After some time, he shifted slightly, turning around while still half-asleep.
Now he faced her.
His arm wrapped around her, and his hand moved to her back, continuing the same comforting motion.
Time passed quietly.
After a while, he spoke again.
"You are still awake, are you not?"
Emily opened her eyes.
"How did you know?" she asked softly.
"Your breathing was different," he replied.
His voice was calm, as if this was something obvious.
Emily paused. She remembered then that this was normal for him.
He was far beyond an ordinary person. Even without focusing, he could notice small details others would miss entirely.
"If you cannot sleep, we can talk for a bit," Isaac suggested, letting out a small yawn as he opened his eyes.
Emily hesitated, then nodded.
They both spoke in low voices to avoid waking Catherine.
"So you dreamt of your mother?"
"You tried to skip the documents, even in the dream?"
"Are the Eltari Overlords listening to you?"
"Wait, you drank today?"
They spoke a lot. About her dreams. About how her mother used to rule. About how her summons were growing. Emily was particularly excited with the growth of N’theris Serpent, the Hell Serpent, and Genos, the Metavore Hive.
Isaac didn’t scold her for drinking and instead only asked to drink when she was with them. He told her that her drinking alone would make him worry about her safety.
Emily smiled softly. She was strong. Strong enough to fight a Catastrophe alone if proper conditions were met. And Isaac was still worried about her safety? Somehow that made her feel even more fuzzy in her heart.
As they spoke in hushed voices, Emily’s replies gradually slowed. Her words became softer, less frequent, until they faded completely. A small, peaceful smile rested on her face as she drifted off to sleep.
Isaac fell silent and looked at her properly.
In the dim light, her expression was calm, far removed from the tension she sometimes carried after waking up from nightmares.
A loose strand of hair had fallen across her face. He reached out and gently moved it aside, careful not to disturb her.
For a few seconds, he simply watched her.
Then he felt movement behind him.
Catherine shifted and wrapped her arms around him from behind. Her naked figure pressed against him.
She rested close, her chin near his shoulder.
"Sorry, did we wake you up?" Isaac whispered, keeping his voice low.
"You couldn’t tell if I was asleep or not?" Catherine replied in a whisper, her breath brushing lightly against his neck.
"You’re trained for that, aren’t you? It would be stranger if I could tell," he replied.
Catherine smiled slightly at his answer.
She did not loosen her hold. Instead, she remained close, her arms still around him as she spoke again, her tone shifting just a little.
"Emily said something earlier that made me realize something important."
Isaac glanced slightly over his shoulder. "What is it?"
"You shouldn’t sell your crops to the Lords directly. Instead, you should push for contracts that allow you to open shops inside their cities. That way, you control the sales yourself while maintaining exclusivity," she said.
Isaac frowned slightly as he considered it. "Wouldn’t that be seen as intrusive? Most Lords won’t like someone setting up inside their territory. And even if they allow it, they’ll impose heavy taxes."
"They will. But that doesn’t mean you should avoid it. The Lords aren’t simple people, Isaac," she continued, her voice calm but firm. "Little Averon is still young. That’s why forming an alliance with the Solkara Race was relatively easy. But the others won’t be like him. They’ve ruled for decades. They’ve fought monsters, dealt with other Lords, and protected their resources constantly."
She continued, "To them, you’re an opportunity that appeared out of nowhere. A valuable one. If you act too cooperative or too passive, they will just take advantage of you."
Isaac’s expression turned more serious.
"You should show that you’re not easy to push around. If they increase taxes, then raise your prices. If your crops remain exclusive, they won’t have many options. And having your own presence inside their cities will help us in more ways than one. Your religion, your influence, your reach. All of it becomes easier if you have a foothold there," she said.
Isaac understood what she meant.
Images of the past surfaced in his mind. Of people like Former Governor Marcus and Overlord Aurora. They were ambitious, calculating, and willing to destroy others if it meant gaining more power.
The Lords would not be any different.
If anything, they would be worse.
Right now, he had too much to offer. His crops alone were enough to draw attention. On top of that, his Great Dungeon, his summons, and everything he had built... it was enough to make anyone greedy.
