Onside the house, which was full of cheap, yet perfectly ed and maintained furniture, Sophia told me to take a seat. sta beside me, and as the elderly woman headed for the kit, Sophia followed.

  “My sister’s such a nag, but she has a good heart, I suppose.” stantine allowed. “Anyway, we Greeks are very hospitable, so just accept what Theodosia offers, ahankful.”

  Theodosia? “So that’s her hen?” I asked, and he nodded.

  “I know you Asians have a thing about whiame to use, we Greeks are rather easy-going. Just callihat or aunty would be fine. Nobody likes to feel old. Anyway, as guests, we should be polite and bring no harm, and help if needed. Sophia gets oer with her than I do, so…”

  I nodded. Seems like she’s helping out with some sort of meal. I could smell a rich aroma drifting in. Looking around, I could see there were a great deal of pictures dotted all over the room, faded photographs that had clearly been well cared for. Many of them were monoe, showing just how old they were. I could see what looked like a number of photos of a youheodosia, many of them with a man beside her. He was quite tall and rather handsome, even iill images, and as they grew ether in the photographs, they were suddenly holding babies, and then apanied by children, and then by grandchildren, the family expanding.

  “Hmm…” I saw that in several images, the man was holding a telescope or simir equipment, and some of the shots were of this very mountain and the observatory. And others were of the night sky, stars clearly visible. I think Eri would like those.

  Seeing where I was looking, stantine expined a little. “That was her husband, Stelios. His name meant ‘like a star’. It’s apt, as he had a keen i in the night skies. He eventually had a job at the Shinakas observatory on this very mountain. Even when he died, some ten years ago, he was still w there, refusing to retire.” He shook his head, perhaps in wonder. “They even mao buy a little nd here on Mount Ida and built this cottage. Aunty lives here still, unwilling to leave, despite her family living dispersed around Greece.”

  “I see. It obviously holds memories for her.” Seeing how she cared for the photographs of her extended family, I nodded approvingly. “But it must be hard for an old…” I ged what I was going to say, not wanting to be rude. “A single woman living alo here. It’s ly a quick jaunt to the shops, is it?”

  “No.” Sophia agreed, returning, carrying bowls of steaming hot water with towels. “Wipe your hands and face, a guest should refresh themselves, aunty Theodosia says.”

  Taking one, I did as asked, wiping off my sweat, and Sophia the photos. “She’s still popur, after all, her husband worked here for more thay years… so once or twice a month the staff will brihe essentials or take her into town. She… gets by? Yes, gets by.”

  “She’s stubborn. Like most of us Greeks.” stantine ughed.

  Sophia rattled off some rapid-fire Greek, looking peevish, befreeing aing out a long sigh, back to her shaky English. “Yes, or you’d have a damn job, brother, not wasting your life…”

  “I have a job!” he pointed out, triumphant. “And I’m doing it now! If all goes well, then I’ll have done a great service, won’t I?”

  I nodded. “Yeah. Holy, you’ve done what I asked, so even if she doesn’t agree, and the irl we o find has moved on or dees, I ’t hold you at fault. I’ll keep my word and give you both suitable roles.” I always need more people, and at least they’ve seen the ging world close up, in South Korea…

  As the two of them started bickering, mixiween Greek and English, I tinued looking at the photographs, until Theodosia returned, carrying several rge bowls and a cy jug of what smelled like honeyed milk. Despite her seemingly frail arms she carried them fidently, and as Sophia got up to help she nodded gratefully, her bck, mysterious eyes sharp. I too stood, and took one bowl, full of mixed vegetables drizzled in olive oil, pg it on the small table. It was a little cramped, not meant to seat four, but when all the food and drink ced, Theodosia addressed me in Greek.

  “She says, you should eat. It’s a long way out here, so you must be hungry.” Sophia transted.

  “Thank you! Uh… Ef-ha-ri-sto?” I tried sounding out a thank you in Greek, and everyone smiled.

  “She says your pronunciation assable.” Sophia transted again. “Now, eat! Aunty won’t talk business until her guests are settled.”

  The old woman csped her hands in prayer, Sophia and stantine joining her. Since I wasn’t a Christian, I didn’t follow suit, but I did mutter ‘Thank you for the meal’ in Japanese, as was our traditions. Hey, this isn’t bad. The food was different to what I was used to, beiher Japanese, nor of the British sort my mom made on occasion.

  At first we all ate in a rather awkward silence, but after a while Theodosia began to talk, her Greek clipped and rapid, Sophia and for the more plicated phrases, staransting. “So Stelios was always showihe skies, calling her his Goddess of the Night. Auntie used to get so annoyed…”

  At stantine’s words, Theodosia said some mreek, and he ughed. “Yes, that is an unfortunate choice of words. After all, woman of the night is a way of describing those women who sell themselves for money.”

