Chapter 236 – The Blue Thread That Waited
The room had finally quieted. Ciel was curled beside the window reading, Morgan was still fuming in cold silence, Hanabi was curled up like a cat at the edge of the couch, and Airi sat cross-legged on the rug, pretending to browse her phone but glancing at Alex every five seconds.
Alex finally slipped into the hallway for a moment of peace.
His phone buzzed.
Caller ID: Dad
He answered.
"Hey," he said quietly.
"Alex," came Mark Elwood's voice, crisp and clear. "You got a minute?"
"I just survived an elf marriage trial and an inquisition by five jealous women. I think I deserve five."
His father chuckled. "Fair enough."
A moment passed. Then his mother's voice entered the line, warm and measured.
"Do you remember Mary?"
Alex blinked.
A name.
Faint.
Like light beneath ice.
"Mary…" he repeated slowly. "Blue hair… blue eyes. She wanted to be a nun, I think?"
"Yes," Sarah said gently. "You were close, even though you only met her a few times. She always remembered you."
Alex leaned against the wall, trying to catch the thread. Images flickered — a girl in white, shy but bold, hiding behind a chapel curtain to surprise him. Laughing when he guessed it wrong. A girl who liked strawberry tea and stargazing.
"She's… in the Vatican, right?"
"She's training there now," Mark confirmed. "And we just saw her."
Alex straightened. "You what?"
"We're on a mission," Sarah said. "The Vatican requested our help with an illegal demon hunt. A rogue summoning cult slipped past the Cardinal's veil. We cleaned it up. But Mary was there."
"She looked stronger," Mark added. "But she asked about you. Right away."
Alex didn't respond.
Not yet.
Because something in his chest had stirred.
A thread.
Warm.
Unfinished.
"She said," Sarah continued softly, "that she wanted to tell you something. Something she never told anyone else."
There was a pause.
"She asked us to keep it secret. But she told us… because she trusted you."
Alex's fingers curled slightly around the phone.
"What was it?"
"She said she has four bloodlines inside her," Mark said quietly. "Human. Angel. Fallen Angel…"
"…and Succubus," Sarah finished. "She said she was fine. But it's hard. It's always been hard."
Alex's breath caught.
That combination — pure light, corrupted divinity, mortal frailty, and seductive hunger — wasn't just rare.
It was impossible.
Or should've been.
"She said she didn't want to lie to you," Sarah continued. "She's been carrying it alone all these years. But she never forgot you, Alex."
Silence.
Then:
"She asked if you'd come visit her."
Alex closed his eyes.
That faint memory — of Mary praying beside him when they were little, of her whispering that he was the only person who didn't make her feel like a mistake — returned in full.
"I'll go," he said quietly.
Mark's voice was warm. "We thought you might."
And on the other end of the line, in a sunlit garden behind the Vatican walls, a girl with blue hair stood alone beneath the chapel bells, looking up at the sky as if she already knew:
He was coming.
The teleportation seal shimmered once — and faded.
Alex stepped onto Vatican soil.
Not the crowded halls of ceremony or the public basilicas filled with pilgrims, but a quiet path nestled in the northern cloisters. The sun was just beginning to lower in the sky, casting long golden beams between marble columns and the faint perfume of incense lingering from morning mass.
There was barely anyone here.
No soldiers. No guards. Just peace.
His coat whispered softly as he walked. The weight of battles, kingdoms, and divine politics momentarily lifted.
Here, he was just… Alex.
"Over here," came a familiar voice.
He turned.
His adoptive parents stood at the edge of the path — Mark in a worn black jacket, Sarah with her usual calm grace. They looked like ordinary visitors. Only the slight tension in their eyes betrayed that they'd just come from a demon hunt.
"Not much of a crowd," Alex said.
"It was designed that way," Sarah replied. "They knew you were coming."
"Where is she?"
Mark nodded toward the edge of the cloister garden. "At the western beach. She walks there every evening, just after prayer."
Alex looked toward the horizon.
And then he walked.
—
The path ended at the edge of a soft, quiet beach.
The golden sun was low over the water, a warm breeze drifting inland. Waves lapped gently at the shore, and the world seemed to breathe.
And there she stood.
A girl in black and white.
Her blue hair shimmered like crystal flame in the sunlight. It fell past her waist in soft waves, moving with the sea breeze. She wore the garb of a nun — but it didn't hide her beauty. Her figure was slender, her posture poised. A simple golden cross hung from her neck, gleaming in the sun.
And when she turned—
Her blue eyes widened.
"…Alex?"
Her voice was soft.
Disbelieving.
He took a step forward.
She didn't run to him. She just looked. As if making sure the dream didn't vanish.
He smiled faintly.
"Hi, Mary."
She blinked once.
Then again.
Then walked.
Not rushed. Not slow.
She stopped a step away and looked up at him, her hands trembling just slightly at her sides.
"You're… really here."
"It's been twelve years," Alex said quietly. "But I remember now. The tea. The bells. You always used to hum when you thought no one could hear."
She laughed — a fragile, cracking sound.
"And you always used to sneak food out of the kitchens when the priests weren't looking."
Alex looked down.
"You waited for me."
"I never stopped," she whispered.
And then—
She reached out.
Hesitantly.
And placed her hand on his chest, just above his heart.
"…It's really you," she said again.
And for the first time in years, her eyes filled with tears.
Not from pain.
But from relief.
Alex didn't pull away.
He just raised his hand…
And gently held hers against his chest.
Because even though kingdoms had risen and gods had fallen…
Here, on this quiet shore, beneath the Vatican sun—
A girl who carried four bloodlines and one quiet hope had finally been seen.
Chapter 237 – The Girl with Two Lights
Mary's room was small. Peaceful. A sanctuary carved in stillness.
The warm light of the sunset filtered through a narrow window, casting golden shapes across the simple wooden floor. A single bed with neatly tucked sheets, a folded prayer robe, a few books lined up with perfect symmetry. There were no posters, no clutter. Just order and grace.
Alex stood near the door, watching her.
She had changed into a simpler black dress, with the golden cross still hanging from her neck. Her long blue hair spilled down her back like silk brushed by heaven's wind. She looked younger than her age — but older in her eyes. As if time had passed differently for her.
She turned from the window, smiled faintly, and motioned for him to sit on the edge of the bed.
He obeyed — careful, quiet, respectful.
Mary sat beside him. Not too close. But not distant.
"It's been twelve years," she said softly.
"Yeah," Alex replied. "You look… peaceful."
"I've tried to be," she said, folding her hands in her lap. "Being here helps. The rules. The prayers. The silence."
She hesitated.
"But sometimes silence isn't enough."
Alex looked at her.
She lowered her eyes.
"You already know about my bloodlines, right? Human, angel… and the others."
He nodded. "My parents told me."
"I told them. I trusted them," she said. "But I didn't tell them everything. I couldn't. I was scared."
She took a slow breath.
"When I was four, something happened. Something deep inside me. My body couldn't hold all four bloodlines at once. It nearly destroyed me."
Alex frowned. "What do you mean?"
"My bloodlines didn't stay separate," she whispered. "They fused. Two by two."
She raised one hand, pointing to her chest.
"My human and angel blood became one. That's… me. The one you're talking to now."
Her hand trembled slightly.
"But my other half… the succubus and fallen angel blood… they fused too. And they didn't disappear."
She looked away.
"They became a second me."
Alex blinked. "A second…?"
"A personality," she said quietly. "Not evil. Not twisted. Just… different."
Alex was silent.
Mary smiled, embarrassed.
"She doesn't fight me. She's not cruel. Sometimes she gives me courage I don't have. But… she says things."
"What kind of things?" Alex asked.
Mary's cheeks turned pink.
"She whispers in my ear. At night. During prayer. Whenever I think of you."
She turned even redder.
"She says… things I can't say."
Alex tilted his head. "What kind of—"
Mary lowered her head.
Then—
A quiet shift in her posture.
Her hands rested gently in her lap. Her smile became smaller. Shyer.
Her voice changed, too — barely audible.
"Do you want to hear what I say to her when you're not around…?"
Alex froze.
"…Mary?"
The girl beside him tilted her head, lips curved in a small, dangerous smile.
