After realizing what she had done, 'Georios' felt a wave of self-consciousness wash over her.
She withdrew her hand, her fingers curling and uncurling awkwardly in mid-air.
The sensation of Acheron's cheek still lingered on her fingertips—it was delicate, yet a bit chilly. It was the kind of cold that made you want to cup her face and warm her up.
However, she suppressed that impulse the moment it flared up.
"Uh, sorry. I got a little carried away just now."
Acheron let out a soft laugh at those words. She reached out and gently pulled 'Georios' into an embrace, her cheek pressing against the other woman's warm skin.
"Since you won't let me say I'm sorry," she whispered playfully into her ear, "then I don't want to hear you apologizing either."
"...Mm, okay."
Acheron's breath brushed past her ear. Having such a sensitive spot teased, combined with the feeling of their bodies pressed so closely together, was honestly a bit much to handle.
Seeking a distraction, 'Georios' took hold of Acheron's wrist, lifting the miniature world they held.
"Anyway, let's check its state after the repairs. It wouldn't be good if there were any flaws left behind."
Acheron didn't let go immediately. Her arm remained hooked around 'Georios's' waist as she watched her companion's face flush.
'Georios' looked away, her eyes darting around as she stole bashful glances—a sight that brought Acheron a genuine sense of joy.
There was no complex reason for it; she simply loved looking at her and felt happy because of it.
"Alright, let's."
Acheron answered softly and activated the miniature world in her palm. But this time, instead of just their consciousness entering, the small world suddenly expanded.
It enveloped a section of the horizon of Nihility, swallowing them both whole.
When Acheron came to her senses, she realized she had entered the miniature world with her physical body. The sights before her and the bustling crowds were so vivid they felt real, making her feel for a moment as if she had drifted back into the distant past.
As Acheron stood there dazed, 'Georios' reached out and took her hand, giving it a light, reassuring squeeze.
When Acheron turned her head, she met a pair of eyes that were already waiting for her—full of smiles and a silent plea for praise.
"The current me can recreate Izumo. Though, the people here probably aren't the ones from your memories."
With 'Georios''s current power, copying and creating those from Acheron's past wouldn't actually be difficult. But they would only be people who looked the same; their souls and consciousness would not be the ones she knew. That kind of resurrection was meaningless.
"...Is that so?"
Acheron swallowed hard. Her heart wavered. Even if they weren't the original people, it wouldn't have mattered; she had never intended to disturb the dead anyway.
But after a long silence, she ultimately shook her head and declined.
"I think I'll pass. Otherwise, I'm afraid I'd never want to leave this place."
Acheron suppressed the longing in her heart. If she truly returned to a new Izumo, she wasn't sure if she'd have the strength to come back to the real world.
Just having this person by her side had already caused the frequency of her visits to the edge of Nihility to skyrocket. She truly feared she might drown in such tenderness.
"..."
'Georios' opened her mouth to speak; she wanted to tell her that staying wouldn't be such a bad thing.
There was no need for Acheron to constantly force herself to endure that endless cycle of pain.
She could grant Acheron power—whether through a mask or by finding a way to introduce the power of Permanence to remodel her body. She could do all of that now.
Aside from being unable to completely sever Acheron's connection to Nihility, she could easily pull her out of this sea of misery and ensure her future was much brighter.
Perhaps, if she eventually obtained Hysilens and the equation for Nihility to decode it, Acheron could be free forever.
But the words caught in her throat.
She could sense that Acheron hadn't chosen this path out of a desperate necessity caused by the taint of Nihility.
This was her own choice, her own will.
Trying to force a change upon her wouldn't work—it would only push Acheron further away.
Acheron seemed to guess what she was thinking. She took her hand and led her forward.
"Even though you're the creator of this world and likely don't need an introduction, let me show you around my hometown anyway."
Acheron gently changed the subject, leading 'Georios' toward the busy streets. The architectural style was familiar, and among the passing crowds, there were faces she recognized.
But everything was so peaceful—a stark contrast to the life of constant warfare and endless struggle she remembered.
Acheron led her from one spot to another, introducing everything in detail. Of course, 'Georios' already knew these facts and recognized these people, but measuring the world step by step like this felt different. As the details of this world became increasingly real, Acheron's state of mind began to shift.
