Chapter 498: An Unexpected Reward
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 498: An Unexpected Reward
“What… is this… Is this even possible?”
I thought it was a bit late to be completing a two-million-point quest now, but after understanding the meaning of this ‘blessing’ system, it felt like choosing an heir at this moment had been the right decision.
It wasn't just about bestowing a blessing; it was about sharing what I possessed. Had I rushed to complete the quest back then, I imagine there would have been a limit to what I could have given.
If the five-million-point quest allowed me to complete one more unique ability, I probably could have only given another ability or some vague buff at best. Bestowing the blessing now, after I've established a foundation using the power of the Seat, is a much better choice. In fact, it made me regret completing the quest so soon, thinking it might have been better to wait even longer.
“Hmm…”
But this wasn’t bad.
[Mythical Species - With the consent of the Demon Tree Lapura, you will now customize Lapura.]
[Will you receive Lapura’s consent?]
Of course.
As I was lost in thought, the voice spoke again. I nodded. The message that Blood Dagger had sent would have been transmitted, so Lapura would arrive here shortly.
Sure enough, it wasn't long before I heard a voice. Just as I had summoned Jung Hayeon to the Item Shop, Lapura had arrived in my personal space.
“Huh? Father? What is this… I heard a message and nodded.”
It was a bit awkward to explain, but I decided to skip the long story and get straight to the point.
“I called you because I have a gift for you.”
“Ah!”
“I didn’t expect it to be like this, but it might not be a bad idea for us to think about it together. Do you understand what’s happening?”
“Ah… Yes. Roughly… Ah, this is a little different from the Item Shop. I’ve been there with Mother before…”
Only her spiritual form had been moved here. Lapura let out a short gasp as she stared at her own body, which was standing still with its eyes closed as if reflected in a mirror. It was similar to being transported to the Item Shop, but the feeling must have been different.
“You can think of it as a legacy from your father. It’s nothing spectacular, but it’s an opportunity to implant an ability in you or reconfigure your body. It’s not that big of a deal.”
“For example…”
“For example, you could change the skin covering your body to that of a Minotaur, or change the muscles that make up your body to those of an Ogre. That might make it easier to understand.”
“Ah…”
Lapura, who had never played a game, wouldn't be familiar with the concept of customization, but she clearly understood what I was saying. A short but loud gasp escaped her lips. I had described it as nothing special, but it was, in fact, an incredible opportunity. I believe the moment I truly took a step forward from my somewhat ordinary self was when I first customized my body. Naturally, Lapura, who couldn't possibly be ignorant of its value, was looking up at me with a deeply moved expression.
Her gaze was a little overwhelming.
“I see. Yes. I understand. Thank you so much, Father. Y-You didn’t have to go this far… Really, thank you so much. I’ll… I’ll work harder.”
“Ahem… ahem…”
I had a feeling I would have to give Ratga and Laveua some kind of gift after this was over. I don’t like things to be unfair. It would be great if I could customize them in the same way, but that was likely impossible, so I’d have to come up with another plan.
“So, I wanted to ask your opinion. It doesn’t matter what kind of ability you want, or what kind of body you desire. There will be limits, of course, but I will try to do whatever I can within those bounds.”
“Y-Yes!”
What came as a small relief was that this wasn't a matter of passing down the Seat. I didn't want to recommend embracing a Seat at this stage, when she still needed to mature mentally. This blessing wasn't the kind where Lapura would gain a Seat just because I consumed mine.
If she were to gain a Seat, I would have been more comfortable just pretending this quest never happened.
All this did was allow me to use the power of the Seat I had accumulated to modify Lapura’s body and other aspects. It felt like there was a set limit to the amount of the Seat’s power I could use. I’d have to try it to know for sure, but it seemed wiser to pour everything into one area rather than distributing it evenly.
I, too, had invested an immense amount of time and effort into my own customization. It was naturally a matter that required deep thought. Lapura carefully examined her own body, checking this and that, and only after a long time did she cautiously open her mouth.
Of course, what she said was completely unexpected.
“C-Could I possibly grow up faster? Father?”
“What?”
“I-I want to get taller, quickly. L-Like Mother. And for my body to get a little bigger, and… and for my physique to become a little more mature… you know… curvy and well-developed… Th-Anyway, to become more like Mother, a little more like her…”
“…”
“…”
“I-I’m a little worried…”
“…”
“I’m… worried…”
Although her coming-of-age ceremony was still some time away, seeing her older sister, who could already be considered fully grown, seemed to have sparked a sudden concern in her. Though she was my flesh and blood, the racial traits of Green Skin children are heavily influenced by their mother, meaning Laveua and Lapura would develop in different directions.
Unlike Laveua, who was heavily influenced by Mev, Lapura’s mother was none other than… none other than… none other than Jung Hayeon. It was a foregone conclusion that she would experience a growth spurt at some point, so she had no need to worry. Her sudden, blunt question made my own face flush.
I didn’t think she was at an age to be concerned with her appearance yet, but being a girl, it seemed she couldn't help but care.
“Truthfully, physical growth is something I can control, and I could do it along with granting you something else, but I wouldn’t recommend it.”
“What?”
“Your body will grow with time anyway, and you will one day grow to be as beautiful as your mother, so you don’t need to worry. It would be a better choice to wait a little longer…”
“Ah… Yes. B-But…”
“Your father guarantees it.”
“Yes.”
Lapura was currently in her growth phase. She was surely aware of this fact herself, feeling her body change day by day. Her ideal was her mother, Jung Hayeon. I don’t know where she heard the phrase ‘curvy and well-developed,’ but wanting to become an adult quickly was a typical thought for a child.
