♣My Daughter is…
♣My Daughter is…
WHEN I came to, I found myself looking up at a stone ceiling. I looked around, and my gaze fell on a window with nothing inlaid in it. The sun shone through that opening. The air was clean but not as clean as the Rofola Lodge’s.
It was a square room with a sandy dirt floor. It was equipped with a table and chair, and on the table were simple medical tools. I looked at my good arm and found a transfusion needle connected to a flask of blood-increasing potion.
I guess I fainted and now I’m here.
My stomach was covered in bandages and I was resting on a bed. I tried to get up, but the moment I put any force on my stomach, my body screamed in agonized protest. I sank back into the covers.
So, I survived.
It was the first time I’d seen a zombie that large. Zombies usually had the intelligence of a newborn baby. They were created when the primal evil, Camilla, collected and accumulated within an unburned dead body. In other words, its size should match the size of the original body it inhabited.
But the zombie I’d fought was larger than any human I’d ever seen. The monsters were growing huge in recent years, and now the zombies…something was off. Which reminded me, right before I went unconscious, I thought I saw a familiar young man…
“T-Tina!” I called out and tried to sit up, only for my injuries to once again punish my impulsiveness with pain. “O-Ow…!”
“She’s fine.”
“Huh!?”
I somehow managed to tilt my body slightly higher without hurting too much and discovered a large, black creature sitting at the door.
It talked, I thought to myself, my eyes wide with shock.
“A M-Mythical Beast…?!” I gasped.
“Correct,” the creature said, rising from its sitting position.
“Huh!?”
It had black fur and three tails that each moved on their own.
A black mist seemed to trail after it as it walked, and from within that mist appeared the figure of a young man. He had black hair and eyes, and half of his face was covered with a muffler.
Isn’t that the adventurer who talked to Tina when we came to De Marl…?
“Allow me to answer what you once asked me. My name is Renge. I came to this continent on behalf of the King of Myths, Curalius.”
“The King of Myths…?”
“Yes. The ruler of the Mythical continent, Curirea. I’ve come on his behalf…”
“B-But you look human…”
“Masking one’s form and age doesn’t take much effort for us.”
The pain in my abdomen was the last thing on my mind now. A Mythical—a creature of legend was speaking to me. My hand flew to my mouth, I started sweating profusely, and my stomach churned nervously. But I had to believe what I was seeing. Or maybe this was a delusion brought on by the pain?
I rubbed my stomach and it ached in response. This wasn’t a dream.
Renge, the Mythical Beast. He wore a long mantle with a deep hood, and a muffler covered his mouth. He pulled back his hood and removed the muffler. He was a very handsome man. So much so, actually, that he couldn’t be human.
“Your name was…Marcus, yes?”
“H-Huh? Y-Yeah.”
“Aren’t you going to ask why I revealed my identity to you?”
“…Y-You’d tell me if I asked?”
“I’m here to speak to you about your youngest daughter…the girl I left in your care.”
“…The girl you… Ah…!”
Allow me to answer what you once asked me.
A large, black animal. Three tails. The daughter he left in my care. Him knowing my name.
I remembered. When Tina was just a baby, a Mythical Beast led me to her. The black animal that guided me to Tina…!
“Th-That was you?!”
“I didn’t realize it until I saw the pendant she was wearing…humans really do grow quite fast. One’s age is such a difficult concept for us. I was surprised.”
At the time, I had asked the Mythical for its name and gave it mine to make it less cautious of me. So, he was talking about what happened back then…
Talk about being sincere…
“Marcus, let me cut to the chase… I can’t decide this on my own.”
“What can’t you decide?”
“I want to take Tinaris back with me to the Mythical continent. I want her to meet our king and inherit the power of the primal star, Stella. She’s the only one who can…there’s no one else who can anymore, except for her.”
“Wh-What? …You want to take Tina to the Mythical continent? No, wait, wait…! I’m not following you here. What are you talking about?”
The power of the Stella? The power they say Saint Akari-Berz once wielded? The power to eradicate all illness and purify monsters? Renge hung his head, his eyes full of sadness. What kind of circumstances are at play here?
“E-Explain yourself.”
“…It won’t be long before this world falls to ruin.”
“Excuse me?”
The world…falls to ruin? Those words rolled around inside my head. I liked it when people were straight and to the point, but this was a little too sudden. I needed him to explain things a bit better than that! What does he mean by “before the world falls to ruin?”
“I’m not joking. The Predatory Star…Sugula has returned to our skies.”
“S-Sugula?”
“It’s a gigantic monster that devours entire stars, perhaps even entire solar systems. It’s still small now, but within five years, it will grow large enough to consume this entire planet in the blink of an eye. You should look out at the sky once you get better.”
