My Wives Are A Divine Hive Mind

Noirette stirred in the haze of slumber, her consciousness surfacing like a diver breaking through water.

When her eyes opened, she found herself enveloped in an endless expanse of bright white void, stretching in every direction without boundary or blemish.

There was no ground beneath her feet, yet she stood firm; no sky above, yet light permeated everything.

It was a realm of pure nothingness, serene and absolute, where thoughts could echo undisturbed.

For a fleeting moment, she allowed herself to believe she might find inner peace here, a respite from the fever's grip and the world's relentless chaos.

But solitude was short-lived.

A familiar voice chimed through the emptiness, light and teasing. "Well, this is rather minimalist, is it not? I expected more flair from your subconscious."

Noirette turned to see Blanchette materialize, conjuring a grand sofa from thin air with a casual wave of her hand.

The piece was plush and oversized, upholstered in deep crimson velvet that seemed to absorb the void's light.

Blanchette settled onto it without ceremony, lounging as if she owned the dream itself, her wide smile ever-present.

"Did I accidentally enter your dreamscape?" Noirette asked, approaching cautiously.

Blanchette shook her head, patting the seat beside her. "No, we are in your dreamscape. I simply invited myself in."

Noirette sat down, sinking into the cushions. "Does this mean a Shallow One also does not have to deal with Nightmares from the deaths of living beings that they have contributed to?"

The sofa was so soft that Noirette started to sink into the comfort, unwilling to let go.

Blanchette nodded thoughtfully. "A Nightmare clings to the soul's imaginary pull, much like gravity draws objects together. A Shallow One, lacking a Well of the Soul, is akin to a solar system suddenly disrupted by a black hole.

"The absence of the Well creates a void that alters the celestial movements, potentially throwing orbits into disarray. This should reflect the original state of a soul before it becomes an inhabitant of Fathomi and receives a Well of the Soul from the world itself~"

Noirette leaned back further, crossing her legs as she looked toward the empty sky. "It is quite neat that I do not have to engage in a second round every time I kill someone or something."

Blanchette chuckled softly. "It is also a waste of all the attributes one could gain if they possessed the Well of the Soul. That is why I do not favor meaningless killing."

"It feels alien to know that you are against killing this entire time." Noirette grinned.

Blanchette's usual wide smile grew even wider. "I am a pacifist at heart."

Noirette shifted slightly on the sofa. "Why are you in my dreamscape?"

Having neither of the Divine Constructs coming in and out the dreamscape felt alien to Noirette, but what felt even more alien was the fact that this brat was here.

It felt as if Noirette was showcasing her secret collection to an unwanted person.

Blanchette's expression turned serious, though her smile remained. "A dreamscape is the most safe and isolated imaginary realm there is. We can speak about anything here, and nothing will be overheard unless it is done intentionally."

Noirette met her gaze steadily, trying to peek deeper after given a sign, "Who are you, Blanchette?"

Blanchette replied without hesitation. "I am Blanchette Chariot, the sister of Kivas Chariot, or currently, Noirette Chariot."

Noirette refined her question.

"Who were you before you became Blanchette?"

Blanchette paused, her eyes distant for a moment.

"I am someone who has witnessed many things, while also trying to guide the entire course back to where it is supposed to be~"

As usual, big words that mostly meant nothing at most.

Noirette, sensing this was as far as she would get on the matter of her sister's origins, pressed on.

"Are you my ally?"

Blanchette answered simply.

"Yes."

Noirette paused, then corrected herself.

"Are you the ally of Kivas Chariot?"

Blanchette held her gaze, maintaining her smile as she considered the question. After a moment, she sighed.

"Not quite."

Noirette joked lightly.

"Should I kill you if I return to being Kivas?"

Blanchette teased in return.

"I am not exactly easy to kill."

"Even with the Unrelenting Vow?"

"Even with the Unrelenting Vow."

Noirette chuckled out of amusement. "If possible, I do not want the two of us to be enemies."

"Oh~?" Blanchette's tone grew playful. "Are you scared?"

Noirette answered with a confident smile. "I am scared, especially now that I know the extent of knowledge and power you have been hiding so far."

"To think that I would intimidate a former Living Deity this far~"

"Well, that's the thing, I'm not a Living Deity anymore, heh."

Blanchette leaned forward slightly, placing her palm on Noirette's thigh. "Will you stay true to your word about not giving up, no matter how severe the suffering that will be inflicted upon you?"

Noirette met her eyes firmly.

Blanchette was recalling Noirette's words when she was in the headless gallery, confronting one of the manifestations of what appeared to be her predecessor in this cycle of reset and suffering.

"I have gone through absolute isolation before coming to Fathomi," Noirette answered. "At worst, I might fall into an immense depression if something awful happens, but as long as I can still remember every bit and action that I have experienced, I will not give up."

Noirette flashed a big smile, bigger than the one Blanchette's wore like a common everyday clothing.

Blanchette sighed in relief.

