NEOMA wasn't dumb.
Well, she would admit she would do dumb things sometimes because of her impulsive thoughts.
[Anyway…]
Neoma knew that Ruto wouldn't ask to kiss her for personal feelings.
[Plus, it's not the time to flirt.]
"It would be quicker if Daddy just kissed you on the mouth," the baby god answered when Ruto became a blushing mess. "But Daddy said you would hate the idea even if your life literally depended on that kiss. So, we'll just kiss you on the cheek until we completely erase the Kiss of Death branded on your soul. I am incomplete at the moment, so I need Daddy's help."
"But would giving me tiny kisses for a certain period of time help?" Neoma asked, weighing the options in her mind. "I understand that my lifespan is decreasing as we speak, so I'm wondering how long I'd survive with your little kisses."
"You're in pain because I forcefully stopped the Kiss of Death from eating at your lifespan, Mommy," the baby god explained. "But it will only last for a while. So can we get your permission to kiss you?"
"Wait," she said, raising a hand. "Why does it have to be a kiss in the first place?"
"It's because my kiss as the God of Death is literally deadly."
As expected, the baby god was indeed the reborn God of Death.
She already noticed it the moment she saw the baby's red eye.
[It was the eye that I stole from Helstor.]
Did the baby god say that he was reborn thanks to Neoma and Ruto?
[I feel like my head is going to explode from too much information if I asked about it, so let's digest the lighter ones first.]
"Daddy is my chosen agent, so I could share my power with him. In fact, I have to because I also need Daddy's power," the baby god explained. "My incomplete form is unstable, so I need someone like Daddy who has the same energy as me."
"Oh, you have the same energy as Ruto?"
"We both take lives as our 'noble' job," the baby god said indifferently. "Me as the God of Death, and Daddy as the God Slayer. That's why we have a great synergy."
[Ah, so the baby chose Ruto because both of them have the license to kill.]
"Aegiya."
"Yes, Mommy Neoma?"
"Why does it have to be a kiss?"
"I have to suck the souls of the departed through their mouths," the baby god explained. "But I only use that to the special souls I need to fetch. The souls of ordinary beings are fetched by my servants."
"The Death Reapers?"
"Correct."
"But how did I get the Kiss of Death?" Neoma asked, confused. "I'm sure as hell I didn't give Helstor the chance to get his fugly face near mine."
The baby god turned to Nero who was lying down beside her. "He used the Crown Prince."
"Nero? How?"
"The Darkness that Helstor scattered in the sky isn't reall Darkness. It's the deadly air I use to gather the remaining lifespan of the people who are about to die," the baby god explained. "Hence, when you suck out the "Darkness" that was killing your brother, it attacked you and entered your mouth forcefully– just like how Kiss of Death works."
Neoma gasped softly. "Gosh. Is Helstor that skilled to be able to give me the Kiss of Death without laying a finger on me?"
"Helstor only pulled it off because the target was you, Mommy Neoma," the baby god said. "Only you have the power to purify Darkness or Impure Mana with your breath."
Neoma laughed haughtily. "Gosh, my own awesomeness backfired on me big time."
"That's true, Mommy."
Pfft.
It was so awkward to hear an ancient god call her 'mommy.' The only people she wanted to call her that way were her "children."
[I'm not too keen on adopting a reborn major god even though he looks cute as a baby.]
Anyway, it wasn't the right time to think about that.
Neoma turned to Ruto who suddenly flinched for some reason. "Ruto."
"Yes?"
"Would you rather be killed by Papa Boss and Mama Boss once, or have them torture you every single day you kiss me?"
Ruto wasn't dumb, so he easily understood what she meant by that. "I'm fine with whatever you choose. I'm going to die either way."
Pfft.
"Let's just kiss once and get this done and over with," Neoma said, standing up. Of course, her body still hurt like hell. But it wouldn't stop her from her current 'mission.' "Lemme brush my teeth first."
***
"MOMMY Neoma has terrifying divine power."
"I already know that," Ruto said while observing Aegiya who couldn't tear his gaze away from the unconscious Crown Prince. "Are you checking on Prince Nero's condition?"ραпdαs `n?ν?| сom
The baby god nodded. "You said the Crown Prince was cursed to forget Mommy Neoma, didn't you?"
He nodded in response. "That's right. What do you see?"
