The golden radiance gradually faded, revealing once more the divine realm they had first set foot in upon accepting their mission. The air was still imbued with an ethereal warmth, the sky shimmering with hues of gold and silver, a realm untouched by the burdens of mortality.
Seraphis stood before them, her very presence exuding an aura of tranquility and grace. Yet, as she opened her mouth to speak, her gaze landed on Kiara—comfortably nestled in Mikael's arms, her head resting against his chest as if she had found the perfect spot to doze off. She looked utterly at ease, not in the slightest concerned that they were standing before a goddess.
A flicker of amusement passed through Seraphis's golden eyes, and for the briefest moment, it seemed as though she might laugh. She had witnessed many things as a goddess, but seeing this scene unfold before her own eyes was something else entirely. Of course, she maintained her composure, her divine dignity unshaken, though the mirth in her gaze remained as she finally addressed them.
"This is where we part ways," she declared, her voice as serene as ever. However, despite her best efforts, there was a subtle shift in her tone—an underlying sadness that she quickly concealed. Her gaze drifted to Amelia and Lyra before she inclined her head slightly in gratitude. "Nevertheless, I am deeply thankful for the aid you have provided to my kingdom, and I am certain that they are as grateful as I am."
Mikael, on the other hand, was experiencing a rather unexpected wave of embarrassment. The moment Seraphis's gaze had lingered on Kiara, he had caught that brief flicker of amusement, and it made him acutely aware of how ridiculous the situation must have looked. Here they were, standing before a goddess, and he was holding Kiara in a princess carry position.
Of course, Kiara remained utterly unfazed, far too engrossed in what she personally deemed to be a far more important endeavor—soaking in Mikael's warmth and enjoying every second of it. She had no intention of moving anytime soon.
Clearing his throat, Mikael shifted Kiara slightly in his arms, subtly trying to reassert a more dignified posture. "Yeah… about that," he said, glancing at Seraphis. His voice was casual, but there was an unmistakable sincerity beneath it. "I guess this is goodbye. But not a permanent one."
Seraphis's expression remained composed, but her golden eyes locked onto him, searching for the meaning behind his words.
He smirked, his confidence unwavering. "I'll come visit you again. So soon, you won't even have time to realize I was gone."
For the first time, Seraphis hesitated. It was brief—so brief that none of the others would have noticed—but in that moment, something unspoken flickered in her gaze. A strange sensation stirred within her, something unfamiliar yet not entirely unwelcome. The idea of a mortal leaving an imprint on her thoughts should have been trivial, insignificant even, yet Mikael had done just that.
"…Is that so?" she finally murmured, her voice softer than before.
"Yeah," Mikael affirmed. "I checked with the Records. As long as I reach Military Rank 4, I can return. So, you better not forget about me in the meantime."
Seraphis lowered her gaze for a brief moment, as if contemplating something she couldn't quite put into words, before lifting her eyes once more. There was something different in them now—not just warmth, but an almost imperceptible sense of expectation.
"I see," she said. "Then I shall await your return."
Lyra and Amelia exchanged glances but said nothing, while Kiara, despite her 'exhaustion,' quickly gained an annoyed expression. However, after a second, she dismissed the thought and simply snuggled closer against his chest.
Seraphis took a step back, her divine aura shimmering around her. "Until then, Mikael."
Mikael nodded. "Until then."
And with that, Mikael confirmed the end of the military mission. A short countdown of five seconds began, and the four of them disappeared in a flash of light.
Yet even after they had left, Seraphis remained where she stood, her golden eyes fixed on the empty space they had once occupied. She did not move, did not shift her gaze.
Time flowed differently for a goddess. Weeks, months, even centuries could pass without meaning. And yet, for the first time in what felt like an eternity, she found herself aware of the passage of time.
Weeks passed, yet she did not stir.
Her thoughts revolved around the mortal who had left her temple not with prayers or reverence, but with a promise. A promise made with certainty, with confidence—one that, inexplicably, she believed.
A breath escaped her lips, soft and contemplative. "I wonder when you will come back…"
With those words, she turned on her heels and stepped into the radiant halls of her temple, the echo of her own voice lingering in the divine air.
***
The moment Mikael and the girls left Seraphis' Divine Realm, they were instantly transported back to the same white room where they had waited before the start of their military mission.
Everything was just as they had left it—unchanged, as if no time had passed. Mikael immediately noticed that their positions remained exactly the same, meaning Kiara was still cradled in his arms in a princess carry. He barely acknowledged it, already accustomed to the weight in his arms, as a flood of notifications filled his vision.
[Military Mission: The War of the Twin Kingdoms Completed.]
[Analyzing Mikael Angelini's party actions during this mission…]
[Analyzing Mikael Angelini's individual actions during this mission…]
[Analysis complete. Result determined.]
[Military Mission: The War of the Twin Kingdoms
Mission Difficulty: High Tier 1
Details: This mission took place in a low-level medieval world where two powerful kingdoms were engaged in a relentless and bloody war. This world adhered to a classical medieval structure, devoid of magic or supernatural abilities. Wars were fought purely through strategy, tactics, and conventional weaponry such as swords, bows, and siege engines.
