Many times, Noah had wondered what he would have become if he hadn't met his wives and learned who they truly were.

And many times, he had believed that he simply wouldn't have been strong enough, that he would have remained a simple man unworthy of owning a whole world under his name.

And that would be true.

But also… that would be wrong.

At that time, on the top of Mount Everest, Noah realized he had far too deeply underestimated the influence his wives had on him.

He couldn't believe he was shaking like a man trapped in the depths of Antarctica, afraid of their judgment and abandonment once they discovered who he truly was.

He couldn't believe he had let his blood spill…blood capable of birthing beings that could destroy this world a billion times over with a single disdainful snort.

He couldn't believe he was crying like a homeless, parentless child while being embraced by his wives from all sides, their whispers of love and concern echoing deep inside his mind.

Honestly, he had never thought this deeply about his relationship with his wives. But now he knew that what they had given him was not merely the power to be an anomaly to the very concept of reality…

No.

His wives had given him purpose. His wives had given him meaning. His wives had given him the courage and the boldness to be Noah Vaelgrim.

They had made him. And each of them was a part of him in the same way DNA formed the foundation of a being's existence.

He remembered now why he had created the race of Elysiari in the first place…it was to create a safe haven for his family. To give them the ability to grow with him, so they could stand beside him, shoulder to shoulder, when he reached the very ceiling of existence.

He didn't need followers.

He had enough of those already in Laeh, and soon on Earth, and across the entire universe.

What he needed were companions.

What he needed were beings who would stand beside him when nothing else in existence could threaten them.

And tell me…have you ever seen a better companion for a man striving to ascend, to improve, to climb higher, than a good woman willing to take his hand and show him she believes in him?

Noah had several of those women.

So, at the end of the day…

Noah was made of love.

He was a being of love, and had been, ever since he was Brandon.

His mother, Maryam, had accepted his birth for the love of a child she hadn't even wanted to have. She gave him everything to grow healthy, all because of that love.

In Laeh, as Noah, he received the heavy and obsessive love of Selene Weaverheart, his mother, and it made him bolder in his dealings.

After all, who dared touch the spoiled boy of the Witch of Cold?

And continuing from there, slowly and steadily, women began to love him, and with each love, he grew stronger, and with each love, he became more complete.

Noah smiled, his tears still falling as realization finally dawned upon him. He didn't say any grand words, nor even a profound quote at that moment.

He simply hugged his mother Selene tighter, and embraced his other wives with his power, so deeply that it looked as if all of them were fusing together.

He parted his lips and whispered the words all of them had heard from him countless times.

And yet, at that moment…

"I love you, my ladies."

…those words felt impossibly heavy.

They could feel it deep inside them, that this time, the words came from the very core of his soul, and that he had never spoken anything more honest to his heart than this.

They smiled contentedly, faces smeared with tears and even snot as they snuggled closer together, seeking each other's warmth.

But soon…

"You're too close to me, Yuki. Move," Elizabeth snarled softly, glaring at her.

"I'm trying to be close to Noah, not to you. You should move elsewhere," Yuki retorted.

That was only the beginning, as the girls started to squirm and curse at each other for blocking their chance to scent Noah's warmth.

Noah only smiled… until he heard a distinct click. His expression froze as if carved in ice. He slowly raised his head, and there it was, the gloating face of Luminara in her cat form, holding a camera, grinning at him as if she had just caught him red-handed.

"I got you, little crybaby," she teased, her feline face insufferably cute.

Noah's face stayed frozen in confusion, then dread crawled up it, before annoyance and indignation pulsed through his blood. He immediately tried to get up and catch Luminara…

Only to not move a single centimeter.

He froze.

He slowly lowered his head and saw his mother Selene's tear-streaked face, her expression still wet with emotion but now carrying a playful light.

"You made your mother and all of us cry. And you hid this secret for so long… you can at least allow us this right, can't you?"

Her voice was too sweet, too pitiful, her face an act of innocent guilt. The girls mirrored her completely, whining in unison while laughing inwardly at Noah's plight.

