Chapter 45 A Blessing? A Blanket?

POV : Exedra

After I put down the final book I finally clutched my head in attempt to calm this raging headache.

I decided to push myself and learn atleast fifteen spells this time but unfortunately I was only able to learn four before my head felt like it would split apart.

< Chaos Spell : Soul Breaking Scythe

Description: Summon an ethereal scythe to deal damage directly to an opponent's soul.

< Chaos Spell : Abyss Hounds

Description: Summon up to three hounds from the abyss and use them to carry out orders.

< Chaos Spell : Seducer's Hymn

Description: Imbue magic into your voice to make weaker beings more likely to obey your commands.

< Chaos Spell : Sinister Burial

Description: Give shadows mass and crush enemies under a blanket of darkness.

Though all of those four spells evolved, I still couldn't be happy with this result.

Is this all I amount to?

I have to push harder.

I need more power.

I picked up a high level spell book from the stack of books I'd selected and opened it.

< Spell book detected.

<Would you like to learn this spell?

'Yes.'

Immediately my head felt like it was being ripped open and force fed information.

The pain was excruciating, but I silently endured as the minutes went by.

An eerily cold feeling suddenly pierced through my body.

I looked around for the source of this uncomfortable feeling and my eyes settled on a shadowy corner in the center of the room.

Sitting in a pool of shadows was a single yellow eye.

Instinctively I turned my head away.

Something was screaming at me that looking for even a second longer would send my mind spiraling into madness.

I felt it's gaze on me for a while.

I felt that I could hide nothing from it.

I felt no hostile intention so I made no move to guard myself or attack.

After an unknown amount of time, the eye disappeared and the headache I felt left with it.

< Host has received the blessing of Maliketh, The First Abyss King.

< Maliketh has transferred to the host his original spell: The Goal of All Life is Death.

< Host has gained a new affinity : Death.

< Passive skill : Soul Sense lvl 1, has been learned.

I just barely managed to read the message from the system before I passed out.

POV : Lisa

It was just before dawn when I got out of bed and prepared to go to the library.

I wasn't normally up around this time but I'd been having trouble sleeping tonight for some reason and I'd grown restless.

As I walked through the dark empty halls towards the library, my thoughts drifted to my baby girl.

When I went to check on her earlier tonight she felt… different somehow.

It was as if she'd matured overnight.

Then she muttered something about cookies in her sleep and I realized I was probably just overthinking.

I noticed her new look as well and I found my baby girl to be even more beautiful than before.

It looks like she and Exedra finally did the ritual and she got the eyes she wished for though I'm not exactly sure where the black hair came from.

Creak!

As I opened the door to the castle library I headed directly for the narrative section and began to search for a romance novel I hadn't read yet.

After I found a novel that I hadn't read yet I quickly headed to my favorite spot to read in the library.

Waiting for me at the table by the window was the man who was supposed to be my husband and just the sight of him took my breath away.

I don't know how it happened but in the time since I'd last seen him he appeared to have become even more handsome and I almost jumped on him.

At some point I realized he was asleep in his chair and before I knew it, I was walking towards him.

I told myself I was just going to wake him but.. before I knew it I was lightly stroking his face.

I memorized every detail.

The strength of his jawline, the softness of his skin, and the silkiness of his long red hair.

To me, a more beautiful man did not exist.

Without ever even looking at me with any lewd intent, this man had captured my attention thoroughly.

He was sleeping so peacefully that I decided to take my book to my room and read there but before I did I wanted to make one selfish choice.

I slowly tucked a strand of hair behind my ear and leaned down and softly kissed his lips.

It lasted for only a second before I hurriedly pulled away.

Just one kiss was enough to send my breathing into a spiral and make my body cry out for more but somehow I held firm.

With great difficulty, I turned around and left him to rest.

Though, not before I draped a blanket over his body.

As I walked towards the exit I looked at the book in my hand and shook my head before I headed back to my room.

I knew in my heart that instead of reading I was going to spend the night masturbating again.

-

POV : Exedra

"Young master?" A voice suddenly asked.

Noisy.. so noisy.

"Young master are you alright?"

I slowly opened my eyes to see an old elven woman eyeing me with a concerned look in her eye.

"Bridgette?" I asked.

"Yes young master that's me, but why are you sleeping in my library?"

What?

