"Fuahhh... It's... It's over...I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I'm so sorry... Rien...Riennn...!!!"

The Sword of Bloodwell having lost the effects of Bloodwell Expend, lost its reddish aura and returned to a yellowish white. Soma stabbed the sword onto the ground and let out all of her tears.

"..."

White stayed silent, as he plopped onto the ground and sat down.

Soma immediately ran over and put herself into White's chest.

"O-oi...you're heavy...get off me..."

Soma stopped him by squeezing his body even tighter.

"Let me stay like this ... for a little while, please Master."

"Tch, I still do not like you referring to me as Master, you insufferable woman. I couldn't care less about what you want, lay off my body. Stop touching them weirdly, it displeases me."

"Hauu!!! M-Master...n-not now with the abuse!!! It feels ...feels really good when you say it like that, b-but for now... I need you as an emotional pillar right now. My heart is a mess from various feelings I'm experiencing right now. I don't know how to respond to them. Please, please Master..."

Soma continued to cry.

It was not like White had a choice. His body was firmly gripped by Soma who had returned to her original body. She had an overwhelmingly higher strength than White who did not receive any sort of game-like cheats from a Goddess.

Nor did Soma, but that was a story for another date.

White did not question the existence of a higher being than himself currently, but it wasn't clear to him whether everything the parasite called Rululu at that time said were lies.

Maybe some of them were truths mixed within to make the lie believable. Maybe there were really 5 realities and 5 goddesses, and one of them were responsible for giving such powers to Soma. Was she a reincarnated or transferred person from Earth like him after all? She had a Japanese-like name...

White thought of this, but did not question any further. He wasn't that insensitive to Soma while he couldn't move like that, he was basically treated as a hostage right now. He watched, as Soma continued to bawl her eyes out.

From the fact that her sister that she thought she had finally saved, had passed away from her own attack. Even though she knew her sister was already irrecoverable.

From the fact that she had finally gotten revenge on the culprits to her rotten life.

From the fact that she wasn't the one who ended Har'Lus, but her 'Master'.

From the fact that she was rescued by said 'Master', both physically and mentally.

From the fact that she fell in a twisted love with said 'Master', born from fear and her submissive nature.

The mental tension and stress was all suddenly released, bringing down a torrent of tears coming out from Soma's eyes until they were all sore and red.

It took her 15 minutes to calm down. White took this time to observe his surroundings. There were still lingering traces of the fierce battle littered all over. But the swords that were summoned had disappeared. The aftermath included multiple craters and fallen trees.

This was literally something out of a 'shonen manga'*, White thought to himself with a slightly amazed look.

"You done yet?"

"...mm..." Soma finally let go of White's body.

"About time... now then. I can fin-"

White had finally lost all his tension and he suddenly collapsed.

He could hear the echoing words before he lost consciousness.

"Mas...ster...!"

W-what should I do!?

White Shigaraki, my Master had fallen unconscious all of a sudden! That's right, the elixir earlier healed his wounds but not his stamina, he should not have any strength left in his body?! ...That's great... he's still breathing..."

I looked at the sleeping face of Master, and thought to myself how good would it be if he wasn't breathing at all... That would give me an excuse to perform some mouth-to-mouth resuscitation...

...

...Wait!!! That was a dangerous thought! What was I planning to do to Master?!

Master takes priority right now, I need to let him rest somewhere comfortably!

That's right, I had acknowledged this person as my Master ever since he had made me succumb to him. It was never by obligation, but I feel like I'm slowly beginning to accept this person...

I want to stay with him. I want to stay with him forever... I want him to stay with me forever...

...?!

Something feels weird about me. I feel like I'm not thinking clearly enough...

I looked at Master's lips and gulped my saliva.

N-now's not the time for this! W-We need to leave this place quickly, the monsters inhabiting this plains had been cleared off in one go, but they were only a fraction of the nocturnal creatures living around here... The rest were probably woken up by the loud explosions from our fight. It's not like I'm weaker than those Wind Lizards and Terracaps, but I have seriously ran out of mana because of the earlier Breakmoon...

Not that I'd blame it on Master's earlier use against Har'Lus of course, he wasn't someone who could fight with a sword. Managing my entire arsenal of skills was already an impressive feat without someone to teach him, and the best he could do.

Back on topic though, I could force our way through back to Siesta which is the nearest city, but without my skills which covered a wide area and could act as attack and defense, it'd be hard for me to protect Master from the Wind Blasts that those creatures were capable of using repeatedly.

...We should set up camp here, I guess.

Using the knowledge of my two years of adventuring as someone befitting the title of Sword Saint and a top adventurer, I took out Monster Incense from my pouch and spread it to the surroundings.

I discarded the three destroyed vials of Vermin Powder (Liquidified) LV7 away.

