As I slowly regained consciousness, I was hit by a pleasant fragrance that I couldn't quite place. It was unlike anything I had ever smelled before, and I couldn't help but feel intrigued. It was making me dizzy. The cushion beneath my head was so soft and comfortable that I wanted to stay there forever.
But my recent nightmare was still fresh in my mind. I had met two goddesses - one arrogant and shameless, the other creepy and ghostly. I couldn't stand ghost women.
Mary is an exception, of course. When I met her in that coffin, I had to use all my willpower to not scream in fear, but now she was one of my closest people.
"It's time to wake up sleeping beauty~"
As I lay there, lost in thought, a familiar voice jolted me back to reality.
"!"
I opened my eyes slowly and was immediately struck by her beauty. It was like nothing I had ever seen before - a face that could only belong to a goddess.
I was completely taken aback and didn't know what to do. My body was reacting on its own, and I felt myself getting flustered.
"Donald Trump…Donald Trump…Donald Trump…Joe Biden…Joe Biden…Joe Biden…Voldemort…Voldemort…Voldemort…"
I tried to distract myself by repeating the names of some infamous personalities, like Donald Trump, Joe Biden, and Voldemort. It was an embarrassing tactic, but it helped me focus on something other than Cleenah's stunning face.
Don't judge me.
I couldn't deny the effect she had on me. It was like I was under a spell, and my mind was completely consumed by her. But I knew that I had to stay focused and keep my guard up. After all, she was a goddess, and I was just a mortal. I didn't want to get caught up in something that could be dangerous.
So, I took a deep breath and tried to compose myself. I was determined to stay focused and not let Cleenah's beauty distract me, it won't be easy…
"Amael?"
Cleenah's voice was different than the one I was used to hearing in my mind. It was melodious and had a touch of innocence.
"Who is Trump?" She asked in wonder.
"Someone you shouldn't learn about…"
I raised my body and looked around. I was sleeping on a comfortable pillow that turned out to be Cleenah's lap, and the scent I had smelled was from her.
"I saved you, show some gratitude," she said.
Thankfully, her attitude didn't change, but I still felt uneasy.
I turned around and saw her face. As the goddess of beauty, I expected her to be beautiful, but she surpassed all of my expectations.
Cleenah tilted her head, making her glossy green hair fall sideways. Then a look of understanding appeared on her ethereal face as a grin formed.
"Did you fall in love at first sight, Amael?" she asked with a hint of mockery.
"What? No, of course not," I stammered.
I was averting my gaze from her because I couldn't handle her beauty. If it continued, I was really going to fall in love with that goddess.
"Well, you're certainly acting like it," Cleenah teased.
"I am not!" I protested, doing my best to prevent my face from reddening.
Dammit...I am acting like a teenager...
Cleenah giggled, and I couldn't help but smile. Despite everything, she was still the same mischievous goddess I knew.
"You're hopeless," I said, shaking my head.
She was definitely Cleenah.
"And you're cute when you're flustered," she replied, causing me to really blush this time.
"Who is cute?!"
I needed to get my thoughts together. I couldn't afford to let myself fall for her, no matter how enchanting she was.
Cleenah's eyes were like green gemstones, the most beautiful I'd ever seen. She was dressed in a white tunic that reached her knees, adorned with jewels all over. She wore a crown or a tiara that emitted a divine aura. They were also jewels on her arms and legs. She was breathtaking, but compared to Ephera, she wasn't the most beautiful.
Yeah, definitely...
"I met your two colleagues freely renting my body," I said.
"It was too soon," Cleenah replied.
I was caught off guard by her slight anger. "Well, one day I would have met them anyway, it just came sooner than expected."
Cleenah sighed. "They are a little eccentric, so-"
"A little eccentric? A little?! One is cocky and ungrateful while the other is a psycho singing amid a field of corpses!"
Cleenah averted her face when I shouted that.
"Why the heck did they choose me?"
I laughed at my bad luck.
"I mean, these two weirdos are inside me!"
Cleenah smiled. "Well, at least you will never be bored."
"Thanks for that," I scoffed.
Cleenah's expression turned serious. "But in all seriousness, be careful around them. They may be a bit...odd, but they're also powerful. And they're not to be underestimated."
I nodded. "I'll keep that in mind, but why the heck did they choose me again? I'm pretty sure if they had joined Jayden's body, it would have been better."
"You are the one who reached the temple, Amael."
"Yeah, okay, but if it was Jayden, it would have been better. He'd have three legacies with Zeus and would have saved the world without me having to lift even a finger."
I sighed.
"No, even he wouldn't have convinced us."
Cleenah shook her head with a smile.
"You are special, Amael."
She said with her glowing green eyes.
"Special?" I repeated incredulously. "Me?"
