~~ Author Note ~~
https://discord.gg/6PBf4ccNCT
Hello, readers.
"Gasp! A chapter update that didn't take more than a week. Who'd have thought it possible?"
"Hey, don't say that. He's trying his best to create these chapters."
"As if. He's incredibly slow and lazy. I mean, you've seen him, right? He's so unproductive."
"Well, you're not entirely wrong."
"Hey, who's side are you on? Anyway, you guys need to be quiet. They're here to read the story, not listen to the voices in my head."
"Sorry!"
"Heh, I'm not."
"Whatever, just be quiet now."
As always, I hope you enjoy the chapter.
~~ End Author Note ~~
***
Dianthus awoke from his slumber upon sensing a change in the flower he had offered to the stray priestess. 'She used it much faster than I thought.' Dianthus looked down at the woman in his arms. 'Hmmm, I promised not to leave her side tonight.'
After a bit of thought, Dianthus decided on a plan of action. He raised his arm that wasn't trapped beneath Eruza's body. 'This should work even without my bloodline. I'll just substitute with my conceptual divinity.'
From Dianthus' extended palm, a small flower bud emerged and sprouted. He let it slowly fall from his hand. However, the plant hovered in the air rather than descending to the ground. The plant quickly bloomed into a mature plant, but it didn't stop growing.
Gradually what was once stems and leaves coalesced, forming the silhouette of a man. A faint translucent blue glow surrounded the figure as the greenery twisted together into a more solid structure. As the form became more human-like, skin and hair began to form over the top of the tangled plants. The process continued until there was a carbon copy of Dianthus standing nearby the bed. The only differences lie in the lack of genitalia and the hair being significantly pinker.
Using his canines, Dianthus tore open the flesh on his finger. He reached out his hand, pressing the bleeding area against the duplicate's head. He closed his eyes briefly and focused on splitting his senses.
Upon their reopening, his violet slits were met with the sight of a pair of pink orbs starting back. 'This process is much more troublesome now,' Dianthus thought as a bead of sweat dripped down his forehead. After wiping away the sweat, Dianthus closed his eyes and pulled Eruza closer.
While the original returned to slumber, the duplicate walked out of the room and headed outside the house. As soon as it had exited, it found itself face to face with Semiramis.
"I see you made a drone," Semiramis looked carefully at the duplicate.
"Yeah, it was much tougher to do without the assistance of stolen bloodlines," the copy said. "I can still control it normally, but I think one is my limit until I'm fully healed."
Semiramis hummed thoughtfully. "Why'd you create a drone anyways? I thought you said it was a hassle to control multiple bodies at once."
"While it's undoubtedly annoying, the convenience of being in multiple places at once is nice. I made a drone now so that I didn't have to break my promise with Eruza. I told her I wouldn't leave her side tonight," Dianthus said.
"I hope you're not thinking of spending time with us using a fake body," Semiramis frowned. "I don't care that you are in control of the fakes."
"Of course not." Dianthus was offended by her thoughts. "I plan on using the drones to take care of smaller hassles. When I don't need them, I'll shut them down. I have no intention of using a fake body to spend time with my loved ones."
Semiramis smiled. "I'm glad to hear that. The previous you didn't think twice when using your drones."
"I suppose you're right," he sighed. " I was rather careless back then. But, I won't make the same mistakes again."
Semiramis was happy to hear his resolution. "So, where are you going right now?"
"A priestess I happened to meet has called upon me," he answered. "I thought she would make a great incarnation, but she declined my proposal. It seems she has since changed her mind. So, I'm heading out to meet her now."
"Oh? Sounds interesting. Do you mind if I tag along?" The goddess looked at him with a set of puppy dog eyes.
Dianthus chuckled at her act. "No need to act so pitiful. Of course, you can tag along. So long as you don't mind that this isn't my original body."
Semiramis noticed the smirk that formed on his face. "Ha-ha, very funny. Using my words against me now, are we?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," he said, playing innocent. "We should probably leave now. It's been quite a while since the priestess called for me." Dianthus' drone and Semiramis disappeared into a torrent of petals.
***
In the quiet of the night, a lone priestess was seated upon a dead log. A small fire was burning in front of her. Despite being the sole source of warmth, the priestess was sitting some distance away. She was seated such that the light only touched upon the fabric covering her legs. The remainder of her body was bathed in darkness. One might think the woman was dead as her skin held no warmth. However, she was simply resting her eyes while lost in thought.
She opened her eyes slowly, staring at the swirl of violet petals that appeared before her. From within the storm emerged two people. One of which was the man she was familiar with; the other was a beautiful black-haired woman. Kikyo observed the woman with her serene gaze. At the same time, the woman was returning the favor.
"So, have you reconsidered my proposal then?" Dianthus asked the resting priestess.
Kikyo turned her gaze away from Semiramis and towards Dianthus. "Yes, I have. If you truly have a way to allow me to live once more, then I promise to become your housekeeper."