  “I’m sure he didn’t mean it that way…” I defehe departed Stelios, despite not knowing him. In the photographs he looked at pead happy to be with his wife and family.

  Sophia transted, and Theodosia replied back. “Of course not.” Sophia expined. “It was due to her hair, which used to be bck as the moonless skies. And her moods…” Sophia was the oo chuckle now. “She says she could be quite cold at times, and dark and moody, but that unever gave up on her.”

  “That’s as it should be.” I agreed, thinking of my own dark fiancée, Eri. “After all, there’s no such thing as bad emotions.” I had learhat through my study of darkness and light elements, and of Yin and Yang, Daiyu assistioo much of anything was harmful, love being obsession, charity being dession and poison, but a little of something could be medie, such as envy driving someoo improve, or jealousy leading to a fession. “Besides, I think that sometimes such emotions be rather adorable.”

  After it was transted for her, Theodosia shot me a rather ft look, before breaking out intned sigh. She exged more words, and Sophia nodded. “Auntie says you are a fool, but a fool she uands. Her husband was just like you. Driven.”

  I wasn’t so sure about that. For years I had drifted through life, rying too hard, always avoiding what I didn’t want to face. But… Perhaps now that’s true. After all, now I give my all to everything I do. Because I have to. I have responsibilities. In the Boundary I was still resonating with Asha’s Tree, keeping the ether flowing, and while the pain hadn’t built back up to the levels of st night, it was getting to the stage where I was struggling to keep my face from showing an expression of disfort here ierial. “A person who chases after their dreams, I respect that.” I said at st.

  “She agrees. After all, in the end, she says if uncle wasn’t looking up at the stars, searg for meaning out there in the universe, he wouldn’t have seemed right to her. But he also never fot to look at her, nor their family. The night is beautiful, but also distant. Drowning in it is lonely…” staransted.

  “Yeah, we have to appreciate what we have, while searg for what we don’t.” I agreed. Once she uood, Theodosia narrowed her eyes. She whispered something to Sophia, who nodded, and she left, going back to the kit. A bit of an awkward silence desded, until Sophia returned, carrying a cy jug which gave off a strong, herbal st, remi of trees. Sophia poured us all generous measures, and stantine nodded.

  “Mastika. It’s traditional for after a meal.” He then paused. “It’s… not always to the taste of fners. But…”

  “It’s fine.” I wasn’t particurly fussy about my alcohol. I then said thank you in Greek again, this time my pronunciation somewhat better, to everyone’s amusement. I then said a few words of Greek I had picked up here, much to everyone’s surprise. It’s only natural with my Intellect. It may not help me emotionally much, but when it es to learning and pattern reition…

  Taking a sip of the strangely woody liquor, I nodded. “It’s not bad. Different to what I’m used to, but it pliments the meal. Yamas!”

  Copying their words again, stantine smiled. “We could make an honreek of you yet. Indeed. Yamas!”

  As we all drank, the atmosphere turned harmonious, but there was a definite edge to it, hidih the surface, which was only to be expected, due to the reason we were here. After drinking anss of liquor, hot towels were proffered anew, and after wiping my hands and face, Theodosia turo the Greek siblings and with a rather grave face, spoke seriously.

  “Aunty says… you may as well be ho about why you are here.” Sophia unicated he words to me.

  “Obviously we’ve told her. At least the gist of it.” stantine agreed. “But… well, we don’t fully uand it ourselves, and…”

  “Enough.” Theodosia mahat word in English, before psing bato Greek. Her words were rapid, and Sophia soon realised she was uo transte everything, so her brother tried his best.

  “She says she knows you are like her, blessed or cursed by the Gods. We Greeks know all about the way the Gods are often cruel. When you think of such tales, we Greeks are famous.” It seems an odd thing to be proud of, but it was true. Even in manga, the Greek Gods were reasonably ofteed as very… petty, for want of a better word.

  “She knows you have offered to pensate her for taking on the burden, but…” stantine looked embarrassed. “She half-believes you have e here to kill her. We tried to expin that’s not the case, but… there’s no i or TV here, and she’s… never heard of you.”

  “That makes her unusual.” Sophia smirked at me. “How does that make you feel?”

