"Okay... let's pause it."
Aarav exhaled deeply, letting the command hang in the silence of the room. A system screen popped up before him.
[100 soul migrations successful.][Evolution procedure initiated...][Estimated completion time: 24 hours.]
His eyes twitched as he sat up on the bed, blinking against the light spilling through the windows. Morning had arrived, but something inside him felt off. A dissonance of time and space tugged at his perception.
"It's already morning...?" he murmured. "But why do I feel like it's been a whole month?"
He turned his head. There she lay beside him—his new wife, the Soul Spider Queen. Her silvery hair fanned across the pillow like a wave of moonlight, her expression tranquil, lips slightly parted, and a soft breath brushing against his skin.
"She sleeps like a child," he whispered with a small smile, brushing a strand of hair from her face.
Just as he tried to get off the bed, two warm arms wrapped around him from behind. Her body pressed into his back as she mumbled, "Hey, dear... going somewhere without saying good morning?"
Startled but not displeased, Aarav sighed, his drowsiness catching up with him.
"You look tired," she noticed, giggling softly. "Come here."
She pulled him gently onto her lap, her hands caressing his hair as he lay sideways, eyes closing for a moment as he melted into the comfort of her warmth. The silence that followed wasn't awkward—it was comforting, oddly domestic.
Aarav's voice broke it after a while. "You know, darling... we probably don't know each other properly. I mean—we never even really introduced ourselves. Not our names, our habits... the things we like, or dislike. The food we enjoy. The kind of people we admire or avoid. Everything happened so fast."
Sina's fingers stopped for a second in his hair.
"I didn't believe in this marriage at first," he continued, eyes still closed. "I thought maybe you were just attracted to something in me—some trait or essence... But now, even though there are questions left unanswered, I don't regret any of it. Not anymore."
She smiled gently. "That's a dangerous thing to say, husband. What if I was lying this whole time? What if I was one of those man-eating soul beasts you fear so much?"
He tilted his head to look up at her.
"You trust people too easily," she added with a teasing smirk. "I'm not even pregnant, and yet you believe I'd never eat you someday?"
Aarav sat up immediately, alarm flashing across his face. "Wait—what?! Are you seriously—?"
"Relax!" she laughed, the sound light and melodic. "I was just teasing. We don't eat humans... at least, not anymore."
He narrowed his eyes. "That's... not very reassuring."
"Okay, okay, let me clarify." She leaned back, supporting herself on her palms. "Most soul beasts in this realm don't eat souls. Some highly evolved ones still do, but they're rare. As for us... we don't devour human souls. Instead, we infuse them with the soul essence of the Ancient Spider King. That's how we make them one of our kind. One of us."
Aarav blinked. "So… you were human once?"
She nodded, her expression turning distant.
"Yes. A long time ago. When I arrived in this realm, I was just another lost soul. I was given 24 hours to merge with another soul, or face annihilation. I failed. Exhausted, starving... I passed out."
"And then?"
"When I woke up, the queen of the time stood before me. She didn't kill me. Instead, she gave me a chance. She shared a piece of the Ancient Spider King's soul essence with me and told me to cultivate."
"You became the queen after that?" Aarav asked, intrigued.
Sina looked at him and nodded slowly. "I cultivated for what felt like centuries and reached the king level. But to ascend to the sovereign level—to reach the next realm—I needed something more."
"Let me guess… king-level followers?"
"Exactly." She sighed. "The previous queen became a sovereign and left this realm. I've tried to follow her path. That's why I began recruiting other souls—especially human ones. I was hoping to find some with enough potential to become kings."
"And none made it?" Aarav asked.
"Not yet," she said softly. "Until now..."
Aarav leaned back, thoughtful. "So this realm has a bloodline cultivation system... separate from the main path."
Sina tilted her head. "Bloodline cultivation?"
"I mean, normally, powerful souls just devour weaker ones to evolve, right?" he reasoned. "But this system... it allows people to grow differently. Slowly, through training, connections, and essence... through legacy. I think this realm has its own hidden rules. The quests... maybe they're tied to this side path."
He looked distant, his thoughts spinning rapidly. "And when you said realm, I think you meant... floor? Each floor is a realm in itself. A complete world."
Sina smiled. "You're quite observant."
He chuckled, then looked at her again. "You know... all this talk, and still—we haven't exchanged names."
She giggled. "That's true."
"I'm Aarav. Aarav Tanaka."
She held out her hand dramatically. "Well, Mr. Tanaka. I am Sina. Queen of the Soul Spiders."
"Sina... That's a nice name."
"But for you," she added with a coy smile, "just darling is enough, okay?"
Aarav couldn't help but laugh. "Alright, darling."
He leaned in, placing a soft kiss on her cheek. She blushed, pretending to pout.
"You kissed me without permission."
"Should I kiss you again to make up for it?"
Her eyes sparkled. "If you don't, I will."
He didn't give her the chance. Their lips met again—gentle, this time. Tender. As if savoring the connection that bloomed between them.
Minutes passed. Maybe more. Time no longer felt real. After the kiss, Sina leaned against his chest, listening to the rhythm of his heart.
"You know," Aarav whispered, "for someone who tried to act all cold and queenly when we met, you're quite the softie."
"And you," she mumbled, "are quite the tease."
They stayed like that for a long time, exchanging stories, experiences, and dreams. Aarav spoke of his vague memories—of a world he could barely recall. She told him of the soul towers, the layers of existence, and the vast unknown floors above.
Eventually, Sina fell asleep again, her head resting peacefully on his lap.
Aarav looked at her, thoughtful and quiet. "She trusted me. And I trusted her. But this world is filled with secrets. Bloodlines, evolution paths, soul migrations, system quests... Everything here feels designed. Layered."
His eyes narrowed as a plan began to form in his mind. "If what she said is true... then to reach the sovereign level, I need to become a king under her. And if I do... maybe I can open more of this realm's secrets. Maybe I can reshape this place entirely."
He looked at his hand, where the ring glowed faintly—marking their union.
"But first," he whispered, "I need strength. Real strength."
And strength, he now understood, didn't always come from fighting. Sometimes, it came from bonds.
And Sina… might just be the strongest bond he ever had.