They walked for an unknown amount of time before finally sitting on the edge of a skyscraper's rooftop. In the distance was the sea, and around them were towering buildings.
"Revisiting this place makes me feel like I've truly gone back in time... and that I'm here with you."
Acheron leaned over slightly, resting her head on 'Georios''s shoulder and letting her body weight settle.
"Actually, I'd love to just stay like this... to live in this world, in this city..."
Acheron's tone carried a hint of weariness—a fatigue she had never shown to anyone else, accumulated over thousands, perhaps tens of thousands of years.
To resist Nihility, she had tried everything, even sealing her own memories at one point to live in a daze. No one knew the torture of that existence.
Meeting 'Georios' and receiving that "special medicine" to suppress the side effects of Nihility had finally given her a moment to breathe. But it clearly wasn't enough.
From another perspective, in the path of opposing Nihility, even this crushing exhaustion served as proof of her own existence.
On the other hand, facing such pain meant she couldn't allow herself to fall into the abyss; she had to fight it, to accept it...
Fighting Nihility was agonizing, especially when that very agony had to be used as fuel for the struggle.
Because 'Georios' had the help of her system, she couldn't feel exactly what Acheron felt, but she could sense the ripples of her emotions.
She reached out to support Acheron's arm, guiding her down from her shoulder until she was lying across 'Georios's' lap.
At that moment, a mask materialized from the void, resting upon 'Georios's' forehead. The power of Elation spread through her body and gradually flowed into Acheron.
"Bai Ming?"
Acheron could feel the heavy burden of Nihility receding like a tide, replaced by a sense of lightness she hadn't felt in countless years. But why do this?
'Georios' reached down, brushing away the bangs that covered one of Acheron's eyes, and looked deep into her gaze.
"I know you don't want to give up, but even the strongest need a chance to catch their breath. So, even if it's just for today, have a good rest. Right here."
"..."
Acheron wanted to say that if she experienced this, she might not be able to resist craving more—that she might end up bothering her constantly in the future.
But with the words on the tip of her tongue, she met 'Georios's' eyes, which were filled with a mix of tenderness and heartache.
In the end, Acheron said nothing. Seeing her hesitation, 'Georios' stroked her hair and said with a smile:
"From now on, I will always be here. This world will be the bridge that keeps us connected."
"..."
Acheron's face flushed slightly. To her ears, those words sounded a bit too intimate.
But 'Georios' meant them quite literally.
Using the power of Elation, this miniature world could serve as a medium for her to project her consciousness here whenever she wanted.
This was the idea she'd had after Acheron called her today.
She had always said she would stay by Acheron's side and could visit anytime, but with so much to do outside—and because Acheron wasn't the type to rely on others—she hadn't actually visited that often.
Instead, she spent more time in contact with Herta and the others.
By using Elation to build a powerful defense for this world, she had essentially created a stable and potent anchor point.
To her, those words meant she was physically maintaining their connection, ensuring she wouldn't be gone for long stretches at a time.
Seeing Acheron's cute reaction, and blinded by her own practical thoughts, 'Georios' didn't realize how her words might be interpreted. She simply thought Acheron felt bad about being a "bother."
She didn't press the subject, adding instead, "Alright, don't overthink it. Just rest. I'll be right here when you wake up."
The power of Elation in 'Georios's' hands turned into a gentle force, soothing the constant physical and mental pain Acheron endured.
"Okay."
Acheron sighed inwardly. She knew she couldn't bring herself to refuse. She had intended to stand her ground, but she'd been completely disarmed by just a few sentences from 'Georios'.
She was starting to realize the depth of her own feelings.
To be fair, the total time they had spent together wasn't that long.
But this woman could do so many things that others couldn't—whether it was being immune to the corrosion of Nihility, crafting medicine, or now using such vast power to shield her.
She always projected an almost excessive amount of care without any pretense.
That sincere, powerful initiative allowed Acheron, who had walked alone for tens of thousands of years, to finally experience the long-lost sense of security that comes from relying on someone else.
Perhaps, she thought, it's okay to lean on her just a little.
Acheron gently closed her eyes.
Surrounded by the scent and presence of Bai Ming, she slowly drifted off to sleep.
--+--
T/N: If you want advance chapters, you can find it at [email protected]/AspenTL