Transcendence?

***Sphere of Sous***

***Celestial***

“~Not. Important!~”

I pull Ascathon out of the room. To be honest, I was about to kill the old man myself. But when he gave Ascathon his judgement, my husband changed completely.

It was like a completely different person sat suddenly on the couch beside me. The killing intent I felt from him was intense. I was so utterly shocked that the only thing I could do was to back off into a corner of the room. It felt like Ascathon would be able to commit multiple genocides and be fine with it.

Then he got a hold of the guy who claimed that Ascathon has a hidden female side to him. The beating was intense! The old man tried to shield himself with his divine aura, but Ascathon somehow managed to bypass it completely! He even healed the old guy while breaking bones and bending limbs into the wrong direction.

He had an expression on his face like I had never seen before.

From one moment to the next it stopped. The vile aura was gone and Ascathon went back to his seat with a blank expression. He started to speak like nothing had happened. The old man had triggered something like a landmine inside Ascathon.

I was the first one to regain my composure and led Ascathon out of the room.

“I am still not sure what happened. I mean, I had blackouts before in previous lives. What exactly happened.” He is still a little dazed.

One thing is for sure, I don't want him to have a relapse! I know that he has some mental problems. But I somehow forgot about them since we were doing fine for a long time.

I link arms with him and kiss his cheek. “You just stood up and took the card. ~Nothing else happened!~”

“And why did the priest look so beaten up? Why are you lying?” He looks at me with a doubtful expression.

“Ascathon. Am I your wife?” I smile at him.

“Yes?” He sounds like he expects a trap.

“Then as your wife. Your family. Someone who loves you despite your faults. I tell you. You don't want to know. Let's forget that this ever happened.” I hold firm eye contact with him.

After a few seconds he frowns. “I guess it's not that important.”

“Good. How about taking a look at the merchants and their goods? I am sure that there have to be some interesting technological and magical artefacts among them.” I turn to Lidith and Jazira who followed us out of the room. They are looking at Ascathon like some dangerous animal.

Ascathon's eyes light up. “That sounds interesting.”

“Yes! The market! We'll take a look at the market first!” Lidith smiles and turns to lead the way away from the pyramid to the opposite side of the plaza. There are many buildings around the big plaza. Their architecture is Greek and all of them are made out of huge blocks of granite.

It looks like the pyramid and the plaza are inside a city. I turn to Jazira and whisper. “What about the old oaf?”

I won't feel sorry for the old fool. Wasn't he supposed to be some kind of expert? It looked like he stepped on Ascathon's landmine while knowing what could happen!

“Lidith bribed him to keep his mouth shut.” Jazira whispers back with a forced calm expression.

I nod. I won't ask how she bribed him. It's not like I want to know the particular details. But it still bothers me that my husband has a side like this. Some secrets have to be buried deep and then be forgotten otherwise bad things happen! Yes, that's what I'll do.

“Here we are!” Lidith waves at a colourful bazaar. I didn't realize that we travelled quite some distance while I was holding onto Ascathon who followed Lidith.

People are advertising their goods while others are inspecting them. Like the gods from the plaza, everyone is wearing something different. There is no uniform sense of fashion whatsoever. Then I scold myself for wondering about it.

All of them are coming from different planets. Some probably even from other realities. They are gods from all over the multiverse. Of course they don't look the same.

Ascathon's attention turns to some stands which advertise magical artefacts and he walks over to inspect them.

“I have something to do. Let's meet up here in two hours.” Lidith calls and rushes off.

“I'll go for a stroll too! The clothes over there look gorgeous! See you later.” Jazira runs away too.

Great! They left me alone with my mentally unstable husband! Then on the other hand I guess they are right that it's my problem. I married him after all.

I keep my mouth shut for an entire hour while Ascathon takes a look at various artefacts. He seems to be his normal self again. The incident was totally forgotten after he got to look at the items on display.

Another ten minutes pass until I can't take it any more. “Are you sure that there is really nothing we could use? You are just looking.”

