Episode 181 Quiet Morning

I was alone, watching as dawn came over Hauzen.

The sun usually rose from the beyond the horizon. But now, its different.

The sun was covered by the rising Gallian continent this time, illuminating it like a halo. The scene looked majestic, nevertheless.

For those who didnt know, they would probably get captivated by such a sight.

[Hey, Fate.]

[Raine!?]

[Whats with that surprised look?]

[I mean, its rare to see you up this early in the morning.]

[I do get up early sometimes. I just want to see the rumoured scenery this time.]

I was sitting on a bench in the mansions courtyard.

Raine took a seat besides me.

[I already heard. You lost Greed. And yet here you are, looking fine and all. I thought youd take it really hard.]

[I guess its all thanks to Myne. She told me to not give up just yet.]

[I see. Then, this is for you.]

Raine handed me an envelope.

[From who?]

[Your fatherits from Dean.]

[From Dad!?]

I unconsciously put more strength than needed to my grip, causing the enveloped to be crumpled.

[He also told me that hell be waiting for you at the depths of Gallia. Whatll you do next?]

[Isnt it obvious?]

I gave Raine a look.

She let out a bitter smile as if she had done something wrong.

[Already itching for a fight? You two are really similar.]

[Similar?]

I used to feel some happiness when recalling the past.

Now that feeling was replaced by repulsion.

Dad had opened the Door to His Land.

Now, monsters started resurrecting everywhere, causing pain to the people.

Only last night I heard that a small village was annihilated by monsters attack.

Monsters had also gathered around the capital, probably attracted by the smell of living humans. Theres a possibility that a death march will occur some time soon.

Aaron and the White Knights desperately defended the capital. Its fairly safe right there at the moment.

Being told that Im similar to the person that caused all that, I was left speechless.

[Your father, he was born with Divine stigmata.]

[Just like Snow..]

[The Divine mark. Its like the will of God, it cant be resisted.]

[Are you telling me that the order Dad was given is to open the Door to His Land?]

[Judging from the situation, that should be the case. Whenever he was committing himself to the effort of opening the Door to His Land, the mark on his cheek would glow.]

Even so, theres something strange about it.

Libra, for better or worse, was trying to prevent the Door from opening.

But on the contrary, Dad was trying to open it.

[What Libra and Dad were doing was a total opposite.]

[Perhaps, despite being similarly sacred beastkin, they received different orders.]

[You mean!?]

[There may be more than one Gods will. Im pretty sure of this. Each of them might just be trying to fulfill their given mission, but your father hates Libra on a personal level. Perhaps they had a connection in the past.]

Multiple Gods will..?

Now that I think about it, if all the sacred beastkin were given the same mission, they shouldve been able to achieve it more effectively.

Why does it have to be like that? If the commands they were given are conflicting with each other, wont there be a chance that none of them would be fulfilled?

[I simply dont get Gods intention in all these.]

[Indeed. Our life would probably be a lot easier if we could understand the Gods intention. On the other hand, there are more than one way to achieve something, and we are left with the ability to choose how.]

[More than one way]

[Thats what makes being a researcher fun.]

[In the end its just for your amusement after all.]

[Fufufu lots of research materials awaits.]

[Good grief Raine, you really]

Before I could react, she placed her hand over my chest.

[Wa..]

I was taken aback by the suddenness, but I realized that Raine had a serious look on her face this time.

[How are you feeling recently?]

[Im fine.]

[Lies.]

[But Im not]

[Fate is not good at lying.]

[What?]

I was stunned since she hit a sore spot.

Apparently she could tell since shes directly touching my body.

[Arghh, alright, alright, youre right!]

[I thought so. When did this begin? What caused it?]

I didnt mean to hide it from her.

Shes been observing how the Gluttony skill affected my body for a while after all.

I mean, itd be bad if there was a visible change to my body.

Although I was forced into this, I actually felt grateful.

[Perhaps from a week ago?]

[Aaaah. Then why didnt you tell me earlier.]

[I was busy.]

[Geez, this will give me a lot to do now.]

Raine pulled my at shirt, trying to strip it off from the front.

[Come on, take it off.]

[Right here!?]

[Theres no other person here. Rest assured.]

[As if!]

And yet she still tried to take my clothes off.

Its her bad habit.

If she needs to know something, then she has to look it up right away.

At this rate, Ill end up naked in the morning at my own courtyard.

But she stopped as soon as she saw my back.

[I see. Like parent, like child after all. Its the same as what your father has.]

[Dad has one as well?]

[His was bigger, and more powerful than yours.]

[Which means?]

[This isnt the effect of Gluttony skill. Your sacred beastkin lineage is also taking form.]

[Why now of all times though.]

In response to my question, Raine turned to the floating Gallia continent and replied.

[Back then your father told me. Youd awaken your sacred beastkin lineage soon. And that it was the Gluttony skill which made it possible.]

[The skill does?]

[Right. Normally a humans body is too weak to support the sacred beastkins power. However, you achieved Area E thanks to Gluttony skill. This finally awakened the dormant power within you.]

My mom was a human. But my dad was a sacred beastkin.

Im a half breed who inherited the blood of both.

I was mostly human since I was born. But now the sacred beastkin blood in me started to awaken.

[It probably acts as a counterbalance to Gluttony skill. Youve been feeling really well lately, havent you?]

[Yeah, youre right. I thought that itll be more difficult now that Luna, who had been keeping it at bay, is gone.]

I dont know if its a good thing.

After Luna disappeared that day, I no longer saw the spiritual world.

And the shadow me that the Gluttony skill made hadnt appeared again since last time.

I managed to beat it back then, but I dont know what will happen next time.

Gluttony skill has been laying low recently.

At least I thought so. Perhaps it was wary of the awakened power of the sacred beastkin.

[In any case, Fates body is a good source of information. Please give me a moment.]

[Source?]

[Your father entrusted me with an Ether blood crystal. He said that it was a stone capable of miracles since it was a crystallized blood of God. Using that power, I was able to purify the Philosophers stone he stole from the Capital.]

[Philosophers stone!? The fragment of the collective lifeform Shinn?]

[Yes, I saw it with my own eyes. The blood crystal purified the will inhabiting that stone. Perhaps we can use it to purify the Gluttony skill in your body. That way it should be even more manageable for you.]

[Thats like something coming out of a dream.]

[But its not. He entrusted the Ether blood crystal to me because he knew that I will use it for you. Hes a man who wont lie when it comes to you.]

Dad actually did something like that?

[But its too early to feel happy. Itll take some time to truly understand how the blood crystal works. And the required equipment is located in Grandeur, just under Hauzen. So Ill be staying underground doing research for a while.]

[You look happy though.]

[Its what I do. When you feel like it, come visit to clean the place up.]

[Cant you just do that yourself?]

[But, I dont want to take over Fates job.]

[Oi, Im still the lord of Hauzen, you know?]

As soon as I replied to her, Raine got up from the bench.

[Alright then, I have research waiting for me.]

Before she went far I called her out.

[Oi, have you told Mugan that youre alright?]

Her father, Mugan had been worried sick ever since she was kidnapped by my Dad.

Its Raine were talking about after all. She only cares about research, so Im afraid that she hasnt contacted her father yet.

Thinking so, I asked just in case.

And then, Raine turned around. Her face was blank.

[Ahh! I forgot!!]

[What the hell are you thinking! Mugan is crying back in the capital. Get in touch with him soon!]

Hes just a worried father.

But, its Raine were talking about after all.

Even so, knowing that shes doing all this to help me out, Im honestly happy.