Chapter 166 â The Crimson Empress
After breakfast, they each went their separate ways.
Noah watched them goâsome excited, some determined, all with a purpose. Each woman had something to accomplish. Not just for him, but for the family they were building together. And that was enough to light a fire in anyone.
As for Noah, he had his own plans.
Starting with Aphasia.
Heâd made a strong first impression. But that wasnât enough. Not for what he wanted. He needed loyalty, trustâthe kind that wouldnât break even if she saw his deepest secrets. Especially his realm.
Because if the wrong people found out, things could get ugly.
He stood just outside her training hall, exhaling softly.
"This time, Iâll be a proper gentleman. No sudden entrances."
He smiled.
Then, with perfect hypocrisyâ
Knock. Knock.
And before she could answer, he walked in anyway.
"Hey, Aphasia. Miss me?"
...
Inside, Aphasia was mid-session with her shadow spirits, trying to improve their combat synch. It was going wellâuntil she heard the voice.
"Hey, Aphasia. Miss me?"
She turned fast, already annoyed. That damn voice again.
"Youâdonât you know how to knock propeâ"
But she stopped.
Eyes wide. Mouth open. Words dead on her tongue.
"...Am I dreaming?" she muttered, stunned.
Noahâs smile deepened. "Lucky you. Itâs not a dream."
She stared at him like he was some divine visionâand who could blame her? Silver hair that shimmered like starlight. Runic eyes that pulsed with quiet power. A face sculpted like it didnât belong to this world. A body that made you question the fairness of the universe.
"How can you be this beautiful?" she blurted, zero shame.
Noah chuckled. "I ask myself that sometimes. But letâs not get distracted. Iâm here for your answer."
That pulled her back.
She looked down at the bracelet he gave her. His gift. His message.
âI want you.â That was what Noah said to her.
Sheâd thought about itâagain and again. She knew his intentions werenât just romance, but strategy. He was building something. A future. A dominion.
But even knowing that...
Even knowing she was another piece on the board...
She couldnât stop the warmth that spread in her chest when she looked at him.
Hell, she didnât want to stop it.
Because wasnât this what every girl dreamed of? A man so beautiful, so powerful, that just choosing you felt like a blessing?
And more than thatâhe came back. She had made him wait and he did without complaining. He let her choose without pressing her.
And for thatâ
[Aphasiaâs feelings have reached 75%.]
She smiled, soft and sweet.
âHeâs a manipulator, a player... but damn, heâs good at it.â
And maybe... maybe she didnât care anymore about this aspect of him.
"I accept," she said, locking eyes with him.
Noah stepped forward, wrapping his arms around her gently.
She flinched. It was... new. No man had ever hugged her. Not even her father.
But there was something about the way Noah held her. It was firm, protective, warm.
Safe.
And without realizing, her head leaned against his chest, sinking deeper into the embrace.
"Welcome to the family, Aphasia," Noah whispered.
She smiled. And for the first time in years, her heart felt... light.
...
Elsewhere, Elizabeth, Sophie, and Emily stood across from Solaris.
Solarisâ eyes narrowed. Jealousy didnât even try to hide itself.
Elizabeth, of course, smirked. "Do you need us to flex a little more?"
Solaris clicked her tongue. "Why wasnât I part of this âtransformationâ everyoneâs raving about?"
She looked at Emily. "Well... except you."
Emilyâs jaw tightened.
Elizabeth shrugged. "For now, itâs just Noahâs women. So itâs not that surprising."
"And what do you mean âfor nowâ?" Solaris asked, eyebrows raised.
"Well, I could transform you into a Fate Elysiari... but unless you suddenly picked up a Fate affinityâ"
"I didnât. Iâve got Light and Fire affinities."
"Then yeah, no luck."
She turned her gaze to Emily. Her smile? Pure mockery.
"But you, Emily? You could become a Lightning Elysiari. You just have to kneel under your daughter first. Tempting, right?"
Emily stayed silent.
She hated how right Elizabeth was. Her daughter would agree, no hesitation. But that wasnât the point.
She didnât want to serve under Sophie.
She wanted her own path. Her own transformation. Her own claim on Noah.
And that meant earning Sophieâs blessingâand the other wivesâ respect.
So she didnât lie.
"I want to be Noahâs woman," she said, her voice clear.
She waited for the backlash.
Sophie shouting. Elizabeth mocking. Solaris laughing.
But none of them reacted like that.
"It was obvious," Elizabeth said dryly.
"Painfully obvious. You fucking degenerate," Solaris added with a sigh.
Sophie, though? She said nothing. Just turned to Elizabeth and changed the subject.
"Letâs get this over with. Itâs time the world knows Iâm Empress."
But still in her mind, âwe will talk later.â she said to Emily
...
Announcing Sophieâs ascension was easier than anyone expected.
The Church had influence over the whole human domain. All they needed was a convenient storyâRome and his sons mysteriously absent, the empire in need of guidanceâand suddenly Sophieâs coronation felt natural.
Some questioned it. Of course they did.
But none of them said a word aloud.
Because sticking your nose into royal affairs? That shit gets you killed.
Projectors sparked to life across the Human Domain.
Every street. Every slum. Every marketplace. Even the criminal dens had one flickering image in common:
Sophie.
Dressed in crimson. Flanked by Elizabeth and Solaris. Emily behind them, crying like a proud mother.
What a good actor.
People stopped. Watched.
Solaris stepped forward, voice loud and regal.
"People of the Human Domain, we bring you a new age."
"The first woman crowned Empress."
"A round of applauseâfor Sophie Castria, The Crimson Empress."
Silence.
Thenâ
The whole human domain exploded.
As for Sophie,
She didnât even smile.
She just stood there looking at those shocked expressions with regal intensity and coldness.
In her mind, this whole thing was unnecessary, because now,
Sophie didnât need approval to rule.
âEnd of chapitre 166â