Chapter 82
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 82
Chapter Title: Birth - 4
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As a midwife, the most difficult moment was undoubtedly the instant a child was born.
More precisely, it was when something went wrong with the baby.
If the child was born with deformities or physical disabilities, the midwife would be flooded with all sorts of thoughts.
Especially since some mothers, shocked by the sight of their baby, could suffer a health decline. Thus, the midwife had to carefully decide whether to show the newborn to the mother at all.
Of course, Sian and Chloe's child had no such issues.
Not only was she born healthy, but her innate holy power and mana infused with icy properties clearly showed she had perfectly inherited her Titan father's bloodline and her mother's Ice Flower Clan heritage.
This child might grow up to be a great hero one day.
However, there was one thing that caught attention.
'Black hair?!'
Since ancient times, black hair had been a symbol of infidelity.
Because it popped up out of nowhere, unrelated to the parents' bloodlines.
As a result, black-haired babies were called witches' curses or devil's spawn, and countless dark-haired children had been abandoned.
But the reality was?
Hair color reflected not just bloodline but the soul itself—the only physical trait that did.
That was why Helen and Helia, devotees of Hestia Goddess, both had orange hair, and why northern tribesfolk had silver hair due to Ornak's divine influence.
Black hair occurred when the soul became muddied, meaning it had reincarnated from the Sea of Reincarnation without being properly cleansed.
In other words, all those with black hair were reincarnators.
Watching Sian's hair color, the Holy Kingdom had speculated he was one.
It wasn't anything special. Even in the Holy Kingdom, they were nicknamed "black-haired outsiders," and it was why their scientific civilization was more advanced than elsewhere.
Not everyone remembered all their past lives, but even fragments of inspiration were enough to achieve great feats.
But a reincarnator fathering another reincarnator? That had never happened.
'What trick of fate is this?'
[Let's postpone the explanation.]
[B-but...]
[Not all black-haired children remember their past lives. Most forget them and live their current ones. No need to jinx the moment of birth.]
[Understood.]
Convinced by Phorest's explanation—the senior nymph transmitting via the oracle plate's relay—Helia carefully handed the newborn to Sian, her parents.
Sian gazed tenderly at his daughter, breaking into the brightest smile.
"Yes, taking after Chloe and me..."
He pondered briefly, then named her.
"Ciel. That's your name, my daughter."
This was the moment Ciel was born—the daughter of Sian, who would later utterly ignore her father's words.
"Whoa~ She's so cute!"
"She's tiny."
Clia and Elin stomped their feet in excitement at the sight of their newborn niece.
They seemed dissatisfied at only being able to watch from afar.
"Sis, can't we get a little closer?"
"No."
Clara cut Clia off sharply.
She understood her little sister's feelings, but for Chloe and the baby's sake, they had to hold back.
"Fine... But can I hold my niece later?"
"Of course."
Clara smiled at her innocent little sister's bright grin.
'Thinking about it, it's the total opposite of when Clia was born.'
Due to the Ice Flower Clan's traits, only daughters were born in the family.
Back then, unaware of that, their father had tried desperately for a son but ended up with only girls. By Clia's birth, he wouldn't even hold her.
Perhaps Clia's immaturity stemmed from such neglect.
"Sis, why are you crying?"
"It's nothing..."
Clia panicked at her sister's sudden tears, but her attention quickly shifted to Mom and Sian emerging from the birthing room.
"Bro! Did you name the niece?"
"Yeah, Ciel. Cute, right?"
"Tch, I wanted to name her."
"Sister-in-law?"
Sian blinked at Clia's reaction but soon smiled and said,
"Now that you're an aunt, Clia, you'll take good care of her, right?"
"Yeah! I'll be the best aunt! We'll play together, I'll read her storybooks, and sleep together too!"
"Clia can't read."
"Then Elin can read the storybooks."
"That's one way..."
Elin was startled, her eyes widening more than usual at Clia's brilliant solution.
Sian chuckled at the cute girls' banter, then quietly approached Clara, who was wiping away tears in secret.
"If you cry like that, it touches me."
"Th-that's not it."
I wiped Clara's eyes with my handkerchief as she dabbed at her tears.
Then Clara gently stroked my hand and asked,
"What about you, Sian?"
"Huh?"
"Our family only has girls."
"Oh, that."
Sylvia flinched at Clara's point.
She seemed to blame herself for the family issue.
As if.
"Don't worry about it."
"How can I not?"
Clara tugged my hand, pleading pitifully.
"Our family because of that..."
"It's not that. Don't say such things."
I quickly covered her mouth to stop words that might hurt the family.
"No one's at fault. Nothing's wrong. So don't cry. It hurts me."
At my plea, Clara nodded and swallowed her tears.
I hugged her once.
"And I've never mentioned this before, but I'll tell you about me."
"About you, Sian?"
"Yeah. Clia, Elin—can you gather everyone except Chloe?"
"Huh? Sure! Let's go, Elin!"
"Clia, don't drag me."
At my request, Clia rounded up everyone except Chloe.
"I have something to tell you all."
As eyes turned to me, I finally revealed my secret.
"I only learned this recently, but I'm not a normal human."
"So Bro's a monster?"
"Clia..."
Sylvia scolded Clia, but everyone nodded in agreement.
"Not a monster—I'm from the Titan divine race."
"Sian oppa is a god?"
This time, Elin hit the nail on the head.
"Not exactly a god. Apparently, I'm from the Creation Era humans."
To truly become a Titan god, one had to devour a god.
But what I'd eaten was merely a god's legacy at best.
Helen had nailed it: that wasn't enough to become a god.
"Somewhere between human and god, I guess."
I mustered courage to drop the bombshell, but no one seemed shocked.
What? I'd braced myself to reveal the truth.
"Why isn't anyone surprised?"
"It suits you, so it feels natural."
"Right. During the expedition, Holy Kingdom folks treated you special."
"I had already suspected as much."
Sylvia, Clara, and Vivian—who'd gone on the expedition—had noticed back then, while Elsia had long suspected.
"Bro, story time over? Can we go see Ciel?"
"..."
Clia, ever the innocent one, just didn't care about my origins.
Now I felt like the fool for psyching myself up...
"Ahem... Anyway, the key point is the Ice Flower Clan's trait poses no issue for me."
"Ah!"
Sylvia and Clara let out sharp cries.
"Really?"
"Yes. Even the Second Apostle confirmed it. My bloodline's superior, she said. So no need to worry."
"I see..."
Sylvia sighed in relief.
Elsia glanced at her, looking like she wanted to say something, but stayed silent.
"Anyway, everyone, bless Ciel's birth."
"Pardon, Sian, but shouldn't the adults discuss future matters privately?"
"Agreed."
Elsia suggested cautiously, as the talk wasn't for kids.
"Clia, you can go see Ciel. But don't bother the nymph teachers."
"Yay! Hurry!"
"Clia..."
Bored, Clia dragged Elin, Vivian's twin little sisters Becky and Bessy, and left.
"So, Elsia, what do you want to talk about?"
"When do you plan to start on the second child?"
"It's been less than an hour since the birth..."
Her words left me dumbfounded, but Elsia replied earnestly.
"No, the sooner the better. You don't have a son yet."
She had a point. For family stability, a son was needed.
But did we need to push so hard?
"I'm still young, and as a Titan divine race, I'll likely live longer than average."
"Anything can happen anytime. If—"
"Even so, considering Chloe's postpartum recovery, I want at least a month off."
"Chloe doesn't need to get pregnant."
"Hm?"
"I can bear a child too."
"..."
"And so can Sylvia."
That's why she sent the kids out first.