“A monster that devours stars…?!” I uttered in disbelief.
“Camilla begins to increase on the surface of a world, and the Predatory Star is born in its skies. The increasing number and size of the monsters is only an omen for its birth. Two millennia ago, the Sugula threatened to consume this world… You know of the Thousand-Year Blank, yes? That’s the result of the people back then employing the wrong method to defeat the Sugula. The Primal Punishment, Kaguya—Remnants of the Sugula—rained from the heavens and destroyed all civilization.”
I was struck silent.
“The mankind might have forgotten about it. And so too did the demi-humans…even the elves. Two thousand years is too much, even for their long lifespans.”
My mouth hung open. I didn’t know much about history, but Nakona had told me about the Thousand-Year Blank. This situation was simply too large—too vast to feel real. I forced myself to blink and covered my open mouth with one of my hands. I then rubbed my face and put my hand down.
“…S-So that’s why you need the Stella? But why Tina? They say the power of the Stella was lost, but even if you do have it, how do you fight that thing? How is someone supposed to fight something hovering in the sky?”
“…The Stella isn’t completely lost. On her deathbed, she left the power of the Stella with the King of Myths, Curalius.”
“She… You mean Saint Akari-Berz?”
“Huh? A-Ah, yes, right, that’s what the humans call her… But yes, her.”
“Hm?”
That was oddly unclear. Still, I waited for him to continue. We were getting to the important part.
“…But us Mythical Beasts can’t wield the power of the Stella. Air, in its dislike of humans, granted that power to her. Apparently, Air told her to ‘prove she can avert destruction with that power.’”
“Air? You mean, the creator god?”
“Yes. It doesn’t much like most living things, with the exception of us Mythical Beasts. Granting the Stella to a human was truly a unique show of hope on its behalf. And she went on to give Lord Curalius the power of the Stella, and then left yet another possibility. And those were the Spherit Folk.”
“Spherit Folk? Possibility?”
“It was the product of coincidence, and yet, it was more than just a possibility. It was like a thread meant to tether hope. The Spherit Folk, who hold a Spherit Stone within their forehead…might be able to contain the Stella within their body and wield its powers. Because they are the bond tying humans and demi-humans together.”
“Huh…?!”
The bond tying humans and demi-humans together. The power of hope granted to mankind. The Stella.
No, but…
“B-But wait, if it’s a power granted to us humans, it doesn’t have to be Tina who…”
“A normal human can’t withstand the power of the Stella. It’s a type of divine power… No one can wield it but those directly chosen by Air. But the Spherit Folk have their Spherit Stones. Spherit Stones are Spherits made into solid matter. Just as they can house mana from the Air, they can also contain the Stella without it overwriting their personality.”
“It overwrites their personality?!” I exclaimed.
“A power that’s too strong can pollute the mind. That’s why the only ones who can contain and use the Stella are the Spherit Folk. The demi-humans can’t wield it properly, and not even the elves can use it safely.”
“…Can’t we just use Spherit Stones to contain it?” I asked.
“The Stella’s sheer mass is different from ordinary Air. Even a practiced sorcerer would have their minds polluted before they could get used to it… Normally, a Spherit Folk who has awakened the power of the Stone of Daybreak would be most suited to wield it, but any Spherit Folk with a Spherit Stone in their body should be able to get used to wielding the Stella.”
It was strange. Something didn’t mesh right. He was talking like Tina was a Spherit Folk. A bad feeling overcame me as I gripped the sheets with sweaty palms. I had to confirm it.
“It sounds like you’re implying that Tina is a Spherit Folk…”
“Hm?”
“B-But she’s just a normal human, right? And if she is, she can’t do this either. Listen, that girl, she’s—”
“…When I met her after I defeated the zombie, she had a Spherit Stone on her forehead.”
I fell silent.
“So, she really was newly awakened…” Renge pensively placed a finger to his chin.
Newly awakened? What does that mean?
“L-Let me check to be sure. We can talk about the rest after that…” I said.
“Well, I don’t mind that, of course. But we don’t have much time. The Sugula is already in the sky. The only way of erasing it is by using the Stella to erase the Kathra off the surface of this world, little by little. If we use the wrong method to destroy it again, the Kaguya will once again bear down upon us. And now that the land of the Spherit Folk lies in ruins, I thought we had no choice but to wait for the end to claim us.”
I hung my head.