"…You don't mind nuns being dirty, do you?"
Alex blinked.
"…What?"
She giggled softly. Not loud. Just enough to shiver the air between them.
"I was wondering… if you ever touched yourself thinking about me when we were children…"
Alex's heart nearly stopped.
"…Excuse me?!"
The girl blinked again — then covered her mouth, cheeks blooming red.
"W-What did I just—?" she gasped. "No no no—! I didn't mean that—!"
She stood up in a flurry, clutching her cross.
"I-It wasn't me! I mean, it was, but not this me—!"
Alex stood slowly, eyes still wide. "Okay. Wait. Back up."
Mary turned to the window, flustered beyond recovery.
"She's so embarrassing! Why does she do that every time I open up—?!"
"…That was her?" Alex asked.
Mary nodded miserably. "She's sweet, really. But she has… bad taste."
"She speaks like a—"
"Please don't say it," Mary squeaked, face buried in her hands.
Alex laughed under his breath. Not mockingly — but in disbelief.
Mary turned slowly, peeking through her fingers.
"I'm sorry. She only comes out when I really… feel something. She loves you. Just like I do. She just… says it differently."
Alex rubbed the back of his neck, exhaling.
"That's… a lot."
Mary nodded.
"I just thought… if I showed you both sides of me, maybe you'd stay."
Alex looked at her.
Her real self.
Her nervous self.
The girl who had waited twelve years and still whispered like every word was fragile.
"…You're still you," he said.
She looked up, surprised.
He smiled gently.
"Both of you."
Her eyes widened.
And slowly — carefully — she stepped back toward him.
She didn't say anything.
She didn't have to.
Because the light of sunset caught the edge of her smile…
And for the first time in her life, both of her hearts beat in the same rhythm.
Alex's words lingered in the still air.
"You're not broken, Mary.
You're loved.
Both of you."
The room held its breath.
For a second, Mary didn't move.
Her lips parted.
A soft gasp escaped.
And then—
A shift.
Not magic. Not light. Something deeper.
Like her soul itself had turned.
Mary's expression flickered.
Her shoulders relaxed.
Her fingers uncurled.
And then—
A voice. Softer than silk. Just above a whisper.
"You shouldn't say things like that… Alex."
He blinked.
Something felt—
Different.
The presence in the room had changed.
He opened his mouth, confused—but the words never came.
Because before him…
Mary's form began to shimmer.
Her black nun's habit melted away in a slow ripple of dark light, replaced by a deep violet glow that coiled around her body like fire wrapped in satin. Her figure changed. Curves bloomed where innocence once lived. Wings, sleek and dark, unfurled behind her shoulders. Horns, delicate but sharp, rose above her long lavender-touched hair.
Her eyes opened.
They glowed a radiant amethyst, framed by lashes that curled like night's edge.
Alex took a stunned step back.
"…Mary?"
She smiled.
But it wasn't Mary's smile.
It was slower.
Warmer.
Wicked in the gentlest way.
"No," she purred. "I'm Mira."
Alex froze.
His heart beat once—loud, confused.
"Mira…?"
She took one step forward.
Then another.
"You shouldn't say such sweet things to a girl like me," she said, voice like moonlight over a wine glass. "It makes me hungry."
Alex blinked again.
"Wait—what—?"
She didn't wait for him to finish.
Her arms slid around his neck with slow confidence, pulling herself close until her soft, perfect body pressed against his chest.
He barely had time to breathe.
"Twelve years," Mira whispered. "Twelve years I've waited for her to say yes."
Then—
She kissed him.
Not a soft brush.
Not a timid press.
It was passionate.
Possessive.
Like someone who had fantasized about this moment for over a decade and refused to waste a single second.
Her lips molded to his. Her fingers curled against his shirt. Her wings trembled faintly with the force of it.
And somewhere deep inside—
Mary screamed silently.
"W-What are you doing?! Mira—!!"
"Don't worry~" Mira purred, deep within their shared mind. "I'm just saying thank you. Properly."
Alex tried to pull back—gently—but Mira held him with surprising strength, her tail curling lightly behind her like a ribbon on fire.
When she finally broke the kiss, her eyes were still half-lidded. Her lips wet. Her smile smug.
"Mmm. I've dreamed about that. A thousand times."
Alex's voice barely returned.
"You're… seriously her other half?"
She tilted her head.
"I am her. Just the part she's afraid to be."
He stared.
She winked.
"And you're the boy we both love."
Two familiar glows flickered faintly on the back of his hand — gold and silver, pulsing with quiet amusement.
Morgan's voice emerged, dry and resigned:
"You really can't help yourself, can you? Not just one... you're adding two."
Ciel's voice, sweet and serene, followed:
"I'm happy. It looks like we'll have another little sister... or two."
Alex sighed.
Because of course — even in the Vatican, even in this sacred room —
He wasn't alone.
And his harem had already taken notice.
Chapter 238 – The Blush That Wouldn't Fade
The golden and silver sigils on the back of Alex's hand shimmered with soft light.
A heartbeat later, the air rippled gently — and Ciel stepped out first, barefoot as always, dressed in her flowing white and violet robes, serene as a moonlit lake.
Morgan followed, arms folded, her silver hair cascading behind her like a shimmering veil. Her eyes scanned the room, narrowing slightly as they landed on Mira.
Both women stood now beside Alex — one smiling warmly, the other trying very hard not to sigh too hard.
Mira tilted her head, then smiled in a way that could've melted glass.
"So you're the ones watching us from his hand. I wondered how long you'd stay silent."
Morgan raised an eyebrow. "We weren't trying to spy. You made it impossible not to hear."
Ciel stepped forward gently and gave a slight bow, her tone light and kind.
"It's nice to meet you properly, Mira."
Mira purred.
"And I do love polite girls."
Alex cleared his throat. "Uh, right. These are Ciel and Morgan. You've… already heard their voices. Now you're meeting them."
Mira gave a little spin of her finger, gesturing toward herself.
"And I'm Mira. I live in here—" she tapped her temple, "—but I'm also very real. Especially when I feel very strongly about someone."
She glanced sideways at Alex, her smile sharpening.
"Like him."
Morgan crossed her arms. "You seem... enthusiastic."
"Mm," Mira hummed, taking a half-step closer. "Well, when you wait twelve years for one boy, you tend to get attached."
Alex rubbed the back of his neck.
Then Mira blinked, tilting her head.
"Wait. Did you say… harem?"
Alex froze.
Morgan looked away, muttering, "Here we go."
Ciel simply smiled and nodded. "Yes. We're all part of it."
Mira stared.
Then smiled wider.
"Oh… now that is exciting."
From deep within Mira's mind, Mary squeaked:
"Wh-What?! A harem?!"
"Aw, don't be shy, sweet thing," Mira whispered back inwardly. "You were already fantasizing about kissing him earlier."
Mary's voice panicked in her own thoughts.
"I-I wasn't! …Okay maybe once! But not a harem—"
Outside, Mira clapped her hands together once.
"Well, girls," she said to Ciel and Morgan, "I don't mind sharing. Not at all. But when the night comes… and he finally takes one of us into his bed—"
She leaned forward slightly, voice lowering into a sultry whisper.
"I want to try sharing that too."
Morgan's eyes widened — and her ears turned pink.
"W-What kind of perverted introduction is this?!"
Ciel, ever graceful, nodded once with a calm expression.
"If Alex agrees, I'd like to try as well."
"WAIT WHAT?!" Mary screamed inside Mira's head.
Mira giggled — out loud — and placed a finger on her lips.
"Oh, she's so noisy right now. She's screaming like we just said we'd all undress together…"
Mary practically melted from embarrassment inside her own body.
"I c-can't believe you said that to them—now I can't stop thinking about it—! A-Alex… and the three of us… and I-I can't stop seeing them… taking off their—!"
Her thoughts spiraled into a crimson blur.
Outside, Mira pressed a hand over her chest and gave an exaggerated sigh.
"Poor Mary. She's picturing all of us naked with you right now. And she cannot stop."
Alex choked. "Could you not announce that?!"
Morgan's expression twitched.
Ciel giggled softly.
And Mira simply smiled — eyes glowing.
