CHAPTER 183: | LONGING FOR HER WARMTH

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  Too much time had passed since the time Alister had devoured the clone of the sentient crystal Triton, and gained [Exalted Amethyst Demon]. An ascension four skill that passively enhanced his physical form to heights greater than any of his skills could elevate. Really greater than those heights.

  For now, he could confidently say that his defense had reached to that of a staggering ninety zen, or perhaps above that mark. Thanks to the effects of [Exalted Amethyst Demon] that sought to passively enhance his physical form to a state that could be said unbreakable. But Alister didn't care too much about the changes in his physical form, because for now his task for the time being was to cuddle with his wife every single moment he got the chance to do so. Every single moment like that.

  For now, Alister didn't know much about the defensive capabilities of his physical form, nor its overall limits. Since he didn't have the chance, nor the opponent to test its limits. The limitations of how far the properties of a brittle crystal could endure. Those limitations right there.

  Exhausted, and already drained from his battle against Triton. Alister didn't feel the need to test its limitations at this moment, since for now he could roughly estimate its current defensive capabilities. That it was in the hundreds or so of zens, or perhaps more if he overestimated its value. When he would try to tweak its structural structures, and the integrity of its foundations to the limits of his imaginations. To those very limits.

  Then perhaps at that time, it wouldn't just rival the durability of his cereum carapace, but surpass its defensive capabilities. For he didn't tweak, nor did any additional changes in its conceptual structures. No additional changes like that.

  Alister was curious, because the additional touches that he could add in it wouldn't just end there. For his extensive knowledge about the multiverse, about magic formations, runic engravements, or others that was far too extreme for an idea, could be applied to [Exalted Amethyst Demon] concepts. To make it more powerful, more broken, more insane. Since he could stack up millions of such additions to it, that it covered his body in their inscriptions. So that so long as his physical form could endure, he would grow infinitely stronger. And he too could picture it in his mind. He could see how much further he could elevate his physical form. Elevate it further like that.

  Since the concept of impossibility itself didn't exist in his mindset. For he could make the impossible possible with his genius mind alone, even though it was far from its peak. Alister sighed, then stared at the night sky. Where the crescent moon could be seen hanging from the sky so wonderfully, as it emitted its luminescent light to the dark night. Where the absence of the sun left. As he gradually reached the border of the Evernight Empire, as each of his steps took him closer to his beloved wife. That he could picture at this moment to be sleeping alone in her bed, like a goddess shrouded in taboo. The taboo to not peep. The taboo that it was unreachable, for their worlds were far too apart.

  He smiled, then stared at the magnificent castle in front of him. No... he didn't stare at the castle so he could see its beauty, but instead he stared at one of the open windows. Where a visage of a sleeping goddess could be seen sleeping peacefully. And Alister smiled at the woman that he longed for unconsciously. That thinking about her presence made him hesitate to commit himself to his goals. So that he could embrace this woman for an eternity. For an eternity like that...

  In his return to the Evernight Church, which he had arrived late at night. Its hallways were extremely silent, as savants of the order were either asleep, or in a sermon along with Fenda in the prayer room. So that all of them could pray to their goddess, the mother of the night.

  Alister walked in the empty hallway for minutes, as no savants greeted him. It was only when he had approached Samantha's quarters, or their quarters, did the alarmed savants raise their weapons, then point them at him. But he merely walked forward, since he didn't have the time to bother in stating his identity to the savants right now. And the savants seeing the man walk forward, clenched their weapons as they've tried to plunge their spears at the intruder's chest.

  Aliya who was inspecting the guards all around the castle, was about to witness something dreadful... No, it was far too dreadful, since how dare these clueless fools raise their spears at their excellency? Aliya gritted her teeth at the sight of such fools, as she dashed through the marble pavement of the hallways, then smacked the savants in their heads. As she bowed in front of him, then greeted him with reverence akin to that of a believer greeting their god. Which Alister simply nodded at her, as he directly entered Samantha's quarter without a care.

  Aliya on the other hand smiled, that Alister Von Fai her excellency the man of the messiah wasn't the least bit dissatisfied at their obstructions upon his path. And began reprimanding the guards on duty, as she commanded all of them to meet her in the disciplinary hall later.

  Alister inside of the room let out a soft chuckle, as he saw his wife's sleeping form. Now he could finally cuddle with his wife for as long as he wanted, and not in a lustful or lecherous way like he had always done to tease her all the time. But this time he merely entered the bed, and lifted her head to his arm. Samantha feeling his touch unconsciously wrapped her hands at his hands, as she smiled softly while whispering his name.

  The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

  Alister closed his eyes at her touch, as he smiled then slept in silence. For he didn't want to bother the sleeping Samantha right at this moment, since he knew that she too was incredibly fatigued at the work that she had done this morning. To the point that she didn't even notice his presence in the room.

