Erik looked down at Anne’s surprisingly lively, light-green eyes with a curiously cocked eyebrow. He genuinely hadn’t expected a request like that, nor had he expected Anne to behave like this.
This was neither the angry Anne he’d met first, nor the withdrawn Anne she became in his service. This was a far more lively, playful, and even seductive Anne. But... he realised this Anne was actually closest to the one he’d seen in the memories of her youth, before hunters killed her parents.
This realisation made him smile. He softly caressed this lean Norse beauty’s platinum blond hair and nodded indulgently, also glancing at a curious Nora. "Alright, Anne... I think the two of you have earned that right."
As his two cute servants instantly became excited, an amused Erik turned to his bond with Elora. "I’m sure my beloved Empress would be willing to help me with this, right?"
Elora rolled her eyes at his shamelessness, but then shrugged indifferently. "Sure. I can alter the Bond of Service a little so that it has a physical representation on your body, like the bond with me and my sisters, and the collar of runes on the servants. Where do you want them?"
Erik already had an idea for this and quickly told her, then continued with something else. "Also, don’t include Seraphina and Nobuntu. This should be something special for those who have really proven themselves."
"Hmpf, of course," Elora scoffed. "I’d have complained if you wanted those two on there as well."
Erik smiled at her response and released Anne. He felt something tingle on his two index fingers and extended his hands towards the girls. "Here you go, girls. As a reward for your devotion, I’ll carry your names on my fingers for as long as the Bond of Service remains in place. You two will be like my fingers, but ones I can extend as far as necessary."
Both of their eyes widened in surprise. They quickly rushed his hands, and both grabbed one. After just a moment of inspection, they found small bands of runic characters, just below the nails on his index fingers. The one on his left read ’Anne Skogen’, and the one on his right read ’Nora Solberg’.
They both blinked, and their faces lit up with delight. "I had no idea you even knew our last names, Master," Anne chuckled a little strangely. It felt weird that he might not have known, considering everything that happened, but she was glad he did. To her, it was a reminder of the family she’d lost—something that was easier to think about now, though she wasn’t sure why.
"Of course he did," Nora grinned widely as she inspected her name. "He is our divine Master, and we should always assume he knows everything about us."
"Right," Anne nodded with no hesitation, causing Erik to smirk a little wryly. Yet, he didn’t correct her or even dwell on it for long. He was no longer willing to worry about this.
Suddenly, Anne looked up at him with a smile. "I love the symbolism, Master. Nora and I will happily be your fingers."
Unsurprisingly, the other Norse bombshell agreed readily.
"Alright, girls," Erik chuckled as he pulled his hands back. "I’m glad you like your reward, but I really need to go now. Remember to clean up and move out quickly, alright?"
He gave them both a deep, possessive kiss and turned around. Before leaving, he swiped the two devices he’d used to torment his cute servants, and tossed them in his dimension.
Yet, before he could leave, Nora stopped him.
"Wait! Master?" she asked coyly, a sheepish, yet mischievous grin on her lips. "Would you mind... leaving those two trials of devotion?"
Glancing behind him, Erik cocked an eyebrow. Ignoring the pompous name she gave to what were essentially sexual torture devices, he naturally knew what she was talking about. "Oh?" he wondered curiously. "Recreational purposes?"
"Hehehe. No, Master," she chuckled with a strange excitement, her blue eyes twinkling. "I had something else in mind..."
***
A few minutes later, Erik left the makeshift church. Stretching his half-naked, powerful body with a soft groan, he greeted the chilly night air.
"Can I just say," Elora giggled gleefully through their bond, "I absolutely love the direction Nora is taking this religion in?"
Rolling his eyes, Erik chuckled. "Of course you would, my beloved pervert."
"Hah!" Elora barked an amused laugh. "Don’t pretend you’re not just as bad as I by now! You’re no longer that innocent little kid from eight years ago! You love what she’s doing, you love what you did to them, and you’re excited for what she brings you in the future!"
Sighing, Erik looked up at the sky... as a small grin spread across his lips. "Maybe so..."
He stayed still for a moment as he thought about how much he’d changed, not only in the last eight years, but in the last year as well.
The ember of revenge still blazed in his soul, but his mother’s survival and rescue, as well as the defeat Edda suffered during the battle, had tempered it a little. He’d kill Edda eventually, and that was good enough for him right now.
On the other hand, his moral compass had gotten a little murkier in this time as well. Perhaps that was the price of power and desire...
"Well, anyway..." he muttered, shaking his head after a moment of silence. He wasn’t particularly concerned. So long as he didn’t turn into a bad husband, son, or father, he really didn’t care too much about moral minutia.
Just as he was about to turn in the direction of the palace to head back and get some rest, he suddenly noticed a flashing light. Yet, this light was located deeper into the uninhabited section of Enkare Nkai.
He frowned. ’Enkai and the others should be long gone, and it’s too early for anyone to come looking for the church,’ he reasoned thoughtfully. ’Did one of the Enkarians wander this way? But haven’t they pretty much scavenged and explored the entire city by now? Why would anyone come to this abandoned section now?’
He lingered for a moment as he weighed his options. He really wanted to ignore this and assume it was just some kids having fun. ’It should be safe, or nothing important, but...’
Eventually, he sighed and turned in that direction as a kind of responsibility filled him. ’I guess I am the Emperor, now... We’re pretty much at war with the entire continent, as well as the hunters. There should be no way for even third-rankers to scale these walls, but... I should probably check it out.’
So, part lazily reluctant, part determined from a sense of responsibility, he confidently stalked towards the flashing light...