating the Duke with words, meanwhile, she made sure to take her son''s fingers and ce them straight on top of her moistening lips, panting.


    This was her own personal show, perhaps her own personal vanity disying.


    "I don''t know what you''re talking about." Harrow said, he noticed an obvious chance in Isabe that made him grit his teeth, he had seen her on the streets walking with Constantine, she was astounding, it was a lie to say that he didn''t hold hopes in this meeting... not only could he annexe the powerful Constantine back to the family and eventually bring them up to the Royal Family, but he could get his hands in this exquisite beauty that he missed every single day and regretted having left.


    But that didn''t seem like it was going to happen at all.


    "He''s a hundred times more man than you ever were or will, Harrow... how do you even dare to call him son? you should be his grandson instead... my son is not even eighteen and look where he is. With his own effort, with his own strength, no pitiful family backing him down and forced marriages in his stead" Isabe giggled, each word was like a deep stab, and she made sure to ''stab'' Constantine''s fingers deep in her cunny as well.


    "Look at him, unlike you, my son can get any woman he wants with his own strength and charm, your Lionheart Family can only dream of getting him, you''re all not worthy."


    "Y-You!" Alisha red at her with threat, her insulting Harrow was understandable, but her words towards the Lionheart Family were uncalled for. But when her gaze met her brothers'' she knew she had to back off... this is ''The Carnage''... not just Constantine Lionheart.


    While smirking, while feeling empowered, Isabe took her son''s fingers beneath the table encouraging him to continue while her other hand went to his crotch and she grasped his so possessively, so addicted.


    There was no mortal feeling that could ever beat this retribution, they could dream of getting him only to fail unsessfully, but she only needed to open her mouth and her son would topple this Kingdom to get her a single flower. He''d be the king, he had the current queen diligently kneeling and sucking him off behind her husband''s back to the point she didn''t seem to care whether he discovered them or not, she shamelessly dragged her husband''s concubines into her lover''s bed; he had the queen-to-be following his every word and begging for his seed every morning, the most powerful woman in thisnd. The Sword Saintess everyone respected in the entire continent melted on his lips.


    Foreign Empresses craved him themselves, considering themselves too old to evenpete; they sent their princesses over to be mere concubines.


    Yet they could all only dream to get what she had from the beginning, even before he became what he is. It was such an odd feeling, she couldn''t describe it, while Isabe considered herself unqualified for anything, Nova considered herself deserving of everything.<novelnext></novelnext>


    It was now that she understood mortal vanity, greed and power; the feelings that ''he'' felt and turned him into what he is now: a wretched powerful being. These feelings were difficult to discard. She felt thatpared to overthrowing the endless stars, this power was greater.


    Constantine didn''t know what to do, his gaze moved to cross Caroline''s who was ring at him with the ultimate ''look''.


    She has gone insane!


    "Your insults are meaningless, Isabe... I know my errors... I should have taken care of my son earlier, but when I went to the Greenwood family, you were no longer there, what could I have done?! even now I still love you..."


    Constantine grit his teeth, he introduced four fingers inside her pussy in one go and tightened them with possessiveness. Caroline saw everything, she licked her lips, now they''re not even pretending, what about the Taboo? what about keeping it secret... she saw her fiance shamelessly introducing his fingers into his mother''s cunt, right in front of these people as if it was the most normal thing in the world, and it was as if a fire lit up in her... if before she wanted them gone.


    Now they had to leave no matter what!


    Isabe kept herposure, but deep inside her... Nova was moaning to the heavens.


    "You have nothing to look for here, Harrow... we don''t want you, you are not weed... leave..."


    "I told you that you can''t-"


    "If you don''t leave in the next ten minutes... I will kill all of you here..." Constantine wasn''t ying... he seriously needed all of them to leave this room empty.


    "Preposterous!"


    "Do you think you can kill all of us together?!"


    "We won''t know until we try... but after I kill you... I''ll tell my fiance here to be a dear and ask my father-inw to not be too upset... then we will find your oldest son and make him the new Duke... and nothing happened here..." It was simple, Constantine merely needed to speak a word to the king, so long as the entire Lionheart family was not erased, there wouldn''t be a diplomatic issue, only Harrow''s head needed to roll.


    !!!


    And the Duke knew; the family wouldn''t go against the carnage, the future queen and the current royal court only for Harrow.


    "Or you can leave my sight right now." The Conqueror smirked, ''Always leave your enemy a golden retreating bridge to cross.''


    "Can we keep in contact?" Alisha asked hopefully, she knew it was a failure today, but she held hope for the future, she truly respected her brother and wanted to keep in touch with him, he was the ultimate warrior, the path she had chosen.


    "So long as you don''t try to make anything funny... I hate your family, I feel disgusted by it... the only reason you''re still alive after what you did to my mother... is because I can''t bear to ruin my fiances'' reputation... I''m going to be her husband and hence... I can''t start killing nobles left and right... do you understand? Harrow?"


    The man grit his teeth and nodded.


    "And you don''t need to worry about his surname... after we marry, he''s going to marry into my family, He''s going to be Constantine De Castile... so you can keep your Lionheart surname for yourself if you''re so proud of it." Caroline said, coldly, every second that they remained here was another second her crotch tingled.


    Once again, the man nodded throwing Isabe a re that turned into confusion.


    Thedy was too busy, panting with her hands under the table, one of them was already inside her son''s trousers, squeezing the sack.


    "It is good that you know, now leave."


    The entire entourage stood up, bowed and with bitterness departed the house.


    "Brother..." Alisha remained and he frowned at her, it was better if she left quickly because he could barely hold back.


    "What?"


    "I''m sorry for my father''s attitude... we all are, I hope you can forgive the Lionheart family... even grandfather would like to meet you."


    "Alisha!" Harrow felt outraged, how could his own daughter do him like this!?


    The entire entourage closed the door after departing, leaving an awkward silence that was only interrupted by some sloshing noises and moans.


    Constantine lifted his mother''s dress, he noticed she was dripping and staining the entire seat.


    "So...?" Caroline furrowed her brows, standing up to look at her fiance fiercely.


    "You already know..." Isabe told Caroline with an usatory gaze, she knew... Ste knew, Penelope knew... they all knew, just there was no confirmation... she couldn''t take it anymore, to not be acknowledged.


    "I would have liked it if you told me... even if I knew, dear."


    "How could I ever tell you this... mother what happened to-" He was about to tell her what happened to keep it a secret, but he couldn''t finish.


    Isabe held his head and nted a deep kiss, a sealing kiss.


    Caroline once again licked her lips.


    "I wanted to show you who I belong to... that man means nothing to me." Conviction.


    "I never doubted it..."


    Isabe stood up, discarding her dress much to Constantine''s amazement before sitting on hisp, she took his penis out of his trousers and pointed it upwards.


    "Do you want to do it together?" She asked Caroline, giving him a few pumps.


    "..." Caroline smiled before tilting her head sideways in confusion.


    "Don''t y the fool, my little daughter-inw... I know you do it with Penelope and him... you also do it with your mother and him."


    !!!


    "If I have to guess you also invite a few concubines sometimes..."


    "Y-You."


    "Is that why you always look at me with a jealous expression? Because I always get him for my own, while you all have to share?~" Now she was unrestrained.


    "You''re unfair, mother." Caroline said, smirking and standing up, discarding her dress as well.


    Constantine felt like it was Christmas today... the two he always wanted together, the twodies that he loved the most, it finally happened.


    "Don''t get used to it... I''m still leaving but, I figured we could have some nice memory- ahn!~" Isabe impaled herself to the base while Constantine struggled to take out his shirt.


    She began rocking her waist while Caroline took her man''s lips, she couldn''t believe it.


    These two are mother and son, yet... she''s shaking her hips with such doctrine.


    What made her the most frightened was that two mere minutester, she was forced to see him climax harshly inside Isabe, cumming so much that it overflow on the edges.


    She gasped.


    "Why did youe so quickly?!" Caroline yelled in outrage, confusing Isabe.


    "..." Constantine scratched his head in shame... he had no words to say. He''d usually have theme at least three times before he came once... that obviously wasn''t the case with his mother.


    Without stopping, Isabe turned around facing him with her back before her humping down once and again... as Isabe and as Nova, this felt so intimate.


    Her insides stirred, she moaned to the skies while Constantine suppressed his pleasure, she was tighter than ever before, he didn''t know what happened but today his mother was... a little too aggressive.


    Nova was making love to her ''son'' while her ''daughter'' was looking, she wanted to give her best performance... she didn''t want him to do anything other than sit there and enjoy.


    Encircling her waist she made him cum twice, caressing the head she made him cum thrice... tightening herself by crossing her legs, fourth... Caroline couldn''t believe it.


    Even more so, when she raised up from his cid member, pumping him a few times only for it to get hard again, then ced it against her asshole, she lewdly took some of his cum to coat it for lubrication while Caroline gulped, hard.


    She then took it right in.


    "AHHN!!~"


    "What are you doing?!" Caroline yelled frantically, making Nova confused... why does her daughter look so agitated?


    ''It can''t be, right?''


    "You haven''t done it like this with them...?"


    He shook his head in shame.


    "Constantine!" Caroline felt outraged... this couldn''t be possible, whenever they were together, she was hopeless, she couldn''t do anything to fight back, yet he hadn''t even been using his entire arsenal?!


    The man didn''t know what to say... if they couldn''t even take the basics, how could he go to the next level? The first time they were together he noticed it...pared to his mother, Caroline was rather... easy to please.


    And it wasn''t only her...pared to the rest, perhaps due to her youth, she was rather resistant. Her mother Ste, didn''t need more than a single round... a single round! her body was wless, but he resisted... she would always finish him twice or thrice more with her mouth, that or bring some concubines over to finish him for the rest of the night.


    Then there was his master, Penelope... she was also rather resistant... but... she was too sensitive... biting her nipples was enough to make her cum.


    Constantine didn''t know why, but the three of them didn''t reallyst that longpared to his mother who could take the entirety of his roughness for days without rest, in beauty no one could beat her, in the bed no one could beat her.


    ''Oh my... I think I shouldn''t have done this...'' Nova thought It was a mistake to have anal in front of Caroline. She wanted to unt; show Caroline that yes, she was in her forties, but no... no one could fuck her son better than her, she knew all his weaknesses, his favourite positions, even showing her neck since it exited him, she knew everything... and she instinctively thought that so did they.


    s, that was not the case, it would be an insult to infants to call them toddlers.


    "Son, y-you can''t neglect them like this..." She felt ashamed now, ashamed but happy.


    "M-Mother... what we do... other couples don''t do... I felt ashamed to do those things with them, they''d believe I am a pervert." For one anal sex is extremely rare... not a single one of thedies in the noble status does it... they all hate it, and they say it is ''painful'' which is right.


    Prostitutes do it if requested, but they hate it.


    Aside from his mother, he hadn''t done it with anyone and obtained such a positive reaction.


    "Aren''t you a pervert?" both of them red at him with conviction, that wasn''t a question, it was an affirmation... this bastard couldn''t even have normal lovers like everybody else.


    His mother, his master and his mother-inw... and if their suspicions were right, then surely his new bombshell sister too... perhaps he''d add aunts but Isabe would never forgive him.


    "I am, but I have to dissimte." He sighed, grunting slightly when a reproachful Isabe began swinging her asshole down.


    "H-How can you use that hole? doesn''t it hurt?!"


    "It does at first... but... he made sure to loosen me up first." Still rocking slowly, Isabe ced a finger on her lips and recalled those times, yes, perhaps from back then it became pleasurable.


    From those days in the bathroom when her son would thoroughly ''clean'' her asshole, loosening it up in the process.


    "Loosen up?" Caroline''s hair stood on an end.


    "Come here, my daughter, I will teach you." Now she felt pity... it was clear that Caroline''s confidence as a woman just received a great strike. She couldn''t bear to see her daughter like this.


    "..." Caroline gulped, she felt that the ''daughter'' call was a little personal.


    The Goddess of Space had certainly be an expert in the matters of the flesh with her son, and it wasn''t long before Caroline was experiencing the ecstasy of her life, her man''sst form, from that day on, just like her mother, The Goddess of Luck preferred it up her ass... not that she would reveal that publically.

 Chapter 106 Past Memories: Peaceful Days I

    After giving her son and daughter-inw a great deal of training to keep their marriage bond strong, it was time for Isabe to go back to her little town where she was being expected.


    "I''ll miss you... are you sure you don''t want to live here? why are you so stubborn?" He couldn''t believe how many times she had rejected to live with him already, but he could still sort of understanding her, she was quite supportive in his marriage with Caroline and she kept both Ste and Penelope at bay too, hence he did begin spending more time with the Queen-to-be and strengthening their bonds, he also sort of stopped fooling around... sort of, just yesterday it was the heiress of the Lionheart family, his younger sister, who came back seamlessly to ''visit'' in truth, she was asking for more.


    As for what ''more'' you can already imagine; she was a sexy warrior and... things just happened. The same didn''t happen with his aunts, however, as he felt quite disgusted by their attitude, the Greenwood, unlike the Lionhearts didn''t seem to be ashamed of their actions at all.


    Back to the main topic, his mother didn''t feelfortable in this concrete jungle filled with hypocritical nobles, "This ce is so cold, there is no forest, no nts... you know this is not what I like." She caressed his cheek; a motherly action she enjoyed.


    "I-" He began only for her finger to stop him.


    "Don''t tell me you will build me a private park, you can''t do that."


    "It can be done!" He retorted, surely the money to get it done wouldn''t be an issue.


    She giggled and gave him and her daughter-inw ast kiss before taking her backpack, the wind blew her dress, hair and hat, creating a beautiful contour "I love you son~ keep conquering."


    Nova believed her own self-growth to be so beautiful, she no longer felt emotionally dependent on her son, she could wholeheartedly live a peaceful life knowing he''d be okay with people that liked him, lovers that... entertained him and a great wife... he would alsoe to visit often to quench those pitiful moments in which she''d feel loneliness, everything was perfect.


    She sighed in contentment, waving her hand on the door until she heard a cough inside the carriage.


    !!!


    Threedies sat regally... Penelope Strauss, the Sword Saint. Ste De Castille, The Queen Consort. Concubine Swan, Imperial Concubine Swan, a bombshell with auburn hair and a long noble dress, she was one of her son''s ''booty calls'' or perhaps it was better to say that she was one of the concubines who wholeheartedly loved her son. He had many such cases, but she had befriended thisdy in particr.


    It was difficult to tell if the royal court still belonged to the king or her son... initially she felt outraged. But since thosedies were all dissatisfied and her son was determined to follow Ste''s games, what could she do?


    "Why are you here?" She asked, tapping her fingers and looking at her ''friends''.


    "We want to visit our mother-inw, is that a problem?" Ste ced her fan on her mouth, blushing a bit and only enraging her more!


    "How can you be so shameless!" Isabe and Nova couldn''t believe this woman''s words.


    "Why?" The queen tilted her head in confusion.


    "You''re sleeping with your daughter''s man! How can you call me mother-inw!? were the same age!"


    "..." Penelope, Concubine Swan and Ste red at her... "Aren''t you sleeping with your own son?"


    Isabe gasped, ''That vixen opened her mouth!''


    "Leaving that aside, mother-inw. We want to visit your town." Penelope said coldly yet rather shameless as well.


    "Why all of the sudden?!"


    "I have two free months and n to... spend one with you and one with Constantine, we need some assistance." The raven-haired beauty yed with her hair, evading the main subject.


    "..."


    "Perhaps visiting your house will give us some ample knowledge of what the art of ''anal sex'' really is." Concubine Swan didn''t beat around the bush.


    "... you''re joking."


    "We''re not." The three said in unison.


    "..."


    "He seems to like that quite a bit, I can almost hear Caroline''s moans from the royal court. So... this thing about ''loosening up'' the back door that you did with my step-daughter... can you help us with that?" The concubine fidgeted, she looked rather scared of the whole procedure but just imagining that she''d fall behind the others in obtaining his attention just because of this, her motivation resurfaced... Constantine being quite ''big'' didn''t help either, she thought she''d be split in half, but since Caroline, someone with a slender body could take it, then there was nothing she, a meaty milf, couldn''t take, or so she believed.


    ''Caroline, couldn''t you keep your mouth shut!?'' Isabe''s head extended out of the carriage only to see her daughter-inw waving at her with a wicked smile, ''Have some nice holidays, mother-inw... good work loosening up my mom and aunty by the way and leaving me free reign to spend some time alone with my husband, please tell me if I should send more concubines, they''re all interesting in loosening''.


    It was like the most wicked morse code sent with winks, ever. Nova wanted to p her daughter right now, for real.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "What am I supposed to do, stick my finger inside your asses?!" Just saying the words were ridiculous.


    "If it''s not going to be much of an issue... b-but please be gentle, it is quite tight in there, I tried to o it myself but it didn''t loosen so, I guess you have some sort of unique technique." The Queen requested to have a finger up her ass politely.


    ''Unbelievable...'' If they weren''t her friends, perhaps there would be three corpses crushed by space in this carriage already.


    "We''d ask him to do it but... it is kind of shameful if we''re already not ''loose'' when he wants to do it." Penelope coughed once again, she''d only dare to say these things out loud only because she knew the secret of these three. She had enough dirt on these three to not worry about her own dirt.


    Isabe couldn''t understand what her son did to have the sword saint, the queen and the imperial concubine... so hungry for his attention.


    "Ste... y-you have a husband. Please think about this properly! after you do this there is no going back!" It was merely a warning, after doing anal with her son... she was never the same, it was like yet another level of belonging, the most shameful sex a couple could have. Perhaps the Queen would outrightmit regicide after devoting herself to the pleasures of being sodomized.


    "Husband? he''s either eating bears or being eaten by bears... and I don''t mean in a good way, perhaps he is already ''loosened up'' and I''m losing thispetition! Let him be... rest assured that my heart will forever be his, but my body belongs to your son now, so... I want to please him more it." There was no doubt in her words, the Queen was infatuated and she still dared to excuse herself saying that her heart belonged to her husband, something that couldn''t be any far from the truth.


    "Yes, his majesty doesn''t pay attention to us anymore since Caroline showed enough prowess to earn the right of the crown... even as a woman she''s still so astounding that he''s not having any doubts about making her the queen... he no longer needs a sessor and hence, we''re not needed... he''d rather spend all his days hunting." Concubine Swan said... she was one of the oldest concubines in the royal court and his ''favourite'' yet she as the favourite was being utterly ignored in the chamber, let alone the other concubines.


    "Girls..."


    "Come on Isabe, we will have a lot of fun together! moreover... we also came here to give him and Caroline some time alone." Ste hugged her friend, going as far as to sit on herp and giggle, Isabe, wondered if it was worth keeping these kinds of friends.


    ''Why are my son''s lovers... my friends?''


    "Indeed, it is not fair for her... we''re merely olddies who are taking advantage of a handsome young man, at some point... we will be too old." Penelope said catastrophic assertions, she didn''t have hairs on her tongue.


    "..." Her words rendered the carriage silent and crestfallen with Ste even sobbing in a corner.


    By the time he was thirty... they''d be all in their fifties or sixties... he''d be in his prime, yet they would have withered, it was a truth that could still be denied, but how long? even Isabe wanted to sob at the thought, she had enjoyed everything her son had to offer, but only thinking that they wouldn''t be able to express their love as they did now, it hurt.


    It wasn''t the same as getting old with her soulmate at the same time.


    Still, it was the future, there was still a decade or so that she could enjoy rather than be depressed, Nova, an immortal goddess, never thought she''d ever be worried about age and mortality.


    "And Caroline is the one that will stay, that''s why they should create strong bonds now... we can''t get in her way." Penelope asserted.


    "At least one of you has rationality." Isabeplimented her.


