"I believed you, you know? You didn't really need to explain it to me."
"But you're silent."
"Is this not enough to show it?"
I lifted our hands that were clasped together. Seeing it closely, a red tint immediately appeared on Nysia's face which complimented her hair and her eyes. For a Transcendent to be this pure despite her advanced age, she's adorable.
"My waiting paid off then. Uhm. I'll continue my story."
To escape from turning completely red from her embarrassment, she opted to continue her story which I let her. I still wanted to know how that little orphan girl turned into someone this amazing. Someone not even the three biggest factions could touch. This might be a Mortal World but in terms of achievements, she probably has more than the others like her at the same level.
Our hands that were clasped together were lifted up again and she raised it in front of her. After taking a quick glance at me, her lips touched the back of my hand before she giggled like a young girl.
This woman was clearly acting like a maiden in love and I… am surely enjoying it. This stay in the 4th world has just been given some color by her.
After a while, she composed herself and restarted her storytelling back to the point where I interrupted it earlier.
When she became a Gold-rank and a Rank B. She applied to become a Pilot to the country she settled in after quitting and casting off her persona as Aegis.
For a girl at her age to have that kind of achievement add to that, her outstanding appearance, she was immediately hired.
For the first time in her life, she got to Pilot a proper Metagen that's not cheaply made and a Powergen that was made especially for her. Through the use of that Metagen and Powergen, she started racking up achievements and victories for the country for around 4 years.
However, the clear sky above her was proven short-lived as storm clouds brewed after 4 years in the form of another war which decimated more countries.
A second and third regenium mine was discovered.
If the first mine became something like a public resource, the two new mines became the spark to determine the true hegemons who would eventually control each of the regenium mines.
The country she was employed to went head to head against the New Haven Empire and the other countries surrounding it. Due to their small number of Pilots and Operators, the country and others like it joined hands into an alliance to fight the Empire.
However, three of those countries turned coat in the heat of the main battle. They already submitted themselves to the Empire and will be absorbed after taking control of the mine.
Because of that, the alliance crumbled from the inside. The New Haven Empire then swiftly cleaned them up and took control of the 1st mine as the sole owner of it.
During that time, Nysia was already a Gold-rank Tier 1 and Rank A in terms of Brain Capacity. When things went south, she found herself trapped and besieged by the turncoats that her Advanced Armor Manipulation and the Orb of Reinforcement failed to protect her.
In a bid to survive it, she ejected herself from the Metagen which she always used for four years. It already grew in her heart, seeing it destroyed like that, she vowed never to go under the Empire nor any other country that would eventually emerge victorious in that War for the Mines. Since she was ejected from a high altitude she then used the Powergen she was wearing at the time to dampen the damage that she would've received in exchange for her Powergen to also become beyond repair.
Just like that, she turned back to someone who has nothing save for the Orb of Reinforcement.
5 years later, she became something like a bandit among any other losers from the war years ago who often ambushed regenium convoys to steal it and sell it in the Black Market. The earnings she got there were used to buy her Powersuit and mass-produced smuggled cheap Metagens
Despite controlling the mines, that didn't stop those unaffiliated to the three factions to continue living to survive. Nysia reached the Diamond-rank during that 5 years which evolved her Advanced Armor Manipulation to Defense Control. It's a higher version of her original ability. It encompasses not just the armors anymore but actual defenses.
At age 25, the Primeval Aegis Union was founded by her when she revealed her identity as the Aegis who disappeared years ago. The League started as a Mercenary Group slash Bandits who played along with the three factions. One faction would sometimes employ them to attack the other two, by doing so, they had the chance to earn regenium on all three sides.
The other war losers and survivors started joining the League. From a few ragtag groups of Pilots and Operators, they started having other professions which leveled up the League to become an independent armed group.
At that time, the three factions started to see them as eyesore so, from the Mercenary Group, they became Rebel Forces in their eyes. But all of that was accounted for.
Fast forward another 5 years, the Primeval Aegis League grew more into something like a huge organization but everything was still centered around her, a Legend-rank Pilot who can lead a group of cheap and poorly manufactured Metagens to defeat throngs of Specialized Metagen squads of the three factions.
During two 5 year intervals, her growth from a small Gold-rank Pilot, she became a Legend-rank and someone with a Rank SSS Brain Capacity.
In that kind of fashion did their organization get to replenish their supplies of regenium.
And once again, as if her hardships weren't enough yet, the Alien Civilization arrived which lay another waste to the world they are residing in.
