* * *
[I don’t know. That’s why I brought you here.]
That seemed to be the truth. Noah had been speaking in that nuance all along.
‘But still…’
A lot of time had passed, and he still didn’t know?
That was a little suspicious.
But even if that were true, shouldn’t he at least have some idea?
[Do you not have any guesses at all?]
‘It’s strange that you summoned me to this world without any certainty.’
Contrary to my expectation that it might take a while, a message appeared almost instantly.
[(‘X’)]
“…Hah.”
Instead of words, only an emoji appeared.
It seemed to mean he couldn’t say anything.
‘Well… I guess I should be thankful he even said this much.’
The topic of penalties had come up, and it felt like some ancient deity had interrupted Noah from saying more.
The rules imposed by these ancient gods seemed stricter than I had imagined.
Was it because they were especially sensitive to matters concerning the human world?
‘I also want to ask about the nature of this novel.’
But right now and in the future, it didn’t seem like they’d ever willingly give me answers.
At best, I could only make guesses and ask whether they were right or wrong.
‘Honestly, my head already feels like it’s going to explode.’
I wasn’t sure if my tears had stopped or if they had just dried up.
I didn’t even know how I was managing to deal with all of this.
I was just enduring because I had no other choice.
Even so, there was one thing I had to ask.
[Just one. Let me ask just one last thing.]
[ㅇㅇ]
I swallowed hard as I stared at the rainbow-colored letters that appeared in front of me.
‘Who… am I? Why do I have the same face as Sean? The face that didn’t resemble my original family in the slightest… why does it look so much like Sean’s grandfather?’
My fingertips trembled.
Even as I hoped for an answer, an inexplicable fear threatened to consume me.
‘What if he says it’s true? That this was where I was meant to be all along…’
I couldn’t even imagine it.
No matter what answer I received, I wouldn’t be able to believe it so easily.
But still, I needed to hear it.
My heart pounded as if it would burst out of my chest, and I gripped the fabric over my chest tightly while waiting for the message to appear.
[Believe whatever you want to believe.]
This time, the letters weren’t rainbow-colored—they were black. It was Noah’s reply.
“…No way…”
‘Don’t give me such an irresponsible answer!’
[If we tell you who you are, does that suddenly define you? Are you really someone who can be so easily categorized and changed based on that definition?]
My mind was spinning, and I read Noah’s message over and over.
I understood what he was trying to say.
But… this wasn’t the answer I needed.
‘You wouldn’t understand. What it’s like to spend your entire life wondering if you belong, questioning even the smallest things—whether they’re truly yours or not!’
When I was thrown into this damned possession, I lost my name.
Even my exact age had become hazy.
The only reason I hadn’t completely lost my mind was that my memories of living as “me” remained clear.
That didn’t mean I was okay.
As time passed, the adult “me” faded, and I felt like I was becoming the thirteen-year-old child that fit into Sean’s life.
Like I was sinking deeper into a bottomless swamp.
‘So if you tell me that this was where I was supposed to be all along, would that change my choices? That would only be possible if I completely lost my original memories.’
“……”
[I’ve given you all the answers I can. How you accept them and what you do with them—that’s up to you.]
I ran a dry hand over my face and shook my head.
‘Let’s end it here.’
[Alright. Get some rest.]
And just like that, my conversation with the ancient gods came to an end.
I staggered toward the bed.
When I brushed my fingers over my eyes, I felt the rough, dried remnants of my tears.
‘My head hurts…’
My body and mind were utterly drained.
I didn’t want to think anymore.
I crawled under the covers and curled up.
It didn’t feel like I was falling asleep—more like my consciousness was sinking endlessly into the abyss.
∗ ∗ ∗
The night of what should have been a day of utmost blessings and joy was instead filled with unease.
Something beyond human comprehension had occurred.
No one could predict how things would unfold or what consequences would follow.
The townhouse of the Duchy of Pantheon, located near Shailot Village, was no exception.
The Duke and Duchess had finished all external affairs for the day and were now gathered with Raizen and the former Marquis Kreveta, who had made a discreet visit.
“The young master has fallen asleep.”
At Mila’s report, the duchess gave a small nod.
“I see… There’s no need to wake him then. You may go, Mila.”
“Yes, my lady.”
Mila bowed and left the room.
The remaining three stared at the closed door with heavy expressions.
Only Raizen kept his gaze lowered, deep in thought.
“Well then, I suppose we’ll have to discuss this without Sean.”
At the duchess’s words, everyone nodded.
But no one spoke right away.
After scanning the adults’ faces, Raizen was the first to break the silence.