    "Hey!" The Queen and Concubineined with Penelope once again nodding sagely, she''d do the best for her disciple, even if one day she had to leave him for his own sake.


    "Get down you shameless Queen, you''re heavy!" Isabe growled, clearly Ste wasn''t happy about the rationalityment.


    "You dare call me heavy?! you know I can hang you for this!"


    "I dare you."


    "You two are old and saggy." Penelope said as cutting-edge as she could get.


    "Why don''t you stick that sword of yours where the sun doesn''t shine?" Isabe smirked.


    "I have that ce reserved for your son."


    "You!"


    "As if a sword macho could ever do anything properly with her butt, mine is bigger by the way." Swan joked.


    "The only thing you have of a swan is thatrge neck and big nose!"


    "Ha!?"


    The carriage quickly evolved into a fight, sadly... no one could beat the sword saintess, not even the Goddess of Space in her current form.

 Chapter 107 Past Memories: Peaceful Days II

    "Are you okay, Isabe?!"


    Ste and Swan were both helping Isabe, she was puking harshly, for thest few days she wasn''t feeling quite well, now all of the sudden while gardening, she puked.


    It took several spits before Isabe fell with a pale countenance.


    "I don''t feel very well."


    "We should take you to the capital."


    "Did you take your potion, Isabe?" Ste frowned and asked, earning Isabe''s evasive gaze.


    "What do you mean, of course-" Swan interjected.


    "I didn''t... I didn''t take anything... to stop pregnancy."


    "..." The queen and concubine were left speechless.


    "W-What are you talking about, Isabe...?"


    "Ste, I didn''t prevent it in any way... please, don''t judge me." What Isabe desired so much might be happening just now, yet she felt nothing but apprehension, it wasn''t in her ns that thesedies would be here to realise everything.


    "He''s your son!" Ste growled.


    "..." But all she earned was Isabe''s silence.


    "Why?" The two nobledies asked, pale... they knew what this meant exactly, if she said she took the potion they could still rule it as a normal illness, but if she didn''t.


    "Why does a woman... need an excuse to have a child with the man she loves..."


    "Isabe you shouldn''t have..."


    "I know I shouldn''t but... I couldn''t stop myself!"


    "We need to send him a letter."


    "NO!" Isabe denied right away, earning the pair''s ire.


    "Why?!"


    "Don''t tell me you think he won''t like it." Ste didn''t want to think about that possibility, it was obvious Constantine would be overjoyed with the news.


    "No, I know he will... that''s the problem... I was thinking of... giving in adoption, but I-" Isabe''s voice shivered as she spoke about it, she wanted to take care of the child for a while at least.


    "That is the best option." Ste followed by a worried Swam, their words ended up turning her paler.


    "B-But Ste, I was thinking that maybe-"


    "Isabe... it is your son''s son... or daughter!"


    "..."


    "What will you tell him when he grows up?! He sees his... b-brother... or his father and they''re... alike ugh... it is soplicated..." Just by thinking of the seniority, she was already feeling a headache, the thought of aborting never crossed her mind, but she only hoped the child would have no difficulties or malformations.


    "..." The more Isabe heard Ste, the worse she felt as if she really didn''t give too much consideration to this before forsaking the potion.


    "If it was me I could still pass him as my husband''s child but you..."


    "With silver hair?"


    "I''d just said his grandpa had silver hair or something... that''s not the point, Isabe." Seeing that the mother was trying to divert the situation both Queen and Concubine grounded her up.


    "What if I never tell him...? I could not tell him or her who their father is! can''t it be fixed then?!" Her mind was no longer thinking rationally, at this stage it would always be Nova who would try to make Isabe reason, but... Nova didn''t know what to do, she wanted this child.


    "Can you bear to do that?" They asked, could she bear to never tell her children, to always see Constantine as if he is their brother, would Constantine ept that? it was tooplicated and perhaps they were already exaggerating everything and she wasn''t even pregnant, but... instinct told them she must be.


    Isabe sobbed only to be embraced by both women tightly, their warmth only increased her disconste sobs.


    "Dear, listen to me... it is not good... you must understand, I know what you mean, it is not even my child and I''m devastated, but it is not good... for you, for Constantine, for them..."


    "..."


    "You can''t take this child''s life... but you could look after it from a distance... it is something that shouldn''t have happened... we have to tell Constantine. If this is ever known it could impact his status harshly."


    Isabe nodded reluctantly.


    "Let me do it... please let me tell him myself when I''m ready."


    "..."


    "He''sing in two months, I will tell him then."


    "Two months... by then your belly."


    "Yes, I will have no option."


    "You two should go back to the capital, Ste you''re still the Queen you can''t stay here for too long."


    "I know I know... I think I am already loosened up~" Ste giggled and ced a kiss on Isabe''s cheek.


    "Thank you."


    "Always... please take care of yourself." Even though Isabe wanted to say her farewells in a better way, there were still too many thoughts in her mind.


    Penelope knelt down to hold her belly, "Yes, take care of yourself... it is his child... regardless of whether you''re his mother or it is mine."


    "Thank you for understanding me." Isabe couldn''t have hopped for better friends, one way or another, at least she could tell them her issues, her taboo and they''d not judge her.


    "What about the town''s people? what will you tell them." Swan inquired.


    "It was just a tryst with some man that I didn''t know very well, just say I felt lonely..." Nova couldn''t think of a better excuse... it was safe to say that aside from her son, no one in the town had seen her close to any other man.


    She''d usually go to meetings with the girls, it was always surprising to see that these townsfolk didn''t even know they were in front of their queen, they were so far off the capital and the kingdom''s business, perhaps they didn''t even know there was a war for two years if not for this town being attacked due to Constantine.


    In any case, they would ask and she needed an answer.


    With everything settled Penelope and Ste were on their way back to the capital while Isabe stayed with Swan who adopted a position of nanny of sorts, she couldn''t leave Isabe alone even though she knew her absence would be noticed in the royal court.


    That day they slept on the bed embracing each other and Isabe was filled with anxiousness, what would her son think? would he be disappointed? he always insisted on her taking the contraceptives, yet she rebelled without consulting him.


    "Why are you afraid?" Swan caressed her face lightly, noticing she couldn''t sleep.


    "I think he will hate it."


    "You''re overthinking... he''s never like that."


    "I mean, he will hate that we give them in adoption... he will hate me for this, Swan."


    "..." The Concubine sighed and decided to remain silent, pressing the woman''s head in her boobs, hopefully with them as a pillow, she''d sleep properly.


    "Is this too bad, Swan? is it bad for him as a King? For Caroline?"


    "There are ways to go about it... but the problem isn''t really the public... the problem is the child... Constantine is powerful, do you think anyone dares to not acknowledge what he says after he bes the King? Isabe, it is not normal... when he or she grows up... and she or he knows that her brother is her father t-that... it is not good."


    Isabe sobbed once again, she knew..


    "He might have some health issues as well. I have seen cases in noble families; theyy with their own family members sometimes, it ismon between nobles. Apparently a disease of such is moremon when it happens between mother and son... or father and daughter, than between siblings."


    "Stop... okay... I understand." Just imagining that her child woulde with some sort of health issue... was devastating.


    "Don''t worry, I''m here with you, I''m sure Constantine will be as well... you two can then decide what you will do... I''m sure he will support you with whatever decision you make." At least that''s what Swan hoped, she didn''t want to force Isabe into anything.


    **


    **


    Two months passed and apparently, Ste and Penelope had kept their words of not saying anything... something happened that became apparent quite quickly. Her belly was growing too big too soon.


    It was confirmed that she was pregnant, but... it was confirmed that it wouldn''t be just a single baby.


    "It is too big, Isabe, this is at least... five months or six..." The woman said, standing by Isabe''s side beside the mirror, there was a rather big bulge which Isabe was looking at with stars in her eyes.


    "M-Maybe I was pregnant from earlier?" How could she not know how a normal pregnancy is? she had already given birth to Constantine and two months after she began feeling sick her belly was barely bulging; still, she had to think of that possibility since it was quite a long time ago that she stopped protecting herself against pregnancy at all, they were also quite ''active'' sexually so she having her first symptomster than usual was a possibility, her period had also ended around those days.


    "I don''t think so... I think you''re having more than one child at once." Swan furrowed her brows, the problem is, even for two kids... this is a little too big.


    "Eh!?"


    "Probably twins... but even for twins I believe this size..."


    "M-More than two?" Let alone, Isabe, even Nova was scared... giving birth to gods was so much easier than giving birth to babies... Constantine had been painful.


    "We don''t know, we should head with the local doctor,e on... Constantine should be on his way." They said, heading towards the nearest doctor.


    As expected her pregnancy had left everyone in the town awestruck while most men felt heartbroken, they didn''t even know who was the bastard who dared to have a tryst with her and leave, surely he knew that once Constantine came back he''d be fucking dead, so he fled before the worst came upon.


    s...


    There were also those who were desperately waiting for the child to be born merely to confirm their suspicions, who the real father of this child was, it was mostly females but they believed that child to be Constantine''s.


    When the aforementioned count arrived, Isabe''s ns had been messed up, she wanted it to be a beautiful surprise over some barbecue... but her belly was so big that he knew the moment he saw her, the bouquet of flowers he was holding in his hands fell hopelessly.


    The men felt bad for him, thinking he was devastated while the girls paid attention to his every reaction.


    "M-Mother." He gasped.


    Isabe remained silent while his arms embraced her tightly.


    "H-How?" He didn''t know...st time he saw her was two months ago... and there was no belly, how could her belly have grown up so much in merely two months?!


    "Swan says it could be triplets o-or more..." She was scared.


    "Triplets?!"


    "Yes..."


    Constantine pulled her away from that ce, the conversation, the feelings in his chest couldn''t be held, he was red. Everyone thought he was fuming in anger and he''d scold his mother behind closed doors. But once the doors closed and Swan kept everyone away from the house, he couldn''t keep it anymore.


    "WE''RE HAVING TRIPLETS! ISABELLA WE''RE HAVING TRIPLETS!" Constantine cried, kneeling down and holding her belly, this was the greatest news he had ever heard, not only was she pregnant but there were three!


    Truthfully, Constantine had been worried, he had sexual rtionships with plenty of women in a daily basis, he didn''t hold back from filling them up, any of them. The only one that never protected herself (at least that he knew) was Caroline, yet she wasn''t pregnant yet which made him believe he had some issues.


    But Isabe''s pregnancy just confirmed that not only wasn''t he infertile but he had quite a lot of virility to put three kids there in one go, they were also kids with the woman he loved the most, he might as well throw a banquet.


    "Son..." Isabe sobbed, it was as she expected, he was so happy... she began doubting.


    "Why aren''t you happy..." Constantine''s expression changed when he didn''t see happiness in her expression, they should be throwing out the ceiling at a party and explode in joy, yet she looks troubled.


    "You know why... I am happy... I am so happy but... you know why..."


    "No one needs to know..." He kissed her, rubbing her belly and clouding the doubts that she had in her mind, maybe... the seniority wasn''t so much of a problem, maybe it didn''t matter as much as she believed.


    "... we will see." That''s the answer she gave, a reluctant and pensive answer.


    "This is something we have to celebrate!"


    As always his enthusiasm increased her mood, they had a nice barbecue, and many people in the town were surprised, most of them expected Constantine to outright reject her pregnancy, she said it was a mistake but she''d give birth anyway, but still it made those who were already rather sure that something was going on, to confirm their suspicions even if they kept their mouths shut.


    No son would ever be happy about his mother getting pregnant from some unknown man that escaped, but Constantine didn''t care, it was his happiness and no one would plunder it from him.


    A nice barbecue, a nice walk in the forest... Constantine shared this moment with Isabe and Swan, thanking thetter with everything he got, she had taken care of his mother during this period, something that he was just too appreciative of.<novelnext></novelnext>


    **


    **


    "How are you feeling?" He said, thrusting inside her pussy slowly... holding her bloating abdomen like it was a treasure.


    "Ohh~s-son t-this is the best, uhm~ k-keep going."


    Nova grit her teeth, this was so good that she felt it was unfair; perhaps of her own motherly exhration, this was the best intercourse she ever had, she and her babies were being spoiled left and right.


    The room was lit up with soft candles, the bed coated with roses and Constantine made sure to get the softest one there was... her head resting on Swan''s soft tights while thetter smiled and yed with her hair, encouraging her for who knows what.


    Her legs were spread and resting on soft pillows, while her son did a slow yet deep piston, going all the way out... then inside against her vulnerable cervix that kissed his head with every stroke.


    "This is so good..." The pleasure was slow, tolerable... like a delightful massage that didn''t corrode the mind but instead soothed the body, her vagina was being soothed for the hard work that she''d surely need to pull out when these troublemakers decided toe out.


    Constantine smirked, holding his babies that were still inside her womb, thrusting in and out, the pleasure was mutual, the presence of the babies seemed to have created a sort of tightness and it alsopelled him to go slow and enjoy each piston to his heart''s content, he didn''t want to injure them in any way, but how could he not make love to the love of his life in this situation? they wouldn''t be able to past a certain point, especially since her belly was bulging quite quickly.


    When he felt himself reaching the end, he ced his hands at either side of her waist and adjusted his angle.


    "I''m going faster."


    She held his arms as a response, nodding... and the soft impacts started against her crotch.


    Constantine raised his head to seal Swan''s waiting lips while thrusting in fast but soft, not banging on that door as he would have loved, the sprint was a short one and he ended up sheathing himself to the limit and exploding inside once again.


    "Ahn!~ AHN!~" The entire setting, the ecstasy... Nova could only stick out her tongue in pleasure, why she didn''t know... but this was the most pleasurable intercourse she had with her son, at least that''s how she ranked it... this was the number one and perhaps it wouldn''t ever be topped.


    While releasing his load he devoured Swan''s lips, doing a steady crotch piston to release several loads of joy while Isabe''s body shook and squirmed, receiving all that seed that sadly had no purpose since she was already pregnant, it''s not like another baby would be made and added to the count.


    Several seconds it took before he released himself leaving a white cascade while Isabe panted.


    "Did you like that?"


    "Yes." She couldn''t raise up to kiss him, hence, she just plucked her lips out like a spoiled mummy and he smirked,ing down to grace her lips.


    "Want to do it again?"


    "Yes, please. But... let me rest, even if I don''t move, m-my vagina is still sensitive. swan... switch."


    "Fufu~ you''re tired already? it has been just once." The concubine never lost a chance to kick the dog when it is down, Isabe always boasted her stamina yet look at her. Pleasured, surrendered and fatigued.


    "T-This isn''t easy you know. Son, please do me a favour and bully this beauty." It was easy for Isabe to get her vengeance.


    Swan smirked and ced Isabe''s head on a pillow before tumbling by her side in the recklessness of kisses with her lover.


    "You know, I-I am loose now..." She said when he pinned her down and spread her legs.


    "Ah? you too? that''s the same thing Ste and Penelope said... what were you all doing while I wasn''t here, huh?" Constantine chuckled and pulled Swan''s slim waist, he pressed against her asshole slightly and sure enough, it wasn''t as tight as it should be.


    "I stuck my finger up their asses for a long while every night, we also... yed for a bit... for some reason, they thought if it was my finger instead of theirs... it would make a difference, well it actually did, they were too scared to do it with their own fingers." Isabe exined, a little ashamed that she had indeed reached a deeper level of understanding with Ste, Penelope and Swan, perhaps since the four of them were the group of ''maturedies'' who could only envy Caroline and the ''neer'' Alisha.


    That said, Constantine prepared himself to check how ''loose'' she was, he still lubed her properly with his cum before going forward.


    "Oh my god!~ uhm!~" Swan grit her teeth and held tightly against the bedsheets buckling her hips while that cock invaded her insides relentlessly, he was already lubricated enough with Isabe''s juices and it wasn''t going in with difficulty.


    Butpared to a finger, this was something else...


    "Do you like this, my love?" He asked her worried, thinking that she was going to far for his sake while taking her breasts and ying with them to ease a little of her pain. Swan was by far the most beautiful woman in the royal court, perhaps even more than Ste and equal to his mother... but Ste was a great empress and manager while Swan could barely read and write, she had been a noble all her life, the favourite one of her father. Spoiled by maidens and educated merely in the arts of dancing and drawing.


    She had never been ''roughed'' until he fucked her, not even the King dared to treat her anything different from a breakable piece of ss.


    The two of them also held a little secret which made him prefer her over the rest of the concubines.


    From that moment he made love to her ''roughly'' she was hooked, even now her face said it all with that delicious tongue trying to squeeze out the deeper he went, she was loving this.


    "I-It feels... weird but, nice... p-push it in more ahn!~"


    "You''re enjoying this so much, huh?"


    "It is so much better than your finger." When the pistons started, slow... Swan''s mind got progressively corroded, it was then that Isabe gasped as her son turned into literally someone else... just like he''d usually do her... now he was doing Swan.


    It was a fierce push forward that sheathed him to the maximum.


    "YES! YES!! AHNN!!~"


    Several secondster, he exploded inside the concubine, holding her ass tightly as they slumped down beside Isabe; he was always weak against anal sex, perhaps that''s the reason he loved it so much,pared to the usual intercourse, it was tighter, more pleasurable and also, wicked... it would be fake if he said he wasn''t turned up doing the King''s favourite concubine from the back door that no one ever touched or would ever touch.


    "So, what''s the verdict?"


    "You don''t need to use my pussy anymore... let''s do this from now on." Swan was hooked, she panted heavily and contemted her entire life until now, perhaps... ''Have I been using the wrong hole all along? Why does this feel so much better? am I peeing from the right hole too? is that even possible?''


    Her mind was a mess.


    "Can''t do... I like your pussy." He retorted, holding her stained rear cheeks and making her shiver.


    "T-Then you can use both but, do it behind more... alright?"


    They reached an agreement.


    ...


    "What are you going to do?" Isabe and Constantine asked Swan.


    "I need to go back or my husband will suspect... perhaps he already suspects but he doesn''t care~" She sent a mysterious wink in Constantine''s way while thetter merely smirked, Isabe just wondered what was happening with those two.


    "Doesn''t he love you?" She asked.


    "Oh no, he loves me... we go on dates a lot, but those dates never end with... this~" She pointed at her backdoor which was a little swollen and red.


    "Who do you love more? your husband or me, huh?" He pulled her towards his body, pressing forward. he took it out of her ass to press it against her snatch as if she was at gunpoint.


    "If I don''t like the answer, I''m going in~"


    "Y-You know I can''t answer that... Constantine, he''s your father-inw... and he hasn''t been bad with you either."


    "You make it look like I''m the one at guilt."


    "You are!"


    "Is that the case?"


    "Hmn!~"


    "When I went to that royal dinner... weren''t you there opening your legs on the other side with no underwear..."


    "That was a mistake! ahn!~ s-stop teasing me."


    "You allowed your folk to fall and politely asked me to take it for you... turns out it was all the way on the other side under the table... I had to awkwardly head there only to see your naughty pussy dripping... tell me, back then what were you imagining?"


    "Hmn!~" She refused to talk as her clit got tortured.


    "Why didn''t you say anything to your husband when I touched it... I rubbed your clit and you squirmed, but you never said anything, you could have stopped me, you held my hand but did nothing Swan, in fact, you opened your legs further, right?~" He pressed against her waiting snatch, casually slipping past her entrance.


    Isabe gulped audibly, ''No wonder he has all those girls crazy about him, I never taught him this...''


    "T-That! Ahn!~ I-I couldn''t!" Swan refused to give him the pleasure, yes, she was the one to tempt him, but so what? he kepting on his own ord and that''s what matters, if she was casually waiting for him without underwear, well, that was just a coincidence.


    "Then when I was walking down the passage there you were, leaning against the wall."


