Chapter 2: Some Changes And Some Don't

Disclaimer: I own nothing, this is purely a fanfic for enjoyment.

Cross-over from various games, books, anime, manga, and movies.

The familiar characters you see here belongs to their respected authors and owners.

'thoughts'

"Active skill name or magic spell"

'Active skill name or magic spell in thought'

"Activation phrase"

'Activation Phrase in thoughts'

"speech"

*action*

time*

noise*

Gaia/gamer system talking

[Skill Name] - Passive or Active - Lvl.1/100 - EXP: 0% - MP cost: or none

Description: Info on skill

[Item Name] - Rank: F- to EX - Durability: 1 to Unbreakable - ATK: 0 to N/A

Description: Info on the item

[Title] - Info

Chapter 2: Some Changes And Some Don't

Day 2: Well DAMN! Part 2

(Unknown Forest)

After what looked like forever, Esdeath finally stops dragging me and actually cook the fishes I gave her out of my [Inventory].

This, of course, made Esdeath ask some unwanted questions upon seeing me pulling a fish out of nowhere. Well, I stretch the truth once more about how it's just normal for me and discovered about it one day. Again, it wasn't a complete lie.

After all, I did discover about my [Inventory] one day and it's a normal thing for some Gamer's ability versions.

Esdeath didn't like my answer, but knew I was telling the truth somewhat if she didn't continue to question me. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised she develops the ability to do a cold reading to detect lies.

"So, I think I would like our wedding to be somewhere that has snow." Esdeath said to me, as she sprinkles some spices over the fishes before laying them near the campfire she made.

Of course, Esdeath had the same idea as me like yesterday to use the flames from my [Fire Devil Slayer Magic] to cook the fish. Well, I did explain Esdeath that was a bad idea and to prove my point by allowing her to use the campfire I made via [Fire Devil Slayer Magic].

Great for warming yourself, if you don't let a spark of ember touching you, or else you be burnt to a crisp. Esdeath learned her lesson after seeing her hat became ashes when she left it near the campfire for just a few seconds while she tries to cook the fishes.

Yup, Esdeath finally realize how dangerous my flames are. Hell, she even tested it out by dropping a block of ice over my campfire to see if she could put it out. Instead, it just disappears before our eyes. Like it never existed. Not even steam appears. The block of ice just disappears instantly upon making contact with the fire.

So after Esdeath done with experimenting on how strong my flames are. She decided to make the campfire. This way, she could actually use the fire to cook the fishes without turning it into ashes.

"Why snow? And why wedding so quick?! We literally just met!" I exclaimed at Esdeath and wonder why this Esdeath would go from experiencing what love is like and instead goes straight to the marriage.

Sure, we would be experiencing a love life, but a marriage love life is completely different.

Pausing for a moment, 'Is it really different?' I didn't know if it matters if being married or not would make any difference. Besides having the status of being married.

"Well, I grow up in a cold environment, mostly throughout my childhood and wanted a wedding in the same environment as my parents for their wedding before they die for being weak." Esdeath begins off like a girl being homesick, then near the end she back to her normal self by following the creed: "The strong live and the weak die."

"Okay, that answers my first question. But, not the previous question I kept on asking you for the past few minutes. Why wedding in the first place?! Or you're just planning ahead in the future?" I narrow my eye at Esdeath, who just giggle at me for some reason.

"Of course, there's going to be a wedding. We're going to get marry and experience with all our hearts together of love for one of another. As for the future; well, I guess you could say that. Since I'm planning to have our wedding next month, depending on how much works I got left after we return to the Empire. If not much, I will ask the Emperor to give us his blessing for our wedding. Maybe he will attend." Esdeath answered like she plans this whole thing way before she met me.

'Whoever taught Esdeath about love or whatever. Show yourself! I promise I won't kill you!' I exclaimed with rage and there goes the rage, back to calmness.

"Oh really now." I grit my teeth, but try not to show any sign of rejection. After all, Esdeath is literally doing all the job for me in order to leave this forsaken universe. If it's a month or two is all it takes for me to wait in order to leave this. Well, who am I to stop Esdeath. On the plus side, Esdeath is very hot, so there's a bright side in this whole thing.

"Yup. Oh! The fishes are done. Here, tell me how it is. I want your honest opinion." Esdeath hand over a fish, with a stick through it, and look eager to see my reaction to her method of cooking, even if it's just a fish with a bit seasoning.

I took the fish from Esdeath, where our fingers touch each other, causing Esdeath to blush a little and didn't try to move her hand away. As she wants the feeling to last.

Looking at Esdeath, who still have that eager look on her face. Waiting for my reaction. So, I took my first bite and was surprised to see how tasty it is.

DING!*

You have tasted the work from your destiny girl, who worked a bit harder than usual in their cooking. As a result, the connection between you and your destiny girl has strengthened further.

DING!*

As a reward, the player gains 1 stat point. Continue to experience with your destiny girl and strengthen the bond between each other and you shall be rewarded.

I continue eating the fish with a blank look, then give Esdeath a smile and a thumb up.

'Well, shit. Is this really a Gamer's ability and not a dating sim system? Because it seems like one.' I started to wonder if this was a good thing or not, after finding out I could gain stat points just by doing couple kinds of stuff with Esdeath.

As for the 1 stat point, I'm going to hold it until I may need it for later in the future. After all, if I could get stat points from spending time with Esdeath, along with training myself in other methods to naturally increase my stats. I should use these stat points for an emergency.

DING!*

For thinking ahead of time, your wisdom increased by 2.

