I reappeared at the fief, in the present time, alongside Elise. After so long, I had finally completed the campaign and received the appropriate rewards for my accomplishments.
Now that I looked at it more closely—and not like last time, when my anger and frustration clouded my judgment—I realized that this campaign not only gave better rewards overall, but each achievement also granted significantly more points. It seemed easier—though not necessarily easy—to reach a higher rank. For example, with similar accomplishments in the Marauders' campaign, the score was much lower. But now I understood why: the difficulty in this one was considerably higher, especially due to the presence of beings who wielded divine power.
Thanks to that, I earned quite high ranks and, in fact, I think that if it weren't for the rank cap, I could've reached an even higher classification.
Rank E:
>500 crystal coins.
>Choice of painting: Camelot, Avalon, the Enchanted Lake, the Druidic Tumulus, the Round Table, or the Altar of the Gods.
Rank D:
>1000 crystal coins.
>Accurate map of Britannia and its secret locations.
Rank C: ✔
>1500 crystal coins.
>Excalibur (first generation).
Rank B:
>3000 crystal coins.
>Druidic texts.
>Skill: Druid's Essence or Animal Form (+1 form).
Rank A: ✔
>5000 crystal coins.
>Avalon forging and crafting technique.
>"Legendary Knights" training manual.
>Avalon spell compendium.
Ranks S, SS, and SSS:(???)
Yes, when it comes to crystal coins, the rewards here are way more generous compared to other campaigns. As for the rest, I can't say for sure, but overall everything feels of higher quality. As always, the top three reward tiers are locked until all previous ones are completed. So far, I've only unlocked ranks A and C in my two runs. And among those rewards…
A sword appeared in my hand, finely crafted, radiating a tangible sense of power. It was a magical blade: strong, durable, razor-sharp. I couldn't really say how it compared to Godric Gryffindor's Sword, but I don't think it falls short. Of course, this wasn't the Excalibur I saw King Arthur wield. This was the first-generation Excalibur—a powerful sword, but inferior to the second-generation one. Apparently, according to Morgana, Merlin retrieved this one directly from Avalon, which she considered an unforgivable insult… although, knowing her grudge, one more offense hardly made a difference.
What really made me smile was the Rank A reward: the crafting method for these weapons, the forging art of the fairies. With this, the goblins at Gringotts will no longer be able to monopolize the creation of magical weapons. Now that I think about it, maybe their method is actually derived from this one… it would make sense.
As for the second Rank A reward—the Legendary Knights' training manual—I believe it could help Petunia improve even further. I saw what the Knights of the Round Table were capable of, and although she doesn't have much magic, enhancing her physical abilities even more than I already did could benefit her immensely. I should study that manual thoroughly.
The Avalon spell compendium also caught my attention. It doesn't contain many combat spells, but there are some rather intriguing and potentially useful ones. Many are large-scale spells, capable of affecting entire cities or even whole islands. Some examples include:
-Magical fog to conceal and render an area inaccessible.-Enchantments to make buildings imperishable.-Energy harmonization.-Ever-fertile land.-Life extension and improved health for inhabitants.-Harmonious coexistence between nature and civilization.
Several of these spells really piqued my interest. The rest I can learn during my free time… if I ever get any.
I could consider this campaign complete, but I'm left with a bittersweet feeling. Mainly because I failed to reach 100% affinity with Morgana, and therefore couldn't bring her with me for free. When I saw the price—and it wasn't even the cost for a permanent summon—I felt like crying a little. I guess I'll have to repeat this campaign to unlock the final three reward tiers and reduce the cost… but that will be for later. For now, I have no intention of living in the Middle Ages again. I'll try again some other time.
Setting that aside, I turned my attention to Elise, who was walking slowly around me, looking at everything as if trying to reacquaint herself with the place. Even though this fief felt more lively than the one from the campaign, it wasn't fundamentally different from where we had been staying during it.
"What's wrong, Elise?" I asked.
"Shall we keep expanding the world now that there are no limits?" she asked, a gleam of excitement in her eyes.
We had been talking about the possibilities offered by divine power, and some of the ideas had clearly gotten her excited. I was sure she really enjoyed the time we spent alone, building her own world. However, now that we were back, she seemed a bit uneasy. I knew that, unlike in the campaign—where I have just only "one more lover"—here there were many others who shared my attention. And with her divine power, she could easily distinguish my real self from my clones, making her even more aware of how little genuine time we spent together.
"Yes... we can do that," I replied. "But I think it would be better to take advantage of the campaigns to keep improving and expanding. There, the cost per square meter is much lower since it's considered a first expansion, even if you only have a one-kilometer limit."