    "I was waiting for-"


    "For me, you wanted me to pass by and fuck you, right?~" His littler brother went up and down, from the very top of her mound to the bottom of her crack, but he never went in, torturing her... she loved this sort of y, how could he not know with when she''s technically panting.


    "N-No!"


    "When I pinned you to the wall at that moment, you still didn''t scream, instead you merely looked to the sides to see if your husband was looking, don''t you?~ were yo too afraid to cheat on your husband with me?" He turned her around, pressing her head roughly against the bed and finally deciding to go inside in one go, pistoning roughly.


    Isabe had to gulp down, even her crotch was already going tingly, is this how they met?!


    "Ohh!~ AHNNN!~" By now Swan didn''t feel like answering, she limited herself to hold the pillow and bit it with her entre might, licking that pillow and focusing on the wavesing from her crotch.


    "Ugh! t-then you pulled me to the royal bathroom, what were you expecting me to do in there huh? fix the bath? is that what you wanted me to do, Swan?~"


    "AHN!~ N-No! I- wanted you to-!"


    "You wanted me to tear your dress apart and fuck you like I did... because you never felt what I made you feel that day..."


    "Yes!~ I loved it! I LOVE YOU!"


    "Then once I stopped seeking you, you kepting to my room... even when you knew that Caroline was there... you shamelessly asked the Queen and her daughter to allow you in... she told you right? she told you of our rtionship and that''s why you seduced me."


    "Yes! s-she told me uhm!~" Isabe gasped, what an odd family indeed, she couldn''t believe such a thing could happen in a family...


    "I love you, Swan." He whispered beside her ears before giving a lick and that did the job.


    "Please don''t say that! I will cum! UHHM!!~ C-CUMMING!~"


    "Ugh!"


    Said and done, once again the Concubine gasped and recalled why is it that she was in love with this man. After pumping her up good, he delivered a soft kiss on her face that had been fucked into stupidity, "That was not a lie... I love you like I do Ste... and Penelope." sadly, by then the concubine had passed out, she didn''t manage to hear.


    "What about me?" Isabe said, ring at him, shey on her side with her legs opened, rubbing her cum coated petals, with her bulging belly this was as much seduction as she could muster, and it was more than enough.


    "You know you''re in a special spot... with Caroline." He approached her, ready to keep going, cing her on a few pillows softly and spreading her legs, she epted him in between, seductionpleted... all she needed to do wasy down as her lover did the rest.


    ''I''m d... so Caroline is now on the same level.'' Nova felt joy, that meant her sacrifices were indeed giving fruit but she wanted Constantine to see Caroline as his first, not as an equal with her. By now Isabe also wasn''t paying attention to this hierarchy, she was too busy with her pregnancy to care about hierarchies.


    "When are you going to give me grandchildren?" She asked.


    "..." Constantine deadpanned.


    "You know what I mean." She deadpanned too.


    "Later... mother, talking about that... you didn''t take the contraceptives." He said suggestively, rubbing circles along her vulnerable mound, making her pant slightly.


    "N-No... I was being impulsive, son. A-Actually, I forgot." She knows where he''sing from.


    "Is that really the case?~" He smirked, the beginning of a new game.


    "You can''t do with me what you did with Swan... I''m pregnant." She retorted, only to effectively feel him rubbing himself along her entrance without going in, instead... he went lower.


    He began pressing against her ass slowly, poking the head in but nothing else and smirked, "Is that really really the case, mother...?~ I''m doubting."


    "C-Constantine...!" She couldn''t believe she was being yed like this, still, she refused to yell at him to put the whole damn thing inside.


    "Did you want to be pregnant with my child so bad, mummy?~ did you want your son to impregnate you? how naughty." He put a single inch inside, torturing her and himself in the process, this was a double-edged sword, a card he enjoyed ying.


    "N-NO! B-BRAT STOP! AHN!~" When her eyes began shining, the strength behind her words waned and the true feelings began pouring.


    "Let''s take some truth from your mother''s lips, babies." With a mission in mind, he sheathed himself wholly inside. Crotch-to-crotch; once that sweet tongue poked out, he took it inside his mouth and sucked. Isabe had never been more vulnerable.


    She refused to answer adamantly and when the pistons began to announce her pleasurable torture, all she could do was brace as her little confessions poured down like cascades, she even confessed how truly early, the exact moment in which she began lusting after him, a confession she never revealed until now.


    The cascade of secrets continued pouring until only a single cascade was left, his spunk cascading down her filled ass and snatch as he held her tightly to sleep in the ultimatefort and happiness.


    Nova couldn''t hold any secrets from her son, thankfully, he didn''t ask anything regarding her identity, perhaps today she would have talked.

 Chapter 108 Past Memories: Time & Space I

    Despite her reluctance and hismitment, her son still decided to stay for the whole eight months... not only that but Caroline came to the town as well to take care of her, there were things that as a man he didn''t know what to do and her dutiful daughter/daughter-inw, took care of those.


    Nova sighed in a little sadness... she was quickly unable to have intercourse after the first three months, and a doctor came to check up on her to confirm she likely was having triplets.


    While the greater side of her felt awed, a smaller part was so scared of the whole birthing process, of what would happen after... Constantine was going to graduate from the academy in a year... he''d marry Caroline, she''d be the Queen and he''d be the King... a single year.


    The entire kingdom was euphoric, he was still the Hero that had saved them from dozens of years of war with his marvellous stratagem, nobody wanted the fat King... they wanted the lean King; alliances were quickly made, and diplomats went to the town to meet him as he was unwilling to leave his mother''s side, conflicts were resolved with words and wars stopped.


    When it was time for her to give birth in themodity of her house, by now a vi... she pushed, holding her son''s hand as hard as she could, cursing him for cumming so much that day and knocking her up to this extent.


    After an endless struggle, the baby finally came out, the nurse cut down the cord and gave it to another nurse who pped the kid''s butt to make him stop crying.


    "One is out, my dear! Next, push!" The nurse said as if she was some sort of coach.


    "AHHH!!" Isabe''s screams of pain were confused with the baby''s wails... and with Constantine''s pained grunts as the bones in his hand popped, it was likely going to be crushed, he saw the kid and felt dizzy all of the sudden.


    "AHHH!!" Another yell from a newborn kid and Isabe fell back, utterly tired but this wasn''t finished, she felt like she almost died just now and it was just the first.


    "M-Mother,e on... you can do it..." He tried to cheer her up together with Penelope, Ste and Swan who were there with several other concubines to witness the entire process. Even the King was in a corner, his face was much like Constantine''s when he felt Isabe''s threatening aura.


    The mother wasn''t quite appreciative, she looked at her eldest son with a gaze that could ughter pigs, in front of her this was not her son, instead, it was a perverted pig who put three babies in her womb at once.


    "DAMN YOU!"


    "..." The entire room fell silent, the might of the goddess couldn''t be denied, even Caroline was scared shitless.


    "Come on mummy, there is one more to go, you can do it, two out, just one more." The nurse was doing a fantastic job, she didn''t get deterred by that aura at all.


    "AHHHHH!!" Nova pushed with all her strength once again desiring that these were rather gods that she could create with a mere thought instead of these troublesome babies, she had enjoyed the overwhelming carnal pleasure that a mortal could feel, but now she was undergoing the pain as well... whether it was worthy or not, she didn''t know... but she would know in a second.


    She pushed and pushed yet it didn''t feel like anything wasing out!


    The nurse panicked when she saw something but kept her cool and didn''t say anything, instead... she grasped the rather big head... bigger than it should be and encouraged the beauty more, "Come on, a little harder, push a little harder!"


    "AHHHHHHH!!!" Isabe used all her might to the point even her eyes began shining in purple slightly!


    *RUMBLE!!*<novelnext></novelnext>


    That was when the entire town began shaking!


    "W-What''s happening!?" Everybody panicked at the sudden event except for Isabe and the nurse who was determined to give birth to this baby.


    "An earthquake, now?!"


    "WAAAAAAA!!" The nurse, focused in her own work despite the Earthquake and plucked out the child''s head from Isabe''s vagina which had to spread marginally in order to let it out and was bleeding profusely.


    The mix of the pain in his crushed hand, the earthquake, his mother''s despaired yells and the earthquake... Constantine passed out there and then, his head hit a table just a second earlier than the king''s as the two men in the room copsed.


    Nova was panting horribly... just now she felt as if the reaper was going toe for her soul, it was confirmed now, she could feel ''his'' aura tightly locked around her, but at this stage, she couldn''t care any less.


    "M-My children, please..." She said with a voice thatcked life, all she wanted was to see her children but even her sight was blurred and she felt dizzy, adrenaline had kicked in with such a great impact that it worked like a potent drug, blocking all the pain but also rationality.


    The nurse and Caroline came with the three cleaned children... and it was quickly obvious to the princess that one of them wasn''t okay.


    "My babies..." Even then, with her sight blurred she received her three children, still a little dizzy, she smiled and the previous hatred from a moment ago vanished like smoke, there was merely unfathomable love, the one she had yet to experience, the boundless love of a mother to her newborns, with Constantine it had been a mixture of hatred and sadness... this time her children were conceived with love instead of abuse.


    "C-Constantine... dear, look." Sheughed lightly, calling for her beloved to look at the beauty that they had created together.


    Sadly, that beloved had long passed out.


    "Wake up! What are you sleeping for!?" Caroline sshed some water on her fianc¨¦''s face and ended up waking up with a head start, scared like never before. Ste also sighed and sshed some water on her husband''s face, men were always like this.


    "M-Mother, the child!" The conqueror yelled as if recalling hisst memory, he thought he passed out a year ago. How that head popped out and the amount of blood that came out, it had been too much for him to take. As if he had never seen blood in his life or killed anyone.


    When he settled down he saw her, holding their three children and smiling happily, but one of them had a bigger head than the rest.


    "W-What is wrong with him?" He stuttered, afraid... cing his hand on Isabe''s shoulder, she fell asleep absolutely fatigued, having finished her day''s worth of work.


    It was a little girl and two boys.


    One of the boys had a head twice as big as his father''s own fist.

 Chapter 109 Past Memories: Time & Space II

    "I''m afraid this child might have Hydrocephalus... it is aplicated condition." The doctor said from the side with an afraid gaze, he didn''t want to be the one to give ''the carnage'' this news.


    "D-Doctor and what can it cause!?" Worse than a battlefield filled with murderers, Constantine was beginning to feel fear and even Caroline had to hold his hand to calm him down.


    "It can cause severe brain damage if left untreated... there are a handful of doctors in the capital that might be able to treat it, it requires surgery and the treatment is quite expensive and risky..."


    "... How risky?"


    "I''d say there is a 60% chance that there could be problems during the procedure... creating worse damage or even... killing the baby."


    Constantine''s legs weakened.


    He had to choose between risking his son''s life or him having permanent brain damage.


    "W-What are the causes..." He knew already, but he needed to ask.


    "One of the main causes is rare gic disorders..."


    "L-Like... babies conceived out of incest rtionships." His gaze switched between Isabe and Constantine, even if no words were said, it was evident, still, he''d rather close his mouth than have his head roll.


    "I understand, doctor... n-nothing is wrong with my other kids, right?"


    "Not as far as I can tell, I''d need to do some more tests on them, but... I think the mother should keep them for now, she needs it."


    The nurses and doctors left.


    "Caroline it was my fault." He began, this had been their fear all along, even then, he was thankful only one of them had this problem.


    "Dear... you two are at fault, but there is nothing that we can do! ming ourselves is not going to solve anything."


    "What can I do?" He looked at his fianc¨¦, the person he knew would always give him the right answer.


    "Wait until mother wakes up... then you can decide... don''t decide on your own." Sometimes Caroline thought she loved him too much for her own good.


    There was nothing she could tolerate... nothing she wasn''t going to go through with him... but in the end, it was the same for him as well.


    "Thank you for being here, I love you, Caroline... I''m sorry for being such a bastard."


    "You''re a bastard indeed, but I love you that way~"


    **


    **


    Nova''s eyes struggled to open in the darkness of the night, there were some small candles lighting up the room together with the shine of the moon from above.


    It was the big bed where she gave birth, an arm was encircling her waist, she knew it was her son.


    Then she saw them right in front, the three of them were on her abdomen, resting while covered in mantles.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "M-My babies... my beautiful babies..."


    Her hands caressed all of them and it was then she noticed one of them had a bigger head than the rest, she didn''t pay much attention to it, her knowledge of medicine nonexistent, all she knew was that she gave birth to healthy babies, it had been so hard.


    Beside her in the bed were Constantine and Caroline, and not too far away sleeping on a sofa were Swan and Ste, everyone seemed to be extremely tired and it was the middle of the night, only she had woken up.


    ? *RUMBLE!*


    A wave rippled across the entire universe... travelling marginally faster than the speed of light could ever hope to achieve, its centre... this room.


    Time stopped and everything turned grey.


    Out of nowhere, a man walked out.


    His outfit was like embodied stars and his hair was like the endless tendrils of time.


    His wave swept over... initiallynding on Caroline who was embracing Constantine from behind, deeply asleep yet emitting a slight golden aura in this world.


    Then her gaze moved to Isabe who was being embraced by Constantine with the three children on top of their bodies... then the peacefully sleeping kids before it turned into disgust; then to Constantine, endless wrath, killing intent and poison filled his gaze.


    "You don''t need to pretend... I know it is you." He said coldly.


    "..." Isabe''s eyes opened, shining in purple light as a purple aura like Caroline''s but way greater coated her body, still, aside from giving the man a cold look and caressing her babies who were no longer grey in this world, she said nothing else.


    "You''re not this timeline''s Nova... your power is nowhere to be seen, you used my power... my timews... to leap your consciousness back in time just so you could y with this mortal."


    "..." Once again she had nothing to say, what was the point when everything he said was the truth?


    "Talk to me!" But Toki, the Primordial God of Time, wasn''t going to leave without an exnation, he grew flustered and was clearly fuming.


    "Don''t yell in front of my children..." Her re turned threatening in total disregard for this person''s feelings.


    He noticed that they were breathing even inside his time barrier and concluded that she allowed them so.


    "Those aren''t your children, they''re that woman''s children, don''t confuse yourself." He ''cleared'' but his words did nothing but further irate the goddess.


    "They''re my kids, Toki! Go away and let me be!" All she wanted was for her children and beloved to be left alone.


    "You''re my wife!"


    "MAKE YOURSELF SOME OTHER SLUT IN SANDORIA AND LET ME BE!" She said once again, yelling this time since her ''husband'' didn''t seem to understand what she meant, this was clearly a petition to ''divorce''.


    "Waaaa!!" At that time, one of the babies, the little girl began crying and all the killing intent that Nova was mustering disappeared as if it never existed.


    "My baby I''m sorry... mummy doesn''t want to yell...shhhh" She didn''t know how to handle babies, most of her experience came from Isabe who aside from being deeply confused at what was going on, was suppressed by Nova to simply focus on the children, this was not a scene a mortal should be witnessing.

 Chapter 110 Past Memories: Time & Space III

    "Dear, you''re not thinking straight... He''s Caroline''s partner... they all... they will all marry him... you had your fun, you yed to be his mother and even engaged in the most debauched of taboos... I-I don''t care, alright? I forgive you... I will let them all live, juste back to me, I''m sorry... we''re EQUAL now." Toki despaired, all he wanted was his wife to be back, he didn''t want to end like this mortal King.


    "We''re not Equal." She answered deterministically.


    "..."


    "Time and Space are no longer equal, Toki. They will never be again."


    "W-What do you mean...?"


    "What I mean is that I don''t want Time anymore... I''m in love with him... please, Toki. Find someone else... let''s separate." She begged, this was the man she once loved, they were born together billions of years ago as one, eventually forming into two different egos that lived together for posterity, creating this universe... but things had changed. All she hoped was that he would understand.


    But he wouldn''t... because it wasn''t only she that had changed, Toki too had changed.


    "Are you out of your mind, Nova!? We''re space and time! If we separate the universe can''t work properly!"He couldn''t believe what he was hearing, every second that passed he wanted nothing more than to kill this man and erase those children, how dare they exist? they weren''t only Isabe... it was brief, bereft of power, but it was there, those are her children, Nova''s children with someone else, even though he hadn''t gotten that far with ''her''.


    Jealousy was eating his majestic being.


    "I don''t care about the universe as much as you expect me to... I can keep this little corner of the universe safe for my children to live in, my beloveds, my daughters, I don''t need you Toki... we were one once, you have control over my spacews, I have control over your timews, we don''t need to be together."


    The more Toki listened to her begging, how this proud goddess bent her head down for the sake of this affair, the shadow in his heart was merely growing in strength.


    "Nova... e-everything for that human... I will kill him and your children! I WILL KILL THEM!" He was losing control and he began walking forward.


    But Nova didn''t panic, she couldn''t do anything, this is the body of Isabe, a mortal and although her soul is still that of a primordial goddess, allowing her to use her faith to control space, there is no way she can face Toki.


    Still, Nova was still a goddess, and upon seeing the threat fall on her most important people, it was as if whatever emotion there was; went into a deep slumber and only coldness remained.


    Her eyes lost light.


    "If you dare do so much as to move a step closer Toki..."


    "What? The current you are powerless, I can kill them and stop this nonsense that you''re doing, I can kill him too, here, in all timelines... I was already lenient enough to allow a mortal to have my daughters, but this? no... Nova, you''re mine and I''m yours, a mortal won''t be able to change this" Hisughter turned maniacal, this was how low the former proud God had gone after experiencing what a mortal is.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Listen well, I can''t stop you... but regardless of what you do, my memories will go to the future, to my true self, back to the timeline Ie from and overall to my entire spatial being across dimensions... and I swear... I''ll ughter your entire Time Realm to thest Valkyrie... I''ll wash it in blood... and obliterate you and the entire Universe in the process."


    "..." He grits his teeth as she pointed her usatory and cold finger towards his entire being, she was shaking with so much wrath.


    "Toki... don''t you dare... touch my dear son... don''t you dare... touch my dear children... my family... don''t you dare touch Dragoncrest... I swear I will end you... even if it is thest thing I do before the universe crumbles, don''t test me... I''m not the same." Nova was sobbing, she didn''t want to reach that stage, she hoped this man would just retreat, how much she desired Constantine would just open his eyes and be strong enough to protect them, but... he was still just a mortal, this wasn''t a foe either of them could face right now.


    All she could do was send threats and hope for the best, there was only a single individual she could count on in this timeline, but that person shouldn''t appear.


    s, she underestimated herself.


    "You don''t get to decide that, you''re space, you belong to me!" Toki wasn''t going to retreat, threats wouldn''t deter him from erasing those that dared to plunder what belonged to him.


    He immediately released a shockwave, a mere wave, a speck of dust of his power would be enough, but someone was there to protect Isabe.


    *RUMBLE!!*


    *BAANG!!!*


    *COUGH!*


    Two shockwaves shed, cracking the entire space around this town, thankfully, the babies and Isabe had been protected but thetter still spat a mouthful of blood while Loki looked to the front in disbelief where anotherdy appeared.


    "Retreat, Toki."


    It was this Timeline''s Nova, ady with a dress like a nebulous and hair like the sun itself. The Primordial Goddess of Space, in the flesh.


    "Nova, dear... you have to make her reason." Seeing her, Toki''s entire self shivered, this is the true Nova, almost equal in power to him, in fact... she''s stronger; he believed he could make her reason, however.


    "Toki, retreat... I won''t say it again... I''m still upset with you and don''t want to see your filthy face, so disappear from my sight... or would you like me to leap back in time... just so I can kill that whore? an eye for an eye." The woman''s gaze was neutral except when she talked about this ''whore''.

 Chapter 111 Past Memories: Time & Space IV

    Toki disappeared the next second, this wasn''t someone he could bear to face, there were endless timelines coiling around Constantine and attacking right now when there was Nova watching wasn''t a wise move.


