The Last Paragon in the Apocalypse

When they got back to the Third Finger Royal Hotel, Klaus and his friends didn't go to sleep right away. Instead, they sat together, talking about the Trial that awaited them the next day. After a while, they all retired to their rooms. As usual, Klaus didn't head to bed. Instead, he entered his soul sea and began studying the Pentaface Bead.

'Klaus, are you there?' A voice suddenly echoed in his mind, pulling him from his focus. Klaus immediately exited his soul sea with a smile.

'Yes, my love, I'm here,' Klaus replied in his thoughts. He smiled because Lucy was using the connection they shared to speak to him. After their recent time together, something special had happened between them—a bond formed during their intimate moments.

At first, Klaus thought there might be a limit to how far they could communicate. But when Lucy went back home, she could still reach him, no matter the distance. This made her incredibly happy. On her way back to the academy, she kept testing the bond to make sure it was still working.

Her joy was unmatched when she realized she could even reach Klaus while in the academy. Since she wasn't an Inner Disciple yet, she couldn't use the communication devices there. Before Klaus attempted Assassination when she went back to the academy, she missed him greatly.

So now that she had a way to reach him, she felt like she was on top of the world. Sharing a mental link with your boyfriend, which lady wouldn't want that?

The day after Lucy returned to the academy, she entered seclusion, preparing for her Stairway to Heaven test. She promised Klaus she'd reach out to him once she passed. So, the fact she was contacting him now meant only one thing—she had become an Inner Disciple.

"Klaus, I passed! I passed! I'm now an Inner Disciple!" Lucy's voice rang with excitement in Klaus's mind.

A smile tugged at Klaus's lips as he leaned back, closing his eyes. He could feel her joy through the connection, and it warmed his heart.

"Of course, you did. I never doubted you for a second," Klaus replied, his tone filled with pride. From the little he knew from Lucy, he knew for a fact she was a genius, so he was happy for her.

"Thank you," Lucy said suddenly, her voice soft but full of meaning.

"There's no need to thank me. It was all your effort," Klaus replied.

"No, I mean it. Thank you," Lucy insisted. "I don't know what you did, but after our... you know, I started getting stronger. At first, I didn't understand what was happening, but now I do. Klaus, I don't know what that star tattoo is, but it's making me stronger—like, really strong."

"Even my Master is shocked by what happened today," Lucy added.

"What happened?" Klaus asked, his curiosity piqued.

"I walked through the test like it was nothing. There was some resistance, sure, but I didn't even sweat," Lucy said, her voice swelling with pride. The stairway to heaven is like the most difficult obstacle every outer disciple would have to face before becoming an inner disciple.

So to hear she just walked through it, that sounded wild, however, Klaus wasn't shocked, not even in the slightest.

Klaus chuckled. "Well, looks like I didn't sweat for nothing."

"You... you knew all along?" Lucy asked, suddenly suspicious.

"I suspected, but I wasn't sure. It's clear now though—the star is more than just for telepathic communication."

"Klaus, what is happening to me?" Lucy's tone shifted, a slight panic creeping in.

"Hey, my love, there's nothing to worry about. I don't know exactly what this is either, but I'm sure of one thing—you're not in any danger. If anything, you should be happy. You're just going to keep getting stronger." Klaus felt certain his star qi was affecting her in ways even he didn't fully grasp.

"Klaus..." Lucy's voice trailed off.

"What?" Klaus teased, grinning. "Want me to come over and make sure you're still strong?"

Lucy, now sitting in her lush room, flushed red. Somehow, the white-haired bastard had managed to make her blush from thousands of miles away.

"You're my woman now, Lucy. No need to overthink everything," Klaus said with a grin. "This is good—at least I won't have to worry about you being left in the dust. And hey, if you need a little boost, you can always come for a refuel," he joked again, knowing full well she was blushing on the other end, even though he couldn't see her.

His meaning was obvious. If being intimate with her made her stronger, he had no complaints. Any man worth his salt wouldn't pass up something that beneficial.

"Klaus, you're not cheating on me and Sister Ohema with other women, are you?" Lucy asked, trying to steer the conversation away from his teasing. But it wasn't that simple.

"As a matter of fact, I've got two damsels in my bed right now," Klaus said, playing along.

"You..." Lucy stammered, unsure how to respond.

"What? Aren't you the one pushing me to go after your sister?" Klaus teased, his tone mocking. Lucy didn't say anything, but he could sense her smiling on the other end, even though they weren't face to face.

"Just don't hurt her," Lucy said, clearly pleased by the banter.

'What kind of weird sister is this?' Klaus thought to himself. 'She seriously wants me to bed her sister?' It was bizarre how happy she sounded when he joked about it. Of course, she knew he was lying, but still—it was strange.

"Lucy, you're not having any weird fantasies, are you?" Klaus asked, amused. "Tell me, Big Daddy Klaus will make them happen."

"You pervert! What are you thinking?" Lucy's face flushed red as she blushed hard, but Klaus's laughter only grew.

Lucy huffed, trying to hide her embarrassment, but the connection between them made it impossible. Klaus could feel her flustered emotions, which only fueled his amusement.

"Come on, love. Don't be shy. I'm just making sure you're not imagining things you shouldn't be," Klaus teased, his voice full of playful mischief.

"You're impossible!" Lucy muttered, but there was a lightness to her tone that let him know she was enjoying the back-and-forth. "You always know how to turn everything into a joke."

"Well, someone has to keep things interesting," Klaus said, grinning to himself. "Besides, it's my job to keep you entertained. I can't have you getting bored of me now, can I?"

"Like I could ever get bored of you," Lucy replied softly, a hint of warmth slipping into her voice. "Even when you're being insufferable, I still... I still love you, you know?"

Klaus's teasing tone softened as he heard the sincerity in her words. "I know, Lucy. I love you too." He meant it, every word.

There was a brief pause before Lucy spoke again. "So, what are you going to do tomorrow? The Trial is coming up, right?"

"Yeah, it is," Klaus replied. "But don't worry, it's nothing I can't handle. I've been through worse, remember? You just focus on settling in as an Inner Disciple. The academy isn't going to know what hit them once you start showing your strength."

"I will also contact Sister Ohema and let her know I am now an Inner Disciple, also tell Anna and the others. I will contact you tomorrow, the usual time" Lucy's voice cut off from Klaus's mind. He smiled and then went to the fridge for water.

He went back to the bed and was about to sit when he suddenly stopped for a split second. With a smile, he jumped into bed lying face down.