Return of the Mythic Bloodline

"Don’t spoil me so much, My Lord," Evangeline whispered as Maximilian finally parted his lips from hers. "Or I might become so attached to you that even death wouldn’t make me let go of you. Ack!"

"Stop saying nonsense," Maximilian muttered, flicking her forehead, his brows furrowing. "No matter what, I will never let anything happen to you. Even if I have to defy the heavens."

He removed his hand from her waist and continued, giving her one last pat on the head. "You should go and learn the art now. I will keep an eye on our surroundings until then."

With how profound the teachings engraved within the chamber were, even with her talent, it would easily take her more than forty years to comprehend their meaning and ascend to the Celestial Realm.

She strangely shook her head, refusing the suggestion.

"My Lord, did you receive any manual on how to operate this control room?" Evangeline asked, her eyes filled with curiosity.

"What’s that?" he asked, having no idea.

She could only sigh at his obliviousness. "You possess control over a heaven-defying artifact, yet you didn’t even bother to learn about it."

"Complex things make my head hurt," Maximilian shrugged, rubbing the back of his head. "My dear wife is more suited for brain-related tasks."

Evangeline released another weary sigh. She could barely stop herself from nagging at him as her teaching instincts took over. The difficult days of teaching him arrays still gave her nightmares. He obviously had the talent and the genius mind required to learn them, but getting him to actually put in the effort was the difficult part.

Maximilian didn’t fare any better. His whole body flinched at the old, terrifying glare she gave him for a moment. His hands instantly moved to his rear as he declared, "I’m your husband now. You cannot spank me anymore!"

The days of being spanked for submitting the wrong array formulas resurfaced in his mind.

"Whatever is going on in your mind," she shook her head, pressing her temples between her thumb and index finger. "I would dare not raise a hand at my husband if I wish to go to heaven."

"I wonder who it was that smacked me in the face with a shoe last night," Maximilian retorted, rolling his eyes.

"Y-you definitely deserved that, My Lord," Evangeline blurted out. "What husband leaves his wife for more than a month without any news? I will not go to hell for that... r-right?"

She looked at him with puppy eyes as the realization of what she had done dawned on her.

"Yes, it was me being an idiot," Maximilian nodded along with her, giving her reassurance, although his words came off as rather sarcastic. "The heavens will definitely praise you for that."

"Aann! Tell me seriously," Evangeline sulked, pulling his arm in desperation. "Oh, right," her eyes glowed with excitement as she leaned her face closer to him. "Hit me."

"..."

"Please hit me, My Lord," she repeated.

Maximilian silently walked off, completely ignoring her as if he hadn’t heard a word.

He had only moved past her when she grabbed him by the wrist. "Stop acting like you didn’t hear me."

"Have you lost something in there?" Maximilian snapped, pressing her temple with his index finger. "Why do you suddenly want me to hit you?"

Her eyes lowered as she muttered in a barely audible tone, "I will go to hell for hitting my husband. But if you hit me as well, we will go to hell together."

Maximilian really wanted to bonk her on the head with his fist. What had caused a generational genius like her to believe in such nonsense? It was as though she had become more immature after their marriage. Or perhaps, she was finally showing him her true self, revealing the silly girl she had always been now that the duty of being his guardian no longer bound her. She didn’t have to act as a mature teacher anymore. Somewhere deep down, Maximilian also felt happy that she was slowly opening up to him. Nonetheless, raising a hand at her was still out of the question.

"For the things I have done and will do, I don’t think I will really end up in heaven even if I don’t hit you," he tried to explain to her. "So there is no need for it."

Yet, Evangeline remained fixated on her demand. "No, hit me. Hit me. Hit me," she demanded repeatedly, tightly holding his arm.

"You’re not going to give up?" Maximilian asked, his brows furrowing.

Evangeline immediately shook her head, her cheek pressing against his arm.

"Fine, then," he agreed in a serious tone.

Evangeline’s face instantly brightened with a smile, causing Maximilian to question her state of mind.

She squeezed her eyes shut, slight fear taking over her as Maximilian raised his hand.

Spank!

His palm landed on her rear with a loud clap, the shock rippling through her skin and causing her to jump like a startled cat.

"My Lord, how dare you spank me!?" she shouted, her face burning red with embarrassment and something deeper.

"You never specified where I should hit you, My dear," Maximilian shrugged as he kissed the palm that had just struck her, causing her to tighten her jaw in shame. He lifted her face by the chin as he continued, "Besides, a spank is better for disciplining a stubborn girl."

Evangeline’s cheek puffed out as she launched little fists at Maximilian’s shoulder. "I hate you. I hate you. I hate you. I hate you."

Maximilian simply kept laughing at her adorable punches, which carried no strength whatsoever. She was merely overwhelmed by intense shame, as it was the first time someone had touched her in such a sensitive place.

Once her barrage of fists stopped, she pivoted on her feet, standing with her back facing him, her arms folded. "I am not talking to you!"

"Eh?" Maximilian raised an eyebrow in amusement as he moved closer to her. She instantly took a step forward, sensing him coming toward her.

"Hah... and here I was thinking of giving you the role of Vice-Master so that you could learn all about this spaceship and AINOS," Maximilian shook his head with a sigh. "I guess you don’t need it from someone you hate."

"My husband, you are not so petty as to change your decision now, right?" Evangeline’s voice came from his side as she stood there, grabbing his arm and smiling at him cheekily.

"Weren’t you just standing in front of me?" Maximilian gasped, taken aback by her sudden arrival at his side. "Forget it. I would have asked you to handle AINOS either way."

"My husband is the best!" Evangeline declared shamelessly, rubbing her cheek against his arm affectionately.

Maximilian only chuckled at her cheeky behavior, which he found rather cute. He kissed her on the head before leading her toward the central core, where the duo settled onto the seats carved into the sphere.

He drew a Soul Stone from his storage pouch and moved it closer to the hovering, translucent display in front of them.

"AINOS, here is some food for you."

Eternal Stones detected!

The same mechanical voice echoed.

The particles from the sphere moved toward his hand, taking the shape of a bowl, into which Maximilian placed the stone. Once it was absorbed by the bowl, the nanoparticles moved back toward the sphere, becoming one with it.

0.001% energy restored.

Evangeline looked at the entire exchange with parted lips and widened eyes.

Maximilian smiled at her childlike reaction before ordering, "AINOS, she is the Vice-Master of the spaceship."

The display slightly tilted toward Evangeline.

Please place your hand to register yourself as the Vice-Master.

Evangeline immediately placed her palm on the display.

The Master must also place his hand for confirmation.

Once Maximilian placed his hand, it recognized Evangeline as the Vice-Master.

The Vice-Master possesses all access to the system as the Master. Their protocols can only be overruled by the Master.

Do you have any command for AINOS, Vice-Master?

The display asked, tilting toward Evangeline.

Her eyes brightened as she said, "I actually do... A lot of them."