The queen pulled Aarav closer, wrapping her arms around him in a tender embrace.
"Dear, you must be hungry," she whispered, gently brushing her fingers through his hair. "Wait a minute! I'll prepare food for you."
Her affection felt strange yet warm. For the first time in a long while, Aarav felt safe. Days passed in the soul spider queen's domain, filled with comfort, exotic meals, and unspoken intimacy. And finally, the day came—their wedding day.
The ceremony was simple yet beautiful. When they exchanged rings, their fingers trembled. As soon as the cold metal slid onto each other's hand, they leaned in and kissed.
That kiss wasn't forced. It wasn't part of a strange rule. It was real.
Aarav felt it deep in his chest. His feelings had changed. Until now, it was fear, survival, and bargaining. But now—he really had fallen in love with her. With her maturity, her mysterious elegance, her power. He started to imagine a future with her.
And then—
[ You have gotten a soul as your wife. ]
[ The Book of Stories gifts you the skill: Family Hierarchy. ]
[ Skill: Family Hierarchy ] [ Description: You can get a new soul to merge with every time you form a family bond or gain a new family member. Each bond unlocks a unique synergy. ]
As he sealed the bond with the soul spider queen, another notification appeared:
[ You get a new soul to merge with. ] [ The soul of Agasta Spider is merging with you. ]
But oddly, Aarav didn't feel any change. No burning sensation, no explosion of power—nothing.
Just calm.
And then—
{ 🎉 }
[ You have cleared the condition to go up to the second floor of the Soul Tower. ] [ You have cleared a hidden condition. ] [ Hidden Condition: Marry the Soul Spider Queen. ] [ Reward: Skill of Choice. ] [ Note: You can design the skill. Condition: Skill rank can only be within F to S. ]
Two new prompts appeared:
[ Do you want to go to the next floor? ] [ Do you want to go to the Soul Residence? ] [ Do you want to stay here? ]
Aarav stared at the options.
"Soul residence? I'm curious," he whispered. "But... oh well. Tonight, I will spend with my wife. When I was living, I couldn't touch my wife. I can't make the same mistake every time."
He walked to the queen, who was lighting candles in their room. The flowers still filled the bed. She turned, her eyes warm with love.
Tonight, he would not choose power.
He would choose her.
That night, the Queen led Aarav back to their room. The air was heavy with the scent of soul-flowers and incense. Petals rained from the ceiling gently like snowflakes. The lights dimmed, leaving only the soft glow of the bed to guide their eyes.
The Queen sat beside him, her fingers brushing along his jawline.
"You're mine now, husband."
"And you're mine," Aarav whispered.
She pushed him gently down onto the bed, crawling over him like a predator, but with tenderness in her touch. Her long hair spilled like a black waterfall across his chest. Their lips met again, slower, deeper this time.
Clothes fell away. There were no guards here. No laws. Only the two of them and the world they were building from their bond.
Her breath hitched as his hand moved across her waist.
Their bodies met, and the soul-threads around the room shimmered in response, echoing their intimacy in soft pulses of light.
He whispered her name between moans, and she smiled in pleasure.
The bed creaked gently as their rhythms synced, a dance of two souls intertwining in love, lust, and destiny.
And when it was done, when her head rested on his chest and their breathing slowed, she whispered, "You're not just different, Aarav. You're special. I will never let you go."
Aarav smiled. For once, the soul tower didn't feel like a prison. It felt like home.
After the fateful and exhausting night, Aarav finally stirred awake when the sun had already reached the center of the sky. The soft warmth poured in through the silky curtains, casting a gentle golden hue across the opulent chamber. He slowly sat up, yawning, muscles aching in places he didn't know existed.
He looked around for his wife—the Queen of the Soul Spiders—but she was nowhere to be found.
"Where is she?" he muttered, rubbing his eyes.
A servant girl entered the room with a shy bow. "My Queen is currently attending a council meeting, my lord. She asked us to make sure you are taken care of."
Aarav nodded and got out of bed. He cleaned up, taking his time in a jade-carved bath and letting the hot water relax him. Once he was done, a few attendants helped him into an elegant set of luxurious silk robes—deep indigo with silver thread woven in the pattern of ancient soul scripts. The fabric was smooth, regal, and clearly enchanted.
He noticed the familiar blue-glowing system panel flash before his eyes:
[ Do you want to go to the next floor? ] [ Do you want to go to the Soul Residence? ] [ Do you want to stay here? ]
He gazed at the options, then said aloud with a grin, "Let's go to Soul Residence."
The moment he confirmed, the world around him blurred.
In a blink, he found himself standing in the middle of a grand white hall buzzing with people. The atmosphere was bright and celebratory. Dozens, maybe hundreds, of individuals were chatting, laughing, or simply relaxing in different corners of the space. At the center was a fountain made of crystal, from which radiant soul energy poured like a waterfall.
A voice rang out:
"Congratulations, new soul, for completing the trial!"
Several people turned toward him. Excitement lit up their eyes as they saw him.
"Hey! Is that him?"
"Yeah! That's the one who married the Queen Spider!"
"He's insane—but in a good way!"
Without warning, a group approached him eagerly.
"We're from Squad 11," said a tall man with flaming red hair. "You want to join us? We're monster hunters. Good pay, fast promotions!"
Another voice chimed in before he could respond.
"We're Squad 123! Exploration and mapping division. Less blood, more brains. We need someone like you. What do you say?"
Aarav blinked, a bit overwhelmed. He hadn't even had lunch yet.
More groups started circling, throwing him invitations, recruitment pitches, and promises of adventure, power, and rewards.
He smiled awkwardly.
"Uh… Can someone explain what this place even is first?"