Chapter 848: 6-Year Time Limit & TroubledFuture

On the way back to the castle, Bai Zemin and Seraphina again covered their bodies with those big cloaks in order not to draw too much attention on themselves.

Different from Earth, the average level of humans in Eventide World was higher and most of them had one or two skills either active or passive apart from the skills one could easily learn such as Cooking or Mechanic. Therefore, it was easier to be caught upon activating a stealth skill not to mention the fact that to avoid trouble it was forbidden the activation of skills such as Invisibility.

If a soul evolver was caught using Invisibility by the defensive systems of the city or by a guard then they would be locked up and interrogated until their innocence was proven. After all, why would a person hide inside the city where there were no enemies?

For the first few minutes, Bai Zemin and Seraphina were silent almost throughout. However, when they were approaching the mountain where the castle had been built and the number of people around them started to become fewer, Seraphina asked a question that took Bai Zemin slightly by surprise.

"Orc, will you really take Kali with you? I mean, to your world."

After a short pause, Bai Zemin replied, "That's right. Actually, Kali is too important to me, and the closer I can have her the better. Of course, I didn't expect her to make such a request either, and I would never have forced her to do something she didn't want or taken her by force."

Seraphina seemed to hesitate for a moment before she asked in a low voice, "Is Kali important to you because of her ability to see people's souls?"

"That's about right. Even if Kali decides to never draw runes ever again, just her ability to see souls as well as her analytical capabilities are two characteristics more than enough to make her an indispensable existence in my eyes." Bai Zemin said in a serious voice.

After about two or three minutes of silence, Seraphina resumed asking more questions.

"Why is Kali's ability to see souls so important to you?" she questioned in confusion. "I understand that your soul is different, I also know that you gained something good after hearing the words Kali spoke regarding the electromagnetic spectrum or whatever it's called.... But, I don't understand how anyone could benefit just by knowing the color of souls."

Seraphina had heard the same words Bai Zemin had heard when Kali spoke; even Lilith was no different. However, the only one who learned the skill Soul Manipulation was Bai Zemin.

Bai Zemin stopped his steps, causing Seraphina to stop as well.

"When I said that Kali was the powder that fired the bullet, I wasn't lying." He said and sighed. "Seraphina, I wasn't lying either when I said that my name and Kali's name would one day in the future be heard far and wide across the universe."

Seraphina shook her head, "Are you crazy? The universe? Who knows how many worlds are out there."

"If all goes according to my estimates and plans, you will be hearing from me in a few years after I return to my world." Bai Zemin said, resuming his steps again.

He knew she wouldn't understand even if he explained it a thousand times. The only way Seraphina would be able to understand the magnitude of Bai Zemin's goals was by knowing of Lilith's existence and learning about the Higher Existences. However, she did not need to know things that would probably do her more harm than good.

Ironically, he came to understand that sometimes knowing too much was not good depending on the circumstances.

Seraphina stared at his back for a few seconds before following him. She quickened her steps until she caught up with him and asked hurriedly, "Okay, let's say that what you say really happens and let's leave aside the reason why Kali is so important to you or why it is so amazing that she can see the color of souls or the use of such a thing for you.... This is the question now; how will you go about bringing her into your world with you?"

"I will simply hold Kali and walk through the portal with her after I activate the title skill that allowed me to open a portal to get to Eventide World." Bai Zemin answered casually, taking Kali to Earth was never really an obstacle for him.

"That's..." Seraphina frowned under her cloak, realizing that she had actually assumed on her own that Bai Zemin would simply be teleported to his world and subconsciously believing that no one could follow him.

Her next words, however, came as a real shock to Bai Zemin.

"If I asked you to take me with you... what would your answer be?"

"What?" He stopped abruptly and turned to look at her with wide eyes.

Seraphina looked around, and realizing that the two of them were already halfway up the mountain with no one around, she removed the hood that covered her face.

Bai Zemin did the same after making sure there were no citizens nearby and asked dumbfounded: "Why would you want to go to my world? You have everything here... Your father, your big sister, your friends, your life... everything is in Eventide World!"

Contrary to Kali who had no family or acquaintances or friends except for Seraphina, the little princess in front of him had everything in this world! Kali might not feel any special attachment to this land or its people, but Seraphina was definitely different!

Seraphina's pink lips trembled as if she was about to burst into tears or as if she wanted to say something she didn't dare. She clenched her small fists and took a deep breath before saying in a serious voice, "I need you to answer me something in an honest way, please."

Seeing her so serious, Bai Zemin subconsciously wanted to refuse to answer her question as he felt a little worried. This was the first time he had seen the usually lively and cheerful ponytailed second princess this serious.

However, seeing the slight pleading in her emerald eyes, he didn't have the heart to say no.

"Go ahead."

"When you get back to your world.... Will you and I ever be able to meet again?"

Seraphina stared into the black eyes of the guy 3 or 4 years older than her as if she didn't want to miss the slightest change in his expression. The question she had just asked him was very important to her, and depending on his answer would derive her next choices as well as actions.

As for Bai Zemin, he subconsciously breathed a sigh of relief in his heart after hearing the girl's question in front of him. Luckily and she had not asked anything that would make things difficult for him.

"It seems that you still can't accept the fact that my name will shake the universe in the years to come... but that's okay too, let the actions speak and explain themselves." Bai Zemin said with a smile. His expression then turned serious, "Regarding the matter of whether we will be able to meet again when I return to my world..."

Bai Zemin purposely dragged out his next words and watched Seraphina's reactions carefully. He would have to be too dense and stupid not to finally understand what feelings the young princess had for him now that he saw her on the verge of tears and with her fists so tightly clenched that her bones creaked.