However, the context of this relief was still, forever, unknown to Noirette.

"You have been asleep for eight hours. Do you want to wake up?"

Noirette nodded. "It is a good time to wake up."

A moment later, Noirette's eyes fluttered open in the waking world, as if she willed herself.

The fever still raged within her, heat pulsing through her veins like liquid fire, but it had dulled slightly from its peak.

She pushed herself up from the makeshift bed, sweat-soaked and disheveled, her body aching from the previous exertions.

The camp was bathed in the soft glow of dawn, the rippling sun cresting the horizon.

Blanchette was already at work, arranging a spread of food on a crude wooden table fashioned from scavenged branches and flat stones.

The aroma of cooked meat and herbs filled the air, mingling with the fresh scent of morning dew.

Blanchette noticed her stirring and called out.

"You are finally awake. Come, take a seat~"

Noirette stood sluggishly, her legs unsteady beneath her, and made her way to the table.

She lowered herself onto a log that served as a chair, eyeing the array before her.

Slabs of roasted Voidling meat, whatever was the source, glistening with juices; bowls of stewed fruits, and all sorts of raw edibles that could be found in the wild.

"I wonder why did you bother doing all of this," Noirette asked out of wonder with not a single ill intent. "I'm thankful, in a way."

After what essentially Noirette treated Blanchette when they were in Vaingall, Noirette felt like Blanchette would repay all of it several folds as revenge.

But instead of being more of an asshole, Blanchette became caring and inquisitive.

Blanchette sat across from her, portioning out the food. "I have essentially taken a loving person far from her family, as you mentioned earlier. The least I can do is lessen the loneliness."

Noirette smiled as she began to eat, the flavors bursting on her tongue—savory and restorative, chasing away some of the fever's fog.

Not the best thing she ate, but it was comfortable enough to chew and swallow.

Without her Well of the Soul, the sensations of hunger and fatigue were sharper, more insistent, demanding attention in a way her divine form and attributes had never required.

Well, this was essentially how a human was supposed to be.

"It reminds me of how you did not act like this when I was still in Vaingall," Noirette commented. "I'm fine with you being a little bitch to me, but you essentially became a menace to everyone back then, heh."

Blanchette served herself a portion. "I did it out of amusement."

The meal passed in companionable silence at first, Noirette savoring each bite as her strength slowly returned.

When they finished, they broke camp efficiently, packing away the remnants and extinguishing the fire. The troll's scorch marks lingered as a faint reminder, but the path ahead called.

"I definitely forgot how annoying fever can be," Noirette said with a wry smile.

"Welcome to mortality~"

They continued their journey toward the north, the landscape shifting under the rippling sun's gaze.

Rolling hills gave way to vast plains dotted with ancient monoliths, their surfaces etched with faded runes that hummed faintly when approached.

The air grew crisper, carrying whispers of wind that rustled through sparse grasses. Hours blurred into a steady rhythm of steps, conversation ebbing and flowing like the terrain.

Noirette shared what she had found and experimented about the concept of the Phantasmal Absence, and so Blanchette answered back with more knowledge and correction.

At some point, Noirette felt like she could just use this so-called Malleable Essence to remove her fever like a dust blown from a surface, but it seemed like she was not at the state capable of doing as such.

Blanchette probably had the power to heal Noirette out of her ailment, but Noirette thought that Blanchette would probably prefer this way since it would mean that Noirette looked more vulnerable to her.

Despite not being a sister of blood, Noirette could one way or anothe—guess what her sister was thinking to an extent.

But maybe, just like how she found out a new side of Blanchette, maybe that expectation would be broken.

"I actually prefer you to be sick and acting vulnerable like this," Blanchette said after being asked if she could cure the fever. "Makes you more adorable and easy to manage."

It was as expected.

As the sun climbed higher, the horizon trembled.

"Something massive is coming."

What emerged was a colossal sight.

A giant moving Landship, its form a behemoth of stone and metal, trudging across the plains on legs like ancient tree trunks reinforced with iron bands.

Upon its back sprawled an entire civilization—towers and spires rising in tiered layers, banners fluttering from parapets, smoke curling from forges and hearths.

Figures moved along its flanks: workers tending gears, guards patrolling walkways, people doing their dailies. The Landship's steps shook the earth gently, a nomadic fortress carrying thousands in its nomadic embrace, carving a slow path through the wilderness.

Noirette halted, staring in awe. "That is certainly a unique method of living, not that I never thought of."

Blanchette paused beside her, her smile widening at the spectacle. "A Landship. They are rare, but some civilizations build them to wander Fathomi's unstable lands, avoiding distortions by staying mobile."

"Mmm, I can see that."

The structure loomed larger as it approached their path, its shadow stretching long.

Horns blared from its heights—a deep, resonant call that echoed across the plains, perhaps a greeting or warning.

Noirette felt a pull toward it, curiosity mingling with the remnants of her fever's haze.

"Should we give it a visit?"