Laveua had also gone through a phase of pretending to be an adult around this age, so I could understand why Lapura was acting this way.
“A-Actually, besides that, there’s not much else I want…”
“How about we think about maximizing your physical abilities?”
“I-I don’t really want to change it. Father, of course, I know it would be good to reconfigure my body by mixing in the strengths of other Green Skins, but I don’t want to completely change the body that you and Mother gave me… I feel like it would be… different…”
“Then what about having a tail, wings, or better eyes, like your father?”
“Ah! That’s fine! That’s fine! It’s fine!”
I could see Lapura nodding her head repeatedly. In other words, she was positive about enhancing her body’s growth but negative about changing its fundamental composition. However, she was positive about adding something to her existing body. It meant she wanted her current body to remain intact.
“Hmm…”
It seemed like a Joseon-era way of thinking—wanting to leave the body her parents gave her untouched—but it was right to respect her wishes. I began to check the amount of emotions I had stored up. Giving her a tail didn't seem like a bad idea, but it felt like it wouldn't suit her. With plant stems already wrapped around her lower body, she probably wouldn't have much use for it, and it felt like an awkward choice for a mage like Lapura.
Things like tails were better suited for combat-oriented classes.
If I had to pick, the candidates were eyes and wings. Of the two, I most wanted to recommend the wings.
I had put a lot of thought into it, but I was extremely satisfied with my own wings, which I had created to serve as a shield. For Lapura, who lacked close-combat abilities, wings would probably be a perfect fit.
“I-If possible, I’d like to have a tail or wings like you, Father.”
“Is that so?”
“Y-Yes.”
“They might look a little different from the ones I have, and their function might be a bit inferior.”
“I don’t mind, Father. I-If I have to choose just one, then… w-wings… S-Sister has wings, too.”
Now that was a rather cute thought. Since we were on the same page, I saw no reason to delay and immediately began to pour the emotions of the Seat into her. Lapura, trembling, watched her own body. I tried various designs, wondering what would look good, but nothing seemed quite right.
Fairy wings didn't suit the demonic horns Lapura already had.
Naturally, the wings I possessed also looked out of place.
What I came up with were wings made of plants. As I envisioned wings intricately woven from plant stems and leaves, a pair of large wings sprouted from Lapura’s back.
“Ah!”
They shouldn't be an inconvenience in daily life, so of course, I made them retractable. It was also right to make them strong enough to withstand most high-level magic or physical attacks.
She looked like an angel made of plants. I felt the emotions draining out of me in an instant. It felt like I had poured in all the emotions I had gathered so far, but since it was a gift for her, I couldn't possibly feel it was a waste. In fact, I started to worry about what to do with the little bit of emotion that was left over.
“Phew…”
“A-Are you having a hard time?”
“It’s not difficult work, but… there’s a little energy left, and I’m wondering what else to touch up…”
The wings themselves were magnificently made.
The design was very much to my taste, but it also suited Lapura’s existing appearance perfectly, and its functions weren't bad either.
The ability to fly was a given. Its main function was to act as a shield to protect her body in an emergency. Moreover, being made of plants, it offered endless possibilities for Lapura to utilize. She could use them as weapons, and if she put her mind to it, she might even be able to pour an immense amount of magic into them and create wings large enough to envelop a city.
Of course, I added a few useful secondary effects and didn't forget to slightly modify her back so they would blend in well with her body. And yet, a little bit of emotion still remained.
“Hmmm…”
I wanted to pour everything into this since I was already doing it, but the amount left was just a little short of what I’d need to add a new function to her eyes.
Just then, my gaze fell upon Lapura, who was glancing down at her own chest. It felt like she was asking for plastic surgery. Realizing what that look meant, I shook my head and opened my mouth.
“No.”
“…”
Lapura had been showing me new sides of herself recently, but this was a first.
“If… if I don’t grow…”
“Let’s think about it when the time comes.”
Her face seemed to be on the verge of tears. I hadn't thought she was at an age to be interested in the opposite sex, but seeing her unexpectedly firm stance made me worry that she might have found some boy she liked.
The image of Ratga bringing Wanhee home started to overlap in my mind.
“I can make you a little taller, so let’s be satisfied with that for now.”
“Yes…”
Making her one centimeter taller wouldn't hurt. Thinking that she would never have a chance to come back here, I checked her body several times, but her base specs were so excellent that I couldn't find anything that needed fixing. I slowly nodded, and my vision began to shift once more.
“Ugh…”
I quickly walked over to where Lapura was and saw Jung Hayeon holding her. She seemed startled to see Lapura suddenly in pain, but her expression relaxed with relief when she saw me.
But the urgency on her face was real.
“T-Taesung. Lapura… Lapura is…”
“It’s alright, Hayeon.”
“Hngh…”
The moment Jung Hayeon, who had been looking at me with a questioning expression, saw her eyes fly open, a pair of large wings unfurled from Lapura’s back.
WHOOSH!
The wings of stems, leaves, and flowers filled the large tent, and they were beautiful enough to inspire awe just by looking at them.
She’s beautiful.
She was my daughter, but she was an incredibly beautiful sight.
“Ah…”
“Hah… hah… Thank you, Father.”
When I gave a slight smile, I saw Jung Hayeon staring at me in disbelief. Lapura’s current state seemed astonishing even to her eyes.
A being that could truly be called transcendent had been born. Looking at Lapura, I couldn't help but think so.