Chapter 81: The Future

[Reward Calculation Complete.]

[Reward Granted.]

[Legendary Reward Granted: 4x Royal Mana Infusion — High-Grade.]

[Effect: Consuming the infusion releases a large amount of Mana comparable to that possessed by a B-Rank Awakener.]

Reinhard’s eyes immediately lit up.

Giving these to Emily, Lily, Maki, and Yuna so they could absorb the mana into their cells for the Immortal Emperor Body would be the best thing.

[Additional Reward Granted: 4x Body Remolder Water.]

[Effect: When mixed with ordinary water, the Body Remolder Water transforms it into a golden bath. Entering the bath causes the user’s body to be repeatedly broken down and reconstructed until the physical body reaches the level of an Awakener, even without Mana.]

This would definitely push their body without mana close to the D-rank awakener level.

[Additional Reward Granted: 4x High-Grade Mana Fusion Grapes.]

[Effect: Each grape contains highly concentrated Mana that can be absorbed directly into the body’s cells.]

[Additional Effect: A user trained in the Immortal Emperor Technique can store the Mana within their blood cells instead of forcing it into their Gnosis.]

With another batch of this their physical strength would climb again. And that wasn’t even considering what would happen once Emily’s Gnosis finally awakened.

Emily is going to become terrifying. Reinhard’s smile widened. An absolute monster. He glanced at his wife and nodded seriously. And she’ll still somehow be less handsome than me.

Emily tilted her head and looked at him suspiciously. "Is something wrong? You’ve been trembling and shaking for some reason."

Reinhard immediately leaned over and buried his face against the side of her neck, making her cheeks turn red. "I just can’t wait for you to reawaken your Gnosis," he said, wrapping his arms around her. "The world is going to become even more fun."

Emily’s lips twitched as she looked at him. "Are you planning to drag me into the trouble you cause?"

"Of course. Think of it as a package deal. You get your Gnosis back, and I get a partner in crime who can finally keep up."

"I was keeping up before you existed."

"And now you’ll be keeping up with style."

Emily laughed softly and pushed his face away.

...

The next twelve days passed quietly. There were no dangerous expeditions, no assassins, and no desperate battles. For once, Reinhard wasn’t racing against an enemy. He was simply watching his family grow.

The Royal Mana Infusions were divided between them, allowing each person to gradually absorb the tremendous mana without wasting it. The Body Remolder Water was used carefully as well, and although the process left them exhausted, their physical bodies became noticeably stronger afterward.

The High-Grade Mana Fusion Grapes became even more useful. Maki and Lily learned to circulate the mana through their blood rather than forcing everything into their Gnosis, and their bodies continued to strengthen. Yuna did the same, although her progress was naturally far greater because of her already powerful body.

Emily also joined them. She didn’t have an awakened Gnosis yet, but that didn’t stop her from training her body and mana control.

Meanwhile, Yuna continued working with Mana Sovereignty after receiving the Deep Enlightenment Crystal.

Her breakthrough had already changed her understanding of mana, and she could now establish a Mana Domain, extending her perception far beyond ordinary Mana Sense.

Inside that domain, she could communicate mentally, manipulate mana directly, and sense disturbances that had not yet become visible.

Her Domain Sense was especially frightening. It could warn her of danger before there was any obvious sign of an attack, allowing her to react to movements and trajectories she shouldn’t have been able to perceive. With Emily’s guidance, Yuna became better at controlling it instead of simply relying on its raw power.

Maki and Lily improved as well. Their understanding of Mana Sovereignty had reached the level Reinhard possessed when he first reached peak D-Rank, and the mana flowing through their bodies was already far beyond what most D-Rank Awakeners could handle.

Reinhard himself had spent much of those twelve days refining Mana Armor and Mana Flight and the result was a much smoother technique.

More importantly, the family spent most of their time together. They trained together. They ate together. They went outside together. Sometimes they simply sat around doing nothing.

Emily laughed more often. She started teasing Lily again. She listened to Maki’s quiet comments instead of withdrawing into herself, and even Yuna found herself joining conversations that would have been almost impossible for the family to have months ago.

The difference was obvious. The woman who once spent most of her time staring silently into the distance was now sitting at the table, laughing because Lily had somehow managed to ruin another meal.

Reinhard noticed it. And even the System pointed it out.

[Gnosis Recovery Investment Updated.]

[Restoration Compatibility: 85% → 90%.]

He didn’t say anything and simply smiled.

By the final day, the difference was even more obvious.

Emily, Maki, Yuna, and Lily had all developed physical bodies that reached the level of a D-Rank Awakener without relying on mana. Maki and Lily’s mana control had become highly refined, and their physical strength had already surpassed what Reinhard considered normal for their rank.

Yuna’s body was on an entirely different level, her physical foundation already at the peak of A-Rank.

The treatment resources were secured. The location was secured. His family was stronger. And Emily was finally ready.

...

That evening, Reinhard found Emily resting in her room. She looked tired. The past two weeks had been peaceful, but they had also been exhausting, and even with her body becoming stronger, there had been a lot of training, mana circulation, recovery, and preparation.

