Chapter 357: Spirit Beast(2)
Chapter 357: Spirit Beast(2)
Leaving behind the child who could apparently read my inner thoughts, I quickly got dressed and rushed to the temple.
I left the child with Arwen for the time being. It might take a while, but identifying the child’s true nature was the priority.
The fact that she shared features with both Arwen and me was one problem, but the wings on her back were the biggest issue.
If she were revealed to the public without any preparation, I could guarantee the fallout would be beyond "Why Is This Real?" levels of shock.
Unlike demons, angels existed only in records; they were a race currently considered extinct. The myth that elves were their descendants was common knowledge.
But now, a being with angelic wings suddenly appears? And a child who resembles both Arwen and me, at that?
Her existence alone would cause a tectonic shift in the world, and if you added the other factors, the situation would become dizzying.
Setting aside the fact that Mari might beat me half to death, I needed to know exactly what this child was.
[In terms of race, she is indeed an angel.]
When I asked Luminous, he confirmed it. As soon as I heard those words, a wave of dizziness hit me, and I let out a hollow laugh.
To be honest, I had a hunch she was an angel the moment I saw those translucent wings. But then, what was the sprout on top of her head?
It was certainly cute, but it didn't seem right to call it a mere decoration. She wasn't some animal that had failed to become a plant.
[I suppose this requires an explanation. Do you know how angels are born?]
'Um... no.'
Even as someone who reads as much as I do, my knowledge of an angel's birth was vague.
Some said the gods created them directly, while others claimed they were born naturally.
Because so little was known about angels compared to demons, various theories were constantly debated.
[Angels are beings born from powerful divinity. Since they must assist us, they are born with immense divine power from the start.]
'That’s hard to grasp. Do they just... pop into existence, unlike humans?'
[To explain further, divinity acts as a sort of seed. An angel is born from that seed.]
I nodded at his words, but questions continued to pile up.
If angels were born through the divinity of the gods, why were there no angels now?
The story of angels tearing off their own wings to descend and become elves was considered 'mythology,' not history. It meant it was an event from the unimaginably distant past.
Furthermore, during the Demon War, there was no help from angels—they didn't even exist. We barely managed to repel the invasion by borrowing the power of the World Tree.
Reflecting on it piece by piece, a conclusion emerged: the current gods lacked the capacity to create angels.
Why? Why did the gods lack the strength to bring angels into the world?
Was it to honor the angels who tore off their wings to atone for their sins? That lacked probability.
No matter how you looked at it, a Demon War had broken out; the gods weren't stupid, and they would have needed insurance. According to literature, every single angel was incredibly powerful.
If that was the case...
[Th-that is why that child was born through a sort of loophole. Over the course of three thousand years, the divinity concentrated within the World Tree was transformed into the form of a seed with Mother’s help. That is also why a sprout grew on the child’s head. Therefore, she is more of a 'Spirit Creature' than a pure angel.]
Just as my doubts were spiraling, Luminous spoke up with a slightly hurried voice.
I pushed my stray thoughts aside and returned to the topic of the child.
'Then what did you mean when you said she’s an angel?'
[In human terms, it means she isn't a pureblood. However, since she was born from divinity, the fact that she is a transcendent being remains unchanged. Strictly speaking, it would be more accurate to view her as a Child of the World Tree.]
'But she looks exactly like me.'
[Do you know what a seed needs to sprout?]
Of course I did. Water, soil, and finally, abundant nutrients.
[Since you have the blessing you received from Mother, nutrients and soil were irrelevant. She could obtain nutrients just by being near you.]
'Then what about the water?'
[Water comes from your body as well, does it not?]
"..."
Good heavens. My mind went blank at Luminous’s answer.
No matter how much water was needed, I felt incredibly sorry to the child for supplementing it with that. Setting aside the hygiene, I just felt guilty.
Yet, at the same time, it made sense. There was no fluid more imprinted with distinct genetic information than semen.
Perhaps the reason she looked like a carbon copy of me was because of this. There was no other way to explain it.
'Is it similar to Aphrodite...?'
Most people know the myth of the birth of Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty in Greek mythology.
Following Gaia’s command, Cronus severed Uranus’s genitals, and the blood was scattered into the sea.
Foam rose from the blood-stained sea, and the being born from that foam was Aphrodite.
Since there were other similar myths, it wasn't entirely incomprehensible. I just felt a bit sorry for the child regarding the process.
'...Then what would have happened if I had planted the seed in the ground?'
[It would have grown into an ordinary sacred tree, like the World Tree.]
'If that was the only other option, why didn't you tell me about the future?'
[Whether a sacred tree grows in your territory or an angel is born as she is now—these two possibilities alone would cause the branches of the world's fate to diverge significantly.]
'Ah.'
I understood immediately. The difference between the two would certainly be larger than I could ever imagine.
So this was what he meant by a "Revelation of Heavenly Secrets." I nodded inwardly and then asked Luminous another question.
Now that I knew the secrets of heaven, the remaining issue was how to treat that child.
One thing was for sure: her teeth were strong enough to crunch down on a World Tree seed. Moreover, despite being a newborn, she was incredibly strong.
Just thinking about it made the difficulty level seem astronomical. I had suddenly become a parent, but what could I do?
This was a gift from Lady Hirt herself; I had to embrace her with love. Even if the price was being killed by Mari.
