Iris and the girls got along spectacularly.
While Iris had a reserved and passive personality in terms of relationship matters, but that was only because she was naive in that sense.
She was able to hold her own, and when her pride was challenged, she was able to push back with the same intensity.
She also wasn't someone who expected things from other people. She was with Damien purely because of Damien, not his talents or potential. She didn't have any desire to be pulled up the power ladder by him, rather, she was planning to do so herself before she even fell for him.
This was a trait the girls admired greatly. Independence was important, especially for someone like Damien. They had to be their own people first, because if they simply allowed themselves to be known as "Damien Void's wives," they would never truly be able to support him as they wanted to.
Plus, Iris' love was pure and genuine. It came from her soul and couldn't be shaken by external or internal factors.
That was the most important thing.
The [Void Daughter] title gave them unparalleled talent already, and something like mentality could be trained if need be.
So as long as Iris had a genuine sense of love and loyalty, what else needed to be said?
She was kind, understanding, and didn't try to exert power over the group because of her strength or status. Rather, she willingly put herself in the position of Damien's fourth wife, because just as the girls understood why he came to love her, she understood that they had known him far longer than she had, and their connection with him wasn't something she could compete with yet.
It was just a matter of time, so she didn't fret over it, but she also respected these three women. Since mutual respect was already established, and Iris had a wealth of experience that could contribute to their group, it didn't take long for their conversations to move outside of Damien and evolve into something greater.
Nevertheless, they spent a lot of time without him to create synergy between themselves, and Damien used that time to visit the other people who were waiting for him in the Sanctuary.
First, he went and saw Alucard, Luciel, Commander Huo, Tian Yang, the Golden Dragon Emperor, and the rest of their group. They drank and conversed about the old days, but their conversation was generally cordial.
Afterward, he went and saw Lynn and Elvira to see how the Sanctuary was being managed. It was good to see how everything was connected. Unlike Grand Heavens Boundary, where many forces split ownership of the universe and remained relatively divided, all the main forces of the Sanctuary were of one mind, because they both understood their position and wanted the best for the universe.
Those who wanted to harm the greater good were punished severely. Blasphemous or traitorous thoughts weren't allowed, but freedom also wasn't restricted.
Negatives were just as important as positives for growth. Lynn wasn't someone driven by emotion so she was clear on this. Unless a certain line was crossed, she, as the authoritative power, didn't step in.
The people had to be able to take care of themselves just as the experts did. If the common populace only existed to be protected, wasn't that too demeaning to them?
In the Sanctuary, everyone had a chance to become someone.
The Void Library was open to everyone regardless of status as long as they could pass a set of trials, there was a plethora of secret realms and hidden locations full of fortuitous encounters, and the newly introduced Legacy Realms, those which Dante left for Damien, were incredible for those who wanted rapid and stable growth.
The environment of the Sanctuary as a whole motivated people to grow and gain the ability to stand up for themselves. It was a great place, and its development had nothing to do with Damien.
That made him proud. They didn't need to be coddled or anything of the sort, yet they were still able to become what they were now.
What more could he ask for from his personal universe? He had no desire to be a spiritual god or a figure that was revered by all. There was quite literally no benefit in holding a title like that in a universe he could control in every way. It could at most give him some self-satisfaction, and what was the use of that?
At the end of the day, the Sanctuary was doing fine without him and would continue doing so in the future. His only job was to foster their development by giving them opportunities and allowing them to choose how they made use of them.
He didn't stay for long. Lynn was doing a good job by herself, and he didn't want to spend too much time with Elvira right now, lest the atmosphere between them cause problems.
Instead, he made his way to the rest of his visits. He saw Long Chen and Su Ren, drinking and laughing with them. He saw the members of the Judgement Order and gave them encouragement, met with the people whom he'd encountered throughout his journey, and generally made his presence known to those he wanted to see.
The only place he had left to go, the place he visited every time he came to the Sanctuary, and the place he hadn't been to in so long…
It was a house belonging to a certain woman.
Xue'er.
Damien always thought of her as that little girl she used to be. She was his precious little sister. It was genuinely insane to see her grow into a woman in her own right, but it happened.
Xue'er was past the age of adolescence and had a life of her own nowadays. She wasn't someone who was hung up on Damien at all times, though her admiration and respect for him never changed.
Xue'er was regarded as the Sanctuary's greatest young genius. She had status, she had power, and she had an endless desire for growth and happiness that couldn't be fazed by anyone or anything.
And Damien…
Damien was proud.
He was so extremely proud that he couldn't describe the feeling.
This was what he wanted to see from the start.
When he met her in the Trial World, she was scared and alone. She'd lost everything, yet she was strong enough to continue living despite all the circumstances that tried to end her.
When he took her in, he just wanted her to be happy. When he made the Sanctuary, he originally did it with the sole intention of giving her a place to peacefully stay.
The years passed so fast. So much happened that it was hard to keep track of just how much time passed.
But Damien was over the age of 70 now, and Xue'er, whom he'd taken in back then, was already in her 30s.
His visit to her was just as warm as any other, but the dynamic was a bit different than usual.
Damien didn't really know how to act towards the adult Xue'er, since he couldn't really treat her as a child anymore.
But Xue'er happily created an atmosphere for the two of them, and noticing how her brother/father figure awkwardly tried to accommodate her, seeing how he never changed no matter how much time passed, she didn't have any complaints.
She could see the pride in his eyes.
She smiled, not mentioning it at all as they conversed.
'Really, he gets embarrassed at the stupidest things.'
She knew him better than he'd ever realize, perhaps for the better.
And as he brought her back to the cabin where he was living with his wives, along with the others he considered family like Tian Yang and James Adelaire, the same thought kept repeating in his head.
It really was good to be home.
