Arwen's time in Alvenheim, as she wished, was brief yet fulfilling.

One day, we decided to rest for her to recover her wobbly legs and for me to read Zenon's Biography.

Arwen insisted that it was dangerous outside the bed, so I either lounged around with her in bed or explored the bedroom together.

It was a time free of boredom as we occasionally chatted with one another.

"So, you haven’t named that world yet?"
"Not this world—the world inside Zenon’s Biography."

Arwen, who had already read the draft I gave her, asked several questions. The first was about the name of the world Zenon would shout.

Originally, I had considered naming it after Hirt, but that was forbidden. So, I had to come up with another name.

"Even if you don’t mean it that way, do you think others will agree? I certainly don’t think so."
"Well, it can’t be helped. Do you have any suggestions? Preferably something related to the earth."
"There are books in the sanctum written in ancient languages. Reading those might help."

That sounded promising. Books in ancient languages were rare and hard to find.

As centuries passed, many had been lost. Besides, I was more interested in historical events than in languages.

"But for Lucifer to spread his wings... Even if it borrowed the power of demons, who would have thought..."

Arwen looked at me with eyes filled with curiosity and expectation. She was probably thinking about Cecily’s demonization incident.

I smiled bitterly and shook my head. Cecily’s demonization and an elf’s ascension into angelhood were fundamentally different.

"No, the gods have clearly said it’s impossible. A transcendent being like an angel can be demoted to a mortal, but the opposite is impossible."
"Why not?"
"Because of their origin."

To become a transcendent being, one must be born as one. It was impossible for a mortal to ascend.

When I first heard this, I was a little disappointed, but my perspective shifted after experiencing reincarnation.

Wouldn’t it be possible to die as a mortal and be reborn as a transcendent being?

Like being reborn not in a human body but in the body of a god—a divine form. There are records of Hercules in Greek mythology ascending this way.

A scenario where Jin dies and resurrects as an angel, huh...

It wasn’t a bad idea, but there was something unsettling about the notion of a demon becoming an angel.

Elves, descendants of angels, might not react well to this. It seemed like an idea best kept as a last resort.

Besides, Jin had already consumed Diabolus and become one with it—soul included.

Would the gods be able to purify a soul tainted by evil and separate Jin’s persona from it?

While summoning my alternate self from another dimension was feasible, this went far beyond that, making me cautious.

“I should ask about this.”

Leaving Arwen for a while, I stepped outside the bedroom. As I mentioned earlier, Elodia also functioned as a temple.

Normally, elves worship Luminous, and dark elves worship Mora. However, after the dark elves were banished, the elves began to worship both.

According to Arwen, relations with the dark elves were improving noticeably.

Perhaps the integration they longed for would happen soon. She said it was all thanks to me and expressed her gratitude.

In any case, I headed to Elodia’s sanctuary to ask the gods a few questions...

"To place a mortal soul into the vessel of a transcendent being and resurrect them... It’s not impossible. But we would have to create an entirely new vessel, which would be quite a challenge for us."
"So, it is possible?"
"It’s not impossible."

I had directed my question to Mora instead of Luminous. I hadn’t spoken with her recently, so I thought she might feel left out.

Elodia’s sanctuary dedicated to Mora was dark like Helium’s, lit only by candlelight.

Although Alvenheim banished the dark elves, their obsession with tradition prevented them from completely rejecting Mora.

Had they done so, Mora would have been furious. That’s what I thought as I posed my questions.

"What about when a soul is corrupted? Is purification impossible then?"
"It is possible. But it’s like separating ink from water—extremely difficult."
"So, it’s not entirely impossible?"
"Correct."

At least that was something. But my main concern was the elves’ reaction, or rather, their dissatisfaction.

Even if they didn’t openly object, wouldn’t they feel resentment that a demon ascended as an angel?

Moreover, the heroes of both the elves and dark elves had sacrificed their lives to destroy the World Tree. Had they not, Diabolus would have resurrected much sooner.

Countless heroes had given their lives to save the world, so specifically resurrecting Jin as a transcendent being felt unfair.

“Hehe.”

While I was lost in thought, Mora let out a mischievous laugh, snapping me out of my reverie.

"Why are you laughing?"
"Because I saw an interesting future."
"Is it a good future or a bad one for me?"
"It’s just... interesting."

She clearly didn’t want to tell me. I chuckled lightly at Mora’s ever-playful demeanor.

An “interesting future” probably meant I’d find myself in a tricky situation.

I should’ve gone to Luminous instead. Unlike Mora, he would have explained everything kindly.

"Oh, so you’re saying I’m unkind?"
"Not unkind—just playful."
"Hmph. Do whatever you want. I’m already annoyed because of Mother. I won’t give you any divine power from now on."

That would be problematic. I smiled wryly at Mora, who pouted like a child denied her toy.

Losing divine power was no small matter. I had to soothe her somehow.

"Hirt gave me her blessing. Why can’t you two do the same?"
"It’s not a matter of whether we can or can’t. The problem is that she left a mark on you."
"A mark?"
"Yes. When Mother gave you her blessing, she said, ‘I will grant you the Blessing of Pure Nature.’ It wasn’t just any blessing but a pure one."

What’s the difference? I wasn’t a priest, so I didn’t really understand what she meant.

Perhaps sensing my confusion, Mora sighed and explained patiently.

