[A few days ago…]
"RUTO, I'll send you to the Garden."
Before Ruto could even respond to the Sun Goddess' voice that he heard in his head, his consciousness was forcefully taken away from him.
He definitely fainted.
Fortunately, he was in his bedroom when it happened. He had just returned from his trip to the empire after he submitted his application to be Neoma's spouse. The Crown Prince's secretary told the candidates that the screening would take at least two weeks, and they would be contacted if they had passed the first round of screening.
Hence, he returned to the Solfrid Estate in the meantime.
He was planning to reach out to his divine father when the Sun Goddess spirited him away.
[Since when did I become their errand boy…]
However, all of Ruto's complaints were washed away when he opened his eyes.
[A garden…?]
He found himself in the middle of a lush garden where countless colorful flowers bloomed. Moreover, the orange sky made everything more beautiful.
[Ah, this is THE Garden.]
"This is the Garden where the souls of the departed are gathered," Ruto whispered to himself. "And this is where they are supposed to wait until they get reincarnated."
The God of Death would bring the seeds (aka the souls of the dead) to the Garden and plant them. Once the flowers bloomed, the Goddess of Life would arive to harvest them. Then the souls inside the flowers that successfully bloomed would be sent back to the human world.
In short, the Garden was the place where life and death would often meet.
"But this Garden is only supposed to be for humans," Ruto said, knitting his eyebrows while looking at the strange "flower" in the middle of the garden. "What is that thing doing here?"
The 'thing' he was talking about was a long-stemmed BLACK rose.
It was planted in the middle of the Garden, and it stood out because the stem was probably around two-meter tall.
Fortunately, he was around that height so he didn't really need to look up.
"It's a god," Ruto said in disbelief. "A god was reborn at this time? The world is truly coming to an end."
"We risked our lives for him to be reborn."
Red eyes.
The semi-transparent apparition of a woman with wavy silver-gray hair and red eyes, draped in a gold silk robe, appeared beside the black rose.
[A god…]
Ruto bowed his head slightly when he recognized the divine being in front of him. "Greetings to the Goddess of Life."
"It's been a while, God Slayer."
He raised his head and went straight to the point. After all, he knew the apparition of the Goddess of Life wouldn't last long. "Who killed you and the God of Death?"
The fact that the Goddess of Life appeared like this could only mean she was already gone.
"You already know the answer to that question, child."
"How did Helstor become so powerful that he was able to take down two major gods?"
"Of course, if it was just Helstor, he wouldn't have been able to take us down as easily as he did," the Goddess of Life said. "But he was armed with some of Neoma's memories– the memories where she killed all the gods in her first life."
His eyes widened a little. "How did Helstor get a hold of Neoma's memories?"
"A Dark Elf had dwelled in Neoma's soul for a long time before it was banished," the Goddess of Life said. "I suspect the Dark Elf had the ability to look into one's memories."
That was plausible.
"God Slayer, you've already lost what you've been trying to protect all this time. Why don't you help Neoma retrieve the memories of her first life now?"
He didn't know why, but he felt a pang in his chest.
"It would be better if Neoma retrieved her memories now in order to stop Helstor from killing gods," the Goddess of Life said. "Moreover, you're the God Slayer, child. You have the authority to kill gods who break the law. Don't you find it strange that you were kept in the dark while gods are dying behind your back?"
He flinched because the Goddess of Life had a point.
[Am I losing my authority as the God Slayer…?]
"Ruto, you and Neoma should work together to defeat the Darkness."
Somehow, he wasn't surprised to hear that.
"Nikolai de Moonasterio is no longer the strongest human in the world," the Goddess of Life said. "That title belongs to you and Neoma now. And once both of you retrieved what you have lost, you'll be invincible."
He already knew that in his heart.
[Neoma and I could end this world if we wanted to.]
"Go and take the God of Death to the human world– you need him to save Neoma."
"But gods cannot descend to the human world."
"The God of Death is currently in an incomplete form. As long as he doesn't have his full power as a major god, it will be fine."
That was a relief to hear.
"Alright. I understand," Ruto said, nodding. "I'll take the God of Death to the human world and bring him to Neoma."
The Goddess of Life nodded. "Don't worry about the Moon God– we will save him."
***
A BABY.
After Ruto pulled out the long-stemmed black rose from the ground, it turned into a baby that looked like an ordinary human.
[But it seems like he can't open his eyes.]
He was kicked out of the Garden as soon as he got the "baby."
Before he knew it, he was already back in his room…
… with the baby inside the pot.
"It's nice to meet you," the baby said. "Daddy."
Ruto almost choked on his saliva. "What did you just call me?"
"I was reborn thanks to you and Mommy Neoma."
Once again, he almost choked. "W-Why are you calling Neoma your 'mommy?'"
"Because I was reborn thanks to the power that you and Mommy Neoma left before the world in the first timeline crumbled. But don't ask how because I wouldn't be able to explain it properly," the baby explained. "A part of me is human, so my brain would sometimes switch to the brain of a normal toddler."
Ah, so that was the reason why an old god would call him 'daddy.'
[I almost died of cringe.]
"This form is only temporary, though," the baby continued. "Once I retrieve my eyes, I'll get my original body back."ραпdαs `nᴏνɐ| сom
"Your original body back? But I thought you already died."