"So, what do you say, Alex? Want to start building a real memory with all of us?"
Alex's soul left his body for a moment.
And somewhere, deep inside that body—
Mary curled up in a ball of red-hot fluster, unable to speak, unable to hide.
And absolutely unable to stop thinking about what her other half had just said.
Mary was still red in the face, fidgeting with her sleeves, when Ciel gave her hand a gentle squeeze.
"How about tea?"
Mary blinked. "T-Tea?"
Ciel smiled — calm, luminous, disarming.
"Yes. The four of us. No talk of harems, no teasing. Just tea. As future sisters."
Mary's breath caught at the word sisters.
Alex opened his mouth to say something, but Ciel turned her head slightly, smiling at him with that same serene finality she used when sealing a barrier or resetting a star.
"No boys allowed for ten minutes."
Alex blinked. "Wait—huh?"
Morgan was already walking to the corner of the room, brushing off the edge of her shoulder.
"Fine by me. He's already caused enough heart flutters for one day."
Mary giggled softly behind her hand.
Ciel gave her a warm look.
"You used to bring Alex tea, didn't you?"
Mary nodded.
"Then let's do it again. But this time… you're not alone."
Mary looked at them — truly looked — and for the first time, her eyes didn't just reflect shyness.
They reflected hope.
She walked toward the small teapot beside her desk, hands still trembling slightly, but steadier than before.
"Okay… I'll make it sweet."
"Just like you," Ciel said gently.
And in the quiet sanctuary of the Vatican — far from gods and wars, trials and politics — three women sat down together.
Not rivals.
Not competitors.
But girls sharing tea.
And the beginning of something that might become family.
Even if one of them was still hiding in the back of Mary's mind, muttering:
"Ten minutes only, right? I want to sit on his lap later."
Mary choked on her own breath.
Ciel poured the tea anyway.
Smiling like she already knew.
Chapter 239 – Her Four Faces
The tea had long since cooled.
Morgan and Ciel had gone quiet, lounging by the window, letting the silence settle after their brief sisterly gathering. Mary had begun to smile — just a little — more comfortable now, even if her hands still trembled when she passed the sugar bowl.
But then…
The shift came again.
A breath.
A shimmer.
A sudden drop in temperature — not cold, but charged.
Mary blinked once, her fingers tightening on the edge of her teacup.
"I think," she whispered, "it's her turn again."
And in a flicker of violet—
Mira emerged.
The nun's robe unraveled into threads of violet flame, revealing the elegant curve of dark armor and thigh-high obsidian trim. Her form blossomed with confidence — hips tilted, lips parted in a slow smile. Her lavender hair fluttered like silk threads caught in windless heat.
She stretched her arms lazily, then turned toward Alex.
"I've been good," she purred. "But you've seen only two of our faces."
Alex raised a brow. "Two?"
Mira stepped closer.
"Mary and I… we're not just split in mind. Our bodies are reflections of our fused bloodlines."
She placed a finger against her lips and winked.
"She has her human body — the sweet one you know — and a form wrapped in angelic radiance. She hides it. She's shy."
She paused.
"And I… have two as well."
She leaned in.
"You've seen my succubus form…"
Her wings curled once behind her.
"But let me show you the other half of what I am."
A shimmer bloomed from her core — feathers scattered, dark mana laced with cold starlight flaring behind her back.
Armor shifted.
Purple-black wings stretched wide, adorned with arcane runes and thorns of divine rebellion. Her long hair darkened slightly, glowing at the ends like twilight flame. Her horns sharpened. Her boots gained armor spines, and her gaze…
Her gaze became a storm of proud sorrow and temptation.
"This," she said, her voice deeper now, "is my fallen angel form."
Alex stared.
It wasn't just seductive.
It was divine defiance made beautiful. The shape of something cast from heaven who chose not to weep about it — but to rise.
Mira stepped forward, heels clicking faintly against the stone.
"You're trying to stay calm," she teased. "But I see the tension in your throat."
Then, slowly…
She shifted again — light rolling across her skin — and her body melted back into her succubus form.
Her hips tilted slightly forward. Her smile grew sultry.
And she looked down.
Right at the clear evidence beneath his coat.
She licked her lips.
"Aah~ I see now."
She tapped her chin thoughtfully, like a scholar having just discovered a fundamental truth of the universe.
"This is the body you like."
Alex flushed. "That's not—"
She stepped closer, her voice dropping to a near whisper:
"I'll remember that, darling."
Then she turned her head slightly — toward the back of her own mind.
"Hear that, Mary? You're not the only one who can make his heart race."
From deep within…
A squeaky voice cried out in protest.
"I-I wasn't looking there! I wasn't thinking that! S-Stop saying those things—!"
"Oh, you were definitely thinking it."
"…Okay maybe a little but I didn't mean to—!"
Outside, Mira's grin sharpened. She leaned toward Alex again.
"Shall I keep this form for tonight…?"
Mira's wings folded in with a gentle rustle as she stepped back, her violet armor shimmering faintly. Her expression was still full of smug satisfaction.
But then—
A flicker.
A subtle pause in her movement.
And a familiar breath whispered from her lips.
"Alright," she murmured. "Her turn again."
Light gathered gently around her body — violet bleeding into white, heat into calm.
The succubus form dissolved into ribbons of glowing purity.
And then—
Mary stood there again, back in her human form: nun's robe restored, hair returning to its soft blue hue, hands clutched nervously in front of her.
She looked up at Alex, her cheeks already turning pink.
"U-Um… I thought… maybe I could show you mine too."
Alex blinked. "Your… what?"
"M-My angel form," she whispered.
His eyes widened a little, then softened.
Mary took a breath.
She didn't shift instantly like Mira. She hesitated. The air around her pulsed gently, as if asking for permission.
Then—light.
Wings of crystalline blue light burst from her back, feathers glowing with pure mana. Her nun's garb dissolved into divine armor, elegant and refined, gleaming with white and gold and pale violet. Her sword appeared in her hands, long and radiant.
She looked almost like a knight of heaven — too perfect for this world.
Her cheeks were still burning.
"I-I just wanted to see if… you liked it."
Her eyes flickered downward for just a second — toward his hips.
And—
Nothing.
Alex looked intrigued, yes.
But there was no… obvious reaction.
Not like there was with Mira.
Mary's heart sank just a little.
Not from jealousy.
From something softer.
Something she didn't quite understand.
And then—
"I can't believe I looked!" she screamed inside her mind, turning away quickly. "Why did I do that?! I'm not Mira! That's her job!"
She quickly dismissed the angel form in a flurry of glowing feathers, shrinking back into her human body, sleeves once again hiding her hands.
She sat on the edge of the bed, head down.
"…Forget I tried."
Alex stepped closer, kneeling slightly.
"Mary."
She looked up slowly.
"I meant what I said before. I don't need you to be anything more than who you are."
Mary's heart beat faster again — not from embarrassment this time, but warmth.
Even if he hadn't reacted like Mira hoped…
He still saw her.
And maybe that was enough.
From the back of her mind, Mira purred softly:
"Don't worry, sweet thing. He'll want that body too… eventually."
"Shut up…" Mary whispered into her own mind, turning red again.
Alex tilted his head. "Did you say something?"
Mary shook her head quickly. "N-No! Just, um… angel static."
A soft laugh drifted across the room.
Mary turned.
Ciel stood near the window, her eyes glowing gently with amusement, her hands folded neatly in front of her.
"You looked," she said with a serene smile.
Mary's breath caught.
"W-What?! I—I did not!"
Morgan leaned against the doorframe with her arms crossed, one eyebrow raised.
"You definitely did."
"I was just checking for… balance! Mana balance!" Mary squeaked. "Not—n-not the other thing!"
Ciel stepped closer and knelt beside her, tilting her head.
"You even held your breath a little. That's how I knew you were hoping for a reaction."
"T-Traitor…" Mary whimpered.
Morgan smirked.
"You wanted to win against your other self, huh? Sorry, angel — looks like the demon's body scored higher."
Mary groaned and buried her face in her sleeves.
"Why is everyone so okay talking about this?!"
Ciel gently patted Mary's head.
"Because we're sisters now."
Morgan gave a faint sigh, brushing her silver hair aside.
