Chapter 12

A pillar of light illuminated the whole area.

Jin-ah reflexively covered her eyes. Jasmine, on the other hand, could only squint because she did not want to miss the strange scene in front of her.

Towards the source of the light.

Aegis watched silently.

"... Mmm."

He felt a slight change in the flow of energy. Something familiar. But it was definitely not supposed to be there at that moment.

"So this is what happens when a mortal receives my blood."

The conversion of an Emanator.

It was a rare event in his previous universe, where the birth of an Aeon gave rise to a Path. These paths of power and philosophy were ones that mortals could adhere to depending on their beliefs and inclinations.

Pathstriders, those who walked a path, drew strength from it. But Emanators were different. They did not simply follow a path. They were chosen directly by an Aeon to receive a share of their power.

'An Emanator is always stronger than an ordinary Pathstrider.'

Yet, in his previous universe history, the entity known as Aegis had never granted his power to anyone.

He had never permitted the existence of a Path for mortals to follow.

When he ascended as the Aeon of the Beginning and the End, he prevented his own Path from being born.

The other Aeons called him crazy for squandering an opportunity to gain followers and increase his influence. Some even tried to challenge him, believing they could take that wasted power away from him.

But how could they destroy someone who embodied the beginning and end of all things?

The story ended as expected.

The Path of the Beginning and the End disappeared before it even existed.

Now, however...

He himself was undoing that beginning without trying.

He turned his gaze to the girl hovering a few meters above him.

As the pillar of light faded, he saw her.

Her dirty hair was wiped clean, leaving behind shiny golden locks. The skin that had been pale seconds before regained its whiteness and immaculateness. Even her malnourished body appeared healthier. She now looked like a cute, healthy girl.

Her eyelids fluttered open, and her crimson eyes sparkled. Power enveloped her.

"Hmm..."

He wasn't dissatisfied with this outcome. He had originally intended to test people he was interested in and then choose them as Pathstrider.

That's exactly what happened with Sona, Tsubaki, and Koneko. As long as they showed potential, he'd promote them to Emanators.

After all, the road to true immortality was a long one. Being a Pathstrider—or even an Emanator—was only a small step.

And to get someone who could accompany him into eternity...

A traveling companion...

"Hah! I can't back out now."

From the moment she arrived at the castle, he felt responsible for the loli vampire. That meant he would make her his Pathstrider one way or another.

However...

After the light source dissipated completely, the golden-haired girl began to descend gradually. Even though she had the ability to float, for some reason she opted to drop directly into Aegis' lap.

Smiling wryly, Aegis reached out and tenderly ruffled her hair.

"You are now my follower. My first Emanator."

She had leaped past the Pathstrider stage.

It happened sooner than expected. But he felt satisfied, especially after seeing her expression.

She stared at him with wide eyes.

She could feel the change in her body. She could feel the energy flowing through her.

And for some reason...

Though her face remained expressionless, the sound of those words made her heart beat faster.

Aegis felt that it alone made having his blood sucked worthwhile.

Her lips curved into a slight smile as she licked her lips. Her crimson eyes narrowed into a crescent shape.

"...What?"

She looked at him as if he were an exquisite delicacy.

"You're delicious... Aegis."

Aegis' lips tightened.

For a moment, he thought he had misheard her.

But the way she looked at him, as if assessing the best part to devour first, made it clear that she was serious.

"Fufu~"

The girl giggled softly at his expression. She placed her hands on his chest and leaned against him.

"Thank you... Now I belong to you."

Aegis blinked.

...He didn't know how to respond to that.

So instead of responding, he simply changed the subject.

"By the way, what's your name?"

The girl's smile faded a little.

She seemed hesitant.

Her fearful gaze made it clear that she didn't want Aegis to misunderstand her refusal to reveal her name. Even so, she replied in a low voice.

"I don't want...my old name anymore..."

"Then, do you want me to give you a new one?"

She nodded immediately.

Aegis sighed and put a finger to his chin.

He wasn't particularly good with names. In the past, he had a couple of pets, and every time he named one, it looked at him with a resigned expression.

"Hey—"

Jasmine, who had been watching everything in silence, opened her mouth to speak, but Aegis raised a hand before she could say anything.

"Shh. I'm thinking."

"O-okay... Sorry."

He turned his attention back to the girl in his lap.

In the original work, the protagonist named her Yue. He chose that name because her golden hair, bathed in a faint light, reminded him of the moon.

Aegis could have changed it. He could have chosen something different.

But deep down, he felt that name still belonged to her.

"Alright, from now on, your name will be Yue. That will be your new name. As the Aeon of the Beginning and the End, I give you a new beginning."

The girl bowed her head.

"Yue... Yue... Yue..."

She repeated the name softly several times, as if trying to imprint it in her memory.

Then, with a small smile, she rested her forehead against his chest.

"Um... I'm Yue now. Thank you... Aegis."

Aegis calmly patted her head.

"Your eyes remind me of something I saw in the past..."

She lifted her head.

"What was it?"

"A blood moon."

He leaned in closer and looked her straight in the eyes.

"There were two beautiful moons in the sky. If you ask me, that's the origin of your new name."

That was the day his life changed completely. The day two moons were dyed with the blood he spilled with his own hands.

The girl—no, Yue—opened her eyes wide.

She never thought he would give her a name with such personal meaning.

The corners of her lips rose slightly on her stoic face.

"I will treasure this name... forever."

Aegis nodded.

"By the way, stop calling me Aegis. It sounds too distant. From now on, I want you to address me as Yuu."

"Yuu...? Yuu... Yuu... Hmm. Yuu and Yue... Fufu~."

She laughed softly.

The sound of "Yuu" struck her as curious. It sounded so similar to "Yue."

She didn't know why, but it made her feel strangely happy.

Yue engraved their names deep into her heart, ensuring she would never forget them.

But before she could say anything else...

"You two! Stop flirting in front of this princess, and explain what the hell just happened!"

An irritated voice broke the mood.

Aegis turned to see Jasmine with a red face, arms crossed, and one foot tapping impatiently on the ground.

"Explain what?"

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