That night, Rain slipped away from his camp to get some fresh air, and to see Eve that night.
He quietly made his way through the wasteland, avoiding his troops as he ventured toward the western region. The air was cool, and the silence only amplified his thoughts as he walked for hours, heading to meet Eve.
Just as he was about to call out her name, a flurry of butterflies danced through the night sky, their delicate wings glowing faintly. A familiar scent, soft and sweet, drifted through the air, catching Rain off guard. He inhaled deeply, recognizing it instantly.
"You've come," a soft voice said.
Rain blinked, his gaze shifting until he found her—Eve—sitting gracefully atop a large rock, illuminated by the moonlight. Her smile was gentle yet knowing.
"Ah, yeah," Rain scratched his head sheepishly. "Turns out I survived my expedition to the north," he said with a grin.
Eve's smile widened. "Seems like it. I'm glad you made it back."
Rain hesitated, wanting to ask her about the shadows that seemed to follow her every step, but he could tell from her demeanor that she wasn't ready to talk about them.
Perhaps, in time, she would. For now, he had another promise to fulfill.
"I'm finally able to head to the mainland," Rain began, his voice brimming with excitement. "I have no more worries here in the wasteland, so I can go search for the Starfire Bloom, just like I promised. Once I find it, I'll plant them here and create a field of flowers where none existed before."
Eve's lips curled into a soft smile. "I look forward to it."
Rain nodded, his eyes alight with determination. "It might take a while, and I may not be around much, but I'll visit whenever I can. I've already told Druger to build a teleportation gate. It was expensive, but we managed to gather the materials. Once it's complete, traveling between the wasteland and the mainland will be effortless."
Eve's smile remained, but her responses were short and measured. "I'm looking forward to your visits and hearing your stories about the mainland."
For a moment, Rain found himself breathless, captivated by her haunting beauty and the strange, enigmatic power behind her gaze.
She then bent her knees and bowed deeply before him. In that instant, the shadows around her rose to towering heights. Four faceless horsemen emerged from the darkness, their forms shrouded in a misty black aura. Each of them bowed as well, their heads lowered in deference.
"We, of the western wasteland, acknowledge you as our lord, Emperor Rain," she said.
Rain stood there, dumbfounded and speechless. "W-wha . . ."
It was a subtle gesture, but Rain could feel a shift in the very essence of the wasteland. A warm gust of wind swept through him, carrying with it the sensation of something profound. The barren lands seemed to pulse with life, as if acknowledging his newfound authority.
Suddenly, a system notification appeared before his eyes.
[CONGRATULATIONS! The Barren Wasteland is now completely under your control. REWARDS: 1 million Evolution Points, 10,000 Litters Soul Elixirs. Affection of all citizens of the wasteland has increased to the next level!]
Rain's jaw dropped. The rewards were staggering. Gaining full control over the wasteland had been no small feat, but to receive a million Evolution Points and ten thousand Soul Elixirs—resources comparable to an entire kingdom's assets—was beyond his wildest dreams.
"Affection points?" Rain muttered to himself. "This wasn't a feature before . . . is it because I've gained control over the entire wasteland?"
Before he could fully process the thought, Eve straightened and smiled once more. "Though we acknowledge you as our lord, this doesn't mean the western wasteland is free for you and your citizens to traverse. It's merely an agreement of peace. Understand?"
Rain smiled nervously. "O-Of course," he replied, his eyes darting to the horsemen, who had receded back into Eve's shadows.
He couldn't shake the feeling that Eve's acknowledgement of him as lord was almost . . . whimsical, as if she had done it on a whim.
But it didn't matter. Peace had finally settled across the wasteland, and for that, he was grateful. If Eve had wanted, she could have wiped out his entire empire without breaking a sweat.