"Pfft," Semiramis attempted to hold in her laughter. Her shoulder shook as tears formed at the corner of her eyes.
Kikyo looked at the woman, confusion evident on her face. "Who is she, and why is she laughing?"
Semiramis took a breath and calmed down. "Sorry about that. My name is Semiramis, and I'm his wife. At least one of them, anyway. As for why I laughed, it's because of how bad my husband is at explaining things."
"I'm not bad at explaining things!" Dianthus retorted, crossing his arms.
"Yeah, you are." Semiramis pointed at him, "Don't you remember how you confused those three girls? You nearly destroyed their hope on accident."
Dianthus frowned. "That wouldn't have happened if you didn't twist my words at that time."
"You don't understand the problem," the goddess sighed. "You told this priestess to become a housekeeper. How is that even remotely close to becoming an incarnation?"
"She'll be taking care of my realm. That pretty much makes her a housekeeper." Dianthus harrumphed and turned away.
"Come on, don't be mad." Semiramis poked his cheek, "You really are childish sometimes."
"I am not!" he asserted.
Semiramis ran her hand along his arm. "I'm not saying it's a bad thing. It's quite cute."
"I don't mean to interrupt the romantic atmosphere, but what is an incarnation. I'd like to know before I finalize my decision," Kikyo said.
Dianthus pushed aside what slight annoyance remained. "An incarnation is someone who is granted a connection to a true god's conceptual divinity. Once you accept, I'll give you a portion of my powers. Afterward, your life will be connected to mine.
As an incarnation, you'll be tasked with carrying out my orders. In this case, I'd like for you to take care of my realm. Whenever I'm not present, you'll have complete control of the place. Of course, I have no intention of forcing you to only remain in my realm, nor will I order you around against your will. I have no respect for those disgusting gods that treat their incarnations as tools."
Despite his explanation, Kikyo was utterly lost. She was having difficulty accepting his declaration of being a god. Plus, the idea of conceptual divinity and independent realms confused her.
Semiramis took note of her confusion and attempted to explain further. "I know it's hard to believe, but there are many worlds outside of this one. Gods are beings that create a personal world, or realm, that they usually reside within. A true god is a tier higher than regular gods as they possess conceptual divinity. My husband is the true god of flowers, meaning his powers stem from such. It's hard to explain much further without experiencing such topics first-hand."
"Assuming what you've said is the truth, that would mean I would have to serve him as my master, right?" Kikyo inquired.
Dianthus nodded. "That is technically correct. Of course, if I put in the effort to give you a new life, I'll not allow you to back out of this job without my permission. Though, as I said before, I'll not force you into tasks that are against your will."
Kikyo pondered on his words for a moment. "Alright, I accept your conditions. If you can truly give me another chance at life, then I'll become your incarnation."
~~ Author Note ~~
https://discord.gg/6PBf4ccNCT
Hello, readers.
Happy late Valentine's Day. I'm always late.
As always, I hope you enjoy the chapter.
~~ End Author Note ~~
***
"Out of curiosity, what made you decide to accept my husband's offer?" Semiramis curiously looked at the priestess. "He told me you declined previously."
She and Kikyo were now alone as Dianthus had left to prep for Kikyo's revival. Semiramis had stayed behind as she wished to talk with the priestess. She wanted to know more about the woman who would become Dianthus' first incarnation.
Kikyo stared into the small fire, an air of melancholy surrounding her. "The thing that I desired most was cruelly taken away. I wanted to take revenge, but it seems that was stolen from me as well." Her brown eyes looked hollow as they reflected the light from the flames.
Semiramis switched positions and took a seat next to Kikyo. The goddess reached over and took the priestess' trembling hand. "You don't have to explain further if you don't wish to. However, if you need someone to listen, I'm more than willing."
Kikyo looked at the beautiful woman who comforted her. She had never received such care from another person. As a guardian priestess, Kikyo was forced to sacrifice her happiness. She spent most of her life protecting the jewel, her sister, and the villagers from demon attacks.
"Thank you for your kindness." Kikyo slightly bowed her head to the goddess.
Semiramis smiled. "No problem. Though if you want to thank someone, you should thank my husband."
"I shall do so," Kikyo replied. "I am curious, though."
"Oh, what about?" The goddess tilted her head in curiosity.
Kikyo returned her gaze into the fire for a second, hesitating whether or not to speak her mind. "Why me? I don't understand why he's helping me. Nor do I understand why he picked me as his incarnation. I'm still unsure what it means, but I can assume it's something important. So, why me?"
"Because he's interested in you."
Kikyo looked dumbfounded by the goddess' words. "Why would he be interested in me? I'm just a wandering soul that harbors resentment against those that still live. If you're honest about being gods, I certainly shouldn't matter much to you."
"I don't know how to explain it to you," Semiramis said with a sigh. "You might be better off asking my husband directly. He's much better at consoling others."
"Consoling?" Kikyo didn't understand what she meant. Wasn't the goddess just answering simple questions. "What do you mean?"
