Afterwards, the two slipped into a brief but intense “historical” discussion, one filled with strange rhythms and muffled sounds that echoed faintly through the walls as night slowly gave way to dawn.

Then morning came.

The sun broke over the horizon, gilding the town in a soft golden hue. 

Life stirred once more, and the territory began to hum with motion.

Near the outer dome boundary, a colossal vortex suddenly twisted open, spanning several kilometers. 

From its swirling depths, a monstrous horde surged forth, larger, stronger, and fiercer than the ones before, charging straight toward the heart of the territory without hesitation.

In the far distance, deep within the dome, the Shadow Army shifted.

The sea of darkness rippled to life, and powerful silhouettes zipped through the air, leaving trails behind.

The 101st wave had begun.

Back inside the room where silence now hung like a faded curtain, Mize slowly stirred from sleep. 

Her skin carried a faint sheen, the kind left behind by warmth, rest, and perhaps a bit too much movement.

Her clothes? Nowhere in sight.

Yet the sheets were clean, untouched by any irreversible marks. 

No, they hadn’t crossed that line, not yet. Liam hadn’t decided it was time, and Mize hadn’t pushed.

Last night had been... indulgent. 

A full-on, no-holds-barred physical “debate,” and she'd found herself overwhelmingly on the losing side, bullied, teased, and most definitely dominated in every facet of the “exchange.”

A groan slipped past her lips as her long lashes fluttered open. 

The first thing she saw was Liam’s face smiling down at her.

“Morning, Princess.”

“Mhmmm...” she murmured, dragging her gaze lazily to the side.

But Liam’s hand came in swift, cupping her cheek and gently nudging her chin back toward him. “Eyes on me. Not the wall.”

Her lips parted slightly, but she didn’t speak.

Her cheeks flushed a soft pink, eyes darting away again regardless.

“Heading out?” she asked, shifting the topic with a quiet touch. 

Her hand reached up, fingers wrapping around his as they rested on her face.

Like warm syrup under morning sun, her eyes glimmered, steady and soft as she finally looked at him properly. “I’ll be waiting.”

Liam held her gaze for a moment. 

There was a flicker in his golden eyes, like something unspoken brushed through his mind. 

But it passed, masked too easily by his flawless composure.

With a faint smile, he brushed his fingers beneath her eyes, across her cheeks, and finally gave her nose a soft flick. “Waking up like this every morning… feels like I already won at life.”

“Daydreaming’s bad,” Mize murmured as she stretched, arms rising above her head. 

Her figure arched beautifully, like it had been carved by gods with a sense of mischief.

Liam, seated beside her, swallowed hard, his hand instinctively reaching out, clearly hoping for a bit of early morning indulgence.

But Mize only gave him a look. No scolding, no words. 

She didn’t stop him. She was his, and this much was tolerable… especially since she gained points in return.

Liam then groped her ripe figure a little more, kissing here and there, licking, leaving marks all over her body.

Afterwards, they both got up and began preparing for the day.

Clothes shimmered into existence on Liam’s body with casual grace, his alone. 

Mize wandered toward the mirror, trying on different looks like a fashion enthusiast lost in her own boutique.

Eventually, she settled on a black dress that hugged her form just right. 

Her hair faded to a deep black once more, and her ruby eyes glowed vividly in contrast. 

A sleek black collar fastened itself around her neck.

Gothic Lolita?

No...

A busty Gothic Lolita.

An umbrella shimmered into her palm, the handle cold and ornate beneath her fingers.

Liam strolled up behind her, arms crossed, his gaze falling onto her reflection in the mirror. “Trying a new style?”

“Mm-hm.” Mize nodded slightly, a small smile playing on her lips as her cheeks glowed pink.

Her ruby eyes sparkled in the mirror’s reflection, her whole appearance practically radiating charm. 

It didn’t whisper “cute” or “beautiful”, it screamed both.

Rising to her feet, she gave the umbrella a playful swing to her side and turned, giving Liam a once-over.

“And you aren’t looking bad yourself. What’s with the getup? Trying to look sexy?”

Her gaze roamed.

White collared shirt, sleeves rolled up neatly, neckline open just enough to show off a slice of defined chest. Sleek black pants hugged his frame just right.

Each movement he made felt like it belonged in a glossy magazine, a villainous noble with eyes sharp enough to cut and gold enough to shine.

Even his hair played along. Medium-length, brushing against his ears just enough to highlight the clean lines of his jaw.

“Sexy?” he echoed, tilting his head lazily as he gestured for her to follow.

“Today’s gonna be busy around the territory.”

He paused with his hand on the doorknob, turning to glance at her over his shoulder.

Sensing the shift, Mize widened her eyes, forcing an overly innocent smile that gleamed with mischief.

Liam didn’t fall for it.

“Don’t cause trouble,” he warned, pushing the door open, “Or I’ll spank you a hundred times more than yesterday.”

“Aye aye, Captain\~” Mize gave a cutesy salute.

As they stepped out, two guards stationed by their door straightened and saluted in sync. The couple gave them polite nods.

In the next instant, Liam vanished, gone in a flicker of light, leaving behind no trail, no pause.

He didn’t bother asking if Mize wanted to come. He already knew she wouldn’t. Her interests were rooted elsewhere.

