Aurora was missing.
It's been three hours.
They searched everywhere. But she erased her own aura and left.
He finished a synergy for a recovery and was nowhere near his peak. But he couldn't afford to wait any longer. So, he started the creation of shards right after synergy.
"That crazy little…" Varian had never been so mad at someone. After all the risks he took, this girl ran away.
[You have to keep most of your focus on your powers. The shards are a delicate business.] Logos said in the usual cold tone.
'Sorry.' Varian said softly.
'Hey Logos, watch your tone! He's just worried! Besides, I'm helping you, he can do normal things just fine.' Samsara was fiercely protective as always.
The creation of sliver shards was happening in an inner space controlled by Varian.
To an onlooker, nothing was visible. But if some used their space power to 'remove the curtain', they could sense the intense reactions beneath the space layer.
(But where had she gone, really? Logos, what do you think?)
[Don't disturb me.]
His wives were also searching. But there was no result yet.
[Looks like the shards are going to take at least 24 hours. She might not survive that long. It's a good thing you didn't tell her. She has accepted her death. You should too.]
Varian rolled his eyes.
(You're terrible at comforting people. Even if you want him to prepare for it, you can say it softly.)
[I…am not comforting him.] Logos stammered.
(Tsunderes are outdated. Keep up with the times, old lady. Learn from the new comer, ahem, that is me.)
'Outdated, huh. Wait, old times…' Varian ignored the bickering of his slivers and turned in a direction.
A familiar store, Centaurus Duchy.
With a step, he appeared in front of that old building.
It's been so long. Somehow, the store still remained. No, it seemed to be frozen in time, unchanged in the slightest.
Compared to his arrival last time, there were far fewer people on the street. The city was also less lively.
[That's a thousand freaking years ago. Of course, things change.]
(Pala kingdom has a terrible divine ranker as its ruler. And a bloodthirsty celestial ranker is assigned as the regent of Centaurus. I can smell blood and death everywhere.)
Varian shook his head and walked into the building.
There were no guards to stop and no maids to care.
The business had long ceased to exist. This building itself was concealed under an 'illusion'. People would automatically ignore it.
It wasn't meant for the people.
It was meant for—
Varian, with his aura fully concealed, stepped into the room.
A veiled woman in silky white clothes and long purple hair sat calmly.
Her vitality was falling with each moment. Cracks were appearing on her skin. And her power was crashing.
As he feared, the temporary treatment was failing.
'Hurry—'
[I can't do it faster than 24 hours. Don't disturb me.] Logos cut him off.
Varian sighed and slowly sat in front of Aurora.
She still hadn't realized that someone broke into the building and was sitting in front of her.
Varian observed her face closely. The veil couldn't stop him.
Aurora's face showed no anxiety. She was relieved.
'Relief for what…'
(What else? Your survival.)
Varian shut up.
"Ahem." He cleared his throat and Aurora nearly jumped in fright.
After noticing him, she patted her chest before sitting down. Then, noticing something, she returned to an aloof temperament and said. "I've been waiting for you, Mr. Foreigner."
Varian froze at those words. These were the first words 'exchanged' between them.
And then, he stood up, rolling his sleeves.
"W-Wait!" Aurora panicked. "What are you going to do?"
Varian pulled her up and laid her over his shoulders, like a bandit kidnapping a princess.
"Why did you run away?"
Thaaap!
Aurora straightened her back as her ass burned in pain. "Hiss!"
Thaaap!
"Answer me!"
Thaaap!
"Sitting here like this? To die in the place we met? What's this stupid scene? Am I some kind of romance protagonist? Or are you a heroine? What if I didn't guess this place? You'd be dead, you idiot!"
Thap! Thap! Thap!
"Ah! Stop hitting! Please stop! Ouch!" Aurora cried out. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry, okay! I just thought dying like this was cool! At least you'd remember me. Ouch! Gently, gently!"
Varian paused.
Miss Calamity sighed in relief. And then she slowly rubbed her burning skin.
'Ouch!'
"Remember you after you're gone?" Varian put her down and Aurora immediately jumped up, hissing.
With tears swirling in her eyes, Aurora looked at him pitifully. "Brother-in-law…it hurts."
Varian looked around in the room and recalled their first meeting. "When I first met you, you troubled me a lot. And then, in the academy too, you were giving me trouble day after day. Oh god, now that I think about it, I never punished you for it."
"W-What?" Aurora stepped back, realizing her attempt to act pitiful and gain sympathy had failed.
As she screamed, he placed her over his thighs and began another round of spanking.
"I didn't know you b-ouch! Back then! I-I wa-ah! I was just messin—ouch."
A few minutes later, Varian paused.
Aurora was breathing heavily. "S-So you want to beat me up before I go? To spank such a beautiful girl, b-brother-in-law, you're a devil."
"Enough self-praise." Varian slapped her lightly on the back and Aurora twitched at the gentle touch, before sighing in resignation.
"Fine, fine, my ass is yours, do whatever you want."
"What will I do with your ass? Keep it with you." Varian clicked his tongue.
Aurora nearly coughed out blood. What sin did she commit?
She thought he'd find her dead in this place after a long search.
And then—
'Oh Aurora, we meet last where we first met. For this whole life, I'd never forget you!'
Such a romantic ending!
But what happened?
He found her before she died. And he's the spanking the hell out of her!
Worst of all, after so much touching, he was despising her ass!
'I want to die.' Aurora felt done with life.
"Ah!"
The world shifted and she found herself in the bustling streets of Pala capital.
"Didn't you say you wanted a gift? I'll spend the whole day with you. However you want. Come on!"
Aurora asked in a low voice. "However I want?"
"Yeah," Varian said. "However you want. 24 hours. Every single one of your wishes will be respected. So, make use of them."
'So, please survive these 24 hours. Don't die! Your will to survive will keep you alive!'
Aurora didn't know Varian's inner pleas. But she did want to spend her last hours fulfilling all her regrets and wishes.
"My mother never loved me. And my peers, they all found it tough to keep up with a genius like me. You should've seen their faces, tsk tsk." Miss Calamity began to smirk.
Varian flicked her temple.
"Ouch!"
Clutching her forehead, she looked at him pitifully.
"Come to the point."
"As I'm about to die in a few hours, I realized…" Aurora lowered her head, speaking in a shy tone.
Varian raised a brow. 'Shy? There are things she is shy about?'
"I did finally get friends in your wives. Family too. But I never had one type of relationship."
Varian's crisis sense started working and he took a step back. And then another.
But before he could run for it, Aurora grabbed his arm and showed a cunning smile. "Be my boyfriend for a day?"
[So evil! She's going to die soon. But she'll get you killed before she's dead!]