"Is it okay for me to know these things?"
Natsuki set down her teacup, staring directly into Aslan's eyes with her clear blue ones, asking with utmost seriousness.
"Of course it's fine, Natsuki-chan."
Aslan glanced at Algol, who had somehow retreated back into her seal, and said calmly, "You're the kin I've chosen, so naturally, you have the right to know these things."
"Kin?"
Natsuki murmured softly. She seemed to realize the weight of those words.
Aslan didn't hide anything about Little Garden from Natsuki.
With Aslan's very clear explanations, Natsuki knew more about Little Garden than Giada did. She also understood the significance of what Aslan had just said.
If Aslan didn't want to make her his kin, she shouldn't have heard anything, like Veldiana. Though they were in the same room, some voices were transmitted across dimensions.
"Now I'm worried I'll be completely dragged onto your ship."
Natsuki sighed. She couldn't get off the ship now. After learning these things, she could only follow Aslan to the end.
"Why? Regretting it?"
Aslan looked at her and laughed.
"Yes, very, very much."
Natsuki put her hands on her hips, rolling her eyes in annoyance. "If I'd known I'd meet you on Gozo Island, I definitely wouldn't have taken that mission from Snake Guy."
"Now, because of that guy, I have to be your servant for the rest of my life. No matter how you look at it, it's a loss."
At this moment, Aslan said with a hint of mischief, "You can still back out now."
"At least let me lose completely."
Natsuki rolled her eyes and said. After knowing all this, it would be strange if Aslan let her back out. With her personality, she'd never let herself give up halfway. Since she'd made her decision, she'd go crazy with Aslan. She'd long been fed up with this world.
The corner of Natsuki's mouth curved slightly. She chuckled and said, "Now we're accomplices."
"Yeah, yeah, accomplices against all gods and Buddhas." Aslan smiled and said casually.
"Let's go, Natsuki-chan. We'll wrap up the Blazing Banquet and deal with the Prison Barrier issue while we're at it." Aslan stood up from the sofa and patted Aurora, who was lying on his lap.
"Aurora, call your sisters. It's time to complete your mission."
"Okay, Aslan!"
Aurora exclaimed excitedly.
The Blazing Banquet was finally going to be completed? Then her sisters could merge with Aslan too?
Natsuki also set down her teacup, picked up the parasol beside her, opened it, and stood up. She said to Veldiana, "Stay here. We're going out for a bit."
"Yes, Natsuki-sama."
Veldiana answered sweetly, seemingly relieved that Aslan was leaving.
Natsuki glanced at Aslan, unable to hide a hint of mischief in her eyes.
Only Aslan was lost in thought. Was he really that unapproachable?
Natsuki smiled, turned, and looked at the Keystone Gate within the Dimensional Gate, letting out a sigh. "In the end, we have to meet again, Aya."
After sighing, Natsuki stepped into the Dimensional Gate.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
The Central Plaza of the Keystone Gate.
Aslan looked at the twelve Matrices standing beside him and wiped the smile off his face.
At that moment, the glowing red patterns on the ground gradually darkened, soon turning pitch black, like congealed blood.
This was the Blazing Banquet ceremony, draining the memories of tens of thousands of people and converting them into magic usable by the Fourth Primogenitor (Origin). In truth, it was just a slightly grander ceremony. How much magic could be generated from the memories of over a hundred thousand people?
To Aslan, it wasn't even worth a mosquito's leg. The only significance of this ceremony was like an inauguration, announcing to the world that the Fourth Primogenitor had been instated. It wasn't necessary for inheriting power but was essential for accumulating achievements.
Only by completing this ceremony would the world truly recognize him as the Fourth Primogenitor.
Fortunately, Aslan had directly asked Senga Takehito to remove the memory-transformation part of the ceremony, focusing solely on its grandeur.
"Enough talk. Let me see what the Fourth Primogenitor's awakening looks like."
Holding her parasol, Natsuki, standing behind Aslan, urged him with mixed feelings. She felt conflicted about meeting Tokoyogi Aya but also lighthearted at the thought of shedding the Prison Barrier's responsibility.
Hearing Natsuki's urging, Aslan smiled slightly. "As you wish."
Twelve illusory wings of light spread from his back. One of the wings now shimmered with rainbow-like light. That was the glow of Aurora's soul, which had already merged into Aslan's body.
