Chapter 46

When I was born, this world was filled with colorful lights.

Everything was a combination of emotions.

Red, blue, dark, or faint.

There might be similarities, but nothing was exactly the same.

It was the unique light emitted by the seven emotions and six desires.

However, sometimes someone would reveal a hint of black within.

I was afraid of that.

The dry ones. The ones who cry with joy. The ones starving to death. Even the widows who lost their husbands.

There was color in their hearts.

But the black ones have no color.

They are those who feel no emotions, just buried somewhere.

I was terrified of that.

The fact that they could smile without joy, cry without sadness, and get angry without resentment.

Doesn’t that seem too bizarre?

“Girin… That’s a pretty name.”

“What do you want to ask me?”

The moment I looked at what approached me, I saw an illusion of the sky and earth turning black.

Was it born like that?

Or did it wear out like that?

Either way, it was dangerous.

It was the kind of being that would even devour its own children for its own benefit.

Though I was still young and hadn’t seen or felt many things.

Even in my short life, I could sense an ominous aura.

Looking at the mechanical smile without a hint of error.

I took half a step back.

“If I ask, will you tell me?”

In the blink of an eye.

My body was being pulled toward that monster.

Was it a curse?

No, it wasn’t.

The insight within my divinity instantly grasped the opponent’s method.

‘Pure manipulation of energy…’

It wasn’t any technique.

It was just exerting force from a distance, pulling me in.

“Where are you going?”

The monster stood still.

I desperately struggled, using all my strength to resist.

But it was no use.

It was like trying to push a mountain.

Thud thud thud-

Finally, a pale white hand reached above my head.

I quietly slipped my tongue between my teeth.

This was the only way left.

Since I failed to escape.

It felt like the right decision to end it quickly before facing something worse.

As I tightly closed my eyes and clenched my teeth.

“······?”

Somehow, my mouth was slightly more open than before.

Unfamiliar, firm yet soft fingers pushed my tongue aside and pulled my chin down.

The monster stroked my head in that state, scolding me with a mix of kindness and sternness.

“Why are you trying to cut your tongue? It’ll just hurt, and you won’t even die.”

*

Funny guy.

He says he’s curious, but when I try to ask, he runs away.

If you don’t like it, just say so. Are you bad at expressing emotions?

In the meantime, I crushed the rabbit imbued with the divinity of the otherworldly god with magic power and quietly took Kirin away from the spot.

Mission accomplished.

“What’s got you so dissatisfied?”

I asked the guy.

He kept trying to run away mid-journey, so I had to tightly hold him by my side.

I get it.

If you’re sensitive, you’d feel uncomfortable around me.

It’s like how dogs instinctively fear the dog butcher.

After all, I was the one who killed all the divine giants, the source of their kind.

Besides, it seems I’ve developed a unique aura over time.

Perhaps because I’ve spent too long seeing others as ‘targets to kill,’ it’s become a habit.

It’s understandable that Kirin, this kid, would dislike me.

But I’ve shown enough.

That I’m not dangerous.

At least, I’ve made it clear that I want to talk right now.

Yet, Kirin just stared blankly at me, putting all his effort into escaping.

I don’t get it.

Still, if he knows Miho, it might get a little better.

He didn’t answer, but Kirin seemed to know Miho.

That might help.

As I entered the cavern where Miho was, stepping over the red threads, it happened.

Twitch-

Miho, with blue veins bulging on her neck, jerked her body violently.

Belva climbed on top of her to keep her steady, continuously chanting healing spells.

Hmm…

To me, who knows the situation, it was a desperate medical act.

But from an objective perspective, it might look different.

No, it would definitely be misunderstood.

I’m sure of it.

Belva, influenced by me, has become more like a demon than an angel.

In that state, muttering spells on top of Miho, it looked like she was casting a vicious curse.

Especially with Miho writhing and screaming in suppressed agony…

I could feel the lingering poison and stench filling the room.

Recalling Miho’s position and authority.

I glanced at Kirin.

He didn’t respond even when poked, looking like he had fainted while standing.

This is trouble.