    "As expected..." Nova said, crestfallen, the moment her husband disappeared.


    "Don''t feel bad..." Isabe/Nova said, staggering to stand up and approaching her, what she didn''t hope for had eventually happened, both Novas from different timelines regarded one another, one with her whole self, one from inside Isabe''s body.


    "We shouldn''t have seen one another, me. I have been watching you all along, the moment you arrived, I knew." The ''local'' Nova felt her shoulder be tapped and sighed, taking Isabe into a deep embrace.


    Two entities from different timelines colliding, especially existences such as themselves was bound to cause irreparable damage to an entire timeline, but in their case, a single timeline wasn''t that important.


    Her entire existence extended across endless timelines, but there was only one such where Nova and Isabe were the same, at least that''s how it was supposed to be, but she made a mistake.


    "I''m sorry for the trouble, me... he discovered it."


    "You have caused a lot of trouble." Nova spoke coldly.


    "..." Isabe could only evade her gaze in shame, she was aware this was going to happen, but she still did it, and she didn''t regret it.


    "You created a paradox, my power is draining as countless timelines are being created every second... when Isabe dies, we get her away from the path of death in order to get more knowledge about Constantine, deciding to leap back in time as the process repeats endlessly, draining our power and turning us weaker."


    "..."


    "In a few millions of years, we will be weaker than Toki... that being said, me... what should we do?" The primordial goddess released Isabe (Nova) and asked for her opinion.


    "Will you heed my advice?" She knew she made a mistake, if her other self wanted to act independently she was in her right to do so, they were supposed to be the same and hence, take the same decisions, but she was no longer the same Nova, forty years of experiences as Isabe had changed her.


    "You who havee to understand mortal feelings and have finally achieved the primal state... are stronger than me, you are loved and feel love."


    "... You are loved too."


    "I am not... he just left." The Goddess wanted to sob but there were no tears, she was experiencing a pain that Nova knew all too well, she experienced it too.


    "That love is not worth it... we can have so much more. We are loved here, me." She showed her everyone in the room, her most important people.


    "It will create a paradox."


    "We can break the paradox."


    "..." Nova looked at herself in confusion, how exactly will they stop the Paradox without sacrifices? that was the problem, there would be a sacrifice.


    "When Isabe... when I die... I''ll seal my entire being, memories andprehension of love in her soul... take her away from the reapers as I did, but instead of leaping back in time to understand love... unseal my memories andprehend everything I experienced... that way you can seal the paradox and we will have the same result."


    "But you will cease to exist as the Paradox is directly tied to you... all of your power in your timeline will also disperse since your soul won''t go back after you finish the experience." Nova didn''t want that, she believed this ''Nova'' who had learned what true love is, was the most valuable of her counterparts


    "I don''t need to exist... me, you don''t understand. these forty years have been the happiest of my entire life~" She giggled and looked at her children who were now being embraced by her man, there was a no bigger joypared to this.


    Nova sighed, her powers rotated and fixed the damage caused by the explosion, cracks were repaired and the world went back to the way it was supposed to be, if she didn''t do this, then once time returned to its standard, the cracks would obliterate this world and everyone living in it.


    "Even more... than what we have lived?" She asked, not able to understand ''herself'' could make such an infatuated face, it was so foreign...


    "Yes, more than all those billions of years... now it is your turn."


    "He''s only a mortal... I''m a High-Goddess, we can''t- m-moreover he''s my daughter''s-"


    "It doesn''t matter... you can all share~ sharing is such a beautiful thing, I''d delight if I could experience this with all my daughters but, I won''t be around by the time they''re all assembled with him." She sighed in sadness.


    "..." The Goddess looked at her with a weird gaze, she really changed quite a bit.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Do what he did... use Aurelianne''s Life Spark... it will deter the reapers from hunting Isabe. He will undergo the trial, me... he''s strong, he can reach us in the God Realm." Isabe/Nova spoke with a hundred per cent certainty.


    !!!


    "Are you insane!?" For the first time, the goddess lost herposure the moment that name, Aurelianne was mentioned.


    "No, I am not. We have kept our daughter''s spark as if doing so will bring her back... her soul perished and Sandra might never forgive herself; our daughter... she deserves rest... use her spark. Give Isabe another chance and also, although you can''t be together right away, you will know how to make do until he reaches us~" Nova spoke mysteriously with peace of sorts, she hade to terms with a lot of things.


    "You''re telling me to go against my very existence."


    "I''m telling you that it will be worth it."


    "What must I do...? You know unlike him I can''t involve myself in this world without directly obliterating it... if he hadn''t created this barrier I wouldn''t have been able to manifest myself."


    "I''ll keep my children safe from him... he might be a bastard but his word still holds value, just wait patiently. The day I die... you can take Isabe''s soul and do as I said, the paradox will be broken and we can be happy." Isabe staggered before her arms embraced... herself.


    Nova hugged back.


    "I''m unable toprehend your reasoning. Will you sacrifice yourself, for all of us? is he really that good? our son-inw?"


    By ending the paradox, she''d standardise all timelines in which she existed, rewriting those feelings in every single one of them, the cost... her own existence.


    "Yes, this is what authentic love is like, me. I sacrifice myself because I love you, I love him, I love my children, I love my daughters, I love everyone... it feels so great to love, I can die in peace... I guess this is what the true purpose of the death path is, no wonder... most gods won''t ever reach this, we''re all so focused on our own faith and mission, that we miss this wonderful feeling."


    "Does that mean you forgive Toki?"


    "Yes, am I not doing the same? but... that doesn''t mean I will let go of these feelings."


    "There is no bnce this way."


    "There never was, but now... the bnce inclines our way." She giggled, it was time to say their farewells, the barrier was starting to recede, bringing the universe back to normal, hence... Nova, the Goddess, wouldn''t be able to stay much longer.


    "I understand, I shall take my leave, me staying here won''t be safe for your family."


    "Our family~"


    "Ours... I guess I''ll understandter on~"


    "Before you leave... I ask of you, after taking my entire self... please give him the blessing of spatial conduct, Toki will try something I know it, he won''tpletely uphold his words."


    "Isn''t that too powerful for him? you know we already gave that blessing away to someone else, he... he won''t desist." The goddess spoke with guilt.


    "I''m afraid Constantine is going to need it... me, he has to be a god and undergo the trial... to reach us, even our daughters won''t ept him a mortal, once they regain their memories... they''re going to struggle. as for ''him'' you can let him chase us as much as he wants, he will be a nice stepping stone for my son~"


    *Sigh!*


    "You have changed so much, you don''t care about Toki or ''him'' at all, and you''re also doing a lot of things that I don''t understand... each of them threatening the universe''s order... Love is a troublesome thing for us."


    "Love... waking up, breathing... going to the garden, taking out some flowers and nting them, talking with friends, working out, selling flowers and smiling... eating a nice barbecue amidstughter, washing together, the water... looking at his beautiful paintings, my own happiness reflected in them, making lots of love and having reckless sex in a dark room, anywhere... engulfing oneself in debauchery for days without an end, kissing him, getting filled to the brim with cum by the person we love... a-anal sex~ giving birth to his children... with my body, not with my will, living as a mortal." She looked at her family in infatuation, further confusing this timeline''s Nova.


    "It is the best thing ever... I wholeheartedly hope that you can feel it for endless years with him, sadly... I only have a few dozen years left." Isabe blushed madly.


    "Take care, me." The current Nova didn''t understand, but she surely would, one day.


    "You too, me."

 Chapter 112 Past Memories: Sadness I

    "Waaaa!!!"


    "Babe calm down..."


    It has been a year already, a difficult one. A year of decisions, thankfully Nova could say that although she didn''t like him leaving his post and responsibilities, Constantine had been there every step of the way.


    Katherine, Gerald and Casper... those were the names they put to their children with Casper being the one that was born with a rather big head, as it turns out apparently it could have been worse since most malfunctions of babies birthed from incest couples have permanent degenerative diseases, however, at least this one could be fixed even if it was risky.


    Only after being convinced by Constantine did she decide to put her child''s life in the line for the sake of him having a better future, her beloved said that having such an incapacity in a cruel world like this one would be the same as dying early and he refused to see his child suffer for it.


    Hence the procedure was done, they had to open his skull and ess his brain where they''d need to release some of the overflowing liquid inside the brain''s ventricles... the procedure was extremely difficult and it could go wrong in so many ways since the current time''s knowledge about this sort of disease was scarce and less than ten of these procedures were done, with more than half being failures.


    More than ten doctors were involved in the process that took hours and the payment for all of it dwarfed any amount of money that she could have ever seen, it was safe to say that her son''s savings halved, yet all he did was to look at their child with concern and panic while the thing was happening, even she had to get optimistic so that he could calm down.


    She was sure that if anything went wrong, he''d me himself.


    Nova thanked the gods as if forgetting she was one of the strongest ones when her baby, Casper, cried after the process ended, it meant that he was alive.


    The procedure was a sess and the doctors were all sweating bullets, whether it was for the taxation of this delicate procedure or the future king''s pressure, they didn''t know.


    All she did was hold her child that soon fell asleep, in her arms, his head was still a little bit since his skull wouldn''t decrease in size, he had several stitches as well. it could be said that his skull was now too big for his now normal brain but it didn''t matter, so long as he didn''t have any problems beyond the aesthetic.


    After this procedure she stayed in the capital for a few months with her children, they were all so alike and they looked like abination of her and Constantine.


    It was safe to say that Katherine would be a devastating beauty when she grew older, the same could be said for Gerald and Casper.


    Their silver hair shone in brilliance and they were quite lively. It didn''t take long for everyone to take turns in ying with them and the queen together with the concubines was awed that even the King cut off some of his time hunting to spend time with the child as if they were Caroline''s, after pointing a sword at his son-inw and threatening him to make one with Caroline, he departed yet again.


    Ste was one of the most ravenous followed by Swan and Penelope who already wanted to teach them about the sword.


    Caroline too yed with the children but she was quickly getting fatigued due to her responsibilities and Constantine, her soon to be husband had to attend her.


    Her father was already beginning to introduce her to the responsibilities of a Queen Regent even before she finished the Academy. The conversation the following month was a difficult one.


    ...


    The family had already moved to a mansion of sorts not too far from the academy, the children could be heard ying in the distance with the maids and butlers.


    Constantine and Isabe sat to one side. Caroline, Penelope, Ste and Swan sat on the other side


    "You know everyone is suspicious." They said, solemnly.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "..." The couple of mother and son remained silent, stubborn as Isabe struggled to get her mind together, she needed to do this. Yes... those lively kids, looked so much like them that everyone was beginning to grow weary, there were rumours; those that knew the truth were not many but those that guessed it were plenty.


    "You can''t be calling her mother in front of them, Constantine." Penelope sat with crossed arms, it was difficult to get rid of bad habits, Constantine was the father, he had decided to be the father instead of the ''brother'' yet he kept addressing Isabe as ''mother'' this was not going to work.


    "I''m going to give them in adoption." Isabe said suddenly and that was enough for Constantine to nearly explode on the spot.


    "NO!" He couldn''t allow this, he loved those children, he was patiently waiting for them to grow just so he could show them how to hunt!


    "Constantine!" Isabe held his shoulders with tears in her eyes.


    "M-Mother, no..."


    "I don''t want my children to feel ashamed of themselves when they grow up, or us."


    "But-"


    "I don''t want my children to think that lusting after their parents is normal!" This time she said with even more seriousness.


    "..."


    "I don''t want Katherine to harbour feelings for you... look at how clingy she is, she likes you more than the rest!" She had noticed already, that was merely a year-old kid but if she was allowed to grow rampant... she had already put Gerald and Casper in their ce, trying to teach them limitations, but Constantine treated Katherine as if she was some teddy bear!


    "Isn''t it normal for a daughter to cling to her father!? Gerald and Casper are always clinging to you as well." He retorted, brushing her hands away from his shoulder in a gesture that was so foreign to her... he didn''t like it, he didn''t like it at all.


    "That''s the problem... I don''t want them to begin thinking... t-that... going after their mother... grandma... is okay... son, please understand... I don''t want this either, but it has to be done."


    "..." He remained stubbornly silent.


    "Son, what we did was wrong... but it can''t be taken back, I love my children, we love our children... but if they want to live normal lives, it can''t be with us." Nova sat down beside him, crying and holding his hands.


    Meanwhile, inside... Isabe twisted selfishly, desiring to take care of her children regardless... to her, it didn''t matter if they grew up that way... twisted, she just didn''t want her children to be taken away.


    Sadly for her, for a long while, Nova was in control.


    "Is this really what you want to do?"


    "I want us to find the best ce for them... the best family... two parents that love them just as much as we do... I want all their expenses to be covered... I want them to... don''t struggle through their childhood until they''re adults like you did. Son, please."


    "..." He bit his lips until they bled, stunning the entire room before nodding.

 Chapter 113 Past Memories: Sadness II

    The day hade, several weekster and the two of them went in the carriage with the three children onwards towards a Noble Family called the Parcival Family... that was the saddest day of her life and she knew her son''s life too.


    Every second was eternal as if Toki was mercilessly pulling the strings of time to make her pain longer. He probably was.


    She looked at her son''s visage, he hadn''t looked at her even once. Sad, outraged, possibly disappointed in her... maybe a big chunk of that boundless love he felt for her just disintegrated.


    The kids were confused, they could feel their parent''s eeriness, Katherine tried to pull daddy''s sleeve and as a response he held her tightly in his arms, caressing her hair, her big eyes looked at him in wonder as if asking ''Daddy? are you okay?''


    Likewise, Gerald and Casper clung to Isabe who received them with tears in her eyes, unlike Constantine at least she tried to smile and y.


    She, the goddess, was okay with it. So long as these children had a normal life with normal parents. Sometimes sacrifices had to be made to do what was correct, even if Isabe twisted in reprieve inside her.


    "Hi!"


    They met the family of two, deep friends of Ste.


    The loving couple had been married for two years, unlike most forced marriages of novelty, this was one of those rare cases where the couple actually loved each other.


    "Count Lionheart... it is a pleasure to have you here."


    "Thanks to you, Orloff, Justine..." He greet the couple and so did Isabe who covered her hair with a mantle, mostly to not be discovered by onlookers since this couple was already aware of the situation from Ste.


    "What a cute trio of children!" The moment the couple saw the kids, they were immediately delighted, picking them up.


    Casper, Gerald and Katherine had no shortage of people that wanted to y with them, they were used to being spoiled, so seeing these unknown people suddenly picking them up wasn''t so strange, daddy was always there to protect them from anything wrong.


    "I want to check up on your ce..." Constantine said coldly, the moment he saw his beloved Katherine being picked up by this man and smiling... he felt like killing people. Like something was being stolen from him.


    "Please feel free to check the entire mansion, we were told... by Queen Ste." Justine knew what their worries were... when they initially heard it they couldn''t believe it.


    The Future King had children with his mother, Isabe Greenwood, their heads would roll for telling this secret; it would be the confirmation to many rumours which would outrage the entire Kingdom and perhaps even foreign Kingdoms.


    But they were also requested to take care of the babies since Justine was sterile and they were already looking for a child to adopt anyway.


    The moment Justine saw those three kids with shining silver hair, she immediately wanted them!


    Constantine checked everyone, every maid, every butler, every corner, every knife... the moment he saw any single drop of evil in his house, he would take his children away and use this as an excuse to change his mother''s mind.


    Nova knew his intentions, she clenched her fist and allowed him, leaving her children in a bad family wasn''t her intention either.


    They couldn''t find anything.


    "So..." Justine fidgeted, hoping the decision would be positive, she wanted to take care of these children!


    It had been merely two weeks since she stopped breastfeeding them, any more and they would grow attached, that was one of Nova''s fears.


    She stepped forward with tears in her eyes, "K-Katherine likes apples a bit... cut down in tiny pieces."


    "Hmn..." They listened attentively.


    "Casper likes ying hide and seek, try to not find him too fast or he will get sad." Constantine said.


    "Hmm.."


    "Gerald... he''s quite calm. Please, he might be introverted in the future, give him a lot of love and books, p-please." By the time she finished, Isabe couldn''t hold her tears and grief, this was the right family.


    Perhaps... deep inside... she wanted them to be evil just so she could take her children and her man away from here, but from start to finish she saw nothing but love in this house, even the maids looked happy to work here... Ste had sent them to the right ce.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Please rest assured! we will be the best parents this child can have! you don''t need to cover any expen-"


    "I''ll cover my child''s expenses... and there is no second saying about this..." Constantine interrupted them and when Nova saw him, she felt like her heart was burning slowly.


    He was there, standing straight like always, resembling an unmovable log. The strongest knight, but the tears wouldn''t stoping out of his eyes as he resisted the urge to kneel and break. The couple understood that he didn''t want topletely give away his parenthood, he wanted at least something that would still connect him to these children even if it was just money.


    "I also hope... you will allow me to visit, son... please don''t treat them coldly, they''re not bad people." She ced her hand on his shoulder, and her second shock came... when he flung her hand aside coldly.


    !!!


    Constantine knelt down in front of a cracking Isabe.


    "Kath, Cas, Gerald... c''mere."


    The children immediately recognised the leader of the pack and ran back to him. Constantine embraced them tightly and cried, he cried his heart out.


    The scene was so moving and sad, that no one in this room wasn''t crying as they saw it.


    Whether it be Nova or Isabe... she was devastated, second-guessing her own decision, wondering why she didn''t think that her son wouldn''t be this affected... his reaction was a lot worse than she imagined, he wouldn''t be the same after this.


    After having embraced them enough, he smiled in between sobs.


    "Wanna y hide and seek?~"


    ''Please don''t do this...'' She churned.


    The kids hurriedly nodded and went to one of the walls to begin counting, they loved to y hide and seek with daddy.


    "You have to count to a hundred, alright?~" They heard, but the childish and loving tonality of his voice didn''t correspond to his cold heart.


    "Thank you for trusting us." Orloff also with tears in his eyes, extended his hand forward.


    Constantine shook it and nodded, "I don''t want to threaten you... I don''t want you to raise my children as if it was an obligation, love them as if they''re yours, please... I have never requested anything from anyone before. Just love them... I didn''t have a father... and I hope they don''t go through the same. As for your family, you have my full protection." Those words were said by the future King, this family wouldn''t ever be touched.


    "Rest assured, Constantine..." Both Orloff and Justine hugged him before Constantine took his mother''s wrist and began departing with heavy steps, each step more painful the more he got closer to the door and once it closed behind him, his heart tore open, leaving a big gap that would never again be closed.


    The two left a part of themselves in this house.


    "98."


    "99."


    "100!"


    The kids turned around to find their daddy and mommy... but they would never find them.


    "You hate me don''t you?" She asked inside the carriage but only silence answered.


    "..."


    "P-please, hug me! This hurts for me too!" She requested amidst a despaired cascade of tears, but... he didn''t hear her for a brief moment.


    "..."


    It was afterwards that his lifeless gaze finally turned towards her before he encircled her around the waist and pulled her close, no words were exchanged and only sobs resounded in this gloomy carriage.

 Chapter 114 Past Memories: Nova I

    The mood was grey and they all noticed.


    For an entire month Constantine did nothing but train with Penelope... every single seduction, every single offer to a nightly passion for retribution was rejected... Caroline and all of Constantine''sdies were starting to get affected too.


    Ste and the concubine''s days were sadder than ever, he and Isabe would periodically go around the Parcival Mansion to see how their kids were being treated... apparently, for the first two or three weeks the kids were depressed, but afterwards, the love of their new parents engulfed them... and that was when the true pain came for Constantine, forced to imagine his children forgetting him.


