[132] Familial Complications & Divine Threats

Chapter 132: Familial Complications & Divine Threats

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Every morning after the rain is beautiful, but this was exceptionally so. As I woke up, petrichor was in the air, and my nostrils took in the scent with a fulfilling deep breath.

With the fresh smell, came the seductive smell of the woman in my arms. A pair of purple eyes fluttered open about then, a soft smile on her lips, as my mom looked up at me.

“Good morning, my baby,” she yawned and stretched, as she held her arms up at me as if calling a little child to embrace. I fell into her arms, embracing her tightly as I placed a kiss on her nape.

“Did you sleep well?” I asked her softly.

“It was the best sleep of my life,” she ran her hands on my back, feeling the muscles. “Since I spent it with my love.”

“Your love?” I raised my head to look at her with a raised eyebrow.

She blushed and smiled, “You're really going to make me say it?” She asked and sighed, “Fine. I do owe you a response…” She went silent momentarily, but it wasn't out of hesitation. She slowly moved her lips at me, “I love you too. Happy?”

Yes. Life's good. The world is beautiful.

“Not happier than you,” I leaned over and kissed her lips, and she accepted with no hesitation.

“True,” she said amid the kiss, her moans filling into my mouth. “Happiest woman in the world, you did say…” she closed her eyes and pulled me further into the kiss.

* * *

[Third Person Point of View]

The bike shot through the highway like a bullet, and Ai rested her face on his back. She hadn't bothered to put on a helmet, just like him. They enjoyed the wind hitting their hair and making it wave.

“This is nice,” she commented softly.

“Want me to take off to the air?” he asked and she nodded.

“Carefully,” she said, and the bike leaped into the air with a jump. Clouds formed a path under the wheels and they flew through the sky.

Ai smiled and hugged him tighter. She felt a little embarrassed to feel her heart fluttering at this, loving the feeling of her arms around his chest, given how old she was, but she couldn't help it. She felt like a little girl in love again.

‘Again…’ her smile slowly dropped but then she smiled again. ‘No. This one is far better than Hikaru. Aqua isn't a scum.’

Well, Aqua was a cheater who spent time with other girls despite having girlfriends, but she didn't mind since it was him. He’s her son, he could play around a bit. Plus, he told her the reason for it too.

‘I’d have preferred if I was the only one in his life, but…’ she looked at the sky past his shoulder. They were riding a bike through the sky. ‘I’m his mother first, and woman after. I shouldn't feel jealous.’

She would try… Unless someone popped up and said she's his ‘sugar mom’.

A part of Ai still couldn't believe that this was how their bike date ended. After years of keeping herself away from men so that she could take care of her children better, she ended up sleeping with her son. Even if he had his past life's memories, to her he was still her son—so it felt a little weird, but she decided she didn't mind it anymore.

Ai felt slightly hypocritical for using this excuse after rejecting it last time but: if she took care of him for 15 years, it's not weird for him to take care of her now that he's all grown up.

…She only feared how this would affect Ruby and their family. She didn't want to make that girl feel distanced just because she was a lot closer to Aqua now.

* * *

Aqua and Ai returned home at 10 A.M. Blue opened the garage and Aqua led the bike inside, upon which he and Ai hopped off it.

“You look cheerful today, lady,” Blue said to Ai while Aqua closed the garage a bit far from them.

Mother Hoshino smiled as she tilted her head at that, ‘Is it that obvious? It's not as if I act gloomy every day.’

She asked, “Why do you say so, Blue?”

“I don't know, maybe it's just the rain. Also, forgive my insolence, but,” she said and reached out a hand to point a finger on Ai's neck. “I think you should get rid of that hickey unless you want Lady Ruby to see.”

Ai blinked and a red hue painted over her face. “T-thanks,” she quickly placed a hand on her neck and cast a healing spell.

“Are you girls done talking?” Aqua dusted off his hands as he walked over them. Ai nodded quickly and he said, “Let us head in then. I sense Ruby and Tsubasa in the house, it seems they skipped school since I wasn't here to go with them. What a lack of discipline.”

They began to walk toward the door while Ai raised an eyebrow, “Isn't it your fault for not returning in time?”

“Isn't it your fault for keeping me busy all night long?” he nudged her with a smile, in response she frowned with a blush.

