You are very strong, but my painting style is better than yours!

At the same time, the woman on the bed slowly opened her eyes and raised her right hand with some discomfort.

Elizabeth skillfully stepped forward and helped Alice sit up from the bed, placing a soft cushion behind her so that the frail beauty could talk to Iori at a smaller height.

"Please forgive me for not being able to get out of bed to greet you right now."

"It doesn't matter."

Iori slowly walked around the bed to the other side, observing Alice as she did so: "What could be the reason for her body becoming like this?"

"It must be multifaceted."

Alice sighed softly, "Who can really explain a congenital illness? But I was lucky enough to learn how to use my mental powers to create clones to explore the outside world, so I didn't end up like Rapunzel trapped in a tower."

"And then she turned into Sleeping Beauty?"

Every loss has its gain.

Alice murmured, then perked up, "But things will be different after today... Lord Aizen, you're not just teasing me, are you?"

"I'm not that bad."

Iori smiled calmly: "Don't say that I made a promise to you before. Even if you were just a stranger, as long as you're not a criminal, I'd be happy to lend a hand."

After saying that, he went straight over and sat down on Alice's bedside.

"So, are you ready?"

"..."

Looking at Iori sitting by her bedside, Alice's pale face flushed an unnatural red.

She looked at Yi Lixin, who had taken care of her for many years: "I'm sorry, Lord Aizen is going to use a unique healing technique on me... You should go out for a bit."

"Ok."

Yi Li believed it without a doubt, bowed to Yi Zhi again, stepped back out of the room and gently closed the door.

"You're lucky, really."

Iori wasn't some naive newbie; she wouldn't be flustered by this level of contact, and her attitude was much more composed than the inexperienced Alice.

And he genuinely felt compelled to speak—

Of all the promises Iori has made to so many people, many have dragged their feet for ages. Alice has only known him for a few days, yet she's actually going to get her hands on those promises!

"So...should I take off my clothes?"

Alice blushed deeply.

Although she was a European in her twenties, Alice came from a noble family and had been obsessed with magic since childhood. She began her training as a witch at a very young age, so she didn't have many opportunities to interact with men, and hardly anyone could catch her eye. She was surrounded by elders and subordinates... It was inevitable that she would lose her composure in this situation.

"...Huh? Are you misunderstanding something?"

Iori tilted her head back tactically: "Medical procedures, like artificial respiration, please don't act like a hooligan towards doctors, okay?"

Chapter 388 I, Aizen, have principles.

The man and woman reacted in completely opposite ways to this situation.

No matter how hard Alice tried to appear calm, she couldn't hide her unease. Her eyes kept darting away, and she didn't dare to meet Iori's gaze. If they even touched, she would quickly turn away.

In fact, Alice had always looked forward to this day, when Iori would fulfill his promise and reward her for her hard work... but she never expected it to be in this way, so she was somewhat distressed.

Of course, she didn't suspect that Iori was lying to take advantage of her. First, she believed she had some discernment; Iori was definitely not the kind of frivolous and shameless person. Second, even if he did have some wicked thoughts, it would only take Iori a few words to make them come true.

Everything in this world—worldly power, wealth, the fervent worship of millions, or even a beauty that could topple kingdoms—is easily attainable for a god-slayer, especially since Iori is the most terrifying one.

Wine pool and meat forest?

If his desires were only this level, magicians all over the world would be overjoyed and dance with glee, as if celebrating the New Year. If necessary, they could assemble a true "harem of three thousand beauties" for Iori, ensuring that each one was of a remarkably high standard.

But you can imagine how ridiculous that is.

Furthermore, from a mystical perspective, the act of "exchanging bodily fluids" also has some theoretical support.

The East has a theory of Yin-Yang balance, and the resulting internal sexual techniques, while Western mythology also has examples of blood or semen being regarded as a source of power.

In short, Alice understood the ritual, but felt a little shy about it on a personal level.