Leaving Kirin, who seemed frozen in time, I approached Miho, who looked in serious condition.

“What’s wrong?”

No matter how much I think about it, there’s no reason for it to come to this.

Even though my poison is potent, the Sealing Orb was definitely intact.

Belva shouted without even taking a breath.

“This is weird! Even though we keep pouring it in, there’s no effect!”

At her words, I checked inside Miho.

And then I realized.

“That little brat did it.”

I glared at the galaxy embedded in the sky for a moment.

Inside Miho, I felt a fragment of divinity, just like the one embedded in the rabbit.

Did he insert his own divinity at the moment he inflicted the wound?

He’s more cunning than I thought.

Rolling up my sleeve, I saw dark veins entwined like vines, clearly protruding.

Cause and effect.

I understood both.

Ending my brief contemplation, I carefully sent my divinity into Miho.

The treatment itself isn’t too difficult.

But I was worried whether Miho could extract my Divine Power on her own.

“What happens if she can’t?”

“Nothing much. It’ll just be very uncomfortable.”

It’s not dangerous.

Because I’m in control.

But anything that’s not your own is bound to be uncomfortable.

Especially since this is something that remains inside the body, it’s even more unsettling, and if sensitive, it could hinder the use of Magic Power.

So, I hope it turns out well…

Anyway, Miho’s complexion noticeably relaxed.

Everything that had protruded disappeared.

No longer could I feel the otherworldly god’s divinity inside.

Miho opened her eyes.

With a refreshed expression, she looked at me and Belva and said.

“It feels like I just woke up from a deep sleep. Is it over now?”

Her voice is normal.

I felt a sense of relief inside.

“Not yet.”

I explained the current situation to the puzzled Miho.

And what needed to be done.

After hearing my explanation, Miho nodded with a strange expression.

I’m uneasy.

“So, it’s inside me now?”

“Yeah. You’ll probably feel something out of place if you check.”

“And I need to pull it out?”

“It’s uncomfortable. It’s fine now, but who knows if it might have a bad influence.”

“…Hmph.”

Miho’s eyes slowly, very slowly, curved into a smile.

Her pupils are full of mischief.

Oh, really. I knew it. I did.

“I don’t think I can pull it out… I’ll try again next time.”

I almost gave her a flick on the forehead.

She’s lying so brazenly.

Miho, who gave up without even trying, flopped down as if it was all over.

Both Belva and I couldn’t help but laugh incredulously.

Why does she want to keep it?

I thought this might happen, but it’s still strange.

Long ago, I threw a leftover branch to Miho for firewood, and she still keeps it in this room.

I’ve given her plenty of proper gifts, so why is she obsessed with such useless things?

I really can’t understand it.

I can’t understand.

“Stop lazing around, let’s talk. You were too tense.”

Feeling unnecessarily annoyed, I grabbed Miho and pushed her towards the still-stiff giraffe.

Miho, looking annoyed, rubbed her eyes and then, upon seeing the giraffe, raised her voice as if delighted.

“Hey, it’s a giraffe! What? Why is there a giraffe here?”

“I brought it.”

“You brought it?”

“Yeah. I carried it under my arm and flew here from over there.”

Then Miho burst out laughing.

It was a laugh of joy at finding something to tease.

“That cheeky kid got caught like that. Just imagining it is funny.”

Miho said that giraffes are not so much shy as they are rude.

They’re usually hard to find anywhere.

Even if you happen to meet one and start a conversation, they often say, ‘I’m tired of blue now,’ and disappear.

That’s why many monsters look at them with disdain, but since they can’t be caught, there’s nothing to be done.

“Even though they’re young, they have innate divine powers, so if they decide to run away, it’s hard to catch them.”

“Divine powers?”

“Yes. Literally divine powers. The ability to fly through the sky or control the wind, they’re born with such powers.”

So, in other words, they’re geniuses?

It’s getting more and more intriguing.

My tongue wets my lips.

Actually, it’s been getting a bit hard to resist for a while now.

Let’s see, divine powers…

“Can I learn it too?”

That’s really tempting.