"What else should I call it," the goddess huffed and sat back. "You're only asking these questions because you're devaluing yourself."
Kikyo sat quietly in thought. Was she genuinely devaluing herself, as the goddess said? The more she thought on the matter, the more likely it seemed. Kikyo was uncertain when these negative emotions arose. She can't definitively say it started after her quasi-revival. It may have begun much sooner than that.
"It seems you've started to realize." Semiramis stood and opened a tear in space. "I'll leave you to your thoughts. My husband should be back soon."
The goddess took a step into the void and turned back. "Oh, before I leave, I wanted to say that you are worth more than you realize. My husband has a keen eye for talent. He typically only takes an interest in those with more latent ability than they know about." Semiramis stepped entirely through the tear, leaving behind a thoughtful priestess.
"I'm worth more than I realize?" Kikyo mumbled to herself.
***
Kagome was gazing out her classroom's window, lost in thought. 'We've collected a large portion of the Shikon Jewel so far. But Naraku is definitely a problem.' She clenched her hand tightly below her desk. 'I won't let him have his way. I will stop him.'
Taking a deep breath, Kagome calmed herself. However, she noticed something was wrong when the air entered her lungs. It was sickeningly sweet.
She looked around her classroom and noticed the other students collapsing. "What's... happening?" Kagome held her head and winced in pain.
"It'll hurt the more you resist."
Kagome turned towards the voice. "It's you! What are you doing?"
Dianthus walked towards her. "I need the portion of the soul that is locked away within you." He stopped in front of her. "I've used a neurotoxin to put everyone in this school to sleep. There are no side effects outside of minor memory loss, so there is no need to worry."
Kagome's eyes drooped as she struggled to stay awake. "Why are you doing this?"
Dianthus sighed. "I've already answered that question. I suppose it's the neurotoxin's fault." He reached forward, picking up the barely conscious Kagome. "Don't worry; I promise no harm will come to you."
That was the last thing Kagome heard before she blacked out in his arms. Soon after, both people disappeared from the classroom in a torrent of petals.
***
Her conversation with Semiramis had left Kikyo lost within her thoughts. She couldn't help but wonder why she thought so little of herself. At the same time, she desired to know what interested the handsome god. After seeing his wife, she doubted it was a romantic interest. Not only that, but the goddess claimed she was just one of his wives.
Upon arrival, Dianthus noticed that Kikyo was distracted. He gently laid down the two women he was carrying and walked over to the priestess. "I can't help but be curious. What has you so distracted as not to notice my arrival," he said upon taking a seat nearby her.
Kikyo slightly jumped when she heard Dianthus speak. She faked a cough into her hand, attempting to hide her embarrassment from being startled. "I was just thinking about the conversation I had with your wife."
'What's wrong with me?' Kikyo internally questioned herself. She couldn't say that she had ever experienced the feelings she's been experiencing. 'It feels as if I've begun to change recently.'
"I see," Dianthus confusedly watched the priestess. "It must have been an eye-opener."
He similarly noticed the change in her demeanor. If he had to say the most significant difference, it'd be that she seemed more human-like than before. It didn't seem to be a bad thing from what he felt. That being the case, Dianthus didn't feel the need to ask what they talked about since it helped the woman.
Dianthus stood up and offered his hand to Kikyo. "Well, are you ready to join the living once more?"
"Yes," she reached out and took his hand, "I am."
Dianthus pulled Kikyo to her feet. He turned and headed towards the two women he had brought. Kikyo followed behind him and saw that one of the girls was Kagome, the same girl who had taken Inuyasha from her. Beside her was another woman whom Kikyo didn't recognize. Upon closer inspection, she noticed no breath of life from the body.
Dianthus bent over and picked up the two girls, throwing them over either shoulder. "This girl contains the remainder of your soul. The other is a suitable body. All that's needed is to reform it to match you."
"How does this work?"
"I'll first pull the remainder of your soul from this girl. Next, I'll do the same with your current body. Afterward, I'll patch the two while supplementing the life force from my current body and the surrounding plants. Finally, I'll mesh everything together within the new body. During which, the body should automatically adjust itself to match what you're used to."
The process made sense to Kikyo, but she didn't understand exactly how it was accomplished. However, there was one point that she was concerned about. "What do you mean by supplementing the life force with your own? Isn't that dangerous?"
Dianthus shook his head, "Not really. I'll indeed lose this body, but that isn't a big deal."
"Lose your body?"
"Ah," Dianthus finally understood her worry. "You needn't worry. This isn't my real body. So I'll only be losing a duplicate."
"This isn't actually you?" Kikyo was dumbfounded.
"Well, the person you're speaking to is me. Otherwise, you could consider this body a living puppet I created to talk through. I couldn't show up in person due to a promise I made with one of my wives."
"I see," Kikyo nodded in understanding. "I'm happy to know that you won't be harmed by helping me."
"Of course," Dianthus smiled. "Now, let's stop talking and get you a new body."
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