Ever since Abigail had blurted out that William was researching ways to delay aging and extend lifespan, not only had Lena begun watching him closely, but even the vampire women Selene and Nyssa had turned all their attention toward him.
The only upside? William's physical training and workout routines had increased tenfold lately.
Even better—he didn't have to say a word. Abigail and the others would take turns dragging him off for "exercise."
Eventually, even Lara Croft—who rarely ever visited Kensington Garden Street—had come to the estate several times after hearing the news from Sunday.
As a result, the relationship between the two became a hot topic across England. After all, William was a duke, and Lara was the current Countess of the Croft family.
People were buzzing about the possibility: if those two ever married and had a child, would one inherit the Duke of Devonshire title and the other the Croft earldom?
Unfortunately, any answers to that would have to wait for many years—William had no intention of letting his child become a target for enemies.
On this particular day, after finishing breakfast, William used research as an excuse and slipped into the estate's underground facility. With a teleportation spell, he appeared in the elven valley on Planet X17, where he greeted the Tree of Life, Celia, and the Light Elf, Christine.
After exchanging greetings, his eyes immediately turned to the Blood Orchid that had been planted near Celia.
The real reason he had told Abigail that he was "making progress" on anti-aging research was this: during the month he waited for the dwarves to forge the Heaven's Inquiry Sword, he and Odin had visited the elven valley to provide Celia with her monthly infusion of natural energy. It was then that William entrusted the Blood Orchid to her care.
Perhaps as a way to mend the rift between her and William over Christine, Celia ignored Christine's protests and personally planted the Blood Orchid within her own root system.
So when William arrived this time, he immediately sensed that the dozen or so Blood Orchids were not only thriving but also beginning to emit faint magical fluctuations.
"We didn't let you down, William," said Celia. "These Blood Orchids are doing very well. By the next time you cast magic for me, they should be ready to bloom."
Hearing this, William could no longer sit still. Realizing it had already been 23 days since his last visit, he thanked Celia and teleported straight to Asgard's Rainbow Bridge.
Upon seeing Heimdall, he said, "Please inform His Majesty Odin—I intend to head there ahead of schedule."
"Understood." Already familiar with William and Odin's mysterious monthly disappearances, Heimdall nodded and relayed the message at once.
Not even a few seconds passed before Odin appeared, clad in gold armor and gripping the Gungnir, the Eternal Spear.
"Is something wrong?"
Seeing Odin's sudden arrival, William furrowed his brows—but quickly remembered who he was dealing with. For someone like Odin, instant transmission was hardly out of the ordinary.
Besides, in Thor: The Dark World, even when the Bifrost was broken, Odin still managed to teleport Thor to London. As long as Odin's teleportation wasn't powerful enough to move armies, William didn't consider it a threat.
Smiling, he shook his head. "Relax. Celia's fine. I just came because the Blood Orchids I planted are almost ready to bloom. I thought you might like to come along—you might even be in for a surprise."
William had never intended to hide the Blood Orchid project from Odin. Since they met monthly in the elven valley, keeping secrets was pointless—better to be upfront.
And Odin, upon hearing about the orchid's rumored effects, had also grown curious.
As someone constantly concerned with extending his own lifespan, he saw the Blood Orchid as a potential new avenue—so long as it didn't harm the Tree of Life.
If magically cultivated Blood Orchids—especially ones grown within Celia's root system—proved more potent than their naturally grown counterparts, and even effective for the Aesir, then he could finally stop anxiously calculating when Celia might next produce Water of Life.
Upon learning that William's visit concerned this matter, Odin immediately broke into a smile. "Let's go. If things are as you predict, William, you might need a second wallet for all the star coins you'll be earning."
The two of them arrived instantly in the elven valley. Without wasting a word, William soared into the sky and began channeling natural energy into Celia's body.
Having already performed this ritual twice before, William was more than eager to repeat the process—as each time, he could feel a substantial boost in his vitality.
Though he couldn't quantify it precisely, he estimated that each infusion might extend his life by decades—maybe even a century.
Even gaining a single additional year would be a gift no one would refuse.
What puzzled William, however, was that this seemed to only work with Celia.
He had tried other ancient forests on X17, but the results were starkly different. When he drew in large amounts of natural energy elsewhere, he felt a terrifying surge of volatility—borderline out of control. Alarmed, he had immediately teleported away from the energy storm.
From that moment on, William realized that until he found another method of prolonging life, he and Celia were bound together—inseparably.
Once Celia warned that half the free-flowing natural energy in the forest had been consumed, William ceased his magic in midair and quietly relished his rejuvenated body.
Given the benefits he had gained from Celia, his outlook toward her had shifted—less suspicion, less darkness.
That said, it was still impossible for him to submit to her.
Even Odin, who was on the brink of collapse, refused to take a submissive stance—so how could William ever agree to be the weaker party?
Besides, barring any catastrophic mistakes, he should be able to live for several hundred—or even a thousand—years.
That was more than enough time to find alternatives. And if it came down to it, well, he could always swallow his pride and come crawling back.
Descending from the sky, he opened his mouth to speak—but before he could say a word, the dozen Blood Orchids in front of them slowly unfurled their petals under everyone's gaze.
A faint, fragrant scent wafted into the air. William inhaled deeply, instantly feeling more focused and at peace.
Clearly, using magic to cultivate them—and planting them directly into the Tree of Life's root system—had caused a fundamental transformation in the orchids.
"Your Majesty Odin," Celia said gently, "perhaps you should try drinking the dew inside one of the blossoms. Though it won't match the effect of the Water of Life, since it drew energy from my root system, it should still benefit you."
Upon hearing this, Odin hesitated for a moment, then exchanged a discreet glance with William. After receiving a subtle nod, he bent down and drank the dew from one of the Blood Orchids.
Just one sip—and Odin felt an explosion of life energy burst within him. His body, long dried like an ancient riverbed, suddenly felt nourished and vibrant.
Finishing that blossom's dew in one go, he couldn't resist moving to another orchid and drinking again, eyes closed, silently savoring the revitalizing surge flowing through him.
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