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Chapter 56: Letter From The Past
Chapter 56: Letter From The Past
Chapter 56: Letter From The Past
A savior must prioritize the greater good over personal desires.
Thus, even after last night, there might come a day when she has to suppress her feelings.
Even if she couldnt forget him forever, it was possible that these feelings were meant to be resolved someday.
My child, before I write what I want to say, let me first tell you the story of my birth.1
The moment she delved into the prophecy of her ancestor.
A faint hope began to stir in the heart of the fortune teller who was preparing to resign to fate.
As you know, my birth was the result of a union between my human father and my mother, a diving being, who came to bring destruction to this land.
Why she, who came from beyond, chose to unite with my father I, too, do not know the true intentions of my mother.
Even though I was born with the blood of a god, my life was no different from that of a human, just like my father.
Therefore, my understanding of my mother is limited to conjecture, as it does not escape human standards.
Indeed, the records left by him have been preserved from ancient times to the present, but they mostly pertain to prophecies.
Among them, there was no mention of why the Goddess of Destruction united with a human or why she ascended to the heavens, rejecting her mission.
It wasnt because the records were damaged, but because they were deliberately not written.
Even as a fortune teller with divine power, being only human, she dares not presume to understand the mind of a god.
Yet, as the last descendant, you might be struggling under the weight of your mission.
Worrying every moment about how to lead the future, I, who prophesied the destruction that triggered it, must bear responsibility for it.
So, my child, through this letter, Ill write down even the guesses I made while observing my mother.
My thoughts on why my mother descended to this land, bonded with a human, and ascended to the heavens without fulfilling her mission with her own hands.
There was growing tension in the silence.
Her future self, likely experiencing similar emotions, began turning the pages of the deciphered letter.
Although my mother left this world when I was very young, leaving behind scant memories, as I grew older and awakened my powers, I found I could look not only into the future but also into my past.
One thing that stood out when reflecting on the past was what my mother said at my birth.
Yes, at that time, the Goddess of Destruction looked down at the life she had created within her and said,
My child, inheritor of my blood. Teach me the extent of the mission bestowed upon me the level of destruction I should bring upon this land.
The level of destruction?
A level of destruction?
Didnt destruction imply the cessation of everything?
As a Goddess of Destruction, she was expected to obliterate everything in sight.
Everyone believed she ascended to the heavens, convinced there was no need for her to wreak havoc, as the age of destruction would eventually engulf this world thousands of years later.
Her words went unrecorded because opinions lacking clear benchmarks could be interpreted in myriad ways.
Some might argue that a world devoid of humans like us is a destroyed one, while others might define destruction as the eradication not just of sentient beings but of all life forms and their environments.
If, by some miracle, a few survive in a world reduced to ashes, and these survivors have the chance to rebuild civilization, could we truly consider it destroyed?
The mere presence of life in a devastated world might offer hope to some. While failing to preserve everything might be seen as destruction by some, others might view the ability to rise from such failure as erasing a history of destruction.
Then, is it truly destruction when even these opportunities are denied? What exactly defines these opportunities?
No, in the end, all these standards revolve around humans Then, if the Goddess of Destruction, my mother, had formed a bond with a beast or another intelligent being, would the standards for destruction be based on them?
A series of unexpected opinions gradually hardened Airis expression.
Until now, she had focused only vaguely on the chaos that had engulfed the world and on preventing it.
Whether it was the Demon Kings army trampling humanity, stopping all humans from becoming living corpses, or a world where everything would perish, leaving nothing behind, could it truly be considered destruction?
She had come here to prevent whatever it was and was aimlessly wandering, seeking someone who could avert any future that might arise.
Reflecting on the past, I could faintly feel the warmth my mother had passed to me as she caressed me.
Though I dont remember it, her embrace was warm, and her touch was gentle.
It was surely true, and perhaps it could even be considered an act of love.
Even if my existence was merely to define the mission of destruction.
Considering it seriously, my mother would have wished for me and her lineage to take root and thrive in this land.
Not only to wreak havoc as the Goddess of Destruction but to seek the answer she was looking for in every moment spent watching over her descendants.
Rustle.
Her future self, holding the interpreted letter, clenched her fist.
Similarly, as she placed her hand on the crystal ball, veins popped in her grip, and cold sweat formed on its surface.
My child, I did not want my mothers descendants to fight over such uncertain conjectures.
If everyone lives their lives setting different standards, clashes between these standards are inevitable.
Conversely, if everyone respects the decision made by the representative entrusted with the future, surely everyone supporting that individual will show respect.
From the beginning, his intention was to unite the strength of everyone in their family. She just realized this.
My child, as you read this letter, ask yourself: Is the era you live in truly heading towards destruction?
Yes, it still was. As he said, it remained a process, not yet a conclusion.
Even if you feel its heading towards destruction, if it hasnt yet reached that moment, there is still a chance.
Until the time I prophesied, nothing existed that could be called destruction, and even if such events occurred, we had already evaded them once.
Discussing destruction and salvation without clear standards is to be deemed arrogance.
So, if there are still opportunities, put aside your mission and embark on a journey to find that line.
Looking around the world, weighing the justice everyone speaks of against your beliefs, and setting the standards you wish to accept.
Thus, establish your own standards as the representative of the descendants and shape the world around what you must protect in a world filled with chaos.
And always remember one thing. Never forget it.
Even as I write this letter, as my descendants take root in this land, and as you read this letter, marking a new present Mother is watching over us, showing us the future of this world.
This is all I wanted to convey to you through this letter.
Please do not be overwhelmed by the mission I have passed on. Cherish the current opportunity and grow as you gradually establish your will.
