"Well then, what do I have to do?"
"Put your hand on it and then channel your divinity into it."
"Like this?"
"Yep. Now transfer all of it into the ball."
As Amelia commanded, I put my palm on the upper surface of crystal ball.
I started to pour my energy slowly into the crystal ball just to be on safer side.
Suddenly applying pressure on thing may ruin them.
"Don't hold back, just throw in everything you have."
Apparently, that wasn't the case here.
As I increased the input of energy, it started to glow up and, shined brighter and brighter. For few minutes, I continuously increase the flow of energy as every moment pass until I eventually hit my limit.
"My goodness... Just how long have you been holding it back?" Amelia uttered those words in absolute amazement.
"Well..."
𝘐 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘯'𝘵 𝘨𝘰 𝘢𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘢𝘺 "𝙁𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙗𝙚𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜". 𝘐'𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵.
"How does this thing actually work?" I asked as I continued to transfer my energy.
"It's a kind of an artifact that absorb all the divinity one holds. Ah... Soory"
She read my disappointment and apologized right away.
"No... You don't have to apologise. That much was expected."
𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘈𝘮𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘢'𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘶𝘭𝘵, 𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘵 𝘐 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦... 𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵
The artifact is for absorbing one's energy but that doesn't mean it could free me from divinity.
Take it like this, once you train your body you get tired. It's because your stamina runs out. But after sufficient amount of rest, your stamina will recover and you'll be good to go.
Even if artifact sucks the last drop of divinity from my body, over a period of time, I will regain it by itself. That's only natural.
It was me who was having such unrealistic expectations.
After all, it's impossible to change reality.
"Ugh..."
"Wh-What? A-Are you alright, bhaiyaa?"
"That I am. Don't worry, beside that... I think I'm almost there."
"Yeah, do it."
With the last bit of my divinity carrying out, crystal ball stopped shining.
"Seems like it's done,"
"Yeah..."
"But, you sure you Okay?"
"I am. Moreover, how long will it take for my body to recover?"
"How long have you been holding it. That's the time it will take to build up and reach the current level."
"I see..."
That surely isn't much of a disappointment.
"Hmm..."
"What is it? Is something wrong with me?"
Amelia had been staring me so hard that I doubt myself.
"No, it's just... you feel a bit different..."
"Different?"
I tilted my head as I was unable to understand meaning behind her words.
𝘋𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘦? 𝘍𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵... 𝘈𝘮 𝘐 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘯𝘰𝘸? 𝘖𝘳 𝘢 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘵?
"N-Not I meant to hurt you! It's, how can I say? You seem to be much more stable now. Calm and not intimidating at all."
So that's what she meant when she said different?
"And, I think, you are less attractive now from before..."
"Huh?"
𝘚𝘰 𝘐 𝘥𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘭𝘭...
"Wait! Allow me to correct myself. You are same as before but since all your divinity is drained out, you look less from the perfect existence."
"Oh, I understand now."
𝘋𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘢 𝘬𝘦𝘺 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘤𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘩𝘺𝘴𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘪𝘴, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘯𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘤 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘳.
All in all, divinity is the reason of all unnecessary attention.
Well, I'm fine with it. Not that I am here for messing around.
𝘚𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩,
I do feel like much more stable now. I am in-control ever from before.
𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘤𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦. 𝘖𝘬𝘢𝘺, 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘥... 𝘐'𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦!
"I assume that you wouldn't lose your cool over thing that easily now,"
"That... Yeah, I feel like in much control now. I won't make such mistakes again."
I can't deny. Lately, I have been over-reacting way too much. I need to regain control.
Now that I think about it, when did all this actually started? Being so emotional unstable, I wasn't like this. Maybe it was due to the overflow of energy within me.
"Well, I don't think I'll let go myself anytime sooner."
"Good... Plus, you're can't rewire mortal brain as you please,"
"Ah, hahaha... I didn't mess with their thought process that much, it just happened,"
Yeah, rest of it was so smooth that it bothered me for a while now. But, maybe I'm just overthinking...?
"Now, few don't mind, can I ask you something before I leave? It's something I genuinely need to confirm with you?"
"Go ahead,"
"Devlok... Are you aware of the state of affairs over there?"
She asked me. The room was suddenly intense.
Devlok...
It's the land where Deities resides. God Of Thunder, Vajra, one of the ten mighty supreme beings, rules over that land. It is the place where Gods are made and Vajra is incharge of the system.
That place...
"No idea..."
"Have you ever considered to visit that land?"
"Right now, no."
Amelia was looking straight at me but sad for her, there is no way she could read no matter how hard she tries.
"You know, I'm interested now. Why did you bring up Devlok all of so sudden?"
"I'll tell you that, after all I am the one who is upto this investigation."
Devlok.
When I say Devlok, how do I feel about that place?
Do I actually need to feel something about such place?
"That holy land, Devlok... one-fourth of that land is annihilated. Those who survived, beyond recovery, didn't stayed for long. Zero casualties. It was an absolute demolition..."
𝘖𝘯𝘦-𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘵𝘩 𝘰𝘧 𝘋𝘦𝘷𝘭𝘰𝘬 𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘺𝘦𝘥...
