I was on the 4th floor of the inn. It was a 6 story building. From the 4th floor VIP suites were given. Since I had all the money I could need, I booked it. It was a whole platinum coin! I did have money but even for me. For a night 1 platinum coin seemed too much but my doubts were cleared when I went inside the room. It was practically luxurious. It even had a bath which could easily be used by 3 to 4 people at once. The bed and the furniture were fancy and the view from the window was beautiful. I could see the clear sky and the glowing capital. This inn was near a corner of the capital. This corner was a little higher than the capitals center, so this view could easily be obtained by some good engineered projects.
As I reached the room and finally got inside, I released the sleeping Ridge from my hold and set her down on the bed. Since my dinner had lasted longer than most, she had plopped down on my lap and slept most of the dinner away. Even though she was really enthusiastic about the food, she only took some deserts and fruits as meals, it seemed that she liked sweets and fruits.
…..
After putting down Ridge, I had opted to look at the majestic view that the window had, small flickers of ligth could be seen in the distance, and the night sky was clear, there wasn't a singe dark cloud, although the moon couldn't be seen, the night sky was very attractive, compared to the Edge of the world, this really felt like heaven. Soon I saw Ridge wake up too and I asked.
"Should I get in the bath? I could…. What about you Ridge… You are a spirit but having a bath is relaxing too.."
"Yeah I could use a bath. I liked to bathe too before I was trapped in that horrible cave… natural river water, temperature that wasn't too cold or hot, it could release your fatigue pretty easily."
"Okay then you can go first then I.."
"What are you saying, it's okay, come, it's fun to share a bath. Or are you shy ...huh..~" She tried to tease me in a cherry-tone. It wasn't really that I was shy, no, I just liked to give people some privacy if they needed but now since she was fine I also agreed.
"Okay then let's go…"
"Yeah~ that's what I like to hear.." it seems Ridge likes her company in a bath.
We went to the big bath and started to rinse ourselves before entering the tub. It was very spacious. I think the bathroom was made by space magic. Or how else would they be able to make such a big one. The room was very elegantly designed. even the mirror was quite clear, I heard it was very expensive in this world, but I guess the rich still could afford it.
"I can wash your back if you would like~" offered Ridge, she looked very happy while having dinner. She had also eaten some of the dishes. since People couldn't see her, I had to feed her, but really rather than her, it was me that enjoyed it.
[Yeah good food and some VIP treatment that is..!] Amanori on the other hand looked a little annoyed. I think she was just jealous so I thought of giving her a good polish later before sleeping. That would surely make her a little happy.
"Okay... Let me do it for you too…" I offered Ridge the same, although she seemed a little surprised but she nodded with amusement, she was pretty and although I was far from reaching adulthood, I did have the consciousness of an adult. Who wouldn't like to build a good relationship with someone beautiful?
"You know? I thought spirits were untouchable beings but now I think I didn't really know anything about them." I said while rubbing her back with a towel. even with the towel, I can say Ridge is extremely soft to the touch.
"Hmm well.. Humans know very little about us, so that's normal but yes spirits can't really be touched by anyone apart from higher life forms, I guess you are rather Irregular as you had stated before. After forming a bond with you, I can feel myself as a spirit as well as a mortal."
Then does that mean, she can take some of my characteristic... then maybe I can do the same, I can maybe become more like spirits if I take some of her attributes too...
the system didn't say anything, it was probably doing that same thing...
"Hmm I see.. Well mortal or not, I don't think I ever felt skin so soft and smooth so that's a unique trait I see in spirits." I muttered. it didn't really have any ulterior motive. Her skin was smooth and soft unlike any other. The touch itself presented something that I had never felt. I knew for sure, without proper cosmetics, it was impossible for humans to have skin like this... the perhaps spirits really did have it easy. I made a vow to make proper cosmetics for girls back home, I want their skin to be just like this! although I won't be touching them, but seeing such beauties becoming more beautiful was a treat that only I could get with the chance that I had.