"It's very good. If you're this good with fish alone. I don't mind having you as my wife." Once again, my mouth spoke for me without thinking about what would happen afterward.

No surprise, as Esdeath let out a giggle and her eyes filled with more love. From the look of it, Esdeath liked how she was praised just for cooking something so simple made her feel ecstatic.

Esdeath brushes a strand of hair behind her left ear and gives me a happy smile, making her look more beautiful, with the surroundings make her appearance look even better.

"Thank you." Esdeath was thinking that maybe this whole love thing is actually worth it. If this just a small part of what love could give her, then picking this person in front of her as her lover was the right choice instead of following the guideline she came up with a week ago for a love candidate.

"So where did you come from?" Esdeath decided to get some information on who her lover is. Yes, she already considers them to be lovers already at this point. Who cares if things are going too fast, she was going to do it her way and stick with it.

"Honestly? I have no clue if you know the place since this is the first time I arrive in the Western Country. One day, I was minding my own business and suddenly, I'm here." Once again, I'm speaking half truth and I have no clue if Esdeath notices it or not, but she didn't push and I got the gut feeling this would be the usual time she would try her best to get more information out of me.

Esdeath continues to look at me in silence, causing an awkward sensation for me, but for her, it feels like she experiencing a dream and didn't really care that's she only getting half-truth. After all, everyone has their own secrets they would like to keep to themselves.

Guess the saying about how love changes people, which is what result of Esdeath being very out of character and figure it wasn't worth the trouble of bringing up the past and just focus on the present and the future.

"Now, how about we head back to the Empire? I have to report back to the Emperor for my successfully conquering the Northern Lands." Esdeath stands up, as she stretches her muscles and ready to put out the campfire.

'Huh, so I'm already in canon timeline and just a few days before her return back to the Captial. Or is it just a day?' I started wondering if I could get some decent amount of EXP by killing the Prime Minister Honest.

I may not be a hero and whatnot, but Prime Minister Honest should count as a boss or a hidden boss reaping for EXP. Of course, if there was a quest to pop-up about how I should kill the guy, for that sweet reward of EXP and other kinds of stuff.

But, like before and again, I got nothing. No quest, no EXP besides killing. Making the whole theory about I'm on hard mode much more likely to be true.

"Hey, mind if I put out the campfire?" I ask Esdeath, who look at me with an eyebrow raise at my question and wonder why I wanted to put it out instead of letting her. After all, just a thought and she could produce an ice to put it out.

Standing next to the campfire, while staring at me with interest, as I lean over much to Esdeath's questionable look, then her face gone to complete shock.

Esdeath watches with disbelief eyes as I literally eat the fire of the campfire and putting it out afterward due to all the fire being consumed by me.

DING!*

15000 HP and MP recovered by consuming an external source of a fire.

'Well, talk about overpowered right there.' I'm going to plan a way to bring something to start a fire if this is how much HP and MP I recover just by a second.

By the look on Esdeath, she was barely holding her urge to question. So, I explain to her how by eating fire, not including my own since it won't work, I would restore my body to a healthy state and regain my strength. Furthermore, I told Esdeath about how the fire seems to possess a different "taste" according to its "quality".

This made Esdeath look at me with surprise and already coming up with many methods to use this to their advantage. Yes, Esdeath already thinking up plans to help her lover, which would help her as well.

"So you're a soldier?" I really wish my mouth would stop by now. Because just by this question alone had triggered something in Esdeath as she eagerly explains all the details she did as one of the strongest soldiers of the Empire.

A few minutes later*

(Unknown Forest: Esdeath's Campsite)

So far, Esdeath went over her methods of gaining the leader of the Northern race and bend the guy to her will in a matter of minutes. Esdeath even complains a little about how quick the guy breaks down so easily since she met with countless of others that lasted longer.

If there one thing that I didn't expect from Esdeath. Is that she loves to brag about her achievements. I could have sworn she only report about the events to the Emperor then completely forget about them later on due to deeming them as unimportant.

Maybe she is trying to win me over by telling me what she accomplishes in her career in the army and wanted me to join her. Therefore, this would allow both of us to spend with each other almost all day long.

Just a few minutes into the walk and we arrived at Esdeath's Campsite, where she left her soldiers to set up camp for the night and upon our arrival. Almost everything is packed up and ready to leave.

"General Esdeath-sama! Welcome back from your walk!" One of Esdeath's soldiers greeted her with a bright smile, which is just damn ugly if it's worn by a soldier has multiple scars on their faces, making that bright smile a disturbing one.

"Is this your new toy, Esdeath-sama? Would you like us to keep him somewhere until you require him later?" The same soldier said in a cheerful tone, causing me to feel a bit disgusted, but [Gamer's Mind] took care of that. Leaving me with my default expression: Blank and calm.

So I did what I always do when I get annoyed by small fries; I did a quick jab at the soldier, where I hit a few pressure points to paralysis them on the spot. Much to Esdeath surprise at this display of skills.

And to Esdeath delight at the sight of my scowl and feeling the familiar feeling of killing intent.

If Esdeath wasn't present, then he would be dead and become my EXP. Sure, killing is frowned on back in my world. Still doesn't stop my family from slaughtering countless of others just to get what they wanted. So, this wasn't new to me when I was forced to find different methods to train myself due to my status of not being able to train the family's inheritance.

"Please tell me there aren't more guys like this one?" I pointed my thumb at the frozen soldier, who is so confused and wonder what just happen to him, along with the thoughts about why Esdeath isn't helping out right now and just stood there watching.

"Enough to fill the whole army of mine." Esdeath didn't care if her lover didn't like her soldiers. All she cared about is for him to only focus on her only and only her.

