Chapter 236: Worry ; Resolve (1/2)

”You're not focused,” Tiamat's dubious voice reaches my ears.

Breaking out of my stupor, I focus on Tiamat who is currently in a defensive stance.

”Usually, you would stop at nothing to take advantage of me, yet you are being very 'lenient' today.”

Hearing her claim, a grin forms on my lips as I say, ”Are you asking of me to stop sparing you?”

”No,” she immediately responds, ”I just want to know what could have made something like you so absentminded.”

Something like me, huh? That's an odd way to call someone powerful.

Hold on, is Tiamat not aware?

”Tia, were you asleep for the whole day yesterday?”

”Not at all,” she responds, ”I was awake the whole time.”

”Even when I was returning from the underworld after talking to Venelana?”

”Naturally.”

”So, do you remember what occurred when I stepped through the gateway I created using Norse Magic?”

”Yes,” she responds with a doubtful expression, ”You appeared in your home.”

She really doesn't know? Great. Now, I am even more concerned about the matter with Dominion.

No matter what, it would be plain retarded to not take such a matter seriously. Heck, it managed to contact me despite most likely being in a Platform separated from the Rift by the Mete.

Even if the contact was short and harmless, it doesn't change the fact that Dominion pulled it off, located me, and contacted me without Tia even knowing what happened despite her being with the whole time.

As such, my mind just won't settle down about this matter.

I thought that I would be able to shake my worries off by spending some time in the Familiar Space early morning, but even that doesn't help.

At the moment, the most I can hope for is that Dominion's powers are limited and aren't as ridiculous as I expect them to be.

”Hey,” Tiamat calls out to me, interrupting my thoughts, ”I don't understand what's bothering you, but I know that you should deal with it as soon as you can.

”The more powerful you are, the more your troubles concern everyone around you.”

Tiamat's nostalgic tone suggests that she is giving me advice from experience. Nevertheless, what she said sounds rather logical.

An extreme example of this would be two beings capable of destroying planets battling against one another. Suppose one of them has a family of weaker beings living on a planet. The battle may very well end their existence even if the being himself wins the battle.

So, it would be better for me to settle the matter early while remaining cautious, lest I invite disaster upon myself.

”Thank you, Tia,” I say after resolving my thoughts.

”Stop that. You're making me uncomfortable,” Tia responds with narrowed eyes.

”Huh?”

”It's not like you to be nice, so stop that and go back to being your usual self.”

This busty dragon…

Letting out a small sigh, I straighten my posture before abruptly dashing toward her.

---

”We're done for today,” I say while glancing at the panting Rias.

”Finally,” she says before limply dropping on the ground.

Seeing her lying on the ground with her long red hair spread, I teasingly say, ”Such behavior doesn't befit you, princess.”

Probably knowing that I'm teasing her, Rias chuckles in between gasps before saying, ”Does that even matter now?”

As a response to her question, I shrug my shoulders before moving over and crouching by her side.

Then, I slide my right arm under her head before lifting her body off the ground and closing the distance between our faces.

Already used to this by now, Rias closes her eyes as our lips make contact.