The man stood there, arm reaching toward Luminara in useless agony. He clenched his jaw, imagining the embarrassing face he must have made, and looked at all of them.

"If you dare show that picture," he said darkly, "I'll show what I've got in my collection. I assure you, you wouldn't love that."

Instantly, they fell silent.

Then…

"I knew it…"

"Damn it! I told you, Ester, but you didn't believe me."

"What the?? Why are you blaming me now!?"

Noah grinned, his back and face slowly healing. His spilled blood began to flow back into his body, and then…

CLICK—!

He snapped his fingers, and the entire timeline of Earth reversed, stopping right before the moment Noah confessed.

Only the Vaelgrims, and three other beings who were already growing annoyed with Noah's antics, were allowed to remember everything.

Selene smiled softly.

"Seems we need to talk."

…

"Now, who dared to dump you?" Selene asked softly, with Noah's head resting on her lap. She smiled peacefully, her fingers gliding through his soft, foreign black hair, inwardly surprised by how quickly she had accepted Noah as both her son and the man she loved.

Not only her, all of them were surprised by how easily they had accepted the fact that Noah was simply an earthling who had reincarnated and transmigrated into their world.

But it wasn't only that. Some of them were wondering since when they had come to love this man so deeply.

Justicia asked herself the same question… how could she love so profoundly the man who had killed her past lover?

Christelle too, questioned whether she was sane to love the murderer of her son.

A love so deep she would die for him without hesitation.

There was no manipulation. No brainwashing. It was pure, unfiltered love for a man who had done cruel things to them…things they once thought they could never forgive.

Was that love?

No.

It was far beyond that concept. But that was the thing, if what they felt toward Noah, and what Noah felt toward them, was no longer love…

…then what was it?

All of them wondered, but their thoughts were interrupted when Noah finally answered his mother.

"Well, Mother, you've heard my stories," he said, voice calm, "and you've seen this world, so you can probably guess it wasn't surprising that she left me."

He shrugged lightly.

"I was poor. And no matter how fantastic love sounds, it's not what puts food on your table, or clothes to warm you in winter, or vacations to ease your mind when life throws its tantrums."

The women nodded in understanding, agreeing with him. And yet…

"Still," Elizabeth started, caressing Noah's cheek lovingly, "I don't like the fact she dumped you."

"It was before I became who I am now," Noah replied with a small teasing smile. "Do you really think you'd have stayed with me when I was just the poor, dreamless Brandon?"

"I would!" all of them said in unison, completely confident.

Noah only smiled. It wasn't that he didn't believe them, but it was always easy to say such things when you'd never lived that moment.

Still, hearing them say it warmed his heart.

"Did you already meet her?" Anya asked next, tilting her head.

Lilith chuckled. "Why? Do you want to make her head a football for what she did?"

Anya smirked. "You know me too well, Lilith."

The others rolled their eyes. Red cackled, giving Anya an earthshaking tap on the back that made the latter glare at her with the promise of vengeance.

"I met her," Noah said, nodding. "I made peace with her too. And also…"

He raised his hand, and two pictures appeared between his fingers.

A soft smile curved his lips. "She seems really sorry for what she did. She even went as far as visiting my mother's grave in Morocco, even though she still lives in Paris."

The women raised their eyebrows, then murmured in acknowledgment of her effort. Yet as Noah spoke, their eyes drifted teasingly toward Selene's twitching expression.

She was clearly struggling to maintain her calm, motherly smile.

Elira grinned. "I guess I'm the only one without any rival now. I'm his only master." She laughed openly. "Now even you, Selene, have a rival. Another mother."

She snickered shamelessly.

Selene's composure cracked. She grabbed Noah's hair a bit too tightly, making him wince.

"M-Mother, maybe you should… loosen your grip a little?" he said awkwardly.

Selene only looked down at him, her smile strained but eerily calm, before she spoke, her tone too soft to be safe.

"Maybe we should make some things clear, don't you think…"

Her blue eyes shifting into something cold and lifeless.

"…my son?"

'Goddamn it!!'

—End of Chapter 372—

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