"A pure blessing is essentially sharing a part of her authority with you."
"Authority?"
"Yes. It allows you to perform miracles, unlike regular blessings. For example, healing someone through prayer or blending into the darkness so perfectly that even magic cannot detect you. Those are blessings. But authority? It’s different—you can perform actual miracles."

Miracles… Just hearing the word left me speechless.

In a world where gods existed, scientifically inexplicable miracles were real. But what made miracles “miracles” in the first place?

They were things that were impossible but somehow became possible. That was what we called miracles.

"If Luminous used his authority, he could save a dying person or regenerate lost limbs. He could even restore lost senses."
"Isn’t that what Kate does?"
"Kate can only ‘patch’ severed parts together. But Luminous’s miracles make the body grow anew, like a sprouting seed."

It truly was a miracle. I was amazed but asked quickly.

"What about you, Mora?"
"Unlike him, my focus isn’t external but internal. I deal primarily with the mind. I can restore sanity to those driven mad or heal people suffering from mental breakdowns."

At first glance, it might not seem like much, but that was undoubtedly a miracle as well.

In my previous life, dementia was a disease feared as a demon’s curse. It tore families apart with its tragic consequences.

Both gods performed miracles that aligned with their roles. That made me curious—what kind of miracle would the goddess of nature perform?

"As you know, Mother symbolizes nature. That’s why animals will love you no matter where you go. You’ll even be able to communicate with them."
"Communicate? But I couldn’t talk to the wagtail yesterday."
"That’s because you didn’t truly connect with it. Even with authority, how you use it matters. Oh, and do you know what a ‘spiritual creature’ is?"
"Of course, I do."

As expected of a fantasy world, spiritual creatures exist here. However, they are extremely rare, as befitting the name.

Spiritual creatures aren’t limited to animals; plants are included as well. The most prominent example would be centuries-old wild ginseng.

If even one is found, it’s so valuable that entire nations, not just small groups, will scramble to claim it. Their rarity is matched only by their exceptional power.

"If you have enough divine power, you can even evolve ordinary plants or animals into spiritual creatures."
"…That’s possible?"
"That’s what the Blessing of Pure Nature means. Beyond that, when you’re in danger, nature itself will aid you. No matter how powerful the demonic worshippers may be, they won’t be able to pursue you if nature stands in their way. Now you understand how incredible your blessing is, don’t you?"

Of course I did. This wasn’t just about elevating a human to a druid’s level—it went far beyond that.

Nature’s power was absolute. No matter how powerful humanity became, they could never truly conquer it.

To think that nature itself would protect me… Honestly, it felt too surreal to grasp.

"…You really seem to care for me."
"Of course. After all you’ve done, how could I not?"
"Haha."

Mora’s sincere praise left me feeling slightly awkward. No matter how many times it happened, I couldn’t get used to receiving compliments from a god.

To break the awkwardness, I quickly moved on to another question.

"Then, what should I do with the World Tree’s Seed? Should I just plant it in my territory?"

"… …"

There was no response to my question about the World Tree’s Seed. Only heavy silence filled the air.

Feeling something was off, I asked again.

"Mora?"
"Hmm? What is it?"
"What do I do with the World Tree’s Seed—"
"Do whatever you want."

“Do whatever I want”? I couldn’t help but frown at the vague and evasive answer.

Did that mean I could smash the seed with a hammer? Or was I supposed to plant it in my territory?

As I tilted my head, utterly confused, Mora spoke again, her voice sounding slightly rushed.

"Is there… anything else?"
"Um… Not really."
"Alright, then. See you later. Goodbye!"

Before I could react, Mora abruptly cut off the connection. I opened my eyes slowly as the divine connection ended.

The statue of Mora in front of me was now utterly devoid of energy. It was as if Mora had fled in a hurry.

"…What was that?"

Why did she refuse to talk about the World Tree’s Seed? What kind of future awaited that she wouldn’t even tell me?

Baffled by her strange reaction, I stood up.

If Mora reacted like that, then Luminous would probably behave the same way. Clearly, there was something about the seed.

"I can’t exactly smash it with a hammer, can I?"

For now, I decided to leave it alone until I returned home. I shook off my confusion and headed back to the bedroom where Arwen was waiting.

"Ah, you’re back."
"…What are you doing?"

I found Arwen sitting in bed, cradling the enormous golden seed in her arms.

Rather than feeling exasperated, I couldn’t help but find her adorable, and a chuckle escaped me.

Arwen, hearing my question, gave a shy smile and offered an explanation as cute as she was.

"Well… It looked cold sitting there all alone…"
"… …"
"It’s a gift from Hirt, isn’t it? I thought I should take good care of it."

For a woman over a hundred years old, it was such a childish and charming remark.

Hearing her words, I couldn’t help but laugh as I climbed onto the bed and approached her.

I gently patted the golden seed she was holding so preciously and said softly,

"Then, should we hold it together?"
"T-Together?"
"Why? You’re embarrassed to hold it with me after our first night together?"
"T-That’s not it…"

Arwen blushed furiously at my suggestion, her face bright red with embarrassment. I smiled warmly and pulled the blanket up to cover both of us.

It wasn’t exactly time to sleep yet, but this moment would surely become a cherished memory.

Pulling the blanket up to my chest, I placed the seed between us and gently embraced Arwen.

"…My dear."
"Shh. Let’s just stay like this for now."
"Mm… Alright…"

Just as I closed my eyes, ready for a peaceful nap—

Crack!

An ominous sound echoed in our ears.