If Iori were to grant me her blessing, it would mean having intimate contact with her, and it would be a unique act that only lovers would do—which would be far too exciting for a fledgling.

How could Alice not hesitate?

At the same time, Alice was also somewhat tempted. Because of her illness and lack of exercise, her body, whose heartbeat was always slower than normal, had a long-lost feeling of swelling in her limbs, because her heartbeat had unexpectedly increased in frequency.

If my first kiss was with Aizen Iori...

Out of girlish modesty, she wanted to find a reason for her reluctance, at least to feel wronged and alleviate some of her embarrassment. But as her mind raced, she didn't complain at all, and her compliance surprised even herself.

And so she realized that she had no subconscious desire to refuse, and was completely obedient to Aizen Iori!

Is this "liking" for an object of affection? Or "worship" of a deity? Loyalty to the "king"?

It's hard to say, after all, they haven't known each other for very long, and Alice has no way of knowing... She also doesn't have any experience to draw upon.

Of course, Her Highness still believes that she is not a woman who is easily infatuated with men—she has been an aloof beauty for so many years, and there are many outstanding men around her, but she has never had such thoughts, which is proof of that.

She felt it was probably a complex emotion mixed with longing and loyalty:

It must be admitted that Iori is a very charming "king", and Alice felt a sense of reliability in him, as if she could entrust everything to him.

Therefore, this has nothing to do with romantic feelings; it's purely a medical procedure.

Using this excuse, Alice convinced herself!

However, when the moment actually arrived, the girl couldn't help but blush. Her sickly pale skin glowed with a wine-like radiance, making her look pitiful.

Is this the first time I've kissed someone out of "obligation"?

—A thought flashed through Iori's mind.

Compared to Alice, he undoubtedly had more experience with the opposite sex, to the point that it could be compiled into a book.

He wasn't completely unmoved, but he was far from being shaken. He hesitated subconsciously for a moment, then quickly reached out and gently embraced the girl's slender waist, which seemed as if it would break with the slightest force—carefully.

"Um...please take care of me!"

Alice hesitated for a long time, not knowing what to say, but finally blurted out this sentence, which made Iori laugh.

"If you want to learn, I can teach you some techniques."

“…Forget it.”

Alice gave an embarrassed smile. "Sorry, I was a little out of line."

"Don't be nervous, it's just a medical procedure. However, if this is your first time, then it is indeed a bit of a shame..."

Iori tightened her grip slightly, pulling Alice closer from behind as she had just wrapped her arms around Alice's shoulders.

The girl felt as if she were on a roller coaster, her body completely frozen. As the distance between them shortened, she could almost feel the other person's body temperature and breath.

At this point, she was no longer nervous; she even closed her eyes and slightly raised her head.

Without hesitation, Iori lowered her head and kissed her. The moment the soft touch touched her lips, the girl's body stiffened for a moment, and then she leaned completely into Iori's arms as if all her strength had been drained.

Under these circumstances, Iori directly pried open Alice's teeth and captured the princess's tongue.

As her heartbeat quickened, Alice's body temperature gradually rose. The deeper contact allowed a warm magical energy to flow into her, making her feel as if she were soaking in a hot spring, with a warm sensation even in her bones...

I have come for victory, for salvation, for healing, for a just and happy life; let us welcome my arrival with praise!

My family, you shall not die without my permission.

The divine protection of the God of War forbids the peace and rest of death; come with me to experience the unique rights and suffering of the chosen ones…

As the incantation echoed in her ears, Alice relaxed completely, feeling incredibly comfortable both physically and mentally. For a moment, she forgot all her troubles, as if she had escaped the gravitational pull of the real world.

—The embodiment of [youth]!

Iori gently yet intensely channeled his pure and powerful curse energy into Alice's body, and a miraculous protective force descended upon her, causing a divine radiance to faintly illuminate the girl.

What does it feel like...

In her daze, Alice seemed to see the boundless universe, so vast it was terrifying, yet she felt no unease. Like an infant, she floated naked in that eternal darkness, hugging her knees as if returning to the womb, isolating herself from all the malice of the outside world.

