A white space spread throughout my eyes yet again.

I’ve been having these crazy dreams like this a lot lately. They keep repeating themselves.

What is it this time?

–General! The --- army has infiltrated our ranks!

A squire dressed woman entered through the door when my vision warped.

The ‘general’ was standing on a porch overlooking the entire army. I can’t see the person’s face or make out their voice. All their faces were blackened out.

–That fucking Archangel just had to act like a little child. If we had her right now then this battle would’ve already been over.

She then let down her hair and then I gasped. Silvery white hair spread on her back. It reached all the way down until her lower back. She made her hair into a ponytail.

‘Is that Arielle? Can’t be right?’

The woman took off her military jacket and I saw all the scars and muscles on her upper body. She began putting on her armour.

–Recall all the troops. It’s time for me to take care of the rest.

–Understood!

The scene then changed after she grabbed her sword.

---!!!

The general which I presumed to be Arielle had her chest pierced through by a black lance. The enemy holding her by the head looked just like the one I saw in my previous dreams.

A tall muscular figure. Ash black miasma surrounding their body while the static prevents me from seeing their face and body.

‘Are these the enemies the old man mentioned?’

–He and that child who uses black mana killed one of our most strongest warriors. I believe it’s only right that I kill the one precious to him.

With that the dark figure’s hand turned into a sword.

–Excalibur!!

But then a golden light swung down on him and crushed his shoulder. For some reason, I could see that person’s entire body.

Golden blonde hair, blue eyes, adventurer attire and a tall handsome figure. The sword in his hand was glowing gold with a dense energy spreading out of it. The entire horizon was bathed in its light.

–You!!!

–Alucard...

‘Huh? Alucard? The Sword King?’

He was one of the four heroes that defeated the Battle Demon God, Rodion along with the Great Sage Odette, Saintess Merlin and the other hero.

He was the second strongest hero. The Saintess was far stronger than him in pure ability and skills instead of strength.

–Your treachery ends here, villain. As the servant of the great Goddess of Light, Sol. I...

His entire body released power that could crush you just by touching it. I looked around and realised the other dark figures that were rampaging earlier are dead.

No way, was he that fast?

–Shall crush you! [Sword of Heaven]!

◇◇◇

I took in a deep breath when I woke up. My arm was glowing white yet again. The glowing has reached my entire chest.

“Ugh.”

I’m never informed when those episodes will happen to me. It didn’t have a time schedule. The last one happened four weeks ago and the first one was more than two years ago.

I looked to my side.

Arielle was still soundly asleep. She was still sleeping sloppily with her arms around my body.

I put my hand on her inner thigh. She moaned in her sleep and unconsciously opened her legs.

‘It should be fine right? I mean, she confessed to me last night.’

“...You can’t expect a growing boy to not be curious about a girl that’s already an adult.”

I lifted her night dress and touched her breasts from under the fabric.

I could feel abs on her stomach. Her body was thick in all the right places while still being thin. I kind of liked the hard texture.

Although I said I’d wait for her, my puberty hormones were raging right at that moment.

My hands softly gripped her butt and massaged it. It felt incredibly satisfying.

–Knock, knock. Clyde, are you awake? Are you not coming out? We have to depart soon.

Rattle

Rattle

Erica’s voice came from the door. She was pushing the door violently as if she was impatient. I’m pretty sure I didn’t lock the door last night. It must’ve been Arielle.

I hurriedly let go of Arielle’s straps when I was about to lower them.

“...tch..”

A soft click of the tongue entered my ears.

“Coming.”

I sighed and put on my robe. I forgot to wear a shirt last night after what Arielle did.

‘Ugh, now I feel a cold coming.’

◇◇◇

“We’ll be heading to the city by noon. Please buy any necessary items you may need before we embark on our journey to the city.”

Charlotte told us as we ate our breakfast.

“As a non-combatant, I will stay at the lord’s mansion. I’ve calculated multiple plans to handle the hordes of monsters that appear near the plains.”

She took out a map and spread it on the table. It had markings of monster sites on it.

Erica is our strongest combatant but her Holy Power isn’t infinite . Even if she is this strong, she’s still growing. She said It’ll probably take a decade more before she can fully control all her power. Things are never convenient in this world.

“Clyde and I will talk with him.”

All of us left the Inn after the meeting. Arielle asked if the two of us could go together. Of course I agreed. We held hands as we walked through the snowy streets of the Habsburg Capital city. The snow fell on top of our heads as we walked.

We might’ve looked like an innocent couple that recently got engaged. Arielle looked so happy and wore a smile I rarely see on her stoic and menacing face.

“Hey, Clyde.”

On a bench, overlooking the sea. Arielle spoke to me as we ate our ice cream.

“Yeah?”

When I replied back I saw Arielle’s red face was in front of me.

She puckered up her lips with her eyes closed.

With no hesitation, I kissed her. She was really sloppy since she bit me multiple times. After ten seconds, we pulled away. Arielle was gasping for breath.

‘I just took her first kiss...’

“S-since we’re l-lovers anyway, it should be alright to k-kiss, right?”

She fidgeted and averted her gaze.

“Yeah.”

