The just reincarnated Danny had finally realized his new fate.

"Muahahaha! Muhahahaha!"

Danny was the happiest he has ever been knowing that he has had a pathetic life that amounted to nothing. And this world has endless possibilities for him.

"Look Marvia! Your child is smiling. No! He is giggling!" the female elf said.

A man in his thirties who was standing next to Marvia and watching the whole spectacle unfold straightened out his posture and looked toward the door outside.

He stared at the newborn child wrapped in a white cotton blanket and in the hands of its young mother.

The man gestured to the talking lionman, and two other hooded individuals with masks on, telling them to go outside with him.

Marvia who was sitting up in her bed, and seemed to be unaffected by the supposed exhaustion and physical toil of childbirth noticed the men's reactions.

"Conrad? Where are you all going?"

Conrad ignored Marvia's question and walked outside with the three mysterious individuals following him.

Conrad had black hair and a ragged beard, scars on his own face were noticeable even from a distance.

He wore armor and chain-mail under his cloak that seemed to intentionally portray poverty, though anyone would have noticed his regality and noble-like mannerisms.

"Novario," Conrad looked up at the gigantic lion in front of him.

Danny could hear them talking, but could not understand their parallel-world language.

But he could catch only glimpses of their voices because the hut he was born in was only about 3 square meters and made of straw and wood.

"Who was that guy?" Danny thought.

"He seems to be the guy in charge. They're just talking on the other side of the hut's straw wall."

Danny's social awareness made him aware of the group dynamics and the social cues that were happening.

He knew that his fate could suddenly change, that was something he had learned in his past.

A lesson that he wished he learned much earlier.

"Yes, your Majesty," the lionman responded with a deep voice that sounded more like a whispering roar than an actual human voice.

"Cut it out, Novario. We all know you were never one to support the Celestrian Imperial Dynasty. But it stands that without your assistance, the Celestrian Bloodline would have been wiped off the face of the earth."

One of the hooded and masked individuals spoke and said, "That is not true, Conrad. There are other Celestrian Bloodlines still out there awaiting the appointed time. They are as qualified as any other."

Conrad kept quiet and breathed a heavy sigh.

"Yes. Yes. But my bloodline is the purest of all, is it not? That is why all of you are here. If it wasn't you'd be off some other forest and who knows what sort of scheme you would be having to kill me and my family."

The man responded saying, "But... you are right. Your bloodline is the purest and as such will have our sect's support."

Conrad looked at Novario who was somewhat amused and looked at the three from his height.

"So? Can we proceed with the ritual already?" Conrad asked each of the three mysterious benefactors.

The third benefactor who was as tall as the 8 feet lionman took out what seemed to be an old book from his leather satchel and said, "The Spiritual Shield has been breached as expected. As of now, the King of Fontaire and the others would have already known about the child's birth."

They all looked at the tall hooded man as he said, "Let us begin with the ritual.

All of you who are listening inside should prepare as well."

Danny, his mother, and the others inside the hut who had been listening intently to the men's conversation had already prepared everything for the ritual.

"They're going back inside. What's happening?" Danny thought.

Danny looked up to his mother who was still happily holding her child who became the whole world to her.

She then held Danny close to her head and she whispered into his ear.

"Don't worry, my little Emperor. Everything is going to be all right. I'm not going to let anyone hurt you."

Even though he could not understand anything, Danny felt something he had never felt before when Marvia spoke to him.

His heart calmed down and the tension from all that he had heard from the men's discussion had disappeared.

Conrad, Novario, the female Elf, and the three others then took their positions around Marvia's bed and all of them knelt on one knee and bowed their heads.

The tall masked man who was positioned in the middle and facing Marvia and her newborn child stood up, opened the old book, and announced with his loudest voice.

"Rejoice! Rejoice! For the Holy System has blessed us the world with a Celestrian child."

All of them echoed him.

"Rejoice!" they all shouted with their eyes closed and faces that looked like they were intensely concentrating.

Danny who was watching everything thought it reminded him of some sort of school oration activity.

"Is this some sort of tradition that they d-"

The tall man slammed his book shut and a burst of blinding light flashed before all of them.

Only Danny had his eyes open but Marvia anticipated this and just in time she had covered his eyes with the palm of her hand.

"Wha-"

"Rejoice! The Trial of the Holy System has begun! Each of you shall declare your Holy Truths. One request shall be granted for the price of one Worthy Sacrifice."

Danny could not see anything as Marvia kept her palms firm and tight as she covered her child's eyes.

"The light must still be blinding and flashing," Danny thought.

Unbeknownst to Danny, a heavenly beacon had formed from their small hut in the middle of the forest that went endlessly upward to the sky.

The giant beacon of light could be seen from every part of that side of the world.

"Now announce your Holy Truths knowing you shall perish if you speak a lie!"

The first one to respond was Conrad himself who was kneeling on the rightmost side of the bed.

Danny could tell from his voice's spatial positioning.

