Chapter 196
Chapter 196
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 196
Chapter Title: God's Mercy (1)
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The Art of One Flower.
A ritual that dissolved humans to create giants.
The concept of merging multiple individuals into one left no room for the dignity of life.
Living beings propagate their kind. But the dark arts of Heaven defied the very structure of life.
Through the Lifespan Register, it controlled the lifespans of its subjects, and when the population grew, it integrated individuals into giants to maintain its numbers.
If that was the will of Ra, then the Art of One Flower was the core system maintaining Heaven.
Shirone and his friends gathered around the table to begin their discussion. Having been exposed to the cruel ideology of Heaven, the tension had heightened.
The first order of business was what to do about Peope.
If she reported to her superiors after leaving during the memory transfer, Kanya's home would no longer be safe.
“We have to leave right away. Peope will bring more troops.”
Canis was in favor of leaving immediately.
Peope's abilities weren't that impressive, but it was also true that she was only a year old.
Not knowing what abilities the other fairies possessed, it was best to avoid a fight.
“You don't have to worry too much. Shirone is a Nephilim. According to the Law, Nephilim are not affected by the Law. The fairies won't harm Shirone.”
As a citizen of Heaven, Kanya had unwavering faith in the Law. But no one responded to her.
What they had learned since arriving was that being a Nephilim wasn't a panacea. They were certainly free from Heaven's Law, but for that very reason, the backlash for interfering with it was also severe.
“Shirone, you decide. We’ll follow your lead.”
Amy left the decision to Shirone. From Heaven's perspective, heretics were like foreign contaminants. If they wanted to accomplish anything, they had no choice but to use Shirone as their figurehead.
“We should stay here tonight. I don't think Peope will report us. There's no reason for her to. Besides, we have the Metagate, so we can escape in a worst-case scenario.”
Shirone trusted Peope. She had an eccentric personality, but she had reduced Kanya and Lena's lifespan penalty to just one year.
It seemed unlikely that someone as intelligent and capable of self-criticism as her would let her emotions dictate her actions and escalate the situation.
More than that, he was worried about Kanya. Tomorrow, Kanya's mother would undergo the Art of One Flower.
For a human being, who had spent a lifetime indulging in the singular existence of "self," the idea of becoming one with another was terrifying.
“I understand why you were reluctant to talk about the Art of One Flower. But Kanya, do you really think that way? The Art of One Flower I saw was…”
“I know it’s absurd. I know.”
Kanya readily admitted it.
It was a radical statement, coming from someone who had just described the Art of One Flower as a sacred ritual.
But Shirone didn't find it strange. Belief and emotion were separate domains.
“I'm not a fool. It would be a lie to say I never had doubts. But what would change? If you don't believe in God, you die. If you believe in God, you get eternal life. There is no choice.”
Kanya spoke the word 'death' for the first time. She knew that death existed in Heaven.
“If you're going to stay here, I'll prepare a place for you to rest. This way.”
When she pressed a button on the control panel, the side of the building opened, and a new structure flew over and connected to Kanya's house.
As Shirone and his friends stared in amazement, she explained that most families owned several such modules.
“Hee hee, the Mecha Tribe likes to invite guests.”
Kanya's smile pained Shirone's heart.
@
That night, Kanya and Lena lay in the same bed.
Their hearts pounded as if they had been running, making sleep impossible.
The sisters did not cry. It was as if each was waiting for the other to cry first.
As they tossed and turned endlessly, Lena turned over.
“Sister, tomorrow… Mom will be gone, right?”
Kanya looked at her younger sister with pity, knowing she was about to lose her mother at such a young age.
As she gently stroked her hair, Lena brought up something unexpected.
“If it's Shirone… I wouldn't mind letting you have him, Sister.”
Kanya's brow furrowed slightly. Behind her bewildered expression, she hid the fact that the words had struck a chord.
“What are you talking about? Shirone is a Nephilim. How could I share my life with someone like that?”
“But you'd never date a heretic, Sister. And you'll never meet someone like Shirone again. So now is your chance. You have to take it.”
Kanya struggled to hold back her tears. She could feel every bit of her sister's desperation.
Tomorrow, their mother would not be home. Lena wanted to fill the emptiness with a new family.
“Hee hee, but you like Shirone too. If Shirone became my husband, you wouldn't be able to stand it. You'd be jealous of me every day.”
“No! I'm serious! If it's you, Sister, I can give him up!”
Kanya laughed. Both Kanya and Lena knew that nothing would come of it with Shirone anyway.
It was just the late-night talk of two young girls.
As Lena snuggled in like a rain-soaked cat, Kanya hugged her sister and kissed her forehead.
“Don't worry, Lena. You're all I have.”
Lena's eyes slowly closed.
And so, the final night was passing.
@
Shirone and his friends rested in the room Kanya had provided.
A lot had happened in one day.
Shirone, as well as his friends, were lost in their own thoughts, and for a while, no one spoke.
Tess spoke, pretending to cry.
“Should we just go back now? Too much has happened in one day. Honestly, this place is just… too much.”
The others felt the same way. How many battles had they fought in just twelve hours?
Moreover, every enemy they faced possessed a power unseen in their original world.
