It could only be said that the middle-aged god's worries were justified; a goddess as naive as Raphaeline could easily be tricked into running off to have someone's children. A Raphaeline who surrendered without a fight was a "dumb girl," but the other two weren't much smarter.
"Sister Sif, Sister Frigga, by the time that happens, it will be too late!"
Chisato Hasegawa was growing anxious. Within her sensory range, several powerful auras had already appeared. Chisato felt them, and naturally, Frigga and Sif noticed them too. Instead of listening, the two goddesses urged Chisato to leave quickly. They feared that if she stayed any longer and they were surrounded, she truly wouldn't be able to escape.
Seeing that Frigga and Sif wouldn't believe her until they faced the consequences themselves, Chisato had no choice despite her worry.
"Sister Frigga, Sister Sif... I will come back for you."
Finally, she left them with a promise and resolutely activated her teleportation magic, vanishing from the pocket dimension. Moments after she left, the six male Primary Gods arrived. What followed was predictable. Seeing only Frigga and Sif, they didn't even bother with explanations. They used their overwhelming power to suppress the two goddesses immediately.
It was only when their power was completely sealed that Frigga and Sif finally believed Chisato's warnings. They were filled with regret, but it was far too late.
On the other side, Ethan kept his soul network open. Once Chisato had safely escaped, his last bit of worry dissipated. Since Ethan was determined to leave, the middle-aged god could not stop him.
Ethan's razor-sharp crimson dragon claws parried the god's weapon. His crimson armor kicked off the air, creating a sonic boom as he turned into a red bolt of lightning, vanishing into the horizon. The middle-aged god looked at his trembling arm and gave up the chase. Although Raphaeline had been rescued, the Godhood within her had been sucked dry. The worst-case scenario was just the loss of one Godhood from Chisato. Having nine out of ten was still within his acceptable range.
Seeing that the middle-aged god wasn't pursuing, a thought flashed through Ethan's mind. Frigga and Sif were suppressed, but given the strength of those six male gods, if he took them by surprise, he might have a chance to intercept them and snatch the goddesses away. However, if he did that, he probably wouldn't have a single peaceful day left.
The worry flashed by, but Ethan knew his heart wouldn't be at peace if he didn't try. The red lightning arched in a "7" shape across the sky, speeding toward the other group. The middle-aged god was stunned for a second before erupting in fury. He realized Ethan's intent and chased after him at maximum speed.
But he was one step too late. By the time he arrived, there were only six battered male gods left—the goddesses were gone.
"Well played, Red Dragon Emperor..." The middle-aged god laughed from pure rage. "Mobilize for war immediately. Prepare to invade the Underworld."
Ethan was already deeply tied to the Gremory family, as well as the Sitri and Phenex families. To get to Ethan, the Underworld was an unavoidable obstacle. However, to the god's surprise, when he tried to move, not only the Underworld but also the Fallen Angels and even some "traitors" within Heaven united against them. The peace treaty between the three factions had just been signed; they wouldn't let a group of zealots like the Ten Primary Gods destroy it. Because of the immense resistance, the leader couldn't even step out of his domain until Ethan eventually stripped the Godhoods from Chisato and the others and sent them back. But that was a story for later.
Currently, Ethan was carrying the two bound goddesses through a rapid series of teleports. After ensuring no one was following, he used long-distance spatial magic to bring them back to his mansion in the human world.
"Sister Frigga? Sister Sif?!" Chisato, who had just returned, was shocked to see Ethan appearing with a goddess in each arm.
"Chisato, I'm leaving them to you for now." Ethan handed the dazed goddesses to her. "Are Sophia and the others back? How is Raphaeline?"
Chisato took the two women and didn't bother asking how he pulled it off. "They're all back. Jin took the exhausted Basara home first. Sister Raphaeline is in my room. I was just about to continue her treatment."
"Are you sure you can save her?" Ethan asked, worried about Raphaeline's flickering soul. Having her Godhood forcibly extracted meant her energy, mental strength, and soul essence had been ripped away. She was only alive because her previous power was so great that the embers hadn't fully died out. But it was only a matter of time; such injuries were almost irreversible.
Chisato's answer was expected: she wasn't sure. Even with her abilities, she could only delay the inevitable.
"Let me try with my dual cultivation ability..."
"No," Chisato interrupted. "If it were possible, I'd have you do it immediately. But she's too weak right now. She can't handle the impact of your massive life energy. To reach the minimum requirement for dual cultivation, her soul strength must at least be restored to the level of a normal human."