"My first Holy Argument: I am Conrad de Monfort. Descendant of the Celestrian Imperial Dynasty's purest bloodline, holder of the Celestrian Birthright, and Father to this child. This is Holy Truth!"

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

All of them echoed, "This is Holy Truth!"

Danny already had an inkling that Conrad was his father since he noticed that he was the only human male among them that didn't cover his face.

"My second Holy Argument: I am an insufficient candidate for the Celestrian Imperial Seat. I am not qualified for Divine Kingship. For I do not have the Celestrian Blessing. But my child, born of the Ward is a potential candidate, born of purest bloodline and under the advocacy of the Archangel Uriel. This is Holy Truth!"

All of them echoed again, "This is Holy Truth!"

The tall man who was leading the ritual then said, "You have spoken your Holy Truths. Now speak your Holy Conclusion which shall also serve as your request!"

Conrad then raised his head and opened his eyes which were immediately blinded by the searing light that permeated the hut. But amidst the pain and burning he looked at Danny.

"My Holy Conclusion: I shall transfer the Celestrian Birthright to my son and request the Holy System's Divine Recognition of my son's legitimacy as a candidate for the Celestrian Imperial Seat. I am Worthy Sacrifice!"

There were changes in light permeating the room.

Conrad's eyes no longer burned, and his pupils glowed with light rays. And he could now see through the wall of light.

A crest of light began to engrave itself on Conrad's forehead and Danny's forehead.

Danny wanted to cry in pain at the crest that burned through his skin, forming some sort of circular crest.

Marvia held her child even tighter, knowing the engraving caused pain to her child.

"The Holy System has validated your Holy Truths."

The second person to speak was Novario Blazekar, the lionman.

"My first Holy Argument: I am Novario Blazekar, a Regalith of the Noble Beast House of Blazekar of the Ancient Tribe of Radiant Embers. And the protector of the Ancient Apocalyptic Prophecy. This is Holy Truth!"

Novario's mane and fur kept being blown by the moving forces of the blinding light that were assessing every being of the Regalith Beastman, determining the truth of his words.

All of them echoed again, "This is Holy Truth!"

"My second Holy Argument: My ancient house has determined that this child has an important role to play in the Apocalypse to come. His safety and survival, our Noble House shall bear as the Prophesied Duty of House Blazekar, hence my own responsibility. This is Holy Truth!"

Danny heard all this but just could not understand anything.

Instead, he tried his best to remember what seemed to be keywords in their sentences, so that he may learn what they are someday when he learns the language.

All of them echoed again, "This is Holy Truth!"

"You have spoken your Holy Truths. Now speak your Holy Conclusion which shall also serve as your request!" the man leading the ritual said again.

Novario looked up and raised his head.

With open eyes that were being burned by the searing light, he announced, "My Holy Conclusion: I shall transfer the divine ownership of the Deluvian Sanctuary relic, a holy relic protected by House Blazekar for thousands of years, to this child. And request the Holy System's recognition of this divine ownership transfer. I am Worthy Sacrifice!"

The strain on Novario's eyes disappeared and he could now see through the light.

More detailed engravings were added to Danny's forehead that was symmetrical to the engravings that were marked on Novario's forehead.

"The Holy System has validated your Holy Truths!"

The tall man who was serving as the Intermediary of the Holy System and the group in the little hut in the middle of a forest believed it was his own turn now.

"My first Holy Argument: I am Tholgard Calendis of the Circle of Balance. A Holy Exorcist of the ancient Exswordic Order of the Church of the Holy System. And watchman of the Holy War Against the Demons. This is Holy Truth!"

All of them echoed again, "This is Holy Truth!"

This time, many of them were surprised at realizing this, as they had no idea who he was until this moment.

"My second Holy Argument: Only the Celestrian Imperial Dynasty can restore the Church of the Holy System to its rightful place as the true opposition of the demonic forces. And I shall assist this Celestrian child in his journey to the Celestrian Imperial Seat, as is my duty as watchman of the balance. This is Holy Truth!"

All of them shouted even louder, and received an even more powerful confidence, "This is Holy Truth!"

"I have spoken my Holy Truths. Now I speak my Holy Conclusion which shall also serve as my request! My Holy Conclusion: I shall transfer my Spiritual Gift of Tongues to this child so that he may use it to unite the world against the demons. And request the Holy System's recognition of this divine spiritual gift transfer. I am Worthy Sacrifice!"

The giant beacon of light shook the whole hut and Angelic beings began to descend from above.

Then a sudden and powerful force of gravity forced all of them to fall flat to the floor.

And only Marvia and the newborn Danny were unaffected by it.

A heavenly masculine voice then resounded over all of them announcing, "The Holy System validates all your Holy Truths."

Surprisingly, even though this was an unknown language to Danny, he could somehow understand the Angelic Language.

"Your Holy Conclusions shall be granted when the child comes of age. Perform the circumcision that the child's name be registered under the Membership of the Church of the Holy System. The Ward shall give the child his name."

"The CIRCUMCISION? I can't see anything? Who's talking? I just got out of the womb! Mom! Marvia! What the-"

Marvia opened her eyes, and the blinding light had no effect on her, except that her skin glowed and the halo shined like a golden crown.