    He felt so much wrath, how could an entire year of love he gave them to be forgotten in less than a month, Caroline had to interject and tell him that such an oue was for the best, it would have been way more difficult if they were given in adoptionter since by then they''d be attached.


    ''Are you willing to see them suffer further?'' When she asked that, Constantine had to shut up and ept that indeed, his children forgetting him sooner was for the best.


    Another two months and nothing had changed, but he stopped going to that mansion with Isabe... it was no use for that torture, he was unable to share his children''s happiness... hence, he stopped going. He tried to be happy, imagining that they were having a great time but when he saw them smile andugh while ying with someone else, it was so much jealousy that he''d rather stop going.


    It would be a month more before the ceremony of graduation took ce. Another incident urred that drew him down, his dear friend Hector abandoned the kingdom to go back home together with Saline, apparently, he was being recalled by his noble family and hence he departed.


    Nova knew she needed to do something, each day was sadder than thest and she knew she was the one at fault, it had been her decision even if assisted by Ste... she was convinced that the decision was for the best whenever she looked at her happy children, but at what cost? her heart had been broken beyond repair and he rtionship with her son was drifting apart, the past day she even wondered if he still loved her, a thought that had never crossed her mind.


    "Maybe this is how it had to be..." The Queen said during their tea party. She wanted to y the role of a wisedy, but the bags under her eyes told stories.


    Swan used her fan to conceal the same bags while Penelope sipped her tea, only she hadn''t been affected, only she was hundred per cent certain that the best decision had been made.


    Isabe wasn''t saying a single word and Caroline was checking some documents, also with bags under her eyes.


    "Where is he?" Isabe asked, they were having some appetizers, delicacies prepared by the Kingdom''s maids, but she couldn''t eat more than one.


    "He''s training the juniors. We have to do something..." Caroline ced her papers aside and decided to tackle what she considered was an important subject that she hadn''t disclosed.


    "I guess we do, but, why all of the sudden?" They all wondered why her tone sounded so solemn.


    "He told me yesterday evening that he wanted to go to the front against the Heatherfell Kingdom." The future Queen bit her lips in outrage, she couldn''t believe it when he said that.


    !!!


    All of thedies, even the calm Penelope, gasped.


    "Is he mad!? There is not even a war!" Ste yelled in disbelief, this was pure recklessness, one thing was that he was sad and they could all understand and even try to support him as much as they could, but going to war merely to feel better... she couldn''t support that, he merely had to say a word and most generals of the royal army would agree with him, his Count status didn''t really represent Constantine''s influence, right now he was more popr than the King himself.


    "He''s going to create a war to feel good about himself!?" Swan added a piece of her own, this was the worst possible situation.


    "He wants to take back territory for the Kingdom? no, that will be his excuse, Constantine..." Penelope added and stood up, ready to go to her disciple''s ce to put some notion in his mind, but her wrist was held by Caroline who shook her head.


    That wasn''t going to solve the problem.


    "Mother..." Instead, she looked at the crestfallen Isabe.


    "..." Thetter remained silent, she knew she was the one that needed to fix this, but her proactivity to even try and strike up a conversation with her son was almost null, let alone try to convince him from stopping, she even thought, if that was going to make him feel better then perhaps he should really go to war.


    It never came across her mind that he would lose a battle, the worst that would happen is that he''d bebelled as a tyrant, to Nova, that wasn''t in the least important.


    Caroline continued, "I tried to convince him but he won''t listen, you have to-" her words were interrupted by a pessimistic Isabe.


    "He hates me... he hasn''t spoken to me once in two months... not even a good morning, he won''t touch me, he won''t hug me... when we''re in the carriage he doesn''t look at me, just looking at my eyes once is the most he has done. I tried to talk to him, he hears me... but that''s it, he won''t answer." She sobbed, this situation was breaking her.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "At least he has crossed eyes with you, with me, not even that." Ste sobbed harder, she was the one to suggest this, so naturally... she''d receive some hate too. Still, as the wise Queen she didn''t think she made a wrong call, the happy expression in those children said it all, and if the sacrifice for that was her rtionship with her lover, so be it.


    s, she wouldn''t be let off.


    "You two have to fix him." Caroline pointed at her two ''mothers'' as if she was giving missions away, it wasn''t a request, it was an order from the future queen!


    "H-How!?" They asked.


    "I don''t know how you''re going to do it, but you have to do it... I refuse for my dearest to remain like this. He''s going to go to the front and he''s going to make our kingdom look like tyrants, annexing all territories and ughtering everyone in his path, but that won''t make him feel better, it will be worse, so before that happens you two better move your big butts and think about something. Come, Penelope." Having said her words, Caroline stood up and left the table together with Penelope, whatever those two had to talk about, nobody knew.


    "Good luck, I hope you realise how pent up we all are and don''t ck." Still with her fan, Swan stood up to follow the small entourage of outraged lovers.


    "..." Isabe and Ste were left in this tea party to think about what they would do.


    "This is quite the odd mission to be tasked by Caroline, don''t you think?" Ste giggled despite the predicament they were just ced in.


    "H-How can youugh? what are we going to do?"


    "You''re asking me? you have been making love to your son since he was fourteen..." The Queen red at her friend.


    "..."


    "If someone knows what he likes and hates is you, why are you so afraid? he doesn''t hate you, he just resents the decision that we took, the fact that he hasn''t personally gone there to take his children back despite his pain... he also agrees with this, even if he doesn''t like it."


    "So he doesn''t hate us?"


    "Of course not! that brat is just fighting his own desires and trying to be stubborn, holding onto resentment, do you think I don''t see his gazes? whenever you bend down he looks at your butt reluctantly."


    "R-Really?" Isabe couldn''t believe it and no, she didn''t feel those gazes, but now that she thought about it.


    Whenever they ate together he''d also look at Ste''s cleavage before standing up and leaving the table, so he''s quite pent up as well.


    "Yes!e on, you''re his mother. Don''t you know how much of a pervert he is?!"


    ? "I think you''re exaggerating, he''s not really that perverted." Isabe fidgeted, she had lost a great deal of confidence in her beauty in thest few months.


    "..." Ste crossed her arms like ''are you for real?''


    Mother and mother-inw, no less.


    "You and I have to do it, Isabe...e, I know exactly what he will like." The Queen pulled her best friend out of the room in order to prepare their set-up.


    As a matter of fact, she didn''t know what he liked as much as Isabe did, but... she knew what MEN liked, and he''s a man.


    Isabe sighed and followed her, wishing that whatever she had in mind would work, she was pent up and filled with stress. Her only relief, her son, wasn''t avable.


    It had to be tonight.

 Chapter 115 Past Memories: Nova II

    That day Constantine arrived from his routine training... sadly, beating up the juniors wasn''t as stimting... but the real knights didn''t want to spar... he was the youngest official knight of the kingdom at only neen years of age, moreover a count... him destroying them in a spar would tarnish their reputation so most of them aside from Penelope refused to take a duel, but Penelope who was already approaching her fifties had recently begun to notice the toll on her body.


    She looked as morous as ever, but... somethings would never change.


    He hadn''t had sex for two months... that thought simply couldn''t cross his mind whenever he thought about his children smiling while being held by someone else.


    He imagined this is how being cheated on felt, but worse in a way, especially his beloved Katherine who would be constantly clinging to him, now that would happen no more.


    He knew he was being unfair to Caroline... giving nothing more than a kiss every morning and evening, but he just couldn''t do it.


    The mere sight of his mother now pained him, how could she have forced him to do this? ''I shouldn''t have listened to her'' were constant thoughts in his mind. It was like a vicious circle, one in which ignoring her caused pain but seeing her also did, so he didn''t know what to do.


    That day he arrived in his private mansion, sweaty yet not fatigued... deep into the night to make sure to not encounter anyone.


    He went upstairs to the room he shared with Caroline and opened the door, expecting to meet an asleep Caroline who by now would usually be tired after working in the Kingdom''s finances.


    Then he saw them.


    His mother and mother-inw... both chained to the bed, naked, their legs wide open and blindfolded with a cartel painted in what he believed to be lipstick.


    ''Punish us.''


    "..." Myriad thoughts converged in his mind, but the clearest among them was ''what?''.


    The moment the door opened both Ste and Isabe knew that it was him, truthfully under normal circumstances they would be more than thrilled to be in this revolutionary position of vulnerability.


    But this time they felt nothing but apprehension, there was a possibility he would reject this... if he turned around and walked out of the room leaving them like this, perhaps they wouldn''t be able to take it.


    "What is the meaning of this...?" He asked, his voice neutral.


    They rejoiced, at least he talked.


    "As you can read." Isabe said with a stiff voice and the two heard his steps walking around the room towards her side of the bed.


    "What if it had been some butler that came here... wouldn''t he have hit the jackpot...? he would have had the chance to screw my mother and mother-inw, pretending to be me..." He sounded a little upset when he said that, taking his trousers down they heard as it hit the ground.


    "T-There are no butlers and maids in the house..." Ste exined as if they hadn''t thought about that, the only people in this mansion were the ones that that to be here tonight.


    For several seconds there was nothing but silence, they couldn''t believe this, he should have already thrown himself on any of them, yet nothing...


    "S-Son..."


    "Don''t say anything." He said, recalling them that he was still in the room; his words made Isabe''s heart churn, he was still upset or at least that''s what she thought, believing this hadn''t been the right idea and cursing Ste for ''dragging her'' into this.


    Constantine walked around, naked... having ced all of his clothes back in their ce, his trusty sword on the table. He walked around until Ste was close at hand.


    They felt the bed sink a little, he sat on her side. it pained Nova... he didn''t go for her first, such an urrence was unbelievable for her, she''s the favourite...


    "Why aren''t you two shaved..." He asked with a criticising voice.


    Ste shuddered when she felt his hand touch her patch slightly, gracing her clitoris with a slight caress, her mound was a little voluminous, golden hair covering her sacred dripping spot.


    "Y-You haven''t made love to me in two months..."She answered with the disposition of a queen, it was aint, her lover had neglected her, this wasn''t in their ''contract''.


    "What does this has to do with that?"


    "You''re the one that shaves me..."


    "Can''t you get your maids to do it for you?"


    "I want you to do it... you''re my man, do it." Even in this vulnerable position, she was still the Queen, the woman that gave him everything he needed until he reached his current crescendo.


    "What about your husband?"<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Constantine Lionheart! don''te to me with that! YOU ARE MY MAN!"


    "Isn''t this supposed to be your punishment, why are you yelling at me?" He answered with slight outrage.


    !!!


    "S-Sorry ahn!~" Ste felt her clitoris get pinched in retaliation all she could do was shiver and settle down.


    Ste''s moans were like an infection''s disease, Isabe started to pant in jealousy, why wouldn''t he touch her?!


    "S-Son."


    "Don''t say anything, mother."


    She bit her lips and tears started to stain the blindfold, so there was nothing that she could do? even at this stage... he was ignoring her.


    Little did she know, as Constantine''s fingers yed with the Queen''s pussy, his gaze was always on her vulnerable body.


    "It still hurts." He said finally.


    "I know! Son... please, I won''t retract, I know it was for the best... I don''t think we did anything wrong, but I never thought it would be so hard on you, even I didn''t know it would hurt me this much, please forgive me!" She begged, by now whatever arousal had been built was long gone and all she wanted to do was cry, she felt everything she worked so hard to build, her rtionships, her family, her son, her children with her son... everything was slipping away.


    Constantine released the Queen''s vagina and caressed her face, Ste too was sobbing slightly.


    "There is nothing to forgive..."


    "..."


    "It wasn''t your fault, mother... it was our fault." He recognised that it takes two to make a life, both of them made a mistake and are now living with the consequences of it, it never came across his mind ever once to abandon her; he''d take this mistake to the very end.


    It wasn''t fair for Isabe to feel this pain alone when both of them were suffering as much, if anything she''s the one that decided to do what''s correct, something he came to realise and felt guilty about.


    "Son..."


    He unshakled Ste first, then took away her blindfold, the first thing the Queen did was hug her lover as hard as she could, "Please, forgive me as well... I-I... maybe I wasn''t considerate enough."


    "Don''t worry, mother-inw, you did the best for us, you''re the best." He kissed her lips slightly and Ste could finally breathe in relief, it was finished.


    He then moved to his mother''s side and unshackled her, removing her blindfold and receiving the same hug as a response, tightening his embrace around his disconste mother who after finally managing to conceive children in love, was once again denied the pleasure to raise them properly as a mother should, without hatred or taboos.


    "There is nothing to punish... it is not fair for any of us... but, I understand now that''s what had to be done... thank you, mother." He patted her back and all the sadness that had umted in Nova was released, the stress copsed like a mountain and she began feeling as light as a feather.


    "I''m really... sorry for proposing it, Constantine." Ste said regretfully, joining them in the hug. It was the mostmon thing for her to do; she was a noble and knew her way around politics and also feelings... she knew that most times forced marriages didn''t work out, but also most times the couples ended up falling for one another if there was a joint effort, no path couldn''t be threaded... only people unwilling to thread certain paths.


    And this was the correct path for them who had decided to take this taboo to the very end. She was initially disgusted, but after getting to know them better, after making friends with Isabe and understanding their past, she couldn''t judge them... all she wanted was that they wouldn''t evere to regret it... and if those children were raised by them... they would.


    "I love you, Ste." He confessed, kissing her golden hair.


    "I know... but you have neglected me. Dear, I won''t be beautiful forever... y-you need to love me while you still can." She pouted while sobbing... initially for passion. In the end, she couldn''t help loving this young man, even if he was her daughter''s fiance, it was quite unfair... but such was life... it was one of the main reasons why she was so shocked by Isabe''s pregnancy.


    She wanted to give birth to his child too, but it wouldn''t be fair to Caroline... when one got into these kinds of rtionships, one had to sacrifice something.


    "Don''t talk nonsense... I will love you two until I die..." He knew those words were the truth, it would be difficult for him to not point out the differences in Ste''s body, their affair had begun a few years ago, and he knew she worked hard in trying to keep herself healthy, but time was starting to take its toll.


    They were getting old, there were prominent younger beauties out there, but his heart was taken by thesedies. Even if he asionally went out to meet ady or two, that would be only after thedies back ''home'' were sated and satisfied.


    Just as he drifted in his thoughts, a group of angrydies entered the room, making him gasp.


    "It is not only them, you have neglected us too..."

 Chapter 116 Past Memories: Nova III

    Severaldies entered the room and he literally gasped... so that''s why there are no maids or butlers.


    Caroline entered, naked.. behind her were Penelope and Swan, also naked... together with five more concubines, all naked.


    They were just as the day they were born, ring at him with outrage and grief for being neglected for so long. Caroline and Penelope were in front, with thetter thinking about giving her disciple a wake-up call today; she too as the wisest one, knew she''d not be young forever, and therefore, she needed to fuck his brain out while she still could...


    Constantine sighed, "Don''t tell me you all-"


    "It is your responsibility... you can''t make so manydies fall in love with you and then you decide to neglect your duties, that''s not how it works, dear."


    "..." He had no excuse, it was the truth...


    "I have not neglected my duty as your fiance, yet you have neglected yours as my beloved... how are we going to fix this?" Caroline epassed a group of frustrated concubines and requested retribution.


    It felt ridiculous to him that they were all so upset when it wasn''t even his responsibility to keep them all content, they were supposed to be his father-inw''s responsibility, but in the end, he decided to take on this responsibility after shamelessly enjoying them.


    In the end aside from sighing what else could he do? there was something he could do, act.


    "You all get on the bed and spread your legs. you know I don''t have enough stamina for all of you, right?" A man that knew his limits, there were nine women here...


    All those breathtakingdies with figures and beauty that could shame any woman in this kingdom and the ones nearby... all walked to the bed, discarding the chains and spread their legs wide, presenting their bushes up for him to shave, "We fail to see the part where that''s our problem... today you''re not leaving until we''re full~"


    There was a joint outrage of sorts in here, they all nned to have him relieve the stress that he caused by focusing on the sword.


    Constantine smirked, looking at these beauties, each of them outstanding.


    ''Am I lucky or not?'' He didn''t know yet.


    He crawled up to Caroline who was in the middle, with Isabe and Ste at either side of her, falling on her delicious body and sealing her lips.


    "Are you upset with me, wife?"


    "I am... but I can stop being if you perform well~" Caroline delivered several infatuated pecks, she too was relieved everything was fixed, truth be told she didn''t have the slightest faith in her mother''s n, this working had been a miracle.


    "Sure." He smirked, licking his way down and tacking a razor from one of the concubines, these girls were nning to tempt him with this little game, little did they know he was already as hard as steel... this was the ultimate conquest, the most he had done were threedies in a single night... yet nine... and even his mother was included.


    With that in mind, he began to dutifully shave his lovers one by one, cing a few licks here and there, he didn''t feel disgusted by any of them, they were all his... some of the concubines and Penelope included went rampant as he shaved, the sank his head inside their crotches and begged for a ''service''... it was after the restined that things went back to normal.


    Isabe looked at everything with amusement, wondering if he was really going to be able to please them all. If he did, then she''d have to change the category she had him in her mind from ''son'' to ''stallion''.


    As this number was simply insane... nine beauties, not only that, nine mature beauties who knew their ways in the arts of sex after spending a good amount of their time with Constantine, this night wasn''t going to be easy for him.


    She sighed onest time beforeying down and awaiting her turn. At least he wasn''t upset and he understood that both of them had been through the same amount of pain, perhaps she had been worse since she felt she was losing everything, her children and him.


    It was then that she felt him treating her with the utmost delicacy, yes, this was another one of the reasons why she loved him so much, this love and treatment, they had done this countless times, in fact, she encouraged him to not touch himself down there, she''d be the one to always shave, it was an intimate ritual for Nova.


    "The graduation ceremony is in three weeks, the marriage ceremony in four... after that we will be Queen and King, and you will be Constantine De Castile, my husband~" Caroline said with infatuation, she couldn''t wait... after everyone was ready, it was time to have their fun.


    "Do you still remember when I saved you from those thieves?" Constantine got in position while all thedies heard expectantly for their turn.


    "I do, every day... do you remember our first journey to the capital, dear?"


    Isabe''s eyes opened widely.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Yes... I was crying... and you hugged me... and we had our first kiss." He recollected while Isabe''s eyes shivered.


    "Back then I didn''t understand why you were so sad about leaving your mother... you never looked like mama''s boy to me... to think that was the reason." Caroline giggled, unable to wait anymore.


    After thest kiss, he crawled up, aligning up with his soon-to-be wife before he prated her in one go.


    "Ahhn!!~"


    He grunted and basked in the pleasure, so long without entering a pussy that he had almost forgotten how his wife tasted.


    The concubines, Ste, Isabe and Penelope all quickly saw how they became a moaning mess, Caroline''s beauty was exquisite... if bodies and countenances were to be ranked.


    Isabe would be the number one, a mature beauty whose prime was starting to decline,pared to Ste, Penelope and Swan she was still younger. Caroline would be the number two, still growing into that mature charm that would characterise her as one of the greatest beauties in the world, quickly followed by Ste... who was publicly acknowledged as the former most beautiful woman the modern times.


    Her beauty had been outshined by a modern rtively young dark horse called Phoebe from a neighbour kingdom, someone Nova knew very well.


    Then there would be Penelope whose beauty was overshadowed by the talent in the sword, no one was able to express how beautiful she was when they were most afraid they''d be split in half in her presence, but nevertheless, she was an astounding beauty.


    Then there were the concubines, Swan in particr was simply awe-inspiring, she had been the king''s favourite for a reason, younger than Ste those two fought hand in hand to see who was prettier, it mattered not in this room, what mattered here was whosted longer.


    Seeing the couple make love, aside from making all of them happy for their future, made everyone else in the room slightly dejected... especially the older concubines who were already in theirte forties approaching their fifties just like Ste... soon they wouldn''t be the beauties that they''re now, at that time... would he still look at them?