"And sisters tease each other. Especially the innocent ones."
Mary peeked out from her sleeve, her face still red but eyes sparkling.
"You're both terrible…"
Ciel and Morgan smiled in perfect sync.
Alex, still seated nearby, watched them with quiet warmth — surrounded by the strangest and most sincere version of peace he'd ever known.
And somewhere deep inside Mary…
Mira chuckled.
"Don't worry, sweet thing. This is just the beginning."
Chapter 240 – Echoes in the Blood
The four of them sat quietly now.
The teasing had faded. The air had grown thoughtful, still. The candles flickered softly in the corners of Mary's room, casting slow, golden shadows against the walls.
Morgan, seated cross-legged on the floor, tapped a finger against her cheek.
"Her bloodline… it shouldn't be possible."
Alex looked over. "You mean the fusion?"
Morgan nodded slowly, her expression sharpening with focus.
"Not just that. The very presence of all four. Human, angel, fallen angel, succubus. They're inherently incompatible. They're not like fire and water — they're like law and rebellion, faith and temptation. And yet, here she is."
Mary hugged her knees on the edge of the bed, listening in silence.
Morgan's eyes narrowed.
"There's only one explanation that makes sense."
Ciel glanced sideways. "A magical experiment?"
Morgan shook her head. "Too stable. If someone had tampered with her as a child, we'd see signs — spiritual scars, pattern decay, forced mutation. But her energy is… balanced. Natural."
She looked at Mary carefully now, her voice calm but certain.
"This didn't come from a ritual. It came from inheritance."
Mary blinked. "I-Inheritance…?"
Morgan nodded.
"Your bloodline was always there. Dormant. Like a sleeping dragon coiled beneath generations of normality."
She paused, then explained further:
"Sometimes, in very rare family lines, ancient interbreeding with other races results in what we call recessive resonance. The powers don't show up for generations — not until one child is born with just the right set of silent echoes in their blood."
Alex leaned in. "So you're saying—"
Morgan nodded.
"Mary's ancestors may have intermarried with non-humans centuries ago. A fallen angel. A succubus. A celestial being. But the offspring didn't show signs of power. Maybe for hundreds of years, the family appeared completely human. Until…"
She gestured toward Mary.
"Now."
Mary stared at her lap.
The silence grew heavy.
Then she whispered:
"I never met my parents."
Morgan and Ciel both looked over.
Mary's voice was small, but steady.
"I was raised by the Sisters in the northern cloisters. They told me I was found at the steps of the cathedral one winter morning. Wrapped in a white blanket. No letter. No name. Just… me."
She looked up at them, her eyes soft and a little hollow.
"I've never seen their faces. Not even in dreams."
Ciel slowly reached for her hand and held it gently.
Alex stepped closer and sat beside her.
"You're not alone anymore."
Mary smiled faintly.
"Even now… I don't know if my parents left me because of what I was, or if they never knew. Maybe they were normal. Maybe they were scared."
Morgan shrugged lightly. "It doesn't matter anymore."
Mary blinked.
"Why not?"
Morgan stood, brushing herself off.
"Because now you're part of our bloodline."
Ciel smiled. "One built by choice, not by chance."
Mary looked down at her hand — the one Ciel still held — and felt something thrum beneath her skin.
Not power.
Not fear.
But belonging.
And in the quiet that followed…
She whispered:
"Thank you."
Mary still sat quietly, the candlelight brushing softly across her face. Her fingers were interlaced in her lap, but her eyes had begun to shine — not with tears, but with the warmth of quiet acceptance.
Alex stood.
Without a word, he walked to the corner of the room and held out his hand. A thin stream of mana shimmered between his fingers — subtle, elegant, steady.
Morgan raised an eyebrow. "You're making another one already?"
Ciel smiled knowingly.
Mary blinked. "Making what…?"
Alex didn't answer right away.
He focused.
The light swirled in the air like silk thread winding itself into form. Tiny fragments of mana-crystal floated around his palm, spinning faster, weaving tighter — blue and lavender twining together in perfect symmetry.
Ciel stepped closer, watching the process with reverent calm.
"The others already have one," she said softly to Mary. "A ring. Not as a claim, but as a bond."
"A bond?" Mary echoed.
Morgan nodded.
"It means you're part of this — truly. Not just as someone we protect… but someone we stand beside."
Mary's breath caught.
The crystal shimmer slowed.
And then—
The ring formed.
A slim band, impossibly smooth, lined with twin arcs: one side a gentle, luminous blue like her angelic grace; the other, a gleaming lavender-purple that pulsed faintly with playful warmth — Mira's side. In the center was a soft shimmer of white, tying both halves together.
Alex walked back toward her and knelt, holding the ring in his open palm.
"Mary. Mira. This is for both of you."
She stared at it.
Then at him.
"I… I can't take that," she whispered. "It's too much. I'm too…"
"You're not too anything," Alex said gently. "You're you. And that's why I made it."
Mary slowly lifted her hand.
Her fingers trembled slightly.
Alex slipped the ring onto her left ring finger.
It clicked into place with a soft pulse of light.
The magic immediately responded — syncing to her soul without resistance. Her breath hitched.
From within her, Mira's voice whispered:
"You like it, don't you? I do. Especially knowing it's on our finger."
Mary didn't respond — but her heart beat faster.
She looked at the ring again. The two colors. The single shape.
And for the first time in her life…
She felt whole.
Ciel leaned in, smiling.
"It suits you."
Morgan smirked. "Better than I expected."
Mary blinked fast, trying not to cry.
"Thank you," she whispered. "All of you. But especially… you."
She looked at Alex.
Her cheeks flushed again.
But this time, she didn't look away.
A quiet knock echoed against the wooden door.
All four turned.
Mary's heart jumped in her chest. Her hand instinctively covered the ring Alex had just placed on her finger.
Another knock.
Gentle. Measured. Familiar.
Mary stood slowly, smoothing down her robes. "I'll get it…"
She walked to the door and opened it—just a crack at first.
Standing there, bathed in the soft golden light of the hallway lanterns, was a woman in a clean black habit with streaks of silver in her hair. Her face was lined with time, but her eyes held a soft, unchanging warmth.
"Sister Carina…?"
The old nun smiled, the kind of smile that made one feel safe no matter the storm.
"Good evening, little dove."
Mary blinked rapidly. "W-What are you doing here? Did someone send you?"
Sister Carina chuckled softly.
"No, no. I was simply walking past and felt a little… stirring. And I thought to myself, 'My Mary has company tonight, doesn't she?'"
Her eyes gently swept past Mary's shoulder — and clearly landed on Alex, Ciel, and Morgan. She made no comment. No judgment. Only that same motherly smile.
Then her gaze returned to Mary's face.
"Did you tell them? About the other you?"
Mary's breath caught.
Her mouth opened—
"I… how do you…?"
Sister Carina placed a finger to her lips.
"Shhh. I've known since you were seven."
Mary's entire body froze.
"B-But I never told anyone… not even you…"
The older woman chuckled again — not mocking, but kind. A sound full of gentle wisdom.
"You didn't need to. I was a nun, dear girl. But I was a mother first. I know the look in a child's eyes when she's carrying something too big for her heart."
Tears welled in Mary's eyes.
"Then… why didn't you say anything…?"
Sister Carina reached out and gently brushed her hand along Mary's cheek.
"Because it wasn't my truth to speak. And I never once feared you. Not for a moment."
She winked.
"And don't worry. I've never breathed a word to the Church. Not even to the Cardinal. As far as the Vatican's concerned… you're just our quiet, sweet girl."
Behind Mary, Ciel softly smiled.
Morgan leaned against the wall, arms crossed, muttering, "Smart woman."
Alex stepped up beside Mary, silent but steady.
Sister Carina looked him up and down.
Then back at Mary.
Then at the ring on her finger.
Her expression shifted — just slightly.
Not disapproving.
Not surprised.
Only quietly amused.
"I see."
Mary's face turned red.
Sister Carina smiled gently.
"I won't stay long. I only came to say… I'm proud of you. Both of you."
Mary blinked. "Both…?"
Sister Carina looked directly into her eyes.
"You. And the one who shares your light."
Inside, Mira blinked in surprise.
