Absorbing the power from the Sea of Quanta was never an easy task, although individuals who can do it would often find themselves getting a great power boost when doing so, it is still an unpleasant experience.

Such as when she first gained the mantle of Higher Existence. She found out her body was completely free from the Sea's decay and devour cycles, and became one of its inhabitants, of course, that is after a long time of agonizing pain while fighting it...

She spent months crying over what have happened to Purusha, and her doomed fate to be forever alone, she had desperately tried to seek refugees on some of the bubble worlds, hoping to recreate that familiar scene of the place she once called home...

But no, none of these worlds can, Sa loved her home so much, so much so that nothing else can mimic it, and, in a fit of rage and despair, she found herself to be deconstructing the very inhabitants of that world down to quantum level, yet, her power was surged with more power... But it was a dreadful feeling. She did not want it, what had she done?

She tried to avoid it... But it was no use, as a Higher Existence, the unstable bubble world could not hold her presence and collapsed from within, yet, it was Sa in the end that got the power instead of the Sea.

The feeling she felt was dreadful and disgusted her to her very cells... she did not want it... Yet before she knew it, she had absorbed hundreds of worlds and grew stronger in power... So much so her hair color changed...

Realizing her fate... She laughed sadistically before fully giving in... Completely stopped looking for someone to help, or even to be with her.

And it had been a long time since... She found him, a strange yet lonely human drifting in the Sea of Quanta all by himself, his body constantly healing and corroding...

...

Sa had just finished such a process again, devouring a world hosting millions, or maybe billions of life on it, there isn't any difference to it, as all had become a part of her power as a Higher Existence.

Nowadays she would take less of her time to destabilize the world but do it more to many worlds and then seize all of their energy value using her powers... For she needed more to keep herself going, as Phosphorus is near to finishing its first stage.

She could feel appreciation as you were now in her stead to keep these worlds safe from decaying, sort of like securing her food source.

"That is enough..." - Sa said, as she finished seizing the power. And went into the material space, to where Phosphorus is located at, right now, it's not even considered a planet yet. "The molten core needed to be stabilized... With this radius the planet itself has to be... Mhm... This would be enough."

The creation of a literal world, made by the sacrifices of another thousand is worth it, although Sa must be really careful as the progress must take thousands of years to complete, in order to not attract the gaze of the Cocoon.

She has to do everything to create a planet from scratch, using the power from the Sea of Quanta... She is starting to see some progress. And couldn't help but to feel proud that a job is being done so well...

After she had finished on a central part, and needed to wait to see if it would go well as she wanted, she simply went back to the Sea, into her own domain.

"Hah..."

She let out a sigh, the work was stressful, she had to be attentive and make sure everything was on its course and won't mess it up... So being back to her domain would be a great relief, all she wants to do now is to just meditate, observing potential bubble worlds drifting in the Sea as usual...

"My dear Sa~"

And of course, the familiar voice called out to you, it was John, who seemed delightful when you returned.

She turned over, looking at him, who is always putting up that gentle yet caring smile whenever she is around. Of course, she could understand why, he loves her after all, but she could not understand why, and besides, not like she feel anything in return for her, at first, but now, it feels a bit strange, the feeling that was supposed to be a core part of her human self, now feel alien even to her. Perhaps over the course of solitude, she had completely erased those, but now they are seeking to return.

As such, she did not respond, a part finding John annoying, but another part just doesn't know how to respond to his welcomes.

"Wow, you wouldn't believe it but there were actual dragons in one of these worlds that literally did magic, it got me in quite a pain but luckily Adaptation kicked in and then..."

He would often talk about his journeys to those bubble worlds that he was tasked to keep them from destabilizing, those stories never interest her in any way, because she deem these informations as irrelevant.

"And also here, for you."

Again, once in a while, John would have gifts for Sa from numerous bubble worlds, as a show of his affection towards her. This time, a small bag, with something inside, would be too small for some kind of dessert, she is a bit curious.

A necklace, with a small ruby-like gem on it.

"In that world, they said this necklace is preserved by thousands of generations to be passed down to whoever slay the dragon... I forgot how they called it but it means "for the world's most beautiful". Apparently some great sage named it that way because he has a..."

Most beautiful... Huh? Is he... Ugh... Sa could swear that he can never stop frustrating her with these teasing, cringy but lovely lines towards her... It was all to express his love to her.

"Sa? I made dinner, and learned some new recipes."

He snapped Sa out of her thoughts, then she nodded before walking towards the dining table, about to enjoy the traditional way of taking in nutrients... Although it is nowhere near the amount of power she gets from one single world, it does feel nice somehow.

The dinner with him does feel as normal as ever, the only thing is that his cooking skills have come further compared to the first time he cooked for her, must be because he has adapted to how ingredients in the Sea are prepared.

"I would need you to scout several more worlds." - Sa said, as she telepathically shared the information to John.

"Ah... Okay." - John would have a slight headache whenever he received these.

"..."

"..."

"... What is wrong?" - She noticed something seemed off. "You are more quiet today."

"Eh? Ah... Hahaha nothing nothing..."

She knows that he is hiding something from her. But she has no intention of confronting him about it, there is no need, simple as that.

Later, John was resting in a corner of her domain, it is comfortable there, with pillows and stuff he got from his journeys. He has made the corner into his own comfy zone... Which is sometimes an eyesore for Sa, but she decided to do nothing about it.

And later that day... Sa found herself sitting outside of her domain, admiring the scenery that she has seen a thousand times, this time with John sitting next to her, because he was surprised to find her out here doing such a thing.

"Hey Sa?"

"..."

"Wanna eat something on my next return? I will look for them."

"No need, just finish the work for me."

Sa looked at John Y/n, the first and possibly the only single human that would be appearing in her life ever since her Ascension to become a Higher Existence, his companionship to her was something useful, she could really use someone like him... Obedient and helpful.

Yet, something reminds her that John is not merely a tool for her to use, but he is a sentient human being, with his biggest goal right now is to be by her side, and she must not forget it.

"...?"

She was not listening.

"What did you say again?"

"Love you."

...

Love you

Everytime John says it, Sa doesn't feel particularly annoyed now, instead, she just feels these affections in the same way he has for her, only slightly... Only slightly...

"Now then, I'm off to go. See you later, my dear Sa." - You stood up as you walked away.

"Stay safe."

It was the first time she had told him to stay safe, which made him smile more happily.

"Of course!"

Then off he went... Sa sat there for a while.

She then looked at her hands... Her slender beautiful fingers have long forgotten the feeling of embracing someone. Yet when John hugged her a few chapters back, she felt the warmth...

She would be lying if she said she had not wanted it. But she really wants to hold someone's hand... Maybe in this case... John's.

"Maybe... I do start having a like of him...?"

But she shook her head. Her pride doesn't allow that, she still has a grand plan to do, not to meddle with such trivial matters.