Chapter 574: Karma(1)
Chapter 574: Karma(1)
Once my conversation with Mora concluded, I shared a long, heartfelt talk with my family and my lovers.
It felt more like a counseling session than a simple conversation, which was understandable given that these were memories even I hadn't been aware of. They were sensitive, to say the least.
These were memories of a soul so shattered that even the Gods of Earth had acknowledged the damage—memories so perilous they threatened to tear a gaping hole in my heart.
Fortunately, as I lived my life in this world, those holes had gradually been filled. By now, the revelation was merely a shock, nothing more. Moreover, it was a necessary process, as demon worshippers might have tried to exploit those gaps in the future.
Still, their tendency to treat me like a fragile sunfish didn't change. It was as if they were handling a delicate glass ornament.
I told them they didn't need to go that far—that it was actually becoming a bit burdensome—but everyone knew those were just words. I expected this atmosphere to linger for a while, so I could only manage a wry smile.
Oh, and one more thing.
"Isaac. Could you try calling me 'Mom' just once?"
Perhaps hoping to help me move past the tragedy of my previous life, my mother made the request in a gentle voice.
Until now, I had referred to my parents from my past life as 'Mom' and 'Dad,' while I used the formal 'Mother' and 'Father' for my current parents. It was a subtle distinction, but it inevitably created a certain 'distance.' I used to think it was simply due to my upbringing, but the truth was different.
My mother had realized this and made her request. I hesitated at first, but after facing the truth, my heart had changed.
These people were my parents too, and they had showered me with as much love as my parents in my previous life. Why should I discriminate? Either way, they were the people I loved.
"……Mom."
"My son."
I leaned in and hugged my mother—no, my mom—tightly. She held me warmly in return, patting my back.
Her embrace was more cozy and comforting than anywhere else in the world. For a moment, I indulged myself, acting like a pampered child.
Though I hadn't fully overcome the pain, I could conquer it bit by bit with new happiness. I just had to start winning from today. Being late didn't mean it was truly too late.
"You can just keep calling me Father."
"Have you no tact at all?"
"No, it's just… calling me 'Dad' feels a bit awkward."
One way or another, the opportunity to close the distance with my parents and family was well-established. For once, I had something to thank Mora for.
In exchange, I planned to visit the Temple of Mora regularly for the time being. Since it was the most tragic event across all my lives, there was a chance it could manifest as nightmares.
There were only two ways to banish such nightmares: either experience a tragedy so great you forget the dream, or find enough happiness to outweigh it.
Naturally, I chose the latter. I wasn't crazy enough to pick the former.
"Come to think of it, I've heard this somewhere. They say you can sleep soundly if you cuddle with someone."
"That works out. We were going to take turns sleeping with him anyway."
"We should find ways to make sure Isaac can sleep as comfortably as possible."
My lovers began huddling together to brainstorm. It was absurd how much they were treating me like a fragile sunfish. Still, it was a testament to how much they cared, so I decided to let it slide with a smile. It was a good thing for me, after all.
Besides, the fruit of our love was due to arrive in a year. Watching that child grow would be another way to find happiness.
"Waaaaah!"
"Liliya! Ariel! Go get Lily!"
"Got it! Aunt Lily! Stop right there!"
Or I could just relax and watch the duo of Lily and Ariel.
Lily, who had only recently mastered walking, was already scurrying all over the place, with Ariel hot on her heels. Of course, there were only so many places one could run with such short legs. Lily flailed as Ariel scooped her up, but it was futile.
"Papa! I caught Aunt Lily!"
"Good job. But she's not an animal, why are you saying you 'caught' her…"
I trailed off, stopped by the expression on Lily's face as she squirmed in Ariel's arms.
It was a look of intense concentration. Her tiny hands were balled into fists, and her chubby cheeks were trembling.
Wait, could it be—?
Splat!
"Eww!! Aunt Lily pooped! Gross! Blegh!"
The moment the ominous sound echoed, Ariel let out a shriek of horror. She immediately scrambled to set Lily down on the ground.
Naturally, now free, Lily began to make her escape on her short legs. I watched the scene with a look of utter bewilderment.
'She just smirked, didn't she?'
I was sure I saw Lily grinning right before she bolted. Unless I was imagining things.
"Papa! Lily called Ariel a dummy!"
"……Are you sure?"
"Yeah! She said dummy! Ariel isn't a dummy! Papa, scold her!"
"Hahaha."
Once Lily grew a bit more, there wouldn't be a single quiet day in this house. I found myself even more curious about what her relationship would be like with the child born a year from now.
Regardless, the waddling Lily was soon caught by her nanny, who had been waiting nearby for just such an occasion.
While amusing things were happening every day, there were still many matters that required my attention. Chief among them was the Xenon Festival. It wasn't long now until the festivities began.
Perhaps because of that, the territory was already bustling. From the outside, it was already grand enough to be called the world's greatest festival. However, internally, small and large issues were beginning to surface.
"It is far too crowded."
One of the primary issues was the congestion. I listened carefully to my father's explanation.
Until last year, Blood and Iron hadn't existed, so we could focus solely on the Xenon Chronicle. This year was different. The Xenon Chronicle was finished, and Blood and Iron was enjoying sensational popularity. Now, the two were beginning to mix.
That didn't mean the popularity of the Xenon Chronicle had waned. In terms of sheer numbers, the two were locked in a fierce competition for attention. The festival's identity wasn't lost, but the sheer clutter was becoming a problem.
