"Please hold her for a moment!"
"Ah, yes...!"
The nun handed me the baby and quickly checked Aunt condition.
Other nuns arrived and began to discuss.
"What do I do? Aunt,Selena...!"
Aunt couldn’t breathe. She was as pale as a corpse, her complexion frozen.
Her chest, which had been heaving with each breath, no longer moved.
The nun shook her head.
"She seems to have stopped breathing due to an unbearable shock at the end of labor! Haah, we need to restore her vitality!"
"Everyone, gather!"
The nuns gathered one by one, sitting in a circle around Aunt.
Then, they clasped their hands and began to pray reverently.
A divine energy, on a different level from those who chanted sins in a cult, overflowed.
My mouth went dry. My breathing was irregular, and my chest kept trembling.
The nuns’ prayers gradually gained strength, turning into light that enveloped Aunt.
I was so scared, I didn’t know what to do. Please, don’t let anything happen, please!
"Aunt not going to die, right? Please, just this once, please!"
I watched, holding the baby. Then I realized how incredibly light the baby was.
It was as if I was holding a feather; I felt no weight at all.
"Eua-woo...!"
The baby looked up at me, smiling innocently.
Her silver eyes, like morning stars, sparkled, and a smile adorned her soft cheeks.
Her appearance was adorable, but I had to keep my gaze on Aunt.
"You pray too, so nothing happens to your Mom!"
I hugged the baby gently. I watched.
As the nuns, who had been praying for five minutes, slowly began to tire.
"Kuk, haah...!"
Finally, Aunt moved violently, as if her breathing passage had opened.
She had regained consciousness. I rushed to Aunt side.
"Aunt, Selena...!"
For this moment, I didn’t care if I was criticized for acting like a child. I was so happy. I had been so worried.
I just pressed my body against Aunt and buried my face.
Aunt gasped for breath and laughed.
"Ugh, my breath suddenly... but I’m okay now. Haah... Son, where’s my daughter?"
"Here she is. Isn’t she pretty? She’s so light!"
Aunt looked down at the baby, her face filled with a pure smile.
A purity that rivaled the baby’s was evident.
"She’s so pretty! Fufu... how cute."
"She’s super pretty, just like her Mom. Ah, we need to name her."
Now that I thought about it, we hadn’t decided on a name. Aunt took the baby and shook her head.
"You try naming her, son."
"Me?"
Well, since I was essentially the father, I did have the right to name her.
Something immediately came to mind. With everyone watching, I said,
"Hmm... how about Levi?"
"Levi? That’s a pretty name. I like it!"
Levi, meaning "light" in Portuguese. It was definitely a fitting name.
After my daughter’s name was decided as Levi, Aunt Selena hugged Levi tightly. Like someone who had gained all the treasures in the world, the smile never left her face.
And so, Aunt was sent to the resting room by the nuns. Levi also rest comfortably.
"Hoo."
I came out and sat on a bench. The moment I sat down, I slumped.
Honestly, I felt like I’d aged ten years. I thought something terrible was going to happen multiple times.
"Have I ever been this nervous before?"
When I took the professional team tryouts without knowing anything. I think I was as nervous as I was then.
Still, it was a relief that the outcome was good. I covered my eyes with my arms and regulated my breathing when someone came and sat beside me.
It was my auntie.
"You’ve finally caught your breath."
"Yes, I really thought something terrible was going to happen. Haa."
I wiped the profuse sweat from my forehead. I thought it was all over. But I was afraid something bad would happen again.
Then I remembered that I had Holy Relics. Though only Dawn was fully activated.
I stopped myself from touching the Holy Relics.
"Holy Relics... should I use these? But that Grant bastard used them."
After the fight, I seemed to have unconsciously distanced myself from the Holy Relics.
Dawn was like a part of me, so that was fine, but I had never used the other two.
I shook my head.
"It’s a relief nothing happened to aunt."
Yes, as long as there was no need to use the Holy Relics, it was fine.
As I calmed my startled heart, my auntie sighed.
"That ring, does it work?"
"Yes. Are you going to rest?"
"I’m going to go to that world for a bit to rest. I used up quite a bit of energy too."
Indeed, my aunt was one of the biggest contributors today. If she hadn’t continuously given buffs, Aunt Selena would have been in danger too.
She was the strongest adventurer, yet when it came to childbirth, she was no different from any other mother. It was truly ironic.
"Yes, you were truly amazing. Thanks to you, Aunt Selena survived. Best Saintess!"
"Hmph, what would my sister have done without me?"
My auntie snorted and teleported into the ring. After sending her off, I was momentarily lost in thought.
"Should I go see my daughter for a bit?"
I should go rest too. Since I hadn’t found an inn, I had no choice.
I headed to the resting room. As I opened the door and entered, the nun who was tending to Aunt shook her head.
"She needs to rest and stabilize right now."
"Ah, yes. I’ll just take one look at Levi."
Our daughter, Levi, who made me a father. I saw Levi in the cradle.
Aunt no...Selena was sleeping.
Levi wriggled her small body in the cradle. As I approached, her presence felt even more real.
The fact that I had become a father felt surreal, but when I reached out and touched Levi, the tangibility I felt made my heart swell.
I stroked Levi’s head and cheek with the tip of my index finger. Levi instinctively gripped my index finger tightly.
