Arfrotian’s brain had crashed before, but this time, it felt like it shattered into countless pieces. "Just a fraction?" Those words kept echoing in his mind, twisting his understanding of reality. He had already been thrown into a chaotic whirlwind ever since encountering Eterna in this dream world, but to learn that all of this—the teasing, the overwhelming presence, the near-divine energy—was merely a fragment of her true self?

  A shiver crawled up his spine.

  Arfrotian had experienced many things in his life. He had led wars, outwitted opponents, and devised battle strategies that had left even the greatest tacticians trembling. Yet, this was something else entirely.

  For the first time in his life, he was not calculating or manipulating the situation. Instead, he was being toyed with, teased, and thoroughly entertained by this enigmatic existence, the divine spirit of the Eternal Frostheart and divine consciousness of the icy omniverse herself.

  A chuckle escaped his lips. This was new. And for once… it wasn’t unwelcome.

  If anything, it was thrilling.

  With a sudden shift, he decided to take control for a change. His movements were smooth, precise—like a master strategist who had just found an opening in his opponent’s defenses. He grabbed Eterna by the waist, pulling her closer, a confident smirk playing at his lips.

  "Oh, okay, Honey," he said, half-laughing, "If that's what you want, then we will do it. And I won’t stop you then."

  Eterna blinked, her radiant blue eyes widening for a split second before an amused smile curled on her lips. She puffed out her chest, her confidence radiating like a queen acknowledging her power.

  "Oh yeah, Darling," she said, her voice dripping with playful dominance, "you should know, you never had the choice of stopping me. If I want to, I will do it."

  And just like that, they both burst into laughter.

  For Arfrotian, this moment was unlike anything he had ever felt before. A relationship built on absolute control and calculated maneuvers was all he had ever known in his past dealings. But here, there was no war. No enemies. No grand omniversal plots. Just… them.

  Yet, reality lurked just behind the dream world’s veil.

  As Arfrotian settled down from their shared laughter, his sharp mind returned to the pressing issue at hand. He leaned slightly forward, his piercing blue eyes locking onto Eterna’s.

  "Oh, okay then, my DEAR HONEY~!" he teased, adding dramatic emphasis. "But first, I need to get out of here. From this dream world forged by Pandora, the Eternal Frostheart’s backlash… and then, I have to find your real body once I get back, right?"

  Eterna’s confident expression softened. She rested her head on his chest, her voice taking on a dreamy quality.

  "Oh, hmmm," she murmured, "as much as I don’t want you to leave… it’s true. This is only my fragment, not the complete me. So it’s true, you need to go..."

  Her words held an unmistakable sorrow.

  She clutched his clothes slightly, as if fearing he would disappear at any moment. To her, Arfrotian was everything now. The thought of letting him go—even for a short while—was unbearable.

  Her hands trembled slightly. An emotion she had never shown before flickered in her eyes—fear.

  Arfrotian immediately noticed it. Without hesitation, he pulled her into a warm embrace, his arms wrapping securely around her.

  "Don't worry, Honey," he whispered, "I will find you in the real world, and then..."

  The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

  Eterna’s voice completed the sentence before he could.

  "......We will be partners forever."

  She melted into him, savoring the warmth of his presence.

  Then, suddenly—like lightning striking her thoughts—something clicked in Eterna’s mind. She straightened slightly, her gaze now carrying a newfound curiosity.

  "But… Darling, before leaving, I wanted to ask you something."

  Arfrotian raised an eyebrow at her sudden shift in demeanor. "Yeah, Honey! Ask away!"

  Eterna’s deep blue eyes locked onto his.

  "Darling, do you remember when we first met in this dream world? How you said that my real body could be imprisoned somewhere in this icy omniverse while only a fragment of me was sealed within the Eternal Frostheart?"

  Arfrotian nodded. He remembered it well.

  Eterna continued, "You deduced this from something you mentioned—'HYPOTHETICAL ASSUMPTION/SITUATION,' right?"

