Chapter 210 Elevated Existence

The swirling dimension around us had already stabilize, the cacophony of shifting colors and forms settling into a calm, muted glow.In the middle of it all, Kuzunoha's immense fox form started to shimmer, her titanic figure folding in on itself like a collapsing star. Her radiance dimmed, replaced by a human silhouette that gradually sharpened into focus.

And what a silhouette it was.

Kuzunoha emerged in her original humanoid form, her towering presence now reduced to a height slightly taller than my own. Long, luxurious crimson hair cascaded down her back, crowned by a pair of sharp, fox-like ears that twitched ever so slightly. Her piercing crimson eyes gleamed with their usual mixture of mischief and wisdom, framed by lashes so thick and lush they seemed almost painted on.

Her figure was, as ever, impossible to ignore. An hourglass shape that was the epitome of perfection, with a small waist, long legs, and hips that accentuated her every movement. And, of course, her breasts—massive, gravity-defying assets that only added to her overall goddess-like aura.

The fact that she was stark naked—her alabaster skin glowing faintly in the dimension's ambient light, only made her entrance more... distracting.

The only reason why everyone around me didn't focus much on Kuzunoha's beauty was because of my own even radiant and perfect presence. Otherwise, my bastioneers would be worshipping Kuzunoha's exposed skin as if they were graced with heavenly blessing.

Yes, I'm just that perfect in the eyes of others, even if I was far from it.

Oh, what a mortifying dilemma~ I have no choice but to praise my own charm and beauty~

Self-licking aside, I blinked, my gaze unwavering but devoid of any flustered reaction. Kuzunoha's attractiveness was undeniable, but I had long since developed an immunity to her antics. "Kuzunoha," I said dryly, holding up a hand to shield Charis's still-closed eyes. "Could you put some clothes on? This is not a good display for my daughter."

The faintest twitch of her lips betrayed her amusement as she chuckled. "Ah, Narcissus, always so composed. You make it far less fun to tease you, you know." With a snap of her fingers, an outfit materialized around her body.

Instead of her usual gothic lolita attire with its cross-themed embellishments, she opted for something new. A sleek, tight-fitting bodysuit of shimmering black hugged her figure, overlaid with a multi-layered jacket that flowed around her like a cape. Golden accents adorned the edges of her coat, and subtle, glowing lines traced the suit beneath, giving her a futuristic, almost techno-sorceress vibe. Experience tales at empire

"Well?" Kuzunoha said, spinning slightly to show off her new look. "What do you think?"

"It's... different," I admitted, arching a brow. "Not your usual style."

She grinned, flicking her long hair over her shoulder. "I felt like something lightweight for a change. Stabilizing Carcosa's fractured time and space has been exhausting."

"How long have you been at it?" I asked, though I had a sneaking suspicion the answer wouldn't be pleasant. "Time dilation, right?"

Kuzunoha gave me a toothy smile and raised a single finger. "Feels like a year on my end."

"A year?!" I exclaimed, my voice rising in shock. "You've been stuck here that long?"

"Calm down," she said, waving a hand dismissively. "That's just my subjective experience. Inside my currently occupied mansion, only a few moments have passed. Time flows differently when you're directly above the very planarity of Carcosa's

I sighed, shaking my head. "Is there nobody in Carcosa who has the same circumstance as us, and maybe trying what you did to stabilize it? Like, not even any gods or deities?"

"Things like gods and deities are no longer a relevant constant of the Carcosa as of the moment," she said with a foxy smile. "And even if there is one, they won't bother doing this outrageous thing.

"Not to mention, what we experienced in this time of Nihil is not a relatable subject to other inhabitants of Carcosa~

"Right, I guess we're the only ones who got the worst number in this lottery."

"Considering the event that transpired, I doubted that~" she quipped, conjuring a shimmering portal with a casual flick of her wrist. The air rippled as a golden doorway formed, its edges glowing with runic inscriptions. "Come, let's get you and your daughter back to where you belong."

I glanced at the portal, then back at Kuzunoha. "You're awfully good at this whole dimension-hopping thing. Why don't you use it to solve our transportation issues back in Carcosa?"

Her grin widened, a glint of amusement sparking in her crimson eyes. "Oh, I'd love to. But transportation spells are highly regulated inside Carcosa because of its nature. Without a strong anchor and catalyst, it's almost impossible to create stable portals to go anywhere. Lucky for you, your soul just happens to be bonded with mine, which makes this one-way trip possible."