"My child's name shall be Dante. For he is the light of my world."

The word "Dante" in the Marialian language meant "lighthouse" but in other dialects, it meant "guide" or "safe way."

Marvia then pinched the edge of the foreskin of her baby's tiny penis and took a really small piece of skin.

This left a small and non-harmful wound on Danny.

"Aaaaah!" Danny cried, as his newly received manhood had been injured.

The Angel from above the beacon then announced, "The child's name shall be Dante. And your Holy Conclusions are all postponed until the child comes of age, as is the Will of the Holy System. Your Worthy Sacrifices shall be received at the appointed times. Until then, three Substitute Sacrifices shall be taken by the Holy System. Declare your Substitutes."

Danny could also understand what the Angel was saying, "Substitutes? Holy System? What's all this about Worthy Sacrifices?"

Dante kept listening as this was at least a start to his understanding of the context of what was happening.

Then Dante heard three female voices.

The female Elf spoke and said, "I am the first Substitute Sacrifice."

A young girl also spoke and said in her shivering voice, "I am the second Substitute Sacrifice."

And the third woman to speak had a more mature and firm voice and said, "I am the third Substitute Sacrifice."

The Angel from above then declared, "The Holy System acknowledges the Substitute Sacrifices. Your existence shall be erased from here on out, and shall be returned until Dante's coming of age and when the Holy Conclusions have been fulfilled."

Conrad, Novario, and Tholgard all clenched their fists, while staring straight at Dante, while Marvia held him tighter, and closer to her.

The three women were then engulfed in bright burning light and all their particles dissipated into nothing and ascended into the mist of light vapor.

Danny's eyes were still covered but he already had an idea of what was happening, and of what the substitute sacrifices were for.

The Angelic voice then declared, "All of you have been tested under the furnace of truth, and all of you have passed. But realize that this child is not part of the Will of the Holy System, and is an anomaly."

The three remaining men and Marvia could not believe what they were hearing.

The Angelic voice continued, "But, the Furnace of Truth has allowed the child to survive determining it to be a legitimate existence. Thus, as it is in the Seventh Heaven, so shall the Will of the Holy System also come to pass in Gomorrah."

The beacon of light disappeared.

The normal darkness of the night returned to the forest and the hut.

The candles and lamps were alight again.

No one spoke for the following moments.

And Conrad fell on his back and leaned on the straw wall while grabbing his black hair with his hands.

Novario stood up and spared none of them a look.

He walked to the door and stopped. Then turned to Tholgard the Exorcist, and said with a grim look, "If I had known you were here, I wouldn't have come. My help was unnecessary all along. But what's done is done. I will leave that anomaly to you for now. But I will someday have my turn to bring him up."

Novario took his giant staff, wore a lion-head-shaped helmet, and closed the visor.

And he walked away into the forest.

With Tholgard and Conrad still on the floor, the other hooded individual who was only a spectator in the ritual, but had declared his sect's support earlier walked toward Marvia and said, "Take care of the child, my dear. His life is now in your hands."

He bowed before the baby Dante and took his leave.

Dante still not understanding anything they are saying, body language was something truly universal that even Dante could comprehend.

Then the masked man also left.

Dante had noticed that there were now fewer people in the hut.

He knew that those three women had disappeared from existence before the ritual and that Novario and that mysterious man also left.

Only the four of them were left in the hut. Marvia, Conrad, Dante and Tholgard.

Tholgard after wiping his face of tears then stood up and spoke to Conrad.

"What's done is done, Conrad. Your wife and son, Dante, need you to be strong. If you cannot be the Celestrian Emperor, then be the Father of the Celestrian Emperor, and fulfill your holy duty."

Conrad was helped up by Tholgard.

"I thought it wouldn't be necessary, Tolly. I just asked them to come to make sure. But I promise you, I didn't know it would-"

Tholgard replied and said, "It's not your fault. Everyone knew the risks."

Tholgard put the book back into his leather satchel and said to Marvia and Conrad, "Now, I must go as well. You two can handle yourselves. But do not stay here for long. They will come. This side of the world had seen that Beacon of light, and they are already headed this way to kill all of you."

Tholgard then rubbed both Marvia and Conrad's heads and said, "But you too, are monsters in and of yourselves. So I know they wouldn't be able to catch you if they tried. Now, I must bid you farewell."

Marvia then said, "You are truly the hero of the sung legends, Tolly. Farewell, and make sure to leave some of those demons to us. Heaven knows you would even head to the center of Tartaria if you were given the option."

Conrad gave the tall Tholgard a hug and bid his farewell.

Tholgard took the items that he used to prepare for the ritual and left the three alone, in the middle of the forest.

Conrad then held Dante in his arms.

The night was silent and peering eyes of beasts could be seen closing in the hut.

But Conrad ignored them, looked his son in the eyes, and said, "Someday, my son..."

Marvia also smiled while her husband talked to their child.

"Someday, you shall also be a Worthy Sacrifice."