Even though I knew Katherine wanted to talk about something, I did not ask. I just drank my wine silently as I waited for her to start to talk.
Katherine, on the other hand, seemed to be hesitating about something. She occasionally opened her mouth to speak, but she seemed to reconsider it in the next second and stopped herself.
Even so, I did not hurry her. Anyway, drinking wine with a beautiful girl at night is pretty nice in itself; plus, I knew she was going to talk before long.
And just as I expected, Katherine finally opened her lips after almost ten minutes.
"… Rose, she is becoming really strong."
Her voice was slightly tipsy due to the wine she had drunk. However, the clear light in her eyes showed that she was not really affected by the alcohol.
I glanced at Katherine curiously. I think I already know what she wants to talk about.
"She is," I replied. "Rose's talent is astonishing. Not many people in the world are as talented as her."
"Yeah, you are right." Katherine put on a bitter smile.
"Why? Are you jealous?" I asked with a joking tone.
Katherine did not reply immediately. Instead, she bottomed up a glass of wine and sighed.
"… A little bit... I mean, she is younger than me, however, we are on completely different levels. I can't compare to her."
I looked at Katherine fixedly for a few seconds before nodding.
It should have been hard for her to say that.
However, I kind of understand Katherine's inferiority.
I mean, Katherine herself is a genius. At nineteen years old, she is already a sixth-layer practitioner. Moreover, her fighting techniques made her as strong as a seventh-layer practitioner, and if she gives her all, she can fight even an eight-layer practitioner.
In this world, that kind of talent is already top tier.
But in comparison, the sixteen-years-rose is already a seventh-layer practitioner. Moreover, just tonight, she managed to use her own strength to resist the attack of a fourteenth-layer practitioner.
Even if that attack had been weakened before, it's still an unbelievable feat.
Furthermore, during the same battle, Rose managed to endure and kill tens of daemons of herself, but Katherina was almost powerless to help her.
In such a situation, it's normal if Katherine is a bit depressed.
Besides, the fact that Katherine had been called a genius her entire life only makes the blow harder.
"It's hard to live under the shadow of a genius, huh."
Katherine looked at me and smiled bitterly.
"… I feel terrible. Rose is my junior. We are students under the same teacher. However, our results are completely different… Do you think I'm contemptible for feeling jealous of her?"
"Nothing like that. I have also been jealous of others before." I shrugged and said.
Katherine looked at me and rolled her eyes.
"As if. You are even more monstrous than Rose. There is no way that you are jealous of someone else."
But it's true.
No in this life, of course, but I have felt jealous of others before.
Mainly during my initial reincarnations.
It can't sound fake coming from me. But when I started to reincarnate, I was nothing more than a normal person with knowledge of his previous lives.
I did not have a cheat power or anything like that, and my talent was pretty average. Of course, my knowledge of my previous lives made me a bit of a genius, but in front of true geniuses, I was far lacking.
But then, I knew nothing about my talents. I did not even know the reason I reincarnated.
However, I could not help but feel that I was special.
And when that idea was confronted by the awareness that my talent, even as a reincarnated person, was far below the talent of true geniuses, it was a great blow for me.
I guess I have mentioned it before, but the first time I reincarnated was not very nice. I died at a pretty young age due to my arrogance and other problems.
Right now, though, that is just a vague memory.
After that, I continued reincarnating. And at some point, my abilities became so strong that not even heroes could catch up with me.
Then came a period of time where I believed I was superior to the rest. That was an awful period. Back then, I only saw others as 'characters' or 'part of the background'. During that period of my life, I would slaughter entire countries if I woke up in a mood, just because I could.
But now is not the time to talk about that.
While I was lost in my thoughts, Katherine's whispered something with a forlorn look.
"… I don't like this side of me. This jealous side… It's so ugly."
I shook my head and sighed. Then, without giving Katherine time to resist, I hugged her waist and carried her to my lap.
Katherine was startled, but she did not resist. She just blushed slightly and lowered her gaze.
Seeing her like that, I kissed her cheek and put my chin over her beautiful green hair.
"What is the problem with a bit of jealously? It's not as though you are going to kill Rose or something like that, right?"
"O-Of course not!"
"Then, what is the problem? You just need to transform these feelings into motivation to chase after her. Besides, you should not envy her too much. You don't know what price she has to pay for her talent."
Katherine was startled.
"Price!? Could it be…"
"Don't think about it too much, I will take care of that," I said while hugging Katherine's waist. "Plus, you don't have to be depressed about your lack of talent. In fact, I'm pretty sure you will have the opportunity to surpass her."
"… Do you truly believe that?"
"I do." I nodded without hesitation.
A great part of Rose's current talent is due to her status as Hero. Once I took care of the unknown Immortal, she will lose that status, and although her talent will continue being monstrous, it will be much more normal than now.
Plus, when my plan is complete and the souls of my women are connected to mine, we will be able to share our talent and comprehension of the laws until a certain point, making Katherine and the others improve at great speed.
Just like Raven. She is even younger than Rose, but she is already a ninth-layer practitioner. Plus, with the techniques she has learned through our soul connection, she will not be much weaker than the hero in a battle.
Of course, it's impossible for Katherine to learn all of my techniques, but just a little bit will be enough to make her much stronger.
Plus, with immortality, she will have all the time of the world to train become stronger.
Perhaps feeling the sincerity behind my words, Katherine's blushed slightly.
"… Why are you so nice to me?"
"You already know why, don't you?"
"You are a pervert… You have so many nice girls, but you still are coveting me."
"What can I say? I can't resist when I see such a cute and sexy girl."
"Really?"
Katherine's eyes were slightly watery. They were looking at me with a bit of shyness and expectation.
I nodded slightly and brought my lips to hers.
After a short kiss, Katherine stared at me with a sweet and embarrassed smile.
"I-If you want, w-we can do it..."
"If I want?" Smiling playfully, I kissed Katherine's lips again.
Then, I hugged her soft body and pressed her against the sofa.