Emily lay down on the bed, and Reinhard quietly joined her. He moved closer until she naturally leaned against him, resting her head against his chest. For a while, neither of them spoke.

Then Emily looked up at him. "Tell me something."

"What?"

"About your adventures."

Reinhard smiled. "You mean the ones I haven’t told you about?"

"Most of them."

He thought for a moment before laughing. "There was the time I made several million credits because I needed money for your treatment."

Emily raised an eyebrow. "You made several million?"

"Of course."

"And then you spent most of it buying things for me?"

"Not most."

Emily looked at him.

Reinhard hesitated. "...A significant portion."

She giggled.

Reinhard frowned playfully. "I had to show them that there was nothing stopping me."

"You also enjoyed showing off."

"I enjoyed proving a point."

"You enjoyed showing off, with extra steps and a receipt."

"Those are very different things."

"They are the same thing wearing a nicer coat."

Reinhard huffed. "I refuse to dignify that with a counterargument, mostly because you’re right."

Emily laughed again and snuggled closer to him.

Their conversation continued naturally. Emily told him about the days when she had been practicing Mana Sovereignty and the Immortal Emperor Body while the family was preparing for her treatment.

Sometimes Maki had taken her to the park so she could walk around and get some fresh air, and she had even visited the park near their old apartment. That was where she had seen the little girl who had once greeted her.

"I remember that place," Reinhard said softly.

Emily nodded. "I didn’t think I’d ever go back."

"But you did."

"I did." She smiled. "It felt strange at first, but it wasn’t as painful as I thought it would be."

Reinhard gently ran his fingers through her hair, and Emily continued talking about the small things she had done during those days, and Reinhard listened without interrupting.

There was something different about the conversation. Months ago, Emily would have told him about what she had lost. Now she was telling him about what she had done. That difference meant more to him than any reward.

After a while, Emily grew quiet. She rested her head against his chest and closed her eyes.

"Reinhard?"

"Mm?"

"I’m scared."

He looked down at her.

Emily didn’t open her eyes. "I know."

She slowly wrapped her arms around him. "But I’m ready."

Reinhard held her a little tighter. "I know."

For a moment, they simply stayed there. Then Emily opened her eyes and smiled. "Tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow."

She nodded. "Okay."

...

The next day came, Reinhard stood with his family in the main room. Everyone was there. Maki. Lily. Yuna. Emily.

Reinhard looked at them for a moment before reaching into his Inventory, and the Mirror of Possibilities appeared in his hand. Its surface remained completely still.

This time, Reinhard didn’t want to see what might happen months from now. He only wanted one answer.

He looked at the Mirror and quietly said, "Show me the future if we begin Emily’s treatment."

The Mirror shimmered. The first image appeared.

Emily was lying inside the Gnosis Stabilization Chamber. The Mana Regulation Array was already active around her, sending controlled waves of mana through the chamber. The Soulbinding Crystals were positioned around her body, and Maki, Lily, Yuna, and Reinhard stood around the chamber, each prepared to support Emily.

Nothing immediately went wrong. The treatment had begun.

The image changed. The second future appeared.

Mana surged through the chamber. Emily’s body was surrounded by a brilliant current of energy as the treatment continued. Reinhard could see Maki and Lily struggling to remain standing. Yuna was exhausted. Even Reinhard looked worn down.

The equipment continued functioning. Emily was still conscious.

Then the Mirror changed again. The final future was vague. Reinhard could barely make out the details.

Emily was still inside the treatment chamber, surrounded by mana. The others were scattered across the floor around her. They were exhausted. But they were alive.

And Emily was smiling. Only faintly. But she was smiling.

The Mirror went dark.

Reinhard remained silent. He hadn’t realized he was holding his breath until he finally exhaled. They’re alive. He closed his eyes for a moment. I’m not sure if the treatment was a success. His fingers tightened around the Mirror. But it’s better than the other visions.

He opened his eyes again. That’s enough for now.

Emily looked at him. "What did you see?"

Reinhard turned toward her and smiled. "Nothing terrible."

Emily studied his face. "That’s not what I asked."

Reinhard reached over and took her hand. "I saw you smiling."

Emily’s expression softened, and she didn’t ask anything else.

A moment later, Reinhard’s communicator rang. Cassian’s voice came through. "Reinhard, we’re ready."

A familiar blue window appeared.

[Investment Opportunity Available.]

[Target: Emily Ashcroft.]

[Current Value: S.]

[Objective: Support Emily through the third stage of her Gnosis reconstruction.]

[Difficulty Grade: SS.]

[Success Probability: 0.0001%.]

Reinhard stared at the final number which was worse than the last two main treatments. But after reading the knowledge, he wasn’t surprised anymore.

It was expected but he still believes they will succeed.

Reinhard looked around the room. Everyone was prepared. Maki was standing beside Lily. Yuna was checking her equipment one last time. Emily stood beside Reinhard, calm and smiling.

He looked at his family, then gently squeezed Emily’s hand. "Alright," he said with a smile. "Let’s go."

Together, they left for Eclipse Headquarters.

Emily would finally receive her treatment.