As their faces got closer and closer when their lips were just about to meet and feel the softness in one another's… abruptly, Ella's eyes went wide open before some hints of clarity were knocked into her as she instantly became sober. Then, at the very last moment, turning her head around, she completely dodged the incoming lips which touched her right cheek instead.

In that state, as she was looking away, while the surprised detective Lock's lips were still touching her cheek, while maintaining an expressionless face, she asked, "What are you doing?" Saying this, she also separated her face from his lips immediately.

This instantly astounded John as he replied, "Didn't you say-"

But before he could even finish his sentence, Ella interrupted, "How could you misunderstand me like that, John? I was just opening up to you about my difficulties! And that happened only because I was too intoxicated by the alcohol…"

"I… I have to go." Then, standing up, without waiting for his response at all, she left toward the exit of the bar.

Watching her disappearing back, however, John remained stunned for a while as he pondered, 'd.a.m.n it… I thought that's what she wanted…' Afterward, he rushed after her without any hesitation.

Running outside, he dashed toward Ella who had just stopped a taxi. Then, grabbing her hand, he exclaimed, "Wait!"

"What is it?" She inquired while thinking, 'I'm such an idiot! I shouldn't have drunk.'

"I apologize for misunderstanding you like that. I'm really sorry… Let's still be friends okay? I don't want to lose a precious friend like you." He said a bit worriedly. He really didn't want those several months of his nonstop effort to go to waste.

Yet, not responding with anything, Ella shook his hand off herself before entering the taxi and closing the door.

…

On her way home, within the taxi, as the image of a particular man kept popping into her head, a slight sense of guilt invaded her heart. But that feeling didn't last when she remembered the live broadcast of a dark-haired youth who called himself the 'Dark Savior' kissing the 'Thread Mistress' in front of the world.

This immediately made her harrumph in dissatisfaction while she deliberated, 'Hmph! Maybe I should've just let him kiss me! No matter what... I can still kiss someone once and even if he's back, he won't be able to say anything! I shouldn't be feeling guilty at all!'

____________

Currently, the golden beauty was standing in front of a cylindrical tube casually looking at the nude sleeping little girl within the tube who appeared to be around 3 or 4 years old in age. She was so mesmerizing and beautiful that by just watching her alone, one would get the feeling that she had been straight away taken out of an otherwordly picture. She felt just like a fantasy, an impossible dream.

'Lil Belle's 4 years old, huh… I still remember the day it had just grown to be a fetus. It's aging and getting bigger by almost every day.' Wondered the golden beauty in amazement while watching her own body floating within the tube. She had decided to call her body 'Lil Belle' at this point in time.

Nonetheless, that wasn't the end of her thoughts as she went on, 'Though looking at a younger and little version of myself feels slightly odd. But I do like it since it's as if I'm finally experiencing my own growth!'

It had to be noted that when creating a new biological body, that body didn't just appear out of nowhere in its adjusted age. First, it started from a single cell to a fetus before growing even bigger. The cylindrical tube acted just like a womb. Only, the womb was much more advanced as it could be utilized in order to accelerate the aging process too.

Suddenly at this moment, she opened her mouth and murmured, "I wonder though… what would happen to this biological body if I didn't enter it… will she wake up as a blank slate? Will she come to possess consciousness? Or would she remain motionless and dead internally?" This was a question that had popped into her mind frequently these days. She didn't understand why, but she felt like she had to know the answer.

____________

Once again, one month after another started to go by quickly.

Every three months, the golden beauty, of course, didn't forget to pour more 'Water of Life' into the cylindrical tube as she watched her own future body grow up gradually.

Six years old golden beauty… It was the cutest beauty to have ever existed.

Eight years old golden beauty… It was the most special beauty.

Ten years old golden beauty… It was an unforgettable beauty!

And at last, the final golden beauty who was extremely similar to the artificial golden beauty. This version of hers was the ultimate beauty… who was dominant in every possible aspect one could feasibly imagine!

Of course, the golden beauty also didn't forget to take a picture of each age-period of her body in order to keep it as a memento so she could glance at it whenever she wanted to see herself in various ages. More importantly, she did this because she wanted to show them to her master, Virus.

The procedure progressed while the golden beauty didn't forget to look at her fast-growing body almost every single day. In the end, this habit of hers developed to the point that without her even noticing, unconscious to her, it was already considered a repet.i.tive daily routine that she couldn't do without.

The outside world was also going through many phases of transformations and changes as the number of rifts increased world-wide.

One more month pa.s.sed.

…

Three months escaped by.

…

Six months advanced.

...

Then it became nine…

...

And, at last… On the day the twelfth month had just slipped away…

Finally, he... opened his eyes! Virus… was awake!!!

Counting the time, from the moment he had entered the deep state of slumber to the day he had regained his consciousness back, which was this very moment itself, in the bat of an eye, more than sixteen months had gotten away just like that!