The moment I and Ume realised that we were being watched, Ume, who was clearly in an intimate position with me, got flustered and instantly tried to shove me away.

Her sudden movement lifted the front legs of the chair, and we both hit the floor with a loud thud.

---

"Please forgive us, your majesty," Jambavan and Vyaghra said in unison.

The duo was bowing on the floor, whereas Ume was sitting on the chair before them, her legs crossed and her arms folded.

"How long were you two peeping?" Ume asked, her visage serious.

"We just came a while—"

"From the moment your majesty asked about the ring," Vyaghra said with a shamelessly straight face, cutting Jambavan off mid-sentence.

"Ya idiot!" Jambavan muttered, glaring at him while still bowing.

"What? Do you expect me to lie to her majesty?"

"We could've avoided punishment if not for yer stubbornness."

"I will never betray her majesty's trust!" Vyaghra replied firmly, his head touching the floor.

While the duo was bickering, a shadow cast over their bodies as Ume stood up and stepped closer to them.

"You two have grown too bold, quarreling in my presence after committing such a transgression just moments ago."

The duo gulped as Ume's cold words vibrated through the hall.

"Jambavan, Vyaghra," Ume commanded, her emerald eyes glaring down at the two.

"Y-yes, your majesty," the duo replied, sweating profusely.

"Outside the castle. Punishment F."

"Y-your majesty—"

"NOW!!"

The duo was about to plead, but their request was already rejected before they could even make it.

"As you wish, your majesty," they murmured and went out of the castle.

"And what are you looking at?" Ume snapped at the servants. "Do you not have work to do?"

"Forgive us, Lady Kitsune," the servants blurted before running inside the kitchen.

The moment the hall emptied, a suppressed giggle broke out.

"What exactly do you find so amusing, Raj?" Ume hissed, staring at me.

I was still sitting on the chair, enjoying the chaos unfolding before me.

"The way those two trembled before a cutie like you was so hilarious," I chuckled.

"Cu-cutie!? I'm not a cutie!" she protested firmly. "If you had seen me in my glory days, you would have never dared to be this impudent in front of me."

"Oh, please forgive me for my ignorance, Your Majesty," I said, bowing my head on the table. "The show was too entertaining that this mortal couldn't control his laughter."

There was nothing entertaining about it," she pouted. "Moreover, they all saw us in such an embarrassing position."

She hid her face behind her hands and whimpered, "I was also sitting on your lap. I'm so ashamed."

"What's there to be ashamed of?" I said, rising from the chair. "We're a couple now, so isn't it natural for us to be lovey-dovey with each other?"

"B-but I don't want others to see us like this," she whined. "As a goddess, there is some dignity I must keep."

"Alright, alright, I'll be more careful from now on."

I reached closer to her and spoke further, touching her head. "Since we were interrupted by them, I shall content myself with this for now."

I placed a tender kiss on her forehead and whispered, "You owe me a kiss now, fiancée."

"I owe you nothing!" she blurted, her cheeks flushed with intense red as she vanished, leaving behind petals of plum blossoms.

"Hehe~ so cute," I chuckled, also leaving the hall.

---

"Vivi, claim the reward from the quest," I ordered, sitting on the bed in my room.

"Initializing Host's request..."

"Claiming the first reward..."

"Congratulations! You have received the evolved All-Devouring Breathing Technique."

All-Devouring Breathing Technique (Evolved): A technique from lost records that enables the Host to absorb the Soulforce of cursed beings.

New: The Host can now form a secondary core that can absorb Soulforce of an attribute other than lightning and temporarily use the corresponding skill.

Would you like to learn it?

[Yes]  [No]

Note:

1. The secondary core will be formed by splitting from the primary one, so the Host's Soulforce capacity for the lightning attribute will be reduced by thirty percent.

2. Only a fixed amount of Soulforce can be stored in the secondary core, and its capacity will increase according to the Host's realm.

3. Once the Soulforce of a certain attribute is absorbed, no other Soulforce can be absorbed until the core is completely emptied.

4. The Host must be in physical contact with the target to absorb their Soulforce."

"Hmm, there are both benefits and drawbacks to this evolved technique," I murmured, rubbing my chin. "But Ume told me that I already have the same amount of Soulforce as a high-tier beast, and I can also use the cursed Soulforce stored in my core to regain the lost capacity.

Haha, the pros of this ability far outshine the cons. I'm definitely gonna learn it."

"Initializing Host's request..."

"Splitting the primary core..."

My lower stomach suddenly stung with the same pain I had felt when my core was about to break in the forest.

I felt my core being ripped apart, my body weakening, and my Soulforce dropping tremendously.

"Ughhh, I didn't know that I would become weak as well," I muttered, clutching my stomach. "I hope I didn't make a mistake."

After about thirty minutes of continuous pulling, the core finally split into two, and the pain subsided.

"Splitting completed!!"

"The Host has formed a dual core and may now use attributes other than lightning."

Primary Core (Attribute: Lightning):

Cursed Soulforce remaining: 619k / 678k.

Secondary Core (Attribute: N/A):

Soulforce remaining: 0 / 100k.

I wanted to try the skill right there, but there was no one whose Soulforce I could absorb.

Yes, I had Ume, Jambavan, and Vyaghra, who would let me absorb their Soulforce without a second thought, but I didn't want to use it on them, as I was afraid it might harm them somehow.

"Vivi, claim the second reward."

"Initializing Host's request..."

"The hint for Act II of the main quest is revealed!"

"Hint: Use the Rank 4 key to open the gate in the second basement of the castle."

"There's another floor below the basement!?" I gasped.

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