"Wha..Wha.. Wha.. What ! Are you saying all of a sudden…." as I was living my fantasy, For some reason Ridge became rather embarrassed by my compliment though? It was kinda my fault, any woman would be embarrassed. I thought that spirits did not care about these things. although this realization came a bit late, the damage had already been done.
"Sorry about that, I tend to speak my mind sometimes, well it's done. You can rinse now, I'll be in the bath." Since she looked flustered, I gave her some space and went to the bathtub. The water was warm but not too much. It felt like I was relieving all my stress.
Some time later, Ridge also entered and she had wrapped herself in a towel. by the way, she looked drop dead gorgeous like that. I think if I were an adult, I would be rather flustered but my young body could handle these situations, well, also, I tended to keep those thoughts aside for now. I mean I had to be at least in my late teenage years to think stuff like that. More than that, for some reason after meeting Leila, my interest with other girls and women seem to have dwindled a lot. I could only think of her when I think of a girl… is this what love is like? What has that girl done to me?
I tried a lot around the city tonight, but not a single girl caught my attention, even if I tried to get myself more hyped up, I could only see the hallucinations of Leila... I kept the thought to myself, not Ridge nor Amanori should know about this... I might really be done in by that girl...
At the time I didn't know but as the holder of the blessing from Goddess of love, my will to conquer the one I love was something much more than a casual fling, it seemed that if I had become infatuated with a girl, for the time being, I would only be able to look or think about that same person. even within other girls, that same girl would be hovering in my mind.
"Sorry for my overreaction. Rekka you know sometimes your talks seem like….. Well I can say that you have a special charm about yourself…"
I laughed Ridge's words off. We rested a little more before drying ourselves and going to the bedroom. I got out first. Ridge came out a little later. She had already said that spirits did not need to sleep and said that I should sleep.
I had started to polish Amanori after my bath. I knew It was a little out of the schedule but I did it so that she wasn't the only one left out from a good evening. I and Ridge did enjoy ourselves by partaking in food and relaxing, so this was fair.
[Yeah that's… it!! Put a little back into it…. Hmm good good ....~!] Amanori always likes my polishing skills. Still, it felt like I was massaging an old man by hearing the things she said. After the first time I had done it, she said she felt refreshed after our polishing session, so I had continued this.
"Okay that should be enough…"
[yeah…~ that's good okay, okay I'll say it was 7 out of 10….]
"Well thanks for your comments. I'll go to sleep then.."
I got myself into bed and went to sleep. I saw Ridge was now moving around the room. She was interested to see the fancy furniture so maybe she was checking them out.
"Good night Rekka..~" said Ridge. I also said the same and went to sleep.
System start: Cell to cell remodeling process at full capacity, duration... until I deactivate it..
{Process started: Cell to cell remodeling}
Living a high life… it felt nice…
Finally being able to feel the luxury of civilization Rekka realized that his life had really changed from the days of being stranded. Maybe it was a late realization but it was normal when you think that he was stranded from the moment he had started his life.
...…..
Ridge was an Earth spirit. Before all her bad luck had begun, she had been a free easygoing spirit. Sometimes, she gave people or many animals her blessings. Unlike many other spirits, she never really stayed in a fixed place. It was a very human thing to do but for a spirit, it was nothing but the weirdest thing to do, well, all that came to an end when she had been trapped in that wretched cave for who knows how long.
Then suddenly her life stopped, after a long long time life came to a start again by a small human she met, now she was looking at the same human boy named Rekka. To her, Rekka was something so irregular, she couldn't even begin to understand it. Other humans beside him were just too immature or incapable of understanding his irregularities.
"I guess ignorance is bliss~" She said to herself, 'cause if humans did understand his potential, he may have been isolated for people's own gain.
Right now Ridge was looking at Rekka. He was asleep, it was still night. Ridge was looking at him while she lay in bed beside him. She was feeling bored so this was the only thing she could think of, although spirits didn't need any sleep, they still could sleep, but to her surprise, she couldn't sleep after getting near Rekka. Something odd was happening to Rekka in his sleep. It was like his whole body was sucking in spiritual energy and letting it out every second, but every time the energy took in was much more than the energy that was let out. he was constantly pushing more and more spirit energy inside him, as if stuffing it until it overflowed, but every time she thought it would overflow, even more energy sucked into him.
