Investing in My Crippled Wife: Every Return Makes Me Stronger

The best examples of this progress were the introduction of bonding techniques with magic beasts, the blending of diverse arcane styles, and a sudden leap forward in hybrid technology and weaponry.

Truthfully, the Federation would likely not have crossed Soren’s mind either if not for his recent encounter with Director Elenaria. That unexpected meeting, which made him recall his past, was the reason he was even considering their territory now.

”I thought you had no personal enmity with them,” Soren remarked, shaking off his reverie. ”Or do you think gaining entry into their borders will be too difficult?”

Ethea went quiet, considering the political and practical implications. Hiding in a place that operated completely outside human jurisdiction had undeniable merits, but it was not without risk. And there were some things she couldn’t share with Soren about them.

”Neither, really,” she said, meeting his gaze. ”While it is certainly a good option, I think we should treat the Federation strictly as a last resort. Their culture and laws are entirely different from ours, which makes blending in a massive challenge.” She paused, tilting her head slightly. ”Did you have any other ideas?”

Soren nodded, though his expression offered little optimism. ”The only other place left on my list was the floating continent, Avolia. But even I know how nearly impossible it is just to get up there, let alone navigate their strict rules and isolationist restrictions.”

Ethea nodded in agreement, opening her mouth to swallow another spoonful of the warm meal. They definitely couldn’t go to that place. Not in the near future.

”Unfortunately, those were all the places I could think of,” Soren continued, a trace of fatigue touching his voice as he looked at the mostly empty bowl. ”Aside from the basic geography they cram into our heads at school, my knowledge of the other continents is pretty limited. Do you have any suggestions?”

”Hmm...”

Ethea fell into deep thought, her gaze turning distant as she mechanically accepted another spoonful of the warm meal.

”A few places come to mind,” she said softly after swallowing. ”But there is one massive obstacle blocking all of them. Traveling to another continent right now is going to be incredibly difficult. While the continent of Xenis is relatively close and by far the easiest to reach, the others are a completely different story. Reaching Vraxius, Nemora, or Khorvath will be a nightmare. Even if we somehow manage to gain access to long-distance teleportation portals, the sheer distance makes it risky.”

She paused, her expression darkening slightly.

”Taking a ship across the oceans is an option, but it is a deadly one.”

Soren nodded in solemn understanding.

The mere mention of the deep waters sent a subtle chill through him. He knew the terrors of the oceans all too well; beneath those endless waves lay monstrous leviathans and unpredictable mana storms, making them perhaps the most perilous and untamed territories in the entire world. Traversing them without massive military escorts or specialized vessels was nothing short of a death sentence.

Furthermore, any hope of finding sanctuary along the coastlines or within the deep was entirely barred by geopolitics. Vast underwater kingdoms certainly existed beneath the surface, but those realms belonged entirely to aquatic magic beasts who guarded their territory fiercely.

While a baseline of diplomatic contact did exist between the deep-sea dwellers and surface civilizations, the relationship was nowhere near as developed as the public liked to imagine. In fact, humanity maintained far better ties with the foreign races of the United Races Federation, or even with the magic beasts roaming the dry land, than with the isolated rulers of the deep.

”There is also the option of traveling via airships,” Ethea added, drawing his attention back to her. ”But that route has its own walls. Intercontinental airships are extremely expensive to commission, and because of the dangers in the upper atmosphere, they are never allowed to sail without being guarded by at least a 7th Circle powerhouse or an equivalent security fleet.”

Soren nodded in silent agreement. He knew the skies were every bit as treacherous as the deep waters, though the true peril lay in the absolute volatility of nature itself.

The upper atmosphere was plagued by violent storms, unpredictable weather patterns, and vast chaotic zones where mana fluctuated wildly. In those high altitudes, a sudden tempest could rip an unshielded vessel to pieces in seconds or leave it drifting helplessly into uncharted airspace.

Worse still, they risked getting caught in spatial storms that could tear reality open, dropping them directly into the oceans, a Forbidden Zone, or, worse, the barren wastes of the Dead Continent.

”In the end, it all comes down to strength, huh,” Soren muttered, staring down at the empty bowl, the reality of their limitations pressing heavily against his chest.

Sensing the sudden shift in his demeanor, Ethea set her thoughts aside and looked directly at him. ”Soren... Please, don’t blame yourself. We aren’t out of options yet. And frankly, you are looking at your own progress entirely the wrong way. Given how recently you actually awakened, the speed at which you are growing is already absurd.”

She smiled encouragingly.

”If you keep this up, it won’t even take you long to surpass my speed. Stop measuring yourself against the rest of the world when you’ve barely just started.”

Soren listened to Ethea as a small smile played on his lips. ”You’re right. I shouldn’t be rushing into things and getting discouraged. There is still a long way to go to become truly strong, but I will get there eventually. Thank you for the reminder, Ethea.”

”Don’t mention it,” Ethea replied with a widening smile. ”In fact, now that I think of it, there is a place where our needs could be met and where we would not have to worry about the threats from the world around us.”

Soren blinked in surprise before asking curiously. ”Where?”

Her expression turned profoundly serious, yet filled with an undeniable thrill.

”It’s... The Tower of Apocalypse.”