Chapter 139
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 139
Chapter Title: Valkyrie - 1
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"As you know, Hero, nymphs are born with a tragic fate."
Camilla began her tale about the nymphs.
"Nymphs can give love but cannot receive it. They know how to pray for others but not for themselves. They know how to sacrifice but not how to fight."
"That's definitely unfortunate."
Nymphs, called agents of the gods, were an exceptional race, yet they had so many bizarre limitations that it felt utterly unreasonable.
Despite possessing abilities far superior to humans—abilities that shouldn't even be comparable—they had been hunted in the old kingdom because of these constraints.
It was enough to make one understand why the first emperor had forcibly established the Holy Kingdom and enacted those absurd laws for the nymphs' sake.
'I wonder what happened between that lady and the nymphs?'
Judging from her irrational wariness toward him and her obsessive attachment to her son, it hadn't ended well.
"I believe nymphs should be able to receive love too."
"Hm? Aren't you receiving plenty from your wonderful daughters like Camilla?"
Things were fairer now than in the past.
The Holy Kingdom stood strong, protected by that formidable woman who had guarded the nymphs for over a thousand years.
But perhaps the love Sian envisioned differed from Camilla's, as she shook her head.
"In time, our love will only wound Mother."
"...Because of the nymphs' immortality?"
"Yes."
Nymphs didn't age and could easily live for a thousand years if they wished.
Naturally, the gap with humans—who barely lasted a century—was immense.
Helen might have already endured this pain countless times.
The agony of watching bonds she cherished like children vanish before her eyes.
"I'll never forget Mother's expression at the Knight Commander's funeral."
"That must have been hard. For you and for Helen."
Immortality wasn't always a blessing.
Especially not for nymphs like Helen, with their fanatically altruistic natures.
Camilla stared into Sian's eyes for a moment before cautiously speaking.
"I just want Mother to suffer no more."
"So, how do you plan to save Helen?"
"It's simple. The Hero should have a child with Mother."
"...You're skipping a lot there, but first off, nymphs die suddenly if they bear children."
The phenomenon known as Hestia's Curse—nymphs' sudden death upon breaking their divine agent vows—made love for nymphs taboo even in the Holy Kingdom.
And she was suggesting he do that?
With that crazy lady glaring daggers at him?
"No, there are ways around it."
"Really?"
"Nymph scholars discovered them after many trials and errors."
"Those people are..."
With the legendary Rank 1 knight standing guard over the nymphs, they dared break taboos? Did they have multiple lives?
"Where do you think young nymphs come from in the first place?"
"From flowers?"
"That's not funny."
"I wasn't joking."
Camilla stared piercingly at Sian for a while before continuing her explanation.
"When a nymph and a human have a child, a half-nymph is born."
"Like the emperor?"
"Exactly."
Half-nymphs.
Unlike pure nymphs, they had no divine agent restrictions and inherited all the absurd traits of nymphs.
This was likely why the empire had dominated the continent for over a thousand years.
However, the nymph parent would die suddenly in such cases.
But Camilla offered another solution.
"Conversely, between a nymph and a priest, a pure nymph is born."
"A priest?"
"Yes. If the priest shares Hestia's divinity, they can evade Hestia's Curse. Of course, the nymph loses immortality and their lifespan drastically shortens, but compared to the curse, it's a minor issue."
"So that's how young nymphs are born."
"But there aren't many. Raising a devout priest requires enormous funds, and even then, it often fails."
"True. Innately divine-powered humans are rare."
The emperor, with access to continental records across eras, noted that human divine power was declining.
'That pervert didn't try to use me as a stud for nothing.'
And given that Camilla was telling him this...
"So, aside from me, there are no priests born with Hestia's divinity right now?"
"Correct. No Hestia priest has been born in centuries."
"Why? Hestia's tenets aren't that hard."
The conditions for wielding Hestia's miracles were simple: devotion to family and love.
Not difficult at all, so Sian could wield her divinity directly through her symbol.
Yet no Hestia priest in centuries? Were family violence the norm in this world?
"We don't know the details either. But it seems there's a condition of Hestia's we don't know."
"Hmm... I see."
Maybe it required vast divine power.
Otherwise, there'd be no reason for Hestia to choose him.
"That's why you asked if I could love Helen rationally."
"I'm sorry. I put you in a tough spot with my selfishness."
"No, it's just... You just asked the guy who'd been intimate with you if he could love another woman—someone like a mother to you—so I was surprised."
"...I felt like if not now, I might never say it."
"I get it. But will Helen be happy just having a child?"
"She will. More than anyone, she wanted an ordinary life."
"I see."
These were the words of the daughter who had watched Helen closer than anyone.
If she said so, it must be true.
Sian pondered Camilla's words before pinpointing the biggest flaw in her plan.
"But there's a huge problem."
"What problem?"
"Helen might not hate me, but she doesn't necessarily love me."
"Pardon?"
Camilla looked at him as if he'd spouted pseudoscience, utterly baffled.
"The Hero's more dense than I thought."
"Huh?"
"From what I've seen, Mother was happiest when she met you."
"Really?"
"Yes. And a Hero wielding Hestia's divinity is inherently loved by nymphs. Forgotten how the young ones fawned over you?"
"Ah, yeah, that happened."
It felt like being a kindergarten teacher adored by the kids.
"Hmm... Helen likes me, huh."
Well, there had been signs.
No woman would breastfeed a man she had zero interest in, no matter how urgent the situation.
As Sian pondered, Camilla upped the ante.
"If the Hero loves Mother, our 2nd Holy Knight Order will follow you for life."
"For life? Isn't that abusing power? They should marry and start families."
"We're holy knights anyway—we can't marry. Spinster city. No need to worry."
"???"
Did she just trash-talk her subordinates right after boasting she'd graduated from virginity?
"Look, what I'm saying is..."
After some thought, Sian shared his decision with Camilla.
"I'll pass for now."
Unprepared for rejection, Camilla asked in a slightly trembling voice.
"Why?"
"Because I don't want anyone meddling between Helen and me."
"That's it?"
"Yeah."
"Understood. If that's how the Hero feels, I can't push further."
"Sorry. You went out of your way to tell me."
"No. Knowing your personality, Hero, you'd have gone after Mother anyway, even without me."
"...You think I'm that much of a perv?"
"Hehe, so you're not?"
"No, I am."
Pleased with his answer, Camilla embraced him again.
Hmm, one more round wouldn't hurt, right?
...
The Tower of Wisdom reminded him of a modern graduate school.
Not just the modern-style building, but most strikingly, the people.
Hollow eyes and a frantic, chased demeanor.
They were treated worse than slaves.
"Are all those folks grad students?"
"Huh? Oh, them? Pretty much."
"They all look exhausted."
"Everyone working here does."
Allie said it casually, but it sent a chill down Sian's spine.
Feed 'em and work 'em to death, huh?
"Alright, this place should work fine."
Arriving at a deep basement in the Tower of Wisdom, Allie stretched and explained.
"This room's made entirely of insulators. Sian, even if you unleash Taranis's divinity, it won't leave a scratch."
"Really?"
"Really. So go wild!"
It was to test the newly absorbed lightning divinity's power.
"Okay, if you say so, I'm going all out."
"Yeah, trust me."
Trusting her enthusiastic assurance, Sian unleashed the lightning divinity at full power.
KABOOOOOM!
The aerial city Asgard began to plummet.
You said I could trust you?