Evangeline smiled softly, feeling the warmth of Linsley's embrace.
She nestled deeper into his arms, her worries slowly fading. "I know," she whispered, her voice full of affection. "With you by my side, I feel safe."
They remained like that for a few moments, wrapped in the comfort of each other's presence. The weight of their responsibilities seemed distant, leaving them to enjoy the peace they hadn't had for so long.
After a while, Evangeline pulled back slightly, her eyes meeting Linsley's. "So, what's next for us?" she asked, a playful glint in her eyes. "Now that the Outer God is sealed, do we finally have some time for ourselves?"
Linsley chuckled softly, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "We do. There's nothing left to stop us. But before anything else, I want to make sure you're fully restored," he said, gesturing toward the crystals scattered around her room.
Evangeline smiled, her gaze softening as she glanced at the avatar and celestial crystals Linsley had gathered for her. "You've already done so much, Linsley. With these, I can recover my strength as the Goddess of Winter. But it might take some time."
Linsley nodded. "That's fine. I'm not in a hurry. Once you've restored your Winter godhead, you'll be at full power again."
Her fingers traced his hand gently. "And after that?" she asked with a soft smile.
"After that, we take a real break," Linsley said with a grin. "No battles, no chaos. Just us. Consider it a vacation."
Evangeline raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "A vacation? That sounds nice."
"A well-deserved one," Linsley added, pulling her closer. "But first, we'll make sure you're back at your peak. We've earned that."
Evangeline chuckled softly and rested her head on his chest once more. "I'll hold you to that."
They stayed like that, quietly enjoying the rare moment of peace, but they both knew there was work to be done.
Soon after, Evangeline began the process of absorbing the avatar and celestial crystals that Linsley had gathered for her. She sat on the bed, her focus entirely on regaining her lost strength.
Linsley stepped closer, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Yeah, no more going back. This is it. We've earned it."
Evangeline gave a slight chuckle. "I didn't think I'd be restoring my powers again after all we've been through, but it's good to feel whole again."
Linsley smiled. "You've always been powerful, Evangeline. This just makes it official."
They stood there, savoring the moment, knowing that the cycle of simulations was behind them. It was real now, and they had a future to look forward to—one without the weight of timelines hanging over their heads.
"You're sure about the Outer God, though?" Evangeline asked, her tone more thoughtful than worried. "I know you've sealed it, but I just want to be certain we're done with that threat."
Linsley gave her a reassuring smile. "I've got it under control. Sealing it is a formality at this point. Its power is nothing compared to mine now."
Evangeline breathed a small sigh of relief, resting her head on his shoulder. "Good. It's strange, having all this behind us. No more battles, no more timelines."
Linsley wrapped his arm around her waist, holding her close. "Well, now we can focus on something a bit more important—us."
Evangeline laughed softly, her hand resting on his chest. "I like the sound of that."
Linsley smiled, but then his expression shifted to something more serious.
With a wave of his hand, countless avatar crystals and celestial crystals materialized in the room, each one glowing faintly with the power they held.
These were the shattered godhead fragments of Median True Gods—rewards he had obtained during the god simulation.
Evangeline's eyes widened as she took in the sight of the large number of crystals now neatly arranged before her.
"These," Linsley began, "are the shattered godhead fragments I acquired. Right now, you're at the Intermediate Stage of Median True God, but it's not enough. I don't want you to be in any danger, especially now that you've regained your powers. These fragments should be enough to push you to the Peak Stage of Median True God."