My body... was gradually filled... with a feeling I had never experienced since birth, like a rickety building block finding a support...

"Lord Aizen... Iori..."

After a long while, her delicate lips parted, quickly becoming full of color, looking incredibly beautiful, while Alice breathed slightly, her eyes misting over.

But she did not succumb to her strange emotions. Perhaps it was the reserve of a young girl, or perhaps it was the wisdom of a sage, that allowed her to barely maintain her rationality. She tried, slowly, to straighten her body and distance herself from Iori.

"Thank you, Your Highness..."

"You really have a variety of ways of addressing me."

Iori was clearly in a stable state of mind. Although he had a few romantic thoughts just now, it was far from enough to make him lose his composure.

"Sometimes you call him 'Sir,' sometimes 'Your Highness,' and just now you even called him by his first name... Is this really such a difficult problem to solve?"

"Because you simultaneously possess the identities of both a god-slayer and a deity, Guinevere addresses you as Your Highness... I can only decide based on different occasions."

"Hmm~"

Iori smiled slightly and stood up decisively.

"It seems the situation has improved a lot. Since everything is going smoothly, I can rest assured."

As he walked away, a gentle breeze stirred a few strands of hair around Alice's ear. Her once dull, withered, and lackluster golden hair now looked as if it had been woven by a skillful weaver, shimmering with a sacred light in the sunlight.

Alice felt a pang of loss as that reliable figure was no longer by her bedside, but she pursed her lips and ultimately refrained from saying anything to keep him.

"Seriously... are you treating this like a medical procedure? This was her first kiss, couldn't you at least offer some comfort?"

After a small complaint, Alice looked at her hands, which were a little plumper than before. Her skin, which was originally sickly pale, was now healthy white with a faint rosy glow.

With excitement, she stepped off the floor and barefoot, carefully feeling the texture of the floor. Her ten toes kept moving, and she would walk back and forth every now and then, even jumping up and down... Alice did this for ten minutes without feeling tired at all.

"Well!"

A lump formed in her throat, and the blonde princess suddenly felt like crying, but she still silently murmured the man's name.

“Iori…”

It will probably take a long time for the disturbed waters of this pool to calm down.

……

"The king doesn't seem worried about the opponents Lady Guinevere has attracted. Is this the composure of a strong person?"

Alice and Ena Kiyoshuu followed behind Iori, one on each side. The three of them walked slowly along the beach, leaving a series of footprints on the dark golden sand stained by the sea.

Sayamiya Kaoru was also qualified to accompany them, but she truly lacked the courage and boldness of the two. Neither a genius shrine maiden nor a master swordsman, she felt as if she had been granted a pardon after receiving the task assigned by Iori, and thankfully went off to do her work, avoiding seeing them whenever possible...

"Well, what did you say?"

Iori was admiring the myriad rays of light that the setting sun cast on the sea, while Ena watched his retreating figure and uttered the above sigh.

"Composed...?"

Iori stopped and turned around: "Should I be serious right now?"

No...of course not!

You are naturally different from me. With your skills and strength, even the old man (Susanoo) was no match for you and died by your sword. There is no need to worry about other enemies.

However, the thought of witnessing this battle makes me uneasy. What are your feelings right now...? I simply can't contain my curiosity.

Asking the god-slayer for insights gained during battle—most magicians wouldn't dare to do that.

However, during these few days together, Iori was quite kind and generous. While he was decisive and authoritative when it came to official business, he was quite gentle in daily life.

After seeing Ena's sword training, Iori would even kindly instruct her, being very patient and willing to spar with her, just like a master in a dojo!

"My mood... that's hard to say."

Iori scratched his head in confusion: "A battle is a battle, I hardly ever get distracted by anything else."

Have you never had feelings of fear or anxiety?

Hui Na boldly asked.

“Watch your words, Hunna.”

Alice gave her a disapproving look. "How could Lady Iori possibly have such thoughts?"