Core is an essential person to my own plans. She's not only someone that has many advantages but by understanding of what has just happened her growth is something to really applaud of.
She is literally the core of supervision and administration of the Tower of Trial and the people living in it, the one who can actually make that I can experience memories of all the beings coming in contact with any of us, the one who manages the shops that have been appearing recently in Intris, the one who mainly gathers and summarizes all intel and information, while doing everything simultaneously. The golems exists so that Core does not have too much burden in her shoulders but Core still manages every affair.
This might be the biggest weakness that my forces have but it is also the strongest and most useful thing in my hands.
Core it is an existence that cannot be killed and be protected at all cost from any danger, but what happens if Core herself is a danger to my own being? From Hecate's words, I understood several things that happened behind the scenes; the deal between Core and the overseers, the nightmares caused by the will of the universe and the current situation I found myself in because I understimated the value and worth of Core. No dungeon cannot replace Core's existence, she is someone I became fond of and, unfortunately, cannot reciprocate the love she eagerly is seeking to me and I also cannot play with her heart just to for my entertainment. Yes, this is a special treatment solely for Core.
Ah, Core, I am so proud of you. You gained freedom on your own. You had the possibility to have just run away or even used your powers to do anything you wanted but decided to follow me, no, maybe following me and observing me till this day has been for own interest, and above all you managed to hide your emotions every time we interacted with each other, your body language, facial expressions, words and even your eyes did not give your thoughts and emotions. Isn't that delightful and at the same time frightening? You could have done worse things than kidnapping me and attempting to erase some of my memories and at the same time not causing too much backlash to me. It is downright terrifying that there has been someone lurking near me for years with hidden intentions.
So.
"..."
Don't give me those eyes.
"Deva? Are you awake?"
Those hopeful eyes that now seems to have a bright light if I were to carefully observe them.
Slowly, I got up. My senses gradually returned even though the dreams and nightmares I had seemed to be so realistic. My entire naked body was exposed and even the rings and bracelets that should have been in my fingers and wrists seemed to have been taken off but my dizzy eyes made sure that Core wouldn't notice that my mind was extremely clear as pure water.
I was worried about my wives and the others but I trusted Core to not be that impulsive, trusted that Core would not choose a single path and has prepared other plans in case her plans were to fail.
"Core." There wasn't a hint of confusion but that of someone who seemed to know everything and this obviously caused Core to slightly panic since this reaction was a bit off for her.
"I have returned. Thank you."
She closed her eyes.
That was it. That was enough for Core to understand. That something went wrong to her plans and instead of doing anything reckless she remained still with her closed eyes and waited my sentence.
"You did well." I patted her head.
"Truly, you did well. My close friend, you did well and I applaud you of that." I sincerely said that.
Core did not ask anything. She did not ask how I knew, why she failed or why I was treating her like that, she just shed tears of both joy and dejection.
Joy because she was important enough that I genuinely cared for her and wanted her to be a good companion and dejection that my love won't be extended to her and is only for my five wives, while the term love might be a bit twisted with everything that happened with my actions but my love, to what others refer as true love, is solely towards Velena, Ira, Theresa, Edea and Era.
I held Core's hands.
"We are no longer have a relationship of a owner and a subject but that of two equal people. The shackles of being my subject have been already broken long ago and now that I know about that we are now companions."
The lights in Core's eyes fluctuated and after that Core bowed her head for a moment before meeting my eyes.
"How cruel of you. My obsession cannot disappear that quickly and I won't allow it to dissipate. My love might not have been reciprocated but that does not mean that I'll stop loving you."
Core might not have crossed the line and achieved what she wanted but that does not mean that she gave up entirely and instead would continue to love me, just not the same of that of a lover.
...
...
...
Moments before.
"I am a Daeva. Yes, a malicious and malevolent entity. Just that single encounter with Mother made me understand such thing."
Yes, that's right. You are one of the daughters of that Angra Mainyu. Since we came to this topic, why don't I give you a gift? You can treat it as a proof of sincerity of us Devils.
"What it is?"
It is the awakening of your Daeva's powers.
"Is there a price for such thing?"
Yes, there is. You will gain independence from the influence of systems, stats, will of the universes and that of 'Everything', your blessings shall remain despite being a Daeva itself means that you have countless lives with the price of losing the you of the present.
"That is also a form of death. In the present, the Deva in front of you has only two lives and after that she will be another person."
Yes, yes. Many of your skills and titles will remain but you won't be able to see them in a status window but you won't really need that with how you've been using your skills so naturally for a long time. Lilith won't be able to possess your body anymore so it's a win-win.
"Then...you can do it now?"
Yes, we are ready to give you this special gift.
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