28 - Long way back.

The Captain presented a quick briefing before most of them were allowed to rest. The prick was so close to being put into place by Mack, the most tolerant among them. The old man was intolerant to those who even looked at his daughter wrong.

Rinia didn’t care to listen or add anything. Everyone already knew she had long given up meddling with politics and whatever the crown thought or needed of her. Her heroic days were long over when the Kingdom made its priority clear.

And no one but Anthon and her knew that they had a unique talent in her hands, and it would be best to keep it that way. Unlike some, she wasn’t surprised to learn that the massive explosion felt across the Kingdom and the fact that the Queen herself had ordered her best to investigate.

It was nothing new when the vile woman had a personal stake in the matter. Rinia had to make Ake hers before the woman learned about the young man’s existence. It wouldn’t be the first time the shameless woman robbed what was never hers.

And all those souls sacrificed for what? Just because the human time bomb was a royal asshole, it didn’t mean he was worth a whole damn town of people.

Until now they wouldn’t admit that the old, rotten ideologies had held humanity back. The evidence was right before their eyes. A prodigy of how many elements wouldn’t guarantee the person would be worth anything.

Of course, the Kingdom had never planned to settle a town in the first place. It didn’t matter if the empty bastion was meant to house the Kingdom’s outcasts. She would rather suffer her fate here for eternity than be bargained around like she was some rare breeding animal.

Despite keeping it hidden, rumors still spread, and people still had come. None of them was fond of this situation at first, but in time, their existence had made the place much more liveable for everyone. She was among those who thought it was inevitable when what should have only lasted a few years kept going for decades. Everything, every effort, every quest, was for naught just because they had to exhaust every way to try and save the bastard.

And because of that, she would have told the investigation to fuck itself and spat on the man’s face. They were lucky that Anthon had stepped in and stood in their way as one of them tried to wave their flimsy authority at her.

She already had enough and suffered enough, as there was no way she would join them, no matter what anyone said. Her only concern was to get him to a safer place.

According to the airship’s oblivious Captain, they had been granted access to a [Teleporter] and took the instant route here. It just happened that the crashed airship was just outside the perceived danger zone and also within the perception range of the ship’s [Seeker].

Of course, everyone also already knew the [Teleport] shard was exceedingly rare, and the price for such a service was exorbitant. The unbelievably lucky person was resting after the long-range teleportation, and the person insisted that they went back normally. The pampered boy even dared to demand her attendance.

No one had complained, as no one wanted to be held responsible if something were to happen to the very precious human resource. If only the shard could be re-harvested once the owner died, as there was no way the man would give it up.

She didn’t have to imagine as such an obnoxious person had done it before. He could fake a terrible injury and blame someone. As a result, that someone’s head had rolled.

Lucky for her, she couldn’t be forced to attend to such a terrible person. The man couldn’t demand or insist on such a thing when there were enough [Healers] and equipment to manage a small army.

Everyone would have dreamed of being born in the person’s place, but something told her that Ake couldn’t care less about being destined as a white. His single achievement had smacked down Mack and others’ claims as if they were uneducated commoners.

The ability would lessen the burden of [Healers], and also thanks to him, countless budding adventurers would survive even without a [Healer] in their midst. This told her that his true potential was beyond the shards and the magic it had to offer. Rinia had almost a century's worth of experience, but his scale of ingeniousness was also much wider than anyone she had ever had the pleasure to know.

The abilities he discovered alone were enough proof. Anthon claimed that the young man founded the famous [Arcane Flesh], and they had witnessed the [Mend Wound] with their eyes wide open. If she were to ignore his mysterious ability, these two abilities were enough proof as they were crystallized from the most basic shards.

Ake’s surprising ingenuity reminded her much of the long-lost gem of her heart. The young woman could not have crystallized it, but she was the same person who had discovered [Extract] and shared it with everyone.

The former Shardless had cast away what she believed in and turned to evil because of mankind’s hubris. Those people, her people, were convinced that whoever had chosen not to absorb the shard was a useless and talentless coward.

But of course, they were proven wrong in the worst way possible. She didn’t feel any petty because they were asking for it as they abused the girl’s soul and pushed her to the limit.

Mankind had to pay for these few fools even until today.

The young Rinia was heartbroken that she could no longer be with or admire the other young woman. The person she knew had changed to the kind that disgusted her.

If not for the shards, Rinia knew she would have fallen madly in love and dragged into the same darkness as the girl. From that day on, she had promised herself that she would never let anything like that happen to anyone ever again.

She would never let them push Ake to the same corner.

Whoever thoughtlessly had asked her to leave him in their care probably had done it out of their duty. Despite their insistence, an unknown talent such as him should and would be under her personal and loving care.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

She didn’t care if they said they had the best attention as she had heard the deceitful words enough times until it made her feel sick. Of course, no one around would agree with her. That much was not a surprise anymore.

Rinia ignored their offers and carried him herself to her room. Whatever magical tool the massive airship had for its clinic didn’t matter to her.

She could never let any other [Healer] lay their eyes on him. His exquisite leveled form was a sure indication that he knew more about the human body than what he revealed. It would be best if no one else had noticed this, not even her family.

