Crownless Reincarnation: New World? Nah I'd win

Akamir sighed. "I like her."

"Well…." Saia hesitated for a second before she said. "I think I have a way to cure her curse."

Akmair tilted his head as he stared at her. "What do you mean?"

Saia shyly nodded her head in response. "Like I said." She smiled. "I can fix her."

Akamir grabbed her from her shoulder as he made her stand in front of him.

Saia blushed at the physical contact but she didn't voice it out.

Akmair looked at her seriously. "Explain."

Saia's glow flickered faintly under his gaze, her small fingers knotting together nervously.

"Her curse… it is not ordinary," she said softly. "It's tied to her spirit flow, twisted by something ancient. But…"

Her eyes lifted to his, shimmering with timid resolve. "Spirits can untangle what mortals cannot. If I merge part of my essence with hers, I can stabilize her core."

"Wait, wait, what do you mean?" Akamir said, having a hard time understanding. "Untangle what exactly?"

"Her bloodline." She replied, looking at him. "Her bloodline is what is making her unable to show her face."

Akamir frowned, his grip tightening slightly on her tiny frame. "Merge your essence? You're saying you'll give up a piece of yourself."

Saia nodded, her glow dim but steady. "Yes. If I do, she will live without the curse gnawing at her soul. But…" She hesitated. "That might also have some consequences."

Akamir urged her more. "What type of consequences?" He asked. "Is it for you or her?"

"Both of us." She replied. "I might get temporarily weakened and she might fully awaken her bloodline."

Akamir frowned. "How is that a problem?"

"It is a problem." Nayomi who had been silent all this while chimed in. "Her bloodline will basically make her Goddess of beauty."

Akamir blinked at Nayomi's words, his brows knitting together. "Goddess of beauty…?"

"Not exactly but something like that." She replied. "She will be able to willingly control her curse."

Akamir nodded slowly as he understood the consequences of such power.

Akamir rubbed his chin, trying to process it. "So if we cure her, the world will see her for what she really is. And they'll… fall to their knees?"

"Fall? They'll crawl," Nayomi corrected sharply, a sly grin tugging at her lips. "Men will burn kingdoms to ashes just to stand beside her."

Saia clasped her small hands together. "But she suffers now. The curse eats her every moment. She hides herself because it's the only way to survive. Isn't that just another kind of prison?"

Akamir leaned forward as he stretched her cheeks. "Is Lili brainwashing you into helping Sephrina?"

"…No." She said, her voice funny. "I just want to help her as well."

Akamir sighed, leaning back as his eyes narrowed in thought. "…If she awakens her bloodline, everyone will want her. The church, the nobles, every greedy bastard in the world."

"And you?" Nayomi teased, tilting her head. "Won't you want her too?"

Akamir shot her a look, his tone flat. "Can you stop?"

She didn't say anything as Akamir looked back at Saia.

"I will think about it…." He mumbled, patting her head. "Will it affect you too much?"

She shook her head in response. "I will be fine after a few days of rest."

Akamir stood up as he looked around the place once again.

'Well, looks like I would need to do something about its visibility.'

The spirit world is enormous but it's not infinite.

There are tons of monsters and creatures that can kill him without batting an eye.

The far North of the world is safe for now but Akamir can't expect it to always be like this.

Once this place comes to their notice things will be really bad.

'…I will need help with the construction of this place.'

Akamir's gaze swept across the dome of the spirit world once more before he summoned his Crown.

A portal emerged in front of him as he stretched his body.

Nayomi floated closely, grabbing his attention.

"Come to think of it, aren't you connected to the spirits?" Akamir asked, narrowing his eyes. "How come you never noticed Sephrina's condition."

"I did." She replied, shrugging her shoulders. "I just never bothered to explain it to you."

Akamir clicked his tongue as he walked inside the portal.

---

When the World stabilized in front of him, Akamir found himself back in the Vyavan Dukedom.

He rubbed the back of his neck as he walked inside the mansion.