"Well, do you want to warn them about me or should I do it?" I ask Esdeath since I rather not have to deal with these guys, that have the urge to attack anything they don't like or just wanted to have fun. Their kind of fun, not mine.

"I rather not lose any soldier if I could help it. So, I'll tell my soldiers not to mess with you. I do hope you do the same." Esdeath agreed to warn her soldiers from messing with her lover, but made sure to threaten her lover that just because of her warning. He should also leave them alone if he wanted the same treatment in return.

Esdeath took a few steps forward, where all her soldiers could see her and me, wondering why Esdeath haven't punished me for attacking her soldier.

"LISTEN UP! THIS PERSON HERE IS MY LOVER! SO LEAVE HIM ALONE OR YOU DEAL WITH ME!" Esdeath shouts at her army, causing them to be dumbfounded at Esdeath's speech. Furthermore, some of the soldiers even look like they about to have a mental breakdown at any moment now.

Out of everyone in the army; it was the Three Beasts that are the shocked the most. After all, they are the most loyal towards Esdeath and would follow her orders without questions.

However, this is one of those rare moments they questioned about Esdeath's order to leave her new lover alone. Let alone finding out that their General just took a walk in the morning, then came back with a lover of all things.

All Three beasts look one of another, then nod to each other as if they could tell what others are thinking without speaking. As they took action.

Nyau, a young man of small build with blond hair and golden eyes. With the appearance of an innocent child. But, he anything but innocent.

"Hi! Nice to meet you. I'm Nyau and one of the Three Beasts. A loyal servant of General Esdeath-sama. How did you meet with our General?" Nyau was chosen to be the one to speak for the Three Beasts.

Esdeath finds this a bit amusing and curious what her lover would do by speaking with one of the best soldiers in the army she leads.

"She found me." I didn't bother to explain anything further, which the Three Beasts figure out a few seconds of waiting for me to continue. This caused Nyau to be annoyed how I didn't explain in detail as possible if I wanted their blessing for allowing to be a lover for their General.

Esdeath didn't want her lover and loyal soldiers to fight each other, no matter how tempting it is for her to watch. But, she knew right away who would win and who would lose.

She may trust her little pets to give her a good show by fighting with her lover. But, she knows how dangerous those flame belong to her lover and could easily kill her pets. No questions ask.

Plus, there that suddenly increased attack speed her lover performed when she attacked him out of reflex. If she didn't know any better, she would think her lover possess a Teigu as well, but she read the book on all the Teigu made by the First Emperor.

Sadly, there were no Teigu like her Demon's Extract, which is known for having absolute control over ice. Therefore, she knew for a fact that even those lost Teigu scattered over the world. None of them actually have the ability to control the same flame as her lover does.

Furthermore, those flames are very abnormal to the point, even Esdeath feel threaten at the first time she saw it. Just by feeling it caused her blood to feel like it's being boiled from within her for a few seconds after her eyes lay on them.

The guy next to Nyau, who I knew as Liver, which I wonder what his parents were thinking to give Liver his name.

Stop Nyau from playing his flute and give me a small smile, "What my little friend here is saying. Is that we're curious who our dear General would find interesting enough to make you her lover. Did you do something to impress her, that she fall for you at first sight?" Liver look at me, with mixed emotions going through his eyes. Making it a bit harder for some people to get a read on him.

"I asked if she could cook." I decided not to inform them about my [Fire Devil Slayer Magic]; well unless Esdeath wanted to. Then, I can't stop her. Not like I could in the first place.

The Three Beasts and the rest of the army, that was listening closely are dumbfounded at my response. Of all things, they were expecting. Asking their General if she could cook was the last thing they would ever think of.

Esdeath turns her head to the side, to cough in her left hand as a small blush appears on her cheeks. Even she found her lover's response to be a bit of a surprise and she knew the real reason why she was so interested in her lover to the point of falling for him.

But, the cooking part was a small reason. After all, if what she read is true. It's mostly the wife that cook and sometimes the husband would too. She didn't try her lover cooking yet; however, that doesn't mean she doesn't like cooking.

After all, tasting Liver's cooking was one, if not, the biggest reason why she learned how to cook her own meal sometime. Who knows if someone may poison her meal when she least expect it. And tasting one of Liver's cooking actually made her faint. Her of all people, fainted just due to food poison alone.

"How about we just fight with the guy? After all, only someone that strong could be considered as General Esdeath-sama's lover!" Daidara, who looks like the more physical type of guy out of the Three Beasts. Also, known as a battle fanatic and similar to a player as well.

From what I could recall, the guy took every opportunity to improve himself when he could, similar to getting EXP. So, being requested to fight him wasn't that surprising.

However, this is bad for me. I haven't gotten used to being half blind and one of the reasons why I have to use my skills: [Shundo] and [Time Alter] more often than I required them at the time, even if it's just for raising their EXP.

This would be a good time to test out the [Ultimate Eye], but I rather not reveal this to these people and the only reason Esdeath know about its existence is that Esdeath being herself, she got a bit too curious and removed my eyepatch without my permission.

So, I'm stuck with either using my [Fire Devil Slayer Magic] or use my family's martial arts instead, which I still find myself disappointed that my Gamer's ability won't create a skill for that.

'Well, either [Shundo] or [Time Alter] would be enough for me to take down the Three Beasts. I just hope they don't use their Teigu or I have to reveal my [Fire Devil Slayer Magic] in exchange to combat their Teigu.' I frown at these guys and wonder if Esdeath wanted to see me fight against human beings after she saw me killed a Land Tiger before already.