Anyone else who had tried but lacked the knowledge would find themselves turned into a hideous amalgamation of flesh. Even someone like her had taken ages to avoid looking like a misshapen fleshy puppet put together by a little girl.

Under her utmost care, it took almost no time at all to heal his finely-sculpted body. His recovery was quick, but to Rinia’s surprise, Ake suddenly insisted that he would leave and find another room. The young man refused to give in even when she pleaded for him to stay in nothing but thin lingerie.

This was one of the few times in her life that she had to bite her lips and resort to the old lowly deception. She could never let any other woman claim the young man for herself because she couldn’t even keep him by her side.

The problem was, she could never suddenly take him as an apprentice or anything comparable. Similarly, the Elders would refuse her intent to adopt him into the family just because he was born a ‘white’. Those stubborn old fools didn’t know any better.

They hadn’t seen what she had seen.

Ake had bitterly smiled when she had used her tears to express that she needed him more than anything else. The whole charade took less effort than she expected.

The decades of experience had hardened her, but it felt like a terrible crack had appeared deep inside her soul. All those lives she had saved all those years were all for naught. She felt like she was going insane and would be overwhelmed by shards.

She knew better than anyone else that the intention was more important than the result, but she couldn’t help but feel broken. Rinia couldn’t even call herself a [Healer].

And after what had happened, after close to a thousand lives lost, she needed him to fuck her head silly. She needed to stop thinking about her failures and spiral down the darkness, and only the young man could deliver without trying to stab her in the back.

The spiritual healing would be mutual.

It would benefit his soul as much as it would heal hers. Rinia had almost cried when he finally touched her on his own. She had lost count of how many times and only enjoyed every euphoric moment.

It was unfortunate, but no wonder she had never seen any sign of dissatisfaction from the two Sharded ladies. The rumor about him was true. He had been holding back all this time.

But at this rate, there was no way she could keep him satisfied. His needs would only increase as any Sharded man, and even if she wanted to, she couldn’t be by his side at all times.

The young man was resting in his favorite place when she told him.

“You have not one but two younger siblings? And you raised the twins as your daughters?”

“Yes,” a chuckle escaped her. “Why so surprised?”

“Well,” Ake cleared his throat. “Lady Rinia, you don’t look apart or behave like one.”

“Rinia,” she corrected him, hopefully, for the last time.

She wondered what she said. He must know that he was the closest to a lover for her.

Rinia had declared plenty of times during almost every height of pleasure. It was the purest form of emotional statement for the Sharded. He must know this.

Nevertheless, she dreaded the fact that she couldn’t find a permanent way to tie them together but also wouldn’t suffocate him at the same time. Unlike most Shardless women, she never wanted him for herself.

“You heard me the first time, Rinia,” Ake corrected and groaned cutely.

“Thank you,” she said as her wide smile surprised him.

She then leaned in, and they shared passionate kisses as if to celebrate the occasion. Ake wasn’t a great kisser, but somehow, she could never get enough.

Stopping was hard, and she had to take a few deep breaths until she could find the correct words. The last thing she would need was to scare him away.

“I don’t act like one, perhaps because I’m not. But worst of all, I don’t feel like a mother to the two when these two hands who have raised them,” Rinia sighed and made herself smaller. “I tried very hard, but I just don’t- I can’t-”

“It's okay,” the young man said and kissed her hand. “But why did you bring them up?”

Rinia pulled and held him closer to her heart, “well, I’m hoping you can be our bridge.”

“What do you mean?” Ake asked as he pulled his head back, appalled by the idea.

Why should he worry?

“I want you to bring joy to them as you do to me,” Rinia wiggled her hips to make her point clear and made him draw a smile. “But let’s take our time, of course.”

The man breathed in relief for some reason.

“And you are okay with this?”

Rinia sighed when his question reminded her of her failure.

“What kind of Sharded mother doesn't want her Sharded children to live a happy, fulfilling life? They are not mine, but still the same blood, and I know at least this much is expected. I hope we can enjoy it together, you know, like a real tight-knit family.”

Nostalgic memories took her away. She remembered the time she was taught about this when Mama was brought to tears of true happiness.

A long-lost feeling that only the Shardless was able to feel daily.

Rinia held her mother’s hand during the happiest moment in her life. Mama was on her knees crying tears of happiness as Mr Edart growled like a beast.

This was the only way a Sharded woman could experience such emotional heights.

The feeling of being vulnerable, being human again.

No Shardless could understand how precious these feelings were.

It was many decades ago. Mama had asked if she wanted to join her and experience the same emotional heights together. Mama was right when she said Rinia would know when she found him. No man had touched her as Mr Edart had until Ake came into her life.

She was being ravaged and loved all at the same time.

Mama was no longer in this world, and continuing the tradition was up to her. It would be perfect if they swore an [Oath] to each other, but Rinia knew he would never let her or anyone’s name written in his [Soul Ledger].

But Anthon had brilliantly resolved the little problem of bringing him home and tying them together. The man was correct as it would hit two birds with one bolt. She had to admit that the man had never failed to surprise her with his ideas.

Ake would have his free time until they got everything arranged. If everything went well, the young man would be hers forever, and he would be free to do anything he wanted.