"…Did she mean me?"
Mary felt her heart swell.
She nodded slowly.
"Thank you, Sister…"
Carina patted her shoulder and stepped back into the hall.
"Now go. Live. Don't fear what you carry. Just make sure you choose someone who can carry it with you."
She gave a small wave to the others.
"Good night, little ones."
Then she walked away, robes swaying gently as the candlelight swallowed her figure into the corridor's curve.
Mary closed the door.
And for the first time in her life…
She didn't feel like she was hiding.
Chapter 241 – A Walk Beneath Holy Bells
The next morning came with sunlight soft as hymnals.
No alarms. No politics. Just the gentle ringing of cathedral bells and the warm scent of bread drifting through the Vatican's east wing.
Alex walked beside Mary through the stone pathways beneath arching columns. The cloister gardens were radiant this time of day — glowing vines curling between ivory statues of saints and archangels. Ciel walked beside them, her long sleeves drifting like soft banners in the breeze. Morgan lagged a few steps behind, arms crossed, her silver hair catching light like a polished blade.
Mary had changed into a simple ivory-and-blue dress — still modest, still gentle, but less formal than her nun's habit. She looked radiant under the morning sun, walking a little closer to Alex than she probably realized.
"It's strange," she said softly, "to walk the halls like this with others. I used to be alone in the mornings. I'd pick herbs. Read in silence. But with all of you…"
She paused. Smiled.
"It feels lighter."
Alex gave a quiet nod.
"You don't have to carry everything alone anymore."
As they turned past one of the minor basilica towers, several young priests and robed workers passed them.
And paused.
One of the novices — a girl no older than thirteen, dressed in apprentice exorcist black and white — froze mid-step.
Her eyes widened.
Her mouth dropped.
"W-Wait a minute—!"
She pointed.
At Alex.
Her voice cracked as she gasped:
"Are you—Are you the one who punched Apollo in the wedding hall?!"
Alex blinked.
Morgan coughed once to muffle her laugh.
The exorcist girl gasped again and spun to the older cleric beside her.
"He's the one! The one who beat the sun god with martial arts!"
Her voice practically echoed down the garden path.
Several others nearby perked up. Quiet murmurs turned into hushed gasps. A few paladins bowed slightly as they passed — not because they were told to. But because they knew.
Mary looked up at Alex, blinking.
"Wait. You… fought Apollo?"
Alex scratched the back of his neck. "It was a misunderstanding."
Morgan grinned.
"You should've seen him. Broke a golden sword with his elbow."
Ciel nodded calmly. "He held back, too. If he hadn't, Olympus would have lost a mountain."
Mary's mouth opened slightly. "...What?"
The little exorcist girl clutched a grimoire to her chest, staring at Alex like he was a comic book hero brought to life.
"Can I shake your hand?! Please?! You're my idol!"
Alex awkwardly offered a handshake. "Uh… sure."
She took it with reverent awe — then ran off, whispering frantically to her friends.
Morgan smirked as they kept walking. "It's going to be hilarious when they find out he's also the one in the high-tech black armor who destroyed the corruption bombs in Antarctica…"
Ciel added with a light smile, "And built the fortress floating above the stratosphere."
Mary stopped walking.
Slowly turned her head.
"...What?"
Morgan looked over her shoulder innocently.
"Oops. You didn't know?"
Mary's lips parted.
She stared at Alex.
"You… that was you?"
He rubbed the back of his neck again. "I was going to tell you."
"You built the Second Light fortress?"
"Yeah."
"And—Apollo—?"
"Yes."
Mary slowly sat on the edge of the nearby fountain, eyes wide.
"Oh…"
Her face turned red.
"Oh no…"
Morgan leaned over with a teasing grin.
"Thinking about how many kisses you gave him last night?"
Mary covered her face with both hands and let out a quiet, mortified squeak.
Ciel, ever gentle, sat beside her and offered her a warm smile.
"At least you didn't find out after marrying him."
Mary groaned into her hands.
Alex chuckled quietly.
"Sorry. I really was going to explain everything soon…"
Mira's voice whispered in Mary's mind, delighted:
"So our sweet little dove is in love with a living legend. Mm… I approve."
Mary whispered out loud, too flustered to control herself.
"I kissed a myth…"
Morgan burst out laughing.
And Ciel just nodded.
"Welcome to the harem."
Mary was still red-faced, quietly replaying everything she'd just heard.
Ciel leaned closer with her usual grace and said gently:
"Why don't you two walk together a bit? I think you both need it."
Mary blinked. "A walk…?"
Morgan stretched her arms, her silver hair catching the breeze.
"Don't mind us. We've been with him longer than you. We're not clingy."
Ciel added with a soft smile,
"Besides… you haven't had time to breathe since Mira kissed him, then exploded into angel light, then kissed him again, then found out he broke a god."
Mary let out a quiet whimper. "Please stop saying it out loud…"
Morgan smirked and tapped Alex on the shoulder.
"Take her somewhere quiet. She looks like she'll catch fire in sunlight."
Then she turned, waving over her shoulder as she and Ciel stepped into the basilica garden.
Ciel glanced back once more and said:
"If anything happens, just summon us."
Alex nodded.
And then — in a shimmer of silver and gold — the two symbols reappeared on the back of his right hand.
They were gone.
Leaving only him.
And Mary.
The silence that followed was… softer.
Alex looked at her. "Walk with me?"
She hesitated — then nodded quickly, still too flustered to form words.
They stepped through the stone archway into a small side path — one that wound through tall cypress trees and old rose gardens tended by generations of Sisters. The wind was light. The leaves whispered, not like voices, but like memories. A marble bench sat beneath an old tree at the edge of a moss-covered fountain.
They walked without speaking for a minute.
And then—
Mary looked up at him shyly.
"Why didn't you tell me everything earlier?"
Alex paused.
"Because… when I'm with you, I don't feel like I have to be that person."
She blinked.
"The one who fights gods and builds space fortresses?"
He gave a half-smile.
"Yeah. Around you, I feel like I can just be… Alex."
Mary looked away, her cheeks pink again.
"I'm still trying to get used to the idea that the boy I prayed with is the same man the Church now whispers about like a miracle."
Alex chuckled quietly. "Do you… want me to be that miracle?"
She shook her head.
"No. I just want you to stay."
They reached the bench. She sat first, folding her hands in her lap.
He sat beside her, leaving a small respectful space between them.
"Can I ask something?" she said suddenly.
He nodded.
She looked down, fingers fidgeting.
"If I had never told you about Mira… if I'd just stayed quiet and normal…"
Her voice softened.
"Would you still have chosen me?"
He didn't answer right away.
Instead, he looked at her.
Her quiet eyes. Her trembling hands. Her gentle breath. Her courage.
Then he reached out, slowly, and took her hand in his.
"Yes."
Her breath caught.
"Even if I wasn't useful? Even if I didn't have wings?"
Alex smiled.
"Especially then."
She looked down at their hands — at the ring glowing gently on her finger.
And for the first time in many years, Mary didn't feel like something inside her was waiting to be rejected.
She felt chosen.
As Mary.
As Mira.
As both.
And she leaned quietly against his shoulder, whispering like a confession meant only for the morning wind:
"Thank you."
Chapter 242 – The Night She Took (18+)
Five days passed like a dream beneath the bells of the Vatican.
There were walks through the cloisters. Moments in the garden. Quiet smiles over morning tea. Whispers between candlelit stone halls. For the first time in years, Mary felt seen. Mira felt alive. And Alex—though surrounded by divine memory and sacred air—felt something close to peace.
But peace has its limits.
And some desires wait only so long.
It was the fifth night.
Alex sat in Mary's room. The lantern light was low. The window was cracked open, letting in a gentle breeze. He turned to speak—
But froze.
Because Mary blinked.
And in a breath…
She wasn't Mary anymore.
Her robe shimmered. Her blue hair shifted to lavender. Her posture straightened. Her eyes gleamed with mischief and hunger.
Mira smiled.
"I've been good," she whispered. "So, so good."
Her voice was velvet-drenched heat.
She leaned forward slowly, licking her lips as her tail swayed behind her in slow, dangerous arcs.