  “I wasn’t after fame.” I said defensively. “Although it has its bes. I’d hoped I’d be able to persuade her of my good iions. Although…” I sighed. My iions were good. I was doing this for those I loved, and I repared to take the burden from someone who would willingly relinquish it, as well as pehem fairly. Although anything truly pensate for this ce? Though… many have died already. It’s not a guarantee of success, far from it. And if not me… one day, someone else will e visiting, and then…

  Seeing my troubled look, Theodosia barked out further words. The transtion was thus. “You would take this gift and hoard it? urpose do you seek more power? If we have learned anything from our mythology… no, history… the gifts from the Gods are swords without a hilt. Hold them carelessly and be wounded.”

  “I know that. I… don’t seek this for myself, but to give to another.” I assured her. When she asked who, I answered. “My Fiancée. She… she’s not weak. She’s worked hard, she’s fought and suffered, despite not being as blessed as I was. She’s been torn apart, and rebuilt herself, and she wants to stand beside me. Holy, she probably already.” I admitted. “Her stats are a bit on the low side, so I fobbed her off, but… holy, with her Lovers’ Link as broken as it is, she’s got huge boosts so is more than capable of fighting. But… it may be selfish, but… I never want to see her so harmed again. So I wao have a Favour, a gift, as you put it… so that she has more than just raw stats to fall ba.”

  Even staruggled to transte some of the cepts, but after some bad forth, Theodosia nodded. “Your fiancée? So it is for a woman then?” Sophia then added her own words. “Whie?”

  “She’s a girl that also loves the night sky.” I said, thinking fondly of Eri and all we had been through together, from when she was first born until this day. “In fact, she used to want to be an Astronomer when she was younger. She’d have loved the observatory too. Now… now she just wants to stand by my side. And not just mine. All of us whle to face those who would harm us, harm Earth.” I stood, hands behind my back, as I talked, the two siblings transting for the impassive Theodosia. Looking at the family photographs, I smiled.

  “I have a family too. But even if I wasn’t getting married to her, Eri would be my precious family and I’d still want to help her. But… I know what I’m asking is unreasonable. Yes, there’s hardship and danger in being Chosen. Perhaps you’ve had to face it already. But there are bes too. And I’ll be taking some of those from you. After all…” I turned back to her. “You must have noticed your health improving, your body brimming with strength? You’ll lose a great deal of that. Though far from all, I promise you. I have ways of fixing any damage caused, and you should still live a longer ahier life. Yet… perhaps not as long as you could have, missing out on time with your family.” I don’t like it, but… she won’t be left alone here forever. If I find her, others too…

  “In exge… I’ll provide a suitable sum of pensation, enough t your family security. And should they have any illnesses or injuries, I am more than happy to heal them. I don’t want to pressure you, but… I think this is the best way for everyone.”

  After the two firansting my words to Greek, there was a long silence, before Theodosia spoke, holding out her hand to me. I looked down at it, puzzled, and Sophia shook her head. “Aunty says she wants to see a picture of Eri. She knows you young people…” She s that, not being much older than me herself. “…are obsessed with your phones. Aunty doesn’t hold much with that.”

  “The signal on the mountain is restricted. To prevent interfereh the observatory and its instruments.” stantine filled in, as I brought up a photo of Eri, handing Theodosia the phone. “You get it with special equipment, but that’s costly. I…” His face reddened with shame. “…I used to think the gover was hiding something here. Not one of my better theories. That doesn’t mean I was any less right about you and your kind though!”

  Ign that, Theodosia was looking at Eri’s picture with a slight smile on her face. She spoke again, and Sophia nodded. “She says that she’s very pretty. But there’s more to love than looks.”

  “I know. I’d love her regardless. And she me.” I assured Theodosia, who nodded knowingly after the transtion from my panions. “Though I’m a man, of course I love that she’s beautiful. But it’s the memories we share…” I talked about our trips to Nishimorioka’s mountains, gazing at the night skies together with my sis, about the dog, about the battles in the Boundary, Eri being crippled and her recovery, and much more. Even stantine was struggling to transte, as his English, while det, wasn’t fwless, but in the end we mao get my points across.

  “So she has faced danger. Yet… you would allow her to face more?” Theodosia’s words were pointed, but I faced them head on.

  “Of course I hate the thought etting hurt. My sis too, and… others I care for.” I admitted. “But I also ’t her in cotton wool, lock her away, not and have her still be Eri. Love is a partnership, and she knows what’s at stake. So… I have, no want, to support her. I’m a man, and I have my pride too. If Eri is going to face this world head on, I’ll be sure to do everything I to make her choice the right one. Don’t get me wrong…” I promised. “I’ve learned my hard lessons. I’ve told you about some. If the situation is untehen I’ll be firm, and seo safety. But… with more power, she has more options, and the greater her possibilities.”

