The Fake Solution

I was in a dream.

But it wasn't my dream.

[Azier inherited the bloodline ability of the Roach family.]

[Right. So, I was hoping Frondier would have inherited the bloodline ability too.]

This must be Frondier's dream.

It's Frondier's past, before I possessed him.

[It seems Frondier didn't receive divine power or bloodline ability.]

[It's okay even if he didn't. He's our son, after all.]

Frondier was listening to his parents' conversation from the hallway, outside the room.

Seeing Frondier through my eyes felt strange, almost like an out-of-body experience.

The Frondier eavesdropping looked young, perhaps about ten years old.

A mix of emotions that were easy to read flowed from the child's eyesanger, inferiority, injustice.

Malia and Enfer didn't notice Frondier listening in. Their senses as mages or warriors are honed for hostility or intent to kill.

Malia said, almost persuasively,

[And bloodline abilities don't always pass down unchanged. Azier inherited your abilities, but they manifested a bit differently.]

[Either way, if Frondier doesn't show his own talent, there's no place for him in the Roach family.]

Enfer at that moment seemed even more resolute and colder than now. Malia appeared somewhat wary of his stern demeanor.

After a moment of contemplation, Malia spoke.

[Frondier might have inherited my abilities.]

[Your abilities?]

Enfer reacted to her words. Frondier also perked up his ears, smoothing out his scrunched face.

[It's about when we went to the temple together.]

[The temple of Hera.]

Enfer's words made Malia nod.

Malia's original family worshipped Hera, and so naturally, Malia also made regular visits to the temple of Hera. Hera is also the guardian goddess of the family, so Enfer had visited the temple following Hera as well.

Frondier had seen the statues and paintings in the temple. At that time, Frondier had done something. I felt a familiar sensation.

"Are you saying that Frondier inherited your bloodline ability, 'Sensory Sharing'?"

"That's what I think. Of course, I haven't felt Frondier using that ability since then, and it seems Frondier himself is unaware of it."

Upon hearing this conversation, Frondier's pupils widened, as if he was guessing something.

...But for me, this was completely new information.

"Frondier inherited Malia's ability?"

It was unexpected. If such a thing were true, then Frondier, during his time playing the game, should have already known how to use his bloodline ability. But of course, there was never such a thing, and there was no information about it anywhere on the internet.

"Does that mean Frondier's ability requires a condition? Is it related to Lady Hera?"

"I'm not sure yet. But that's what I think too. Since he felt something only in that temple, it's highly likely related to Lady Hera."

I pondered over their conversation.

The relationship between Frondier and Hera.

Honestly, I have no clue. Even if his mother, Malia, worships Hera, it doesn't necessarily mean Hera has a special affection for her son, Frondier. If that were the case, he would have received divine power.

Moreover, if what Malia felt from Frondier was the bloodline ability 'Sensory Sharing,' then it shouldn't have anything to do with Hera.

"It's not Hera who is related."

After hearing Malia's story, I had a guess.

It reminded me of something Hestia had said before.

-[So, you can observe the past through the eyes of a god. Just as Hephaestus mentioned.]

I observe the past through the Eyes of a God. Initially, I stored Artemis's bow and arrows after seeing Hephaestus's past and Hestia's hearth after seeing her past.

When I first uncovered Hephaestus's past, I didn't understand how it was possible.

If thats the transformed sensory sharing inherited from Malia.

The condition is not Hera.

The god itself was the condition.

When Frondier, as a child, saw and reacted to the statues and paintings of the gods in the temple, it must have been because the figures retained some of their appearances.

But since they werent real gods, he obviously couldnt see their pasts.

The subsequent dream moved quickly.

Frondier, firmly believing the words of Enfer and Malia, repeatedly searching for the Temple of Hera and observing the sculptures and paintings.

Those memories gradually accelerated and began to fragment, with parts missing in between.

Among the fragments passing before his eyes, what stood out was Frondier rapidly growing older and, at the same time, becoming more despairing.

[Why do I, have nothing?]

[If this doesnt work, Ill definitely be.]

[I dont want to disappoint him. I cant ruin his expectations. There has to be something, anything.]

[Frondier!! Why are you like this! Why were you even born! You piece of trash!]

[Mom, Im sorry. Mom. Im sorry. Im sorry.]

Frondiers voice reverberated repeatedly as if it was striking the dreams walls.

Words that he didnt know were spoken out loud or were silent, fervent wishes swam through the dream. Despair, fear, self-reproach, and sorrow intermingled and overflowed as if water was spilling over, engulfing the words.

Now I understand.

Why Im dreaming about Frondier now.

Meeting Hestia and seeing her past revived Frondiers memories.

To Frondier, who had always believed that he didnt have any abilities.

His bloodline ability must have been his last lingering hope.