    His personality and manliness indicated that he would, but it wouldn''t be fair... one of thedies whose feelings were more prominent was precisely Ste, still, the queen was never one to hold thoughts of negativity, she loved his man and she would love him every single second that she was avable to do so without focusing on nonsense.


    Once Caroline and Constantine started to make love sideways moaning and grunting, Isabe and Ste got into action.


    The Queen embraced her daughter from behind and started to y with her clit, kissing her neck, while Isabe did the same with her son''s balls... they would make sure that these two remained together forever, they were fated.


    Squished in between the milfs, Caroline and Constantine''s pace increased with every thrust until he finally unloaded himself inside his wife-to-be making sure to deposit everything in her womb.


    The rest of the beauties were unable to wait, Caroline got pulled aside, he released her insides with a pop and thedies were envious at the volume of cum that was deposited inside her.


    Isabe and Ste took over, squishing him while his lips devoured his mother''s with haste, the lust increased several folds when he entered her asshole without thinking twice, and most of the concubines gulped.


    They had never seen a mother and a son having sex before, let alone such rough sex.


    It was as if they wanted to drown their frustrations away. Ste, Isabe and Constantine entangled like snakes on the bed, releasing whatever guilt they felt.


    Nova cried her heart out, finally releasing that constricting pain, after that night she finally had peace.


    Then Penelope proceeded to show her dominance, telling him to not be stupid and head into war when he could better spend his time making love to them, it sounded logic and he epted... she kept her dominating role for long enough while he devoured the rest of the concubines, sadly for her, her waist grew tired and the papers turned, not that she minded.


    Swan led the rest of the concubines into a rampage of pleasure which Isabe constantly invaded, she boasted of being the one in the room with the most stamina aside from Constantine, and with all the stress pent up, Nova wasn''t about to stop.


    The next day everyone was filled, satisfied and tired. But the silver-haired mother kept swinging her hips madly and loving her son who would keep herpany no matter what, as they used to when they walked under the rain back home, always together.,


    Once again and for the rest of her days, she''d remain undefeated. After finally knocking his mother down, a fatigued Constantine didn''t lose time, he prepared a canvas and began drawing, this night in which he basked in the love of the most important women in his life, was one he couldn''t allow himself to not draw.


    Their naked alluring bodies, undying beauty and satisfied expressions would be saved for him to delight in on the coldest nights.


    His greatest conquest.

 Chapter 117 Past Memories: Aurelianne I

    The following years were of twists and turns, passion but also heartbreaks.


    Things changed a lot after Constantine and Caroline became King and Queen. With his newly-found position, he quickly began a sea of conquests, Caroline got pregnant and they celebrated it.


    Most of Nova''s time was spent in her town... neither she nor Ste could have believed the King''s confession the moment he abdicated as the king.


    Turns out the man was aware of their affair all along, Ste panicked a bit but eventually confessed that she loved Constantine with all her heart, she apologised for her affair and decided to ept any punishment that she''d receive, the rest of the concubines too prepared for their heads to roll. Much to their surprise... father-inw and son-inwughed, leaving everyone in the royal court confused, all of the ''unfaithful'' concubines were left a little... bbergasted.


    Constantine asked him how ''Barbara'' and her children were doing to which his father-inw said that wonderfully, now that he abdicated as a king, he could be with them a long time.


    The entire Royal Court didn''t understand, Ste immediately asked who this Barbara The King answeredr was that Barbara was a beautiful farmer he met during one of his hunts, she was ady from a poor family on the outskirts of the kingdom and she wasn''t a noble, hence... iming her as a concubine would not only be a sad life for her, but he too realised that he felt better living in the wilderness with her than in the bustling capital; hence why he spent most of his time ''hunting''.


    No one in the royal court could believe it, Ste and Caroline were the ones in most disbelief.


    He said that he had realised her affair with his son-inw from the first moment and that it hurt initially, but at that moment he already knew Barbara and was together with her just partly, feeling guilt over this secret to Ste mostly, but then he thought about something and faced Constantine, he asked Constantine to ''take care'' of the royal court... and distract all of them just so it wouldn''t feel suspicious that he left to hunt for such long periods.


    A deal that Constantine readily epted, the only one that knew of this arrangement... Swan.


    Disbelief or not, it was done... the king having abdicated and leaving the throne to his daughter left for the outskirts where he would live with his beloved, Barbara, ady at least thirty years younger than him and their two children.


    The entire royal court was left with their mouths wide open, a total of ten concubines and a wife started to kick Constantine and Swan''s butts, it eventually evolved into a massive orgy in which it was decided that they would all go and live with Isabe in her house.


    If they were to join his royal court, it would be a bad image for him as the king to have taken all of the previous king''s concubines...


    Hence, in a way, Nova''s days turned more lively, she now lived with her friends back in town, Ste included... but as the years passed and his son''s conquests rendered the Kingdom into a fruitful future... many things urred during the years.


    Some of the concubines stopped engaging in their usual passion, due to age... they attended him as their husband when he came... but limited themselves to not show too much, for shame. For a woman, her beauty and appearance in front of her man would always be important and they couldn''t just act the way they used to when the man they loved now looked more like their grandson, it hurt a lot.


    Constantine reprimanded them saying that he didn''t care, in fact... he kept having his usual intercourse with Isabe and Ste... who were still willing to go along, but it wouldn''t be for too long.


    One day she and Ste woke up in the same bed, she noticed that her friend was rather downcast and that was when Ste told her that her muscles were aching quite a bit, she was inmid-fiftiesfties while Isabe was in herte forties.


    Constantine hurried back from the capital together with Caroline and a doctor... the doctor diagnosed Ste with Myositis, a disease that affected the muscles and the psyche... the doctor said there wasn''t a definite cure for it, but that doing exercise and keeping a rather healthy outlook in life was usually a good way to go about it.


    But it didn''t work for Ste, she was depressed for different reasons, mainly... she thought she was too ugly for Constantine.


    No amount of words and spoiling from him helped, the doctor said a few monthster that it had developed into Cancer... and three monthster, a few days from Constantine''s twenty-fifth birthday, Ste passed away.


    She never saw her son so heartbroken, not even when the incident with their children happened... it marked a turning point, not only was she sad because her deepest friend died but not only was Caroline devastated due to her missing mother but the concubines, Penelope... and even herself realised that were they all to start perishing one by one, that would be an impact too hard for him to take.


    From that day on Constantine seemed to have changed, he became colder to everyone that wasn''t his family... Ste had been one of the loves of his life, and since she passed away, a piece was missing and it would be too long before that piece was mended back in his heart. The Greenwood family perished one day for no apparent reason, Harrow Lionheart was found rotting in a trash bin in the capital... everybody knew who the cause was, he needed someone to kill but the country couldn''t yet go to war against the greatest empire.


    The Conquest became more ruthless, soon his son got a second wife, Phoebe Deliris... and it wasn''t just any wife, this used to be the fiance of his deepest friend in the academy, Hector. He was questioned for this by Penelope and Caroline but it was Isabe/Nova who calmed them down since there was true love in there and since he met Phoebe, it was as if he was truly beginning to move on from Ste after many years of grief.


    Moreover, Nova knew that Phoebe is also one of her daughters... Phoebe and Caroline''s rtionship was quite rocky as she expected, but eventually... her son fixed it up with a small orgy as always.


    Another war broke loose between the two Kingdoms, Constantine and Hector fought to several ends, but Hector knew exactly what kind of rival Constantine was and even at a disadvantage he never fell. It was Phoebe who eventually convinced him to stop this war, but Constantine''s greed wouldn''t stop... for each of his hidden concubines that died during the years... his heart got colder.


    There was only a handful of individuals who could still warm his heart, his wives, his children, his mother... and his master, but thetter would soon render another heavy blow on him.


    Penelope took her own life during one of her son''s campaigns, while he was away... the first one to receive her letter was Isabe... in the letter, she said that she couldn''t bear to see her beloved destroying himself like that anymore and that she''d rather not be one of the causes... and so, as determined to her own decisions as always, she took her own life, but begged her to tell Constantine that she just went in a long trip on her own.


    How could she possibly lie to her son? When he came back, after officially finding the Castile Empire, he received the most devastating blow after Ste''s passing.


    The blow was so devastating that he fell ill, an opportunity that his enemies used to attack the borders, sadly for them... Constantine was an emperor with a lot of prestige and his army was relentless, they held until he stood up once again like the Emperor he is.


    Still, the most horrible blow he would receive was yet toe.


    Isabe continued to have intercourse with her son even beyond the point where she should have... he kept seeking her body even after sixty years... as Nova, she was ageless... she realised that she wasn''t as charming physically as she used to, their sex was slow and most romantic, she loved it. She refused to ''refuse'' him.


    But while Nova kept basking in the limitless love that she was offered, Isabe was twisting in pain and her own inferiorityplex... Caroline, Phoebe and the newest addition, Lucille, another one of Nova''s daughters from the western ins... they were all so devastatingly beautiful, charming... she felt reprieve in her childless life. She looked from faraway how they became incredible beings, merchants, artists... Casper was renowned in the entire kingdom, he married a prominentdy and had several children, she went to their marriage together with Constantine... she saw her son from far away being happy.


    Katherine married, Gerald Married, they were all so happy... they even befriended Constantine''s children with Isabe and Phoebe quite soon.


    At this stage, aside from two remaining concubines who still lived with her and Caroline, no one knew of their rtionship... he kept secretlying to this house, giving love to thesedies that were still the most important to him, this was his secluded spot, his true ''home''.


    Things only aggravated, Isabe was about to set up her limits... she was about to tell him that she didn''t want to do it anymore, not because she didn''t want to, but because it was unfair to his wives.


    All of that crumbled when she realised she was pregnant again.


    She and the two concubines couldn''t believe it. She was sixty-ish years old, how could she be pregnant?! the news for her was terrific, for her son they were like fresh water in the desert, that was until the doctor said that she was highly likely to pass away during this pregnancy, it was extremely dangerous.


    The doctor advised aborting the baby and upon realising the danger, so did Constantine, he couldn''t bear to receive one of those blows, Ste and Penelope... Swan... they had hurt too much, it was too much to bear, he wouldn''t be able to take it if his mother died early too.


    But Nova and Isabe refused adamantly.


    On the night of her decision, Toki appeared again... even he, the Time God had tried to talk her against doing this procedure... she would die.


    That night Nova told him to mind his own business and embraced her grandchildren to sleep.


    Inside, however... she was scared... dying scared her so much, she didn''t understand, why were mortals so afraid of dying?


    It was then that she realised she''d lose everything... everything she created, her friends, her family... Ste and Penelope had hurt so much, yet now she was going to lose everything, even her son, her children.


    She didn''t want to die.


    **


    **


    A few weeks into the pregnancy and thankfully they weren''t triplets or twins, it was just a single baby, it made her sigh in relief, her husband/son abandoned the front to be back with her together with his wives who blindly believed she once again had a tryst with some unknown man... something Caroline joked about with her. They were even more surprised that she could get pregnant at this age.


    Three months into it and she started to feel severely ill, once again the doctors advised aborting the baby, but she wouldn''t ever kill her child, she took it like a goddess, suffering by her son''s side, as long as he was here, she could bear anything.


    Five months... she couldn''t take anymore... she would die if she didn''t give birth but it was too early, she felt life slipping away as Constantine''s tears fell on her hand.


    "Mother..." He begged her to reconsider, biting his lips at his own selfishness, desiring his child''s death, so long as he could have his mother a few more years.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "I can do it..." She said, determined.


    "You''re going to die!"


    "I don''t care... I will give birth to this baby, son... is our baby." Isabe and Nova knew no rest, no reprieve. She''d give birth to her son''s children, it was her biggest pleasure, no one could deny her this pleasure, it was greater than the most powerful orgasm, to give birth to his progeny.


    She caressed his face once again as she always used to, her hand was so weak this time.


    "You have be so handsome... you''re so perfect... I had never... never ever seen such a perfect mortal in my life." She giggled in pride, she knew he didn''t understand, but it didn''t matter.


    "Mortal...?"


    "Yes, you''re the most beautiful thing I have ever seen, more beautiful than the endless stars, space and time... you''re someone that loves to the limit, this secret art that I desired to learn, you have dominated it... taught it to me... sometimes you make mistakes, but... most of the time you''re so perfect. Son, I love you so much, you have no idea." Tears welled up, she was afraid to lose this love, once she died... as she promised to herself, she''dpress all of her memories and experiences... then she''d perish, what would happen to her love? would it disappear?


    Constantine thought his mother was having delusions and on the verge of life and death.


    "Even while holding the endless stars with my mantle... it couldn''tpare to when I held you back then... when you were a kid."


    "Mother..."


    "It couldn''tpare to when I held you... when you sold your first painting back then... to me."


    "..."


    "It couldpare to when we made love for the first time... I never felt so satisfied... not even when my keres conquered endless stars..."


    "When I held our children, Constantine I was so happy... that everything I previously mentioned... couldn''tpare to it."


    "M-Mother..." He didn''t know what she was saying, but this was like the deepest love confession he had ever heard.


    "That''s why I will give birth to our baby... even if it is thest thing I do in this life."


    "..."


    "You have made me understand what love is, now... I''m so envious of mortals, they''re able to feel this their entire lives."


    "You''re a beautiful goddess, mother... you are a goddess sent from the stars for me."


    Nova blushed and nodded happily.


    "Can you call me Nova?"


    "Huh?"


    "Can you say my name... and say that you love me? at least once..."


    "I love you, Nova."


    "Thank you~"


    Her eyes fluttered closed and she fell asleep, Constantine nted a deep kiss on her forehead, believing the worst.


    When the eight-month came upon, it was a miracle... the doctors couldn''t believe it... Isabe should have been dead.


    "Okay, mommy, push!" The nurse said, nervous... the Emperor was looking straight at her with a tear-stained visage, and the Empresses were nearby, holding his shaking body.


    He could already feel it, he was going to lose his mother today... there was still a possibility that she survived as they said, but it was so infimal it could very well be nonexistent, the doctors said they would just open her belly to take the baby and she would die... but Isabe struggled and denied, she said she would hold her baby in her arms victorious!


    Isabe and Nova pushed with everything they had, whatever vitality was left that hadn''t already been sucked by the baby.


    "UGH!!" She grunted, utterly exhausted and this time it was so much easier than before, her baby came out like a wonder, turns out that due to her previous birth her vagina had already adjusted and hence it was easier.


    Everybodyughed in joy, but when she lifted her hands to hold her baby... she felt it... her life slipping again.


    ''N-No...'' Her eyes shivered and she sent a re her son''s way, a single gaze was enough to convey what was happening, and he sprang to her like a madman, crying.


    "Mother!"


    She wanted to keep her eyes open, but she didn''t even have the strength to lift her eyelids, there was no strength... her mortal body was powerless, empty without a single wisp of vitality left.


    "S-Son..." Thest thing he saw was her son crying in despair, she knew it was going to be like this... but he was in good arms.


    Nova cried... she cried until she could no more, trying to recall her entire life and convincing herself she was happy, her mortal mind shivered, asking why she needed to do this sacrifice, why she needed to be the only one to die while her other beings lived this happiness and love that she had created, why? ''It is mine!'' but in the end, Nova decided to follow her own heart and do what was correct... her powers activated as she smiled with tears, engulfing her entire existence in a mere infinitesimal mote of light that was nted in Isabe''s soul.


    And like that, Nova ceased to exist, leaving behind all of her existence to the Novas of the countless timelines she created with this paradox.


    ''Love and Happiness, I transmit them to you, me.''


    ''I have received it, me... rest well, I will love him and take care of him, with all my heart.''


    With that assurance, the Nova that caused the paradox disappeared together with said Paradox, returning the universe back to normal as ''Space'' recovered its energy.


    Everything happened in front of a wrathful God of Time and a Goddess of Space who red at him, daring him to attack; she soon recovered Isabe''s soul before she was hunted by the reapers and the cycle once again repeated, but this time, she received all of Nova''s experiences and love thus breaking the paradox.


    **


    **


    Holding his baby, Constantine ignored his mother''s lifeless body andughed with cascading tears, pinching his little nose as the babyughed, it portrayed an eerie yet lively atmosphere that Caroline, Phoebe and Lucille looked at in grief and sadness.


    The sight of a broken man who tried as much as he could to see the positivity in the negative.


    This baby wouldtere to be known as August De Castille, the Emperor''s favourite; a renowned merchant of flowers and painter... the Emperor''s younger brother.

 Chapter 118 Past Memories: Aurelianne II

    "You came."


    Amidst the vastness of the universe, a ce in which only those that rule space and time can coincide, two entities remained, this time it had been different, and there was no paradox but things were fated to vary since the major secret had been exposed.


    Nova stood in front of Isabe''s soul, ready to take that light wisp of memories and existence left behind from the other timeline''s Nova, the fruit of her sacrifice. But somebody stood in front of her with a rather aggressive stance, apanying them as they cruised amidst the endless existence of the universe.


    Primordial God of Time, Toki.


    "Erase her." He said, no ordered.


    There was a brief silence between them in which Nova''s eyes fluttered, in some other times, she would have heeded her husband''s words, done whatever he said, but the current predicament wasn''t one of those times.


    Things had changed, and to regain a greater truth, even one of her ''selves'' had to sacrifice.


    "A single timeline will have to be extinguished in order to stop the paradox." Toki said began, "It is not enough with her stopping you frommitting the same mistake, in order topletely erase the Paradox, you must eliminate those two!" He pointed at a confused Isabe and also, that small wisp of light, for him... that wisp of light was the evilest thing ever, it was the living proof of his wife''s betrayal.


    "..." But the Goddess didn''t care, for her sake, for Isabe''s sake... and for her sacrifice, she did what was correct, that was her desire, to understand love and happiness and finally regain herself after receiving a serious blow from Toki.


    And this small wisp of light was everything she needed.


    Nova took the small cluster of light from Isabe''s soul and passed it into her brain while Toki literally exploded with fear, he extended his hand forward, stopping everyone''s time, including Isabe''s, but his power was fated to not deter Nova.


    "STOP!!" He wanted to stop her, but he was unable to.


    Nova fused with her previous self''s memories and all the experiences came about, she sensed it right away, a gargantuan crack formed with Loki proactively trying to erase Isabe from the vast existence, he used enough power to destroy several stars, something Isabe wouldn''t ever be able to survive from even if she was merely a soul, but Isabe wasn''t by herself.


    *BAAANG!!!*


    Toki''s entire power came forward, shing against hers.


    "You show your true face." Nova, now with all of her memories, smirked... yes, she smirked with a smile between evil and amused. She finallyprehended... those memories extended, covering her myriad selves across all timelines, Toki''s greatest fear.


    Henceforth, Nova wouldn''t ever be the same regardless of where he looked, just like he was also not the same Toki. The Primordial Goddess now had secr feelings and they would remain with her until her existence declined together with the universe, her feelings towards that mortal would never be erased.


    And this irked him to no end!


    "DAMN HIM!" Unaware that he''d be unable to ughter Isabe, Toki found himself intending to back in time to ughter that bastard while he still could, but Nova''s words stopped him abruptly yet again.


    "You and I have a deal, Toki... I choose him, you are not allowed to harm him." There was still this evil smile on her face, totally unlike the beautiful and sacred Nova he knew, Toki realised that she had been corroded, tainted... his wife had been tainted for forty years by that bastard.


    ''That son of a... he corroded her, I have to kill him!''


    "NO... NO! I REFUSE!" For him those words impacted worse than a sledgehammer, the words of gods were as valuable as thews themselves, he made a deal, he couldn''t back off, but endless wickedness was seeping through, to the point he no longer felt like he cared about a mere deal.