  After my words were roughly traheodosia nodded sharply. Her clipped Greek was slightly warmer, and Sophia smiled. “She says that you are not a fool. And it is a rare man who allows that a woman is just as strong as a man be. After all, women have higher… tolerance?” I her word choice, and she tinued. “…tolerao pain and loss. Childbirth, losing loved oo war or misce…”

  “I never doubt that.” I was surrounded by strong women, and holy, when it came to emotional strength, it was an area I was rather g in. In fact, one could certainly argue the reason why I had so many women in the first pce was I was too weak to pressure and wasn’t hard enough to reject those who liked me. But I still don’t regret it. How could I?

  “Many men are greedy…” Sophia tinued. “Aunty feared you might be here to take it for yourself.”

  “Things are seldom that easy. patibility is key anyway.” I pointed out, and she shook her head.

  “Anyway… aunty will give you her terms.” Sophia said suddenly, passing the transtion to her brother, as this part was too vital to have any misuandings. She held up her hand, three fingers jutting up, and soon stantine eaking, his face pale.

  “She says… ten million euros.” The sum was unimaginable for him, but for me… Yeah, ten million euros is around a billion yen, give or take. Even a few months ago, such would brio tears. But now… In addition to my own assets, I had support from Hinata’s family, and more importantly, huge iment from Barcys and Chase banks. Money is important, but power… that’s irrepceable. Besides, Ixitt and Hinata should see our coffers refilled…

  “That’s fine.” I opened up my banking app, readying a transfer, only to see that of course, there was no signal.

  On hearing my reply, Theodosia raised an eyebrow, but merely tinued, l one finger. Her request was that her family would be looked after in a of a disaster. Her reasoning was sound, if surprising.

  “She says that if the Gods are giving gifts, the situation is worse than evehink. After all, whehinks old Gods, the Greeks are the first ohat spring to mind, and as she said earlier, they are beings who care only for their worship and pleasures, not us mortals they often see as just toys.”

  I that. Certainly, the choices that Gods were making, based on patibility or not, werely prudent. Although that depends on the aims. Kondou Kazuo was dangerous, and with Kiku, he could have domiokyo, but unfortunately he crossed me, and was taken out of the race. “Of course, though if I’m ho, my reach doesend to Greece. But if the situation ever calls for it, they e to Japan and I’ll shelter them. Or if a disaster engulfs your family and I’m able, I’ll do what I . That applies to healing as well.”

  It wouldn’t be too hard to get them added to the Ministry list for accepted immigration, should they . As Theodosia pondered my answer when it was expio her, she smiled a little, l her sed finger, leaving one remaining. On hearing her words, stantine snorted, holding in ughter. Sophia wasn’t so posed, and her face was red as she ughed uproariously, tears in her eyes.

  Theodosia seemed fused, exging words with Sophia, who poi me triumphantly, hands on hips. Theodosia’s bck eyes, glimmering with faint lights, hardened, and she pursed her lips. stantine waved his hands frantically, interjeg, and after a while their versation cluded, stantine looking at me apologetically.

  “This st request is… sorry. My sister, she be a pain.” stantine admitted. “But… aunty wants you to cherish the will of the Goddess who bestowed her this favour. And remain loyal to your Eri. Then of course, Sophia, she had to point out…”

  “I’m not lying to auntie…” Sophia crossed her arms defensively. “…and you’re quite the pyer, a match for Zeus himself, perhaps. Famous the world over.”

  “I wouldn’t go that far.” I protested. “I’m not indiscriminate. Besides…” I looked at Theodosia seriously, trusting the siblings to vey my siy. “…Eri, I’ll make her happy. And the others too. Why else would I be doing this? We… may have an unusual retionship, but it’s still built on trust, and that… I’ll never betray.”

  After a long ption, Theodosia nodded, and I let out a breath I didn’t realise I was holding. “I see. I ot abide faithless men. My Stelios, he was a man who cherished me but also loved the skies above, the night. I had to share him… though it is rather different, peting against the stars, rather than another woman.” Theodosia’s words were transted for me, and I nodded, agreeing.

  “It’s not all fun and games. Holy, in manga it’s all so easy, keeping multiple women happy. But iy, things are never so smooth. There are alroblems, but… I do what I , and I’m fortuhey’re all good girls.” Evehey had disagreements or made mistakes, such as Hinata and the others keeping Adamant from Eri, in the end, they could talk it out, e to a sensus, and ge for the better. And even their mistakes are rooted in wishing to help, to be stronger, braver…

  After a while of this mediated bad forth, Theodosia curled her st finger, lowered her hand and looked at me knowingly, before addressing the siblings and speakihoughts. This time it was stantine, a serious expression on his face, who transted for her.