From her face, it doesn't seem to be a joke... No, I don't think Amelia would ever joke about such thing.
Just what in the cosmos could do such thing...
"How could such thing possibly happen,"
"It's true. Vajra is in serious stated of trouble. Infact, he is being suspected as mastermind behind the menace."
I am not acquaintance to Vajra but he definitely doesn't seem to be that type. He is 𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 after all.
Even if I try to imagine the scenario I still couldn't get the grasp of—
"Who do you think is behind all this?" Amelia asked as if she wanted to hear my thoughts.
"Even if you ask me that, there only one person I could possibly imagine of. I think 𝗵𝗲 is involved in this terrorism."
"I expected nothing else from you. But,"
It seems like I was wrong.
"We investigate him, and unfortunately, it turns out he isn't the one behind all this."
𝘐𝘧 𝙝𝙚 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯'𝘵 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘰?
But, I can tell that Amelia knew something.
"You know the one?" I asked.
"Yeah... It was one person. She did it all by herself,"
"What? One person, annihilated one-fourth of Devlok. Who is it?"
𝘏𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘐 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘸, 𝘈𝘮𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘢 𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘰𝘮𝘣 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘰𝘮𝘣.
"Apparently, her identity is still a mystery." She sighed.
"Such a disgrace..."
"We have been investigating her for a time now but she dare not to utter a word about ther motives. What's more, she mocks, provokes us..." Amelia clinched her fist in frustration.
And here I was already think of countermeasures.
"But why did you asked me about my plans for Devlok?" It had bothering me for a while now.
I need to confirm.
"As it happens to be, one victim, at the verge death, lend us a vague but possibly the strongest clue that could possibly help us to solve this case, or atleast lead us somewhere."
What clue could led her to investigate me?
"They said that the girl, before going berserk, uttered these words—
𝙸𝚝'𝚜 𝚃𝚒𝚖𝚎 𝙵𝚘𝚛 𝙰 𝚁𝚊𝚖𝚙𝚊𝚐𝚎!"
To my surprise, it turned out like this.
"I see..."
Now I understand why it was so important to investigate me.
"So... What are your thoughts about this? It could purely be coincidence," Amelia said as she rose one of her eyebrow.
"It is, without a doubt, a coincidence."
"Yeah... A scary one." She hugged herself a shivered while rubbing her arms.
But, it felt like she was still wary about the matter in-hand.
"Well, then..." She raised from sofa.
"I'll take my leave now... Thank you for everything."
"Wait."
She was about to leave but I stop her in track.
"You... The knowledge you have, about this land, lend it to me."
Amelia seemed to be dumbfounded by my statement as she started at me.
She'd never expected that I'll be willing to co-operate for the current situation from the very beginning. Even before she arrived. Due to that, it was a complete shock for her.
"...I thought you were not interested at all,"
"You know, all this stuff... you seem to be working really hard so I just wanted to share some of your burden, that's the least bit I could do for my dear sister."
This left her into more shock as here eyes widened.
"I... Thank y–,"
"And, I think it might get interesting if I tried to make it a show... Think of it as my way for thanking you for everything." I interrupted her I could finish.
"Yes. Then, I'll tell you all,"
She smiled and seemed contented.
------------------
"—And that's everything. But are you sure?" Amelia asked, distressed.
"Sure about what?"
"You know, about everything... There is so much and I don't even know what to do. Do you really don't mind getting involved?"
"I could have not asked you if I don't wanted to,"
"Then... I'll leave everything to you."
"Sure,"
With that, Amelia got up.
I thought that she was going to leave for now but that doesn't seemed to be the case.
Instead she stood there and stared at me.
"Come on, now!"
She seemed to be dissatisfied for some reason and said those words as if indicating at something.
"Seriously, you're not a child anymore," I sighed as I stood up.
Get closer to her, and pulled her into a hug.
"Hehe~"
And, she seems to be enjoying it.
"You know, I haven't received my reward yet,"
"Still not satisfied," To which she tilted her head and give me a smile.
I sighed as I gave her a small kiss on forehead.
She was delightened but still pretend to be unsatisfied.
"Amouu~ Again not on lipss~"
"I told already, I'll rather die then k—"
"OK. OK. You don't have to say that!" She cutted in and prevented me to say it.
𝘚𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘭𝘺, 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘥...
I sighed, again.
But this time, Amelia didn't missed her chance.
She swiftly stole a kiss.
She immediately made some distance,
"Hehe, finally got one~"
And with those words left behind, the presence of young lady, or so she claim, vanished into thin air.
"...This girl really is something."
I fell to my knees.
"*Huff* *Huff* *Huff*"
I gulped my saliva.
My breathing were unstable as my body felt much heavier than usual.
I didn't have much strength to stand by myself.
I could barely open my eyes.
𝘏𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘱𝘶𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦...
I tried to support myself through furniture near me and somehow carried myself to bed.
I threw my body on bed, my face on pillow, surrendering myself to extreme fatigue.
The backlash hit me real hard.
"*Huff* *Huff*, m-maybe, I'll rest for today..."
As my eyelids dropped and I lost my consciousness.
. . . . .