"The Goddess of Life and I cannot really die since we're in charge of life and death, respectively," the baby explained. "Helstor knows that, but he's probably banking on the possibility that I would get reincarnated later. He also definitely wouldn't expect that I'd be able to descend to the human world."
"Was all of this possible because of the past that Neoma and I shared in the first timeline?"
He wasn't surprised that the Goddess of Life was able to use the 'Abandoned World' to help the God of Death get reincarnated.
[It's the same technique Lord Manu used to help Tteokbokki grow faster.]
"That's right," the baby answered. "It's like you and Mommy Neoma are the main characters of this world, Daddy."
Ruto chuckled while shaking his head. "Neoma would love hearing that."
"Yeah, I heard Mommy Neoma is a little self-absorbed."
"It wasn't just "a little" since she's so full of herself– and she's proud of it," he said. "Anyway, do you have a name?"
The baby shook his head. "Give me a name, Dad."
"I'm not good at giving names," Ruto admitted. "Let me just call you 'Aegiya' for now."
Later that day, Trevor and Lewis came.
***
"DADDY, that's mine!"
Ruto knew that the red orb he noticed earlier was an eye of a god, but it was a surprise to know that it belonged to the God of Death. "How did you get that eye?"
"Helstor attacked my children," Emperor Nikolai explained. "Apparently, Neoma stole one of his extra eyes during their fight."
"Princess Neoma gouged it with her bare hand," Trevor added proudly. "My Moon Princess is awesome."
It was indeed a huge feat.
No ordinary person could gouge an eye out of a god.
"The eye belongs to the God of Death, Ruto," Empress Mona said. "Does it mean the baby is…"
"Yes, Your Majesty," Ruto said politely. "This baby is the reincarnation of the God of Death. I currently call him 'Aegiya.' I'm sure you already know what it means after living in Korea for five years."
The emperor and the empress both nodded.
"Daddy, save the talk for later," Aegiya said in a hurry. "Every second that we waste, a day in Mommy Neoma's life is taken away. Her lifespan is now only three years and six months."
Ruto then turned to the emperor and the empress in a hurry. "Your Majesties, I apologize but I have to ask everyone to leave the room," he said politely. "Aegiya and I will have to use our divine powers. Please make sure the entire palace is protected."
"Alright," Empress Mona said. "Should we bring Nero out?"
"That boy needs to stay here," Aegiya said, responding to the empress. "Mommy Neoma has been kissed by Death because she saved the Crown Prince." The baby clicked his tongue, sounding like a disappointed adult even though he had the body of a baby at the moment. "Why does the more deserving heir to the throne has to sacrifice herself for the spare?"
'Spare.'
The baby god just called the Crown Prince a 'spare.'
No wonder the emperor and the empress suddenly looked annoyed.
"There' no 'heir' or 'spare' here," Emperor Nikolai said, his eyes turned glowing red. "Neoma and Nero are both our precious children."
"We will let it slide for now because we're running out of time," Empress Mona said, her pale blue eyes also glowing menacingly. "But please watch your words next time, Aegiya."
Fortunately, the baby god remained silent.
Ruto slowly took a deep breath.
[Only Emperor Nikolai and Empress Mona wouldn't hesitate to threaten a major god.]
***
"DADDY, should I kiss Mommy Neoma now?"
Ruto was amazed while staring at Aegiya's red eye.
The baby god put his eye back like it was nothing. Since it would be awkward to leave his other eye closed, Aegiya created an eyepatch to cover his left eye that he couldn't open yet.
[Gods are truly amazing in this sense.]
"We can't touch a sleeping person without their consent," Ruto said firmly. "We have to wake up Neoma first."
Aegiya tilted his head to one side. "I can do that, but Mommy will be in pain."
***
"FUCKING HELL," Neoma blurted out as soon as she opened her eyes. "Why the fuck am I in pain?"
ƥαṇdαsηθνε| "That would be my fault, Mommy."
She got up abruptly, then she came face-to-face with a baby with a one-eyed baby boy.
[Red eye… and a very old soul.]
"A god," Neoma said unconsciously. "A reborn god."
And that baby god was sitting on Ruto's lap.
"You're here?" Neoma asked, knitting her eyebrows. "Gosh, what are you doing here when the Eastern Continent had already turned their backs on us?"
Ruto smiled bitterly. "You really hold grudges, don't you?"
"I do," she said, nodding. Then she turned to the baby god and smiled at him. "Aegiya, why did you call me your 'mommy?' I don't remember adopting an ancient god for a son, and I'm not sure if I wanted one."
"I'm not an adopted son, Mommy."
"Huh?"
"I was born from your and Daddy Ruto's power, Mommy."
That was a little confusing.
But her big brain decided to drop a joke instead of processing what she had just learned.
[It's my coping mechanism since I'm a little shocked, okay?]
Neoma gasped, then she turned to Ruto with a shocked look on her face. "Ruto, did you give birth to that baby? Is this an omegaverse world now?"
"Stop joking around, Neoma," Ruto said, sighing while shaking his head. Then he changed the topic. "Now that you're awake, can I ask you something?"
"Sure. What is it?"
Ruto looked her straight in the eye, blushing a bit. "Can I kiss you?"
Neoma tilted her head to one side. "Where?"
***
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