Chapter 59: Search of Treasures
Orlaith took a deep breath as she saw the despair rising in the eyes of the young people. She quickly spoke as gently as she could.
"Don’t misunderstand. You won’t die. In fact, the assimilation of soul power happens slowly over many years. Normally, people of our race can live long lives... if they learn to endure the damage little by little."
"Hahaha, that’s true," the figure’s laughter became even more malicious. "But unfortunately, less than ten percent of you endure it for very long. That proud idiot... what was he again? That proud man who was your partner. In truth, he couldn’t even endure ten years before choosing to disappear."
Those words struck Shione and Lumiere like lightning.
Orlaith’s expression twisted into something ugly. Her killing intent erupted like a volcano.
Priam sighed.
’So that’s what happened.’
"Haha... calm down. It’s true that he couldn’t endure it, but he completed his task perfectly. Thanks to him, the final preparations are complete." Ladomi spoke in a highly provocative tone for someone supposedly trying to calm the situation. Yet Orlaith could only take a deep breath and force herself to swallow it.
Ladomi turned toward the four youths, still smiling as he explained.
"You are fortunate. You will become the servants of my race’s Divine Child. It will take at least another fifty years before its birth. Until then, the four of you will receive the maximum amount of resources my race can provide, allowing you to grow as much as possible."
Priam swallowed hard.
This was clearly fattening livestock before slaughter.
They wanted the best slaves possible. That was why they had selected the four most talented members of this generation.
And most likely, in five years, when the next Coming-of-Age Ceremony was held, more would be selected.
"When the Divine Child is born, all of you will form contracts with it and help it grow in the most spectacular way possible. Since it will be a newborn that grows gradually, your lives will be much easier than most members of your race had in the past. In short, you will receive fifty years of luxury and everything you could ever want. After that, you will still live for quite a long time, while enjoying all the benefits that come from serving the most powerful figure ever born among the Aether-Wood Deer! This is an absolutely incredible deal for you!"
He spoke with genuine excitement.
But when he saw that none of the four looked even slightly convinced, a trace of irritation appeared on his face.
"Fools. You have no idea how good this will be for you." He turned toward Flaris. "Girl, you’re half-demon, so you’ve heard of Spiritual Fetus Nourishment, correct?"
Flaris swallowed nervously before nodding.
"Y-Yes. It’s a legendary technique that only the Abyss Soul Eater Demons were able to use. Unfortunately, that demonic race no longer exists."
"Hehe... indeed. The Abyss Soul Eaters are one of the spiritual races that disappeared long ago. However, their Spiritual Fetus Nourishment technique was preserved."
"B-but..." Flaris stopped midway, and her eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.
The figure smiled at her reaction.
"Exactly. One hundred thousand years ago, the two most powerful and talented figures in the history of the Aether-Wood Deer successfully used our spiritual nature to replicate that technique. No other semi-spiritual race managed to do it, but they succeeded after making a few adaptations."
"They produced a descendant. That descendant has spent the last one hundred thousand years being nourished inside its egg. That is the Divine Child of our race. In fifty years, it will finally hatch, and it is destined to become a Mage... a Sage, or perhaps even something beyond that in the future. Do you understand now? The four of you will have the honor of becoming its servants!"
Hearing that, Priam was stunned.
One hundred thousand years?
He couldn’t even comprehend such a length of time.
Had it been nourished for all those years?
What kind of terrifying potential would such a creature possess upon birth?
"Hahaha... I see you finally understand. The Vancularis have done excellent work throughout the millennia. You formed contracts with many members of my race, and they successfully nourished the Divine Fetus to its limits."
At that moment, a question arose in Priam’s mind.
"Sir, if you’ll allow me to ask something."
"Yes. Your father, Boey, is currently working for the Aether-Wood Deer race." Orlaith answered directly, already understanding what Priam wanted to ask.
Priam turned toward her, full of questions.
Meanwhile, the figure beside her merely snorted.
