Reincarnated With A Glitched System: Why Is My MP Not Running Out?

Chapter 2030: A Heartwarming Ant Family

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"Oho?" I looked at Armageddon. "Is that so? Really? Really? Wow! She sure is a good mother!"

"Eugh! E-Enough! What are you even trying to accomplish with this?!" Armageddon hissed at me. "Festerliel, sit down already."

"Ok~!" Festerliel ran toward her seat.

We were left staring at each other in an awkward silence for a moment.

"I thought you were ruthless and that bonds were unnecessary?"

"W-What?! I never... well..." she groaned. "I am simply adapting! If even the gods build bonds with stupid little mortals to expand their power, then I am trying the same. I feel nothing, of course! This is all coldly calculated for my long-term benefit! With just a thought, I can easily slaughter them all if I want!"

"Hahaha, suuuure," I said. "That’s why you let her snuggle with you at night?"

"S-Shut up!" she cried angrily.

I suspected it was because of our bond. As master and familiar, part of my memories and emotions flowed into her, and vice versa.

Perhaps that was also why I had become more mature and decisive lately. Familiars and masters influenced each other, after all.

Contact with an intelligent being would eventually make the other smarter, but the opposite could happen too if one was foolish.

It was a bond of souls, after all.

Still, there was more to it. As my mother had said, this Armageddon was not the original. She was a recreation formed from my own soul.

My soul had consumed hers, digested it, absorbed her powers, and sealed her memories.

Then I had simply cut out that soul fragment carrying her memories and divinity and placed it back into her original body.

That was how she had been "reborn."

As something akin to my own soul fragment, she would naturally develop more human-like emotions over time as her memories blended with her new soul.

It was fascinating how hard she tried to deny her growing caring nature, perhaps even kindness.

Huh. I could understand now why my master had enjoyed analyzing her so much. She truly was a very interesting being.

"Anyway, heh! The food’s done! Boys, girls, get ready!"

"OOOHHHH!"

Her children cheered loudly as I hurried to serve them. Divine Spirit servants, different from her own children who had been born from her eggs and possessed both spirit energy and flesh and blood, helped me bring out the dishes.

The seafood was something they had never tasted before. They were immediately fascinated, devouring the new flavors with eager surprise and celebrating as they clicked their mandibles cutely.

"Hmm! This is so good, Mother!"

"Incredible food!"

"Wow, amazing, amazing!"

"Incredible, I can’t get enough!"

"Mommy, this is the best!"

"Thank you dearly, Auntie."

"Hmm! Good! So good! Bwahahaha!"

"Stop laughing so much, you idiot! You’re spitting everywhere!"

"Give me that, it’s mine!"

Wow, it was certainly a lively family. Every ant had their own distinct personality, and they constantly clashed with one another.

I could see why Armageddon always seemed so stressed. She was raising them all by herself.

Yet this also proved they were not the same as before. They had been raised well and lacked the wicked personalities of the past.

Despite what she claimed, she was raising them with genuine kindness.

After half an hour, everyone had nearly finished eating.

Armageddon had eaten a lot as well. She ate in silence but very quickly, clearly savoring every bite.

"Hmph... it was... a fine meal," she said with a sigh.

"Is that so? Well, I’m glad," I replied, patting her hand. "Are you feeling better now?"

"Ugh, I am not a child for you to worry about!" she snapped angrily.

"I am not treating you like a child. You were crying a lot earlier, so I was worried," I said.

"..."

She fell silent and stared at the floor for a moment.

I guessed she was not going to say anything more, and that was fine too.

I was simply happy if she was alright.

Despite everything, she was my dear familiar, and I wanted her to smile.

"Thank... you..."

"Huh?"

I looked back at her in disbelief, my eyes wide.

"W-What?"

"What?!"

"What did you say?"

"Ugh..."

"You said thank you?!"

I was shocked, my mouth hanging open in disbelief.

No way she had actually said thank you, right?

No way!

Or... had she?

"I did..." she sighed, looking at me with meaningful eyes. "Thank you for protecting me and standing up for me... ugh... that crazy woman...! I hate her! Don’t let her enter my realm ever again, okay?!"

"Fine, I’ll try," I nodded. "Well, I’m glad you’re feeling better. I was really scared..."

"Scared?" she asked.

"That you would go through something awful again... after everything you’ve endured in your long life... I didn’t want that to happen again," I said, smiling gently at her.

"A-Ah..." Her eyes widened as her exoskeleton turned a deeper red than usual, steam rising from her body. "U-ugh... stupid human...! Y-you’re such a stupid human!"

"What?! What did I do?" I asked, confused. "Hey, are you okay? I don’t really understand how your species works, but..."

Suddenly, she wrapped her arms around me and pulled me close, hugging me tightly.

Then she kissed my face, licking me with her giant tongue.

"Uwah?!"

"Stupid master! Stupid! Promise me that you will never leave me...! Unlike them, promise me that you will never abandon me... promise me!" she demanded angrily.

"A-Armageddon..." I felt deeply moved by her words. She was finally opening up, and she had even kissed me.

"I promise," I nodded, hugging her back. "Mooch." I kissed her gently between her two big jewel-like eyes. "You’re cute when you open up your heart!"

"Euugh..." She clenched her mandibles in embarrassment. "Now you’re mine, you heard me?! Mine and only mine!" she declared, hugging me tightly with zealous possessiveness.

"A-Are you claiming me as your property?!" I gasped. "Hey, I have Aquarina, you know... And... uh, you’re my familiar... it’s the other way around. You are mine."

"A-Ahh... Is that so?" She seemed even more embarrassed. "I see... Um... Ahem! W-well..."

She quickly brought her large mandibles close and kissed my head a second time.

"Then... if you promise that... I will be yours."

"Woah, isn’t this going too fast, girl?"

"Eugh!"

She suddenly threw me away. I crashed hard into the wall.

CRAAASH!

"Ouch! Hey, you’re so mean!"

I stood up and looked at her. She stared back with a strange mix of anger, embarrassment, and perhaps fondness.

"Stupid master! Stupid! Go away already!"

"Aw, but affection from you is so rare! Give your master another kissie!" I said, walking toward her again.

"L-Leave me alone alreadyyyyy!" she cried. "Ugh, you’re as weird as your master!"

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