Before anyone response to Daidara's request for a match between one of them or all against me. I activate [Shundo] and [Time Alter] together, then hit all their pressure points to paralysis all three of them. Just like I did with the first soldier before, who still paralysis currently.

Yup, I included the use of pressure points in my family's martial arts and it's a good thing to learn too. After all, pressure points could wonders and sadly I wished once more for the ability to create skills. Then, I could see if the effects of using pressure points would rise beyond what it could do.

Also, if I could create a skill from it. I would hope it helps me with my knowledge of the subject, because I only know the pressure points for paralysis, knockout, and even cause death. For the rest, I couldn't even remember them since they didn't interest me at the time.

"Okay, I beat them. Mind if we leave now?" I look at Esdeath, who was shocked that her 'pets' are defeated by her lover without much effort and so quick too. Now, she was even happier to have such a lover this strong.

I try my best to look like this was not much for me, but it took more than half of my MP. Leaving only for one or two [Fireball] for my usage.

Now, I just have put up a brave front so no one in Esdeath's army would find any trouble with me before I could raise my level and add some points into my other stats besides MAG.

Seeing how I got the [Ultimate Eye], [Time Alter], and [Shundo]. I think to go with MAG, INT, WIS, and AGI to raise, with MAG as the main priority. So, out of each level, I get 5 stats points. Then, it is 2:1:1:1 ratio.

I frown, I should have done this upon reaching level 2, but I required more [Mana] right now. Which would be a bit tricky, then thinking about both [Shundo] and [Time Alter] already raise my AGI and WIS stats way above the other stats.

Thinking about, I should make it MAG, STR, END, and INT instead. Same ratio though.

"Of course, Ragna." Esdeath pull me into a hug, breaking my trace of thoughts and notice a few people glaring at me, but kept their mouths shut after they saw how easily I took care of the Three Beasts like nothing.

"But, could you undo whatever you did with my soldiers?" Esdeath glance over to her pets and the soldier that greeted her. Where the four them still stayed in their spot and haven't moved for a while now. Also, they didn't say anything at all either.

This made Esdeath a little interested in how her lover did this, but decided it wasn't her worth of time to learn about it. Since it looks like it mainly used to take down enemies without hurting them from what she could tell.

I roll my eyes at Esdeath, then tap her right shoulder to release me, with a bit of hesitance for a few seconds before she let go.

Walking over to the four soldiers, then with quick jabs to their bodies and in a matter of seconds. They regained their abilities to move again. Much to their relief before it turns into hatred at how someone humiliated them in front of their General.

Esdeath seeing this, wonder if she should punish them for being so weak that her lover easily takes them down without killing them. Killing and taking down someone without killing them is very different. Killing is easy, but restricting someone alive without the chance of them dying is a lot harder.

But, after a while Esdeath chose to ignore this for now and quickly drag her lover to her tent, that's still up at the moment and ready to be taken down in a matter of minutes by her soldiers on her order at any time.

Once both Esdeath and I enter her tent; Esdeath leads me to a small table, where both of us sit on the ground; well, technically, I'm sitting on the ground while Esdeath sitting on my lap and facing me.

In this position, this would be a great time for sex, but I wasn't really in the mood at the moment.

"So, what now?" I ask Esdeath since I got nothing to do right now besides leveling up my skills. Sadly, currently, I can't with Esdeath on my lap and in the middle the campsite filled with a large of soldiers.

"Tell me about yourself. I've already told you a bit about myself already. Now, I'm curious about you, who shall be my husband-to-be." Esdeath gives me a loving smile, causing my heartbeat to speed up a pace for some reason. And that reason, I already got a guess of what it is.

"Well, I'm cursed with the effect of something suppressing my emotions and only the emotion of complete calm is left. As for the eye; well, let's just say it could be similar to your Teigu." I bullshitted my way with half-truths. While giving out some Esdeath to be satisfied with.

Esdeath unconsciously touches my eyepatch upon hearing the word: Eye from me, then realized she had some hidden curiosity towards the [Ultimate Eye] if what her lover called it and wonder why she felt so much killing intent whenever the eyepatch is removed.

"As for my fighting abilities. Since you told me about how you fight and other skills you trained yourself in. I come from a long line of martial artists, where we focus on pure speed and use any other skills to go with it. For example, my little sister, Setsuna, picked [Iaido] or known as the art that emphasizes being aware and capable of quickly drawing the sword and responding to a sudden attack." I started off an example of what part of my family's inheritance, where those could still learn and train if they can't train the rest of the inheritance.

"With pure speed and [Iaido], Setsuna can easily kill someone before they realize what just happen." I finished off explaining a few things, causing Esdeath to look at me with disbelief eyes.

"Wait, didn't you say you were the last of your clan, though?" Esdeath narrow her eyes at me, with a hint of rage for lying to her. Of course, I already have an answer for this problem.

"She adopted into my family. Sadly, both Setsuna and I are too far to meet up with each other right now." I replied quick enough to stop Esdeath from doing whatever is on her mind upon noticing a few loopholes in my background story.

"Wait, does that mean you or someone trained your sister in this [Iaido]?" Esdeath is a bit interested in this and wonder if this [Iaido] would improve her [Sword Mastery] further than it already is.

"I taught her, but I'm not a master of it. Setsuna is a genius herself to master it faster than the average people that focus on this single skill. Pretty much outmatch me in [Iaido] by the time she was learning from me for the 4th years." I may have sounded a bit proud at the end, but I was truly happy for Setsuna, who continue to work herself into perfection.