As I chuckled hollowly while predicting a future where a tsunami of trouble would come crashing down, a thought suddenly occurred to me. I asked Luminous.
'Then, can Jin not reincarnate as a transcendent being?'
In the Xenon Chronicle, the World Tree exploded magnificently due to the sacrifice of the elven heroes, so it was practically impossible.
Of course, it wouldn't matter if he reincarnated as a mortal instead of a transcendent. For the record, Kair is scheduled to be resurrected that way and reunite with Elisha.
This was also something I might need to adjust slightly. Also, since divine power has the function of extending one's lifespan, I could simply include Lily in that.
'Waiting decades for a lover to be reborn...'
It wasn't bad. Instead, as I mentioned before, this was a kind of insurance.
For now, I planned to proceed with a plot where his soul merged with a Great Demon's, leaving no choice but total annihilation.
I thought that to myself and then returned to the main point. The main point, naturally, being the child’s welfare.
'Is there anything I should be careful of?'
[Not particularly... but as you know, she is naturally strong, so you will need to be cautious.]
'I already guessed that. Anything else?'
[You may raise her as an ordinary child.]
That’s exactly what I’m asking because I don't know how. I wasn't prepared, and suddenly having a child was troublesome in many ways.
If I left her with my parents like this, it would be the height of nuisance. Furthermore, the child recognized Arwen and me as her parents.
At first, I thought about leaving her with my parents, but I immediately discarded the idea, feeling it was too irresponsible.
Even if the situation was absurd, this was a gift from the Goddess of Nature herself, so I couldn't exactly complain. I just had to accept it gracefully.
[Give her plenty of love and cherish her from now on. She will surely be a great help to you and those you love.]
'Of course I will. Oh, right. Come to think of it, the child seems to have mind-reading abilities. Is that common for all transcendents?'
[You can tell by how we read the inner thoughts of others. She has various other abilities as well, but that child will possess "Divine Authority" similar to yours. Starting from being loved by animals, she can make plants grow rapidly.]
I nodded as I listened to the child’s potential. It seemed that even if she wasn't a pureblood, she was born with basic Divine Authority.
The immediate concern was whether to announce the child’s existence or try to hide it until the end. The moment her identity was revealed, all sorts of waves would come crashing in.
On the other hand, leaving her entirely to Arwen felt like my conscience had evaporated, so I couldn't help but worry.
'Let's head back to the dormitory first. And...'
I should prepare to be beaten to death by Mari. I let out a deep sigh of frustration.
She was the person most likely to lose her mind in this situation. I had sent the man she loved away as a compromise, only for him to return with a child?
Beyond just losing her temper, I wouldn't be able to say a word even if she declared a divorce. This was the worst-case scenario, but it wasn't entirely impossible.
[I am sorry. Mother surely gave you the gift out of her affection for you...]
'It's okay. Mari will understand.'
Her head might understand. Her heart, however, would likely feel the opposite.
It was just as I was about to cut the connection with Luminous while slowly planning for the future.
Perhaps because the topic of angels had come up, a certain curiosity suddenly struck me.
'Lord Luminous. You and Lady Mora are Lady Hirt’s biological children, right?'
[Hmm? Y-yes, that is correct.]
'And angels aren't biological children, but beings born through faith.'
[...That is so.]
'Then the two of you...'
I was about to ask the question but stopped, my brow furrowing.
What was I going to ask?
Everyone has the experience of occasionally forgetting what they were about to say. It happened often in my previous life, especially whenever I went to search for something on the internet.
That was my current situation. I definitely had something to ask, but I couldn't remember it.
More accurately, it felt as if the memory had been completely erased. I also felt a strange sense of déjà vu.
[My child?]
'...It's nothing. I'll ask you later. My apologies.'
[Very well. Do you have any other questions?]
'No.'
The communication with Luminous ended there. I pushed down an inexplicable sense of unease deep into my heart and returned to my quarters.
And what I saw upon returning was...
"Whoosh~!"
"Giggle!"
Arwen was using magic to float the child in the air. The child was fluttering her wings, gliding through the air.
Seeing the bright smiles on both their faces, it seemed they were having a wonderful time.
"Ah. You're back?"
Arwen greeted me with a look of delight when I returned. I gave her a warm smile, seeing how happy she looked.
To be honest, I thought she would be overwhelmed by the child, but it was the exact opposite.
She then canceled the magic and placed the child down on the soft bed.
The child also noticed me, blinking her golden eyes cutely before breaking into a bright grin.
"Papa!"
The child shouted and scrambled down from the bed. I told her to be careful and slowly approached.
Before I knew it, this adorable child fully recognized me as her father. Even though I had taken her on unexpectedly, I would raise her with love, just as Luminous said.
Besides, he had even prophesied that she would be a great help to me and those around me in the future, so she would never be a burden.
Patter, patter, patter!
The child ran toward me with all her might. Seeing her translucent wings fluttering, she really seemed to like me.
I leaned down slightly and opened my arms. It was a reflex, born from being completely charmed by her cuteness.
But at that moment, I had no idea. Just how strong the power of a child born as a transcendent was.
The very thought of expecting a newborn to control her strength was a foolish one.
Hop!
The child jumped lightly and flew toward me like an arrow.
Thud!
"...Huh?"
I realized it the moment an indescribable pain surged up from below.