The way she clung to me with her whole body was incredibly cute.
"Yes, please grow up big and strong."
Would I look like a doting father right now? Would my smile look foolish?
Then the nun subtly asked,
"Are you perhaps a mage?"
"Me? No. I actually have a Mana-less Condition, why?"
"Because a unique attribute was detected in the child. It’s quite rare."
My heart sank. Could it be a Mana-less Condition like mine? Or a developmental disorder?
"Is it a disease, perhaps?!"
"No, no. The child isn’t crying already and has begun to perceive her surroundings. Moreover, her heart is beating incredibly fast, as if it’s about to burst, which indicates rapid growth... Occasionally, in renowned mage families, children grow up quickly, you see?"
Rapid growth? Ah, I remember. This game did have a second-generation system.
It was an unfortunate system that was introduced for one season but disappeared due to poor reception.
In it, you could raise your second generation quickly with cash shop purchases. It was almost like they aged a year every month, perhaps?
"It’s similar to that."
"Aha... so she’ll grow up fast?"
The nun nodded at my question.
"Yes, her growth cycle will be similar to most mammals. I imagine she’ll age ten years every year until she’s twenty."
"It’s not dangerous or anything, right?"
"No, not at all. On the contrary, thanks to the vibrant energy flowing through her body, she’ll grow more certainly and quickly than other children and she will have strong vitality too."
I was relieved. Then there was nothing to worry about.
Rather, the fact that she’d grow up fast was truly amazing. I hadn’t even made any cash shop purchases!
Anyway, it was a relief to learn something important. To think a system that once existed and then disappeared would manifest.
How strange. Is it because Grant died?
I bowed my head to the nun.
"Haha, please take good care of Selena..."
I made my request and left. A faint smile appeared on my face.
"My child will grow up fast? I want to hear her call me ’Dad.’ I’m such a fool."
And she’s a girl, isn’t she? I hope she’ll cutely run to me, hug me, and shout, "Dad!"
Then I’d have a doting father’s smile.
I scratched my head for no reason. People passing by seemed to glance at me.
It must be my imagination. But it felt really good.
"Ah, I want to tell everyone this fact. It’s itching me!"
I couldn’t help it. I activated Canape. I entered the world inside the ring.
Whoooosh!
Looking around, I saw Dinora, Lumina, and Lyra, who had come for evacuation. Then I saw Aki coming with tea.
The women were making and eating pizza. They were really doing well. It was good to see.
I didn’t know where they got it or how they made it. Lumina, who was eating a cucumber pickle as big as her face, spotted me.
"Yo, Lucian! The Saintess went inside to sleep, didn’t she?"
"Hello!"
I went to the women, greeted them, and announced that my daughter had been born.
Even that her name was Levi. The women were astonished.
"What? Already? Selena was a famous Hero, as expected...!"
"Heh, as expected, the class is different, the class is. Congratulations!"
"Oh my, that child must be incredibly pretty, right? Hehe♥"
"Hyaa, Lucian. You’ve really grown a lot. Though that part was always big♥"
The women congratulated me in their own ways. I felt good.
My shoulders seemed to puff out for no reason, and my nose seemed to rise a bit.
Ahem, it must be my imagination, right?
"Becoming a father feels like a dream. And the child grows fast too!"
Dinora nodded, as if understanding my words.
"Now that you mention it, I often hear stories about children from famous noble families growing up quickly. Huh, how strange. I want to see the baby!"
"Oh, me too, me too!"
"Me too."
Each of the women said they wanted to see the baby. Since there were no cell phones in this era, they had no choice but to go see her in person. I should send them out.
"Then, would you mind going outside for a moment? You can go to the resting room. Lumina, are you going too?"
"Of course!"
I sent the women outside. The boisterous place instantly fell silent. How strange.
I lightly stretched my body. I had thought about resting here, but...
Thinking of Levi gave me more strength. In that case, there was only one thing to do.
"Alright, then, riding this momentum, shall I explore another island?"
For the first time in a while, I whistled.
"Rin, come!"
"Hee-hee-hee-hing!"
Clop-clop-clop! Crackle-crackle!
Rin burst out of the stable and immediately galloped towards me.
For the first time in a long time, I rode Rin and galloped towards the Predator’s Island.
The area in front of the house was filled with items from the mine and the lake. Anyone would think fans had sent gifts to an idol’s house.
"Hyaa, how much is all this? I’ll take care of this later."
My current interest was the next island.
Expanding the territory of the Predator’s Island could be done later.
I rode Rin to the very end of this island.
The feeling of riding through the bushes felt like returning to the past.
Those days when I would do anything to become a Hero.
Kuh, why does it feel like only a few years ago? When I think about it, time really flies.
"Strangely nostalgic."
I chuckled to myself as I reached the end of the jungle.
I stopped for a moment. Across from here, an island surrounded by clouds was visible.
I found it. The third island!
As I approached while riding Rin, a transparent path appeared, just like last time.
I really liked these helpful features.
"Let’s go, Rin. Don’t worry."
’’Kiiihhhh-hiiiiinnnngggh!"
Rin, on the contrary, answered with a mighty neigh as if comforting me, and moved forward. The way she advanced slowly and skillfully was adorable.
After going straight, we arrived at the third island. What was once a simple island instantly expanded, and a modern city appeared.
But that city was a ghost town.