Mission Objective:
The goal was to aid the Rithen Kingdom in its defensive war against the Valden Kingdom. The war had been raging for three years, leaving countless dead in its wake. The goddess worshipped by the people of Rithen could no longer bear to see her followers suffer and made a deal with the Records to send powerful warriors to turn the tide of battle.
Additional information provided due to the party leader's military rank: Private.
Party Completion Score: SS-
Individual Completion Score: SS+
Global Completion Score: SS
Mission Completion Rewards: 120 Military Points]
[Detected: Your current Military Rank is Rank 1 Private – 180/50 MP. You have enough MP to be promoted. Do you wish to proceed? Yes/No]
Mikael's gaze scanned the mission report. Nothing particularly surprising—most of it aligned with the mission details he had chosen beforehand. However, something caught his eye.
Rather than the usual single completion score, there were now three distinct evaluations: a Party Completion Score, an Individual Completion Score, and a Global Completion Score. Their functions were clear from their names alone, making it easy for Mikael to grasp their significance. The Party Completion Score likely reflected the overall performance of the group, the Individual Completion Score measured each member's personal contributions, and the Global Completion Score seemed to be a combination of both, ultimately determining the final result and, more importantly, the number of Military Points awarded.
A passing thought flickered through his mind. 'If someone ridiculously strong teams up with someone weak, wouldn't that weaker person just get carried and gain military ranks without any effort?' The loophole seemed obvious. A weaker individual could, in theory, reap the rewards of a mission they barely contributed to, simply by being in the right party.
But Mikael didn't waste any more time thinking about it. Whether someone got carried or not was irrelevant to him. It wouldn't change his own path, nor did he care about how others climbed the ranks. If someone could take advantage of the system, then good for them—it had nothing to do with him.
What did matter, however, was how Military Points were distributed. Curious, he asked the girls about their rewards and found that they had all received roughly the same MP as him. Their Party Completion Scores were identical, with only slight differences in Individual Completion Scores, which, in turn, influenced their Global Completion Scores.
Despite the variations, all of them had earned over 60 MP, enough to reach Military Rank 2.
Without hesitation, the four of them accepted the promotion request.
[Transporting to the military promotion room in 5...]
The countdown ended without incident, and Mikael found himself teleported once more into the same white chamber with the enormous high-tech scanner—just as he had when he advanced from Rank 0 Recruit to Rank 1 Private.
To his mild surprise, he was alone. The girls hadn't been transported alongside him.
'So Military Rank really is personal… Promotions must happen individually,' Mikael noted, stepping forward without lingering on the thought.
Just as he moved, he suddenly stopped and glanced down at his now-empty arm. Kiara had been there just moments ago, comfortably nestled in his grasp. A thought crossed his mind. 'Was she teleported in the exact same position she was in when I was holding her?'
The image of a half-asleep Kiara materializing midair before unceremoniously landing on the ground played in his head. A chuckle escaped him, quickly turning into a quiet fit of laughter.
"I know I shouldn't laugh… but damn, that's too funny," he murmured to himself, struggling to stifle his amusement.
It took him a moment to regain his composure. Once he did, he stepped into the scanner. Immediately, a green light pulsed from the surrounding high-tech walls, sweeping over his body from head to toe in rhythmic waves. After several seconds, a fresh set of notifications materialized before his eyes.
[Mikael Angelini… Analyzing.]
[Confirming identity… Confirmed.]
[Current Military Rank: Rank 1 Private.]
[Conditions met for promotion. Do you wish to proceed? Yes/No]
Mikael selected "Yes" without hesitation. A brief moment later, more notifications followed.
[Your authority within the Akashic Records has increased!]
[Promotion complete. Current Military Rank: Rank 2 Private First Class.]
[New benefits unlocked:
Increased authority within the Records.
5% reduction on all purchases made through the Records.
Access to Emergency Extraction for 1,000 LP.
Monthly Records maintenance fee reduced from 80,000 LP to 20,000 LP (to avoid losing one year of lifespan).]
Mikael skimmed through the benefits. While none of them were groundbreaking, they were still useful. The 5% discount on purchases and the increase in authority were minor conveniences—his previous promotion growing authority had expanded his mission selection from one to two, so this might grant similar privileges.
But all of that was secondary. What truly mattered was access to Emergency Extraction. Seeing it listed among his benefits filled him with satisfaction.
This military mission had been long, but now it finally felt worth it.
Opening the Party System, Mikael sent a quick message.
Mikael [9:20 AM]: I've reached Military Rank 2. Gonna wait for you at the apartment! (3 Likes)
With that, Mikael left the promotion room. As expected, he reappeared in the Hub, where crowds bustled about, their voices merging into an indistinct hum. He barely spared them a glance. Ignoring the noise, had become second nature, he moved toward the stairs. The moment he climbed some distance, teleportation magic enveloped him, pulling him back to the apartment.
Author Note:
Want to unlock advanced chapters and get ahead of the story? Join other readers supporting the novel on Patreon—just search SDASLUMMY.
Not ready to join? No worries—dropping a Power Stone or leaving a quick review still makes a big difference and helps more people discover the story.
Every bit of support counts. Thanks for being part of this journey!