Seems like it was destroyed while I was unconscious earlier by some sharp object, probably the parasite's tongue.

Tch!

My anger was reignited slightly.

Ah, not good not good...

Gotta set up camp first.

I took out another item from my pouch. It was the Skill Scroll LV4. This scroll could contain one lower intermediate skill which was cast on it beforehand by a person capable of using it. After using it once, it will disappear like a consumable. The skill stored inside of it was Earth Sphere LV2.

It created an earthen igloo which acted like a mini fortress for camp. I poked out a few holes with my sword for air and to act as windows. When I was satisfied, I stabbed my sword onto the ceiling and casted Harden Sword with my remaining mana. The earth sphere began to solidify nicely. Next I used a Lightstone which acted as a heat and light source, albeit being a little dim for reading of any sorts.

I carried Master inside.

...He's super light!

...He smells really good. Ahh... he's so cute I want him all for myself...

...!!!

Really, what is wrong with me...

Rien has passed away like that, but I'm right here fooling around...

And Rien, not even a speck of her body remained after that last attack. She was evaporated as the meatshield of that accursed bug. Taking the full brunt of such an attack disintegrated her entire corpse.

I can't bury her body anymore... This will be... my curse I have to carry on forever.

I stifled my tears, and checked my status when we're both inside of the Earth Sphere.

I needed to check how much mana I had left so I could measure my combat strength as the moment. I also had to calculate the recovery time from my Mana Recovery so I can aid Master to the best of my abilities when the need arrives.

No one will hurt Master again, under my watch.

There were some changes in my stats and levels which I expected from the level up announcements inside of my head.

There are visibly lesser skill points that I started with, but it had increased slightly from those level ups.

This is slightly disappointing to see, but- How are you going to compensate for that, Master?

?!

...Anyway... concerning my resource values, my health was around half, while my mana had been depleted to zero.

...Looks like the worm still exist inside of me, although I can use it freely without feeling any weird symptoms now... Also the Chaos Serum has disappeared mysteriously.

I had picked up a few new titles too.

My armor and weapon durability had dropped, especially for my armor which was destroyed partially by a Caustic Spittle...

Acid is an armor's worst enemy... Looks like this can't be fixed... I should buy a new one when I have the chance to shop.

...

...

Hmm?

What's this under my "Traits"?

Traits Combat Reflexes, Revenger, Submissive, The Possessive Nature of Rien Tokuzaki (Transferred by Will Merge LV1)

...

What? What is this skill? Rien?! Possessive?

...

Yeah, Rien did have a little bit of that in her, I've always noticed that.

But more importantly, by Will Merge, does that mean that Rien is living on inside of me as another consciousness as well? Did Rien possess a skill like this?

Trying to sense it within myself, I could feel a sleeping presence within me.

...

The scenery of that library with Rien reading peacefully still resided inside of me...

What can I say, instead of being creeped out, I felt much better all of a sudden.

...

Rien, is inside of me now huh. This is a little weird but, looks like we're still not separated huh.

I felt a little warm inside.

Am I crazy? Like what Master called me, maybe I had already derivated from the normal girl I was from a long time ago.

No, I was probably never normal coming from that family.

Oh I see now, the possessive impulses I was having all this while came from Rien...

...

I looked at the boy called White, the cause of all these changes and the feelings I was experiencing up until now.

My chest started to burn up.

This feeling, it's love isn't it.

A nerdy girl like me... is it really fine to hoard Master like this?

He's so cute when he's sleeping. When he's talking to me like I was dirt I feel so good too!

Hnnnghh...!!!

Ahhhhh~ Master you sinful man~

Knowing that this scene currently belongs only to me, filled with with ecstasy and immense satisfication.

I was tempted to give him a lap pillow...

No, that's not enough, we need to take this chance and go all the way... Hehe... Hehehehe...

...!!!

...Not good not good! What was I planning to do just now! I-Is this the effect of the Trait; Possessive Nature?

...

It's not... It's not... a bad thing right? To want to keep your beloved all to yourself. Even though it's not consensual, as long as one side fills the other with her deep love, it's okay right?

But I'm... just an ugly looking girl and a bookloving nerd... No, I'm beautiful now aren't I. I can seduce him like this couldn't I...

The sudden prospect made me smirk a little.

My cheeks are too loose, my true intentions are going to leak! Wait... No one is here right now?

...We're safe from monsters and parasites tonight.

T-that's right. Master said, I should be the one to take the first step to cure my own fear of Blood right? He also went and used my body however he pleased like that, even throwing me in his body so fiercely that I experienced the pain of broken bones. My Skill Points were all used up too ~...

So it's okay right? To pester Master like this? Doesn't seem he'll let me do so from his authoritative figure but... for now...

My fear of blood, ...I can do it...

Under the pretext of therapy, I'll keep Master all to myself~