  Time continued to pass on, as the progress on their war campaigns with the Lahaina Empire reached its zenith in a matter of a month. All thanks to the return of Lumicor Tellus and Solia heeding Samantha's command, and sophisticated scheme with their utmost precision. Thus their gradually falling forces recovered, as the armies that they've culled from time to time greatly provided them with resources that she needed to advance her savants.

  Whilst the villages, cities, or kingdoms that their war campaigns conquered provided them with new savants to replenish those that had fallen at war. Along with craftsmen that were skilled to fill their warehouse to the brim with high tier equipments to equip their future armies. Along with mountains of gold to bribe others to betray the Lahaina Empire. Along with oases that they could procure supplements for their human armies.

  Thus their rapid advancement drew the emperor of the Lahaina Empire to desperation. The desperation to hold sacrificial rituals in a never ending loop, sacrificing thousands of women to the altars to be slaughtered like they were livestock. In hopes that it would please their supreme god.

  In hopes that their god would be generous enough to lend them his aid, to vanquish the heretics out of their lands. But to their dismay their god didn't respond to their pleas, to their prayers, to their offerings. For their god deemed this matter too insignificant for its attention. And the emperor along with the holy see witnessing this, concluded that their god had abandoned them.

  All of them could feel despair at this moment, especially the Holy See where their beliefs to their god were supreme. Too supreme to ignore. So the moment the priests, the templars, the bishops of the Holy See heard that their god had abandoned them. All of them were in complete denial, to the point that they've deluded themselves that this was a trial that their god bestowed to them.

  The Holy See's resistance to the Evernight Church invasion became fiercer, but sadly they didn't account that their enemies were far too powerful for them to handle. That even to the point when they've overwhelmed them in numbers, their opponents could easily massacre their millions of soldiers, their hundreds of thousands of Templars in a matter of hours. Like they were farmers tending their fields, so that no unwanted grass would grow near their crops.

  All of this was within Samantha's expectations. She had already expected all of this to happen, so she exploited it to the fullest. As she encouraged the common folks to rebel for liberation. She spread news of the Holy See's wicked deeds. She incited them to rebel for their freedom, to join her church to gain the power to protect their beloved. And the emperor of the Lahaina Empire foreseeing signs of rebellions, moved like a ferocious beast in its last breath. And thus fast forward to a few months, the situation had become so drastic that it had come to this moment. Where the emperor of the Lahaina Empire gathered all of his knights, mages, clerics, and powerhouses to have a final stand against the Evernight Church.

  Meanwhile in the Evernight Church, Samantha could be seen closing her eyes as she let her nerves relax for a short while. Pondering at their current situation, on what could she do to conquer the empire in one fell swoop in this final war? Since winning this battle could cost her an arm or a leg. And she didn't want to waste too much time at this simple matter, nor did she want to recklessly charge at her enemies blindly, and lose her savants in the process.

  There was no immediate solution to this issue, nor did she want to drag this war for too long. When her husband could easily commit a mass murder, and massacre all of their enemies in less than an hour if Alister wished it to happen. And Samantha relying on her husband's prowess to take down her enemies was far too shameful for her own good. Since she as his woman didn't want to be spoon fed by him, to be babied by him. And she didn't want to be so incompetent that she couldn't deal with this simple matter with her own strength. Since her pride as the successor of Ashin Sae Acoustine, and as her pride as the goddess or messiah of the Evernight Church wouldn't allow her to ask for his help. Even if it meant that she would lose all of her savants.

  So Samantha pondered for hours with no end, so that she could reduce her losses while also maximizing her gains. Which was something impossible in the past, since her focus at that time was etiquette, and not war, not leadership, not the virtue of the ruler to rule his or her subjects to prosperity. Thus she ended up becoming a workaholic as a result of a year of scheming, a year of administrating her church, a year of doing paperwork. With no time for herself, nor time to relax, nor time to polish her skills or etiquette.

  Time had passed for far too long, and Samantha had longed to enjoy all of her remaining time with her husband, and relax rather than working to death. Without having some fun with her husband's drop dead gorgeous body. So she licked her lips, not wanting to delay their nightly activities with her endless works. That now she even dreamt of jumping paperwork in her sleeps, bugging her every time she saw papers. Like she had gained a PTSD of papers.

  Samantha let out a weary sigh, as she ignored those disturbing thoughts, and glanced at her husband sitting in a corner. As he leisurely read a book while drinking a cup of coffee from time to time. Whilst he also revised one of the books that was plastered at the table, as tens of books that were finished in their revision or newly completed books could be seen sitting around him like a mountain.

  The librarian Clarice, Alister's personal assistant moved gracefully, as she lifted her glasses then conversed with Alister. As she helped him organize the books, while she also told her assistants to carry the books that were marked complete to the library. While she stacked together blank books in the floor like an emotionless servant, as she walked, picked up the remaining book, and left the room along with some of her assistants. Like a drove of honey bees eager to pollinate a flower. And Samantha watching it unfold before her eyes couldn't help herself but smile softly, as she stared at her subordinates busily chatting amongst themselves.