Since she was a spirit, this kind of thing didn't really matter to her. She didn't even know why he was doing this but the thing that surprised her was how Rekka was controlling this energy. It was the same as how a spirit handles its energy. The sheer control of this power was something hardly any spirit could do, but he was doing it in his sleep, just who was this guy?
Using spirit energy more fluently than even many spirits could use… he could give any spirit a complex for sure.
For now she let herself sleep beside Rekka without thinking too much, she was actually quite fond of him. He had the same aura as her. to spirits this was something special. That's why even though it still hadn't been a day since they met each other, both of them had gotten closer to each other.
...
It was early morning, the sun had just shown itself, Rekka was starting to get up but to his surprise, he was actually in a blissful moment. He thought to himself that by some miracle he had been able to be Ridge's hug pillow. She was hugging him right now. Few moments later, her eyes opened.
"Well good morning…" said Rekka
"Hmm.. Good morning…" Ridge got up and gave a smile towards Rekka, there wasn't really an awkward atmosphere, even Rekka was thinking that it was natural and that's how their morning started. They freshened up and went towards the cafeteria to have breakfast.
...
Hey Ridge we are going to have breakfast first, then we'll head towards home. I was also planning to hunt some wild animals to bring home.
"Hmm okay!"
Well you look happy? Did something good happen?
"Well it was the first time I woke up to someone saying good morning, so of course I am happy"
Hmm.. don't worry, I know how you feel. I was alone too for a long time, maybe not as long as you, but it was long, so I know how you feel. There will be many more people around, so I am sure you won't get lonely, so let's go.
I assured her and we had breakfast. It was nice, bread and butter with some fried egg, a very nice breakfast, although the bread could have been more tasty but since the progress of civilization was still far from the 21st century I was from. It was adequate. The taste that comes from the food here is mostly because of fresh ingredients, even if there is a lack of spices. In a way, we could say this civilization has turned into a completely different way to find good cuisine.
We checked out and headed for a carriage near the station. The inn was worth the money, I could feel the weariness leaving me when I was back there. I know I had my own home now, but after I could spen some time apart from everyone I knew, only then did my feel my self getting nice and relaxed...
[greats being like me do love their solitude, maybe I affected you somehow?]
of course what Amanori said could be true, there were times when me and Amanori didn't talk and that went on for months, it wasn't like we had any argument, it was just that being silent sometimes helped.
"Hey, why don't I make a mini form of myself? so that way I can hang around you easily." Ridge voiced out her thougths when I broke out of my musings.
Okay that would be great.
[Do what you want!!]
"Ooh my~ are you jealous that I could also hang around Rekka? but don't worry, I won't be on him 24 hours like you Amanori..~"
[hngnhg!]
Hey why are you guys bickering now, I am trying to talk here…
I was talking to the carriage driver to fix our place of arrival. It was to the gate of the capital where we would get out of the capital but Amanori and Ridge were bickering in my mind, so I was getting distracted and couldn't concentrate. Also it was hard to talk to people like that when there's people talking in your head.
"oops … Sorry.."
[.....]
You know Amanori, no one can move you from where you're hanging on me. so don't worry, okay my backs all yours!
[...!]
I tried to console her. She didn't say anything but I felt that she had let go of her anger. She would never let me use other blades so I knew how possessive she could be in some matters. When something regarding my power and combat came in, she would always want me to use her. Once I tried to hold a bone as a spear… the result was, it melted into a puddle… I was sure if Amanori was a girl, she might have a strong Yandere element to her.
Guess she didn't really think much about those things; she was truly a battle nut.
Ridge turned into a small hand sized version of her, she then sat on top of my head and as if liking the arrangement, she started humming small tunes, nobody could really see or hear her, so it was fine.
In an hour, we reached the gate that I had used to get in. We got out of the capital, then I walked on until the capitals walls couldn't be seen any more.