The fatigue was one thing, but another problem was the seemingly endless secrets of Heaven. They had received so much information at once that their heads were spinning.
Canis spoke up.
“We can't do that. We've come this far. Arin and I have to get to the Seventh Heaven, Araboth.”
If they had only intended to sightsee in Shamain, they wouldn't have even tried in the first place.
Now that they were in Heaven, there was no way to retrieve the Metagate. Therefore, what they had paid as their ticket price was nothing less than an Ancient Armament.
Amy hugged a pillow and turned over.
“But Araboth is where God lives, right? It must be the hardest place to enter in all of Heaven. How on earth are you planning to get there?”
“I'll take care of it, so you don't need to worry. If you're scared to go, you can just wait here.”
“Oh? So you’re just going to ignore us? What if we just decide to go back without you?”
“That would be even worse. If you activate the Metagate here, the location memory gets reset. It’s a one-time use. Even if we stayed behind, our way back would be gone.”
Amy smacked the floor with her pillow and sat up.
“Huh? Is that really how it works? So in the end, for us to get back, we have to take you with us?”
“Yeah. You didn't even know that until now, you pumpkin?”
“What, a pumpkin? Have you ever seen such a pretty pumpkin in your life?”
“I have. The one attached to your neck right now looks just like it.”
Amy ground her teeth. She couldn't tell if it was a compliment or an insult, but it was a fact that Canis had shut her up.
Shirone hugged a pillow and sat down.
“I'm not thinking of going back yet either. But Canis, the timing for using the Metagate has to be rational. If anything other than survival is on your mind, you'll hesitate at the crucial moment.”
“Hmph, I know that much. I'll leave it to Arin. If things get really dangerous, we'll go back, Heaven or not. No question.”
“By the way…”
Tess propped her head up and turned onto her side. The curve of her body, from head to toe, was breathtaking.
‘An adult… She’s an adult.’
‘Tess, you’re really an adult.’
The others’ gazes were fixed on her, but Tess didn't seem to mind, as if she were used to it.
“How do they control lifespans here? Does a god really exist that can freely manipulate people's lives?”
The others fell into thought.
“I think it's like magic. I felt the same way during the fight with Marsha. It seems like nothing is impossible with magic.”
Marsha's abilities were certainly beyond imagination. But Amy, who had fought with her, was skeptical.
“Hmm, the Irregular Formula, you mean. Reducing a lifespan might be possible with the right price and conditions, but what about eternal life? No magic can extend life. That's something beyond human limits.”
“Is that so? I feel like there might be a way. Hmm.”
Arin said.
“Why is everyone so critical? Maybe Ra really is a god. Even if he didn't create the world, couldn't he be a being close to a god?”
“That's a bit strange too. If he's really a god, why does he need a name to control a lifespan?”
As Amy said, a name was just a designation given by humans. It didn't make sense that a being who relied on human language could have ascended to godhood.
Shirone said.
“Besides, the Art of One Flower, don't you think it's evil? For whatever reason, it treats human life like an object. Ra might just be controlling lifespans to manage Heaven. The very idea of a god managing the world doesn't make sense.”
His friends realized that Shirone was viewing Heaven in a negative light. Good and evil were human concepts, fluid and dependent on one's environment. Making a value judgment was something that required caution until the very end.
Tess said.
“But there's nothing we can do. It's the life they chose and their culture. Religion, especially, is an ideology that holds an absolute position within a culture.”
“No, it's not a religion. We just said it ourselves, Ra is not a god.”
“That's not important. It doesn't matter if he's a dictator instead of a god. Ra has the ability to control lifespans, after all. In a religion, what's more important than that?”
Shirone seemed to have more to say, but he swallowed his words.
Watching him, Amy realized that Shirone was still looking for a way to save Kanya's mother.
She liked that about Shirone, but now was a time to be level-headed.
“What are you going to do, Shirone? The Art of One Flower will be performed tomorrow. As Tess said, it's something the citizens have chosen. We can't just step in because it seems absurd by our standards.”
“But they said Miro denied the Law.”
“Shirone, that’s…”
“I know. I'm not trying to piggyback on her ideas. It's just that the feeling I'm getting is becoming similar. I think I can understand her to some extent now.”
Shirone recalled the story he heard about Miro at Nor's Rest. Despite Miro denying the Law, the old man's mother had said she didn't hate her.
If the citizens were nothing but beings who obeyed Ra, how should he interpret those words? What did Miro see and feel in Heaven?
What was certain was that tomorrow, Shirone would also have to make a choice.
Perhaps Miro… wasn't wrong.
@
First Heaven, Shamain.
Citizen Management Fairy Division, 73rd Branch.
The fairy department where Peope worked was located on the outskirts of Shamain, bordering Purgatory. Hundreds of houses were built on a giant tree called the World Tree, and small fairies flew between them like larks.
Peope went deep into the World Tree.
The Fairy Chief's residence was much smaller than a human's house, but it was just as quaint and splendid.
When she opened the door and entered, the Fairy Chief, Igirin, was sitting in a chair with her wings folded. She wore dark eye makeup, and a golden vine pattern was inscribed on her cheeks.
She was a fairy born from authority, but her age alone made her an unapproachable elder to Peope. Her striking beauty, in particular, was a source of admiration even among the other fairies.