"I'm guessing you wanted to learn [Iaido]?" I ask Esdeath, who just stare at me with the same loving smile, then nod once after waiting a whole minute.

"Alright, but to be honest, I'm not much a good teacher and more of an advisor that give tips on how to improve. As for learning the [Iaido]. I would say you should just practice doing quickdraw while making less wasteful movement and maximize your whole body until you bring the very limit of your quickdraw. Then, surpass it afterward." I unconsciously gave a small lesson to Esdeath without thinking about the end result of giving these tips to improve herself. This will cause countless more deaths in the future.

Esdeath blankly stares at me as if I was serious, then realized he was and didn't know if she should laugh or cry, but settle with a blank stare. Esdeath could now understand the meaning of picking the right training methods that suit you. Because, if what her lover just explained to her about how to train, then he a self-learner and so is his adopted little sister.

"Okay, I could see that you won't be able to teach much to others if they, not an inborn genius or a hard-working genius." Esdeath said dryly, as she gives her lover a smile that doesn't reach to her eyes.

The next day*

Day 3: Wow, You Learn Something Every Day!

(The Empire: Central Region: The Captial)

I stare at the wall of Esdeath's bedroom and wonder if I should worry or not. After all, who would have thought I was just a day away from the Captial, if I have a danger beast as a mount, and was sad not being able to kill some danger beasts to raise my EXP or kill someone on the way here.

Luckily for me, killing people still provide me EXP, but a small amount. Around 5-10 EXP per person. The reason why it's small after doing some experiments, much to Esdeath's delight of seeing me being so ruthless.

I discovered that killing people that don't fight back would reduce the amount of EXP I could earn. And upon arriving the Captial; I've killed enough stray bandits and any other troublesome people. To raise my level to 3. With the EXP: 6/400.

Looking at how much EXP I need to reach level 4. It seems like the Gamer's ability double the amount of EXP I need twice of the previous requirement.

Right now, I've 6 stats points for me to use. This would be a good time to raise my stats I was planning to do. But, I wonder how long could I raise it without using stat points until all the things I do could no longer raise them.

Once we arrived; Esdeath took me to her bedroom and left me there, as she takes a shower first before we head off to meet the Emperor.

It's a good thing I found a few things to do while I wait on Esdeath and read some of her books in her bedroom. Some of them are about war strategies and raised my INT stat by 1 point after I finished one of the books.

I find it a little interesting that I gained 1 INT stat for a book containing 20 pages. Where it only took me to read the whole thing after Esdeath just shut the water off inside her shower.

20 minutes later*

After Esdeath was done showering, and even changing in front of me, much to my dismay and hate for the [Gamer's Mind] that decided at the time to not work, causing me to feel again. But, not the feeling I was hoping for besides being calm.

So, I could bet that [Gamer's Mind]'s effect stop working when it comes with Esdeath sometime. Depending on the time and when.

Esdeath was very happy to see a reaction out of me and figure out that my so-called curse doesn't look like it would take effect when it comes to her. This made things much easier and fun for Esdeath to get a reaction out of her lover.

Currently, Esdeath is leading us to the Throne Room while many people are trying their best not to be noticed, that they're staring at Esdeath and me, but mostly at me due to standing next to the most dangerous women in the empire.

"So how my body compared to the other women you see in the past?" Esdeath is a little curious about the types of women her lover spent time within the past and wonder if she was good enough to keep his attention solely onto her.

I blankly stare at Esdeath with my one eye and glance down and up at her body, causing her to blush a little. I slowly turn my head back to the front, much to Esdeath's disappointment and slow down her steps.

"There is nothing to compare when I know you're better than them in another way. No one is perfect and I love the way you look." I unconsciously spoke out the one word I wasn't supposed to say to Esdeath just yet.

Esdeath stops walking and stares at me in shock, then a big smile appears on her face as she jumps on my back, with a cry of happiness. Making those nearby to almost faint at the shock of seeing the most sadist and cruel woman in the Empire, to shock so cutely before their very eyes.

"Say it again! Say you love me!" Esdeath said in a crazy frenzy way, with a crazy loving look in her eyes as she hugs me to the point of almost causing me to lose a few points of HP.

"I love you, now get off!" I shouted back as I try to get Esdeath off me before an assassination attempt appear. Yeah, my mind is filled with dark stuff that I would even think there would be someone to sneak in for a killing blow to me. Not like it wasn't true thanks to those Night Raid.

Esdeath realizes what just happen, quickly jump off her lover, with a red face and cough in her hand, then speed walk in the hallway while ignoring the gawk faces of others around.

She will torture them later today after her meeting with the Emperor; Esdeath was too embarrassed to react like her usual self and wanted to know what overcome her mind like that. Just a single word: Love from her lover, caused her heart to beat faster and feel so warm inside.

Just thinking it alone made her breath, pick up and breathing heavily, but that lasted after a few seconds for Esdeath to get herself under control again.

"Wait up!" I quickly run after Esdeath, who was busy figuring out what's wrong with her for going so crazy and so unusual for her at that.

5 minutes later*

Esdeath and the Three Beasts kneeling in front of the Emperor, who is just a kid. Next to him is the Prime Minister Honest, who is a fat man that loves to eat anything almost all the time, even to the point of carrying some types of food with him to snack on at all time.

"Thanks so much for your hard work in solving the crisis in the Northern Lands." The Emperor thanked Esdeath for her conquest, but word it weirdly in my opinion, causing me to glance inside the Throne Room, with a frown on my face as I watch the conversation going on.