"So you’re that alchemist’s son. Indeed, my race lacks alchemists, which is why we accepted him and made a different agreement with him."
Priam took a deep breath.
He had finally discovered what happened to his father.
But why the hell had he chosen to make a deal with them?
Why had he chosen to abandon his wife and son?
"Everything has been explained," Ladomi said coldly. "From now on, we will provide resources to all four of you so you can prepare yourselves more quickly. In four years, the time will come when all Six Sovereigns gather to bless the universes and all races. It is also the exact day when the sects of the Divine Plane recruit new disciples."
This was the first time Priam had heard that.
He already knew that a sect recruitment would happen in four years, but he had no idea it was part of such a grand event that took place everywhere.
The figure continued.
"You must absolutely enter a sect of the Divine Plane so that you can continue developing yourselves. Always remember this: you cannot relax or waste even a single day. If you fail to reach the minimum level of power required within fifty years, you will simply be sacrificed to help the Divine Child mature more quickly. If you wish to live as long as possible, make full use of everything you are about to receive."
After speaking, the figure looked directly into the eyes of the four youths. His aura was like a mountain pressing down on them.
A few seconds later, he turned toward the Clan Leader.
"Thank you for your time," Orlaith said with a nod and a bow. "I wish you luck in your meeting with the Grand Leader. I hope you succeed and are rewarded for all your great contributions."
After speaking, she gestured, and the runes on the floor pulsed.
"I will be victorious," he replied coldly.
Without delay, spatial distortion enveloped his body.
Within seconds, he disappeared completely.
Afterward, all the runes began to vibrate before vanishing entirely from the underground hall.
Everything became empty again, as though nothing had ever existed there.
Silence.
The Grand Elder took a deep breath and turned toward the four youths.
"Unfortunately, you do not have the option of escaping this. But as you were told, as your Ranks increase, your soul power also becomes stronger. So when you form the contract, that figure will still be very young for a long time and won’t drain much from you. If you maintain a strong foundation and continue advancing, even slowly, over the years, you can still live long and relatively normal lives..."
He swallowed hard.
"Or almost normal... having part of your soul taken regularly, even if it’s only a small amount, causes pain and subtle distortions in your mind. Living like that becomes quite miserable. Every generation, countless members of our clan are forced to go through it. I had two brothers who were more talented than me. Both died barely a dozen years after forming their contracts. My lack of talent ended up allowing me to remain in the clan and survive. As for you... Unfortunately, your potential has become a heavy burden that you must carry for the sake of the clan."
The four youths stood frozen, their expressions distant and grim.
Before, simply entering a Divine Plane sect had been the ultimate honor, something most clan members could only dream about.
Now, they had no choice but to get into one and rise as quickly as possible.
Otherwise, in fifty years, they would die.
For a Mage, fifty years was a very short time.
The Grand Elder himself was already over two hundred and fifty years old and was expected to live several more decades.
Priam turned toward the Clan Leader. He took a deep breath before asking:
"Mistress, may I know why my father accepted a different contract with them?"
At those words, Orlaith’s eyes changed slightly.
"I’m sorry. I promised your father that I would never reveal the real reason. But... I can tell you that he was searching for treasures that would have been impossible to obtain without their help."
Priam could only snort in response.
At least now he understood the overall situation a little better.
They wanted to shower him with resources for fifty years?
Excellent.
It would be like raising a wolf from the time it was a cub, only to watch it devour your sheep later.
Orlaith noticed how calm Priam was.
Unlike the other three, who were still in complete shock, he seemed strangely composed.
But she was the one who felt the weight of everything most deeply.
Her only wish was for Shione and Lumiere to live happy lives.
She had hoped that Priam alone would be enough...
But now all four of them would be taken.
Fortunately, fifty years was at least enough time for her children to grow up.
They could marry and have descendants.
After that, they could still try to keep living and, if fortune favored them, perhaps find some happiness amidst the suffering.