Servants froze mid-step, bowing quickly before scurrying out of his way.

Akamir tugged his mask free and tossed it onto his space ring, rolling his shoulders as though the weight of the spirit world still clung to them.

Nayomi drifted lazily above, smirking. "You should start working on your personal strength." She advised. "Stop roaming around collecting women like trophies—."

"I am not doing anything like that!" Akamir cut her off, annoyed by her words. "Stop making me look like a Playboy."

"You are though." She replied as he sat on a sofa. "How many are you going to add more, am I also one of the harem—."

"We don't have enough trust between us to share our secrets." Akamir cut her off, his voice serious. "Why would love bloom between us?"

Nayomi quieted down as well as she slowly moved back.

"Right." She said. "I am being too friendly with a stupid mortal."

The sound of approaching footsteps echoed, sharp and measured.

Raden appeared from the side corridor, bowing his head deeply. "My lord, welcome back. The reports from the Aure border have arrived."

"Read them for me." Akamir replied, leaning back on the sofa. "And don't add unnecessary details."

Raden adjusted the scroll in his hands and cleared his throat.

"The Aure forces have split their army. Half have moved along the eastern ports, the other half stationed near the hill fortresses of Veynar."

"Veynar?" Akamir asked softly.

"It's a small town." He replied. "This is where they have stationed their army."

Akamir tapped the armrest of the sofa, eyes half-lidded but sharp. "Losses?"

"Minimal, my lord," Raden answered. "Their strategy is intimidation. Occupy, not burn. For now."

Akamir let out a breath through his nose. "They're trying to bait us. Show us their strength without risking too much."

Nayomi drifted lower. "Sounds like they don't realize what kind of beast they're poking."

Raden hesitated before continuing. "Some of the nobles have begun quietly moving supplies inland. They don't trust the ports to hold. If Aure pushes harder, they will abandon them."

"Cowards," Akamir muttered, rubbing his temple. "Always the same. Nobles only know how to run or sell their loyalty."

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Send a message. Tell our merchants to buy their land if they are ready to sell."

Raden bowed slightly. "Understood."

Akamir ignored her and turned his gaze back to Raden. "What about the royal family? Any word?"

Raden shifted uncomfortably. "…Her Majesty has asked again for additional troops. She fears Aure's army is too large to face without your direct support."

Akamir chuckled under his breath, the sound low and humorless. "Of course she does."

He straightened his back slightly. "Send her some soldiers that are needed."

Raden bowed again. "As you command."

Silence settled in the hall for a moment.

Akamir leaned back, staring at the high ceiling, his fingers drumming against the armrest.

'I need to check out what is happening with the Aure kingdom.'

Akamir thought to himself as he stared at the ceiling.

Something about the whole war situation felt unnatural to him.

Like the things that were not supposed to happen are happening.

It may be a good thing or a bad thing… Akamir wasn't so sure about that.

He let out a sigh as he rubbed his temples in frustration.

'What should I do with the elves now.'

He thought as he suddenly remembered his self-proclaimed wife.

'Sephrina should be having a hard time dealing with the growing elves.'

Akamir exhaled slowly, his hand covering part of his face as he slumped deeper into the sofa.

The war with Aure was pressing on one side, the Church tightening its grip on the other—

and now the elves.

"Sephrina…" he muttered under his breath.

Nayomi floated upside down in the air above him, her white hair dangling loosely. "Oh? Thinking about your other wife now?"

Akamir gave her a tired side glance. "Don't start."

He stood up from the sofa as he walked out of the place.

As he was reaching the room, Akamir felt something odd.

He was having a feeling that someone was watching him from somewhere.

Akamir frowned as he gave a look around. 'Is it just my imagination?'

He kept on walking towards his room without saying anything.

Nayomi also tensed as she seemed to notice something.

"Akamir." she mumbled softly. "There is someone in your room."

Akamir nodded as he reached his room.

He drew in a deep breath as he opened his spirit eyes.

What he saw made him freeze in place.

"A goddess?"