*POP!* *POP!* *POP!*
The remaining eleven wings of light pierced into the eleven Matrices. Then, starting from the point of contact, the wings gradually became enveloped in rainbow light. The Beast Vassals representing the twelve zodiacs began merging into Aslan's body.
Throughout the process, he released his magic without holding back.
*BUZZ!*
The atmosphere hummed continuously. Vast amounts of magic spread across Itogami Island, with Aslan as the center. Among them, the third wing of light on his back trembled slightly.
The third Beast Vassal, Al-Meissa Mercury, had the ability to devour space, the most compatible ability for him. Under Aslan's control, that power turned into vibrations. It affected the stability of the surrounding space, forcing the Prison Barrier to emerge.
"All you know is how to cause trouble."
Natsuki rolled her eyes in annoyance.
Did he really not know that Aslan was most skilled at manipulating space? Forcing out the Prison Barrier was as easy as lifting a finger for him. Yet, Aslan used such a troublesome method without hesitation.
From what she knew of Aslan, this might become quite a big deal. It was probably to announce to the world that Natsuki had been saved. Though it held no real significance, since the management of Itogami Island's Artificial Island was already under their control.
However, thinking about these things, the corner of Natsuki's mouth couldn't help but curve into a slight smile.
At that moment, Natsuki's figure flickered like a TV losing signal, with black-and-white pixels.
"Forced out already?"
Natsuki exclaimed in surprise, then turned to Aslan and said with a smile, "I'll wait for you in the Prison Barrier. Don't keep me waiting too long."
As soon as she finished speaking, Natsuki's figure vanished.
At the same time, Aslan opened his eyes. In front of him, Natsuki was leaning back in a chair, head tilted, fast asleep.
Aslan snapped his fingers. A chair identical to Natsuki's appeared behind him. He sat down, propped his head with one hand, and tilted his head, gazing at Natsuki in her onee-san form.
To Aslan's surprise, though Natsuki was asleep in the Prison Barrier, it didn't mean her body stopped developing. On the contrary, Natsuki had developed quite well.
Her mature yet slightly childish face rested gently against the chair's backrest.
Unlike the magical duplicate of Natsuki outside, who loved wearing Gothic-style dresses, the Natsuki in the Prison Barrier wore a simple house dress. She had a different kind of charm.
Finally, under Aslan's enthusiastic gaze, Natsuki couldn't hold back. She opened her eyes, looking at him with a mix of embarrassment and anger. "Couldn't you have come a bit later?"
"Why come so early?"
"To see little Natsuki-chan, of course… no, I can't call you little Natsuki-chan anymore. It should be big Natsuki-chan while sleeping." Aslan looked her up and down.
A super rare beauty with dual forms—Little Girl and Onee-san—sharing the same qualities as La Folia. That was incredibly rare.
"You've got a lot going for you, Natsuki-chan!" Aslan couldn't help but give a thumbs-up.
"Shut up, you blabbermouth. I just adjusted my body to match my age in the dream." Natsuki glared at him angrily. Still, she felt a bit proud seeing his interest in her mature form.
"So it's just in the dream."
Aslan said with a hint of regret, though his smiling expression didn't fade.
"I can make it the same in the real world too!"
Natsuki said in a resigned tone. She really didn't know what to do with a shameless guy like Aslan.
"But I also really like Natsuki-chan in her Little Girl form."
Natsuki scoffed and said irritably, "Stop saying weird things. Now, hurry up and hurt me."
"Huh?"
Faced with this strange request, even Aslan was stunned.
At that moment, Natsuki snorted and said, "The Prison Barrier can be destroyed, but I can't destroy it myself. Consider it my last bit of pride."
"Even though you can't actively break the contract." Aslan muttered softly, but his murmur was clearly audible throughout the hall.
"You're so annoying." Natsuki glared at him angrily.
She just felt that the man in front of her was truly her nemesis. No matter what, he always managed to make her so angry she was speechless.
Aslan smiled, saying nothing. He lifted her up, placed Natsuki on his lap, and said gently, "Be careful, Natsuki-chan."
Hearing this, Natsuki took a deep breath, trying to stay calm, but in the end, she couldn't hold back.
"I said hurt me, not like this!"
Natsuki shouted in extreme embarrassment and anger, but in the end, she couldn't break free from Aslan's embrace.