"Five days," she said, climbing onto the bed. "Five nights of pretending I wasn't thinking about this."
Before Alex could react, she pushed him gently down.
"Don't worry, love," she murmured. "I'll be careful."
She straddled him, hands sliding over his chest, her fingers finding the buttons of his shirt.
"But I've earned this."
One by one, she undid them.
Then her own clothes fell — slow, elegant, teasing.
The light caught her curves. Her wings shimmered. Her tail curled with delight.
She leaned down.
Kissed him.
Not like a tease this time.
But like a woman finally claiming what was hers.
"The night is still long," she whispered against his lips.
His cock sprang free, hard and throbbing, the sight of it making Mira's pussy ache with need. She wrapped her fingers around the base, her tongue darting out to taste the bead of precum that had formed at the tip. Alex groaned, his hips bucking involuntarily as Mira took him into her mouth, her lips sliding down his shaft with practiced ease.
She sucked him greedily, her head bobbing in rhythm with the moans that escaped Alex's lips. Her tail snaked around to caress his balls, the gentle pressure sending jolts of pleasure through his body. Mira reveled in his responses, her own arousal growing with each passing second.
But this was only the beginning. Mira released his cock with a pop, a string of saliva connecting her lips to the swollen head of his dick. She stood and straddled him, her wet pussy hovering just above his erection. Locking eyes with Alex, she lowered herself onto him, her walls stretching to accommodate his girth.
The pleasure was exquisite, a symphony of sensation that threatened to overwhelm her. This was her first time with Alex, and the intimacy of the moment was not lost on her. She began to move, her hips undulating as she rode him, each thrust bringing them closer to the edge.
Alex's hands gripped her hips, his fingers digging into her flesh as he fought the urge to come. Mira's tail, ever the source of mischief, found its way between his legs, massaging his testicles with a skill that left him gasping for air.
"Do you like it, Alex?" Mira purred, her voice a sultry whisper in his ear. "Do you like the way my tail teases your balls?"
Alex could only nod, his breath hitching as Mira's pace increased, her movements becoming wild and uninhibited. She leaned down to kiss him, her tongue invading his mouth with the same fervor as her body claimed his cock.
The kiss was deep and passionate, a mingling of tongues and teeth that mirrored the frenzied coupling of their bodies. Mira could feel Alex's orgasm building, his cock swelling inside her.
"Come for me, Alex," she commanded, her voice laced with desire. "Fill me with your seed."
With a guttural cry, Alex obeyed, his cock pulsing as he emptied himself into her willing body. Mira felt the hot flood of his semen inside her, the sensation pushing her over the edge. She climaxed with a scream, her pussy convulsing around his dick, milking every last drop from him.
But Mira was insatiable. Even as Alex's cock softened within her, she was already plotting their next encounter. She dismounted, her eyes gleaming with mischief as she surveyed his still-hard member. Licking her lips, she turned around, presenting her ass to him with a wicked smile.
"I want to try something new," she said, her voice husky with desire.
Before Alex could respond, Mira lowered herself onto his cock once more, but this time, it was her tight asshole that engulfed him. The sensation was unlike anything he had ever experienced, a tight, forbidden heat that seemed to suck him in deeper with each passing second.
Mira moaned, the initial discomfort giving way to a new kind of pleasure. She moved her hips, her tail writhing in the air as she rode him reverse cowgirl style. Her dirty talk spurred Alex on, her filthy words driving him to the brink of madness.
"Fuck my ass, Alex," she panted, her fingers finding her clit and rubbing it in feverish circles. "Make me your dirty little whore."
Alex's hands gripped her hips, his thrusts becoming more forceful as he gave her exactly what she asked for. He could feel his orgasm approaching, a tingling sensation that started at the base of his spine and spread throughout his body.
Mira sensed it too. She leaned forward, her tail reaching up to flick at his nipples as she prepared to receive his load. "Come for me, Alex," she urged, her voice ragged with need. "I want to feel your cum in my ass."
With a final, powerful thrust, Alex obeyed, his cock jerking as he filled her ass with his seed. Mira cried out, her own orgasm crashing over her like a wave, her asshole clenching around his spasming cock.
Spent and breathless, Mira dismounted once more, her body slick with sweat. She assumed the position on all fours, her ass in the air, her tail wagging invitingly. Alex needed no further encouragement. He positioned himself behind her, his cock slipping into her soaked pussy with ease.
He fucked her with abandon, his hands gripping her hips as he pounded into her. Mira's screams of pleasure echoed off the walls, her body rocking back to meet each of his thrusts. She begged him to go harder, to fuck her like the demonic slut she was.
Alex complied, his hips slamming against her ass with a force that would have bruised a human. But Mira was no mere mortal, and she reveled in the pain, each impact driving her closer to the edge.
"I'm going to come again," she moaned, her fingers buried in the sheets. "Make me come, Alex. Fill my pussy with your cum."
With a final, powerful thrust, Alex obeyed, his cock pulsing as he emptied himself into her once more. Mira's orgasm followed almost instantly, her pussy contracting around his dick, her body shuddering with the force of her release.
They collapsed onto the bed, their bodies entwined, their breathing ragged. They spent hours exploring each other's bodies, their passion knowing no bounds. They tried every position imaginable, their lovemaking a testament to their insatiable desire for one another.
The Next Morning
Sunlight poured through the window like a quiet blessing.
Alex stirred beneath the sheets.
Beside him, a soft voice whispered:
"G-Good morning…"
He turned.
Mary was back.
Her face was beet red.
Her hair mussed. Her cheeks warm. The ring still glowing faintly on her finger.
"I-I… I didn't mean… I mean, I know what happened, but…"
She hugged the blanket to her chest and refused to meet his eyes.
"I thought I'd reached my limit before," she whispered, eyes wide with disbelief. "But that… that was the peak of my shyness…"
Alex blinked slowly, rubbing his forehead.
"Yeah… I kind of figured."
Mary squeaked and scrambled to sit up, still red.
"W-We have to get dressed!"
She practically dove for her folded robe, fumbling to cover herself.
Alex stood and reached for his clothes with a quiet nod, the slightest smile tugging at his lips.
Mary glanced at him once mid-change—then covered her eyes immediately, steam practically coming out of her ears.
"I-I can't believe Mira did that…!"
Inside, Mira purred smugly:
"You're welcome."
Mary groaned softly.
And Alex, still buttoning his shirt, chuckled.
Because in this Vatican room, shared by one body and two souls…
He was already part of something far more sacred than any sermon.
Chapter 243 – One Body, One Heart
The morning air in the Vatican was quiet.
Too quiet.
Mary had just finished getting dressed, smoothing out her robes for the third time as if it would somehow smooth out the memory of the night before. She sat stiffly at the edge of the bed, fidgeting with the hem of her sleeve. Her face was still pink.
Alex poured a cup of water and handed it to her wordlessly.
She took it with trembling fingers.
"T-Thank you…"
A small silence passed.
Until—
A faint glow shimmered on the back of Alex's right hand.
Twin sigils—one gold, one silver—sparked softly to life.
From within the magic, two voices emerged. Familiar. Calm. And far too knowing.
Ciel spoke first.
"Congratulations, Mary."
Mary jolted like a startled bird.
"W-What—?!"
Morgan's voice followed, dry and just a touch smug.
"We felt everything, you know. We were… right there."
Mary froze.
Then slowly—very slowly—turned her gaze toward Alex's glowing hand.
Ciel's tone remained warm, serene, and utterly unbothered.
"We didn't mind. Mira didn't act possessive. She didn't try to keep him from us. That means a lot."
"And you," Morgan added, "you didn't push her away. You accepted her. The whole time."
Mary's entire face was red now.
"I-I didn't mean to—I mean, I wasn't trying to… It was her doing, not—!"
"We know," Ciel said gently. "But… didn't you feel it too?"
Mary's mouth opened. Then closed. She looked down at her knees.
Silence.
Then—so soft it was nearly inaudible:
"...Yes."
Both voices fell quiet.
Mary looked horrified.
"I-I mean—! N-Not like that! Just, maybe a little, but only because we share the body and it's confusing and—!"
Morgan's laugh echoed gently from the symbol.
"You don't have to explain. That's the point."