Airi Haven.
To my descendant, probably bearing such a name, from your ancestor who burdened you with fate.
Hehe.
A chuckle seeped out after reading the entire letter.
Airi, empathizing with what she believed her future self would also feel, looked down at the old bundle of paper next to the crystal ball.
An item so worn by the passage of time that it was barely recognizable.
But it reached her, here at this moment, across thousands of years, carrying the sincere intentions of her ancestor.
Probably? Thats not a word for a fortune teller to use, ancestor.
It was peculiar that a fortune teller, who should believe in the inevitability of the future they foresee, uses words of uncertainty.
Even if accurate, mentioning it at the end implied a lack of confidence in the words written in this letter, didnt it?
But why does advice steeped in uncertainty seem to soothe the mind?
But why does advice based on uncertainty feel so comforting?
She soon realized why.
Perhaps what breaks a person longing for hope is the standard created by someone else.
So, if one couldnt bear the reality deemed despairing by all, perhaps the answer was to turn away from it.
Yes, ancestor. As you said Maybe weve taken it too seriously.
If it wasnt yet time to discern whether it was right or wrong, then perhaps the true mission was to discard the standards imposed by others and to establish ones own, all while observing a world not yet in ruins.
This should be the initial stance for those who see themselves as saviors.
Goddess of Destruction No, to the primordial mother who bestowed the name Haven upon this land.
Hoping this realization was correct, Airi silently prayed to the crystal ball before her.
To the primordial mother who continued to empower her in this moment and revealed the path to the future.
If theres a chance that the one I wish to be with can be reborn as a savior, please reveal that fragment of the future here.
With more desperation in her prayer than ever, strength drained from her, and the light emanating from the crystal ball illuminated the dark tent brightly.
Of course, her wishes alone do not determine the future.
It was merely the decisions made after reading the current letter that influenced her future choices, showing her what path to take immediately.
But that should be enough for her to grasp the path to follow for now.
As long as there was a certainty that the future connected with him was not something to regret.
-Heh
And then, familiar sounds began to echo, as if revived by such a prayer.
Realizing this, Airi felt relieved but also began to recall the bittersweetness she had forgotten.
-Hehe, do you like it when I do this? Or like this?
-Ah, that feels good~
Still, in the future, she found herself entangled with him and screaming in ecstasy.
Even though she thought the act was completely finished, her future self was unabashedly enjoying it with him, no different than before.
Even though Im not drunk, what am I doing with him in the future?
No matter how good her relationship with him was, she did not wish to be degraded like this.
Of course, if she disliked this future, she could gradually adjust it. For a moment, she tried to be content with the fact that her future with him still existed.
-Hehe, my children, youre not planning to exclude your mother, are you?
Suddenly, a strange voice startled Airi, who was gazing at the crystal ball, causing a look of confusion to appear on her face.
Mom?
Mom?
Her mother passed away when she was young. Could it be Mephisto playing tricks again?
No, there was no sign of her appearing in this crystal ball.
Being a transcendent being herself, there was a possibility she might appear again someday, but right now, a future with her was out of the question.
The one who appeared here now was not her but another transcendent being already entangled with him.
-Come here, my children. Its time to eat
Tashian Pheloi.2
An ancient legend that sought to destroy humanity before this world fell into decline.
-Heeung, mommy
Under her clothes, he burrowed his head and began to make sucking sounds.
Similarly, she, who had also put her head on the opposite side, began to make the same sounds from underneath.
-Hehe, does it taste good, my daughter?
-Its delicious, slurp, slurp
Eh?
What on earth?
Why were they, and even herself, suckling like babies on her in bed?
Could it be like that time when drinking made them lose their minds?
Could such an event have triggered a butterfly effect, leading to this outcome in the distant future?
Why on earth?
Indeed, she represented the worst catastrophe that could lead to the annihilation of mankind.
Her descent into this state might signify humanitys safety, but the twisted future was something Airi struggled to accept.
What on earth happens in the future that keeps leading to this?!!
What kind of future does the prophecy she gave him foretell?
Has the fallen legend intent on eradicating humanity agreed to surrender herself to him?
After parting ways with Airi, I immediately made my way to Tacchias forge, guided by the prophecy inscribed on the note she left behind.
Not solely to receive armor, but because her prophecy hinted at something even more momentous awaiting me.
Ah, you came?
Yet, upon my arrival, I was met with a forge in complete disarray.
And Tacchia, covered in blood and dust.
Um, Tacchia. This spear
In a situation that clearly signified something grave had occurred, I voiced my concern to Tacchia while holding the spear that had flown towards me.
What had transpired here to leave everything in such disrepair?
And why had the Ego Weapon she had retrieved flown towards me?
Ah, yes. That spear.
Noticing the spear, Tacchia chuckled and said,
Ill give you that spear, but lets strike a deal.
The words that were explicitly mentioned in Airis prophecy.
With a tone more animated than usual.
[When you go to receive the armor, that person will propose a deal with the weapon you left behind.]
Indeed, that was also in the first note Airi handed me.
It was just not as I had envisioned.
[Whatever the reason, you must accept her proposal. Securing that weapon marks the beginning of averting the dangers you will face.]
Of course, this spear is worth sacrificing everything but life itself.
Regardless of the circumstances, if the prophecy were true, I must accept Tacchias offer at this moment.
Yes, Ill accept.
Despite this, what I was curious about at this moment was not the condition for receiving this spear.
The Ego Weapon made of mithril.
Why was this weapon, valuable to anyone, so significant to her?
What do you want from me, Tacchia?
She had a weary gaze directed at me who accepted the proposal.
Was it filled with an emotion that could be called expectation?