Rye reddened from Octavian's advance, but he didn't reject it. On the contrary, he welcomed Octavian and gave him easier access. His body involuntarily trembled when their tongue met.

Octavian chuckled, "You are indeed lovable."

Rye covered his mouth in shame, "Forgive me, I do not have any experience…"

"That is not something to apologize about. I have learned from how humans did it, but this is also my first," Octavian smiled as he arranged Rye's hair, "but we can practice more together, can we not?"

Rye sheepishly nodded.

"You are strong enough to accept my fluid from our exchange, but it will still have an aphrodisiac effect on you," Octavian held Rye's hand, "let us continue somewhere private."

Rye thought they were going to the chapel, but Octavian led him to the Cleansing Pool. He was a bit scared to step onto the water, but just like Octavian said, he was completely fine.

A wide couch formed from the water. Its size was equal to a single bed.

Octavian sat down at one side. He pulled Rye down to sit on his lap facing the side.

"O-Octavian…" Rye clasped Octavian's robe nervously.

"Breathe," Octavian smiled.

With one hand holding Rye's waist and the other taking off his glasses, Octavian resumed their kiss.

Rye let himself be explored and guided by Octavian. Their exchange tasted sweeter than any nectar and more addictive than any delicacy. His mind soon turned to paste as his eyes became misty.

Octavian shifted his position to lie down as he let Rye's weight completely fall on him. The human on top of him coquettishly leaned on him like a cat with his head on the clouds. Nothing could be more alluring than the scene he was witnessing right now.

He knew that Rye would get affected by his divinity, but this…would be bad.

"My dear," Octavian broke away, "let us stop here for today."

Rye looked slightly lost by the absence of Octavian's lips on him, but he obediently didn't chase for more. In return, he rubbed his head onto Octavian's neck, scratching into Octavian's heart.

Octavian compliantly stroked his hair. He then felt Rye's soft lips flutter on his cheek.

"How naughty," Octavian returned the favor.

Rye smiled happily from the kiss. He mischievously continued kissing here and there to make Octavian do the same.

In the end, he couldn't help but have one last round of kiss with Rye.

Rye fell asleep in Octavian's embrace. His body curled comfortably on top of Octavian as he used Octavian's chest as his pillow. From the smile on his face, it looks like he was having a pleasant dream.

Droplets of water hovered up from the pool and form a sphere on top of Rye. Not long after, it showed a scene where he and Octavian were cuddling in a field of flowers.

Octavian lowly laughed and kissed a lock of Rye's hair. His lover was truly the loveliest creature.

He moved the sphere aside, but he didn't return it to the water yet. The view changed to the current situation at the elven temple. Octavian's warm golden eyes changed into glinting cold ones.

The archbishop he punished was no longer moving, but he didn't take his life. He deserved a fate worse than death for the things he said to Rye.

The lightning charred his body and rendered him immobile. He also took away the archbishop's ability to see, hear, and smell anything. He could only breathe in a tenth of his air intake, making him suffocate for eternity. His sense of pain was heightened ten-folds, but however injured he was he wouldn't die. All of his injuries would rot without ever being able to be healed.

The archbishop would live long. Until the end of his allocated time which was 200 more years.

The temple servants hurriedly tried to bring Barion to a healer, but they couldn't handle the smell once they were 5 meters away from him. In the end, they could only bring the healer to the temple instead. But any of the healer's spells weren't doing any good. On the contrary, Barion convulsed and shrieked in pain from it.

Meanwhile, the others were panicking about Rye's disappearance. They saw that the lightning struck down after Rye left the temple and believed it was heaven's retribution towards Barion. The light that has just returned to them also vanished.

They have angered the saint's god and he took the saint away from them!

Suddenly, the earth rumbled beneath them. Cracks appeared on the temple walls and not long after they collapsed. Fortunately, everyone inside managed to escape. Barion was also carried out by 2 temple servants who held their breaths and immediately threw Barion away once they were out before retching at the side.

At the center of the territory, the Light Tree was also rapidly aging and withering in seconds.

When he finished, Octavian returned the sphere into the pool and focused back his whole heart on the huge cat lying on his body.

Recalling the bread Rye made, although he didn't require to eat, he would love to have Rye cook for him once they live in heaven. Having that thought, he ordered the angels to build a kitchen in his temple.

–––

–

Rye woke up with a light heart. He realized that he was sleeping on top of Octavian and tried to get up in a fluster. Of course, Octavian didn't let him.

"Good morning, my dearest sun. Is there any discomfort in your body?"

Rye shook his head. Quite the opposite, his body was full of vitality. He could feel the divine force blending in with his mana. Octavian's warmth now resided in his body. How could he feel any discomfort?

Seeing the gold that has overtaken Rye's pupil, Octavian patted Rye on his head.

"My dearest sun is indeed powerful."

"It is you who made me powerful, Octavian," Rye snuggled closer, "I wish to be with you soon."

"Soon, my dearest sun," Octavian soothed Rye, "very soon."

Rye was reluctant to leave and Octavian heartfeltly accompanied him. He knew that his lover was still upset with the previous event and wanted his comfort.

They kissed and exchanged their breath. Although there were only two of them there, they talked in a low voice with their face close to one another. Each word was accompanied by their smile.

Octavian summoned the water sphere and showed Rye the current situation in the elven kingdom. In mortal time, Rye has gone missing for a week. In that week, the Light Tree has lost almost all its light and the barrier was starting to fade.

Ever since Muriel's death, Adnadan has been supplying the energy for both the Light Tree and the Lune Vein to slow down their deterioration. Of course, his light was exhaustible. That was why he gradually became weaker and weaker.

"Muriel's spouse is unharmed. I cut off his link to Muriel's trees and restored his health. He has done more than enough."

"Will he not meet Lord Muriel after his death?"

Octavian shook his head, "If a god died, their existence will be completely erased. Moreover, the elven king is not destined to die on his bed. He has one last duty to uphold."

Rye pressed his head to Octavian's shoulder. Octavian smiled and combed through his hair. He sat up, bringing Rye along with his movement.

"Not long, the demon race will invade along with their hoard of monsters led by an archdemon. They are already on their way," Octavian suddenly informed.

Rye wasn't surprised. The elven kingdom was the closest land to the demon territory. It could be said that it was already inside of it.

The only reason it could still stand was thanks to its barrier. Once it was gone, the demons would definitely flock to take it down.

"Are you worried?" Octavian asked, "do you wish to return?"

"It will be a lie if I said I am not worried…" Rye muttered.

"The fate of this battle as well as the war lies on you."

"?" Rye looked at Octavian in askance.

"As your twin brother said, the Supreme Hero has not lived up to his destined strength yet. Indeed, he is currently the strongest human. But that is not enough to save the world. He needs to be the strongest being under the sky."

"Win this battle and lose the war or suffer this battle and salvage the world…" Rye guessed what Octavian meant.

Octavian nodded, "The outcome of his fight with the demon lord will depend on whether or not he could defeat the archdemon leading this battle with his own hands."

Rye, "…"

"The current you do not require a heritage to take an archdemon's life," Octavian caressed Rye's cheek, "what will be your choice?"

Rye watched the troupes of twenty thousand demons and monsters marching towards the elven kingdom both through land and sky. Leading at the front was a titanic archdemon riding a chariot pulled by a massive three-headed dog.

"I…"