"We're not judging," Ciel added, her voice like sunlight. "We're happy. You're part of us now. One of us."
Mary covered her burning cheeks with both hands.
"How can you say things like that so calmly?!"
"Practice," Ciel said sweetly.
"Endurance," Morgan muttered.
"And love," Ciel finished.
Mary lowered her hands just enough to peek at the glowing sigils.
Her heart thudded quietly against her ribs.
"You… really mean it?"
"Of course," Ciel said softly. "You're not just our sister in name, Mary. You're one in soul."
"Even Mira," Morgan added. "She's not just tolerable. She's… honest. I respect that."
Mary bit her lower lip, heart full and flustered.
"I don't deserve this…"
Alex, still quiet, gently placed a hand on her shoulder.
"You do."
Mary looked at him — and then at the glowing symbols.
And she finally whispered:
"Then I'll do my best. For both of us."
Inside her, Mira stirred softly.
"Took you long enough, sweet thing."
The sigils still shimmered softly on Alex's hand.
Mary sat quietly beside him, her fingers now laced together in her lap, still pink in the cheeks but no longer trembling.
The silence held a different tone now — no longer flustered, but thoughtful.
Then, Mary spoke.
Softly.
But with surprising certainty.
"I want to stay a nun."
Ciel and Morgan both paused. The symbols pulsed lightly — not in disapproval, but listening.
Alex turned to her gently. "Even after everything?"
She nodded.
"Even with Mira. Even with my bloodlines… and even with you."
Her voice didn't tremble this time.
"The Church is my home. I was raised here. The Sisters taught me to find peace, even when I didn't understand myself. And the prayers… they gave my soul shape when it felt scattered."
She looked at Alex, eyes clear now.
"Even now… I don't see it as a cage."
Morgan's voice broke the silence, surprisingly calm.
"It isn't. Not if you choose it."
Mary smiled.
"I want to stay here. Serve here. But I don't want to pretend anymore. I don't want to hide what I am."
She glanced at the sigils on Alex's hand.
"If I can walk both paths — one as a sister of faith… and one as a woman in love — then I want to."
Ciel's voice was warm.
"Then we'll support you."
Morgan nodded.
"So long as you don't go full 'forbidden vows' and try to swear celibacy after last night."
Mary nearly choked.
"M-Morgan!"
"Just making sure."
Even Mira giggled from within:
"She's got a point. You've already sinned so beautifully."
Mary groaned and buried her face in her hands again.
Alex smiled — calm, patient.
"Then we'll work around it. We always do."
Mary looked at him.
And, despite her embarrassment, smiled back.
The Vatican bells rang softly in the distance — no judgment in their tone, only quiet blessing.
Chapter 244 – Farewell Beneath the Bells
The sun was beginning to set.
The chapel bells rang in soft golden tones as Alex stood near the garden gate beside Mary, the quiet wind fluttering her robe and hair. Behind her, the white towers of the Vatican stood tall, bathed in the last light of the day.
Mary clutched her hands gently, her expression calm but wistful.
"So… this is goodbye?"
Alex smiled faintly.
"Not for long."
He lifted his hand, and with a shimmer of air, a teleportation seal spun slowly beneath his feet — glowing with the elegant geometry of his personal magic, stable and silent.
"I can return any time. I'll visit as often as I can."
Mary's eyes widened slightly.
"You can teleport…?"
"Across oceans, dimensions, even into sanctified territory. Mira doesn't know that part yet," he added with a teasing glance.
From within, Mira's voice muttered:
"You tease me, then leave me… cruel man."
Mary laughed softly.
"Then… I'll be waiting."
Alex stepped close and gently reached out, brushing a strand of her hair behind her ear.
"And I'll come back. I promise."
She nodded.
Then, as he began to fade into the light of the seal—
"Alex."
He paused.
Mary stepped forward and gave him a quick, shy kiss on the cheek.
"For both of us."
And then he vanished.
Later, Back Home
The air shimmered as Alex stepped into the living room of his home — warm sunlight still spilling in through the tall windows. The moment he appeared, he was greeted by the scent of tea and the comfortable sound of quiet conversation.
Hanabi looked up from the couch. "Oh, you're back!"
Airi offered a nod from her reading chair. "Welcome home."
Mircella, lounging across a crimson pillow, tilted her head. "Did the Vatican fall?"
Queen Ileana — sipping wine, ever composed — gave him a small smile. "Or did someone?"
Alex blinked.
"...Technically, neither."
The room went quiet.
Ciel and Morgan had already emerged beside him, calm and unreadable.
Hanabi spoke first.
"So. New girl?"
Alex hesitated.
"...Two."
Airi blinked. "Two?"
Alex rubbed the back of his neck.
"It's a long story. She has two personalities. They're both… real. They're aware of each other. And they both love me."
A beat of silence.
Then—
Mircella leaned back and sighed. "Of course they do."
Hanabi blinked, then said flatly, "So now you're collecting doubles?"
Queen Ileana chuckled. "It would be troublesome… if it weren't so completely expected of you."
Airi set her book down and sighed. "What are their names?"
"Mary," Alex said. "And Mira."
Ciel added gently, "They're both kind. And sincere. One is shy. The other is… not."
Morgan smirked. "To put it mildly."
The other girls shared a glance.
Then—
Hanabi nodded. "Well, as long as they're nice."
Airi muttered, "It's not like we didn't see this coming…"
Mircella rolled her eyes. "Just don't let the priest girl bless the bed before we use it."
Queen Ileana smiled knowingly.
"Whether there are two, or four, or more… as long as your love remains constant, we will not waver."
Alex blinked at her.
She raised her wine glass.
"Besides, two minds in one body means twice the competition. How delightful."
Morgan muttered, "You're all insane."
Ciel simply smiled.
"He always brings us together. That's what matters."
Alex looked at all of them.
His mismatched family of goddesses, vampires, foxes, students, nobles… and now, a nun and a succubus sharing a heart.
And he smiled.
"Thank you."
The laughter had quieted.
The sun had fully dipped behind the horizon.
And now, once again, the air shimmered.
A seal of glowing silver-and-gold spun to life beneath Alex's feet — this time embedded with the familiar resonance of elven leyline permission. Not Earth. Not the Vatican.
Alfheim.
A soft wind greeted him as he stepped onto the crystal-lined stone path outside the Sunleaf Palace. The glowing trees whispered in starlight, their golden leaves catching the moonlight above like halos.
Alex stood in front of a tall, intricately carved door — woven with emerald threads, its center bearing Vira's crest.
He knocked once.
There was a pause.
Then a familiar voice, firm but slightly tired, replied:
"It's open."
Alex stepped inside.
The room was softly lit — moonlight filtering through vine-etched windows, a few gentle lamps hovering near the ceiling. Vira stood near her desk, removing her gloves, her long golden hair tied back in a loose braid. She turned.
Saw him.
And narrowed her eyes.
"You're back."
He gave her a small nod. "I wanted to tell you in person."
She folded her arms slowly.
"Let me guess. Another girl?"
Alex hesitated. Then replied honestly.
"Two."
Vira blinked.
Then stared.
"...What?"
He stepped closer, voice calm. "She has two distinct souls. Two minds. They both love me. They're not rivals — they're… sisters in one body."
Vira's expression remained unreadable.
She walked past him slowly, thoughtful.
"And you love both of them?"
Alex answered without hesitation.
"Yes."
Vira stopped in front of the window, backlit by moonlight. She didn't respond at first. Then, with a quiet exhale—
"You really are hopeless."
He said nothing.
Then—
"Did you come here to ask if I was okay with it?"
Alex shook his head. "No. I just wanted you to hear it from me first."
There was a long silence.
Vira turned her head, eyes gleaming faintly.
"...Then I'll say what the others won't."
She stepped toward him.
"As long as you keep being you — the one who sees all of us not as trophies, but as women worth standing beside — I'll accept whoever joins."
Then, softly—
"But I'm still going to win."
Alex blinked. "Win?"
She smirked, brushing past him.
"I'm already your first wife," she said with a quiet smirk. "I took your first — and that makes it official."
Chapter 245 – The Youngest Thread Sleeps
Far above the mortal realms, in a plane untouched by time or decay, the Hall of Threads stood suspended among the stars.