If he stayed passive, he would only invite trouble.
"...you’re right. I’ll talk to Selene and Old Man Jeremy. We’ll figure out how to approach this properly," Isaac said finally.
"Good boy. That’s how you should listen to your big sister," Catherine said, patting his head lightly.
Isaac rolled his eyes, though there was no real irritation behind it.
He had told her last night to stop calling him boy, and call him husband. She seemed to have taken offense to that, believing he was rebelling to be their relationship as siblings, and that’s why was emphasizing that she was his older sis and he was a little brother to her.
"So, what’s your new God Quest?" she asked.
"..."
"What is it?" she asked again.
"I’m not going to complete them anymore. Or I will become a God of Harem, Lust, or NTR at this rate," he grumbled.
A faint chuckle escaped Catherine. "And what exactly is wrong with that? Those God Domains are quite useful for us. The skill you got recently proved that. It helped Celia improve her physique at tremendous speed. She should be reaching Level 2 in her Physiques soon, even though it should take a lot more time normally"
Isaac did not deny it.
"Stronger skills will come with completing more God Quests. You shouldn’t ignore that just because you don’t like the theme," she said,
He remained silent for a moment before answering.
"...For my new Quest, I need to choose a Champion. Someone who will go on a pilgrimage. They’re supposed to travel, grow, discover themselves, and spread my religion."
Catherine considered it.
"A Champion..." she murmured. "What about Vale?"
Isaac shook his head slightly. "He fits in terms of ambition and potential, but he has too many responsibilities. He won’t leave everything behind."
"That’s true," Catherine admitted.
"I was thinking about Tyr or Peter," Isaac added.
Catherine nodded slowly.
"Tyr is loyal and has strong potential. But he’s still too inexperienced," she said.
"And Peter is still completing his Class Advancement for Adept rank. Even if he completes it, sending him out would be risky," Isaac said.
The wilderness was not forgiving. Even strong individuals could fall if they were not prepared.
Isaac did not want to send either of them into unnecessary danger.
That hesitation had been the real reason he had not started the Quest yet.
Catherine seemed to understand that.
"I’ll prepare a list. We’ll gather a few suitable candidates and evaluate them properly," she said after a moment.
"Thank you," Isaac replied.
The room fell quiet again.
By now, the faint light of early morning had begun to creep in.
Catherine shifted and then slowly sat up. The blanket slid down. Her perfectly proportional physique, one that could make a monk drool, was out in the open.
Isaac turned his head, and looked at her. Heat stirred within his body at the sight. Last night’s events, where he had tamed her, only made the heat surge more.
But before he could say anything, Catherine leaned down, kissed on his forehead, then stood up.
"I know you want to do it again, I want it too, but I need to go and start preparations for today. A lot of lords and powerful awakeners are coming, so we can’t let down our guard," she said. A coy smile appeared on her face. "Be prepared for our next time though. Since you ’pampered’ me so much, I will definitely return the favor."
Isaac felt chills for some reason at that moment.
Catherine still had a smile, but those were too ominous.
’What can she even do though? I already know all her tricks,’ he rationalized.
Catherin’s smile grew slightly as she saw his worried reaction. She walked away from the bed and entered the bathroom.
Despite his worries, Isaac’s gaze was drawn to her swaying hips that perfectly matched to her narrow waist. From the side, the soft swell of her breasts was teasingly visible as she moved.
He forced himself to look away. He knew he wouldn’t be able to hold back if he kept watching.
His eyes met with Emily’s, who seemed to have just woken up. She moved like she usually did upon waking up, and kissed him. Her hands went underneath his—
...
Catherine POV
Catherine stood under the shower. The steady stream of water ran over her skin.
She remained still. Her hollow gaze was fixed upward at the ceiling light.
Her expression was calm. Too calm.
’Many Lords are coming today,’ she thought.
The situation was already complicated. With so many powerful figures gathering in one place, the chances of conflict, schemes, or hidden agendas increased significantly.
And then there was another matter. It was the reason why she had to leave Isaac early in the morning.
’Mother will definitely make a move.’
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
It was perfect, born out of years of practice. But her eyes told a different story. A cold, sharp intent flickered within them.