Transcendence?

***Norfolk, Sarn-Valley***

***Ascathon***

It's still early in the morning and I am lying in my bed. Somehow I started to worry about my future actions. Everything evolved on its own up until now. I even ended up controlling Norfolk.

At least I control it through the snoring figurehead at my side. Celestial is still out cold. She goes to sleep right away, ever since she became the Jarl.

We also got news that the Academy was taken by the Immortal Empress. She used the opening which was created by the stupidity of the Inquisition.

So that leaves me with Norfolk, the Kingdom of Mislow, the Nation of Mist, the Phenex Empire and those mysterious manipulators. The Inquisition and their leader still exist too. They just lost their headquarters. There is the fact that Mislow and the Nation of Mist worked together to attack Sarn. So that makes them allies? Or did they act independent?

It doesn't matter. Both of them are against me. The Inquisition too. And Norfolk isn't as easy to control as one might think. Three against one isn't my idea of a fair fight. Maybe I should try to enter an alliance with Phenex?

That could give me enough time to advance the technological level of Norfolk. An enemy of my enemy is my friend? The Phenex Empire doesn't seem to be evil. The Immortal Empress is just a little power hungry like every good immortal.

I also have to try to take a look at Fingulf. That's if he is still alive. Should I send a flying ship to fetch him?

All kinds of worries are going through my head.

My eyes wander to the sleeping Celestial at my side. She has kept her meek attitude up for quite a while. I wonder how far I can go, before she abandons it and returns to her true self? Reaching out, I poke her cheek with one finger. No reaction. She is still in deep sleep.

Hmmm.

Reaching under the bed, I grab my new reflex camera and ready it. It's a new model and much smaller now. There is also a screen which shows the taken pictures. I pull with two fingers at Celestial's cheek and take my first picture. Then I check it on the screen. Haaa. It's acceptable, but not what I wanted to achieve.

I spend several minutes with taking strange photos of my wife. She is sleeping like a log and nothing I do wakes her up. Managing a country must be tiresome. Maybe I should reward her for her hard work?

I grab one of my special items from under the bed to take a final photo of Celestial. It's a black headband with cat ears. After equipping her with it, I sit on top of her to take good shot. YES! That's a perfect one!

Maybe another angle too. A little from the side may be even better? I will try to become a photographer in my next life.

Haah. Maybe I am giving in too much to my secret desires? I try to hide that I am a pervert at heart because in most of my lives I am involved with the scientific society. Those people never react well to someone who likes this stuff.

Now that I look at her, she really is a beauty when her face is relaxed like that. And the chest is just perfect. Not too big and not too small. It shouldn't be a problem if I get a feel? No, wait! Wouldn't that be sexual harassment? Rape?

It's Celestial on the other hand, it doesn't count as harassment if the victim is her. And I am her husband. So why shouldn't I be allowed to do this? The little angel on my right shoulder tells me that I should wake her up and ask, but the devil on my left shoulder is screaming to simply do it!

I feel her up without another thought and take another photo of my hand on her bulging … nice, so firm, yet soft and bouncy. Just right to the touch, one might think that those aren't natural, but there is no cosmetic surgery in this world. On the other hand, isn't she a witch? Maybe she cheated with some secret potions? Who knows? …

*snatch*

Huh? What? The camera disappeared? How is this possible? Just as I pressed the trigger! Did I mess up the magic circuitry? No, it's impossible to create an effect like that by messing up such simple circuits.

Then I realize that Celestial's left hand is raised and the camera is held by her. Her eyes are open and she is glaring at me.

“~Explain.~”

“Uh... well... you were sleeping.” My thoughts are spinning as I try to think up an explanation for the situation. “I had the urge. There is nothing wrong with it, because I am your husband.”

“You had the urge to take photos while I sleep?” She pushes some buttons on my camera to take a look at the photos. The camera has a simple design and the buttons are labelled, so it's no wonder that she manages it without a problem.

“Can you imagine a woman's reaction, when she wakes up and someone is sitting on top of her, fondling her breasts with the left and taking photos with the right?” Her expression turns cold. Apparently she found my photo series with her staged faces.

I immediately take my hand away from her chest and smile. “Starting to scream?”

“~R.I.P. a head off!~”

So I evaded death by a hair's breadth? I ready myself for physical violence, but then she gets to the photo with the cat ears and immediately feels for them on her head.

I am dead!

Then she starts to giggle and sits up, whispering into my ear. “~Don't you want to try some things while we are both awake?~”

She bites into my earlobe and starts to kiss my neck and shoulder, which sends a shudder down my spine.

“This... is strange? Why aren't you going on a rampage?” My head is spinning while she starts to unbutton her shirt.

“I will do that when I find those photos with someone other than you. So keep them safe.” She smiles provokingly and gives me a French kiss.

I grab a pillow and use it to separate us. “You are strange! Did Sera drug you?”

“I just want to have some happy time with my husband. Don't you understand that I am trying to make up for the past? How long do I have to wait until you accept that I am seriously trying to change our relationship.” Celestial pouts and pulls the pillow out of my hands.

“But if you like the other me better, I can always return to hitting you for every stupidity you commit. If you like it rough, we could use ropes? Or a whip?” She starts to grin and hides her mouth behind the pillow.

“Uuum... I think we still need a few level ups for ropes and whips.” What will happen if she uses her freakish strength with a whip? Will I survive? No it's better to avoid that. I take the pillow away from her and she kisses me again.

Okay? Who needs photos if he can have the real deal? Willing and ready on top of that!

I hug her and answer the kiss.

***

We are eating breakfast with the whole family. After taking in so many freeloaders, we had to change our eating location from the kitchen to the living room. The kitchen became simply too cramped.

My back hurts and Celestial's face has a natural glow. Being the male isn't beneficial at all in hindsight.

In any case, I have to make an announcement. “Guys. There's something I wish to talk about.” All eyes turn in my direction. “As you surely know the world's political landscape is a little rough at the moment. So I thought that it would be best if we gained an ally.”

All adults look at me with perplexed expressions. “Whom? There are only enemies at the moment.” Celestial tilts her head. “Do you think we could turn the Nation of Mist to our side again?”

I shake my head. “As I understood them, Fingulf was a balancing force against their elders. He controlled the military and didn't follow their demands blindly. With him gone, the elders do what they want. Unless we save him, that door is closed to us.”

Then I smile. “I thought about allying with Phenex. They are the only ones who aren't rejecting the ideas and tools from Sarn. Doesn't that make them the better choice over the others?”

“No.” Celestial rejects.

“Please think about it.” I beg her.

“They tried to abduct Sera. I won't ally with such people.” Celestial gets right to the main point.

“That's already resolved and Sera wasn't treated badly. It even turned out to be a bad decision, made by the spy alone. We don't even have to ally with them for long. I just want them to occupy Mislow for a short while. ” I tap with my index finger on the table to enforce my point.

“What are we gaining by having Mislow occupied?” Sera sips on her milk.

A savage grin appears on my face.

“Time for our new fleet to abduct a worthy general!”

.