Chapter 40:- Telling Esther About System

The morning began with the cool freshness of a new day as the first rays of sunlight poured through the windows.

I stretched lightly, feeling the energy in my muscles ready to start the day. Esther was still rubbing the sleep from her eyes as I handed her a glass of water.

"Come on," I said with a warm smile. "Let's start with some exercises."

She groaned softly, though a playful glint sparkled in her tired eyes. "You really don't take a break, do you? It's only been one day, and I'm already dreading from the thought of doing this again. How do you manage to stick to it so religiously?"

I chuckled, shaking my head. "It's all about discipline, Esther. Trust me, you'll thank me when you start seeing the results."

We moved to the open area in the living room, where the cool morning air brushed against our skin. I began leading her through the warm-up stretches, my body moving fluidly from years of practice.

For me, it felt like second nature. I had been doing this since childhood without a single break, so every movement came effortlessly.

Esther, on the other hand, was still finding it hard to follow. It was just her second day, and though she was still adjusting, her body seemed more prepared than the day before.

Her muscles loosened from the massage and the rest she had taken, which allowed her to follow along more easily.

She gritted her teeth as she stretched, her face showing a mix of determination and mild frustration.

"You're doing better," I said encouragingly as she bent forward, her fingertips almost touching her toes.

"Better doesn't mean good," she muttered, a small pout on her lips.

I chuckled softly, my tone warm. "Progress is what matters, darling. I didn't reach this level of mastery in just two days. For over 16 years, I trained relentlessly, every single day, no matter what life threw at me.

Even on the day Dad passed away, I kept my promise to him and trained. It wasn't just about discipline—it was about honoring him and his legacy, and also a way to connect with dad."

She stayed silent as she continued doing her warmups

We transitioned into Kalaripayattu, the martial art that required both strength and agility. I demonstrated the movements first, sliding into the stances with precision and ease.

My body moved fluidly, every motion deliberate and sharp, a testament to the years of training ingrained in me.

Esther followed my lead, her movements still a bit hesitant but steadily improving. There was a spark in her eyes—a determination that hadn't been there before. Her focus was palpable, her brow furrowed as she carefully mimicked my motions.

Maybe me telling her that training was a way I honoured and connected with Dad and this was me honouring dad's legacy might have inspired her.

On just her second day, she already showed promise—her steps were more deliberate, her strikes carried better balance, and there was a growing confidence in every move she made. They were still very crude but yeah it was definitely progress..

As for her having lingering feelings for Dad is concerned, I can't completely erase him from her life—after all, I wouldn't even exist without him.

Besides, I'm not the kind of person who would do something like that, especially when it comes to my own father.

She will always have lingering feelings for him, and I want her to remember him until her last breath.

However, those feelings are purely emotional and familial, with no trace of romantic or sexual attachment, I have completely replaced dad with me.

"Not bad," I said as she completed a sweeping kick. She huffed, her face slightly flushed from exertion. "You make it look too easy."

"That's because I've been doing this for years," I replied with a teasing grin. "But look at you. For the second day, you're doing pretty amazing."

Her lips curved into a shy smile, her confidence growing with my words. We went through several sequences, her body adapting to the flow.

There were moments where she stumbled or missed her footing, but she didn't give up.

After an hour of training, she collapsed onto the floor, breathing heavily but smiling. "I think I survived," she said, her tone light despite the exhaustion in her voice.

Esther's training was over, but mine weren't given. I practised everything dad taught me.

After finishing my remaining exercises in just 20 minutes, I looked over at Esther, who was still lying on the floor, catching her breath.

I walked over and offered her a hand to help her up. "You did great today. Better than I expected," I said, pulling her gently to her feet.

She took my hand, her grip soft but firm, and let out a small laugh. "Thanks, but I think I'll definitely feel sore again tomorrow," she said, brushing a strand of hair from her face.

"That's only for the first few days," I reassured her. "Once your body gets used to it, the soreness will go away.

For now, how about we take a nice, relaxing bath? I'll even give you another oil massage later at night before sleep, just like yesterday."

Her face lit up at the mention of the bath and the oil massage I had promised, and a playful look crossed her features. "You've really got this all planned out, don't you?" she teased, giving me a light shove.

"Of course," I replied with a laugh. "I need to give you some incentives for pushing you this hard."

We headed inside the bathroom. The idea of soaking together in warm water appealed to her, and she agreed after a bit of playful reluctance.

The bathtub was large, spacious enough for the both of us to lay comfortably. I leaned back naked against the smooth edge of the bathtub, letting the hot water soothe my body, while Esther rested on my chest, her back against me. The steam curled around us, creating a cocoon of warmth and intimacy.

My hand on her chest and belly, nothing sexual just relaxing while exerting my possession on her.

