Reincarnated As The Villainess's Son-Chapter 542: [A Hopeless World] [13] [Daughter]
[Unknown Location.]
[Oliver’s POV.]
On the ship that was drifting in the endless sea, a young man lay on his back, staring at the sky.
His gaze especially remained fixed on the white ring around the moon.
The slight sway made him a little uncomfortable, but his physique held back the influence.
At that moment, the gate of the captain’s room opened.
A woman with long red hair walked toward him, her alluring body covered only with a tight shirt.
There was a saying that the demoness of hell could seduce anyone, and Oliver could tell why.
Lilith stopped a few steps away from him and followed his line of sight toward the sky.
"...You’ve been staring at that thing for hours," she said, her voice calm but slightly amused. "Planning to shoot it down with your eyes?"
Oliver mumbled softly. "How strong are these Outer Gods beings?"
The woman clicked her tongue and folded her arms. "You don’t have to worry about them, Oliver."
"Still, I want to know..." he mumbled. "How far are they from me."
Her red eyes narrowed slightly as she lay down and snuggled into his arms.
"Adam used to say they are beings that can influence the very universe." she said as he wrapped his arms around her. "Azrael did tell Adam a lot about them."
Oliver stayed silent for a while after hearing that.
His hand moved slowly, absentmindedly stroking Lilith’s hair as his eyes remained fixed on the pale ring in the sky.
"How many are there?" he couldn’t help but ask. "The Outer Gods..."
Lilith didn’t answer immediately.
Her fingers slowed on his chest, her expression turning thoughtful in a way that didn’t suit her usual teasing nature.
"...No one knows the exact number," she said at last.
Oliver’s brows furrowed slightly.
"Not even Azrael?"
She shook her head faintly.
"Azrael once told Adam something," she murmured. "He said counting the Outer Gods is like trying to count darkness."
Oliver blinked slowly. "...Darkness?"
"Yes," Lilith said. "Because they don’t exist the way we do."
She lifted one hand and pointed toward the sky.
"They are not born or grow or die." Her red eyes glowed faintly in the moonlight. "They simply... are."
The ship creaked gently as a stronger wave passed beneath it.
"Lilith." he mumbled. "What was Adam’s connection with Outer Gods?"
Her hand paused on his chest. "...Why do you ask?"
"I don’t know." he mumbled. "I feel like there is something dragging me towards something beyond this world."
"....."
She didn’t respond, which made Oliver a little suspicious.
But before he could ask again, Lilith abruptly stood up.
"We are here." she said softly, pointing at a faraway distance. "The island is here."
Oliver slowly stood up as he looked in the direction as well.
There, in the far distance, a single beam of light pierced the sky.
The island where Adam first understood the "concept" that defined him.
Oliver kept staring at the beam of light as he let out a sigh.
’It’s time, I learned about my greatest strength.’
---
It only took him a few hours, and he was standing on the sandy edge of the island.
Lilith was standing just a few steps behind him.
"Do you really need to understand the concept?" Lilith couldn’t help but ask. "You still have time before you reach the peak of Eternal."
"This is the best time for me." he replied, taking a step forward. "I need to understand who he was before I become a demigod... so I don’t become like him."
"....."
Lilith didn’t reply for a long second.
She slowly walked closer and hugged him from behind.
"I will support you no matter what." she spoke in a gentle tone. "Because I love you the way you are."
He placed his hand over Lilith’s arm gently.
"I know," he said quietly.
For once, she didn’t tease him.
She just rested her forehead between his shoulder blades.
Lilith was well aware of what Oliver was thinking.
That she was there because he was Adam’s reincarnation.
She didn’t love Oliver, but the shadow of the man he once was.
It might be a tiny doubt, but it was still there.
"I hope you don’t do anything stupid." she said, gently letting him go. "Be ready."
Oliver nodded and took another step.
"ROOOOARRR!!!"
A deep, threatening roar boomed across the entire island.
Adam had not left this place without any security.
Oliver drew in a deep breath as he summoned the Book of Liberation.
’Let’s get this over with.’