“Don't say it here…”

He ignored her and pushed the door open. “We're home,” he announced as he stepped inside, followed by Ai and Blue.

Footsteps filled the house till they noticed Ruby run out of a corner and leaped at his arms, “You are finally back! I can't believe you actually spent the night out.”

“Well, it was raining.”

“Still!” Ruby clung to him for a bit and only then did she register Ai's presence and turned to her. “Welcome back, mom.”

Tsubasa and Asia appeared behind Ruby to greet them as well, and Aqua waved at them. The group walked into the house after that, and he exchanged glances with Ai with a sly smile.

“Mom, how do you think they'll react if they find out what happened last night?”

“Will you shut up?”

The two of them whispered to each other as Aqua laughed and she pinched his side. Even though they had accepted themselves last night, it wouldn't be wise to reveal it to their family anytime soon.

So for now, they had to be careful.

* * *

[First Person Point of View]

Even though I returned from a day-long trip, I wasn't allowed to rest. Since I had promised Ruby a movie date today, I had to comply with it.

She made a deliberate attempt to appear cuter, wearing a cute pink dress and white skirt, as well as thigh-highs. I only adorned myself with a simple shirt and pants, and the simplicity pissed her off a little.

“At least try harder!” She argued but did not want to waste time by making me go back to my room and change my outfit.

The date went normally.

She was too inexperienced to make any moves on me, and I wasn't going to make them myself. I felt slightly guilty since it might seem to her that I'd been leading her on from before, with the kissing jokes as well as complying with her request for a kiss during the Twin Star creation, but it was far from true. At least now.

I didn't mind having her, I liked her a lot, but Ai would not accept it. I'm with Ai now, and she was alright with me having more partners beside her. I told her the reason better than I'd told anyone else, so she understood. However, sharing me with a random girl was different than sharing me with her daughter, my twin sister. She'll be enraged and furious if I bring Ruby into this whole thing. She'll slap me.

So I found myself unable to entertain any of Ruby's approaches the entire date and only interacted with her in a way a brother should.

The date ended in the evening, and Ruby walked beside me with her head low and her hands behind her. She looked at the street as she walked, her head clouded with thoughts.

I knew what was going on in her head, and I found it a little awkward to confront her about it. What could I say to her? That, ‘hey, I'm sleeping with Mom now, so it's better you forget about me’?

“Hey, Onii-chan…” She stopped walking and raised her head. “No, doctor.”

I stopped too and looked at her. “Yes?”

“Do you really not remember the promise?” she asked.

“....”

“Well, I guess it makes sense since it was not a promise you agreed to. It was just me blabbering about stuff…” she looked up at the sky and let out a sigh.

I had nothing to reply to that. She liked me, and I liked her. I already said that taboo is not an issue for me, so I would have never minded embracing her in usual scenarios—but this situation is complicated. How can I convince Ai to let me have her daughter and herself at the same time? It's a recipe for disaster.

Ruby stared up at the sky for a long moment before looking into my eyes. Our starry eyes met, ruby red and aqua blue facing each other, and though she said nothing, her trembling eyes demanded a reply from me. Anything.

When I said nothing, her trembling eyes turned into a soft glare. Her eyes blamed me. They seemed to ask: why had I led her on, touched her, kissed her, and showed her affection if I wasn’t going to commit to it? She had so many expectations from me, yet because of the situation, I couldn’t relay them back to her.

“Haah…” I let out a sigh. I don't think I can let Ruby be like this. I didn't like seeing her like this, seeing her sad. I liked Ai, but I didn't hate Ruby. My connection with Ruby went a lifetime back, and I, as Gorou, have cried for days for Sarina in my last life. How could I not be happy seeing her living another, more fulfilling life?

And how could I not feel guilty and incompetent for not giving her the one thing that she wants in this life? She held a special spot in my heart, and I hated seeing her sad again—seeing her be lonely.

I needed to think of something.

Yet I had no answer. “I'm sorry,” So I just pulled her into my arms and told her. “I'll try to remember if you… give me time.” Time for me to think up something.

The hug seemed to startle her. Perhaps she expected I'd never hug her? She was wrong. I tightened the hug around her and immediately her stiff shoulders relaxed, she returned the hug right away.

“You better,” she almost sniffled as she said, her hand clutching on my shirt. “I'll be mad if you keep me waiting for too long.”