  “We have an agreement then. Though she’s not able to receive the money here.” I that, as I wasn’t able to tra either, though I could do that in a moment when we were down the mountain. “Her family… she has the list, and it might grow in time. It’s a big family.” He repeated, and again I nodded. “So… she would ask you to swear to Horkos, the Greek God of Promises, that you will uphold all yours. Including your faith towards Eri.” His smile was rueful now. “That’s a very old , one long out of favour, but nowadays, it seems normal again.”

  At that my expression hardened, and on seeing that Theodosia’s eyes narrowed. Some rapid questioning through Sophia ter, and my expnation was uood.

  “I don’t trust Gods who enforce oaths.” I said after expining the issues I had saving Shiro’s life from her broken s. “While it’s important to keep given word, even more so for me now, there’s always got to be room for fairness and justice. So I won’t swear to that God. Instead, I’ll swear on myself. After all…” My smile ged, being a wry one. “…I’m now half a Fae and being bound to my word is a part of me now.”

  “I told her you be trusted.” stantine said after speaking to Theodosia again. “Aunty doesn’t know you, but we’ve expined some of your deeds. You won’t cheat her. Anyway…”

  “I am ready.” Theodosia managed in English, before psing bato Greek. And after a brief expnation, full of teical terms the siblings struggled to expin, my Eye was shining a brilliant amber as I looked deeply into the woman in front of me, as she sat primly, waiting for my Chirurgery.

  I see. The Favour… it’s like a series of strands and bright points, ed around the throat and third eye Chakras, with some reag towards the too. Removing it… I certainly do it, and I fix any remaining damage… For su elderly woman, she was in excellent physical health, even the wear and tear on her joints less than I would have expected, perhaps repaired by the higher stats she had now, though this Favour didn’t seem to be ohat boosted her much, rather, it seemed more of a type to grant abilities.

  trating, I gently exteendrils of aether, my Split Thoughts which weren’t trolling my Boundary body w together to utilise a number of strands, to repair damage quickly and also soothe the pain of the Chirurgery. Despite that, the operation was far from painless, and Theodosia’s dark eyes shimmered with tears and she bit her lip, g her fists. Sophia looked on, worried, but stantine reassured her I knew what I was doing.

  As if to answer his fidence, a few moments ter, guided by my improved Skills of Chirurgery aher Healing, the Favour popped free from Theodosia. Immediately, as the shining strands of aether, adherend something more were in my hands, I realised with some surprise that I was actually rather patible with this Favour. I see, light and darkness. Makes sense…

  My Eye shone more vibrantly, the e glow intensifying, and I brought up the details of the gift for Eri. Of course I’m not going to take it myself, even if I hadn’t promised Theodosia. I have Tsukuyomi’s, and Tyr’s is still dormant. Besides… I grow stronger on my own efforts. And when I do, that bes Eri and the others. But despite that, I want them all to be able to make their own choices in this world, and to do so… well, power is the final word.

  Nyx’s Cloak Of Night Scattered With Stars- This Divine Favour is made of trated Adherence, refiher and ????????.

  The wielder of this Favour call upon Darkness Element to emporotect themselves, f a cloak of night that will draw in and absorb attacks, though there are limits to what the cloak swallow, strengthened by the darker emotions of the bearer, for with greater jealousy, lust and envy es deeper desire.

  In addition, absorbed energies be verted to Light Element, though the further from Light the absorbed energies are, the poorer the version. These Lights then give birth to stars which will be released to strike down the bearer’s enemies, and the stars are strengthened by the positive emotions of the bearer, for with greater passion, trust and passion, es deeper love.

  Just as Nyx was the first and oence, dark and lonely, yet gave birth to the brilliance of the os, innumerable stars shining, so too will you fill your empty heart with Light, yet still be of and love the Darkness. Css: [Legendary] Type: [Law]

  I see. The ????????, I almost uand it. With my Eye upgraded, and my knowledge growing, I felt certain I’d be able to prehend the missing po of Divine Favours soon, especially as I was having so much exposure to them. The Favour erfect as well, just what I wanted for Eri, a defensive ohough it had the added be of some offensive properties, seemingly a sort of damage refle, as well.

  Theodosia was having her sweaty brow mopped by Sophia, she couldn’t do it as her own hands were still trembling from the Chirurgery. I took a moment to sider how the Favour worked, intrigued. It seemed that the cloak would likely be a mixture of spatial and darkness elements, spatial to absorb, and darko vert. I wasn’t sure of the meisms, but as it was a Law-Type Favour, it must have been fual. Studying it will likely prove fruitful. A shame I really don’t have time right now…

  Sophia was saying something, and I looked up, snapping free of my reveries, while I extended my mental e to Eri, callio the Boundary. “Sorry, I missed that.” I said, and Sophia grunted sourly.