She sighed contentedly, her wet hair clinging to her shoulders. Her head tilted slightly, resting just beneath my chin. "This feels… really nice," she murmured, her voice soft and relaxed.

I chuckled, wrapping both of my arms around her waist beneath the water. "After a hard workout, baths like this are the best, don't you think, Esther."

She glanced up at me, her expression curious but serene. "Indeed this feels really great. By the way what did you mean earlier?

About what you said when we were in bed? You sounded serious, like there was something important you wanted to tell me."

I paused for a moment, my hand gently stroking her arm as I gathered my thoughts. I needed to explain everything to her, but in a way that wouldn't make her doubt the connection we'd built.

"Esther," I began, my voice low and steady. "There's something I've been meaning to tell you. Something that's… hard to explain, but I want you to know, not because we are in a relationship or anything, but because you matter to me the most, and you have the right to know."

Her brows furrowed slightly, a flicker of concern crossing her face. "What is it?"

I took a deep breath. "Do you remember the dungeon I went into with Jin Woo? The one that landed us both in the hospital?"

Her worried eyes met mine instantly. "How could I forget? I almost had a heart attack seeing you in that state."

I nodded slowly, the memory heavy in my mind. "While we were trying to escape, something strange happened to me. I fell into a hidden dungeon where I had a weird encounter.

There weren't any monsters or traps. There I met someone—Gaia. She says she's the consciousness of Earth. I don't know if that's true or not."

"HEYYYY! I am real!" Gaia interrupted through the system window, but I quickly silenced her.

"She told me something that shook me," I continued. "Our world is in danger. Those monsters in the dungeons? They're just the beginning. The real threat is their masters, beings who want to conquer Earth."

Esther's body stiffened slightly against mine, and I pulled her closer, stroking her arm to calm her. "Conquer Earth? What do you mean?" she asked, her voice trembling a little.

I hesitated, trying to find the right words. "It's exactly what it sounds like. They see Earth as just another place to take over, a breeding ground to use as they please.

The dungeons are the first step. Gaia is trying her best to slow them down, to buy us time to grow stronger. But she can't stop them completely."

Her breath caught, and I could feel the worry radiating off her.

"That's why she chose me," I said quietly. "She gave me a system to help me grow stronger, to prepare me for what's coming.

The system gives me missions—tasks I need to complete to survive and protect the world. And my very first mission… it was about you."

She turned in my arms, her eyes locking onto mine. "Me? What do you mean?"

I held her gaze, my voice firm and sincere. "The system recognized something in you, Esther.

It showed me that you were suffering in silence, carrying a weight that no one else could see.

You were holding yourself back, drowning in sexual frustration and pain, and the system told me to help you get over it, as it could lead to you being suicidal or doing something you might regret later. I… I couldn't stand by and let that happen."

Her expression softened, her lips slightly parted as she listened closely.

"I couldn't just stand by and let that happen," I said, my voice shaking slightly. "The system made it a mission, but for me, it was more than that. I saw how much you were hurting, how hard you tried to hide it.

And I realized… I didn't want to help you just because the system told me to. I wanted to help you because I care for you and love you. Because seeing you in pain tore me apart."

Her eyes welled up, but she didn't look away.

"I love you, Esther," I said firmly, my voice breaking a little. "Not just as a person or as my mother, but as the woman I want love and want by my side forever. I couldn't stand the thought of you suffering alone.

And yeah, maybe it's selfish, but I didn't want you turning to someone else or having sex with someone else other than me. You're mine.

I love you too much and I am possessive enough to share you with anyone, and I'd do anything to make sure you never feel that kind of pain again.

"That night, when we had sex for the first time, it only strengthened my resolve," I said, my voice steady but full of emotion. "You're mine, Esther. And I'll do whatever it takes to keep it that way.

If anyone ever tries to take you from me, I swear I'll kill them in the worst way possible. Like it or not, you're my everything, and I won't lose you to anyone or let anyone take what's rightfully mine."

Tears filled her eyes, spilling down her cheeks as she looked up at me. But there was no sadness there—only a trembling smile that lit up her face.

She rested her head against my chest, her voice soft but full of emotion. "You don't know how much that means to me," she whispered.

"You've given me a reason to keep going, a reason to feel alive. You saved me in every way possible."

[Author's Note:

Thank you all so much for your amazing support—it means the world to me!

A Special Shoutout to My Patreon:

🌟 CrowThingz

🌟 Rahul

🌟 Jacob Weiss

🌟 Mattiu_X

🌟 Abdullah

— thank you for your continued support!

Do let me know which fic's more chapters you want on Patreon

Here's the link to my Patreon:

[https://patreon.com/EmperorNumix]

(https://patreon.com/EmperorNumix)

Happy reading, and thank you again for all your encouragement!]