She nodded, smiling. "Yes, you. Despite everything you've been through, you've come back stronger than ever. Your choices may seem foolish at first glance, but they actually reflect your unique and intelligent way of thinking."
Wow.
She was sure good at praising.
Thanks Cleenah, but it makes me even more pathetic.
"Uh, thanks, but you don't have to--"
"Hmph," she interrupted, puffing out her cheeks and turning away.
I couldn't help but smile. It was a relief to see that, despite her divine status, Cleenah was still capable of showing a range of emotions. She was more human than the other two who were really like Goddesses...
But then a thought occurred to me: had she been reacting this way every time we spoke? Had I been too dense to notice?
Shaking my head to clear my thoughts, I spoke.
"I was just doing what I had to do. Jayden's survival is tied to mine."
"Yes, but by doing so, you opened up new opportunities for yourself," she pointed out. "Your potential is practically limitless."
I scoffed. "Limitless? I'm weaker now than I ever was."
Cleenah rolled her eyes. "You're too dense, Amael," she said, but there was a playful tone to her voice.
Then she clapped her hands.
Now, let's get you up and moving. You've been unconscious for a while, and I'm sure you're starving."
"Eh? We can eat here?"
Cleenah chuckled. "Yes. You're lucky I'm in a good mood."
As she helped me up, I couldn't help but notice how her touch sent shivers down my spine. I quickly shook the thought away.
Cleenah led me to a small table, where she had prepared a feast fit for a king. "Dig in," she said, motioning for me to start eating.
I didn't need to be told twice. The food was delicious, and I quickly devoured it all. As I ate, Cleenah and I talked about everything and nothing. It was a nice distraction from the chaos that had become my life.
Eventually, the strange lunch ended, and I stood up, stretching my arms.
"Then how do I-"
Before I could even utter a word, Cleenah popped up right in front of my face. She had a pretty smile on her face, which made my heart skip a beat.
"Wake up. You will be busy," she said, poking my forehead with her finger. My consciousness started to fade away.
.....
....
"Cough!" I suddenly rose from the ground, feeling a lot better than before.
"Cleenah?" I asked.
[<Already missing my body?>]
[What happened in Goddess Cleenah's dimension…?]
"Are you my mom?! Nothing happened!" I responded, annoyed by the misunderstanding.
A woman wearing a white coat walked into the room. She was a top doctor of the academy.
"You seemed to have gone through mana exhaustion. You are alright now. You can leave," she said, sitting behind her desk.
I nodded and fixed my clothes before leaving.
I checked the clock and saw that it was already 16:53. I must have slept for nearly a whole day and missed my morning class. Not like I cared anyway. I was supposed to attend a mana beasts class with Professor Mona, but it sounded boring. Why should I care about beasts when all I needed to do was to kill them?
[<There must be something more.>]
I knew that, but right now, all I wanted to do was to practice instead of learning. I walked out of the central building and headed towards the dormitory. I decided to take a good nap.
[<You just took more than a nap.>]
"Yeah! But your two colleagues nearly killed me!" I responded to Cleenah's useless comment.
Those two drained all my strength away. I had the feeling that they wouldn't kill me since they needed me alive. But that meant that as long as I was barely breathing, it was okay for them.
I couldn't help but wonder what I had done to deserve such Legacies.
[<Even if they wanted, they couldn't give their legacy to you, Amael. You are physically and mentally weak for that.>]
I was upset at her words, but she was probably right. I needed more time to get stronger.
"Until then, Jayden will protect me from strong enemies. I gave him my precious blessing after all," I said, trying to sound optimistic.
When I walked towards the first-year dormitory, I saw a huge crowd gathered outside, with several luxurious cars parked nearby. People in suits and sunglasses were present, and I recognized some of them from the Falkrona mansion.
My father was there, speaking with the headmaster of the academy. I hoped he wouldn't beat me up publicly. My siblings, Simon and Elone, were also present.
"The Young Lord is here, my Lord," a bodyguard said to my father.
They all turned towards me.
My father looked absolutely livid.
"B-Brother! W-Why…?!"
Elona was the first to react, screaming my name and tears welling up in her eyes.
Simon tried to calm her down while looking conflicted.
"I can't recognize you anymore, Edward."
I shrugged in response. "Can you talk somewhere else? You're blocking our way into the dormitory," I said nonchalantly.
Everyone fell silent at my words. My father then marched towards me with a furious look on his face, but I raised my hand and spoke before he could do anything. "I swear on Eden," I said firmly.
He stopped in his tracks at my use of Eden's name. "I hereby leave the Falkrona ancestral house," I continued, "I renounce the name 'Falkrona' and choose to adopt 'Olphean', my mother's name, as my new identity. Eden shall be my witness."