"Great," I said, sarcasm dripping from my tone. "And how do you plan to get back to your dimensional mansion again when we have arrived in our lovely humble abode?"

Her expression shifted into something sly, almost conspiratorial. "I don't."

"You don't?" I repeated, narrowing my eyes.

"Not unless another massive event like the Time of Nihil occurs," she explained with a shrug. "Otherwise, I'm stuck here, unable to visit my own collections and dimension properties. They are contained differently than the one I put in my arcane storage, thanks to the greater scale and all.

"And to further clarify, leaving Carcosa's space and time in its current state is almost impossible, regardless of your nature. Only when an event like the time of Nihil happened, or when Carcosa itself decided that you aren't fitting there—that is the only time you can exit its confined reality.

"The only exception of those are being Qliphoth Objects~"

Speaking of Qliphoth Object, our Drowned Revenant was no longer in the vicinity.

"I told her to return to her realm," Kuzunoha pointed out, noticing what I wanted to ask about. "You can try striking a proper deal with her anytime~"

I crossed my arms, studying her carefully. "Going back to the earlier subject. This dimension-hopping was possible in the past, but not anymore. What changed?"

Kuzunoha's grin softened into something more genuine, a glimmer of respect in her eyes. "Sharp as ever, Narcissus. Let's just say Carcosa's leylines are... less accommodating these days. It's a long story, and one we don't have time for now."

Seeing how Carcosa was essentially a massive prison in terms of world and dimensional travel, I wonder why Kuzunoha still insisted on living inside it, considering that she was essentially a transcendent existence capable of moving from one reality to another, if she put an effort into it.

Then again, I also decided to go back to Carcosa once again eventually, instead of suggesting everyone to find a new homeworld to live in.

The reason? The same reason I refer to Carcosa as a massive prison.

If it was almost impossible to escape from there, then outsiders won't try to recklessly get inside without compromising their existence as the inhabitants of Carcosa.

It might also be the reason why the void-cloaked entity only made its move now.

Haah, I'm not even living in Carcosa for a month yet, and I already have a lot of imminent threats that I need to be wary about.

Before I could press further, she gestured toward the portal. "Shall we?"

With a resigned sigh, I stepped through the golden doorway, Charis cradled securely in my arms. The transition was seamless, the swirling dimension dissolving into the familiar gothic splendor of Kuzunoha's mansion.

The moment we arrived, a cacophony of voices erupted around us.

"Lady Narcissus!"

"Where have you been?"

"What happened to the Holy Witch?"

They blasted their worry and question like it was the end of the world.

"As great as I might be, I prefer that all of you speak one at a time," I said as I sighed with a smile.

The eleven Vivianes, eight bastioneers, and the rest of my confidantes—Verina and Lupina—surged toward us, their faces a mix of relief, concern, and confusion.

One of the prominent reactions that I could highlight in this transpiring event was Verina's brain trying her best to comprehend why I was carrying a girl, while also trying to understand why Kuzunoha was outfitted like that. Those two thoughts seemed to be equal in importance.

Lupina was so ever flustered, most definitely because she was that worried for me. After all, she had been secretly feeling a little bit self-deprecating with not having a functional body to help around and become useful. I might want to focus on that matter in the near future.

Amidst the chaos, the original Viviane stepped forward, her orange eyes blazing with intensity. "Narcissus, care to explain why you disappeared without a word?? And—" her gaze fell on the girl in my arms, "—who is this?"

I offered a casual smile, adjusting Charis slightly in my grasp. "Oh, her? She's my daughter."

Silence fell like a hammer.

The room erupted into chaos once more.

"Daughter?!"

"What?!"

"Since when??"

"Hmmm, something doesn't add up."

"She is so cute and adorable! As expected of our radiant descendants!"

"I think you're focusing on the wrong aspect here, Erika…"

There was even some exchange of whispers that was clearly talking about my new state of being.

"... Is this just me, but isn't Lady Narcissus looking more beautiful and heavenly than usual?"

"If it weren't for the guidance of the Script, I might have already been on the floor kneeling…"

"I think I can understand why Erika is calling our leader, the radiant one."

But it was all not as important as the singular powerful voice that I knew and liked.

"Who's the mother?" the original Viviane intensely demanded, her expression a mixture of disbelief and exasperation. She was probably having some kind of wicked fantasy about how questionable my character is now.

I shrugged my shoulders nonchalantly. "She went out to get some milk."

My nonsensical response put them all in the state of chaos once again.

