I stayed silent, just listening to Eryanis's words, trying to figure out exactly where she wanted to take me with that conversation: "I'm certain my role was one of the most important in opening a passage so that our sisters could follow" she said with conviction, her voice carrying a strange solemnity. Then she paused, as if weighing each word carefully before continuing: "But something has always felt... out of place"
Eryanis's eyes turned toward me, and in that instant they shone with an almost supernatural intensity, as though piercing right through me.
"You were already there when I woke up" she went on, her expression now almost accusatory: "But you never told me which aspect you control, or what your true purpose is. And yet..." Her voice dropped into a deeper, almost whisper-like tone: "It was something important enough for you to intervene even before the order itself"
For a brief moment, the place was drowned in a nearly suffocating silence. Eryanis and I remained exactly where we were, motionless, as though the air around us had grown heavier. Our gazes locked and stayed there—hers, firm and piercing, as if searching for something I wasn't even sure existed; mine, hesitant but curious.
I had no idea what was going through her mind, but something told me her thoughts were far deeper, more intricate and weighty than mine. Mine, in contrast, were simple—almost childish: (Huh? Was I really that important?)
Honestly, I couldn't picture myself being so important that it would justify waking me up before Eryanis. I mean... what aspect could I possibly control that was so crucial, so indispensable, that it would override the very order itself?
The more I thought about it, the more hollow it all felt. No answers came, not even the faintest glimpse—just the uncomfortable silence of my own mind, as if even it refused to give me an explanation.
Eryanis, unaware of my internal struggle, simply continued speaking: "Anyway, that's all I know" she said, her voice almost like a sigh. Her eyes closed slowly, as if she were trying to put her own memories in order before going on: "It was pretty rare for you to spend time with us. You always seemed busy, as if you had something more important to do... so in the end, I don't know much about you"
Honestly, Eryanis's words, while answering some of my questions, only seemed to open even more doors in my mind. It was as if every answer came paired with two new doubts, and that was starting to irritate me.
When all was said and done, the only conclusion I could come to was that my former self had been way too enigmatic—someone who apparently preferred to handle everything alone, as if the entire world were a puzzle that only he had the right to solve.
I won't lie: that's actually becoming a problem for me now. I'm starting to feel a growing anger toward my past self—like he had fun leaving me in the dark on purpose.
In the end, while I sank deeper into my own thoughts, cursing every decision my past self had made, a subtle movement pulled me out of my trance. Eryanis, who had kept her eyes closed until then, slowly opened them.
Her golden eyes—perfect geometric shapes in constant rotation—seemed to hold the very order of the cosmos, radiating an aura of majesty that made the air around us feel denser.
She observed me in silence for a moment, as if she could see right through me, until her lips moved with a serenity that felt almost solemn: "So, Sister... what do we do now?"
I thought about her question for a moment and, for the first time, I truly felt uncertain. Normally, the choice would have been simple—I should seal Eryanis's powers, just as I had done with Althea, Nekra, and Nyara. But something stopped me from acting.
As far as I could tell, Eryanis's authority wasn't out of control. In fact, it felt like the exact opposite. Maybe it was because she controlled order itself... Her powers were incredibly stable, almost unnaturally so, as if chaos simply couldn't touch her.
Honestly, I didn't know what to say to Eryanis. Technically speaking, I didn't need to absorb her powers—there was no concrete reason to. And yet, something inside me insisted that it was exactly what I was supposed to do, as though it were my inevitable duty.
The strangest thing was that this feeling was new; I had never felt this kind of hesitation before. Maybe it was because absorbing the other three's powers had been too obvious, too automatic.
I hadn't even questioned whether I should do it—it had just happened, as natural as breathing. But now... now that simplicity seemed to have shattered, and a part of me wondered if this choice was truly mine.
Eryanis, perhaps noticing the doubt written all over my face, locked eyes with me with an almost hypnotic intensity. Her beautiful geometric eyes seemed to spin in subtle patterns, like cosmic gears in motion—or at least that's how it felt, as if she were probing something deep within me, weighing every fragment of my essence.
When she finally spoke, her words caught me off guard: "You're absorbing our powers, aren't you?" she asked, her calmness almost unsettling: "That's fine. You can absorb mine"
The apparent indifference in her voice lasted only a moment before something shifted. A soft warmth colored her tone, like a timid flame kindling at the back of her words, making them sound almost bashful: "But... I have one condition"
I watched Eryanis carefully after she spoke, trying to figure out the reason behind her expression—there was something shy, almost embarrassed, about her face.
I found myself wondering why that was—was this really so humiliating for her? Her eyes avoided mine for a moment, and the faint blush on her cheeks only reinforced the impression that she was uncomfortable.
In the end, I simply nodded in silence. To be honest, it didn't bother me at all—as long as there were no deaths or anything equally serious involved, I saw no reason to worry.
