Despite the pain wracking his body, Klaus still held Miriam in his arms, making sure she was alright. His Overlord Healing passive ability was working in overdrive, but he could still feel the deep ache within. He didn’t know what was on the sword that stabbed him, but the pain was intense.
Even with all the pain, he wasn’t complaining. He knew that what Miriam was going through was far worse. From what she had told him, Klaus knew she had been blaming herself for years. The events that led to her sister’s death were too heartbreaking for her not to feel crushed by it.
Klaus understood everything she was going through. Despite his own situation, he knew he had to let her vent for a while. So for the past four hours, the emotionless, ruthless, and bloodthirsty war goddess had turned vulnerable, pouring all her tears onto his chest.
“Are we done crying?” Klaus asked with a slight grin. After four hours, her tears finally stopped. Of course, he couldn’t handle another round, so he cracked a joke to lighten the mood.
Miriam lifted her head slightly, her eyes puffy and red, but a small smile tugged at the corner of her lips. She gave Klaus a playful shove, her strength still evident even in her weakened state.
“Shut up,” she muttered, though there was no anger behind her words. The heaviness in the air seemed to lift, even if just a little.
Klaus chuckled softly, though the movement made the pain in his chest flare up again. He winced but didn’t let it show. “Hey, it worked, didn’t it?”
Miriam wiped her face with the back of her hand, sniffling. “Yeah, yeah… don’t get used to it.” She sighed, her expression becoming more serious. “I’m sorry you got caught up in all this. I… I never meant for it to happen.”
Klaus shook his head gently. “There’s nothing to be sorry about. We both have our scars, Miriam. What matters is that we keep moving forward.”
“You sound really old for someone your age,” Miriam said, giving him a playful look, her smile returning.
Klaus raised an eyebrow and grinned. “Says the 60-year-old grandma. Wait, are you even 60? By my calculations, you should be over that, right?” He teased, glancing at her with a smirk. The apocalypse had started 50 years ago, and from her story, it was clear she had been a teenager when it all began.
Miriam scoffed, crossing her arms. “Watch it, or you might not make it to 30,” she shot back, though the warmth in her gaze betrayed her lightheartedness.
“Touché,” Klaus chuckled. “Still, I can’t believe you’ve been kicking ass since before the world fell apart. Guess it explains why you’re a war goddess.”
Miriam rolled her eyes but didn’t deny it. “Age is just a number when you’ve lived through as much as I have,” she said, her tone softening. “Besides, who’s counting?”
Klaus nodded. “True enough.” He paused, then added with a sly grin, “But for the record, you don’t look a day over 20.”
Miriam let out a genuine laugh, shaking her head. “You’re lucky you’re hurt, or I’d show you just how young I still am.”
Though the apocalypse was a terrible event, it did bring some unexpected benefits. One of humanity’s greatest dreams—slowing down the aging process and extending life—became a reality. While it’s not true immortality, those who cultivate don’t age as quickly as they used to. Every time they break through to a new level, they gain a boost, which extends their lifespan.
For women, the benefits were even more pronounced, thanks to their yin qi. Yin qi is the essence every woman possesses, and research has shown it’s what helps them maintain their beauty. But that’s not all. Married women, especially those with active sex lives, improve their yin qi by absorbing the yang qi from their husbands.
This process further enhances their beauty and youthfulness as they advance in cultivation. But even without absorbing yang qi, women still maintain their youthful appearance as they grow stronger. Miriam, for example, was over 60 years old, yet she looked no older than 20.
“Still,” Klaus said with a grin, “to think I’m here comforting someone who could be my great-grandma… this is wild.”
Miriam shot him a glare but couldn’t help the small smile that crept onto her face. “Watch it, or that ‘great-grandma’ might just knock you out.”
Klaus laughed. “I’ll take my chances.”
After spending a great deal of time teasing her, Klaus finally felt his pain easing. He decided to get out of bed and walked over to the window.
“So, you brought me to Arcadian City? How thoughtful,” Klaus said with a smile. “I guess this is good—my mom won’t know I got hurt again.”
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Miriam, now lying on the bed, clearly exhausted from all the crying, replied, “Well, I wasn’t the one who brought you.”
Klaus raised an eyebrow, surprised. “Huh? If not you, then who?”
“It was the Leader of the Overlords,” Miriam explained, her voice soft and tired. “She arrived just in time when you were dying. She used her energy to help heal the cut on your heart and brought us here.”
Miriam clearly wasn’t in a state to make any decisions when she found Klaus lying there with the sword in his heart. If it hadn’t been for the Overlord, Klaus might have died—maybe. She was grateful to the Overlord but couldn’t shake the feeling of blame for so many things.
“Well, I guess I’ll have to thank her when I meet her,” Klaus said before walking back to the bed.
“You should probably sleep. You look tired,” he suggested, lying down next to her. “But if you can’t, I wouldn’t mind giving you a massage. It might help you fall asleep faster,” he added with a shameless grin.
“Pervert,” Miriam said, pulling the blanket over herself.
Klaus laughed softly, enjoying the playful banter. “What? I’m just trying to help you relax,” he said, propping himself up on one elbow to look at her. “Besides, a massage isn’t a bad idea, is it?”
Miriam peeked out from under the blanket, her eyes narrowed playfully. “Are you sure that’s all you want to do?”
“Absolutely! I’m just a gentleman offering a friendly service,” Klaus replied with mock innocence.
Miriam rolled her eyes but couldn’t hide the smile on her lips. “Alright, Mr. Gentleman, but just so you know, if you try anything funny, I will end you.”
Klaus raised his hands in mock surrender. “I promise to behave. Just close your eyes and relax. You deserve it.”
After a moment of hesitation, she nodded and settled back against the pillows, pulling the blanket up to her chin. Klaus moved closer, his hands gentle as he began to massage her shoulders.
As his fingers worked their magic, Miriam let out a contented sigh. “You know, this isn’t so bad,” she admitted, her tension slowly melting away.
Klaus smiled. “See? I knew I had a hidden talent.”
“You’re not half bad,” she replied, her voice softer now. “Just don’t quit your day job.”
Klaus chuckled, feeling a warmth spread through him as he continued. The atmosphere in the room shifted, becoming more comfortable as they shared this moment.
As Miriam began to relax, her eyelids grew heavier. “Klaus?” she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.
“Yeah?” he replied, glancing at her.
“Thanks for being here. I… I really needed this,” she said, a hint of vulnerability creeping into her words.
Klaus smiled to himself, wishing his mom could see how her dear son had bagged yet another fairy. But who was asking? He knew he still had a long way to go and wasn’t about to take advantage of Miriam while she was vulnerable. If he wanted to make his move, he would do it like a man—when she was sound-minded and aware of her emotions.
After a while, Miriam finally drifted off to sleep, thanks to Klaus’s heavenly touch. He gently set her down, ensuring she was comfortable. Once that was taken care of, he sat back on the bed and decided to enter his soul sea. He had been unconscious for three days, and before falling asleep, he sensed something had changed within his soul sea. He figured it was the perfect time to investigate.
With that thought in mind, Klaus closed his eyes and focused, allowing himself to slip into his soul sea.