The Primeval Aegis League she built up almost crumbled once again. If not for her taking up the front lines, everyone would've lost hope. Compared to the three factions who have already made use of their monopoly of a regenium mine, her organization had to fight tooth and nail to defend their small territory and the powerless members who joined them for shelter.
Only when she knocked into the door of Transcendence or for the denizens of this world, the realm of Mythic-rank Pilot did the things turn for the better. That was another 5 years added to her age.
At age 40, Nysia Athonae became the only Mythic-rank Pilot apart from the so-called Guardians of the three factions. She told me how her body stopped aging once she reached it and every year, she started to look younger which explained her current appearance which is her in her prime years. Age doesn't really matter anyway but still she even provided an explanation for it.
Due to her reaching that stage, the few Researchers and professionals pushed forth their efforts to make an Ultimate Metagen and Powergen for her and that gave birth to The Sanguine Aegis, which she used to take the territory in between the three and build the current Free City of Nysia to how it is right now.
Her Advanced Defense Control evolved to maybe its final evolution stage, Defense Manipulation. Not only she could enhance her defense, but she could also lower the defense of her target. It probably has also a lot more uses that she surely will only pull out as her trump card against her enemies.
That ability made her almost invulnerable, adding the effect of the Orb plus the Ultimate Metagen made especially to accommodate her ability. None of the Mythic-rank and Ultimate Metagens of the three factions could contest her in terms of defense.
10 years later, we're now back to the present. The territory she got now stood tall in the middle of the three factions. However, the thing that didn't change is her being the central figure of this place. If she disappeared, this place would also disappear. That's why…
I looked down at Nysia who's now comfortably using my lap as her pillow. With my hand settled on her silky light-pink hair, I was using my fingers to gently brush it.
The expression she was making while her eyes were closed was that of someone feeling comfortable.
"It sure was a hard journey for you, Nysia. Thank you for telling me."
"It was and I'm glad I lived through all of that to have this chance of meeting you. I feel like everything happened just for us to meet, at this place, at this moment."
Nysia opened her eyes and from her lips, a smile bloomed. She's using this time that we're alone to satisfy herself. For sure, after this, we'll get down to official business where I will become the newest member of the League while she will be the Head who I will look up to.
"That's destiny for you. Though I ought not to think about it, however, it's surely what pulled us together."
The orb is the biggest culprit here but without it, it will probably be much harder for her to reach this height.
"I think so too. Take care of me from now on, Daisuke."
She nodded and reached for my face as she said that in the sweetest voice possible for her.
As a response, my hand also went to her chin and traced her dried up pinkish lips from all that talking with my thumb.
"Of course, that's a given, Nysia."
She then grabbed my hand and held it in place while her eyes stared at me with an expression of someone asking to be spoiled.
"10 minutes. Let me stay for 10 minutes like this before we continue onto the official business."
Granting her that wish, we spent the next 10 minutes in silence, appreaciating each other's company.
When the 10 minutes passed, Nysia got up from my lap and called in Lexie who was still waiting next to the elevator.
A few seconds later, the door opened revealing Lexie who seemingly ran over here.
The soft and gentle Nysia from earlier showed her imposing self as she faced this subordinate of hers.
Without any hint of the previous adorable Nysia, she ordered Lexie.
"Take Daisuke to the Special Virtual Simulation Room and test his capabilities. Send me all the details and test results. As of now right now, I'm appointing him as a Core Pilot equal to you."
Following that, Nysia turned to me, devoid of the lovable attitude she showed me earlier.
Right. Now's the time for the official business. Any longer will surely make Lexie suspicious since I've already been in this room for 3 hours, alone with their Head.
This time, the Nysia in front of me is the Head of the Primeval Aegis League directing the new recruit.
"Because you're above SSS, I'm expecting a lot from you, Daisuke. Don't hold back in the simulation and show us what you're capable of. That way, the Metagen and Powergen that will be made especially for you will be something that will reflect your real capabilities and not only limited to what you wanted to show. I guarantee that only the three of us and the Head Researcher that will be appointed on the making of your Specialized Metagen will have access to that information."
"Understood."
After answering, I copied the salute Lexie did earlier which she returned as a nod.
When Lexie turned around to lead me, I felt Nysia's hand on mine as she whispered 'Go for it.' to me before letting it go.
And that little encouragement became the last straw to my restraint, I turned around and planted a kiss on her lips.
Though it was quick, Nysia became frozen on that spot as she slowly turned red completely from her neck upwards.
Leaving her in that state, I followed behind Lexie like she ordered with a hint of a smile on my lips.
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