Chapter 358: Spirit Beast(3)
Chapter 358: Spirit Beast(3)
Of all the pains a human can experience, burns rank first, followed by amputations.
While opinions vary from the third rank onwards, most tend to prioritize the pain of childbirth, with subsequent rankings differing by study.
However, the pain a man feels when hit in the testicles easily makes the top ten. If we were to limit the demographic to men only, it would undoubtedly be in the top three.
Even though they are exposed on the outside, the testicles are strictly internal organs. If an internal organ takes a direct hit, the resulting agony is beyond words.
Occasionally, you might see someone who seems fine after being hit there, but they haven't "trained" themselves; they’ve simply become accustomed to the pain itself.
Regardless, if an average person takes a direct hit, they are rendered incapacitated for over five minutes. In severe cases, they might end up like the subject of that one famous meme.
A mere flick of a finger can send a wave of horrific agony through the body, so what happens when a much stronger impact occurs?
It isn't just horrific pain; stars literally spin before your eyes. Furthermore, this pain doesn't strike instantly; it creeps up on you.
This means you shouldn't hope for the mercy of fainting. In other words, you have to feel every single wave of the slow-crawling agony.
"M-My love. Are you alright now?"
"..."
I couldn't even answer Arwen’s worried question. I was currently in a state where I couldn't even squeeze out a scream.
Cold sweat poured down my face, and saliva dripped from my agape mouth onto the floor.
I clutched my stomach with both arms, trying desperately to dull the pain, but it was a losing battle.
To put it into perspective, it felt as if someone had plunged a knife into my gut and was using it like a gear stick, wrenching it back and forth.
"Dadda?"
A cute child's voice pierced my ears. The culprit behind this suffering.
That thought flashed through my mind as I barely managed to lift my head. The pain was still there, but I wanted to see the child's face first.
As I looked up, two pairs of eyes met mine. Contrasting silver-gray pupils and golden pupils.
The silver-gray eyes were filled with deep emotion, while the golden ones were incredibly bright and clear.
From the look of it, she had absolutely no idea what she had done wrong. Well, I suppose that was only natural.
I wanted to give them a smile for their sake, but the pain was so intense that I lowered my head again.
I hadn't even made it to the bed yet. It looked like I’d have to stay like this, clutching my stomach, for a while.
"Whew..."
About five minutes must have passed. Feeling the pain finally recede, I let out a deep exhale.
It was a blessing that the point of impact wasn't as narrow as a baseball. If it had been, I might never have been able to produce descendants for the rest of my life.
I wiped away the cold sweat that had poured down like rain in that short interval and lifted my head.
Arwen and the child’s faces came into view. I forced a smile and spoke as if I were fine.
"...I think I'm okay now."
"Are you truly? If it hurts, we should call a doctor or a priest..."
"No. I'm really fine."
If a 'nut' had actually cracked, I would have called a doctor or a priest immediately. But according to my own check, my precious eggs were intact.
Besides, I had just been talking to Luminous; surely he would have given me a warning. From the gods' perspective, my descendants would be important too.
I wiped my sweat-drenched forehead once more and looked at the child.
Though she had just been born, she seemed to realize she'd done something wrong, as she wore a gloomy expression.
Even the sprout that had been standing tall was now drooping. It seemed that sprout functioned like an elf's ears, expressing her emotions.
"Hey, little one."
"Ung."
"Next time you run, come slowly. And don't jump at people like you did to Daddy. Okay?"
"Uung?"
The child tilted her head and blinked at my request. I stared blankly at her reaction before letting out a hollow laugh.
Come to think of it, she had only just been born; there were more things she didn't understand than things she did.
I resolved to explain things to her gradually when I had the chance and pushed myself up with my legs.
My abdomen still throbbed as if I’d been stabbed, but it wasn't unbearable.
"Up we go."
"Ung?"
I lifted the child up and adjusted my posture so she could lean on my arms.
Then, I gazed into those clear, wide golden eyes. The child blinked back at me.
How could such a cute creature exist? The wings on her back were one thing, but the sprout on her head was especially adorable.
'But what should I name her?'
Setting aside how to handle her, the most important thing was giving her a name. I couldn't just keep calling her "child" forever.
As if she had read my thoughts with her mind reading, the child blinked a couple of times and shouted energetically.
"Name?"
"Yes. A name. We're going to decide on a name for you."
"Name!"
It was clear she didn't know what the word meant. I chuckled at the child's cute reaction and looked at Arwen.
Arwen seemed to agree with the idea of naming her, as she gave me a helpless smile the moment our eyes met.
"Do you have any good names in mind?"
"That..."
Arwen hesitated, not answering my question immediately. At first, I wondered if she was embarrassed to suggest a tacky name.
"Baby?"
"Huh?"
Just then, the child spoke up in a curious voice. Arwen and I both looked at her at the same time.
The sprout was now standing straight up, and the child was looking at Arwen with sparkling eyes.
Then, the child put her thumb in her mouth, sucked on it, and spoke each word with clear pronunciation.
"Isaac."
"That's Daddy's name..."
"Between. Born. Baby. Name?"
"..."
As everyone knows, the child possesses mind reading. She had cursed at me in slurred speech the moment she read my inner thoughts earlier.
In other words, she was uttering those words after reading Arwen's inner thoughts.
Once that realization hit, I began to piece together the words the child had spoken.
'The name... of the baby born between me and Isaac?'
