Chapter 118
Translator: penny
Chapter: 118
Chapter Title: Wedding First Night(?) (12)
Shhhrrrrk─
Once it broke through once, there was no more resistance after that. Zekiel relentlessly infused cold qi into Ether's qi pathways in response to her prayers.
The profound level of cold qi that Zekiel had refined to great heights while training his Freezing Arts extended outward.
"...The heat is subsiding. How in the world...?"
He heard 1st Princess Ether murmuring.
"It's as if... it's fleeing to every corner of my body in fear of Teacher's cold qi. Does that mean Teacher's cold qi is stronger than the Sunweed droplet?"
Her voice was thick with bewilderment.
Zekiel focused solely on the task. He had no choice. The moment he let his mind wander even briefly, the heat from the Sunweed droplet threatened to incinerate his entire brain.
On the other hand, Ether's qi pathways were on another level entirely.
Not only were they vast, but the speed at which qi circulated through them was staggeringly fast. It was hard to believe she was born human—she had already reached superhuman heights.
'With qi pathways this well-developed, her strength and recovery must be on an absurd level.'
He could feel why Ether had been able to endure and overcome the agony of the Sunweed's heat.
Zekiel, who had lived without ever tasting defeat himself, realized that Ether's qi pathways were far wider than his own. The title of War God suited her perfectly.
Suddenly, enlightenment dawned on Zekiel.
'So qi pathways expand like this. Maybe... I could even apply this to myself.'
Ether's body served as an excellent textbook.
Even in this urgent moment, he grasped the key to his own growth. But that wasn't the end of it—this realization alone was profound, yet Ether's body was a treasure trove in itself.
'The principle.'
Combining his keen insight with her extraordinary physique.
Zekiel discovered various traces within Ether's body. They were the patterns of how she circulated her qi to absorb the Sunweed droplet.
'Wait, this method...'
His instincts calculated it out, and soon enough, an answer flashed in his mind like a lightbulb turning on.
The solution to digesting the Sunweed was right here.
'If I apply this qi flow to my own cold qi...?'
He wouldn't need to go through Ether at all. He could digest the Sunweed droplet with his cold qi on his own.
Then Ether wouldn't have to neutralize the Sunweed for him, and she wouldn't have to suffer anymore either. It was an incredibly valuable insight.
That was when it happened.
"Indeed, you are not a physician but a true teacher."
Ether murmured with a subtle smile playing on her lips.
"Studying my body even in the midst of this. Impressive."
As a warrior who had circulated qi countless times, the 1st Princess could undoubtedly feel Zekiel examining every nook and cranny of her internals.
"Look as much as you like. I don't mind."
Ether preemptively eased Zekiel's concerns.
Normally, reading and learning from someone else's qi flow without permission was a grave insult—treated as theft, and many had lost their lives over it.
Yet the 1st Princess permitted it willingly.
It showed just how highly she valued Zekiel.
Around that time, shouts erupted from the mansion's front gate.
─Show yourself, 1st Princess, right now!
─The coward's hiding. No better than a rat!
─Give me back my man, my man!
The corpses were bellowing at the top of their lungs. The demonic energy dwelling within them was so dense it felt like they were grabbing Zekiel's ears and screaming directly into them.
Of course, 1st Princess Ether remained utterly composed.
"A goddess from the Demon Realm, you said? I can't fathom why she's so jealous. What connection could she possibly have with Teacher?"
Zekiel couldn't understand the reason either, not yet.
─Your Highness, are you alright!
─We'll hold them off with everything we've got!
The warriors' cries continued to tangle from the direction of the gate.
The clash of weapons and their fierce shouts were intense, signaling a brutal battle.
Boom─! Boom─!
Finally, cracks began to form in the mansion's front gate.
Boom─! Boom─!
Just as it seemed it couldn't hold out any longer and was about to shatter.
"Teacher, thank you truly."
The 1st Princess murmured softly, then slowly rose from her seat. She neatly adjusted the bandages wrapped around her upper body and elegantly donned her uniform jacket.
Step, step.
And with that, she began walking toward the gate.
Her footsteps were remarkably vigorous.
The warriors sensed her aura first.
─This energy...!
─It's Her Highness's energy! Everyone, give it your all!
Even Zekiel stared in awe at Ether's transformation for a while. Ether clenched and unclenched her fist experimentally.
"Hmm, my condition is better than expected. I've never felt my body this refreshed and clear before. Was Teacher the only answer for me from the start?"