“She’s our only hope. I left in search of humans or demi-humans capable of possibly wielding the Stella, but… I’d rather have her inherit the power than risk driving people mad. Of course, this would mean she’d…”
Renge seemed to swallow the words. And I thought I knew why he did. He gritted his teeth and bit his lips. He wasn’t so much worrying for Tina as he was lamenting his own incompetence. Even a Mythical Beast, which was so much more powerful than any human, was reduced to such a state…
The Sugula, a monster larger than any planet, was coming. Why was such a creature ever born?
“There’s something else I want to ask you. Why is this Sugula thing being born? You said the monsters growing stronger was just an omen. So that’s not the cause. There’s some other reason.”
“…The last time the Sugula was born, it happened because the Dwarf inside the Bottle created it while trying to form a body for itself. But I don’t know why it’s happening now. The Dwarf inside the Bottle was burned away two millennia ago…”
“The Dwarf inside the Bottle?”
“A new species Uncle Keria produced by accident…or something of the sort. It had been mixed with human blood, allowing it to speak the tongue of man and gain intelligence. It was nothing but black mass gathered at the bottom of the bottle, but it didn’t look like Kathra. It was like it was made out of Kaguya. I suppose you could call it a Kaguya with a will of its own.”
“…There was something that dangerous out there? Is it responsible for what’s happening this time?”
“I don’t know. I’m looking into it now. I went to De Marl, since it’s a human country that’s willing to cooperate with us, but…the situation seems delicate there.”
“Ugh…”
So that’s why he was in De Marl. And he was right; De Marl was a large country. The bigger a country becomes, the more skeletons it has in its proverbial closet. The upper echelons of De Marl were rotten; there was no mistaking that. That hadn’t changed since I’d served that country. But at the time, Dir was there to help keep things in check. So, there’s still…
“You should speak to the knights Gildias and Licorice. I trust those two. They should help you,” I advised.
“Licorice? That knight in the black armor? She’s in this village right now. Ask her for help, you say? I suppose she does seem like a devoted person.”
“Y-Yeah.”
That was the end of the conversation, it seemed. This pretty boy talking to Lico…just the thought of it made my stomach churn.
Still, Lico doesn’t pick men based on looks, right…?
At least, I didn’t want to think she did.
“I’m a bit surprised, though,” he added.
“About?”
“I didn’t think a human would believe anything we say… Especially when I come bearing such bad news.”
“…Let me level with you. I’m still not sure how much I can believe you.”
He cocked his head quizzically while I scratched mine awkwardly. It was all so absurd and overblown, and it felt like the only way I could swallow this story was if I assumed it was all fake.
But still, a member of an elusive, illusory species came all the way to the human continent. And he introduced himself as the representative of the King of Myths. He wouldn’t do so much just to lie or play some kind of elaborate prank on me.
And most importantly, it was him that led me to Tina on that fateful day. I saw his beast form with my own two eyes.
“You’re right—I can’t believe it.” I shook my head.
“I thought as much.”
“…But I don’t think you’d lie to me.”
“Me?”
“That beast form from earlier… I can believe you’re a Mythical. I mean, you are, right?”
“…Only half. One of my parents was human.”
I furrowed my brows in disbelief. A mixed child between a human and a Mythical?
“Th-That’s something that can happen?” I asked.
“In the distant past, when the sea didn’t separate our continents, such things happened. It wasn’t just me. Mm, well…it’s said that the ancestors of those who now unite the demi-humans were born of the mingling between man and Mythical Beast. My case had its own unique circumstances, though. That’s why I can assume a human form more easily than others of my kind.”
“…It feels like my mind’s close to bursting from all this information…” I groaned.
“Right, you’re still recovering from your injuries. My apologies for taking up so much of your time.”
“N-No, it’s fine…”
Even as I spoke reservedly, I patted my abdomen, and sharp pain jolted through my nerves. As I took a breath and exhaled, it felt as if part of my warmth escaped my body. I accepted Renge’s apology and lay down.
“Can I ask you one more thing? Why did you tell me all of this?”
That was another thing I didn’t understand. I’d met him twelve years ago, and I was Tina’s foster father…but still. He could have simply shared all this with Tina and taken her along without my permission.
She was a smart girl. If what Renge said was true, she wouldn’t exactly say no. He could even straight up kidnap her, and to begin with, he was the one who left her in my care.
If he told me to give her back…I don’t know what I’d be able to say.
“In the end, it’s her decision to make, but…”
“Y-Yeah…”
“You are the one who raised her so far.”
That handsome man hung his head. His black eyes wavered. In sorrow, perhaps? Or maybe something like doubt. Either way, that long pause was probably him searching for the right words. I silently waited for him to continue.
