Chapter 58: All for Creating an Ideal Nation
In his dream, Sheen once again returned to that familiar yet strange world.
In the dim morning light, a slender figure busied herself in the kitchen, her back to him, chestnut hair swaying gently with her chopping motions.
“Watch carefully, onions should be cut like this to avoid tears.”
The girl’s voice was clear and pleasant, her knife making rhythmic “tap-tap” sounds on the cutting board. She turned to offer a piece of onion to Sheen’s lips, but her face remained shrouded in mist.
Sheen instinctively opened his mouth, but his tongue tasted nothing. He unconsciously reached out to grasp the girl’s wrist, but caught only air—
No matter what, he couldn’t see her face clearly or remember who she was.
“Mm…”
The weight on his chest made Sheen suddenly open his eyes.
The familiar bedroom ceiling came into view, bright daylight already streaming through the windows. He glanced at the magical clock by the bed—nine o’clock sharp. He jolted.
“Oh no, Cynthia’s breakfast…”
He instinctively tried to get up but stopped halfway through the motion.
Right, Cynthia had already returned to the Sylvester family…
Just then, Sheen felt an unusual pressure on his chest.
He lifted the covers and his pupils contracted suddenly—Skadi was curled beside him, white hair scattered across the pillow, her small naked form pressed against him like a small animal seeking warmth.
Her sleeping position immediately reminded Sheen of Lufia, that sister who always loved crawling into his bed.
In his memories, Lufia had been the same way. Every winter she’d slip into his bed like a little cat, pressing her cold feet against his shins, then giggling when he pretended to be angry.
Those sunny mornings, those playful times…
Sheen unconsciously reached out, fingertips gently brushing Skadi’s hair.
The pure white strands gleamed like pearls in the morning light, even softer than when he’d washed them last night.
“Mm…”
Skadi suddenly stirred, slowly opening her eyes.
She stretched like a just-awakened kitten, then sat up with her legs curled, white hair falling to cover her chest perfectly. She rubbed her eyes, purple pupils still hazy with sleep.
“Good morning.”
Her voice carried the lazy sweetness of just waking, like melted honey.
Sheen was about to ask why she was sleeping here when her next words left him frozen in place.
“Master.”
Those two words flowed from Skadi’s mouth as naturally as breathing.
Her gaze was pure without a trace of impurity, as if stating the most ordinary fact.
“You… called me what?”
Sheen’s voice tightened.
“Master. You saved me. This is Skadi’s choice.”
Skadi tilted her head, hair sliding from her shoulder. She placed her hand on her chest where the rune pulsed steadily.
“From now on, my life belongs to you.”
A chill ran up Sheen’s spine. For a moment he seemed to see Lufia standing beside the bed with raised fists, glaring at him angrily. If she heard someone else calling him that, the girl would have punched him, thinking he was forcing someone into master-servant roleplay.
“Skadi, you’re free now. You don’t need to obey anyone, including me.”
Sheen took a deep breath, trying to keep his voice gentle as he lightly grasped her shoulders.
“You should live for yourself, do what you want to do.”
“What I want to do is stay by Master’s side. Being near you… is very warm.”
Skadi’s pupils dilated slightly. She crawled forward two steps on her knees, almost pressing against Sheen, fingers unconsciously twisting the sheet.
“When you said ‘you deserve to be treated well’…”
Her voice grew smaller and smaller.
“That was the first time anyone said that to me.”
Sheen gazed at Skadi’s devout expression, a gentle smile appearing on his face. Yet deep in those seemingly warm brown eyes lay calculation so cold it was almost absolute.
This had been part of his plan from the beginning. After the Ouroboros cult appeared and especially began targeting him, the situation had become more complex. Cynthia and Heralis alone were no longer enough—he urgently needed more leverage.
The plan had gone more smoothly than expected.
From the moment he discovered Skadi’s death wish in the library, he’d seen the opportunity. A completely loyal Erosion Saint, a blade that could pierce the Holy Temple’s heart.
The Radiant Saint was too cunning, the Crimson Saint too forceful. Only this girl abandoned by the world could become his perfect ally.
“Alright, you can stay by my side. But…”
Sheen affectionately ruffled Skadi’s hair, his finger gently tapping her nose tip.
“Don’t call me Master anymore, and no need for honorifics. Just call me Sheen, or people will get the wrong idea.”
“Yes, Sheen.”
Skadi nodded obediently, hair swaying with the movement.
Sheen took Skadi’s hand, his tone gentle yet carrying irrefutable authority.
“Skadi, do you know what caused your suffering?”
“Is it… the Holy Temple?”
The girl’s eyelashes trembled.
“Exactly.”
Sheen’s voice deepened.
“That place is rotten from inside out. If it isn’t destroyed, there will be more tragedies like yours.”
“I will fight for you. Please use me, like using a sword.”
A flash of purple light passed through Skadi’s pupils. She suddenly knelt upright, holding Sheen’s hands to her forehead with both of hers.
Sheen pulled her into his embrace, mental pacification power flowing gently.
Skadi immediately squinted like a cat being petted, letting out a satisfied sigh. Her body gradually relaxed, completely leaning against Sheen’s chest.
At an angle Skadi couldn’t see, Sheen’s eyes held no emotion whatsoever.
His hand stroked Skadi’s hair absently while his thoughts had already drifted far—the changes in the Sylvester family, Cynthia’s prolonged absence, Heralis’s strange behavior last night… All the clues wove together in his mind, gradually forming a dangerous picture.
“Sheen…”
Skadi in his arms suddenly called softly.
“Your heartbeat… is so fast.”
“Just thinking about what we should eat later.”
Sheen immediately collected his thoughts, pressing a light kiss to the top of her head as he spoke casually.
“Want to try my specialty dish?”
Skadi’s eyes immediately lit up, nodding vigorously like a child receiving candy.
In this moment, she was completely different from last night’s death-seeking Erosion Saint.
Sheen smiled and released her, rising toward the wardrobe.
The instant his back was to Skadi, the warmth drained from his face like a receding tide. Those brown eyes that always held gentle laughter were now cold as ice.
All for creating the ideal nation of his dreams.