Ethan was stumped. They had no way to heal her soul to that level—until he remembered something. "Wait, Phoenix Tears!"
The Phenex family treasure. One drop could heal almost any wound. Though it was a Devil treasure, it was based on the Phoenix's regenerative bloodline; Raphaeline, with her angelic nature, should be able to use it.
"Yes, that might work!" Chisato's eyes lit up. It wouldn't fully heal her, but if it gave her soul enough strength to survive the dual cultivation process, Ethan could do the rest.
"I'll go find Ravel. You get them settled."
After Ethan left, Chisato unsealed the two goddesses and explained the situation. "Sif, Frigga, you should stay here. The Primary Gods can't touch you in this place." The two goddesses, having just escaped a fate worse than death, were lost and eventually agreed to stay.
A few minutes later, Ethan returned with a bottle of Phoenix Tears. As the beloved youngest daughter, Ravel had plenty of these life-saving items. In the Phenex family, these weren't actually that rare for the direct line since they were mass-produced.
Looking at the golden-haired sleeping beauty on the bed in her pale pink pajamas, Ethan poured a drop into her colorless lips. The crystal drop melted into her body, repairing her physical wounds. However, both Ethan and Chisato were focused on her soul. With the Phoenix Tear, the "soul fire" burned slightly brighter.
"It works..." Chisato frowned. "But at this rate, to get her soul to a human level, we'll need hundreds of drops."
Ravel only had about a dozen on her. They needed more, and they needed them fast. Ethan gave her the rest of what he had. "I'll go ask the Phenex family for their stock."
Before leaving, Ethan noticed Raphaeline was clean and dressed in fresh clothes. "Chisato, you're fast. You already bathed her and changed her?"
"It wasn't me, it was Sophia and Lihara," Chisato shrugged. "They got back before we did."
Just then, Sophia and Lihara walked in, fresh from their own baths, their hair still damp. Seeing hope, Chisato smiled. "There's a way, but we need more preparation."
Ethan didn't linger. He headed back to the Underworld.
Underworld, Phenex Estate
Lord Phenex looked at his younger sister and then at Ethan with a sigh. "Lord Ethan, it's not that I won't help, but asking for hundreds of drops at once... I need time to gather them."
They produced Phoenix Tears, but they didn't keep a massive stockpile. Usually, they distributed them to family members or sold them. But seeing Ethan's urgency and Ravel's happy smile, he agreed. "Give me a day. I'll collect them from the clansmen."
The next day, Ethan returned with 300 drops. With Chisato's help, they used a total of 284 drops to finally stabilize Raphaeline's soul to a human level.
"Sister..." Chisato whispered, holding Raphaeline's hand as her eyes slowly opened.
"Afreyia... is that you? Where am I?"
"We are in the human world. You're safe."
Chisato explained everything that had happened, focusing on Ethan. While Raphaeline's energy was gone, her body still had the durability of a Middle-Class Angel. With her soul restored, she was no longer in danger of dying, though she was too weak to move.
Ethan left the sisters alone. They shared a bond deeper than blood; in fact, they had "comforted" each other intimately many times in the past. Eventually, the conversation turned back to the treatment.
"Sister, to fully recover, Ethan's dual cultivation is the only way."
"I understand, Afreyia. I am willing to share him with you..." Having faced death, Raphaeline had let go of her inhibitions. Knowing Ethan saved her and could restore her power, she didn't resist the idea at all. Plus, Chisato supported it. Through Ethan, they could truly become one.
They decided to start that night. Saving a life came first, so Ethan pushed back his time with his other girls. With Chisato's help, the paralyzed Raphaeline was dressed in a new outfit.
To commemorate her "first time," Chisato had dressed her in a lavish, white lace wedding dress. It was elegant and regal, with a sparkling tiara, delicate white lace gloves, stockings, and high heels. It was an outfit Chisato had bought for herself but was too shy to wear. Now, she put it on the helpless Raphaeline.
Ethan entered the room to find a golden-haired, big-breasted Valkyrie in a wedding dress. It was a stunning sight. He walked to the bed where both sisters lay. Chisato was there to bridge the gap since Ethan and Raphaeline hadn't even spoken yet, and also to take over when Raphaeline reached her limit.
Raphaeline pretended to sleep, her long eyelashes fluttering. She was nervous but prepared. As Ethan's hot gaze landed on her, she couldn't help but blush.