After the teleportation settled, Kephela turned to Tharnak with a gentle, commanding tone.
"Tharnak, you will take charge in my absence. Ensure everything is handled properly."
Tharnak nodded, and the AHS members bowed deeply as if she were an empress, not merely a superior. Their reverence was evident.
Without another word, Kephela grasped Rain's arm, her touch light but firm, guiding him toward a private room. 'She's direct,' Rain thought as he followed, feeling the tension rise slightly. He couldn't shake the odd mixture of familiarity and uncertainty that Kephela stirred within him.
Once inside, she closed the door behind them, her demeanor softening. Kephela's crimson eyes locked onto his, her voice almost playful.
"You know, Master, you don't need to hide here. The AHS doesn't care about appearances or race. Everyone here fights for equality. Why not show yourself as you truly wish to be?"
Rain blinked, slightly taken aback by the sudden shift. 'She's got that look again... and here I am, still not entirely sure about her.' He hesitated. "You're saying I don't need to keep this appearance?"
Kephela smiled, stepping closer, her hand resting on his chest. Her touch sent an unfamiliar jolt through him. 'Damn... she's exactly what I'd picture in a fantasy,' Rain thought, trying to keep his composure as his eyes took in her flawless features—her long, straight golden hair cascading down her back, her pale skin, and those piercing red eyes.
"Yes," Kephela continued, her tone a little more formal but still affectionate. "There's no need to keep pretending. Show them the real you, the form you desire, the one that makes you... you."
Rain felt his pulse quicken as her closeness became overwhelming. 'Why is she getting so... touchy all of a sudden?' Her beauty was nearly enough to make him falter. "Well, if you say so."
With a soft sigh, Rain began to reconstruct his body. His muscles became more toned, his height shifting to just over six feet, and his hair lengthened, tied in a cultivator's knot at the back. Kephela handed him a poison-green hair crown, which he accepted with a nod, tying it into place. He changed his hair color to a deep black with a tint of green, his pupils glowing a faint neon green that shimmered in the low light of the room.
Kephela's eyes lit up with joy as she took in the sight of him. "It's exactly as I remember... Perfect, just like before."
Rain chuckled nervously, trying to hide the fact that her excitement and closeness were making him flustered. "Is that right? Guess I've always had good taste."
Kephela giggled softly, moving even closer as her hands brushed over his robe. With a quiet murmur, the fabric of his grey robe transformed into a regal emperor-green garment. Rain stared in mild surprise.
"Wait, you can reconstruct clothes too?" Rain asked, blinking as he looked down at the new outfit. "I thought you were more... I don't know, a support mage."
Kephela smirked, her voice carrying a touch of amusement. "There is no 'support' mage, Master. There are barrier mages, healers, space mages, but no one is simply a support. You taught me that."
'So that's what I taught her in her past life?' Rain thought, feeling slightly awkward about the idea of mentoring someone who remembered more about him than he did.
Kephela's hands rested gently on his chest, her voice softening as she spoke. "Everything I know, everything I've become, is because of you. You trained me, made me stronger... gave me purpose."
Rain's eyes darted away, feeling the weight of her words. 'This girl... she's too intense. But... I trust her, don't I?'
She leaned in, resting her head against his chest as she wrapped her arms around him. The sudden intimacy caught him off guard, and he stood stiffly for a moment, unsure of how to react.
"I... I've waited for this moment for so long," Kephela murmured, her voice trembling. "After you were gone, I spent twenty years without you. I regressed to infancy, had to grow up again... knowing what was lost."
Rain stiffened slightly at her words. 'Twenty years... living with memories of me? That's got to mess with anyone's head.' He remained silent, letting her continue.
Kephela pulled him toward a couch, sitting down and pulling him close as she buried her face against his chest. Her body trembled slightly as she held onto him, her voice barely above a whisper. "I never thought I'd find you again. But Victor... he found you before I could even mobilize a search."
Rain hesitated, his mind racing. 'She really believes this is fate, huh? And now I'm leading some underground movement? Talk about a twist.'
He rested a hand on her head, gently patting her. "Well... looks like everything worked out, right? I guess fate has a weird way of making things happen."
Kephela lifted her tear-streaked face, her crimson eyes filled with resolve. "It is fate. The AHS is only ten years old, but we are already powerful enough to crush a large territory like Elshire. And with you here, we'll achieve even more. Together."
Rain gave her a half-smile, trying to shake off the unease that crept into his thoughts. 'She's dead set on me leading them... Well, guess we'll see how this plays out.'
"Yeah... together," he muttered, more to himself than to her.
Rain offered a faint smile, but before he could speak further, Kephela pouted, her lips curving into a mock frown. "Master, you're still so guarded around me. How will you ever treat me like your disciple if you don't relax?"
Rain hesitated, his body tensing slightly. 'Love? I don't even know where to start with that.' His mind raced with uncertainty.
Kephela, noticing his hesitation, chuckled softly, her voice teasing. "You don't have to think so hard. You'll cuddle me again, just like you used to." She shifted, spreading his thighs apart to make room for herself. Gently, she slid back against him, pressing her warm back against his chest. Then, she grabbed his arms, wrapping them around her waist as if guiding him into place.
Rain's heart pounded against his ribs, faster than before. 'Damn it... why does this feel so natural?' He swallowed hard, feeling her soft form settle perfectly against him. His body reacted instinctively, holding her close. 'This is exactly how I'd...'
Kephela's light laughter broke the silence. "Your heart's racing, Master." She leaned her head back, her crimson eyes glinting mischievously. 'As expected, Master has always been a simp for beauty.'
Rain felt a blush creep up his neck. 'Of course, she'd notice that,' he thought, unable to suppress the flustered heat rising inside him. Kephela always seemed to be one step ahead, her insight deeper than he'd expected.
Her expression softened as she smiled up at him, but a playful glint remained. "You know... In my past life, you created a harem. This time..." She paused, her voice lowering into a teasing whisper, "I'll make sure I'm your only one."
Rain blinked, unsure how to respond, but Kephela quickly dismissed her own words with a soft laugh. "So, Master, are you planning to use different appearances for all the girls you'll woo?"
His face turned redder. "Wait... what?"
Kephela's mischievous smile widened, clearly enjoying his reaction. "Oh, don't act so surprised." She tilted her head, her hair brushing against his cheek. "In the past, your harem was scattered all over the world. You used different identities for each of them."
Rain stammered, his heart pounding even louder. "H-how much do you know?"
Kephela leaned forward slightly, her voice dropping to a playful whisper. "Everything. You even had a boyfriend once... when you disguised yourself as a woman."
Rain's face turned beet red. "W-what?!"
Kephela giggled, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "You did it just to see how it felt to be a woman... to understand a woman's perspective. Even when it came to sex."
Rain was too flustered to form a coherent thought. 'She knows all of that? I must've really trusted her in the past to share those kinds of details.'
His embarrassment didn't go unnoticed as Kephela gently squeezed his hands around her waist. "Don't worry, Master. I'll keep all your secrets safe this time too."