"Yes! Thank you so much for, uh..." The Prime Honest notices the Emperor looking at him with bright innocent eyes. "Umm...uh for relocating all of the natives in the Northern Lands." Honest said slowly and tried not to look at the Emperor, who is a bit of surprise at Honest's response.

"Whoa. Where did they go?" The Emperor blinks his eyes and continues to stare at the Prime Minister.

"That, um, uh, th-they-they went to, uh..." Honest tried his best to come up with a good name for a made-up place and couldn't take much time before the Emperor may catch up and decided to see how it goes by speaking the truth for once. "Death. Yes."

"Oh, boy! I've never heard of that place before. Is that a new country?" The Emperor said in an excited tone, where he finds new things to be interesting, causing those to hear how native the Emperor and a bit stupid too, for thinking death is actually a name for another country.

"It is now." Esdeath replied without much thinking about and figure it kind of true somewhat in her opinion. So, she just goes with the Prime Minister Honest's bullshit.

"Oh, wonderful! Let's have it added to the map!" The Emperor said to Honest, who was still trying to come up with a few plans to fix this mistake of his just made.

Honest blink in surprise, that he couldn't believe that the Emperor was that native and quickly answer, "Yes, yes! Of course! We'll, uh...get right on thaaat..." Now, Honest started to think maybe he was worrying for nothing and wonder if he should rethink about a few plans of his.

"Anywho, General Esdeath. What sort of reward would you like for your genoci-iiiiiii...dee..." Honest glance at the Emperor, who is now looking at Esdeath with a happy smile, much to his relief and continue off, "Humanitarian work! Nailed it." Honest whisper at the last part, but those that heard him rolled their eyes at him for doing such an awful job at covering his mistake, again.

"I don't need anything fancy. I'm already super rich and powerful. So I'll pass." Esdeath replied in a calm tone of voice, as she glances back at me from her position, showing me that being with her. I would have a share of all the wealth she gathered in her career as a soldier of the Empire.

"Oh, pish posh! You deserve some type of reward!" Honest look at Esdeath with a bit of lust in his eyes, but quickly hid it away before he gets his balls frozen by Esdeath. Not like he wasn't close to getting its frozen before by her at some point.

"Come onnn! Tell us what you want." Honest urgent for Esdeath to tell him and the Emperor what she desires.

"I don't think it would be proper." Esdeath still thinks it would be better to request about the marriage later, after this meeting, where she can have a private conversation with the Emperor for his blessing.

"Is it because the boy's here? We can have him plug up his ears." Honest completely misunderstood the reasons why Esdeath didn't want to speak out her wishes.

Esdeath easily could tell what Honest was thinking and decided to say her request, "Alright; if you're really persistent on granting my wish...I'll tell you."

"Yes! Spit it out, woman!" Honest's tone is filled with arousing, that everyone, but the Emperor could tell how much Honest wanted Esdeath to speak out the wishes of what he wanted Esdeath to say to everyone.

"Oh, what I want is..." Esdeath starts off slowly, causing Honest to stare at her with a big smile.

"Yeeeeeesss~..." Honest whisper, eager to hear Esdeath's wishes and look ready to jump.

"Pure~, unadulterated~..." Esdeath continues off, causing those to look at Esdeath with wide eyes, while Emperor continues to have his normal native look on his face.

"Ohohohoho man, here it comes...!" Honest almost look like he about launch himself at Esdeath, but kept himself in check before things could become bad for him.

"...loves~." Esdeath said with a small smile on her face, causing those to look at her and not noticing this beforehand, to be dumbfounded at this response.

"AAHHH...uh..." Honest was ready to shout at the top of his lungs, then realized what Esdeath just said and was shocked to the core. "Huh...wasn't expecting that."

"I've found a partner already and wish for your majesty's blessing for our wedding, for the following next month after I've finished all my work for the Empire." Esdeath replied and stare at the Emperor with great focus.

This caused the Emperor to blink his eyes at her, "Wow, that's great news! I'll be delighted to give you my blessing! Can I see the guy that you wanted to marry to?"

This broke Honest out of his trance and narrow his eyes at Esdeath, "Yes...please show us this...guy...that you wish to wed with."

Esdeath was delighted at the Emperor for agreeing to her request and was too happy to notice the way Honest look ready to kill someone or find someone else to do it for him.

This was my cue to enter the place, as Esdeath signaled me to enter the Throne Room, where everyone looks at me and wonder what kind of person I am to get the attention of General Esdeath's love interest.

Just as I enter the Throne Room, a shadowy figure falls from the ceiling and is leaking out killing intent towards the Prime Minister, with a short sword already in the position to chop Honest in half.

On pure instinct towards killing intent; I would have attacked without mercy, but thanks to [Gamer's Mind]. For once, I was able to stop myself attacking the assassin, who could kill Prime Minister Honest right about now and rid of the world of this cruel evil man earlier than he should be alive in canon.

However, it looks like fate doesn't want Honest dead just yet. As everyone watches Honest raise his ham above his head to intercept the short sword, with a quick twist and Honest actually broke the short sword somehow with a ham of all things.

Then beat the assassin with the said ham, crushing the assassin's head like an egg and quickly place his body over the Emperor's line of sight before he could cause the innocent of the Emperor to see the dead assassin.

All this happens in a matter of seconds, where only a few people already took action. Well, mostly Esdeath and Honest are the ones that acted instantly. Where Esdeath is next to the Emperor, with her rapier out and ready to be used.

"Ah! I think we should have lunch now, your majesty." Honest quickly come up with an excuse to get the Emperor to leave before he could see the corpse behind him.

