Of course, now that we're on the topic.
Back when I was taking stock of my... well, harem, for lack of a better word, I'd just lumped every girl I could think of into the category all at once.
No matter what... my first instinct was to just slap a label on it.
But if I'm being truly honest with myself...wouldn't my future relationships with these different girls inevitably vary?
The level of intimacy, their attitudes, or other aspects... Surely! There would be differences.
Right?
Following that train of thought...Kiana understands her own nature.
Even if she genuinely likes every single one of these girls and wants them all, she also knows she must respect their individual feelings. She can't possibly treat every single one exactly the same.
Just take the current situation at home, for instance.
Little Sister Rin might act fierce and bark loudly every time, but she knows she's still underage. Kiana would never actually cross that line with her.
It's mostly just her being a brat, playing around.
More than anything, she's trying to play wingman for her big sister, Sakura, giving her a push from behind.
Because, let's be real!
The way Miss Sakura is now... she honestly doesn't have much competitive edge.
She's still hesitating, still tangled up in her own doubts. Little Sister Rin is practically grinding her teeth in frustration at her lack of initiative; anyone would shake their head seeing it.
Those two are a perfect example.
Then there's Eden, who is genuinely, earnestly looking for love. She's moving at her own pace, steady and methodical.
And Aponia? She still sees herself as the little mistress.
She'll be there for you when you need her. When you don't, she never fights or demands anything.
But if we're categorizing things this way...
Then Mobius and Vill-V are probably in an even more extreme category.
They have their own lives, their own pursuits, and absolutely no mental space for something like romance with you.
Not that they dislike you, of course.
If you need something, being 'friends with benefits' is perfectly fine. If you went to them and actually said it, they wouldn't refuse. It wouldn't interfere with their work or research either. A convenient arrangement for everyone.
Mobius even admitted it herself.
The continuous stream of resources she acquires is all thanks to Kiana.
She's got this one body, this 'parchment,' as she might think of it. If Kiana likes it, she can have it. Just don't break it.
She still has research to do.
But on the flip side...
Kiana genuinely doesn't know how to properly 'make a move' on those two.
What she wants isn't this!
Though, with too many targets, she'd be overwhelmed anyway. So for now, her attention is drawn more to Eden.
Or, in her daily life, to Elysia, or maybe Jyahnar. Judging by this situation, Kiana's skill level in this area is actually pretty amateurish.
It's not that she dislikes having wives who aren't clingy. But sometimes, her feelings about it are... complicated.
So, just imagine!
During the future Birthday Festival, nearly two hundred girls who were included in that harem list will probably all make an appearance, right?
So! What are their attitudes towards her? What exactly is the nature of their feelings?
The degree of closeness, the depth of affection—is it more, or is it less?
She'd definitely have to consider all of that carefully, right?
Is it true love?
Or just a friends-with-benefits situation?
Is it an innocent, budding romance? Or something bold and unrestrained?
With so many different girls, even if they're all in the 'harem,' they're bound to have different perspectives.
Is it attachment? Admiration?
Is it genuine love? Or is it just simple liking? Or maybe... just a craving for her body?
Or perhaps it's mostly tied to benefits? And that's fine, too. Kiana doesn't really mind that.
Strictly speaking, Mobius and Vill-V have gained significant advantages because of their connection to her.
That in itself is a relationship maintained by mutual benefit. In the end, it's all a matter of mutual consent...
Now that she's started thinking about it...Kiana decided that she would give it proper thought.
She'll discuss it with the system, consider the more probable future scenarios, and continue using the Sky Screen's videos to subtly hint at the nature of these relationships.
Whether they believe it or not doesn't really matter.
The exposure is one thing; reality is another.
Hasn't it always been like that?
That very night.
Kiana held Elysia in her arms, her mind still circling around these thoughts.
Elysia's body was soft and fragrant. Though she was a little plump, at times like this, holding her felt absolutely perfect.
Kiana loved it so much.
Even though Elysia would often get teary-eyed and punch Kiana's arm, whining, 'Kiana, are you doing this on purpose? Poking at my insecurities? So what if I can't lose the weight?! Is that not allowed?'
But Kiana genuinely didn't mean it as an insult.
And Elysia knew, deep down, that Kiana wasn't lying.
At night, when Kiana reached for her softness, her little hands wandering, Elysia would just blush, a shy pink dusting her cheeks, but she never protested.
They'd already confessed, after all!
Their relationship had taken a step forward. Things like holding hands or kissing were trivial now.
This little bit of intimacy? Not even worth mentioning!
"Kiana? Kiana... are you asleep?"
Elysia suddenly opened her eyes.
It seemed she had thought of something she wanted to talk to Kiana about.
But strangely enough.
Usually around this time, Kiana would be more like she was resting with her eyes closed. It wasn't that she couldn't sleep, or that her sleep was light; she simply liked to lie still and ponder things quietly. So if you called her name at this hour, she'd usually respond.
Elysia knew this habit.
Usually, she'd either be on her phone, chatting idly with Kiana, or sharing some heartfelt thoughts, maybe even acting a little spoiled.
But this time!
That wasn't her intention. She had something specific on her mind.
So why was Kiana asleep?
And sleeping so soundly?
Elysia was a little surprised.
She lifted her head slightly and looked at Kiana's face.
Then, as if sensing something, she faintly frowned and extended a slender, delicate finger to hover under Kiana's nose.
"She's not breathing..."
???
Huh?
Not breathing?!
Elysia felt a jolt of panic for a second.
But then she abruptly remembered! Eden had told her before about a time when this same thing had happened to Kiana. It was less like death, and more like her soul had wandered off, leaving her body in a state of self-induced stasis.
Because time within her had stopped.
Outwardly, she seemed no different.
But in reality, all bodily functions—blood flow, cellular activity, everything—would be suspended.
Could it be the same situation now?
Elysia's curiosity was piqued. The last time this happened, she hadn't been there.
Now, Kiana was right in front of her, seemingly soul-gone, like a doll. Warm, but truly like a corpse.
What in the world was happening?
Elysia lay back down, wrapping her arms around Kiana's smaller frame. It felt like holding a soft, life-sized body pillow—somehow even more comfortable now.
She remembered Kiana explaining it last time, something about having a very interesting dream.
What kind of dream could it be?
To cause something like this?
Elysia curled up a little, nestling her head closer and gently pressing it against Kiana's body, as if trying to sense something.
"It's fine, Elysia... You can do this."
She was the Origin, after all.
Her authority was all about making thoughts reality, following her heart's desire~
Leveraging the authorities of both the Origin and the Finality... She should be able to enter her dream, right?
--+--
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