"That's... not something I can invoke... not because I can't, but there's just... no point in risking everything else just to explain something that isn't meant to be framed as anything at all."
Roselia and I fell silent, seeing Anathasia, The Anathasia Veridielle Augthoria... vulnerable...
It was something even we, the Outer Gods, had never once witnessed.
Kagariel remained in the background-a silent, looming presence watching over us. Despite how difficult it was to read him through the form of a hydra, his subtle shifts in posture were enough to tell that Anathasia's revelation had shaken him as well.
Just as deeply as it had shaken Roselia and myself.
Then, Anathasia's usual mask slipped back into place before any of us could ask another question.
"Anyway, I just came here to check on what was happening," she smiled, waving her hand as her form began to dissipate.
"Also, that Demiurge's Image earlier will recreate itself without the rot, so no worries. Kagariel just woke up as well, so I figured I'd repurpose that Image while I was at it."
Her figure continued to fade from the Collective Sphere.
"Byee~ and don't be too harsh on Kagariel, Roselia. It wasn't his fault, after all. I already fixed everything, right?"
Her form vanished, her voice lingering a moment longer before fading as well.
-
Only after she was gone did Roselia finally straighten fully.
She glanced at Kagariel. The hydra remained where he was, vast and unreadable.
"'It's too close to his...'" Roselia murmured.
Her brows knit together.
"Her attachment to that boy..." she trailed off.
She exhaled slowly.
"If left unchecked, it will spell disaster."
She turned to Kagariel, then to me.
"The Demiurge's Image that boy's reality belongs to," Roselia said quietly. "We need to ensure nothing threatens the multiverse his universe resides within."
A pause.
"Because if something harms that boy..."
Her lips curved into a small, humorless smile.
"Who knows what would happen, especially with Miss Veridielle involved."
She let out a soft, unamused chuckle.
"In fact..."
Her gaze drifted.
"We may find the entire stratums ending up just like that Demiurgic Image."
We exchanged a look.
Kagariel dissolved back into the Ruins without a word, while Roselia remained by my side.
---
Back in Kyle's reality
Earth
Inside the boy's residence
"Alright, we'll review everything on campus tomorrow after this," I said with a small smile, setting my copy down on the table as Joseph and Arianne began packing their things.
"Mhm, and is it okay if I take my copy with me?" Arianne asked lightly, slipping her bag onto her shoulder while holding the papers in hand. "I feel like I can expand my part a bit more so Joseph has extra time to prepare for his section."
I nodded, standing from the couch as I gathered the empty cups and placed them onto the tray where the pastries had been earlier.
"Of course. That's actually why I made multiple copies," I said, lifting the tray.
"Feel free to take them home. It'll probably be better that way."
My gaze drifted briefly to Anathasia.
[Mind escorting them out? I'll start with the dishes.]
She glanced up at me and nodded, setting her papers aside as she stood.
[Consider it done.]
I watched for a moment longer as she moved ahead, striking up light conversation with Arianne as they headed out of the living room.
-
The house settled once the group dispersed. The soft rush of running water and the occasional clink of porcelain filling the kitchen.
Still... something didn't feel right.
Then again, living with-no, dating-someone who could have been the object of every nightmare imaginable came with its own set of problems.
"Though I can't say she looks the part," I muttered, "or even acts like it..."
If anything, she's getting better than me at being human.
For some reason, that didn't unsettle me the way it probably should have.
"Should I be proud that I'm influencing someone like her...?" I murmured. "It's not like I'm doing it out of malice..."
The water kept running as I rinsed the soap from the cups, the bubbles slipping away down the drain.
"I think that's fine," Anathasia suddenly chimed in, casually stepping into the kitchen.
"If you did try doing something out of malice," she added, taking a seat on one of the stools by the counter behind me, "then we might have some problems."
"That's true," I nodded, setting the cups back onto their rack. "Either way, I'm not really interested in power or reality-bending stuff."
I turned to look at her.
She had been watching me the entire time while resting her cheeks in her hands, that same gentle, serene expression on her face. Unmoving. Patient.
"What?" I tilted my head slightly.
"Anything wrong?"
She blinked once.
"Is there something wrong with my face?" she asked, her expression unchanged.
"No," I shook my head gently. "You look beautiful as always. But that's... normal at this point."
I shrugged it off, walking around the countertop as I took my phone out.
"That said, did you run into any issues while making your profile?"
I glanced at her phone screen as I stopped beside her.
"Well, no," she replied, opening her socials as my username appeared in her requests list.
"Did it just like you said."
She tapped accept, then shamelessly started scrolling through my profile like some kind of stalker.
"No issues."
My brows furrowed slightly as I watched her go through my photos, occasionally saving some from back then.
"Oi."
"Hm?"
"Why exactly are you saving my photos?"
"Research purposes?"
I set my phone down on the counter, then reached over and pinched her cheek.
"Research purposes my ass. You were straight-up ogling me in those pictures where I still had ridiculously long hair!"
"It's your fault for being too gorgeous even back then!" she shot back, grabbing my wrist.
"Besides, who made you anyway?" she added, prying my hand away before lightly biting my finger.
This girl...
"Oh, I don't know. My parents?"
"Then I'll have to thank them for creating such a masterpiece," she said without a hint of shame.
I sighed, trying to pull my hand back.
"Okay. Let go."
"No."
"I said let go."
She glared at me for a second, then released my finger just enough for a thin string of saliva to stretch between us.
I shivered.
"...Dude. That's pretty damn disgusting."
When did this suddenly get so weirdly erotic?
She wiped her lips with the back of her hand, unfazed.
"Is it really that bad to appreciate my boyfriend's appearance?" she said, crossing her arms.
"No, but-" I stopped.
...Maybe I should just let her have this. It's not that serious anyway...
"Yeah, you should," she added.
I immediately glanced at her, my expression flattening.
"Girl, did you really just-"
She shrugged, eyes darting away like she hadn't just casually read my mind again.
"Why do you even need pictures anyway?" I asked. "We're literally living together."
Her expression went flat as well, mirroring mine as she looked at me like I'd just said something incredibly stupid.
"Oh, so you're allowed to keep pictures of me," she said slowly, "but I'm not allowed to keep pictures of you?"
I stiffened.
How'd she know?
I lunged for my phone-but she snatched it before I could.
"What do we have here, hm?"
She unlocked it without hesitation and opened my gallery.
"Like this," she said, turning the screen toward me.
It was the photo I'd taken of her asleep on the couch not long ago.
Her expression stayed perfectly flat.
"That's..." I looked away.
"...research purposes?"
She stared at me, unimpressed. Then continued scrolling through my photos. Most of them were notes, with a few photos of her cooking or from our occasional dates.
Though, after a while of scrolling, she seemed satisfied enough and simply handed my phone back to me with small hmph.
"So? Don't you think I should also be allowed to keep pictures of you as well?"
I stayed silent, nodding in response, my gaze glued on her lap.
"That's what I thought,"
She reached out, casually tilting my chin as my eyes met hers.
"This little face... is mine-"
"Dude, playing the part of a girlboss from those novels you read doesn't suit you." I cut in, her eyes widening as her lips parted, then closed.
This time, she looked annoyed.
"...can you not ruin my moment every time I try something new?!" she complained as I pulled back, shrugging.
"Someone as soft, gentle, and serene looking like you already disqualifies you from that kind of role." I added, reaching out to pat her head.
"And fine, keep them."
She grumbled unintelligible things under her breath, but never made a move to pull away or anything else.