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The power of the River of Time manifested itself within the corresponding area, and all the magicians’ bodies went back to their former appearance before I killed them. And even their souls, which were left wandering around, quickly went back to their bodies.
However, through this act, their souls were being worn down quite considerably. People who are revived usually feel a strong headache and some symptoms of anemia if they aren’t strong enough. The reason is simple: their souls get damaged.
“W-What happened?”
“Ugh, my head...”
“I-I’m alive? But wasn’t I...?!”
“S-She’s there…!”
The fifty or so magicians, a large battalion of their own, panicked as they saw me standing right in front of them with a condescending smile. Of course, they would panic.
“Men, calm down; she has revived you,” the king said. “We’ve agreed with her. And she has even agreed to revive you. For now, you are dismissed; you should return to our kingdom through the teleportation magicians and rest for the rest of the week.”
“King Caesar…”
“Your majesty, is this real?”
“Well, if he says so...”
“Ugh, my head...”
The magicians were about to shoot fireballs into my face, but I quickly accepted the truth once the King told them to calm down and return to the castle. The magicians that could use teleportation spells were there, and they quickly brought them all back.
“It looks like they’re fine, but I won’t be able to do this a second time with them, I believe.” I said. “Their levels were high, but their souls were very weak, as weak as the soul you have once you’re born. They’re magicians, yet their souls have yet to even improve one bit, huh?”
“Their souls, you say?” The king wondered. “Wait, your revival ability has to do with souls?”
“Yes, I can restore their bodies without problems, but the soul itself is the problem,” I said. “No matter what, the damage it takes cannot be healed normally, and not even Time Regression can heal the wounds of a soul. Of course, this doesn’t mean I hurt their souls when I killed them, but when they’re revived, their souls are forcefully pulled back into their bodies and undergo a severe amount of strain and damage as a result. The stronger a soul is, the easier it is to get back to their body, but the weaker it is, the less it is possible.”
“I had no idea your revival ability had such a limit, Katherine,” my mother said. “But it makes some sense, I suppose; not everything comes without a price, isn’t it?”
“Yes, more, or less... But your souls are growing stronger over time thanks to my teachings and the formations I placed into your bodies,” I smiled. “It is both a way to slowly assimilate your system status and also a way to reinforce your souls, so they’re no longer vulnerable.”
“Will we also learn to enhance the strength of our souls?” wondered the King.
“Naturally, of course,” I nodded. “It comes with the training and the cultivation process! But even then, my comprehension of the Dao of Souls is low, so I cannot teach you to be a master of Souls themselves. At the very least, to make your soul strong, that’s not hard.”
“It’s better than nothing, to be honest,” Seth said.
“Yeah, you’re not wrong,” the King nodded. “Thanks again. Then we shall go back to our castle for a brief moment to prepare first, and then we’ll return in a couple of hours.”
“Nah, you can take the day off; come tomorrow in the morning if you’re free,” I said. “I will be waiting for your arrival with my Doppelganger.”
“I guess that’s more understandable; my reckless husband was already planning to come train here after everything that happened today; he’s so rash sometimes,” Elphiette complained. “Now let’s go look for Cecil and return home. There’s a lot we need to talk about too! Also, you need to rest.”
“Hah, I understand,” the King smiled.
Returning to the Pagoda, they retrieved Cecil, who ended up getting slightly along with Hekita—more than I imagined—and quickly decided to move back to their castle with their teleportation magicians.
“Bye Cecil! See you soon!” Hekita said.
“Yeah…” Cecil didn’t seem as enthusiastic.
Once this entire ordeal was finally over, I decided to sit down and rest for another hour while my party prepared themselves to climb the tower. In the end, I was only going to bring Merkite and Urbosa. Hekita was going to stay here, and my mother and my sister would take care of her. Well, my Doppelganger can also take care of her; I can control it with my mind right now, after all.
As for the rest, Yanisse insisted on coming, but I believe she still required another week of training before getting into more dangerous places, so I told her to remain here. The only one that was coming along too was Seth, due to his knowledge and such.
This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.
While waiting, Yanisse entered the living room, where I was enjoying some tea and looking at my smartphone. We were alone.
“I can’t really come along?” wondered Yanisse, closing the door behind her. “But I am strong; I want to go on an adventure with you, Bing Xue.”
“You’re better here for a week, I already said,” I sighed. “Yanisse, please behave, okay? Once you reach rank 4, you can come with me. Until then, you can’t.”
“But those towers are easy; I’ve completed them all,” she argued.
“Of course you had, but have you fought their gods?" What about their divine minions?” I asked. “I am not saying that those with me are stronger than you, but they’re coming with me for a reason; they have a connection with Floor 2 or know of a secret to it.”
“I get it; I’ll stay then,” she said, looking slightly down.
Hm, what can I do to lift her spirits?
“Yanisse…”
I held her hand as she tried not to look into my eyes.
“Yanisse…”
“Hm? W-What?”
She looked at me while blushing adorably.
“You know I care for you, right? I want the best for you. You are my most talented disciple, so I want the best for your growth. Believe in me, I am not sidelining you or something. If I say something, it has a reason to be.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really.”
I caressed her face gently, looking into her eyes.
“Will you be alright without me?” I asked with a smile.
“Who do you think I am? Of course I will,” she said.
Our faces grew closer together.
“Good, I know my Yanisse is strong and can do many things on her own, isn’t it, dear?” I caressed her face and then her long blonde hair.