It was just a guess, but it seemed Arwen had already decided on a name beforehand.
A name for the child she would eventually give birth to.
To have already decided on a name for a second generation when it hadn't even been a week since our first night—it was a thought that was very much like her, in a way.
"..."
Of course, Arwen's face turned red in real-time as her inner thoughts were completely exposed.
I smiled faintly as I watched Arwen, who was beginning to glow like a red sunset. She must be truly embarrassed.
And that feeling soon translated into action. After looking at the child with an expression that hovered between crying and laughing, she threw herself toward the bed.
Burying her face in a pillow so it couldn't be seen was the reaction Arwen always showed whenever she felt humiliated.
"Er... Er... El..."
"Hmm?"
"El... Elisha! Elisha!"
Wait, isn't that the name of the Elf Queen in the Xenon Biography? Was she planning to name our child Elisha?
When I looked toward the bed, Arwen was thrashing around like a freshly caught fish. Her legs kicked frantically, expressing her inner turmoil.
Since her hidden thoughts had been laid bare, she probably wanted to crawl into a hole and hide.
While it might not be as extreme as her Elven Communist remarks during the 'grandeur' battle with Cecile, her desires were being revealed without filter.
"Go... crazy. Want... to die?"
"Uh-oh."
She's still reading her. I lightly scolded the child and approached Arwen.
For the sake of the child's emotional well-being, I needed to calm her down quickly.
"Arwen."
"Uuu..."
"I'll use that name for the child born between you and me, so don't worry. For now, let's focus on naming this child."
To think Arwen had already picked a name when even Mari hadn't—the moment this fact got out, it would be an immediate death sentence.
Arwen seemed to calm down slightly at my consolation and stopped flopping like a fish.
Then, she turned her head to face me and the child. Her ears were red, showing just how ashamed she was.
"...Do not tell anyone."
"If I do, I'm a dead man."
"Dadda die?"
"Not right now."
Probably soon, though. Swallowing the rest of that thought, I set the child down on the bed. Looking at her like this, she really was as gentle as could be.
I was glad the child wasn't a troublemaker like a certain potato-headed kid. If her personality had been like that too, it would have been hell.
"Let's see... what would be a good name?"
I pondered seriously while looking at the child sitting quietly. Arwen also cautiously sat up.
During that time, the child looked back and forth between Arwen and me with her characteristic blank expression.
The translucent wings on her back fluttered slightly, and the sprout on her head stood tall.
Because her appearance was so unique, it wasn't easy to come up with a name. I had named characters in the Xenon Biography however I wanted since it was a fictional story, but I had to be careful with this.
First of all, since she was a girl, it was decided she would have a female name. However, finding a name that suited her was incredibly difficult.
"Hmm..."
"Heave-ho."
Just as I was deep in thought, the child, who had been sitting still, stood up on her two legs.
Watching her, I had no choice but to set my thoughts aside. My nerves were on edge in case she did something strange again.
Then, the child walked toward me on her two legs and...
"Dadda."
She dove right into my arms. My eyes widened as I watched her, and then I wrapped my arms around her.
"Hehe."
The child beamed with happiness the moment I held her. She rubbed her face against my chest; it seemed she really liked being in my arms.
I looked at her with a warm smile and stroked her head. She was so lovely it was driving me crazy.
I would raise her with love as the gods had said, but it was certain she was a child who would be loved even if I weren't the one doing it.
"...Ariel."
"Uung?"
"I think Ariel is the best fit."
In my past life, there was a very famous angel among the seven archangels. Even if she wasn't included in that specific list, Ariel was a very powerful being.
Specifically, she symbolized none other than nature. She was an angel who especially loved animals and nature.
Since this child was born from the seed of the World Tree, it seemed like the most appropriate name.
I told the child again as she looked at me with her brilliantly shining golden eyes.
"Your name is Ariel. Okay?"
"Ariel?"
"Yes. Ariel."
"Ariel!"
The child seemed to like it too, as she shouted the name energetically. Just as I was smiling warmly at the sight...
Flash!
Ariel's translucent wings flashed with light, and a change began to occur. My eyes widened as I watched her wings.
The wings had been enveloped in a pure white glow, which soon began to fade. I immediately realized what change had taken place.
The wings, which were originally translucent, had become more defined, and their color had become noticeably brighter.
It seemed that by being granted a name, she had properly established her identity. Though the sprout on her head remained the same.
'Will the sprout grow as her body grows?'
I watched Ariel, who now looked even more like an angel, and silently stroked her head.
Angel or not, I planned to raise her with plenty of love, so what did it matter?
I might get beaten up a bit by Mari, but I was willing to endure it. If I told her the child was a gift from Lord Hirt, she would accept it, however reluctantly.
"Ariel."
"Uung?"
"Daddy's name is Isaac. Isaac."
"I... zaac?"
"Yes. Isaac."
"Dadda!"
Right. Just call me Daddy. That's more comfortable.
I gave a small laugh and turned the child around to face Arwen.
"The elf in front of you is Arwen. Do you know who she is?"
"Mamma!"
"Yes. Call her whatever you like."
"Uung..."
The moment Arwen answered, Ariel stared intently at her. The sprout was also leaning slightly toward her.
It seemed she was reading her thoughts. I wondered what Arwen was thinking about now.
"......Se-cks?"
"......Huh?"
"Se-cks. How do you do it?"
"..."
I feel like she's only learning the bad things.