  “Aunty, she says you were quite rough with her. A man should be geh women, except in the…” her face flushed, and she coughed. “I’m not saying that, auntie!” She psed bato Greek, and Theodosia gave a tired chuckle, before replying.

  “Anyway, she is alive, and is freed of the will of the Gods, able to watch over her family in peace again. But… oh, I ’t expin this. Brother, you do it!” Sophia’s English once more failed her, and staook over.

  “She says she would like to know when Eri will receive this, and… that you should know the stories of Nyx, to uand her better. Nyx… she was the Night, born from Chaos. Lonely, empty yet fwless. But she loo be filled, and so she became oh the Darkness, Erebus, and gave birth to Light and Day. Thus she was filled with stars.” He paused to listen to Theodosia again. “Men and womehe same. There is beauty in darkness, but also loneliness. Yet finding someoo uand you, to fill that void…” stantine looks sympathetic. “She misses her husband, even now. She says if uelios was still with her, perhaps she would have been able to carry the will of Goddess Nyx. But she is old and tired. Now… now she just wants her stars, her children, to shine brightly for as long as they . And… she envies you. You are still young and have your passions ahead of you. Though it seems you’ll be tested like never before.”

  “The Gods…” Theodosia said in broken English. “Indifferent. Yes? Cold. Demanding? But…” Theodosia reached out and tapped my chest, above my heart. “People. Care. Passion? Light!”

  “I think I uand.” I nodded gently. “The Gods was, but… to us how we live is equally meaningful. Don’t worry…” I assured her, my words as always transted for her. “I won’t lose. Not again. I’ve tasted the sting of loss, and I hate it. But I’ll also not toss aside my principles, or the happiness of those I care about, to win.” I may not strictly be human now, but… I’m still a person!

  “As for Eri…” I tinued. “Actually, she’ll be receiving the Favour now.” As Theodosia looked surprised at my words, in the Boundary Eri had arrived, a mixture of anticipation and shyness on her beautiful face.

  “Are you sure about this?” Eri asked me, showing a maturity she had only gained retly. “After all, I feel sorry for Motoko, Natsumi and Hinata. They need one more than I do. After all, with my Lovers’ Link s…”

  I cut off her words with a kiss. She reciprocated, huggiightly, and for a long moment only our impassioned embrace matters. When we parted, I ruffled her hair like I used to, and she flushed, her onyx eyes moist. “It’s good that you’re thinking of the others, but… don’t worry, their time will e. For now though…” I y words carefully. Eri once said that before, she’d even have accepted being together if it was simply out of pity, not love, just because she desired it so. But she’s matured. What we’ve been through would ge anyone. Now she wants a genuine e. Perhaps that’s one reason she was able to push Lovers’ Link so high. After all… she’s loved me for so long. And… while before, I felt unworthy of that, now I know… it has to be me. I want it to be me. Nobody else will ever be able to love Eri like I . But… to love someone, you have to let them grow, not stifle them…

  “Eri, this isn’t just a gift, it’s a responsibility. I… feal uneasy.” My Fht was still bring in the bay mind, and worse, I would be away from home. Yes, I could get bastantly now by dismissing my Material body in Greece, but that wasn’t an option that would st. It’s iable I’ll o ehe Astral at some point on this trip… “And so… I want you to protect everyone. you do that?”

  Eri’s answer was another kiss. On parting, she wiped at her lips, face flushed, before nodding firmly. “I . No, I want to. Not just Aiko, and our family. But everyone. I’m proud… proud that I was the first girl you loved.” She paused then, pouting, a rich expression she usually only showed in front of me, or the irls she trusted. “And I know, maybe Shaeu or Shirirls you loved romantically before me… but love is love. I was there long before them. I don’t care what you tell me, I know it in my heart. But that’s not the point.”

  “Do you even know what your point is?” I teased, and her pout intensified, and she balled her fist, striking me gently.

  “Don’t be annoying. Not when we’re having a serious talk. I… I like my life now. And those in it. Be that the irls, or the trainees like Chiaki- and Chiasa-, or the Fae… I finally uand what it is to care about people, not just you and Aiko. So yes, I want to be able to protect them. Not just because I want you to praise me…”

  “But you dht?” I teased her more, and she flushed a deeper red.

