"As a darkwind user, I will give you the name of Aphryne Norain Lyothoz Ezodious!" Clementine said, her voice carrying a regal weight. She looked towards the one who was, once, the Calamity: Galescourge Bearer!

Then she shifted her attention towards the former Infernal Blightflare Kalthara.

The lioness flinched, all of a sudden remembering how she was defeated by this woman so easily before all of this happened. The memory of her loss was like a bitter frost clinging to her newly awakened mind.

"And to you, I give the name—Auguszta Pride Ezodious! What do you think?"

Clementine glanced at Aezaleon, questioning him with a raised brow. "They are good names!" Aezaleon nodded in satisfaction. "What do you girls think? Do you also like the designations or not?"

He questioned, turning towards Aphryne and Auguszta.

"Aphryne Norain Lyothoz Ezodious~!"

"Auguszta Pride Ezodious~!"

They repeated the titles in a low, melodic murmur.

"I... I like my name, master Ezodious!.."

"Me too!.."

Aezaleon narrowed his eyes all of a sudden. An action that caught Aphryne and Auguszta off guard. "Why do you call me as Master Ezodious? Aezaleon is fine, you know. So address me by my name from now on."

He spoke in a firm, commanding tone.

"But..."

"No buts, Aphryne!"

Aezaleon Interrupted, smiling. "Both of you understand my words, correct! I don’t want to hear a no for an answer!" He looked at them one by one, repeating, "Correct!" His tone was gentle but also forceful. His words were like velvet-wrapped steel, leaving no room for dissent.

"We.. We do!" They lowered their heads, nodding, albeit reluctantly.

His lips arched, finding their actions a bit too adorable. "Now, to the main task at hand." Nonetheless, it only took him a moment to steady his mind, his gaze becoming composed.

Now, he wanted to form the oath with them. However, the problem was, he was only capable of initiating the covenant with the dead souls—perhaps with the living too, but he was not sure.

There were spiritual entities too, consciousness fragments (Will)—entities like Clementine, elemental spirits, or any dead existence that possesses or once possessed a soul.

But the two girls were none of them.

Also, knowledge was vastly different from experience, so he wasn’t going to see if what he had comprehended about his ability was actually correct or not by testing it on them.

In simple words, they had to essentially die and give him their souls for his sub-ability—<Eternal Oath Genesis>—of his ability effect four to activate!

Moreover, he couldn’t simply ask them—Aphryne and Auguszta, who had just gained some meaning to their lives—to die. Now, could he!?

Even though they trusted him, had faith in him, and had already accepted him as their master, nonetheless, that still wasn’t enough for them to give up on their lives just because he said so. Asking for their lives was like asking a flickering candle to extinguish itself just as the darkness began to fade.

After all, Aezaleon had no authority over them even with him being the origin of the family, because all three of their blood was of the same rank and tier: Pureblood.

So, he couldn’t force them either, and even if he could, he probably wouldn’t have done that either.

Fighting them wasn’t even a question. Even with Auguszta and his current condition put aside, Aezaleon did not think that he was capable of defeating the current Aphryne, when he struggled against her previous savage form so much.

Clementine wasn’t even an option, because everything aside, Aezaleon didn’t want to start their relationship on bad terms and forcefulness.

After all, they would become connected to his soul and consciousness forever, and he wanted them to become his strength, not his weaknesses.

Even though they would never betray him considering the [Loyalty Absolute Edict], but they never have to betray him to kill him or harm him. Additionally, the edict also meant that he couldn’t force them to obey his commands too, just as he couldn’t do so with Clementine.

Not because she was too powerful, but because the oath was never forceful towards the companions after it was established.

He could only be forceful when he was establishing the oath, but evidently, it was not recommended, for obvious reasons of course. Clementine was a unique case and not everyone would be like her. Where if his biggest strength were his companions, then they were also his biggest weaknesses too.

They had their own freedom.

They had their own thoughts. They made their own independent choices and decisions. One not influenced by him nor for him. They developed completely separately from the master! They were like individual stars in a constellation, bound by the same gravity yet burning with their own distinct fire.

All so they could become his strength and were never bounded by his own weaknesses. All so they could help him become even stronger!

A good example was again Clementine herself. How far stronger of a companion she was when compared to the master! Most often than not, it appeared laughable to see such disparity between the two.

"Are you done with your internal monologue, or do you need more time to contemplate?" a flat voice echoed from beside him. "Since the two girls here—Aphryne and Auguszta—are ready to form the oath with you!"

Aezaleon blinked, completely speechless, even dumbfounded. He focused his attention on Clementine, who merely smirked on seeing his expected response. Still, she pointed towards the two calamities; he followed her direction and again focused on them, his gaze full of question marks.

"If our death is the condition we must fulfill to get closer to you, then I’m ready whenever you are, Aezaleon," Aphryne voiced with a serene, unwavering gaze.

"Indeed. I have full trust in you, master. And am ready to die for you," Auguszta commented with a sincere expression. "I’ll do anything you ask of me, even if that request brings me my own demise."

"Have you told them everything?!" Aezaleon glanced at Clementine. ’When?!’

"That doesn’t matter," she said, waving her hand dismissively. "I have already informed them that to form the oath, they must die first and give you their souls." She glanced at them.

"In fact, they have accepted everything with quite a surprisingly unexpected attitude. I guess the value you have in their eyes must go beyond the value of their own lives for them to make such a decision so soon after gaining sentience. I’m surprised; truly, they are different~!"

She smiled, her eyes glimmering with a strange light.

Aezaleon looked towards the two girls, who suddenly became embarrassed out of nowhere and looked away, not daring to match his gaze. He became amused.

His lips curled, certainly finding them quite charming and cute, which was only amplified when he gazed at their current nakedness. It was such a tempting sight, making his impulsive thoughts take over him, as he imagined doing all sorts of things to those firm, toned, and plump bodies.

His eyes turned dark with an avaricious desire.

’Do I already want to mate with them?! I do find their current forms quite alluring and delicious. Must be because they have my blood now; they are like my daughters.. or maybe sisters... What should I call them? I do know the familial structure of the outside. The correct word would be my wives, my women, and me as their man, husband. As Clementine likes to call me.’

SMACK!

Abruptly, a strong smack was delivered to the back of his head, subsequently with the voice of an irritated woman coming from right next to him.

"Do not gawk at them like a fool," Clementine said, her tone sharp with annoyance. He was so rude. Mannerless.

"You would have all the time to do whatever you want later. For now, at least make them yours first before getting lost in your useless mind."

She certainly was not amused by his useless thoughts...