Chapter 324: Your potential
"Fuck, I am exhausted..."
Broandon groaned leaning his head on Naevora’s shoulder as she is now carrying him again in her back.
She looked ahead ’Mhm, he killed two more S rank aberrants, He is getting stronger quickly...’
’Right now his body is still a step behind, he is quickly exhausted and using his skills are straining his body, because his body is not tempered enough.’
’Using A rank ether and skill while his body being B rank tempered... Slowly he will get used to it.’
’Also the disc, he is close to mastering it... He is not on the level of Yve’s control, but he is getting there.’
Meanwhile, behind her, Brandon shifted slightly, brushing his chin against her shoulder as his eyes traced the curve of her jawline.
She was lost in her thoughts, and he found himself just... admiring her.
Her long hair swayed with each step and even with her usual stoic expression, he thought she was beautiful.
A smile crept across his tired face.
Slowly, he raised one hand and reached for her hair.
With a soft motion, he tucked a stray strand behind her ear.
Naevora stiffened slightly at the sudden touch and turned her head toward him "Brat?"
Brandon only shook his head, "Nothing."
"Don’t ’nothing’ me. You think I don’t notice when you’re up to something?"
He chuckled dryly "Can’t a guy just... admire his beautiful master in peace?"
Her eyes narrowed, but a faint warmth colored her cheeks "...Focus on recovering your strength instead of spouting nonsense."
Brandon smiled against her shoulder and was too tired to push her further but satisfied with the reaction he’d gotten.
He let his forehead rest against the curve of her neck and closed his eyes.
Naevora, however, kept her eyes on the path ahead ’This guy... even half-dead, he has the audacity to flirt. One day, he’ll drive me insane.’
And as Brandon drifted closer to sleep, he whispered softly, "Thanks for carrying me, Nae..."
Naevora’s lips curved into a faint smile "...Idiot."
---
"You, pervert... your body hasn’t been fully recovered yet, but you are already snuggling up to my thighs."
Sitting on the bed, Naevora muttered, but Brandon just rolled her shorts up her thighs and buried his face in her thighs.
"Mmm," he murmured with his voice muffled against her thighs "I swear, I’ll recover faster if I get squished by these thighs."
Brandon tilted his head slightly, letting the bridge of his nose trail along her inner thigh.
He deliberately rubbed his cheek against her thigh like a spoiled cat. "Warm, soft... just right. This really is the best medicine."
"Brat..." Naevora muttered again and her hand absentmindedly threaded through his hair, showing how she was getting used to the contact.
Brandon shifted slightly, his cheek brushing against the smooth curve of her inner thigh as he sighed contentedly. "Ahh... this is paradise. If I die tomorrow, at least I’ve known heaven."
Her hand remained resting lightly on his head with fingers tangled in his hair, and she neither pulled him closer nor pushed him away.
Encouraged, Brandon closed his eyes again and buried himself deeper, his arms wrapping loosely around her waist and the warmth radiating from her thighs seeped into him, soothing his exhaustion more effectively.
Looking at him, she asked "Oh, by the way... when did you copy Yve’s skills? I was quite suspicious about you guys... but did you really?"
With a smile, he glanced up at her "Yeah, we are in a relationship now."
Wha- Naevora’s jaw dropped in disbelief ’Not just kissing and playing around, in a relationship?’
Snapping out of her shock, she blinked "But didn’t you already have a girlfriend, did you break up with her?"
He shook his head "No, why should I? They are both my lovers."
-_- Naevora gave him a blank stare "Two girlfriends?"
She reached down and pinched his cheek, twisting it a little "You cheeky brat, you are going after women’s skirts after all..."
"Ow, ow, ow-" He winced slightly because of her pinch "You are tearing my cheek..."
Her expression darkened as she looked at him thoughtfully "Well... I can’t even say it’s a bad thing. You can copy more skills that way."
"Do both of your girlfriends know that you have two girlfriends? Or you are just playing with fire?"
Brandon stopped resisting her pinch, straightening his back "Yeah. They both know. They accept it. It’s not just me... they’re okay with it too."
He gently cuddled his way up, resting his head on her shoulder and hugged her waist while burying his face on her neck.
Naevora stiffened instantly but then she let out a sigh.