I smiled and held her hand as we finished our ice cream.

I felt a fluffy feeling in my stomach when I held her hand.

◇◇◇

“That city? Are you kids sure?”

The coachman said in disbelief after we told our destination.

“Yes. We are sure.”

“That city is already a warzone, you know? Merchants have to use secret tunnels to transport supplies. Those everlasting waves of monsters might get you killed.”

He then went silent when Charlotte held up five gold coins.

“Ahem, I guess I could pull a few strings. You can climb on board in the meantime.”

He called to his friends and gathered them together. I wasn’t sure what they were discussing. He kept pointing at our group while shouting something to them.

In the end of their discussion, all of them nodded with serious expressions.

We already placed our luggage on the carriage. Helen will be riding a horse to look for any danger on our way there.

We departed a while later and then night-time arrived. Erica and Nate was already asleep.

Arielle joined Helen for night watch.

“By the way...”

Charlotte started speaking as she looked at me.

“How long has that relationship between you and Arielle been going on?”

Her eyes were narrowed as she folded her arms.

“Eh... last night she confessed...”

I laughed awkwardly.

“I want you to understand that my safety is the most important thing when we arrive back at the kingdom. It is a crucial time where my siblings will act regardless of the consequences. I do not want you distracted.”

She glared at me.

“I appointed you as my knight because I feel safe when I’m with you. You could have refused my offer back then even if I’m against it. If you were too distracted with love during my critical times and I end up injured then you should be prepared for the consequences. You already know that great rewards can be given to you if I become queen. My life as the legitimate daughter of–“

“Charlotte...”

She flinched when I called her by her name.

“Just because Arielle and I promised to start a family doesn’t mean I’ll ignore my duties as your knight. We’ve known each other for a while now so I can tell that you’re worried. I won’t leave.”

Her head was lowered as she gripped her dress. I put my hand on hers.

“I-I’m sorry for being so meddlesome...”

“No, it’s fine.”

“We’ll all be there for you princess.” Arielle’s head peeked though the window.

“Hiirk! How long have you been standing there!?”

“Pretty much the entire time through your complaints about our relationship which has barely begun yet.”

Charlotte’s face was bright red in embarrassment.

“Look at you acting flustered. You should rest now. You don’t want your drowsiness to affect the negotiations tomorrow.”

With that Arielle left again towards her assigned guard post.

“Rest now, princess.”

She nodded silently and laid down after I spread out the blankets. I left the carriage since only the girls should sleep there. The coachman we sleeping in his own tent while we had ours set up.

I called Undine when I went deep into the forest.

–Yes master?

“I want to train my water magic. Is there a pool of water nearby?”

Undine’s face then brightened.

“Please follow me!”

Since my mana hasn’t completely recovered yet, I can only use spirit magic against monsters. I’m thankful that Helen and Charlotte aren’t mages. Nate’s magic ability is too weak to sense a difference between mana natures.

I haven’t had free time to train my spirit magic. Tonight was the perfect time to sneak out.

“Okay. Here we are.”

Undine brought me to a lake.

“I wonder how good my efficiency is.”

My arm then began glowing white and spirits instantly gathered around me.

“Why not try lifting all the water?”

Undine then said something absurd.

“Err... are you serious?”

She nodded with a smile.

“I’ll wake the rest of the water spirits up.”

~~~~°°°

Undine sang something in a language I couldn’t understand. When she finished–

WHOOOSH

RUMBLE

A large cluster of energy came in my direction. I thought it was an enemy but then heard the childish voices.

“This many...?”

“You are loved by the spirits as if you were a monarch just like me, master.”

My body was so full of power that the drowsiness and fatigue I felt before instantly vanished. I felt like I could take on a whole army.

“Now, concentrate. You must have a purpose for calling the spirits. They are more than happy to comply as long as you have a reason. This time the goal is lifting all this lake’s volume of water above the forest.”

I closed my eyes and concentrated.

“Can you feel it, master?”

Undine’s hands were on my cheek. I could feel a type of warm energy entering my body through her hands.

----!!?

“I-I can feel it.”

I could sense all the creatures in the huge lake.

“Good, good.” She stroked my head. “Now imagine what I said earlier. The goal.”

“The goal is…”

My endless stream of mana then mixed together with the lake’s life energy. There was no rejection. As if the lake’s own spirit was allowing me access to its body.

“Very good, master.”

Undine circled around me as I had my eyes closed. She wrapped her arms around my neck and clung. Her hot breath reached my ear as she whispered.

“Now you’re ready. Lift all the water using the spirits. Do not worry about the others. I have set up a barrier to not alert them.”

RUMBLE

RUMBLE

A strong vibration rang out from the lake. The lake had bubbles rising from its surface. It looked like the lake was boiling as steam came out of it. But what is actually happening is that the water is condensing first. After a few more seconds a large volume of water rose from the lake. Followed by an even larger volume.

Two minutes later…

“Holy shit!”

I succeeded in lifting all its water. Even the sea creatures were inside it.

“See the amazing thing about being loved by spirits?”

Undine chuckled.

I looked at the huge and deep hole where the water was previously. It was so deep that I could barely see the bottom even though the moon was right above us.