'Status'
[Status]
» Name - Acheron Anaxagoras
» Core - Origin ◈ Awakening Progress: 2.1% ◈
» Stage - 1st Phase of the Astral Sun
[Stats]
» Mana: 2,847 / 7,411 (+10)
» Arcana Power: 509 (+10)✶
» Agility: 509 (+10)✶
» Endurance: 509 (+10)✶
» IQ: 309 (+10)✶
[Story Completion: 15.9%]
She took another sip of her tea, looking down on the stats below.
'The story is progressing faster than expected. Nieves should still be training with Chiara if my memory serves me right. The Dungeon expedition is a few days away. I must play my part well for what is to come.'
Just as she was about to dismiss the panel, a new notice appeared.
[Ding!]
[You currently have more than one spirit residing inside you]
[Would you like to merge them into one unified domain?]
[Yes / No]
'Fuse them? Put them in one place? Are you okay with this, Stellar?'
「 I think so... besides it's better than being alone. 」
'Okay then.'
Acheron reached out, clicking yes.
[You have received a reward: World of Ilmestys]
As soon as she did, everything around her began to shift, twist, then turn. The balcony, her room... everything faded into white light.
.
.
.
[Welcome to World of Ilmestys]
⤷ The domain of a dead god which held thousands of Demon-like souls in captivity for over a millennium
[Changing scenery to most preferred...]
When the light faded, Acheron found herself standing inside a grand mansion.
It was quiet and empty, no maids or decorations in sight. Ahead lay a long table, surrounded by lurking souls of the dead.
Three figures appeared in the table's seats.
Stellar, with her black hair and deep blue eyes, sat across from a white-haired woman with a gentle smile and a man who had composure in the way he sat and looked around, confused like the rest of them.
Acheron walked toward the middle seat, settling in as her hair fell across her shoulders.
"So..." She broke the silence. "This is awkward."
Ophelia brought out her gentle smile. "What is awkward?" She asked, genuinely confused.
'Eh?' Acheron scoffed it off. "Let's start with introductions..." She turned towards Stellar.
「 Oh me? Ahem... my name is Stellar... I am a forgotten god that lives in our host's consciousness. 」
Ophelia's gentle smile radiated as she looked at Stellar. "I am Ophelia..." She held Shinra's hand. "And this here is Shinra."
"Tsk, nice to meet you too." He grunted.
Acheron nodded, acknowledging their introductions. She leaned back into her seat, crossing her legs.
"Okay so, I wanted you all to be in the same domain... really I didn't even know I could do it until now... we will be able to talk and discuss basically anything... but it's mostly me asking for your help." Acheron smiled, rubbing her hair.
Ophelia smiled warmly in return. "The more the merrier." She exchanged a look with Stellar.
Stellar smiled and gave her a small nod in return.
"Great so um..." Acheron placed both her hands on the table. "Let's talk about the dungeon expedition... I am going to need all your help if I want to free Rose, the Eternal Knight."
"You want to free an Eternal Knight? That's impossible..." Shinra began to explain. "You will need the help of at least two Eternal Mages and the spell that was used to lock them."
Ophelia nodded in agreement with Shinra. "He is right... to break such a spell on your own is not doable."
"I know the magnitude of what I am about to do..." Acheron rested one hand on her lap, using the other to demonstrate. "That's why I am going to need all the help I can get."
Ophelia and Shinra looked at each other, then smiled. "How can we help?" They said in unison.
Stellar leaned in, offering her help also.
A genuine smile curved on Acheron's face. She then turned towards Shinra. "Tell me everything you remember from the Monster Massacre era."
Shinra had been living for a very long time. He was basically immortal even though he never became a complete Nameless god... he was still the son of one.
They talked for over an hour. Shinra spoke of dungeons and monsters. Ophelia added her knowledge of ancient sealing magic. Stellar filled in gaps where needed. Acheron listened, occasionally asking questions, her mind working through a lot of possibilities.
By the end of the meeting, Acheron had already devised her plan.
"Okay... I think that should be all." Acheron leaned back.
「 I believe so. 」 Stellar agreed.