---
[Head Base of the Three Gods Church]
[Kandam Continent]
[Himmel’s POV.]
I sat on my bed cross-legged with my eyes closed as I drew in deep breaths.
Along with that, I was checking my internal body through mana.
Even though there were not many ways to check one’s soul, I could get a vague idea about it using mana.
...and like I had expected, my soul didn’t look good.
A huge chunk of it was missing, and that was because of Inder.
When Inder took over my body for the first time, he did a ritual.
Using the ritual, he exchanged a part of his soul to summon El.
Mana flowed inside my body like a calm river, but every time I let it brush against my soul, I felt it.
A hollow space where something should have existed.
"...Damn it."
When Inder took over my body the first time, he performed that ritual without hesitation.
And I was fucked because of it.
I rubbed my temples as I leaned back slightly.
Even though me and Inder were now fused and were the same guy, I still hated him for what he did.
Though, I didn’t blame him for his decision.
’....But what should I do now?’
There was no way with a broken soul like this I could reach the demigod level.
’....I need to find something to heal my soul.’
But was there even a thing like that?
A knock rattled on my door before it slowly opened.
Nymeria peeked her head inside. "Am I disturbing you?"
"No." I shook my head. "Come in."
She walked in and I couldn’t help but raise my brow at her bold outfit.
She wore a pale red nightgown that was see-through around her stomach.
Her red hair fell over one shoulder like a curtain of flame.
The thin fabric of her nightgown moved slightly with her breathing, but her expression itself was calm.
She walked in quietly and closed the door behind her.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
"...You look tired," she said softly.
I let out a small breath through my nose. "I am."
She walked closer and sat down at the edge of the bed.
"I have made sure Zenith is comfortable." she responded softly. "I don’t think she would have any problem sleeping."
"...I see." I mumbled softly. "Thank you."
She let out a small smile before she dragged her body close to mine.
"Can I sleep with you today?" she asked. "...it’s been a while and—"
"It’s fine." I cut her off gently. "I don’t mind."
She looked relieved at my answer.
Nymeria slowly shifted closer and lay down beside me.
She rested her head lightly against my shoulder, her warmth spreading through the thin fabric of my clothes.
"You know, I was thinking about Zenith all day long." she said softly. "How I used to treat her."
I gently patted her head. "Do you regret bullying her?"
"No." she said immediately. "Why would I regret that? It was fun."
I let out a faint breath at her blunt answer.
"...That’s very like you," I muttered.
Nymeria gave a small, almost embarrassed huff.
"Though I was jealous." she said. "...About her relationship with her mother."
Her fingers tightened slightly on the fabric of my shirt.
"....I wish I had that kind of relationship with my own mother."
Her voice was very quiet when she said that.
So quiet that it almost sounded like she didn’t want anyone to hear it.
I stopped patting her head for a moment.
"Nerrisa was cruel."
She shifted slightly, curling closer against my side.
"She wasn’t cruel," Nymeria countered. "She just... didn’t know how to love."
Her fingers traced absentminded circles on my sleeve.
"She cared about duty, reputation, the clan... everything except me."
A faint bitterness slipped into her voice.
"I grew up watching other children get hugged, praised, protected."
She gave a small humorless laugh.
"And I thought... maybe if I became strong enough, perfect enough... she would finally look at me."
She finished quietly. "....But it never happened."
"...."
"So, when I saw Zenith back then..."
"...It annoyed you," I finished quietly.
"Yes," she admitted. "She had everything I wanted."
She pressed her forehead lightly against my shoulder.
"A mother who adored her. A home full of warmth."
Her voice dropped to a whisper.
"And she still cried... still acted weak."
"...."
I couldn’t say anything else as I just patted her head.
She slowly looked up at me.
"....I do have a resolve though." she said, looking into my eyes. "To love my daughter more than anything else in this world."
Her hand gently rested on my cheek. "To love her more than you."
"...."
I kept my silence as her eyes remained fixed on my face.
"Nym—."
A bright white light flashed from my body that formed into a figure.
A cheerful voice echoed in the room.
"Papa!!"