Slowly, she patted his back, then let her palm rest there, rubbing small circles as though soothing a child.
"...Brat," she muttered under her breath while Brandon just smiled against her neck.
Naevora’s eyes softened as she looked down at the boy in her arms.
And after a long silence, she whispered, "Then you have to choose your partners carefully."
Brandon blinked, lifting his head slightly from the crook of her neck "Naevora?"
Her gaze lowered "Brandon... do you know the one thing that limits most Awakeners?"
He tilted his head in confusion "...Their strength? Their rank?"
She shook her head gently, brushing a strand of his hair back. "It’s their talent."
Brandon’s eyes narrowed slightly at her tone.
"Look at me," Naevora continued, "Even if I trained another hundred years... I don’t think I could beat Miss Elize. Do you know why?"
Brandon frowned. "Because Elize is just... too strong?"
Naevora let out a dry laugh and nodded. "Yes. But it’s more than that. It’s her innate skill. You saw her manipulate space, tear open portals, and bend space as if it’s a toy in her hand."
Her thumb traced along his jaw absentmindedly. "But look at me. My skills... what are they? I fight with my body. With my physical strength. No matter how much I polish it, the ceiling is there. I can never reach her realm. That’s just the cruel truth."
Brandon’s arms tightened unconsciously around her waist.
Naevora continued, "The ones who rise to the very top... are the ones whose innate skills are terrifyingly powerful from the start. The Awakener’s skill determines their growth. Determines their future. This world..."
Her eyes narrowed. "This world is unfair like that."
Brandon didn’t know what to say, only watching the faint sorrow hidden in her fiery eyes.
Naevora’s lips pressed together, then curved bitterly. "I can call myself an Empyrean, but the truth is... I am not on the same level as any other Empyreans. Not Elize. Not your sister. I’m strong, yes, but... compared to them? I know my place."
Finally, she met his gaze directly and her voice softened "That’s why... you’re different."
Naevora raised her hand and gently cupped his cheek, forcing him to look straight into her eyes. "Brandon, you have the power to become the strongest in the world."
"You can copy skills. Do you understand how terrifying that is?"
Her thumb brushed against his cheekbone, "Take today for example. Ravene can only use her chains... that’s her limit. Yverine can only control her silver flames, that’s her limit. But you... took both of their powers, merged them, and created something greater. Something neither of them could do on their own."
Her voice lowered, "That’s what sets you apart. Your ability doesn’t just let you match others. It lets you surpass them."
He shifted slightly, snuggling into her warmth until his cheek pressed snugly against the curve of her collarbone.
"Hm... But I just can’t randomly sleep with women to obtain power."
His lips curved into a small smile, "I’ll only sleep with the people I love."
Naevora froze, and her eyes flickered down at him.
Her gaze softened further as she looked at him "Hmm. I am impressed."
Brandon tilted his head slightly to look up at her, "What? Did you expect me to just run around seducing women left and right? Collecting skills like trophies?"
Naevora rolled her eyes "Honestly... with the way you’re always eyeing breasts, I wouldn’t have been surprised."
Brandon gave a short laugh, scratching his cheek sheepishly. "...Fair point."
But then, his expression softened again "But I meant what I said. I don’t want to treat love like a tool or the people I care about like stepping stones. If I’m going to share something that intimate... it’ll be because I truly love them."
Naevora’s gaze lingered on him, a small smile touching her lips as a strange warmth filled her heart.
The boy was reckless, perverted, and insufferably cheeky at times... but moments like this reminded her he wasn’t just some foolish brat chasing after women. He had conviction.
She let out a long sigh and leaned her head back against the headboard of the bed "...I’m not telling you to run around sleeping with random women," she muttered, also scolding herself in her mind for even bringing it up.
"I just want you to realize your potential. To understand what you’re capable of."
Brandon’s grip around her waist tightened, "Yeah... I understand. Thank you, Naevora."
She chuckled and continued patting his head "Oh also, you told your sister came back, is she still in home?"
Shaking his head, he replied "Nope, she has already left... she will come back on the weekend."
---
The wind fluttered Charlotte’s blonde hair, sending golden strands cascading behind her as her cloak rippled in the air.
She hovered effortlessly in the air and from her vantage point, she had a clear view of the enormous mansion sprawling across the landscape below.
"House Vernhail..."