“…I once knew the woman you call the Saint. She was a cheerful woman who always had a kind smile on her lips… She wasn’t so sublime to be called a saint. Despite her special power, she was an ordinary woman. She fought the monsters to the very end, even on the verge of death, and passed on with a smile on her lips…
“But to this day, I still don’t know if her life was a blessed one. The fact she possessed such great power made her home village abuse her and call her a witch. A comrade of the monsters. I saw her own mother pelt her with stones. Even if they’re left with no choice, people shirk away from what they can’t understand. Having to give up one’s peaceful life to wield the power of the Stella just feels…wrong to me.”
“…I see.”
“She’s still too young. I thought an adult should talk things through with her first. Is that really so strange?”
“…No…”
I did think this wasn’t something a Mythical would say, but I kept that rude thought to myself. My idea of what the Mythicals were was perhaps more bestial than it should have been…even if Renge was only half a Mythical Beast.
Still, he worried for Tina’s future and well-being and consulted me first. In that regard, speaking to him was no different from speaking to a Demi.
“But first, I’ll need to see for myself. If that Sugula thing really is in the sky…and Tina’s forehead, too,” I said.
“You should do that, yes. But we haven’t much time. Five years will pass us by before we know it. And she’ll need time to travel the world and purify the land with the Stella. Of course, the Mythical Beasts will fully support whoever inherits the power of the Stella.
“But for now, me and my comrades will look for other Spherit Folk survivors or someone else who might be able to wield the Stella. We’ll look into why the Sugula is being born, as well… I will visit you within six months. You live in a place called the Rofola Lodge, yes?”
“…Yeah. You do that… Hey?”
“Hm?”
What if he finds someone other than Tina who can use that power? What if it’s a child even younger than her or an old man in his last days? And is Tina really the only one who can use it? Isn’t there some other way?
True, there were times where I’d wished we had the power of the Stella on our side. But what would happen to Tina if she were to receive it? Even now, other countries could be eyeing her as an advanced alchemical apothecary.
And I knew all too well why Edesa Kura hunted down the Spherit Folk. They tore the Spherit Stones out of their foreheads. And if Tina is a Spherit Folk too, people from other countries could go after her, seeking her stone…
And if she had the power of the Stella on top of that, would I have the power to keep her safe? No…I wouldn’t.
“You said the only way to stop the Sugula is by purifying the surface of the world with the Stella, right…? Is there really no other way?” I asked.
“I won’t say there isn’t. Like I’ve told you before, there was another way. But…”
“You said it was mistaken. But what was that way?”
“Burning it down with my flames.”
I swallowed nervously. He narrowed his eyes, resulting in a gaze unique to the Mythicals. The Mythical Beasts’…flames…
“My flames can reduce the Kathra, Camila, and Kaguya to ash… But in the past, the Sugula was too massive, and they could not incinerate it entirely. Now it’s only just been born, and it’s small, so I could perhaps burn it to ashes. But it’s too far for me to reach it.
“I used all my power, but my flames couldn’t reach it so far away in the sky. It means I have to wait…wait until it grows bigger and approaches Wisty Air. But by the time it does, it will likely already be too big for me to safely destroy it…”
I sighed. So, the Stella was the only answer after all. It was too far in the sky for us to reach it, so our only hope was to make sure it didn’t mature by purifying the surface until that purity reached beyond the sky…
“…How long will it take? Purifying the surface, I mean.”
“I will help by burning down the monsters, but my flames are fundamentally different from the Stella. They can burn animals that turned into monsters, burning away their very souls. I don’t know how long it will take for now…my lowest estimate is that it will take twenty years.”
“…Twenty years, you say. I’ll probably be dead by then.”
In other words, it will take Tina the rest of her life to do this…
I probably wouldn’t be alive in twenty years. I couldn’t always be at Tina’s side. And that was nature’s course. The truth all parents must face. Same as how Pops and Ma died ahead of me, I would die before Nakona and Tina. Such is life.
“You said the Sugula will eat the world… What does that mean?”
“It will swallow it whole. Simple as that. The world will be covered in darkness, and all living things will turn to monsters. Air will then use the Stella to dissolve the monsters into the world and start creation anew.”
I hung my head.
“You can accept this as fate,” Renge continued. “But we will fight to the very end. This is the world my mother loved, so I will fight for it until the last moment. Even if it means showering this world with the primal punishment again.”
He then averted his gaze, making it clear he would rather not do that. The Thousand-Year Blank was caused by the Kaguya destroying all civilization. Doing that would be exchanging one form of destruction for another.
“The world, huh…?” I muttered to myself.
Dusk light filtered into the room after Renge left. The whole situation was too big for me to understand.
And yet…
So long as it made my daughters happy, and gave them a future, I’d do anything. My life had no other purpose.