In its center, beneath an ancient tapestry woven from the past, present, and future — sat Skuld.
Or rather… her body.
Her eyes were closed. Her breath steady. Her presence unmoving.
She had not spoken in three days.
Not laughed. Not teased. Not unraveled destiny like yarn between her fingers.
Across from her, Urd, the eldest of the Norns, stood with furrowed brows. Her long silver braid coiled like a river of time down her back. She touched the crystal loom gently, eyes scanning the lines of fate.
"Still nothing…"
Beside her, Verðandi, the middle sister — glowing with present-bound magic and wrapped in runes of balance — paced slowly.
"It's not just that she won't wake," she murmured. "It's that… something has taken hold of her sight."
"The future vanished for her," Urd confirmed. "Like someone closed a door she never thought could be shut."
The two sisters exchanged a look.
Then Verðandi spoke first:
"We have to speak to him."
Later – Earth, Alex's Home
The air shimmered once again as Alex finished brewing tea in the kitchen.
Ciel glanced up.
Morgan paused mid-page of her book.
"Visitors," Ciel said quietly.
In the next moment, a ripple of divine pressure swept over the room — not oppressive, but ancient. Two figures appeared silently at the edge of the threshold: tall, serene, and cloaked in garments woven from stars and threads of raw time.
Urd and Verðandi.
Everyone in the room stilled.
Except Alex.
He simply set the teapot down.
"I'm guessing this isn't a formal summon."
Urd stepped forward with a graceful nod.
"No. It's a sincere visit. And an apology."
Alex blinked. "Apology?"
Verðandi placed a hand to her chest.
"Our youngest sister… Skuld. She looked into your future without permission."
"She failed," Urd added. "Your fate remains… unreadable. Void."
"But we still wish to apologize," Verðandi said softly. "Even curiosity should have limits."
Alex watched them for a moment, reading the honesty in their posture. Then he nodded.
"I accept."
A pause.
Then Urd added:
"But that's not all."
Verðandi stepped closer.
"Skuld hasn't woken in three days. Her thread—her vision—has disconnected. Her mirrors are blank. Her loom refuses to spin."
Ciel stood slowly. "You believe it's connected to him."
"We don't know," Urd admitted. "But the timing began shortly after she attempted to reach into his line of fate."
Verðandi looked at Alex directly — not with awe or challenge, but with quiet hope.
"Would you… help her?"
"We don't know what you are, not fully," Urd added. "But if anyone can pull her back…"
"It's the one who stands outside the pattern."
The room was silent for a beat.
Then Alex nodded once.
"Take me to her."
The transition into the Norns' realm was unlike teleportation or divine summoning. It was like falling upward through stillness — weightless, silent, inevitable.
Alex stepped onto solid marble underfoot, though it looked like woven stars. The room was circular, immense, and surrounded by hundreds of thread-lines spinning through the void like music turned physical. Every strand carried a flicker of someone's life — beginning, middle, or end.
But in the center…
A bed of pale wood floated within a suspended garden of stardust and glass blossoms.
And on it —
Skuld.
The youngest of the Norns.
Her body was small, delicate, resting peacefully on a nest of white silk and ivy-veined sheets. Her silver-blonde hair spilled across the pillow like moonlight. Her lips were slightly parted. Her expression… content.
As if she had fallen asleep while daydreaming.
But the threads around her were still.
No laughter.
No pranks.
No spark.
Just… silence.
Ciel stepped forward slowly. The sigils beneath her feet barely made a sound.
She knelt beside the bed, raising one hand — her fingers glowing gold as she whispered a subtle spirit-reading chant. Thin waves of divine resonance spread from her palm, brushing gently over Skuld's body like ripples through starlight.
Her brows furrowed.
"She's not hurt."
Urd nodded. "We know."
"But her spirit is curled inward," Ciel continued. "Not sealed. Not shattered. Just… sleeping in a place beyond thought."
Morgan folded her arms. "She trapped herself?"
Verðandi looked quietly at her sister.
"Not intentionally."
Ciel stood again, her voice calm, but laced with insight.
"This isn't a curse. It's the consequence of a power pushed too far. She tried to see someone else's future… someone without a linear timeline."
Her eyes met Alex's.
"She tried to look into you. But she didn't protect herself. Didn't anchor her perception."
Alex asked softly, "What does that mean?"
Ciel glanced back at Skuld.
"She kept seeing your futures. All of them. None of them. Branching. Folding. Looping. Ending. Beginning. She lost track of her own thread in the process."
Morgan sighed.
"So basically, she poked the mystery too hard and now she's stuck in a vision."
Ciel nodded.
"A spirit coma. Not from exhaustion, but overexposure. Her essence is scattered across projected timelines — and because of her nature, she went too deep. She's curious. Mischievous. She probably thought it was a game."
Verðandi whispered, "That sounds like her…"
Urd's jaw tightened slightly. "She always pushed too far. But it was how she grew stronger."
Ciel walked closer and placed a hand gently over Skuld's heart.
"She's not gone. Just… lost."
Alex stepped beside her.
He looked down at the sleeping girl — one hand curled near her chin like a child who fell asleep mid-thought. She looked younger like this. Less like a Norn. More like a girl.
He narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Then it's time to go find her."
Ciel stood still beside Skuld's sleeping body.
She turned to Alex and quietly extended her hand.
"I can guide your spirit. You'll remain tethered, but only barely. You'll have to find her — and convince her to come back."
Alex nodded once, unwavering.
"Do it."
Golden runes spun around Ciel's fingers. She pressed her palm gently over his chest.
"Close your eyes."
And with a single breath—
The world fell away.
Within Skuld's Dream
There was no light.
No sound.
No color.
Only black.
An endless, quiet void that pressed against Alex's spirit as he stepped forward. It felt like walking through still water, each movement weightless and slow. There was no up or down. No boundary. Just absence.
But then—
A sound.
Faint.
A child's voice, fragile and quivering.
"...Sister?"
It was distant. Echoing. Like a memory left behind in a forgotten room.
Alex moved toward it, guided by instinct more than sight. The blackness rippled, warping with each step until something emerged in the distance — the faint outline of a golden thread, floating like silk caught in wind.
And beneath it—
A small figure.
Curled up.
Alone.
Crying.
He slowed.
At first, he thought it couldn't be her.
Skuld, the youngest Norn — prankster, chaos-bringer, star-eyed brat who toyed with divine messengers and rerouted fate like puzzle pieces. That's what he'd heard.
But the girl before him…
Wasn't that.
She looked about twelve, with long golden hair that fell messily around her shoulders. Her delicate hands clutched a tattered cloth doll — one eye missing, thread unraveling. Her knees were pulled to her chest as she sat in the void, shoulders trembling.
Tears rolled down her cheeks.
Her golden eyes shimmered with fear.
"Where… where are they…?"
Her voice cracked.
"Verðandi? Urd? D-Don't leave me again…"
Alex's chest tightened slightly.
This wasn't a goddess.
This wasn't a myth.
It was a little girl, lost in her own power.
He stepped forward slowly, careful not to startle her.
"Skuld."
She gasped.
Her head whipped up.
Her eyes locked onto him, wide with surprise and wariness.
"...Who are you…?"
Her voice was tiny. Her hands gripped the doll tighter.
Alex knelt slowly to her level.
"A friend."
"Y-You shouldn't be here…" she whispered. "This place doesn't belong in time. I… I can't see anything anymore…"
Alex looked at her gently.
"You tried to see too much, didn't you?"
She flinched.
"I just… I wanted to see your thread. Everyone said it was scary and twisted and impossible. So I thought… if I unraveled it… maybe it wouldn't be so scary anymore…"
Her voice cracked.
"But I kept going. And going. And then the light disappeared. And the colors. And the mirrors broke. And I forgot how to get home…"
She covered her face.
"I didn't mean to…"
Alex reached out slowly.
And placed a hand on her trembling shoulder.
"It's okay."
Skuld blinked up at him, tears still running down her cheeks.
"...It is?"
"You're not alone."
She looked down again.
Whispered.
"But I don't know how to go back."
Alex gave her the smallest of smiles.
"Then I'll walk with you."