'Well, damn. Honest actually killed someone with a ham of all things and would dare waste food with the type of person he is.' I didn't know if this was funny or weird, to find out that this Honest would train himself to use food as a weapon as well.

"It's lunchtime already?! Wow, time has gone by so far. Do you think we could get some ice cream as a dessert?!" The Emperor looked at Honest, with bright innocent eyes, that would make anyone want to protect them. But, to the Prime Minister, it just made his job easier to control the kid.

"Sure! Why not! After all, you're the Emperor, but you must watch your diet." Honestly kindly advise the Emperor on how he should eat.

Everyone stares at Honest, with deadpan expressions and had a single thought together from what they just heard.

'HYPOCRITE!'

"Oh, right! Esdeath! As for your request. I'd like to congrats on finding the love of your life!" The Emperor said to Esdeath, with a bright smile, then it went to a confused one.

"By the way, I never did get your lover's name." The Emperor comment on this, "Do you mind introducing yourself to us and how you catch Esdeath's love interest? I'm very curious about how you accomplish this." Even the Prime Minister lean in a little to find out the secret to win the deadly General's heart.

"Well, your majesty. I'm Ragna D. Mercer. As for how I gained Esdeath's love." I glance at Esdeath, who look at the ground with a blush and acting like a shy girl for some reason, way out of character of her, causing those to look at Esdeath in shock.

"I, uh, asked her if she knows how to cook after I survived an attack from her." I said dryly, causing those too eager to find out what caused the Esdeath of all people to fall in love.

"You're joking, right?" Honest asked me, with a dull tone and look close to breaking someone's bone. "Please tell me he's joking, General Esdeath." Honest, and the others were dying to see their General deny this response.

Esdeath was still a bit of a daze and was a bit of surprise at someone calling out for her, causing Esdeath to fire off a few icicles at the one that spooks her a little while her guard was lower just a bit, but enough to cause Esdeath to straight to attack mode.

Everyone watches Honest perform a series of movements to dodge all these icicles by literally dancing around them. Much to everyone's shock at this display.

Even the Emperor look at the Prime Minister of shock and surprise, even a hint of awe as well. Like he just found his role model.

"WOW! Prime Minister that's was awesome! Can you teach me how to do that?!" The Emperor jump off his throne and rush up to Honest, who was working up a sweat, but still look completely fine. Like he didn't just dodge two assassination attempts on his life, one was on purpose and the other one was an accident.

If someone were to look closely, you would see that Honest actually lost some weights from doing all those things.

"Uh, um, sure, why not?" Honest look for a reason to reject this idea, but came up with nothing at the moment and a little hungry from doing all those exercises, Yup, he counts these assassin attempts as an exercise for him and made him a bit more hungry than before.

"Oh, yeah! Ragna! Would you like to join the Empire? I'm sure you're a great fighter if you could dodge Esdeath's attack." The Emperor offers me a position in his military, causing others to look at me with narrow eyes for some reason. Mostly by the Prime Minister.

"Suuuuurrrrreee." I draw out the word, much to some peoples' confusion at the way I'm answering, and some even frown at how rude I am being towards the Emperor.

"Great! Come on, Prime Minister! I'm hungry and ready to learn how to move like you did a few minutes ago!" The Emperor quickly rush out of the Throne Room, with Honest hot on his tail, but not before sending a deadly glare in my direction before following the Emperor out of this place.

"Uh, now what?" I ask Esdeath since it looks like the Emperor didn't assign the next task for Esdeath to take down the Night Raid and just run off to grab something to eat, with Honest tagging along when it was his ideal in the first place, kind of.

"Now, we go out hunting and shopping. But, mostly shopping." Esdeath said to me, then drag me out of the Throne Room, with the Three Beasts following behind us in silence and couldn't wrap their minds around what just happened back in the Throne Room.

30 minutes later*

It took us some time to go from the Throne Room and the outside of the Palace, where we could see countless of stores around us.

Esdeath ordered the Three Beasts to take care of the Night Raid by luring them out while she spends more time with her lover. As for the reason for this order; Esdeath didn't give one to the Three Beasts, not like those three would care about the reason behind this order and went off to do their new task assigned by their General.

Well, Esdeath did explain her reason to me when I asked her and was surprised that Esdeath already got her next task to do for the Empire. As the Emperor already assigned her one right after she left for her conquest in the Northern Lands.

Which made me feel like my future knowledge in this world is a bit useless, but I didn't mind it much after thinking about how my existence here alone already thrown the whole timeline into discord.

Afterward, Esdeath drag me across the whole place, and it was awful in my opinion, but at least Esdeath didn't purchase countless of random kinds of stuff just for the hell of it.

I got something out of it, as my Gamer's ability gave me 2 stat points for spending time with Esdeath while shopping.

Then, we went to the Plaza to grab something for us to eat. Finally, we returned back to Esdeath's Chamber. Where we put away a few things Esdeath bought from the market.

Overall, this whole trip from the shopping, to eat, and back to the Palace. I gained a total of 4 more stat points out of this.

"You know, I'm starting to think this relationship of ours would be great." Esdeath pulls herself closer to me and lay her head on my left shoulder, placing her left leg over mine. As she traces a circle on my chest with her left hand while staring at me with eyes filled with love.

Currently, Esdeath isn't wearing any clothes besides just a white button shirt, that's a few buttons near her chest are unbutton to show some skin and a matching white pantie, that's almost seen through. Showing me that Esdeath trying to seduce me and I'm mentally cursing at the [Gamer's Mind] for not being in effect.