    Nova was his, that''s all that mattered.


    "We have a deal, for there to be bnced, you have to allow me to do with him the same that you did with her~"


    "You have already spent a lifetime with him!"


    "That wasn''t me, it was my other self who sacrificed herself for me to be able to regain myself, it doesn''t count." Once again Nova released that characteristically snicker side of hers that didn''t exist a few seconds ago, let alone billions of years prior.


    "... you have learned to lie and deceive."


    "Haven''t you too, Toki? He will undergo the trial." She dered that there was nothing he could say in this matter, it was their word as Primordial Gods at a stake.


    "He won''t even reach half of the trial, I will make sure of that, Nova." His threatening words made her wrath resurface, and it was then that in this empty world yet another creature capable of transcending space and time appeared in the form of a gigantic head.


    "The two of you are causing trouble again." The mighty voice said with a sort of boredom as if he was already used to them getting like this.


    "Gntis." Both Primordial Gods regarded the Dragon God whose powers were equal if not greater than theirs, this existence that always got involved in matters that didn''t concern him, as the lord of a neighbour universe.


    "First it was this mortal, Canelle. Now, what is the problem?" He asked, prompting Toki to evade his gaze the moment that name ''Canelle'' was mentioned, in Nova''s case it was a mixture of ridicule that was quickly rendered into indifference.


    "There is no problem at all... Toki will follow our agreement, the one we did in front of you by the way."


    "It has been a few thousand years, allow me to recall... ah yeah... the partner you choose has to undergo the God Trial together with your avatar, then your avatar is allowed to stay with that individual until the end of his cycle, correct?"


    "Precisely."


    "So you have found the mortal you choose to undergo this process with."


    "I have found him... and now Toki and I shall begin the trial for him."


    "I REFUSE!" Toki yelled but none of the gods seemed to pay attention or care about what he said.


    "And where is your avatar?" Gntis, the dragon, looked around and only managed to see Isabe who was still frozen in time and space, being protected by Nova from Toki.


    "I''ll make my avatar right away." Nova smiled, raising her hand were just as she had promised herself, a small bead of brilliant white light appeared.


    A Life God Spark, thepiled embodiment of thews of Life, and also... the remains of herst daughter.


    *RUMBLE!!*


    "Are you going to use MY daughter''s spark!? Nova, do you dare!?" Upon seeing this, it was as if Toki reached his limit, he couldn''t believe she was going to use their daughter''s spark to create herself an avatar, just so she could go and cheat on him with that bastard.<novelnext></novelnext>


    This was beyond outrageous!


    "She was my daughter too... I loved her more than you possibly will, that''s why I kept the spark and sent all of her sisters to Dragoncrest while you wasted your ''time''... proud of our son''s bloody achievement against Centrino. Don''te talking to me about morality, Toki. We both know you don''t care." The Goddess growled in disdain as she made that small white bead go towards Isabe.


    "..." The God clenched his hand, was this still Nova? his obedient Nova?


    While he remained in disbelief, Gntis the Dragon God witnessed how Nova ced that small bead of white light into Isabe''s forehead, making thetter''s entire body shine, her soul was being transformed.


    It all merged together, giving way to a silver-haired beauty as wless as anyone.


    Nova sighed with slight tears in her eyes, she then ced a finger in her brain and lost a lot of her strength in one go, almost feeling weak and having the entire space shake all around, Gntis'' eyes shone and only then did space recover its normalcy.


    "Thank you, Gntis."


    "Are you so infatuated with this mortal that you no longer care about your universe''s integrity, Nova?" He asked with concern, existences like them were extremely aware and careful about their actions, a small sneeze from him could obliterate endless stars in his universe, but this Goddess didn''t seem to care about her own.


    "I don''t care..." Nova''s answer was brief, she didn''t even look at him, instead, that purple light that she took out of her forehead, she ced inside Isabe''s shining body, on her forehead.


    "..." Gntis sighed and said nothing.


    After a while, Isabe''s body stopped shining and Nova witnessed her ''creation''.


    In front of her was the beautiful appearance that she felt mncholic about for several reasons, that silver hair was Isabe''s, its shining lustre was hers, those blue eyes were her daughter, Aurelianne''s... that wless body was a mixture of them all, this was her new avatar, perfection.


    "Aurelianne..." She called, caressing her avatar''s face.


    At that moment, the avatar''s eyes gained light for the first time and Nova was able to see and feel herself from two perspectives.


    "A-Ah..." The avatar, Isabe, was momentarily confused, just now she had been talking to this person and all of the sudden, her perspective changed and she felt different.


    "It is me, Nova."


    "I am..."


    "You are Aurelianne, The Goddess of Life. Nova and Isabe Greenwood as a single existence merged together... your name is Aurelianne, you are my avatar." Nova hugged her other self, she wouldn''t be able to ever leave Isabe, a fundamental part of her life, those forty years had passed to the apex of her existence, a period in which she lived together with Isabe.


    She was like her blood sister, perhaps even closer.


    "M-My son... where is my son? where am I?" Isabe seemed to nod in understanding, feeling a slight headache, she had memories of her previous life, fussy but they were there, the most important name was always a single one ''Constantine''.


    "He is not your son anymore, he''s not our son." Nova said rather deterministically, words that Aurelianneprehended and gasped as a result.


    "N-Not my son..."


    "Yes, I will exin everything to you... you will see everything."


    While Nova and Aurelianne had their first ever chat, Toki could hardly withstand what he was seeing.


    "This is the result of your actions, Toki. Gods never go back on their words. Since her avatar has already been created and the ''chosen'' already picked, it is time to go to the next phase of this agreement." Gntis spoke without mercy, for him ''word'' was the most important asset and its value must be maintained.


    "There won''t be bnce like this, Gntis! we won''t go back to how we were!" Toki grit his teeth, he knew this was hopeless, his wife wouldn''te back, he would have to force her to do so, but... the moment she merged with those memories, that possibility slipped away.


    "I am afraid, that is not up to you to decide." The dragon opened his mouth and hisws connected with the local timews, in specific, a particr jewel. The fate jewel.


    But at that moment, Toki the jewel''s host, clenched his hand directly destroying the link between Gntis and the jewel, making the former re at him while Nova too prepared for a fight.


    "Nova, you will regret this."


    "I won''t... be a man for once and uphold your word, Toki."


    Toki, unwilling to receive any more insults,plied.


    The power of the fate jewel, connected to thews of time, started rotating.


    ...


    [Subject ''Constantine Lionheart'' shall be subjected to the God Ascension Trial.]


    [Checkingpatibility, faith and karma.]


    [Faith Requirement, Complete.]


    [Blessing Requirement, Complete.]


    [Karma Requirement, Failure...]


    [Karma Regtion Module active-"$^¡ê%&$%&^"¡ê!!]


    ...


    "What did you do, Toki!?"

 Chapter 119 Past Memories: Aurelianne III

    Toki''s eyes shivered in confusion.


    ''What is going on?''


    With his power he witnessed how endless tendrils of time coiled around Constantine''s soul in Dragoncrest.


    This could only mean one thing, but... he smirked.


    "Looks like your little boyfriend will be in high demand in the future, Nova. Several tendrils of time lock around his soul, threatening his life. Let me help him~" He said wickedly with both Nova and Gntis frowning, they both squeezed their intent in to try and pry into what he''s doing to Constantine, especially Nova who doesn''t trust him at all.


    [Timeless Distortions!]


    He uttered simple words, but they immediately made Gntis and Nova gasp.


    "What did you do!?"


    "It is a curse to prevent time disruptions..." Gntis frowned, "you just prevented him from ever travelling through the tendrils of time... what is the meaning of this?"


    "I also prevented anyone else from ever being able to travel to his timeline from a foreign one,Gntis... I''m protecting him. He has several tendrils coiling around his soul, which means that in the past or the future, there were beings with control over the timews using him as a medius to travel."


    "..." Nova frowned so hard in suspiciousness, she couldn''t find ws in his words, but what he did was still suspicious.


    ''One of those tendrils was me, but are the others?'' She wondered solemnly, future enemies was one of those options and him erasing the possibility for them toe back in time and threaten him was a huge favour.


    [Karma Regtion Module, Active] The trial said, now fixed.


    "I already created the trial as you desired, from now on none of us can personally interfere with his growth as per the deal, I hope you''re content with that, dear~"


    "..." Gntis looked at Nova for confirmation and the Goddess returned the look to him together with a confused Aurelianne... eventually she nodded and the next second the two of them disappeared, there was nothing else to do here.


    "What are you scheming, Toki."


    "You involve yourself too much in our universe, Gntis... even if one of your wives was born here, that shouldn''t be sufficient reason."


    "Euphoria loved this universe, it would be sad to see it destroyed over a mere lover''s tantrum." The Dragon sighed, ready to leave.


    "She betrayed me with that mortal, Gntis... I don''t even recognise my wife anymore."


    "Have you stopped to look at yourself in a mirror..." Saying those words, Gntis departed in a portal back to his own universe, leaving Toki and the still eavesdropping scattered essence of Nova.


    She had hoped him to reveal something but such a thing didn''t happen.


    **


    **


    Nova and Aurelianne appeared floating above the De Castile Castle, their son''s current residence.


    "What are we going to do now?"


    "You''re going to keep looking at him, Aurelianne... but I have to go... I''ll teach you everything you need to know."


    "I''m still quite confused, you know?" Aurelianne, as Isabe... didn''t understand half a thing.


    It was then that Nova exined everything, telling her that they had lived together for her whole life without she even noticing...


    that they both loved her son and that she was given a second chance since Nova liked her quite a bit and thought it was unfair that they wouldn''t reach a greater happiness together.


    "So we have been together that long?"


    "Yes, every single second... I have lived it together with you, dear." Nova embraced Aurelianne.


    The beauty looked like a hybrid between three existences, she even dared to say that Aurelianne''s beauty matched her own.


    "Thank you... s-so, he''s not my son now...?"


    "Yes."


    They moved through space until arriving at Constantine''s bedroom where hey together with a infant child. Caroline, Phoebe and Lucille were looking at him still, trying to cheer him up. This was a month after she died and her funeral was hold in their small town.


    Isabe''s body had been buried in her beautiful garden, but Constantine couldn''t be a single day there without literally breaking.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Aurelianne felt so pained when she saw him like that, this is the most destroyed he has been. Bags under his eyes, unhealthy skin and clearly malnourished since he refused to eat.


    Even then, he smiled, caressing his son''s silver hair as he slept.


    "We can''t involve ourselves anymore... you''re a goddess now, Aurelianne... but you will be able to take him afterwards."


    "But Nova I have to help him!" As Isabe, seeing her son like this was equivalent to death, but Nova knew better.


    "Our son is a strong individual... he will resurface from the ashes, trust me on this... but you need to prepare yourself. When he dies, you''re going to receive him and be his guide." Once again Nova embraced her counterpart, feeling her pain as her own.


    "What must I do?"


    "The first thing you need to do is toprehend your own existence, now you''re a goddess..." Nova took Aurelianne to some other ce away from here.


    It was a decaying spot filled with dying grass and a massive big tree whose leaves were falling endlessly.


    "This is your private dimension... it used to be my daughters."


    "Why did you do it, use your daughter''s spark?" Aurelianne/Isabe wondered, it was something forbidden.


    "Because... you and Constantine are important for me, my daughter won''te back, she was mustered by one of her sisters using the Death Laws, her soul is forever lost and taken by the reapers... I merely managed to save her God Spark before she slipped away from me... since then it has been hundreds of thousands of years. I realised that holding her spark won''t change anything, it won''t bring her back, moreover you need this too in order to exist. If I didn''t use a Life God Spark, you would


    ne hunted down by the reapers... in fact, you will as you''re still Isabe... your current soul is a construct between me and you. That''s why you need to be stronger and assimte your powers, only the lifews can fight the deathws."


    "Is there are primordial god of life and death, like you?"


    Nova shook her head and they noticed how merely by Aurelianne''s presence here, the world was starting to turn green and sane.


    The Laws of Death personifies itself in the form of reapers... they are the death itself and the purpose of death is to dispose of evil souls, reincarnate good souls or hold them in stand by depending on their karma.


    In the case of thews of life, Life is represented in the form of life itself, everyone and everything that lives is in itself a member of thews of life.


    "Gods of Life are some of the most difficult existences to kill since they basically transcend the cycle of all things, clinging to life like no one else can, both Life Gods and Death Gods are miracles that only exist by the joint divinity of higher gods. My daughter''s death was a huge loss to this universe..." Nova said with dejection.


    "I''m sorry..." Aurelianne, in contrast, also felt Nova''s pain, understanding how this soul construct worked, it was as if it had been her daughter too.


    "Anyway... we need to prepare, im going to teach you everything I can, but after that you will be on your own, I must get back to the Space Realm, Toki and I have never been in such a bad blood. I want to kill him, but I can''t..." Nova said threateningly.


    "Why go so far?"


    "We are both joint existences... a bond like the one I have with you, I have with him... but... it repulses me, I only want this bond with Constantine. However, unless someone is able to rece Toki, this bond can''t be broken or it will make this universe. I''m shackled."


    "... It has to be Constantine, right?"


    "I want it to be Constantine... only him... that''s why you need to guide him through the trial, his first step is to be a Demigod before the trial begins, then after reaches Godhood, he might have the power to involve himself in all of this, right now, he''s too weak."


    "I understand."


    For the next few years, Nova taught Isabe how to use her powers, she quickly realised the downside of fusing with a God Spark instead of growing their own,patibility was a huge factor.


    "If he fuses with a Spark, it will be difficult for him to increase his strength or get used to it. In your case, you''re notpletelypatible


    with Aurelianne''s spark, but at least you have affinity to life. That is not his case, his divinity is prone to destruction."


    After several months of training in which Aurelianne managed to connect to Vita, her tree... it was time for Nova to go.


    "There are Valkyries in the Space Realm... I don''t know what he''s pretending."


    "Please, rest assured and leave the rest to me!" Both goddesses hugged one another.


    "I''m so envious of you..." Nova confessed, Aurelianne was going to be able to spend a lot of time with him.


    "You will be feeling everything, won''t you?~"


    "Yes, but... it is not the same. Moreover, if we''re too far apart, you might need toe to me to share your memories with me... our connection is not infallible and Sandoria is extremely far from the Space Realm in the realm of the gods." Nova pouted, in any case, it would be like torture to be able to feel everything yet not be in the ce.


    During this month Aurelianne hase to know about Sandoria, it was an infamous ce in the realm of the gods, called the ''tomb'' of gods.


    Stricken by a dementia disease and millenia of scourge between Gods, such was the ce she belonged to now.

 Chapter 120 Past Memories: Aurelianne IV

    After long enough, Aurelianne''s counterpart left and the silver-haired goddess found herself alone in her now replenished private realm.


    "..." She looked sideways and there was all beauty, but also... all loneliness.


    ''Son...'' She held her chest, pained.


    The Realm of the Gods was too big, with countless realms where gods cohabitated, were she not Nova''s avatar, at any given time could her realm be invaded by other gods,


    thankfully the space goddess had already left countermeasures against that.


    ''I have to be ready for when he dies... I''m going to be his... goddess...''


    There were several matters she was worried about, first... he would be her champion and not any of his other goddess wives who would surely fight themselves for that spot.


    She thought it was selfish, but nevertheless, wanted Constantine to be her champion.


    She touched her tree, Vita. It was a tree of life the original Aurelianne nted in Sandoria, during her time there thousands of years ago, she struggled against her sisters and also, the goddess of the elves, eventually being rendered to a low end, getting murdered by her sister, Sandra.


    Aurelianne, using Nova''s spatial prowess, opened a portal towards Dragoncrest, her original world.


    It had been mere months since she perished and the image she received was the worst that she could possibly see.


    Her son was in his house in the Town of Duck, slumped on her bed, decrepit, bags under his eyes but there was the brightest smile on his face even as he sobbed.


    Because he was moving his finger back and forth while a small hand grasped it, it was their child''s small hand.


    Aurelianne sobbed, walking forward.


    "S-Son, don''t be like this..." However, her words didn''t reach.


    Constantine and her son remained the same, they didn''t see her.


    ''You hold no faith in this world, Aurelianne, moreover this is a mortal realm. You will be unable tomunicate with him.'' Hearing Nova''s words in her head, Aurelianne sighed in relief.


    "L-Look at him, Nova! What can I do!?" She tried to touch him but couldn''t, it was as if her image was a mere illusion.


    "He will be okay. What you can do is prepare for the moment he dies... that''s when the trial is due to begin. My endeavour is to protect him from Toki, yours is to guide him towards us."


    "... T-There is really... nothing..." She sobbed disconstely, she wanted to tell him so much that she was not dead, that she was alive and woulde back to then, but that was impossible, she couldn''t.


    ''Rest assured... isn''t this what we desired? To finally be free from the ''mother'' status...? Once he bes your champion... we will be free.''


    "it is hard..."


    ...


    Someone knocked on the door before entering, it was a raven-haired beauty with pristine purple eyes and a purple dress.


    Phoebe, the Goddess of Dreams.


    She approached the bed and caressed the boy''s cheeks smiling before proceeding to pick him up.


    "Dear, it is time to eat."


    "..."


    Upon hearing his silence, the otherdies that had been standing on the edge of the door sighed before Caroline entered and nodded toward Phoebe.


    Thetter took the kid and departed the room, leaving Caroline and anotherdy, an auburn-haired beauty with blue eyes and a rather brash demeanour.


    Lucille, the Goddess of Rot.


    "Until when do you pretend to remain there, Constantine."


    "Lucille, don''t be brash!" Caroline yelled back, outraged, perhaps only she knew the truth behind all this and how much this impacted Constantine.


    Aside from her none of his wives knew of their rtionship, not about her mother or the concubines... only she knew all his secrets.


    He hadn''t just lost his mother, he had lost his soulmate.


    "This is not the man I fell in love with!" Lucille ignored Caroline and yelled, hoping to at least summon Constantine''s anger, but all she got was this indifference as if this man didn''t want to live anymore.


    "..."


    She released his cor and sobbed, "Do all of us not matter to you? Look! Caroline is going to have a child too! Phoebe is pregnant! We all love you!"


    "..." This time Constantine''s eyes shivered but once again he didn''t say anything for a long time.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Just leave alone for a while... I will be better... I''ll do better... promise... just let me mourn her."


    "Lucille please leave us alone..." Caroline requested, and after giving a brief re, Lucille could only do that.


    The Empress knelt down before her Emperor, caressing his hand.


    Constantine awaited a scolding, yet someone else requested strength out of his limp body, but that wasn''t what happened.


    Because no one in this world knew better than her, how he felt.


    She kissed the back of her husband''s palm, sobbing.


    "I love you, dear, please... take your time."


    !!!


    Ironically... those words did it, not only him... but Aurelianne who had been seeing everything broke into tears.


    Time.


    Constantine hugged his wife and cried, time was scarce one day he would die just like his mother did... would he have regrets then? Is this what she desired?


    The answer was no.


    But he did need time to surpass this, it was a gut-clenching constant feeling to know that she wasn''t here and wouldn''t be anymore, no more flowers, no more spoiling, no more nothing, no more homemade stew in the mornings, or selling flowers together, or painting together.


    It wasn''t that he didn''t love his wives, it only was... that they all had a piece of his heart and those were pieces that would never be recovered.


    His mother, Ste, Penelope, Swan... those women that made him what he is.


    "Thank you..." After giving her a deep kiss, hey down once again, he only needed that, time. And at least one person in this house understood.


    And just like that for several months, Constantiney down while his generals took care of everything, apanied only by his child and Aurelianne''s shadow, he thrived.