"Hmm… you don't need to worry about that, Father. I think we can just leave it as it is."
"What makes you say that?"
"The world I lived in was the same."
There were festivals where one person would walk around in medieval armor while another wore an Iron Man suit. No one ever objected to it. People just accepted it as someone expressing a certain character.
In fact, the most important thing was quality. The higher the quality, the more attention it drew. While this world didn't have the concept of 'cosplay' and instead used arts like painting, that was more than enough.
"It's all based on my works anyway, right? So everyone will know exactly what they're looking at. That very chaos might actually be part of the charm."
"Hmm. You have a point. However, we'll have to adjust the music-related sections. Even with the Demons and Elves helping, it's better to categorize those."
My father nodded and scribbled something on a document. I watched him for a moment before moving on to the next question.
"Is there anything else?"
"If I had to say, it's the timing… we might need to extend the duration of the festival. Especially as your body of work grows. If we do that, we'll have to delay the start of the Academy term. Adjusting time is the most difficult part of all."
My father scratched his head, looking troubled.
For the sake of the festival, academies in various countries tended to start their summer breaks early. This had become a sort of unofficial tradition since last year. In exchange, the start of the next term was moved up, but if the festival grew longer, the start of school would inevitably be pushed back.
It might not seem like much, but in this era, it was a significant issue. This was a world that had only just developed steam locomotives, let alone airplanes.
Of course, once steam locomotives became commercialized and widespread, the problem would vanish. Eins had even mentioned wanting to build a station in the Maishal Territory if possible.
'Though there's no telling how long that will take.'
Given the talent of the Dwarves, it would likely be much faster than on Earth. But no one knew exactly when. For now, they were bound to be focused entirely on meeting the skyrocketing demand for coal.
I rubbed my chin, considering the various factors, before speaking quietly.
"The Xenon Festival is meant to be a festival everyone can enjoy. It would be a shame if artists couldn't showcase their work because of a lack of time. How many art groups—theaters and orchestras—are participating currently?"
"Excluding the Matrix Theater Troupe and the Lirus Orchestra, there are 13 theater troupes. And there are over 20 orchestras."
"Were there always that many?"
"Most of them are people who started dreaming after seeing last year's festival."
It made me realize that we were currently in a golden age of culture. It also spoke to the influence of the Xenon Festival. That number would only grow in the future, never shrink.
As I was pondering the proper allocation of time, my father spoke up as if he had just remembered something.
"Ah. Come to think of it, there is one more place. It's neither a theater troupe nor an orchestra."
"Pardon?"
"Geas sent a letter saying they are coming here. Bringing their 'works' with them."
"……?"
That was news to me. As I wore a puzzled expression, my father handed me a letter. I took it in silence. The envelope itself looked extraordinary.
"This letter…"
"Yes. It was originally sent to the Imperial Palace. It's a letter sent from one nation to another, but in reality, it might as well have been sent to our territory. We get so many letters here, after all."
Eins, Handai, and Geas—these three had started a revolution under the pseudonym 'Geas.' It was a fact known to everyone. Now that they were the leaders of a nation, sending a letter to another head of state was child's play.
They likely sent it this way thinking I would be too busy or that I would receive it too late if they sent it directly to me.
I opened the letter and read.
[We will be bringing tanks. Panzers that contain the essence and masterpiece of our Geas!]
[We are not coming for war! We are bringing them solely to participate in the Xenon Festival and to showcase our works!]
[We hope you do not treat us as hostiles. We will be bringing shells for testing purposes, but they are strictly for demonstration.]
I finally understood why these little runts had sent a letter to the Minerva Empire. If they had just rolled up with tanks without a word, it would have been tantamount to shouting, "We're here for war!"
'……I can already feel a migraine coming on.'
Still, I wasn't entirely caught off guard, as Luminous had mentioned this before. He had left behind a future where the three Dwarves would bring tanks. That future was simply becoming reality today.
"……Well. I suppose it's fine. Anything else?"
"Where to schedule the Matrix Theater Troupe's film…"
It felt like my karma was slowly coming back to haunt me.
*
While Isaac was exchanging opinions with Hawk regarding the festival...
Machina, which had been on the rise since the revolution, was currently bustling with festival preparations.
"Move it, move it! Get that coal transported properly!"
"We're leaving soon! Make sure you pack the cold beer!"
"Anyone who slacks off is walking!"
Dwarves were scurrying about on their short legs, transporting supplies(?). The place they were loading the cargo was none other than tanks. Steel monsters that were the masterpieces of Geas, fused with the knowledge of Xenon.
However, there wasn't just one steel monster. Behind the lead tank, several others were lined up in perfect formation.
"We are taking these tanks to the Maishal Territory! This is our chance to show everyone the true identity of our race!"
"We aren't fast learners like Humans! We aren't proficient in magic like Demons or Elves! We don't have powerful bodies like the Beastkin!"
"But we have the ability to create steel monsters! We're going to show that ability to everyone!"
Luminous had said before that the three Dwarves would bring a tank. But that was based on the 'then'—now, the future had shifted slightly.
Rumble!
"Let's go, comrades!"
"Let's go show them what we can do!"
It wasn't just a tank coming; it was a fleet of tanks.
[The fire of the forge flows as sweat, and sweat is our value and our proof.]
[The rhythmic sound of the hammer becomes a song we hum.]
[Something new is born from my hands. We are building a great mountain with our own hands.]
[Let us create together. Let us sing together. Let us dance together.]
The song that was originally a national anthem had, at some point, turned into a marching song.