"Yawn~ I didn't know explaining took this much energy." Shinra laid on the table, getting ready to fall asleep.
"I know right..." Ophelia rested on him.
'Oh that reminds me!' Acheron got up from her chair and snapped her fingers.
Snap!
The empty mansion transformed instantly. Walls shifted, a chandelier appeared out of nowhere casting warm light. Along the corridor, paintings materialized, decorating the entire area.
The demon souls that had been lurking around took form, wearing maid and butler suits as they were stunned by how they were even alive.
Ophelia's eyes lit up. "This is wonderful!"
Shinra stood, walking toward a side room where a banquet table had appeared. Roasted meat, fresh bread, wine. "Food..." He grabbed a piece and bit into it.
Ophelia giggled and joined him, sitting beside her lover. The centuries of separation melted away.
Acheron watched them for a moment, then turned to leave.
「 Be careful out there. 」
"I will." Acheron smiled. "See you all later."
Stellar waved her goodbye as her consciousness faded away.
.
.
.
Acheron returned back to her body with a gasp. She was sweating hard.
'Maintaining a domain is harder than I thought...' She wiped her sweat. 'Stellar makes it look so easy.'
Her mana bar showed up.
[Mana: 2,847 / 7,411]
[Mana: 2,764 / 7,411]
[Mana: 2,723 / 7,411]
It was depleting at an alarming rate... thankfully her core replenished itself as it depleted.
Knock. Knock.
Acheron stood up slowly, turning towards the door as she adjusted her hair. "Come in."
The door opened and Alackster Lewin stepped inside, his usual behavior more hesitant than normal.
He stood there for a moment, struggling to find the right words.
Then he bowed his head. "L-Lady Acheron... I have come to apologize!" He said out loud.
Acheron raised both her eyebrows. This was the strangest thing she had seen all her time in the story.
"I concluded that your brother was the one who stole my grimoire... but I later found out it was that bastard Derek who framed him."
'Derek has already confessed? Nice job Will, hehe.' Acheron smiled inwardly.
Alackster stood there, his head still bowed as he waited for a response.
"It's okay... mistakes happen, just go apologize to my brother as well... he was the one you accused wrongly." Acheron said.
Alackster raised his head. He felt a wave of relief wash over him. But then his eyes landed on her, really noticing her clothing since he entered.
The long white shirt she wore fell loosely on her frame, enough to show the curves of her body beneath. The way it barely covered her thighs, revealing her long, pale legs. Her hair cascaded down her shoulders, still slightly messy.
His throat went dry, words refusing to leave his mouth as he stared in awe.
'Don't stare. Don't stare. She's your junior. Don't...' But he could not help it. His manly instinct took over and he just stood, savoring every last bit of her beauty.
Acheron noticed his gaze still lingering on her for a while. She tilted her head then smiled. She knew he was obviously having weird thoughts about her, although none of it concerned her as she stood casually.
Then an idea came to her.
"Alackster." She called out.
"Y-Yes... sorry... um."
Acheron giggled. "Can you help get my glass case from my nightstand?"
Of course, it was a lie... Acheron's glass case was still with Claire who helped her place it there, and Acheron knew this.
"Okay." He walked beside her bed, checking the shelves. He searched for a while and did not see it. "I don't think it's here..."
Acheron walked up close to him. "It should be..." Her right leg crossed with her left as she stumbled forward, deliberately into Alackster.
Alackster's instinct kicked in. He reached out to catch her but her momentum was too much, causing the both of them to fall backwards together.
Thud!
Alackster's back hit the soft mattress of her bed. Acheron landed right on top of him, her hands pressed into his chest as she raised herself up.
Time seemed to stand still for a moment.
Their faces were inches apart. Her hair fell upon his face like a curtain. He could not resist smelling the divine fragrance of the scent.
His heart began to race faster than he could even think.
Drip!
A bead of Acheron's sweat dropped on his face as she rubbed her hands around his chest knowingly.
He felt something begin to rise and he could not control it. Panicking, he started to stutter.
"L-Lady Acheron, I..."
She placed her hands on his lips as another sweat dropped. Her purple eyes locked on his. Her chest rising and falling with each breath.