  “Of course. But that’s not just me. Even Belera and Soliteare are the same. Not just them… I must have been born under an unlucky star, to fall for such a popur man. But then… above that unlucky star must be a whole steltion of lucky ones, because I fell for you. And you loved me back!” Another round of kissing followed, before Eri finished her point. “So yes, even without the Favour, I’ll fight with all my strength, and the strength your love provides me. But… extra power never hurts, does it? You’ll rest easier away from home, and I… I do more.”

  “Just… be careful. We’ve made detailed pns and tingencies for any disaster we think of, but we still don’t kly what will happen.”

  “You’ve brought back Tamamo-no-Mae. Acc to the prophecy, doesn’t that mean we’ll win?” Eri shrugged, and I shook my head.

  “Maybe. But just like Tsukiko proved, it’s far from absolute. And even if we win… we could still lose those precious to us.”

  “I know. But… I’ll do my best to prevent that happening.” Eri promised again, and I then brought out the shining Favour, once more slightly fused over how it moved over the distance. Does that mean if I had Daiyu’s Spatial Ring, I could transport supplies that way too? It’s something to think about.

  Seeing the sparkling energies in my hands as I elled my adherence, ready to impnt it, Eri’s eyes were drawn to them. “So, which… which God is suited for me?” she asked, both curious and fearful of the answer.

  “Seems like it’s Nyx.” I said, sitting Eri down, ready to work.

  “Nyx? I don’t know that one…” Eri frowned, and I expined what details I had heard from Theodosia. Eri brightened up, and her eyes seemed to match the night itself. “I see. Of the night sky and stars, and the first Goddess, whht forth the light with her love. I think… I like that! I was worried it would be some horrible Goddess of jealousy.”

  “Well, jealousy is just love taken too far.” I reassured her. “I still don’t know the details of Nyx’s love, so… feel free to look it up online.”

  “I’ll buy some books. It’s not like I don’t have money now, and I like to read.” Eri promised, wing a little as I performed Chirurgery to optimise her subtle bodies ready for acceptance. “Now… don’t worry, I take a little pain. I’ve had worse.” At that her tail reappeared, waving in memory of her dismemberment.

  “I know, but I’ll still be as gentle as I be.” I promised, and as scalpels of aether prepared her Chakras, I gently transported the Favour inside Eri. She shuddered, and it began to drink in adherence, of which Eri was g, so I had to supplement it with my own, energies rushing out of me. I watched with my strengthened Eye, eager to gather further information on how Favours were ied. As I suspected, the hidden po which I almost uood wasn’t visible directly, but could be tracked by its effe the adherend ether around it. So, it seems to bind with Eri on a deeper level. The adherend ether are als with her Astral body, ing around the key Chakras, but… wait, I see it…

  For a brief moment I was sure I saw a beautiful light, perhaps like a fme, burning in a colour that was impossible to describe, white, yet not, the colours around it seemingly to lose their lustre, almost being monoe while still retaining their shades. It was as if there was another Eri, not her Material or Astral form, but a further, deeper one, more fual, perhaps. And the tendrils of invisible fmes were drawn to it, perhaps by some sort of simirity. Sadly, then it was gone, my Eye’s insight fleeting. Was that… the secret to patibility?

  My thoughts scattered as Eri’s Astral body shone brighter, her body surrounded by rippling energies. Her throat, third eye and Chakras had expahe vortex of energies around them intensifying, deeper blues, indigos and violets g. Eri groaned, befrittieeth aing the energies under trol. Silver sweat dripped from her, and I gently wiped her , mirr what Sophia had done for Theodosia earlier.

  “Thank you.” Eri whispered, before she frowned, eyes going unfocused, as if she was going through her memories, or perhaps new information she was receiving. “I… yes, it is perfee. With this…” She let darkness surge, and a cloak of blue, which quickly faded to an inky bck, remi of a moonless night, draped around her, obsg her body. “…you don’t have to worry about me.”

  I could hear her voice clearly, and with my Eye I could see her clearly, though it was enough to cause a headache, seeing as she was shrouded to my normal eye. Cheg Eri’s stats, I could see she hadn’t gained much, perhaps because Nyx’s Favour wasn’t geared towards that, or maybe because she had rather high numbers already. What had ged was that her third eye and throat Chakras had both passed the first bottlenecks, strengthening her light and darkness geion signifitly. Sadly, she hadn’t quite gained enough to have spatial element created by her in appreciable quantities, but it was certainly more active, and a very faint haze of violet could be seen cirg throughout her body.

  When I said as much to Eri, she merely smiled fidently. “I see. In that case, I speak tawa-san or Chiaki- and Chiasa-. I should be able to make a breakthrough in spatial element, and it should only strengthen my new powers.” Her grin was then sly. “We should test it. To set your mind at ease, if nothing else. But… go easy on me! After all, if I’m the Night, then you’re my Darkness, aren’t you? There’s no Night without you.”