  Arfrotian smirked, impressed by how sharp she was. "So, Honey, you want to know what HYPOTHETICAL ASSUMPTION I took into consideration, right?"

  Eterna grinned, leaning closer.

  "Guess, Darling, you are sharp and straightforward at such things… EXCEPT…"

  She bit her lower lip seductively, her radiant eyes gleaming with mischief.

  A drop of sweat formed on Arfrotian’s forehead. "Damn it… here she goes again."

  Trying to refocus, he took a deep breath and answered, "Hmm, to be exact, it’s not exactly a hypothetical assumption… but rather, something that has a high chance of being true."

  Eterna’s expression grew serious as she listened.

  "Zenian, had tried to come to the icy temple eons ago, and then betraying ice phoenix's trust on him to guard he tried to wield the Eternal Frostheart which resulted into this Omniverse turning about 80% ice barren desert land right?"

  Eterna nodded. "Yeah, that was a truly depressing time. I was helpless, sealed inside the Eternal Frostheart, my real body sealed elsewhere… I couldn’t even save my people."

  She sighed but then gave a small smile. "Though, as you explained to Ice Phoenix, it wasn’t exactly a backlash, right? It was more of a test for the wielder. And if they failed to accept it, the Eternal Frostheart would freeze everything around them instead?"

  Arfrotian grinned. "Yeah, Honey, right on the money!"

  Eterna puffed out her chest, though a hint of sadness still lingered. Arfrotian, sensing it, reassured her, "Look, I might sound insensitive bringing this up again, but it was never your fault. And now, you have me, right?"

  Eterna’s sorrow melted away, replaced by an affectionate smile. "Quite right you are, Darling."

  Arfrotian continued, "Now, Zenian should’ve been permanently frozen back then. He didn’t accept the test, meaning he should’ve remained sealed… yet, he’s back. Not only is he back, but he has regained so much influence and power. That means…"

  Eterna’s eyes widened as realization dawned on her. "Someone must have helped him."

  Arfrotian nodded.

  "Exactly. And not just anyone could for someone as megaversal influential as Zenian. It couldn’t have been just another simple megaversal entity. Only someone at the Omniversal level—

  perhaps even an Omniversal ruler

  —could have freed him and given him another chance, and again told Zenian to try wielding this Eternal Frostheart, because he had potential due to which even Eternal Frostheart responded."

  Eterna’s lips parted slightly, deep in thought. "But why? Why would an Omniversal ruler interfere with our icy omniverse, which never had a ruler to begin with, and then this barren land that is has transformed now? Though about our ruler….."

  Then, her gaze landed on Arfrotian. A sweet yet meaningful smile formed on her lips.

  "I suppose… I have now found someone worthy of ruling our icy omniverse, now, by becoming my partner haven’t I?"

  Arfrotian knew exactly what she meant.

  He smirked. "First, let’s meet in the real world?"

  Eterna pouted, "Hmph, oh yeah!"

  Arfrotian finally answered her previous question.

  "And as to why someone that influential would let Zenian do it so is because, first this Eternal Frostheart wielder should belong within this icy Omniverse, then,

  Zenian was mainly interested only in Ice Phoenix as to why he tried to Eternal Frostheart, but, the actual gain would've been to the Omniversal ruler who helped him, because there could only one thing of interest to him,

  and that is YOU, ETERNA AND the beauty and power you have, he’s trying to take for himself, by making you, his."

  Hearing this a shudder ran through Eterna’s body, her body trembled, her hands too trembled, it was a scary thought, TRULY SCARY, someone trying to take over you just because of that you revived someone who caused harm to this Icy Omniverse once.

  The thought of someone else trying to claim her for power alone… it was terrifying, she didn’t want to become someone’s else’s prize now.

  But as Arfrotian saw, Eterna trembling, he tightly and warmly wrapped his arms around her again, making her clam again, as he said,

  “Don’t worry Honey, I’m here right?”

  This made Eterna relieved, for everything she knew—she had already chosen whom she belonged to.

  “That’s absolutely right, my LOVE!”