“Yeah… I guess it can’t be helped.” She grew redder as I spoke to her.
“You’re such a good girl.” I caressed her head. “You deserve a reward.”
“R-Reward?” she wondered.
I gently touched her lips with my finger.
“What kind of reward do you want~?”
“E-Eh?! A-Ah… I-I… well…”
As she grew nervous, our faces were very, very close.
“Um… You know what I want already, right?”
“Is that what you want, then?”
“Yes…”
As she nodded and gave me the prettiest smile in the world, I moved my lips towards hers and kissed her.
“Hmm~? Hmm~!”
She was slightly surprised but didn’t fight back; she let me kiss her with love and passion; I grabbed her hips and pulled her body towards mine; and she placed her hands over my shoulders.
Eventually, her lips became more playful, kissing me and chasing mine; our tongues touched, licking each other; her kiss was sweet and gentle; and her lips were slightly cold, but I warmed them up for her.
Her kiss was so gentle and lovely.
Eventually, after a couple of minutes of just kissing, our lips separated.
“Bozhe moy, ya vlyublena...” She looked at me, caressing my face.
It looks like she liked it so much that she started talking in Russian.
“Hm? Did you like your reward~?” I giggled.
“A-Ah! Sorry, did I talk in Russian?” She looked embarrassed.
“Yes, I wonder what that meant~?” I asked.
I can actually understand most languages now after hearing them a couple of times. I mostly understood what she said, but it was better to ask her and make her feel even more embarrassed.
“I-I didn’t… Well, I… I said that... That kiss made me fall for you,” she pouted a bit. “You kissed me with so much love... Bing Xue, do you love me?”
“I do,” I nodded. “Is it too fast? I waited a week and all, but I just couldn’t help it. You’re too precious.”
“I don’t mind it,” she said. “I love you too... Um, I know it’s sudden, and I’m glad you also recognize it. Let’s take it one step at a time?”
“Sure, I don’t intend to rush you into anything.” I nodded. “Then…”
“Then I can be your wife, right?” she wondered.
“Eh? You said you didn’t want to rush it.” I sighed.
“I-I mean for later…!” she said.
“Haha, of course, if you want, I could make you my bride right now,” I said, walking back to her and holding her hands. “Hm? Are you sure you want to take this one step at a time?”
“Hahh… Pochemu ty lyubish' menya draznit'?” She talked in Russian again. “Just go now; that was more than a reward for now... I bet you got a bit horny, huh?”
“E-Eh? Me? N-No way! I am a powerful, heavenly immortal venerable and-”
“I can tell you’re all red too~” She smiled, teasing me. “Tebe nravilis' eti guby, ne tak li?”
“Yes, I did love your lips, okay? And yes, I understand Russian, so there’s not a secret language you can talk around in front of me, little Miss Yanisse,” I giggled.
“Eh?! You understood everything?” she gasped. “Aaah! Tak stydno! Tak stydno!”
I don’t know why, but she’s even cuter when she speaks to me in Russian.
“Anyways, I’m off, dear,” I said, giving her another short kiss on her lips and then another on her little nose and forehead.
And lastly, a tight, warm hug.
“I love you; take care.”
“I will… Well, your Doppelganger will be here, right? And you control them?”
"Yes, we share the same mind; it’s like a secondary body.”
“Oooh…”
She seemed enthusiastic about that somewhat.
“Haha, well, once I’m back, we can continue where we left off, alright?” I said.
“A-Alright…” she nodded. “Um, this is the first time I have had a relationship like this… Is it okay for Urbosa and Merkite? I really don’t want to disturb their time alone with you…”
“They’re fine with it; I had already asked them, and even before, they seemed enthusiastic, didn’t they?” I said. “Don’t worry.”
“Okay then… They’re nice; I kind of like them,” Yanisse smiled. “And they’re very fluffy... Can I pet them one day?”
“Haha, I’ll have to ask them about that! But they’re not pets, okay? They’re people; you need to be polite when asking,” I said.
“Yeah, yeah, I know, sorry! "Anyways, another kiss?” She asked, running to my side. “Pozhaluysta? Pozhaluysta?”
“Hehe, okay~”
After a third and last kiss, which finally satiated her hunger for love, I moved out, and she followed me to say goodbye anyway.
A portal was opened leading to the tower's first floor, which I created using my spatial manipulation abilities and the help of the two other gods, Umbra and Estrella, waiting for me over there.
“We’re off! Mom, sis, take care,” I said.
“Please return in one piece, okay? I know the gods are weaker than you, but you never know what could happen,” my mother said.
“I understand; I will make sure to prioritize my safety.” I nodded.
“Big sis, you got this! Go fuck 'em’ over!” My sister was cheering for me.
“Haha, I will.” I smiled.
“Mommy! Can’t I go?” Hekita rushed towards us.
“Not until you become a bit stronger,” said Urbosa. “Children shouldn’t be sent in the middle of wars, after all, Hekita.”
“We got this Hekita, so don’t worry,” Merkite smiled, patting the girl’s head.
“Umm… Okay! I will be strong too! Also, mommy’s light form is here too, right?” she wondered.
“Yes, I am right here too,” I said through my Doppelganger as I gently carried Hekita in my arms made of golden light.
“Then I’ll be fine!” She happily said.
After saying goodbyes to everyone, which I think was being a bit overdramatic about it, we stepped into the Tower once more.
It has been a while since my last time here, so as I smelled the Mana-filled air, I was greeted by the two small Gods.
And also Leviathan.
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