“Of course I am just looking. This is a paradise for industrial espionage! Why should I trade for something which I can build myself after taking a look at it?” Ascathon has a surprised expression.

The vendor at the stand in front of us starts to grumble and takes the enchanted gloves away from Ascathon, who was inspecting them very thoroughly. “Hey!”

I push Ascathon to the next stand while I smile at the guy who was selling the gloves. “Why don't we snatch something to eat?”

“Actually I wondered about the currency system. Trading goods is a very inefficient way of exchanging valuables. It feels like Lidith forgot an important point about the currency. I saw people paying by showing their identification cards.” Ascathon answers.

I didn't realize that he paid attention to something else beside his artefacts. “Maybe there is something like a bank or a merchant group who give you something similar to money?”

Ascathon nods. “And I can't help myself. But those guys look like they belong into that category!” He points at a counter with no wares on display, yet there are many people waiting in line for something.

So we join their ranks and a few minutes later we have five thousand trading points on our accounts and are by two of Ascathon's communication devices poorer. Ascathon snickers while we head through an alleyway towards a recommended restaurant.

“What's so funny.” I want to have some fun too.

“I would never buy a communication device from someone else. They are ridiculously stupid. I wonder who'll buy it. Maybe I should start a mass production and sell them in large quantities?” He still chuckles to himself.

“Don't tell me you cheated them somehow. That's bad you know? They are gods too.” I start to worry about something like a security force catching us.

“Of course not! They work perfectly fine! It's just that I can listen in on them.” He chuckles.

I sigh. “So it's that tour again. You surely like it to spy on people.”

“Of course! There is nothing better! It's like watching a real life sitcom!” He spreads his hands.

I sigh and continue walking. “Let's get to that restaurant. I am hungry.”

Suddenly he stops and holds me back at my hand. “Actually, I have a better idea!” He points at a blue sign with neon lights.

-Room for two!-

-Today we have an entire set of new costumes!-

Ah! Somehow we ended up in that part of the town! “No!”

“Aw! Come on! It says they have costumes! I want to see them!” He grins at me.

“I will not use a place like that!” I shake my head.

“This isn't our homeworld. It surely isn't dirty.” He kneels down in front of me and takes my hand to kiss it.

“I... I won't be persuaded. And it's not a matter of dirt. I am not that kind of woman.” I try to pull my hand away, but he holds it firmly.

“But you are the only woman I could try that with. And I am your husband! Didn't you use your status as my wife just earlier?” He looks up into my eyes like a little puppy.

“Is that so... I certainly used that...” No! Of course he can't go in there with another woman!

“Then let's go!” He throws me over his shoulder and heads inside.

“~No! I didn't say yes! HIAAA! Don't grab my ass!~”

***Sphere of Sous***

***Ascathon***

“Whew! Just in time! Hello!” I turn around a corner and find Jazira and Lidith already waiting at the promised place.

“You are late!” Jazira pouts. She has three big bags in each hand.

“What happened to Celestial?” Lidith looks at me with a concerned face.

“Nothing. Everything is perfectly fine. She is just tired from all the walking.” I pat my wife's bottom. I had to carry her over my shoulder all the way here from the love hotel. For some strange reason I felt a little edgy since my blackout. I found the love hotel just at the right moment to get over my frustration.

Both Jazira and Lidith look at me in disbelief. “What? I am her husband. Who else would be able to tell?”

“I still think you shouldn't grab her ass like that while carrying her in the public. She'll skewer you when she wakes up. And what's in that bag?” Jazira nods at the bag which is hanging from my other shoulder.

I remove my hand from Celestial's butt. My head starts to spin while I try to make something up. “Just some toys for the kids and some magical artefacts for me. Hahahaha. What's in your bags.”

“Dresses of course.” Jazira answers bluntly.

Lidith claps her hands. “I think we shouldn't pursue this further Jazira. It feels like we would learn things we never wanted to know. And I need to give all of you your registration forms for tomorrow! It was hard to get all of you registered without you being there.”

“Registration?” Jazira finally stops to question me.

“For what?” I furrow my eyebrows in wonder.

“~For the tournament!~”

.