    Little by little he recovered his routine and realised that he wouldn''tmit that mistake, he wouldn''t give up his child in adoption... he decided to just be his ''older brother''. As wonderful as it would have been to call him son, everybody knew this child was Isabe''s child. He was tied to her death.


    One day he recovered and that was the day the Empire began its relentless expansion, something had to fill that gap, and he knew exactly what would.


    Aurelianne watched everything, she''d make periodical journeys between Dragoncrest and Sandoria, even fighting some Gods to be acquainted with her powers, she quickly came to know that she had no faith in Sandoria and as her champion, he would have it difficult. The elves had taken over Vita, they made their city around the tree and imed it as theirs but they didn''t worship her instead, kept worshipping that dead goddess of elves.


    Sandoria was a lost case, but she realised it would be the best ce for him to begin anywaypared to other worlds in the God Realm.


    Years passed until her son literally became the Emperor of the world, The Castile Dynasty had be the biggest Monarchy in Dragoncrest, his conquest only stopped once his wives begged him to stop.


    Caroline had three children.


    Phoebe had two.


    Lucille had four.


    Melina, one of his most recent wives from the East was pregnant as well.


    Meanwhile, Sandra had two and was pregnant, his earliest wife had been one of the most prolific.


    Constantine had too many children to be focusing on wars, not only that but he also paid extra attention to his children with Isabe, even if he only looked from a distance. He also ended up having a child with his sister Alisha Lionheart who had be his greatest general.


    Aurelianne sighed at all this, but then... Sandra... She had found feelings towards this Sandra becausepared to what Nova had told her, this Goddess of Death wasn''t as cruel, but she''s undoubtedly the Goddess of Death.


    One by one as their love became deeper she could see how these goddesses gave out blessings inadvertently, she didn''t know what to think about it, Nova merely said that those blessings would be a huge advantage for him once he entered Sandoria.


    A few yearster it woulde the time in which Constantine was to abdicate, early, in fact, Constantine was going to abdicate as an Emperor within forty-five years, no one could believe it.


    The reason is Brandon De Castile.


    His son with Caroline was exceptionally capable... smart, audacious, proactive, a great knight and also shrewd... sadly, he was also a womaniser like his father, but that wasn''t something that ashamed Constantine.


    The Emperor who was looking for reasons to abdicate had found the perfect person to leave his empire to.


    It was set that Brandon would be an Emperor after graduating from the knight academy and conquering his first territory as a general.


    But around those days, there was yet another event that caught Constantine and Aurelianne''s attention.


    His daughter with Isabe, Katherine Parcival, would marry an Empire''s Noble Count with great talent... and the week before she presented herself in the imperial castle with her two brothers.


    Apprehension filled the Emperor and Goddess at that moment, why would the three of theme at the same time?!

 Chapter 121 Past Memories: The Rogue Lion I

    "My Emperor... The heir of the Parcival Family, Gerald Parcival seeks an audience with his brother and sister."


    "Don''t-"


    "Let them in."


    "Caroline!?"


    "Whats the problem, dear? They''re loyal subjects and the Parcival family is one of our strongest supporters." Phoebe asked with curiosity, Constantine''s reaction seemed off.


    With nothing more than to re at his first Empress, Constantine remained silent, but the anxiousness in his heart couldn''t be negated.


    Three individuals were scouted by the imperial guards into the gigantic hall with the throne room.


    There were fivethrones where the anxious Emperor and the empress sat.


    There were several dukes, dozens of guards and also, the Emperor''s little brother.


    "Your majesty." The first one to speak was Katherine Parcival, instead of the one to havee for an audience, Gerald.


    The three of them knelt with their silver hairs that wouldn''t go unnoticed amidst the crowd, there were only a handful of individuals in the entire Empire with that hair colour after the Greenwood family had ''disappeared''.


    "Raise." He ordered.


    "It has been a long time, you three~" Caroline, seeing that no words woulde out of her husband''s mouth, decided to speak instead.


    Something that surprisingly caused a bad reaction out of thedy in the front.


    "Thanks your Majesty, we have been wonderfully... wee here today with a single purpose, my sister''s marriage has already been scheduled for a weekter, yet the Emperor hasn''t shown his interest in regards to this event."


    "I won''t attend... if that''s all you can all leave."


    "..."


    "D-Dear..."


    "Why won''t you go?"


    Katherine''s words made everyone in the hall feel as if a cold breeze hit the back of their necks.


    "Katherine Parcival, I believe I needn''t exin my reasons to you, I''m a busy Emperor." His words came out like a fake charade of power, everyone noticed and they were confused.


    "But you have gone to every single of the most important events in my life."


    "Caroline, take them out."


    "Please wait!"


    "W-Why is it wrong... that I want his majesty to attend my wedding!?"


    "Foolish brat, do you dare-" one of the Dukes present was about to throw a rant about how this girl dared to make a demand out of the emperor,reason enough to hang her. But he went silence the moment unprecedented killing intent locked on him in the form of the Emperor''s gaze.


    "What we''re you saying, Dalston?"


    "N-Nothing. Your majesty." He didn''t know what he did wrong, but knew if he didn''t ship his mouth, his entire family might be the next Greenwood.


    "I can''t attend your weeding because I have... matters... to settle in the border."


    "If that''s the case, would it be too much from my humble self to demand a gift from the Emperor?"


    "Katherine-"


    "Big brother... trust me." Katherine looked back to her twin brother who sighed and released her shoulder, she had always been the best with words.


    Meanwhile, Casper with his slightly bigger head had his gaze locked on the Emperor at all times.


    "What do you desire as a gift? whatever she answers... give it to her as a gift from the inperial family." Constantine knew that it was mysterious for him to concede anything to those three, by now most realised there was a connection and they were likely the emperor''s cousins, nephews and nice; something of the sort.


    With his three children in front, he didn''t know what to say, the mere memory of his mother pained him, seeing how well he had managed to be an older ''brother'' to August, he thought that perhaps they shouldn''t have given them to the Parcival, then again... seeing how happy they were, it hadn''t been a mistake either.


    "I want answers..." Katherine requested solemnly, and it was at that moment that Constantine knew this wasn''t going to be an easy conversation.


    No matter what he couldn''t reveal it.


    "..." The Emperor''s gaze said it all, everyone quickly departed the room leaving only his family.


    "What answers do you want, Heiress of the Parcival." He sat regally, legs crossed even, trying to appear confident.


    Every single one of his movements caused a reaction on the trio, either outrage, nervousness or unnerve.


    "You treat our family reasonably better than the rest of the Duke Families in the capital, your majesty."


    "Correct."


    "I heard that the reason was that you did my father a favour in the past."


    "Correct..."


    "Could I know what favour that was?"


    "No."


    His answer immediately drew a small glint from Katherine''s visage.


    "Okay, my second question is... about our hair colour..."<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Yes?"


    "I heard that only the Greenwood family which your majesty''s mother belonged to possessed such a characteristic in the entire empire and even beyond."


    "That''s correct."


    "Could our true parents be rted to the Greenwood Family?"


    "Why do you want to know anything about your true parents? Could it be that the Parcival have treated you wrongly?" Coldness and killing intent enveloped his voice.


    "No!" The three hurriedly answered, seeing that the Emperor was not an easy individual to deal with in the slightest.


    "Father and mother have been the best we could have gotten... or... the best our true parents could have gotten for us." Her tone concealed something that Constantine knew very well.


    ''She knows, they know... no, they suspect...''


    "But that still doesn''t change the fact that our silver hair is a noteworthy feature that excluded us from that family, even if we were given all the love in the world... the three of us have merely wondered whether it was possible to find our true parents through his majesty since his majesty also has roots in the Greenwood Family."


    "I understand, but I know nothing about your parents... the Greenwood family disappeared a long time ago, you may have been children of one of their daughters... they have a bad reputation for abandoning their members." Constantine smirked destely, with this they couldn''t say anymore.


    As a response to his words, the entire room grew silent and the re Caroline was giving him, stronger as well.


    "Does that include you as well, your majesty? Do you also enjoy abandoning your children?"


    !!!


    It was as if a nuke fell in the room, August was about to throw them out but at that moment Gerald took his sister''s head by force and knelt down with her!


    "YOUR MAJESTY! I APOLOG-"


    However, before he could finish she pped his hand away.


    "I don''t apologise... answer me, your majesty..."


    "You know you could be hanged for this offence." The one to speak was Lucille that for a while now believed something weird was going on, she knew her husband very well, at best probably sleeped with one of his aunts or cousins and these children came upon, she had already noticed that he paid extra attention to them.


    She, together with Phoebe and the rest of the Empresses except Caroline; believed that August, Katherine, Gerald and Casper were children he had with a cousin from the Greenwood family, merely by their own suspiciousness and conjectures since this theme had never been touched. After all, another of his eldest children, Michael Lionheart -his son with his own step-sister from the Lionheart family- also received such treatment.


    Still, Katherine''s attitude was indomitable.


    "Hang me then, father."


    "What are you saying!?" August yelled in outrage, these three were getting in his nerves now.


    "..." Instead, Constantine remained silent.


    "You have gone to every single one of our events, my graduation from the academy, my first party... how could we encounter one another while hunting? How could you casually be in the cafe during my first date? Or Casper''s first date?" Just as she spoke, the tears began to flow, recalling all of those experiences in which would ''casually'' meet the renowned Emperor who everyone in the Empire desired to meet but couldn''t.


    "Coincidences..." He uttered, not sound convinced, perhaps lying was beginning to cause damage to him too, was there any point in lying? This girl had inherited his shrewdness, there was not the slightest doubt in her voice.


    "Casper had a surgery when he was still little,


    as a result of that surgery, his head is slightly bigger than normal,clearly, mother dropped him when he was still a kid."She uttered with wrath, but the wrath was not for what Constantine believed. Upon hearing her words, he was triggered, there was no way that could ever ur.


    He immediately stood up from the throne, outraged and willing to protect the image of the person he loved above anything.


    "That never happened! She would never!-"


    It was then when he realised that he just made a mistake, he who would rarelymit mistakes, in regards to this subject seemed to have be a seemingly endless flux of errors.


    "..." Everyone looked at him, agape. More so the trio who seemed to have gotten the answer they desired, even if unclear.


    "I''m noting here with half-assed evidence... father, I didn''te here to pressure you into giving on my suspicions. I''m absolutely sure you''re my father, we are. So, stop lying. Please, it hurts..." Katherine''s sobs were the only noise the room.


    The Emperor lowered his gaze and finally decided to speak.


    "Leave us alone..." He ordered with a shadowed expression, what else could he do, she knows... but he still wasn''t willing to reveal this secret, hence... he made everyone else leave.


    "Everyone leave, you too, August."


    "Brother!" August didn''t want to leave, he noticed something odd was going on in the background as well, right now was the worst time to desist, but it was Caroline who took him away.


    "I hope you will exin this to us, dear..." Lucille threw her husband a slightly irritated gaze, there were no secrets in this household, she had boasted to already know the best and worst of her husband, the other way was also valid, he knew everything about her.


    Yet today she realised there was yet another secret.


    He simply nodded, unwilling to face her.


    ...


    When everyone finally left the room he exhaled a deep one and threw a look towards the trio.


    "I''m your father..."


    !!!


    "But I won''t ever tell you who your mother is, she passed away and her only desire was for me to never say it... you can only know from her mouth, but she passed away..."


    While this entire situation unfolded, Aurelianne''s avatar mirage silhouette moved along the corridor, caressing her children''s faces.


    She bit her lips and said, "I''m your mother..."


    Sadly, her words wouldn''t ever be heard.

 Chapter 122 Past Memories: The Rogue Lion II

    "..."


    There was no one else in the room, the trio were literally hyperventting and looking at the Emperor who sat there in silence, his visage dark.


    There had been doubts, in her mind, it could be just conjectured, the only thing she was a hundred per cent assured of was that they were family, that silver hair existed only in one ce in the entire continent, the way he seamlessly involved himself in their lives from childhood to adulthood only confirmed this fact and made her understand that they were likely closer than she anticipated.


    There was no proof, nothing apart from a gut feeling each time she saw the Emperor''s countenance. Gerald and Casper had felt the same, but they were boys, focused in their own lives and exploits to try and investigate this rtionship, unlike Katherine who felt the necessity to realise what is going on.


    Still, supported by her twin brothers, she decided toe today, and who would have expected, that it wasn''t uncle, cousin... older brother... it is father.


    When her knees gave away, it was then that Constantine flinched and stood up to approach her and help her up, but he got his hand fiercely pped by Katherine Parcival who was crying desconstedly.


    "Y-You still dared to lie to me... even when I came and asked... all the way, to my face. You lied to my face!" To Katherine, this was heartbreaking, she had been about to give up... acting rampant was herst card and bet, he had been lying to their face, saying he didn''t know, it was only until he found himself in the closest corner that he finally admitted the truth.


    Gerald and Casper didn''t know what to say, especially thetter, as it turns out he had known that something was done to him, a surgery... their parents never really provided much information, as if they hadn''t been there through the procedure, to know that the emperor himself is their father... is too much of a shock, he expected him to be a close uncle.


    "..." Constantine offered no excuse, he also didn''t apologise... this was his promise with her, they wouldn''t know, they wouldn''t feel shamed, he''d rather be hated than have them know and feel disgusted of their mother, but now what else could he do? he couldn''t keep the lie for long, especially seeing his beloved Katherine... like this.


    "Say something..." She begged, all she wanted was for him to start talking and exining why they were ''abandoned''.


    "..."


    "Why did you abandon us!?" She knew the Emperor would only allow them to speak to him this way, shrewd and intelligent, Katherine was a aware of what a mental burden looked like, this person would behead anyone that dared so much as to speak a little loud in his presence, he was a tyrant but one that led his empire to the utmost prosperity, evil dared not to exist before him.


    But her relentless shouts only met his silence and this time, a mere gaze that contained reluctance.


    "I didn''t abandon you... you know that, Katherine."


    "You''re always looking from far away... do you think I can''t remember?"


    "...?"


    "You told me to find you... to count to a hundred... then to look for you, but you left me..."


    !!!


    "H-How can you-"


    "How can I remember? my memory has always been quite good, I wonder if I got it from you or mother... but I knew... something wasn''t right, all this time... I love father and mother, with all my heart, they''re the best parents I could have gotten..."


    "But they were not my parents, I could tell that much, how could I not? we''re so different... I had those blurred memories of two silver haired silhouettes, always crying... you two were always crying as if you were sad that we were born!"


    "You''re misunderstanding everything! we were never sad that you were born!"


    "Then why were you two always crying!? who is my mother?!"


    "Because we couldn''t have you! we loved the three of you, but we couldn''t have you!"


    "Was your Kingdom more important!?"


    *SLAP!!*


    "..."


    "I don''t allow you... to underestimate the love I had for you three..."


    "..."


    "I would have left everything... you won''t get it."


    "Then exi-"


    "Now this is what is going to happen... you three will go back to your lives and live them, because your parents and us sacrificed plentily just so you could be as happy as you are... you''re going to leave this room, you''re going to forget about me... and this matter will be closed."


    "Who is my mother?"


    "Did you not lis-"


    "Who is my mother?! tell me who is my mother and I will go!"


    "You two take her-"


    "Father, please tell us... I know there are things that you can''t say, and probably we won''t understand... but please, let us know." Unlike the impulsive Katherine, Gerald had enough tact to know that were they to continue asking, things wouldn''t end well.


    "That is the only question I can''t answer."


    "She is Isabe Greenwood, right?"


    !!!!


    It wasn''t only Constantine, both of her brothers looked at her agape as if she had gone insane, who doesn''t know who Isabe Greenwood is? the Emperor''s Mother!


    "Katherine, what are you!-"


    "Just tell me, was it she?"<novelnext></novelnext>


    "... No."


    "Okay, I will leave now, your majesty... thanks for the audience."


    "You''re wee."


    "I won''t being back here..."


    "You don''t have to... you have already grown, you''re going to marry a man that loves you, your mind should be somewhere else, Katherine."


    "You''re still invited."


    "I won''t go."


    "I see..."


    "Do you hate me?"


    "I hate you with all my heart... I hate you, father."


    "That''s okay, so long as you don''t hate your mother. For your sakes she did what I couldn''t... she didn''t even care about my feelings, so long as she could give the three of you a life that you could be proud off... no one will ever love you more than she has."


    Katherine, Gerald and Casper''s steps resonated until they reached the big room''s door, they opened it but didn''t leave right away.


    ''Dear please don''t let them go!'' Aurelianne couldn''t take it anymore, this was too sad... why wouldn''t he forsake her previous ridiculousness?


    ''During that time, it was me...''


    ''Why did you do that?!'' Isabe realised that their wills had been constantly imposing themselves regarding this taboo subject, she didn''t care about anything... she didn''t care about her children realising their seniority or whatever, seeing this sad scene only further convinced her that what Nova had done was wrong.


    ''They''re our children with our son, Isabe! It wasn''t right!'' Still, Nova, who was already aware of her children''s future, knew this was the best choice.


    ''But-!''


    "Will you ever tell us... your honest opinion?" Katherine interrupted her, speaking once again.


    "What?" Constantine didn''t initially understand her question, he was at his limit. His mind was a mess, he desired them to leave, but he also desired them to stay...


    "What do you really think about us...? beyond your facade of an emperor, beyond you trying to follow everyone''s will except your own... will you ever tell us what you think about us?" There was still hope in Katherine''s voice.


    "..." His hand shivered and he smiled self-deprecatingly.


    "I-I would have hoped... that you wouldn''t hate me..." Seeing her father''s tears, Katherine resisted.


    "Imitted a mistake that I didn''t regret... I don''t regret one minute of it, I''m sorry... I am so... so sorry... I love the three of you-" He began, but his words stuttered midway, interrupted by Katherine''s coldness.


    The beauty''s tears welled, but she didn''t back off, "Thanks for your honest thoughts, your majesty. It shall be done as you ordered, we will leave and forget this ever happened... Goodbye."


    While Constantine looked at the ground, sobbing in disbelief, all he heard was the sound of the door closing... thest time he would ever see his beloved children face to face.


    "U-Ugh..." He held his pained chest, the tears wouldn''t stop... his hand extended towards that closed door, from the adjacent door he saw Carolinee running and yelling his name together with Phoebe and also, August.


    "M-Mother..." His gaze never left that door.


    Meanwhile, Aurelianne, crying disconstely... tried desperately to hold his body that had fallen on the ground, contorting, but she couldn''t grasp even a single atom; this was for her and Nova who was also looking. The ultimate heartbreak.


    She saw how Constantine grasped August as tight as he could, holding the confused ''little brother'' as if he wanted to merge with him, crying disconstely as he had never cried before. This was without doubt Emperor Constantine De Castile''s saddest moment.


    And it had been her fault, because he never desired this. Right now, he bore the brunt of her decision.


    ''Ste, were we wrong?'' She asked herself and herte ''sister'' together with Nova, walking limply through the hall until her body phased through the main door, she couldn''t believe Katherine had been so merciless to him, her daughter... how could she treat him like that?


    It was then that she saw on the other side of the door, her two sons holding her daughter with tears in their eyes, trying to get her together, she had passed out with tears in her eyes.


    This was a happy ending for nobody.


    Still, with tears in his eyes, Constantine''s eyes opened and he met those blue orbs of Aurelianne''s... she seemed to regard him with expectation.


    The only response she got was his embrace around her hips tightening as he squeezed his head in her boobs.


    "Have you seen everything so-"


    "Don''t call me son..."


    "..."


    "That status... has hurt us enough."


    As a response, the goddess of life held his face and nted a deep kiss on his lips as theyy together, this was the first kiss after realisation.


    The realisation that Isabe Greenwood -his mother- and Nova -the Goddess of Space and his mother-inw- are in fact Aurelianne, the Goddess of Life who is also Nova''s avatar.


    This is also the most important person in his life.


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