After a simple bath, Bella helped Aphrodite change into a linen-colored dress.
At first, Aphrodite felt a bit resistant.
Although Aphrodite hadn’t worn a dress with this body before, personally experiencing the process like this was definitely a first.
Previously, whenever she switched over to this side, Aphrodite would notify Bella in advance, so every time she arrived, the clothes were already worn.
Plus, before, Aphrodite had only treated this body as a temporary vessel.
Even when wearing dresses or similar clothes, she would comfort herself with thoughts like “Just occasionally wearing it” or “Since Bella wants me to wear it, I might as well indulge her a little.”
However, once she confirmed she would be using this body permanently, her mindset shifted.
At the same time, while changing clothes, Aphrodite briefly inquired about recent events and asked what time it was.
Upon learning that several days had passed since the body was detonated, Aphrodite was slightly shaken.
Because, in all previous experiments, the exchange between the two bodies had been almost seamless with no time lag; basically, the consciousness on one side would just fall asleep, and the next second it would awaken on the other side.
This time, it had taken several days—as if the soul had drifted through the void on a long journey before finally finding its way home.
This alone indicated that detonating the original body had caused considerable damage to the soul, even nearly leading to total loss.
However, Aphrodite had no intention of telling Bella about destroying the other body with her own hands—for now.
She knew Bella’s personality too well.
If Bella learned something like that happened, she might impulsively do something irreparable.
With the situation unclear and herself fragile, it was best not to stir up trouble.
Still, since Aphrodite returned without warning and with such a long gap, Bella inevitably had some doubts.
Fortunately, Bella was always easy to coax.
Aphrodite merely showed a hint of fatigue, then casually used excuses like “There’s a new mission on that side” or “This time I might stay here a bit longer,” successfully brushing off Bella’s suspicions.
Seeing Bella’s eyes instantly brighten with joy at the thought of “being able to stay longer,” Aphrodite’s guilt quietly deepened.
Afterward, citing the need to calmly think over mission details, Aphrodite chose to retreat alone to the courtyard.
As for Bella, she initially wanted to follow, saying how long it had been since the master returned here and that she wanted to spend more time together.
If it had been before, Aphrodite certainly wouldn’t have refused.
After all, the times she used this “Aphrodite” body were few.
Every time she returned, Bella’s almost overflowing anticipation and joy would stir a bit of guilt in her heart.
Leaving Bella alone for long stretches in this secluded place, day after day watching over a silent, motionless body, weighed heavily on Aphrodite’s conscience.
So, in the past, every time she came back, she tried to fulfill Bella’s not-too-excessive requests as a clumsy form of compensation.
Sometimes it was accompanying her for a walk nearby, listening to her chatter about trivial matters during her absence; sometimes it was buying some Market Trinkets she liked; and occasionally, helping with some “not-so-small” troubles she encountered.
Like clearing out monsters from a certain area or stepping in during some situation.
Though Aphrodite still didn’t quite understand why Bella insisted on these seemingly trivial tasks—it didn’t look like it was just about solving problems…
But, whatever, as long as it made Bella happy, it didn’t matter.
Back when Aphrodite found Bella alone on the Battlefield, she had already made up her mind—she would protect Bella from all this horrible mess and let her live a safe, peaceful life.
And after all this time together, Aphrodite had come to see Bella as a daughter.
But now the situation was different.
From now on, she’d most likely be trapped in this body permanently.
They’d have plenty of time together, so this one moment didn’t matter.
Besides, to be honest…
Since returning this time, Aphrodite had felt that Bella was acting strangely.
Or rather, she had noticed some changes in Bella even earlier.
Back then, Aphrodite had simply attributed those small changes to Bella growing up and entering the so-called “adolescence,” without investigating further.
But this time, it seemed different.
When Aphrodite first came back, Bella’s reaction was off.
She looked as if she had done something shameful.
At that time, though, Aphrodite had just switched back and was still dizzy and torn between souls, with vision pitch black.
Combined with the Bathhouse’s relaxing yet confusing environment, she naturally overlooked this oddness.
Now, thinking back carefully, that strangeness resurfaced.
But all this was somewhat understandable.
After all, she had suddenly switched while Bella was helping wash the body.
Such an experience was unprecedented for both Bella and Aphrodite.
Bella’s overreaction was somewhat justified.
“Hopefully, it’s just my imagination,” Aphrodite muttered softly, trying to convince herself.
She looked up toward the blurry Moon, faintly seeing a vast misty white halo surrounded by dim patches of Starshine.
Her eyes were much better than just after switching—they could now vaguely perceive light and dark and general color blocks.
If all went well, her vision would fully recover soon.
That was probably the only piece of good news so far.
But compared to her vision improving, there was something more urgent to confirm.
Aphrodite slowly raised her hand, palm up, attempting to condense the power originally engraved deep within her soul.
Softly, she recited the Pyre Incantation:
“Void Pyre (Magic Flame).”
The expected dark and blazing flame did not appear, nor did it obediently burn in her palm.
She could only vaguely sense that a faint trace of power within her body was being painfully summoned.
“Is this really how it is?” Feeling the emptiness in her palm, Aphrodite clenched her fist tightly, knuckles whitening from the effort.
When the original body—the source of her power—still existed, there seemed to be some mysterious link between the two bodies, allowing them to share Magic power to a certain extent.
Aphrodite could easily replicate the Magic originally mastered by Bahros in this body.
All living beings instinctively have a natural inertia, and Aphrodite was no exception.
Since there was an already existing, stronger, and more familiar power system available, she rarely bothered researching or developing the Holy Radiance within this body itself.
Now, with the original body gone, that miraculous shared effect naturally vanished as well.
In other words, Aphrodite’s body still held the Holy Radiance, but without the corresponding cultivation and guidance, she couldn’t properly channel or utilize it.
If facing ordinary, not particularly strong foes, she could barely manage with the most primitive methods like “Powerful Brick Throw.”
But if confronted by someone slightly more skilled in combat or possessing special abilities, the outcome was uncertain.
“Looks like I’ll have to find time to figure out this body, or else one day I might not even be able to defend myself.”