Bai Zemin could only pray to any entity that the feelings of the young girl for him were nothing more than those of a great friendship close to brotherhood as it was the only thing that could make a human feel this pressured at the departure of another person apart from love.

"If it was before then I wouldn't be able to return to Eventide World, probably... After all, the effect of the skill attached to my title is the opening of a portal to a random world with a higher chance of making me grow compared to my world at the time of the activation." Bai Zemin said as if he hadn't noticed anything. He continued, "However, things are different now."

Seraphina's eyes that seemed to be on the verge of tears suddenly lit up brightly like stars in the sky. The spark of hope burned stronger than ever in her chest, suffocating her in the process.

"Does that mean we can see each other again?!" She asked, perhaps a little too eagerly, but she ignored it and let herself go.

Bai Zemin kept the same faint smile as before and nodded: "I don't know when it will be, it will probably be a few years or maybe it will be sooner than I expected depending on many factors. However, it is a fact that we will meet again."

'After all, I have a much bigger plan for this world.' Bai Zemin added in his heart but did not say it out loud to avoid confusing and overburdening the girl in front of him.

"That's enough, that's enough for me!" Seraphina nodded with a big smile not only of relief but also of joy.

The youngest princess of Gales couldn't tell if she was in love or not, but at the very least she was sure that she liked the person in front of her since even if she had countless suitors none could make her feel as at ease as Bai Zemin and those people couldn't even keep her eyes on them for more than two seconds.

Seraphina needed time to think and clear her own heart, therefore, although it would not be an easy task not to see him for a few years, at least it was better than not seeing him ever again. As for how many years at the very least Bai Zemin estimated would have to pass before they would meet again, Seraphina didn't dare ask and only prayed that it wouldn't be too long.

...

Returning to his room in the kingdom's castle, Bai Zemin removed his armor before letting himself fall onto the bed and closing his eyes.

A lot had happened in just one morning, and the worst was yet to come... He was really tired.

He felt the mattress sink slightly and soon that unmistakable scent of fresh roses that he loved so much covered him. Bai Zemin did not need to open his eyes and instead simply caressed the soft hair of the small head resting on his chest.

After several minutes, Lilith said in a soft voice, "The existence of that little baby named Kali seems to be quite special, this is the first time I've met someone capable of seeing souls."

"Mm." Bai Zemin hummed slightly.

Lilith added: "You will have a lot of problems because of that little baby, you know it too don't you?"

"Mm." He nodded.

"The Higher Existences will definitely go crazy to get that girl, she will become everyone's focus when your name begins to make itself known. There will definitely be disastrous wars unleashed and many worlds could be destroyed.... But I guess you've already thought of all that on the way here, haven't you?"

"Mm."

After a long pause of almost 5 minutes, Lilith opened her previously closed eyes and gently moved to turn and look at the relaxed face of her beloved. She smiled and her heart filled with pride.

Any Lower Existence that knew what a single Higher Existence represented would be scared to death at the thought of being hunted by one, but Bai Zemin didn't even flinch at the knowledge of what the future held for him.

"I'm afraid that when that happens even the lazy leader of my faction won't be able to lay still." Lilith added. "Zemin, that Kali girl's skill is tempting enough to wake Lucifer from his slumber. When that happens, the Demonic Army will probably be your enemy along with the other factions."

"It's okay, they can come to me. As long as you don't become my enemy I don't care about the others."

Lilith gently tapped his chin as punishment for his words, "I'm serious, you can't underestimate any of the faction leaders, especially Lucifer. I don't know about the rest, but if I had to fight one of them the last one I would choose would be the leader of the Demonic Army..... I hope you guys don't need to fight."

Bai Zemin slowly opened his eyes and leaned forward kissing her softly before letting himself fall once more.

"If he doesn't provoke me I don't have any desire to bother him." He said calmly.

Lilith would eventually leave the Demonic Army and join Bai Zemin's Transcendent faction, he didn't need to ask because it was an obvious fact.

The problem was this... Would Lucifer be willing to let go of a talent as great as Lilith? Bai Zemin wasn't so sure about that, but if the leader of the Demonic Army was someone stubborn then....

'But if Lucifer disrupts the peace of my loved ones or gives us problems... I'll be sure to send him into an eternal sleep from which he will never wake up.' Bai Zemin added coldly in his heart.

...

On the top floor of the castle where the Higher Existences of the Demonic Army were staying, Lucifer was sleeping comfortably in his bed when his own sneeze woke him up.

He lazily sat up in bed causing the cotton ball of his hat to hit him in the face due to the movement. Lucifer pulled the cotton ball back and rubbed his eyes as he looked around.

"Damn, this daddy don't want trouble but my trouble-detecting allergy has gone off again. Big trouble."

His mumble echoed in the quiet, dark room.

"Oh, well...let's go back to sleep."

Soon, soft snoring was once again the melody that cloaked the surroundings in the dense blanket of darkness.

...

Back in Gales, Bai Zemin looked at the fifth and last message he received from the Soul Record after he learned Soul Manipulation.

Just as Bai Zemin expected, this message only signaled trouble for him.

Big trouble.

"Six year time limit? Fuck yourself." Bai Zemin muttered to himself.

Lilith looked at him in confusion and was about to ask what was going on when she saw Bai Zemin get into the blankets.

"... What are you doing?"

Bai Zemin patted his pillow before resting his head. He closed his eyes and said in a flat voice, "This daddy is going to sleep."

The corner of Lilith's mouth twitched several times, but even before she could say anything, she noticed that Bai Zemin's breathing had become steady.

He had fallen asleep.

In less than ten seconds.

* * * * * * *