The truth is, I was already starting to feel the need to save up. Even though Morgana's requirements were paid in crystal coins and the fief's expansion in gelones, I didn't want to miss any opportunity to optimize resources.
"So... we're going again?" she asked.
"Yes and no. Let's take a break first. Then we'll do one or two more campaigns. The expansion is limited to one kilometer per campaign regardless of the rank, so we can take it slow. And now that we know the gods' secret, there's nothing in particular we want... nor do we need to try so hard anymore," I replied, gently stroking her head.
From now on, I planned to take things easy. Unless absolutely necessary, I would use the method to partially disconnect my consciousness and go through the campaigns almost without noticing. Also, I'd do one campaign per month, using the free attempt and trying to get all the possible rewards. After what I saw with Morgana, I felt more inspired than ever to complete that still-in-progress idea.
...
–At Hogwarts–
Tensions at Hogwarts remained high, though not everyone was worried about the attacks. For a certain group, what weighed on them most was the upcoming departure of their companions. A few days after Christmas, Hannah went home to spend time with her parents before the trip. She had stayed until then to keep helping the group, under the excuse of wanting to study a bit more before leaving—but the moment had come to say goodbye. She'd be away for a long time, and she wanted to enjoy those last days with her family.
I had the chance to return too. And I did... with a clone. Of course, no one outside the girls in my group knew the truth.
During that time, I guided them to the hideout and showed them a special room they could use if they needed help. I told them I'd leave a clone there, but added a small lie: that due to the distance, the clone would be paralyzed, though still able to communicate a little with them.
We had the [Message] spell to stay in contact, but this quiet "presence" could give them a sense of security. They'd believe I was still there, even if that clone never left the room... or at least, that's what they thought.
It was a final moment together before the farewell, and they were all a mix of sad, excited, and especially affectionate.
As a good "boyfriend"—even if I knew I wasn't—I spent time with Hermione studying and doing the things she loved, trying to make her feel everything was fine. Even so, I noticed a faint hesitation in her gaze about my departure. Our relationship was complicated, but it was increasingly clear that she truly cared for me. That's why I made sure we had those quiet moments, holding each other for long stretches in silence, feeling our hearts. From time to time, I'd steal a quick kiss, which made Hermione blush and squirm a little, but in the end, she'd always curl back up on my chest.
"I'm going to miss you," she whispered, as if starting to come to terms with it. I knew she'd feel somewhat alone and unprotected soon. Luckily, she already had a good group of friends to be with her."Learn a lot so you can teach me... and bring me books from over there. I'll learn the language just to read them... with you."
Of course, she wasn't the only one I had to console.
In my private room in Slytherin, Pansy had her own way of saying goodbye. Unlike Hermione, she didn't want soft words or long hugs. Hers was raw passion. She kissed me fiercely, almost desperately, as if she wanted to devour me and imprint my taste into her memory.
"Don't take too long," she ordered, voice firm."I won't last long without you, so don't waste time and come back soon," she said, before kissing me again with intensity, thrusting her tongue into my mouth like she was waging war.
With Lavender... things were weird. She asked me to hug her, kiss her neck, squeeze her ass—but not to touch her mouth unless I really couldn't resist. From what I understood, she wanted to stay wanting, so the reunion would be even more explosive. Given our history, that worried me a little, but I decided to allow it and step in only if she got too "horny-crazy."
"Defile my body... leave your fingers imprinted on my ass... bite my neck..." she whispered with a mix of madness, lust, and dangerously exciting passion.
Penelope, on the other hand, didn't want a long goodbye or emotional games. We just had quick, intense sex in a hidden classroom. It was satisfying, and I was surprised at how well she had learned to squeeze me down there and cling to me with her legs, making everything more intimate... and deeper.
I also spent time with the other girls I wasn't as intensely connected with. I cooked with Susan, played Exploding Snap with Tracey and Cho, helped the Patil twins choose outfits for the trip… something different with each of them. Every moment, no matter how brief, had its charm.
The most complicated ones were my sisters.
Luna clung to me like a koala—literally. She spent hours wrapped around me, hugging me, speaking in a soft voice, occasionally sniffing me as if trying to memorize my scent. Ginny wasn't as clingy, but insisted we hold hands wherever we went, if possible. She also had the habit of making me feed her, and when she asked me to feed her with my hands, she had the audacity to slowly suck my fingers while looking at me with that mix of innocence and provocation.
Good thing that body was just a clone, or the bulge in my pants would've given me away. Seriously... if she keeps that up, she's going to kill me.
But every time I tried to bring up the topic and have a serious talk with her, Luna would jump in with some emergency, derailing the conversation. And honestly... I don't want to talk about that with my sister. For me—like for any brother, I guess—they should always stay pure, barely aware of such things.