He also had a growing suspicion.

That this little tomato was planning something behind his back. Something big.

‘Let’s just hope she doesn’t stir up too much trouble,’ he muttered inwardly before vanishing into the air, heading straight for the castle’s edge.

Mize, meanwhile, lingered just outside the doorway, glancing both ways.

Her divine sense swept through the nearby space, quietly and thoroughly. 

Once she confirmed the coast was clear, no watchers, no eavesdroppers, she called out softly.

“Titrus.”

A breath of wind swirled unnaturally.

Then, his form emerged from the shadows beside her, kneeling.

“Master.”

The gust tugged at her dress gently, making it flutter at the hem.

 She spared him a glance and then stepped forward, her heels echoing lightly in the hallway.

“From now on,” she said casually, “keep an eye on the church’s movements. Assist them if needed.”

Titrus hesitated for a breath.

But after thinking it over, he understood. It no longer made sense for him to remain by her side. 

Not because he didn’t want to, but because… she didn’t need it.

She was something else now. Something beyond. A walking god.

Yesterday, he’d followed her into Aizen’s private domain. But the events that followed? Far beyond his ability to interfere.

So he had stayed quiet.

Accompanying Aizen instead as the man poured out emotions he hadn’t known he still had.

Two pitiful men, sitting on the edge of a storm.

Afterward, she stepped out of the castle.

The moment her heel crossed the threshold, the scenery around her blurred, colours flickering past like streaks of light, before everything clicked into place again.

Now, she stood at the peak of an observation clock tower, the topmost spiral overlooking the sprawling city below. 

The air was thin and crisp at this height, a breeze tugging at the hem of her black dress as if trying to tip her off balance.

She didn’t budge.

Perched delicately on the very tip of the spiral like it was a wide ledge, she stood on the balls of her feet, poised and featherlight.

Her umbrella opened above her shoulder, tilted just enough to block the morning sun.

Beneath its shadow, her eyes calmly swept over the city, taking in the scale of what they'd built.

“Just a week,” she murmured to herself, voice soft, carried only by the wind. “And yet it felt so short.”

She blinked slowly, a faint smile creeping to her lips.

“But so many things happened… too many to wrap my head around. It’s hard to believe how fast everything moved.”

As she spoke, her right hand drifted into the air, fingers curled like she was plucking something invisible. 

Then, with a subtle shimmer, a single red rose bloomed between her fingertips, fragrant and delicate. 

She brought it close to her nose, eyes lowering slightly as she inhaled the scent, letting herself get lost in it for a moment. 

The wind whispered past.

“In just one week,” she continued, voice barely above a breath, “I became someone terrifying. I could destroy all of this if I wanted to. Just like that.”

Her gaze drifted lower, fingers slowly twirling the rose.

“And Liam… that guy. I really thought he was hiding behind me in terms of strength. But now…”

Her eyes narrowed slightly. “It’s starting to feel like the opposite.”

[Host, don’t be surprised.]

The system's voice chimed in. 

[The villain’s upper limit was adjusted the moment you entered his life. From planetary to boundless. This level of strength is normal for someone like him, now.]

A faint glint shimmered across her eyes.

Though veiled by her umbrella, her ruby pupils caught the light, glowing with a gentle light. 

“Then what about me?” she asked casually, though her voice carried a quiet weight.

[Beyond.]

She paused. “Beyond?”

One brow rose slightly, expression flickering between curiosity and confusion.

The system didn’t elaborate.

She waited a moment, then asked again. “Beyond what? Power scaling? Rank? Realm?”

Still, no response.

She clicked her tongue, irritation flickering in her eyes. “You’re usually annoyingly detailed. Why so quiet now?”

But the silence remained. The system didn’t answer, and that in itself left a strange feeling in her chest.

She muttered, “Weird… definitely weird. Just what does ‘beyond’ even mean?”

Still receiving nothing from her mental interface, she exhaled and dropped the subject with a small shake of her head. No point in chasing fog.

Instead, she let her divine sense expand.

From where she stood, it spread invisibly across the landscape, threading through buildings, people, and streets like a vast invisible tide. 

The city below responded like a living organism, humming gently within her awareness.

And it had grown. Immensely.

The corners of her lips curled upward. “It’s much bigger now.”

It was.

The foot traffic alone was leagues beyond what it had been when she’d first arrived.

 The roads were broader, the layout more intricate. New buildings rose every day. And threading through it all, she saw the subtle signs of her influence, statues, placed in key locations.

Every now and then, someone would stop to admire them, linger beside them, or even offer a silent prayer.

A cooperative effort between the city’s management team and the church. An intelligent one.

Her eyes flicked toward the upper corner of her interface, where point tallies quietly ticked upward.

Seeing the rate of increase, her grin deepened.

“Passive income is so much better now,” she said under her breath, satisfied.

It meant she could cut back on the whole flirt-to-farm strategy. She didn’t have to be stuck playing the seductress 24/7 anymore.

 Not when the city itself was becoming her farm.

And with her clones already moving behind the scenes, targeting protagonist-grade characters like hawks circling over a battlefield, her larger plan was already unfolding beneath the surface.

It wouldn’t be long now before it kicked into full operation.