Then, a loud thud echoed through the room as Verina collapsed, her face pale as she fainted from the sheer shock. Lupina, who fell from our fallen kilnalan's holding also got the end of the brunt as she whimpered, before putting her concern on her friend once again.

"Verina! Are you okay?!"

The absurdity of the scene drew a laugh from me, the weight of the past hours finally lifting, in a much more manageable and controllable way.

"Calm down, everyone," I said, grinning. "I'll explain everything... eventually."

"You're wicked as always, Narcissus," Kuzunoha commented directly through telepathy.

She was enjoying the scene, if not more than I did.

"You definitely have a lot of explaining to do, young Narcissus," my original Viviane said with a twitching, annoyed smile.

"I will, I will~"

Eve might be the first person that I have fully connected with, but these people in front of me have a great chance to become a trustworthy companion that I might also fully bond in the future.

It made me realize that seeing them merely as benefits and possessions was not a healthy nor comforting way to close the gap of our existences.

Truly, I won't realize all of this if it wasn't for you, Eve.

You might have put me in an existential crisis, but you have also forged my nature to become even more stronger and rational.

To me, that was the true gift that you have bestowed to me.

For now, though, I allowed myself a moment to simply enjoy the chaos, knowing that, despite everything, I had a new purpose—and a new family member worth protecting.

Amidst all of that, I was also simultaneously adapting to the changes that have been occurring to me after the blessing that Eve gave to me.

And most importantly, it seemed like my Biography had changed to a great extent.

—

[Narcissus]

[Ineffable Demigod, Female, Age 20(???), Unaffiliated]

—Abilities—

[???? ?????????: ???? ?????? ?? ??????? ?? ????????? ??? ????????? ???? ?? ??? ??????? ?????, ???????? ? ??? ???? ??????????? ??????? ??? ???????? ?????? ?? ??????? ??? ??? ?????? ??????? ?? ??? ????????? ????????]

—Highlighted Traits—

[Transcendent Puppeteer: This individual's already remarkable ability to remain detached from conceptual entanglements has been elevated to a transcendent level. This refined form of intelligence grants her the ability to assess any situation with terrifying, calculating precision. She can manipulate complex social dynamics, predict others' behaviors with unnerving accuracy, and maintain control even in high-stress situations, all while keeping her feeling and empathy intact]

[All-Tampering Divine Dexterity: This individual's manual dexterity that has reached an almost supernatural level. Her hands and fingers now operate with impossible precision, able to manipulate materials, devices, or even spiritual energies at speeds and intricacies that defy human comprehension. She can also channel a subtle aura through her touch, stabilizing fragile objects, calming agitated creatures, or fortifying delicate structures with a mere graze of her fingertips. Her dexterity transcends physical skill, venturing into realms of metaphysical manipulation]

[Enigmatic Eternity: The aura of mystery surrounding this individual has evolved into an almost universal constant. Her origins, motives, and true capabilities now feel completely inscrutable, even to those gifted with divine insight or reality-bending supernatural perception. While her past remains shrouded in secrecy, her presence leaves an indelible impression on all who encounter her. Her enigma now exudes a faint, compelling allure, drawing allies and adversaries alike into her orbit]

[Celestial Charisma: This individual's angelic charisma has been enhanced to a divine level, amplifying her natural charm to an awe-inspiring, almost hypnotic degree. Her beauty now transcends physical appearance, radiating an ethereal presence that soothes, inspires, or commands with mere proximity. This charisma can sway the hearts and minds of even the most stubborn or hostile individuals, making her influence nearly impossible to resist]

[Higher Existential Authority: As a result of an immaculate blessing, this individual now possesses a level of existential authority that sets her apart from most other beings. This trait elevates her essence to a tier beyond conventional influence, granting her immunity to manipulation, harm, or control by entities of lesser existential standing, from the past and future entwine. Her presence alone demands respect from shallow cosmic forces, and her actions carry an inherent weight that affects the very fabric of reality]

—

[<{Biography}> {Inventory} {Health} {Needs} {Social} {Log} {Info}]

—

It had become a little bit too stacked now, especially since the screen was plastered directly to my vision, unlike the constant annoying notification for the time of the Ordeal.

Though, it had been clear that Eve did elevate my existence to a certain extent. However, I don't have any reliable reference to gauge the actual value of improvement, which was something that I planned to consult about with Kuzunoha after things went calming down.

At least the bio won't outright deem me as a psychopath any longer. Sёarch* The NôvelFire.nёt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.