Because Esdeath has already noticed how I'm reacting to her seduction, causing her to let out a giggle and continue to tease me when she knows how uncomfortable I am right now and at the same time arouse the way Esdeath dressed for sleep and how close she is to me.

"That's nice, Esdeath." I give Esdeath a small smile as I slowly let my guard down, much to Esdeath's delight to see me relax around her, which should be a big mistake in others' point of views.

The next day*

Day 4: All About Practices

(The Empire: Central Region: Gifnora Forest)

It took me a few trials and errors, to adapt my skills to my fighting style. Furthermore, I tried my best to calculate the amount of [Mana] I should spend for each skill, with the [Fire Devil Slayer Magic] taking almost 70% of my total MP compared to the other skills and sometimes the [Fire Devil Slayer Magic] would take up all my MP in some of the death battles I went against a few high-class danger beasts.

I managed to level up [Eagle Vision] to 5 due to multiple times of using them to locate the danger beasts. Next is [Shundo] at level 9 and [Innate Time Control: Time Alter] setting at level 3.

Most of the time; I would use [Shundo] for the burst of speed, with [Time Alter] would be used sometime if I took a few too many extra steps, where I put myself in danger and would use the [Time Alter] to speed up my reaction speed for me to escape or perform a counterattack.

As for the [Fire Devil Slayer Magic] and the [Ultimate Eye]. Due to killing so many danger beasts with a [Fireball] and using the [Ultimate Eye] to find the best spot to attack. I got [Fire Devil Slayer Magic] to level 11, making it my highest level skill.

The [Ultimate Eye] took much longer compared to the other skills due to my low INT stat to support this skill. But, only got it to 80% EXP and still at level 1. Since the 'cooldown' for the skill was just too long, for me to be able to level it up today.

Shocking or not; [Hundred Gaunltets] are a lot harder to level up than the [Ultimate Eye]. Due to having to wait for my [Mana] to recover due to the failure on making the [Hundred Gauntlets] to work and end up as wasting those MP instead.

It's a good thing the [Ultimate Eye] doesn't cost anything besides requiring higher INT stat to make the duration last longer or else it would be the hardest skill to level up, where the hardest skill being the [Hundred Gauntlets] at the moment.

After going through the whole forest; I gained 3 STR, 4 END, 3 AGI, 1 INT, and 1 WIS from the actions I've done to face all the danger beasts in this forest. Furthermore, I level up to 9 by the time day is almost over and I return to the Empire, where a pissed off Esdeath is waiting for me due to not allowing her to come with me.

Yeah, that night; I had to find an Inn to sleep because Esdeath won't allow me to sleep with her, as in actual sleep, not sex. Which Esdeath of all people, actually wanted our first time to be on our wedding night surprisingly.

So for today, I did a lot of leveling, with 30 more stats points added, giving me a total 40 stats points for my usage in the future. Sadly, it got harder to level after level 9. EXP: 120/51200.

Found some danger beasts that were high levels, to give me 10000 EXP per kill. But, those were rare within the forest and I could only find 8 of them while the rest I had to grind by killing some of the danger beasts that only give me 1000s EXP.

Yeah, my [Inventory] is literally filled with corpses of countless danger beasts that's not burnt to ashes by my [Fire Devil Slayer Magic], which I gave them to Esdeath, who was a bit surprised at the number of danger beasts I killed from the Gifnora Forest, but was still mad at me for not allowing her to come with me.

As a result; lots of prisoners and anyone that pissed off Esdeath by accident had a bad day.

The next day*

Day 5: Making Things Up

(The Empire: Central Region: The Captial)

After denying Esdeath from going out hunting danger beasts with me yesterday; I decided to cheer her up by offering her a sparring match between us. The result: Esdeath defeated me after 30 minutes into the match and actually look a bit tired and a few scratches here and there.

Both Esdeath and I found out that she could suppress my flames if she put more efforts into her ice attacks. Sadly, this drained her to the point of not being able to use her Teigu for the rest of the day.

This means Esdeath could only defeat me as quick as possible or else my [Fire Devil Slayer Magic] would end her after waiting for my MP to recover. Therefore, Esdeath would end up losing if she allows the fight to last long enough for me to counterattack.

If I could manage to last that long in the first place, otherwise, I would end up losing before regenerating enough MP to cast another [Fireball].

The next day*

Day 6: Well, This Is A Surprise...NOT!

(The Empire: Central Region: The Captial)

Today is the day we discovered the deaths of the Three Beasts, causing Esdeath to be in a bad mood for the whole day, which leads to more prisoners to be tortured by her as a result.

Therefore, as much as I hated to speak someone like Honest. I was the one that had to see the Prime Minister, for Esdeath's requests on gaining new troops weeks before she left to conquer the Northern Race, but all of them being Teigu users to be formed into a new group meant to deal with the Night Raid personally due to the Night Raid's members possessing Teigu as well.

Well, Esdeath got her new Teigu using subordinates without much trouble. It just took some time for the Empire to gather them.

The next day*

Day 7: The Newcomers!

(The Empire: Central Region: The Captial)

The report that Esdeath got back after the deaths of her Three Beasts has come in. Esdeath's mood turns for the worse when the soldiers couldn't recover the corpses of the Three Beasts, not even a few flesh or bones.

So Esdeath had to request some people to make three graves for them with their names carved onto the tombstones. Which didn't take long to do when it just empty graves.

Esdeath forced me to visit them while she spoke out loud about how weak, they are, but still, promise to take vengeance on their killers on their behalfs.

Afterward, both Esdeath and I returned back to the Palace, where we'll meet the new soldiers assigned into Esdeath's new group.