System's POV

Chapter 1477: The Weight Of These Three Words

When Thirteen returned home from the meeting, he was welcomed with the sight of Erica, Shana, Sherry, and Stella wearing cute aprons and serving several delicious dishes on the table.

His eyes lingered on them for a while, understanding that the four of them must have helped prepare meals in the kitchen.

Turning his head a bit, he found Princess Xynalia and Princess Aracelle sitting beside Rhia and Remi. Seeing the cars on screen and controllers in their hands, he realized that his two lovers were playing a racing game with his two little sisters.

Unfortunately, the two Princesses were new to playing games, so they were easily defeated by the two kids. Thirteen couldn’t help but smile when he saw their adorable, frustrated looks from losing.

“I demand a rematch,” Princess Aracelle said with determination.

“I’m starting to get the hang of this,” Princess Xynalia stated. “I will win next time.”

Rhia and Remi were more than happy to play another round with them. Thirteen’s youngest sister even giggled when her character threw a banana peel on Princess Aracelle’s Car, making it spin around and go off course.

The look of frustration on the princess’ face was priceless, prompting Thirteen to record her and Princess Xynalia’s reaction as they played the game together.

“We won again!” Rhia raised her hands and swayed while sitting on the floor, proclaiming her and Remi’s victory.

“You’re so evil, Rhia,” Princess Xynalia said with a pout. “Throwing that bomb when I was about to cross the finish line is so evil.”

“All is fair in love and war!” Rhia declared. Clearly, she was ecstatic about beating older people in the racing game. Older noobs.

Thirteen made himself useful and helped his lovers, his mother, and grandmother set up the dining table, so everyone could eat sooner.

A few minutes later, everyone gathered around the table, filling the room with a lively atmosphere.

Plates were passed around, and the aroma of freshly cooked food quickly made everyone forget the tension that had hung over them earlier in the day.

Thirteen took his seat beside Stella, while Erica and Shana sat across from him. Sherry helped Rhia and Remi with their plates, making sure the younger girls had enough food before serving herself.

Princess Xynalia and Princess Aracelle also joined them, though the two were still whispering to each other in low voices.

The two princesses were already planning the strategy they would use in the next race against Thirteen’s little sisters.

In the middle of their meal, they were interrupted by the doorbell. Thirteen asked everyone to stay seated, volunteering to check the unexpected guest.

To his surprise, it was Cranky.

Laplace Demon must have allowed him to cross over to Pangea so he could spend some time with Shasha.

Since Cranky had always helped Zion in the past, Laplace Demon and The One had a very good impression of him.

“Welcome,” Thirteen opened the door wide. “You’re just in time for lunch.”

“Perfect,” Cranky replied before entering the house.

The moment Shasha saw him, the young lady’s face brightened up, which made Alessia and Lady Callista exchange knowing smiles with each other.

As for Thirteen’s father, Gerald, he looked like he had eaten a fly. His darling daughter looked like a lady in love.

Everyone ate lunch in a lively atmosphere. Thirteen could tell that his mother and grandmother were very happy to see their future daughters-in-law, and chatted with them after they finished washing the dishes.

Thirteen was momentarily banned from joining their girl talk, so he did the only thing he could do—be Rhia’s chair while she and Remi absolutely decimated Princess Aracelle and Princess Xynalia in another match of racing game.

They said hours passed quickly when you were having fun, and this was very true. Before he noticed it, the sun had already set, and the ladies were already preparing their dinner.

Since the Leventis Residence did not have enough rooms to accommodate everyone, and Alessia didn’t want her daughters-in-law to sleep in the underground training rooms, Thirteen proposed that they camp outside instead.

He and his siblings had camped out several times in the past. When Erica, Shana, and the rest of the Hero Party were still training under him, they also camped outside during the night.

Naturally, Remi and Rhia wanted to join the fun, which made Erica and Shana shake their heads helplessly.

But since they were very understanding and had enjoyed their fair share of skinship with their boyfriend, they decided to be generous and allow Remi and Rhia sleep beside him for tonight.

A few hours later, Thirteen woke in the middle of the night. In a whim, he decided to look at the stars in the sky, leaving the mostly sleeping crowd.

Back then, Pangea’s night was pitch black, with only the moon and the shooting stars keeping everyone company.

But looking at the shooting stars didn’t make people feel happy. It made them sad, for they knew somewhere out there, a Wanderer had lost their life.

Now, the night sky was filled with stars. It was as if all the Wanderers who had once shot across the skies in the past hundreds of years were telling everyone that they were in a better place and that they shouldn’t worry about them anymore.

Of course, this was just a romantic way of thinking. Those stars were figures that had failed to break past the barrier that hid both Solterra and Pangea from the invader races like the Infernals, making it hard to pinpoint their location.

As Thirteen gazed up at the stars in the sky, he heard the sound of footsteps comind from behind.

“Can’t sleep?”

He didn’t need to turn his head to know who it was. Shana hugged Thirteen from behind, and pressed his body close to her.

“I needed some fresh air,” Thirteen replied. “How about you? Can’t sleep either?”

“Yes,” Shana replied. “I have many things in mind. Also, I keep having a dream where I married you in a past life. It’s just a bit sad because we were only able to spend a single day together.”

Shana hugged Thirteen tighter as she remembered that dream. Although her current situation from that dream was different, she still felt anxious.

It was like… just like what had happened in the dream, Thirteen would go to a place out of her reach.

A place where she couldn’t be with him and share the burden that he carried on his shoulders.

Thirteen turned around, and held Shana’s waist. He then pulled her closer to him before kissing her lips.

When the kiss ended, Thirteen looked straight into her eyes.

“Whether it be a day, a year, a decade, a century, or even tens of thousands of years, I will always love you, Shana,” Thirteen said softly. “Even if we are separated by time and space, I will always hold you dear in my heart.”

“Hearing that makes me very happy,” Shana replied, and this time, she took the initiative to kiss her fiance.

When the kiss ended, she pressed her forehead with Thirteen and spoke softly, “Please, promise me that you won’t leave me. No matter what will happen in Godfall Cradle, promise me that we will be together forever.”

Thirteen didn’t speak right away. It was a very hard promise to make, and he didn’t want to lie to Shana.

However, seeing her gaze, he understood that if something happened to him, Shana might also follow him to the afterlife.

In order to prevent such a tragedy from happening, he nodded and made the promise.

“I promise,” Thirteen declared. “I will spend this lifetime with you. We will be happy and build a family together.”

“Thank you,” Shana smiled sweetly after hearing his promise. “No matter what happens, I and the rest of my sisters will protect you. Even if you fight against a God, you will not be alone when you face them.”

“Mmm.” Thirteen nodded and hugged Shana tighter.

The two of them cuddled like this, feeling each other’s warmth, warding off the cold wind of the night.

Somewhere out there, a few shooting stars streaked across the sky… leaving behind a memory of the people who had once fought for what they believed was right.

Thirteen knew that this battle would be the bloodiest battle that Solterra and Pangea would face in its long history.

Perhaps the night sky would have countless shooting stars falling on that fateful day. But for now, he held his lover tightly and told her that he loved her.

Thirteen now knew the weight of these three words.

A weight he had unknowingly carried inside his heart even when he was still a System watching over his hosts, whose lives had burned brightly in their last moments.