Seres of Heaven (Complete)
Several years had passed. In that time, I'd been living pretty busily. After all, I was now the official apostle of the Heavenly God—and the unofficial guardian deity of this world. The Heavenly God had told me I could take it easy, but slacking off completely just felt wrong. So for those few years, I'd done everything I could.
Today was no different.
"Masters of the Abyss! Heed my call and accept this sacrifice!"
Right in front of me, a group of women were gathered, up to some insane ritual. They were all dressed in black robes stained with blood, wearing animal skulls—god knows what kind—as helmets. And in front of them were dozens of children. Kids who'd been kidnapped to be offered up as sacrifices to whatever twisted things these women worshipped.
"In exchange for this tribute, grant us power!"
The leader, her skull helmet adorned with feathers, stepped forward with a dagger in hand, heading toward the children. I'd been watching quietly to see what they'd do, but it was about time to step in.
"Freeze."
"?!"
The moment I appeared, the women didn't just jump—they practically had seizures.
"Se!"
"Seres Huferion?!"
The first reason was that they recognized me the instant they saw my face.
"When—how?!"
"She appeared out of thin air!"
"We didn't sense a thing..."
The second was that they hadn't detected me standing right next to them, watching.
"What trick is this?!"
The leader demanded, but I didn't answer. No point telling them I'd used divine power to block their senses entirely—they wouldn't get it.
"Of all the timing, the Heavenly God's apostle shows up now..."
"Run!"
Just my appearance sent them into a panic. Back when I first started handling these messes, they might've been thrilled, thinking a real prize sacrifice had dropped into their laps. But now, with my reputation built up over years—and them having heard it—they knew they were screwed.
"You pests, don't make a fuss!"
The leader, true to her position, at least kept some dignity and mustered the will to fight.
"Perfect timing, you hypocritical apostle of the Heavenly God! Behold the power I gained from my pact with the Abyss!"
She unleashed some dark magic, transforming the scattered stones around our outdoor altar into a massive golem that loomed over me.
"This golem itself isn't an evil entity. No matter how potent your holy power, it's useless against anything not born of malice!"
She crowed triumphantly. She'd clearly put some thought into it.
"What kinda nonsense is that?"
"Huh?"
"I've overcome that limitation ages ago!"
Irritated, I pointed my palm at the golem. Divine power surged from my hand, erasing it without a trace.
"What I wield isn't holy power—it's divine power. Depending on how you use it, divine power can annihilate anything lesser outright."
"..."
The leader gaped, reality too much to process, then started trembling.
"Not done yet!"
"More?"
"If this magic won't cut it, I'll summon the masters of the Abyss who granted me this power!"
If she could do that, why not sooner? As she muttered her incantation, space warped before me, a rift cracking open. Otherworldly colors and malice leaked through the shattered void. A grotesque hand emerged, prying it wider to manifest—but then.
[Hey, this is my turf. Get lost!]
[...Yes.]
"..."
"..."
The leader and her minions stared in disbelief, faces screaming this has to be a dream. Before they could try anything else, I showed them it was pointless. I blasted divine power at a nearby boulder, drilling a hole clean through it over a meter deep.
"...Run!"
"I don't care if you say no—I'm doing it!"
This time, even the leader bolted, but I wasn't just gonna watch. I unfurled the wings I'd tucked away on my back. Glowing feathers shot out, striking the women—they all collapsed.
And done.
"Alright, cleanup time. Come on out."
I called over the local soldiers who'd been waiting nearby.
"I've subdued them, so just tie 'em up. You guys comfort the kidnapped kids too."
As I gave orders, one soldier gawked at the aftermath and approached me, awestruck.
"Rumors don't do you justice—you're incredible. Is this the power the Heavenly God bestowed when she descended years ago?"
"...Something like that."
Not really. My divine power reserves hadn't grown much from what I started with. I'd just figured out how to weaponize it. But no need to correct their misconceptions—I let them run wild.
"Thank you so much!"
Once the soldiers tidied up, they bowed deeply in gratitude.
"If you hadn't come, who knows what would've happened...!"
"We're truly grateful! We requested help, but we never dreamed you'd come in person."
"We're so sorry for the trouble!"
This was a small kingdom far from my empire. They'd contacted me about a cult kidnapping kids for help. But with my fame—and high status—they hadn't expected me to show up personally, hence the shock.
"No worries. It's my job as the Heavenly God's apostle."
And, "Hearing kids were kidnapped... it didn't feel like someone else's problem. I've got kids of my own, after all."