…I had almost a year in my hand till she turned 16. That's the promised year. I need to find a solution to this complication by then.

* * *

[Third Person Point of View]

While Aqua was consoling his sister, intertwined in the complicated relationship of his family, the supernatural world wasn’t standing still.

In Asgard, Royal Castle, Odin sat on his throne and looked at three individuals standing under the staircase. He looked at them one after another, his single eye scanning their expressions. His son, Thor Odinson, had his hammer over his shoulder and stood calmly, unbothered. Loki wore his usual mischievous smirk, while the third person, Rossweisse, looked anxious.

It was natural for a Valkyrie to be respectful in her All-Father’s presence, but she appeared more than that—she appeared nervous. The fight against the mortal had left her shaken, Odin noted. However, it’s better she got out of that shell because she had an important role to play.

“Speak,” Odin gently raised a hand to allow them to talk, and Loki was the first to follow.

“Making deals with Kokabiel unwrapped faster than we expected, it’s a good outcome. He’s ready to help us anytime we require it,” Loki said. Initially, they had assumed it’d take a few months, but luck was on their side. “Now we only have one problem to worry about before heading there.”

“Quetzalcoatl,” Odin guessed and Loki nodded. Before the God of Mischief could expand on that point, however, Thor stepped in.

“Father, if you allow me, I can deal with Quetzalcoatl first and then deal with the mortal,” he said in a voice booming with confidence. “She has been an annoying force for long enough. Since she’s in a foreign territory, if I were to kill her, the usual reciprocations for killing a Chief God will not be applied here.”

Odin frowned at that, and Loki raised an eyebrow. “True, and even if issues arise, we can always find excuses to avoid the responsibility since this situation is quite complex.” Loki said before he chuckled with a scoff, “But all of that is considering you can beat that snake. No offense, but, you may be the strongest of your three brothers, but you’re still not a Chief God.”

Thor smiled at that, and the sky outside roared. A shimmering sound filled the area, and a hexagon symbol began to emit light from above the castle. Thanks to the glass part of the ceiling, they noted the [Icon]’s appearance with ease.

The [Storm Icon] thundered in the sky.

Thor smirked at Loki’s stupefied face and looked back at Odin. “I’ve recently attained a divine enlightenment and finally touched an Icon. I’m incredibly more powerful now, Father.”

“….” Odin stared at his son and then back at the Icon. The power he felt from there wasn’t any weaker than his own Icon that he received 50 years ago when the universe expanded.

Many Chief Gods had received Icons, and because of their mysterious nature, prompting them to wonder what these things were, the Chief Gods sat down at a meeting to discuss it.

Although they lacked much knowledge, they knew enough to realize what an Icon was and what it did. An Icon is an embodiment of a concept greater than humanity and common divinity. Those who are able to manifest an Icon gain the ability to command reality itself and to brush against the Layer of the Universe.

The [Dragon Icon] for example, is one that granted an entity the power of [The Dragon] concept – making them exceptionally powerful, multiplying their powers by many folds, such as granting them the strength of a dragon, durability of one, will of one, wisdom of one, and breath of one. It was a form of ascension, by connecting a God to a concept of higher existence.

The [Storm Icon] was something that Zeus had, and Odin knew how strong it was. So he felt very proud seeing his son achieve the same. Still, “No.” He denied Thor’s request. “Quetzalcoatl will kill you even if you confront her with an Icon. Do not take her lightly.”

She was arguably the third strongest dragon in existence now, right after Great Red and Ophis.

“We’ll proceed with the plan,” he said. Thor looked a little insulted, but Odin didn’t care. He looked at the Valkyrie in the room. “You’re to go to Aztec and perform the plan. That will force Quetzalcoatl to leave Japan to visit her pantheon, and that is when Thor will strike Japan.”

A heavy silence fell in the room, and Rossweisse sighed. She must be questioning All-Father’s decision, sending her in the lair of that dragon, after warning his own son about death if he were to confront the said dragon.

The three Gods in the chamber didn’t care about that. All they cared about was Aqua; either dead or alive, if possible. His body was required; it’d be used as a great fuel for Yggdrasil’s plan.

“Go and take care of the last preparations,” Odin ignored Rossweisse’s panicked look and waved a hand, “Dismissed.”

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