"It seems like Mommy Neoma took away half of the curse embedded in the Crown Prince's soul," the baby god explained. "Since the Crown Prince was touched by the Kiss of Death that Helstor planted in his soul, the Kiss of Death ate at the curse inside his body. When Mommy Neoma sucked it out, the part of the curse that the Kiss of Death had eaten disappeared along with it."
"Wow," he said, indifferent. "Isn't Prince Nero lucky then? William, the Grand Spirit. Trevor, the genius Sorcerer. Those two have been working separately to lift Prince Nero's curse. But, in the end, Neoma accidentally lifted his curse."
"It's not pure luck."
"Oh, it's not?"
"The male de Moonasterios are loved by the world," the baby god explained. "It's the reason why the empire hasn't crumbled yet despite having horrible emperors for many years. That's how strong Yule's blessing is."
He couldn't deny that.
One of the worst emperors in history was Emperor Nikolai's father. The previous emperor caused important bloodlines in the world, like the Silver Fox Clan and the Black Witches, to disappear.
And yet, the empire remained thriving.
[Of course, it's also because Emperor Nikolai is a competent emperor. Even so, it wouldn't be hard to believe that luck also played a huge part. After all, Yule and almost all the most powerful gods in the Upper World gave their blessings to the de Moonasterios.]
"Even if we don't do anything, the curse would weaken from hereon," The baby god said. "It all depends on the Crown Prince's will. If he really wants to remember his twin sister, then it wouldn't be too difficult to break free from the curse now that it has weakened." The baby god looked up at him, his red eye glowing. "Is the spare determined to remember the heir?"
"We cannot underestimate Prince Nero's love and obsession for Neoma," Ruto said, then he knitted his eyebrows. "Aegiya, be careful. The emperor and the empress already warned you to stop calling Prince Nero a 'spare.' Why would you even do that when it was Prince Nero who was crowned the official successor to the throne?"
"There cannot be two successors at the same time, but we have Mommy Neoma and the Crown Prince in his generation," Aegiya said in a serious tone that didn't suit his cute appearance as a baby. "And between the royal twins, I'd rather see the birth of the first empress regnant in this empire than witness another tyrant in the making."
***
ONE HOUR.
Neoma lied when she said she was going to brush her teeth.
She didn't JUST brush her teeth– she actually took a nice bath. Her Spirits brought her a new set of clothes, her makeup kit, and everything she needed to doll up.
[I know we're in a hurry, but I can't kiss someone when I just fought Lord Helstor.]
She felt filthy, hence she took a bath first.
[Now I'm fresh and clean.]
But she was being considerate already since she only took an hour. It would usually take her two hours and a half. She didn't even proceed to do her skincare routine because she didn't want to make Ruto and the baby god wait longer.
And, yet, the two looked upset when she returned to the room.
It was actually cute to see Ruto standing up while holding Aegiya in his hands.
"Neoma, you're supposed to be in pain," Ruto said while shaking her head. "I can't believe you managed to take a bath in your condition."
"Well, my body feels heavy," Neoma said, shrugging. "But my desire to take a bath is heavier."
"Mommy Neoma, we're running out of time," Aegiya, the baby god, scolded her. "You really chose to take a bath when every second counts in this situation?"
"I'd rather die clean than die filthy," Neoma said stubbornly. "Anyway, let's stop arguing and proceed to our business." She focused her gaze on Ruto. "Did you brush your teeth?"
Ruto blushed, then he nodded. "I did while waiting for you."
"Good, so let's kiss now."
"Let me just be clear with one thing," Aegiya said, raising his cute and chubby index finger. "Touching each other's lip in the process is going to be inevitable– but you don't have to use your tongue."
Ruto's face turned a deeper shade of red.
"Then you shouldn't have called it a 'kiss,'" Neoma complained. She didn't want to sound demanding, and she didn't even know why she sounded disappointed. But her nasty temper took the better of her. "You should have just called it a 'peck.'"
"Why are you disappointed, Mommy Neoma?" Aegiya asked indifferently. "You and Dad could kiss later. Just let me know in advance so I could leave the room."
"Why would they kiss?"
"Right? Why would we…"
Neoma trailed off when she realized that the voice neither belonged to her, Ruto, nor Aegiya.
"Neoma, are you going to kiss that bastard?"
It was Nero…
… and his glowing red eyes told Neoma something.
[His memories are back.]
"Ruto," Neoma said, grabbing Ruto's hand. "Let's run."
***
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