Nothing is simple…

Sheng Xing stared at me with an intensity that made the air around us bubble. His fingers tightened even more around my wrist, pain shooting through my arm. Yet I held his gaze with the same arrogance that seemed to irritate him.

"Don't play with my nerves too much, Aiko," he said in an icy voice, his face moving even closer to mine. "I'm warning you one last time."

I felt anger rising within me, but before I could respond, the tent burst open, and a soldier rushed in, cutting our confrontation short.

"My lord!" he exclaimed, his voice shaking, glancing quickly at me before focusing on Sheng Xing again. "We have an urgent matter. Your orders are required immediately."

Sheng Xing, clearly annoyed by the interruption, slowly straightened up, still staring at me out of the corner of his eye. He finally loosened his grip on my wrist, and I felt an immediate sense of relief as the blood began to flow again.

He turned to the soldier, his expression hard and imperious. "What is this?"

The soldier lowered his head slightly before answering. "A group of enemies has been spotted near the camp, my lord. They appear to be preparing an attack. We need your direction."

Sheng Xing clenched his jaw, clearly unhappy at having to leave our argument. He gave me one last cold look before turning away completely.

"I'll come immediately," he snapped at the soldier. Then he looked back at me, a dangerous smile playing on his lips. "Don't think this conversation is over, Aiko. I'll deal with you later."

I glared at him in response, trying to keep my cool despite the rage and worry bubbling inside me. "I won't be here when you get back," I told him in a low but firm voice.

He smiled even wider, a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Try it. You won't step out of this camp without me knowing."

Then, without another word, he left the tent, leaving an almost palpable tension behind him. The silence that followed his departure was almost deafening, and I felt my muscles finally relax. Yet I knew that this inner battle with him was far from over.

Once Sheng Xing was gone, the silence in the tent became stifling. My mind was racing. How had I ended up in this situation? It wasn't supposed to be this way. I was just supposed to enter Sheng Xing's spiritual sea, but everything had gone wrong.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm my heart rate, then whispered, "067, activate."

The faint sound of electronic beeping preceded the calm, familiar voice of my AI. "Yes, Aiko. What can I do for you?"

"Explain to me what's going on," I asked, my gaze fixed on the luxurious tapestries of the tent. "I was just supposed to heal Sheng Xing by entering his spiritual sea. How did I end up becoming... a 'Highness'?"

There was a brief silence, as if 067 was analyzing my request. "Aiko," he began, his voice more serious than usual, "Sheng Xing's pheromone disorder is deeply tied to his subconscious. To treat it, you must understand who he really is. And, to do that, you must explore the different layers of his spiritual sea."

I frowned, confused. "I don't understand. Why am I seen as a highness here? It doesn't make any sense."

"Sheng Xing's spiritual sea isn't just a reflection of his current consciousness," 067 explained patiently. "It's a symbolic representation of his fears, desires, and past. Your role as a highness in this spiritual world is probably related to how he perceives you. Perhaps, to him, you hold a place of power, or you're the object of a quest or an important issue in his mind."

I sighed, frustrated. "Now what? He wants to make me his husband, and he seems totally different here. What am I supposed to do, 067?"

"You need to go further, Aiko," the AI ​​replied, her voice still calm. "Sheng Xing brought you here for a reason, even if it seems confusing at the moment. By learning to understand this role you play in his spiritual sea, you will not only be able to treat his pheromone disorder, but perhaps also uncover hidden truths about him, truths he is unaware of or represses."

I was silent for a moment, pondering his words. "So I should continue to play along?"

"Exactly," 067 replied. "Observe, interact, and discover what lies beneath the surface. But be careful. Sheng Xing's buried emotions and memories can manifest in unpredictable ways here."

I flopped down on the bed, the weight of the seat

uation catching up with me. "This is insane," I muttered.

"Nothing is simple in a spiritual sea," 067 added, almost as if trying to comfort me. "But you have the resources to navigate this world. Just be careful."

I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath. "Alright, I'll continue. I need to figure out what's going on with him."

"I'll be here to guide you," 067 assured me.

As I straightened up, determined not to let this situation get away from me, I glanced outside the tent. The enemy camp, Sheng Xing's role here, it was all just part of a much larger puzzle.

I muttered to myself, "Sheng Xing… who are you really?"