  With a smile, I gently stepped back, releasing a little wind, and it was sucked into Eri’s cloak of night, purple and blue sparks scattering. Watg as the wind element was surrounded by indigo motes of light, gradually turning from jade to amethyst hues, my Eye observed a shining orb of light f, as small as a fingernail. Soon, both my eyes could see it, and with a grin, Eri let the orb fly out towards me. I batted it aside, shocked at how fast it moved, and it burst when I touched it, heat and light stinging my palm.

  “I see. Yes, I also do this…” Eri focussed her own light element, and more stars formed in her dark robe, rger and with greater luminance. “…at least it’s a beautiful attack.” Lights fshed, and a dozen stars flew out at me. I leapt aside, but uacks of ventional light, these turned, following me.

  “Just like shooting stars.” Eri giggled. “e on, charge me up. Don’t you think I’d look beautiful, draped in the Milky Way?”

  Raising one eyebrow, I struck down the chasing stars, before answering her wishes, light and wind fshing from my hands in carefully trolled amounts. It’s wise to test her limits while I’m here. So that she knows what she do in an actual battle…

  Baount Ida, I cpped my hands together. “All right. Eri’s successfully obtained Nyx’s Favour. You’ve held up your end of the bargain, Theodosia, so now it’s time for me to do mine. We’ll take you into town so we transfer you the money, and I’ll take all the details of your family. stantine, arrange an eo e out here a her ected to the i. The expense doesn’t matter, it’s a pittanpared to ten million euros anyway, and she o be able to tact me if I’m needed so I keep my end of the deal…”

  As everyone was bemused at my sudden exuberance, I smiled, despite the pain I was in. Eri’s barrage of star-like lights was intensifying, and while I was sure her cloak wouldn’t be able to stop something like Foehn, her prowess in battle was now signifitly improved. All right then, Greece is handled. stop… Berlin. Germany, here we e…

  ShipTeaser

  So yeah. We performed badly. VERY, VERY badly. I had some expectations, which were modest as hell, but... we bombed sooooooooo bloody hard it... holy really cut me up inside. If any of you are creatives, or sporty types... then yes, we do it for ourselves, but... nobody wants to feel shitty and unappreciated, right?

  My performance was sooooooo utterly bad that it was even shameful. I mean, 60% of my ratings were from here by my estimation, and I love you all for it, and if I didn't have those I'd have had to go live off-grid in a forest from sheer shame. Ign the moary side, in terms of readers, we attracted so damhat our ces of recouping the numbers we lost from my RR ban is impossible. So sadly... we've passed our peak. Just us here now, and the few (like 3 lol) we've brought in from Amazon.

  It definitely makes me sad, as I believe I'm produg a story worth reading... but sadly I'm objectively wrong on that lol. The genre niches I thought were OAT-friendly... were most definitely not. HaremLit had near-zero buy in, I was the only release that nobody talked about on the reddit lol. Imagihat.

  Now the reasons why... okay I get that the er is always right in matters of taste, but... well, who cares. They miss out. No epic rge harems for them!

  And we know LitRPG unity hates romand harem. No surprise there.

  Sadly though... that's it. There's no fanbase for this sort of story as. Which... stings. Not going to lie. I weas growing on Royal Road, but I'd peaked here on SH. So with my growth avenues dead... yeah. It doesn't feel good. Holy... you imagine how many thousands, probably more like ten thousand hours I've spent making OAT as good as it be? I mean, even the book releases are extensively lied, I spend hours on the AI for each image...

  only for nobody to give a shit, and read random generic book number #5674. Lol, I hate myself sometimes. But that's just human nature. You NEVER have to worry I'll quit writing. I wrote the story I wao read, and I want to finish, and barring nuclear apocalypse or the like (which sadly isn't impossible nowadays) we'll get there one day. But I'm quite the fragile chappy, and such phenomenal, God-Tier failure as I had with books 1 and 2 really hurt, and I couldn't face writing or the i for a while...

  But now I've accepted....well, not accepted but bee numb to the fact I'm always going to be a hin a niche and not a popur o that... I'll just plough on. I will still release on Amazon, I owe it to like the 5 readers I picked up... but I'll certainly be taking my time rather than spending 5 hours per day like I was befetting stuff ready.

  I guess I should thank all of you here for enjoying OAT. I salute you all! After all, without you guys (and probably no gals, but whatever lol) I'd just be writing it for my own ption.

  [colpse]Anyway, rant over, and I'll see you all chapter!