I looked around at my surroundings and realized I had indeed fallen asleep in the library.

It was then that I remembered last night's events and remembered what happened in the first place.

'But how did this blanket get over me?' I knew for sure I didn't grab it.

Unknowingly, my hand went to my lips and I felt a warm feeling spread through my chest.

I dismissed Bridgette and informed her I was just studying some spells late and fell asleep.

She simply asked me not to overwork myself just because I was healthy now.

I put all of the books back and left the library.

As I walked through the halls I was replaying events from the night in my mind over and over again.

The blessing from the first abyss king, the sudden acquisition of the rare death element and the new spell I acquired left me extremely perplexed.

I wasn't even aware I could receive blessings and I wasn't even sure what an abyss king is.

There is no knowledge of it in my memories and I don't think it'd be in any books either.

'Show me what that blessing does.'

< Blessing of Maliketh, The First Abyss King.

- + 2,000 all stats.

- Increased affinity with the night and all of its creatures.

- Additional buffs in places thick with death.

While I was pleased with the added strength, I still was curious about the origin behind this new entity.

Additionally, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't see the details of the spell I was given.

It was as if the information was hiding deep within my subconscious.

I knew I could use it, and I knew how to I just didn't know what it would do.

I decided for now I wouldn't try to use it.

The last thing I wanted was to test it at the training grounds and level the castle.

I could feel it deep within my bones that the spell was terrifyingly powerful.

Part of me was excited and looked forward to the future when I might finally get to use it.

- 1 Week later.

POV : Lailah

"Does anyone know why he called for us like this?"

Bekka : "Nope."

Lisa : "Sorry, no."

Mira : "Maybe he has somebody he wants us to kill?"

I choked slightly when I heard my daughters idea of what her father might be calling us for and I wondered if her getting an affinity stone amplified her violent tendencies. "Ahem, I don't think that's it Mira."

Early this morning, Exedra had called for all of us to meet him in the reception parlor for an unspecified reason.

We tried to ask mother what it was about but she simply giggled and remarked over how it was nice to be young before walking away, leaving us all confused.

So now we are walking to meet Exedra without knowing quite what is in store for us.

Mira put her little hand on her chin and seemingly was thinking very hard about something before she reached another conclusion, "Maybe he's going to give us cookies?"

Lailah / Bekka / Lisa : "You just ate breakfast!"

"So?" Mira turned her head in confusion as if she truly did not understand why we weren't on our way to eat cookies.

"Well knowing your father I wouldn't be surprised if he had cookies prepared for you since he knows you're coming." I muttered.

"Yep." Lisa agreed.

"You're probably right now that I think about it." Bekka said.

Mira's eyes glimmered with excitement before her face broke out in a wide smile and she unfurled her wings from her back. "Cookies!!!"

Like a little missile, she took off towards the room at the end of the hall where we were supposed to be meeting her father.

"Mira! No flying in the castle!" Lisa cried but it was to not avail.

"Her little wings are so cute." Bekka wore the same pleased expression that she always had whenever Mira was involved.

"You all spoil her too much." Lisa pouted.

"Fufufu, give us a break we've never had a daughter before and she's so cute we just can't help it." I reasoned.

"But what if she becomes a tyrant one day with no impulse control?"

"Is that a problem?" Bekka and I asked in unison.

"W-what?"

"I would still love her just the same."

"As would I." Bekka nodded.

Lisa seemed to realize that she was never going to win this battle in the first place so she rolled her eyes and put on a dissatisfied expression.

She could try and hide it all she wanted but I've known Lisa for a very long time and I understand her well.

That little glint in her eyes tells me that she's actually quite happy that others treasure her daughter as much as she does.

Reaching our destination, the girls and I opened the door to witness a stunning scene.

The parlor was filled with fine clothes, dresses and jewelry of all kinds.

Everything from the brightest gold to the most illustrious rubies and diamonds were laid out in front of us.

Sitting on a couch in the center of the room was our husband with Mira in his lap nibbling on a cookie.

Next to him was a dwarven woman wearing formal business attire and smiling warmly at us.

Lisa : "Wow.."

Bekka : "What is all this?"

Lailah "Who is this for?"

Exedra's face didn't show it, but his eyes contained a pleased expression that he couldn't hide.

When he finally opened his mouth to speak, his words brought tears to my eyes.