“The holy relic shown by the Pope… seemed to be a magical artifact.”
He got straight to the point, making the three adults turn to him simultaneously.
“Are you certain?”
The duchess’s voice was firm, and Raizen nodded.
“When the relic emitted light, I felt nothing. No divine power, nor any trace of magic. However, there are magical artifacts so finely crafted that they can mask their presence entirely.”
“Magic has been studied for centuries,” the former Marquis Kreveta agreed.
“Many noble families possess intricate magical artifacts passed down as heirlooms.”
“But divine power is a much less explored field,” the Duke of Pantheon added.
“And even that research has been limited to the secluded circles of temples and priests.”
“If Raizen couldn’t sense divine power from the relic, then it’s safe to say that it doesn’t contain any.”
The former marquis exhaled a dry chuckle.
“And to think… that the sacred statue, said to have been personally crafted by the Saint of Shailot, only appeared during the ceremony and turned out to be fake.”
Rumors had long circulated that divine power had disappeared.
But to think that even one of the most renowned holy relics was a fraud—it was absurd.
Raizen, however, remained unfazed as he spoke.
“Today’s prophecy was real.”
“Raizen!”
The Duke of Pantheon uncharacteristically raised his voice.
The duchess turned her head away so her son couldn’t see her expression, while the former marquis held back a sigh.
Raizen silently observed their reactions.
Before, he wouldn’t have noticed them, let alone understood their emotions.
But now, he did.
The emotions he received were faint, but to him, even that was significant.
It felt like cold hands being warmed by drops of water, one by one.
“It’s alright.”
He could say that now—because his brother had once told him:
‘No one knows how a seed will grow.’
When Sean had said that, Raizen had felt as if he was being swept away by a great wave—a wave that shimmered in gold, warm and radiant.
He thought he was fine.
Telling Sean that he was scared had been a lie.
Sean never knew what to do when he showed weakness.
Whenever that happened, Sean would treat him with extreme care and gentleness, as if handling something fragile and delicate.
At those moments, he would find himself letting out a small, amused laugh—but at the same time, he liked it.
He wished Sean would always treat him that way, just like he had after the prophecy was revealed, unable to leave his side, restless and uneasy.
That was why he had done it on purpose.
But when he heard Sean’s words, he realized the truth.
He was scared.
He wanted to hear that everything would be okay.
No—more precisely, he wanted Sean to comfort him.
A faint smile tugged at Raizen’s lips.
Seeing that, the Duke and Duchess, as well as the former Marquis Kreveta, had no choice but to suppress their emotions.
When even Raizen himself remained composed, how could they, as mere bystanders, afford to show any signs of distress?
Regardless of what the adults were thinking, Raizen pulled himself out of his thoughts and spoke.
“So, what truly matters now is how things unfold from here.”
“Right… That’s true.”
The Duke of Pantheon muttered softly before clearing his throat.
“For now, it’s clear that the Emperor doesn’t want the temple’s power to grow. He also seemed somewhat skeptical about the prophecy.”
The Duke’s gaze shifted toward the former Marquis Kreveta, who met his eyes and gave a firm nod.
“Well, considering he was originally meant to join the Mage Tower, it makes sense. He must have had plenty of encounters with the Pope and the High Priest, so he would have already harbored some suspicions.”
The former Marquis Kreveta paused, clenching his jaw.
His eyes, which had briefly shut tight, opened again, filled with deep resentment.
“But… even if, for a moment, our interests align, he is still the Emperor. He will never truly be on our side.”
His neutrality regarding the deaths of the Kreveta Marquis couple was proof enough.
People liked to believe that right and wrong were the forces that governed the world.
But in truth, it was politics that defined the boundaries between right and wrong.
And that was the battle they had to fight from now on.
“That’s why we should make the temple our common enemy. Given their nature, they won’t just sit back and do nothing.”
There had been a time when religious authority stood above the imperial power.
But ever since the empire was unified, many things had changed.
The temple had opposed the unification war, claiming there was a prophecy foretelling its failure.
Now, they would no doubt try to use this prophecy as a weapon to manipulate the current situation.
“On top of that, we need to intertwine this with the affairs of Luavis and the Kingdom of Roite.”
Perhaps because Sean wasn’t here, the former Marquis Kreveta spoke more freely.
Raizen listened intently to the conversation among the adults, organizing his thoughts on what he needed to do.
The Duchy of Luavis wouldn’t stay silent.
They would undoubtedly try to use the prophecy to tie him to their agenda.
The seed of disaster, and the parents who shielded him.
If they wanted justification to erase an entire noble house, there was no better excuse.
The boy turned to look at his parents.
* * *