The 1st Princess flashed a grin at Zekiel.
"Thank you. Teacher, today again you've imparted another lesson to me. I will repay this grace."
With those words, she leaned in to kiss Zekiel's forehead.
"... "
Zekiel instinctively jerked his head back to dodge. Not because he disliked it, but because absorbing even a bit more of Ether's heat felt like it would make his body explode.
Of course, the 1st Princess smiled as if even that reaction pleased her. She had fully regained her composure, and at some point, the strength of a War God had wrapped around her like a cloak.
Ether addressed those beyond the gate.
"Herald, I said showing my face would be enough, didn't I?"
An urgent shout came back immediately.
─That's not enough anymore! You'll need to step out and sweep them away properly!
─M-More importantly, are you alright now?
"Never better. I'll handle this myself."
Kaboooom─!
The 1st Princess burst through the gate.
Her recovered state—no, her even more overpowering presence—reversed the tide of battle in an instant.
The warriors' faces filled with hope was proof enough. The corpses, advancing under the influence of the Demon Realm goddess's necromancy, hesitated all at once.
They had no choice.
The 1st Princess's power was monstrous.
"Turn to ash, you vermin."
Kuoooogugugugu─!
Ether loosed beams of qi without even nocking them to a bowstring—they flew raw. Yet they produced nearly the effect of a thrown spear.
Fwooooosh─!
True to her word, the corpses truly turned to ash.
It was qi exactly opposed to demonic energy. Fundamentally different, and having perfectly absorbed even the Sunweed at its core, it couldn't help but be overwhelmingly strong.
It felt like a miracle had descended in the name of Ether.
'The 1st Princess's health seems resolved now...'
Zekiel felt a powerful dizziness.
At the same time, a massive sense of incongruity. His body had been filled only with cold qi before, but now something warm circulated around his heart.
Suddenly, the Emperor's words came to mind.
─Think of your body as a mansion. The Sunweed judges if it's a suitable place to settle before taking root.
He was right. Now, a spirit in the form of a girl had taken up residence around Zekiel's heart.
'Are you... the Sunweed spirit?'
The girl sullenly nodded. She still eyed Zekiel warily somewhere.
'You don't like my body? Too cold, huh.'
The spirit silently nodded again, then began building a house that blazed on its own. It seemed she had accepted the reality of settling here.
But...
Was it because the spirit's heat was still unfamiliar?
The dizziness was intense. And now that he'd confirmed the 1st Princess had recovered, the tension released as well.
Suddenly, his eyes grew heavy, and his body lost its balance.
"Inspector, Inspector?"
A frantic herald's voice rang out.
"Inspector! Please come to!"
Even that voice faded into the distance.
Soon, he lost consciousness completely.
How much time had passed?
In a dark space, Zekiel suddenly came to. His body lay on a very spacious, plush bed.
It seemed like dawn, but he had no idea how many days had gone by.
"...Ugh."
He tried to sit up, but failed.
He couldn't even twitch a finger.
It was because he hadn't fully digested the Sunweed's power yet. The spirit had built her mansion right by his heart.
Just as he was about to try speaking to the Sunweed spirit.
"You're finally awake."
A familiar voice, accompanied by a soft hand gently stroking Zekiel's face.
In the darkness, he could barely make out her silhouette.
Yet even so, the voluptuous, graceful curves of her feminine form were vividly apparent. If a body were sculpted to arouse men, it would look like this.
The hair brushing against Zekiel's upper body was incredibly soft. Beyond comparison to any silk.
Zekiel quickly realized who it was.
"...Ether?"
"Correct. You still recognize me."
Ether continued caressing Zekiel's face. Her hands were unbelievably soft for a War God.
"I made two promises to you, Teacher."
Her voice carried an uncharacteristic gentleness.
"First, that I would definitely repay your grace."
"You did."
"And..."
Click. With that sound, a dim light flickered on.
"... "
Zekiel blinked involuntarily. The 1st Princess was clad only in her undergarments.
Not even a single layer of fabric beyond that. Truly, just the bare minimum covering her breasts and hips.
'...My body won't move.'
As Zekiel thought that, Ether climbed atop his stomach. With a subtle smile.
"...If I catch you, I'll squeeze you dry, wasn't it? That's what I said?"
Finally.
Slowly.
Ether's undergarment straps loosened and slid down.
"From now on, I'll fulfill both promises at once."
The overwhelming difference in power made resistance impossible.