I soared through the skies. My angelic wings weren't for show—they let me fly for real, and fast. Thanks to them, I could zip across countries solo, solving problems like this. And get home quick too.
Flap!
I landed lightly in front of our estate and tucked my wings away. As I approached the gate, the guards saluted.
"My lord!"
"Safe travels?"
Death Knights. The ancient Huferion royal retainers still served me, handling various duties.
"Yeah. Anything happen while I was gone?"
"Nothing. Except..."
"Except?"
"She kept asking when you'd be back."
Figured. Not the first time—I shrugged and headed inside without a fuss. I'd expected to announce my return, but surprisingly, everyone was gathered in the garden.
"My lord!"
Niobe spotted me first and rushed over.
"Please, do something about them."
She looked worn out from my absence.
Soon, "Seres!"
Arios came running. "Seres, you okay?"
"Fine. Same as always."
I eyed her worriedly with exasperation—this wasn't my first rodeo.
"Anyone who could take me down now? Even if you tagged along, it'd be pointless."
"But I still worry—can't help it."
Even after I became a god, the women fretted. They'd always insisted on coming along before, but now they couldn't.
"If I weren't like this, I'd have gone with you."
Arios glanced at her swollen belly, a hint of pride in her voice. Every woman I'd bonded with was either pregnant or tied down by kids, unable to roam freely.
"You're pregnant—no helping it. Rest up properly. You're not solo anymore, in more ways than one."
Arios wasn't just carrying my child—she'd officially inherited the ducal seat a year ago. The previous duke, Alois, had been rude to me (the Heavenly God's apostle), so she'd hastily passed it to her daughter, now my woman.
"Everyone timing it like this is a headache."
As I chatted with Arios, Hames approached, her belly also round.
"We should've staggered the pregnancies, checking schedules."
"No way. I might've lost out to you all."
"...Still on about that?"
Hames gave Arios a flat look. She'd changed too—scaling back her high priestess duties once she got proactive about conceiving, then taking extended leave after confirming. Wanted to focus on motherhood for a while. Unthinkable for the old her.
Compared to Viol, though, it was tame.
"You're back!"
Viol bolted over the moment she saw me. Unlike the others, she showed no visible change yet—only a few weeks along. But she'd appointed a regent and left the Imperial Palace for our Huferion estate the instant she knew.
She was the last to get pregnant among them, so her underlying anxiety showed. Now that it happened, she was lording it over everyone by staying here.
"Should've brought me. My belly hasn't even shown."
"Still pregnant—stay put."
"...Then take one of those at least."
Viol nodded disdainfully at Sibylius and Red.
"You're back?"
"Yo, made it?"
They approached, utterly unchanged. They'd already given birth.
"These two beating everyone to pregnancy and birth? Demon tricks at play?"
Viol, the latest, glared suspiciously. I secretly agreed.
"Her Majesty's right. At least one of us could've gone."
Sibylius—still a powerhouse even by my godly standards—pointed at herself, words belying her nonchalance.
"But it's only been days since you gave birth?"
"So? We're fine right after."
Sibylius scoffed. Astonishingly, both walked around normally within an hour postpartum.
"Think we're human? Laid low for months over a kid?"
Red snapped arrogantly. Hey, aren't you forgetting something?
"What about the babies?"
"Oh, that... I'm no good at childcare, so we handed 'em off."
"To that damn mother-in-law."
They pointed to my mother, Ares, cradling my children in both arms.
"Seres, you're finally back."
She greeted me with a complicated gaze.
"Working yourself ragged at your age..."
"Sorry."
"Not your fault. Theirs should apologize."
Still anti-harem to the end, she eyed the women coldly. The kids, sharing my blood, got a pass—but still complex looks.
"They take after their grandmothers more than you."
"Still cute, though."
I gazed at the babies in her arms. Silver streaks in their hair or blue eyes—they resembled me a bit. Born recently, we hadn't named them yet, still deciding.
"Hey, little ones."
Unable to call names, I reached out—but.
"Seres, wash your hands before touching the babies. You've been out."
"Ah, right."
My body didn't get dirty easily anymore, but better safe. I went inside to wash, pausing at the mirror.
"...I'm doing well."
I addressed the original Seres in my reflection.
"I don't know how or why you died so tragically, but I'm happy now. Not sure if this comforts you, but know that somewhere, another you lives happily."
Me living like this? Thanks to you. Always grateful, Seres.
"Seres, you almost done?"
"Coming!"
Snapped from sentiment by Ares's urging, I hurried out.