When she noticed my silent approval of her words, Eryanis seemed to gather all the courage she had. Her shoulders relaxed just a little, and she took a deep breath before speaking, her voice soft and hesitant, almost a whisper: "Would you... stroke my head?"
After Eryanis spoke, the place fell into a silence so palpable it was as if even the air had stopped to listen. Little by little, her cheeks turned redder and redder, and before I could react, she buried her face in my shoulder, her fingers lightly clutching my clothes.
I had no reason to deny her request—and I didn't intend to—but... was that really all she wanted? For some reason, I had been expecting something more, something that would defy the ordinary. In the end, I didn't even know what I had been hoping to hear from her—just that I thought it would be... different.
While Eryanis remained quiet, her cheeks faintly flushed and her gaze fixed somewhere far away, I took a deep breath and pushed my thoughts aside. Then, with a hesitant mental whisper, I asked her: (Are you sure that's all you want?)
I waited for Eryanis's answer, which came quickly. She just nodded, a small, almost shy movement, while keeping her head resting on my shoulder. For a moment, I felt the weight of that silent trust. I chose not to overthink it—if that's what she wanted, then I would grant her wish. After all, as her older brother, it was my duty to be there for her.
Almost instinctively, I raised my hand and, in the next moment, rested it on Eryanis's head. My fingers sank gently into her hair, which rustled softly, like the sound of silk brushing together. Her hair was incredibly soft—light as freshly picked cotton and so fluffy it seemed to wrap around my hand.
I don't know how long I stayed there, stroking her head; at some point, I realized I was continuing simply because it was comforting... and because there was something adorable about seeing her so quiet, allowing me to do it.
At the same time, Eryanis pressed her face against me, burying herself even deeper, as if she wanted to disappear right there. Soon, she began to move her head from side to side, almost like a kitten begging for more affection.
I kept caressing her, feeling the smooth texture of her hair slip between my fingers, and then her soft whispers reached my ears—warm and full of satisfaction: "So relaxing... exactly how I imagined. Sister's scent is the best..."
I blinked at Eryanis's words. Honestly, it was impossible not to get lost in that moment—the way she kept seeking my touch, tilting her head into my hand as if asking for more, was simply irresistible.
My beautiful Eryanis was so absurdly adorable that, for a few seconds, I felt my heart melt. I didn't know whether to laugh, hug her, or just stay frozen there, enjoying every second of the scene.
Yeah... while I was still letting myself be carried away by Eryanis's overwhelming cuteness, the air around us began to distort subtly. Right above us, the absorption phenomenon began—the same one I had already learned to recognize—and in a matter of seconds, two spheres appeared, slowly spinning over our heads.
The one on my side glowed with its characteristic golden hue, while other colors bled into its light, like threads weaving into the gold, creating an almost hypnotic spectacle. At the same time, I could see Eryanis's sphere, equally vivid, pulsing with a life of its own, as if responding to mine.
And it was completely different from mine. Her sphere didn't even look like a sphere—it was a translucent ring of light, slowly rotating, with multiple concentric layers spinning independently, like celestial gears moving in mesmerizing harmony.
The silvery glow of its surfaces was intertwined with delicate golden lines that seemed to breathe, pulsing in perfect rhythm with the serene, constant movement of her irises. For a moment, I felt as though I was staring at a living mechanism, a manifestation of cosmic order that answered only to her.
In the ring's core, ethereal symbols appeared and dissolved endlessly—perfect circles, sharp triangles, meticulously drawn hexagons—each shape replacing the last in an eternal dance of flawless symmetry.
The light they emitted flickered in subtle tones, as if breathing, casting soft reflections over every surface around us. There was something almost hypnotic about that vision, a sense of order so pure it felt like a whisper directly into my mind, inviting me to lose myself in that endless cycle.
A soft, crystalline sound—like distant windchimes—rang out when her sphere finally stabilized.
The melody didn't just fill the space, it seemed to align the very environment itself, as if every particle of air was forced to march to its rhythm. For an instant, I had the distinct impression that the entire world was breathing in sync with that sphere, and even the air itself bowed in reverence to its presence.
Then, just like the last times, the absorption process began. The light floating above Eryanis twisted, forming thin filaments that stretched toward my own sphere.
It was a slow, almost mesmerizing movement, as if the very air was being pulled inside. It felt like something that would take quite a while to complete—but honestly, I didn't mind at all.
Right now, my attention was completely on the little cat in my arms. Her warm, soft body nestled against my chest, and I felt the faint purr vibrating beneath my fingers. I gently ran my hand through her hair, feeling the smooth texture slide under my palm, and let myself relax for a moment.
The more Eryanis tilted her head, seeking my attention, the more my hands moved on their own, offering her gentle strokes. There was something instinctive about the gesture, almost like I was rewarding a pet for good behavior.
In a way, Eryanis reminded me of a kitten who, after being lost for so long, had finally found her owner—and was allowing herself to relax, as if this were the only place where she truly felt at peace.