[Year 22]

I checked the Lycanthropes, they’re nearer to the Marshland Village as they reside inside a forest filled with natural resources and are also close to the sea. Their source of food mainly comes from vegetables and the other source of food they find within the forest.

Unlike the forest the Foreline village resides in, the Lycanthropes’ forest is relatively peaceful, a ridge separates the connection of the demon forest and their forest. I’ll call the forest by its properties, that would be Vine Forest.

Anyways, I studied how they live─ their lifestyle. Throughout my survey they were relatively normal, they followed their own set of cultures and traditions. They were relatively happy, and what I found in the middle of their village, a place of worship, even surprised me.

“Hello…”

A mellow voice rang through my ears, it was a soft and gentle tone you would hear from an old retired lady. In the middle of the village, in the stump, I felt it, a deity.

“Hi… You are…?”

“I don't have a name, but these children call me Saega.”

“I see, I am Hadro, the god of Particles.”

“Ah! A god… forgive my rudeness…”

I chuckled, the voice sounded like a wisened-up lady enjoying her years. “There aren't any, so I don't mind, care for a talk, Saega?”

“Sure…”

I talked with the deity she was a fairy and in her dying state, out of her chaotic nature, she helped the wandering Lycanthropes that she happened to pass by. When she was about to die she embedded herself in the very tree stump in the middle of the village, but the SE from their worship of Saega accumulated and she was reborn anew, as a deity of the village.

Though, she was reborn out of their image, her chaotic nature was gone, and now was replaced by her current persona. I guess the villagers liked her that much.

“Wait, how long have you been this treestump?”

“About 60 years ago…”

Ah, so she lived a thousand years as a fairy. And 60 years as a Tree stump Deity, how… amusing. Oh well.

“I assume that the Lycanthropes are reclusive?”

“What do you mean by that?”

“That they only worship you alone?”

“Oh… yes that might be the case… they hate the deity that tormented them…”

“Oh… is a God not any good?”

“Oh…?” The stump buzzed “A god…!”

Suddenly she released small golden motes of light. It surprised me but she seems… Delighted.

“May I ask what will you do with these children?”

Looks like she is willing to speak for me, so naturally I took this opportunity. I told her about my meeting with the other gods, and the ships that I saw that planned to cross over and potentially take over the continent. Seaga hummed, she then suggested something I did not expect her to say.

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“Then can I go under your wings?”

“Huh?”

“Bless me, give me the awakened system.”

“No, Saega I know that. But you know of the consequences, right?”

“The fact that you worry about me is enough to tell me about you.”

I was a bit perplexed, but it seemed she was willing. The consequences of being under a system from another entity to another entity are nothing short of asking to become a slave to the other party. After ascending, I could comprehend the system, one thing I understood is that this entity is a tool for the soul of humans, what would happen, if we the gods, were to be bound by the system that bounds humans' souls to us, entities?

The answer is nothing short of being enslaved.

“Fine, I would do that…”

Besides, it's not like she’ll only become a slave, the System reinforces a mortal’s soul makes it firm and protects it to a certain extent from foreign attacks. She would get the same benefit, she could even ascend to a true god if she had enough SE.

With that conscious thought, I gave Saega an offer with my system, which I could feel she accepted. Saega glowed a faint hue of purple before it subsided, of course, it didn't go without any notice. The village was surrounding Saega, their faces filled with awe and wonder.

Saega’s tree stump suddenly cracked in the middle, silence prevailed in the crowd and I was in shock.

“Saega??” I asked

“I am fine.”

Just then, a Wisp came out of the tree stump, I could feel, that Saega was the wisp. Saega floated around and the villagers looked at her with awe.

“Hadro, isn't your purpose in this village to reunite the races?”

“Yes, is there a reason you brought this up?”

“If we stay in here, we will be overrun even if it takes another hundred years. It's better to expose these beastmen to the bigger world, let them explore…”

I could feel emotion thrive at the wisp, she paused for a moment but then, I felt her emotions as she was connected to me by the system. She felt sadness and sorrow, and with a wry voice, she continued.

“I lived for a thousand years, and now I am reborn twice. With a new view, I could only feel sad for these beastmen.”

“Beastmen…”

Beastmen, she says, but the System tells me that they’re lycanthropes.

“I see, that the system changed how they’re called. Is this how you view these children?”

“Yes, after all, Lycanthropes generally means, wolf-man… well or close to it, since these people generally have no clear distinction between wolf or cat, it better to use that word on them.”

“I see, the System does sort everything for you. If you don't have a word for it, it’ll just say beastmen for the sake of convenience, I assumed you have lived long?”

“Not as long as you.” I vaguely answered.

“Well, enough…” Saega paused for a second. “You arranged the system to your liking?” she sounded fascinated.

Saega bobbed up and down in curiosity before stopping, her wispy body then turned to the lycanthropes and with a solemn voice continued her sentence.

“Anyways, this will make things easier. What do I need to do?”

I nodded, she seemed close to the Lycanthropes, and with her help, I’ll be able to guide them better. Thanks to her I could do better things in a short amount of time. With I had given her the power to bless the Lycanthropes, I tasked her to bless them with the right skills, and if she didn't know what to do she could ask me and I could guide her as well.

“Your realm is a massive library?” Saega exclaimed, amazed.

“Yes, don't hesitate to come here if your knowledge is lacking.”

With that, I left the Lycanthrope village, all Lycanthropes are concentrated in this single area, when I floated up, I saw no other Lycanthropes other than this very village. It is good that their birth rate is a bit steady, even if it's over 1 baby per year.

***

Lazarus walked with his youngest hand in hand. Kaina has a copy of a book in her hand, it's the Book that appeared on the altar, after the people with the title [Suilpo Speaker] deciphered its contents Kaina they were able to read unhindered. And of course, they also learned the title, called the [History of Nuna].

Kaina was fascinated by the illustrations, especially with the dinosaurs.

“You still have that book in your hands, Kaina.”

“I like it.” Comes with a simple answer.

Lazarus smiled, his hands filled with callus, mostly on the knuckles as Lazarus developed a distinct fighting style against the monsters. Over the years he didn't only punch the monsters brainlessly, he developed a style, a technique. He couldn't help but smile wryly when he noticed his fists.

“Well, that's a good thing. You're like your mother the more I’m with you…”

“Really?” Kaina spoke with her eyes shining.

“Yeah, you’re always with mom we couldn't go out that much.” Lazarus lamented

“Well… dad is always busy.” Kaina sullenly muttered.

“I’m sorry, today Kaina and Dad will be together… okay?”

Kaina smiled brightly, and Lazarus couldn't help but smile as well. He may have had no childhood, but that doesn’t mean he wouldn't give his children any. To this day, he can “remember” memories, not of his own. And one of those memories, a child with bright yellow hair could be seen laughing.

Arm outstretched to hold the girls’ hand. That's what He remembered. The caring touches he gave to that child are similar to a parent giving the utmost care to their own. Lazarus used this memory as a reference, knowing it came from his father.

“So, what does Kaina want to do today?”

“I want to build a Koronausaur.”

“Eh, a Koronausaur? Isn't that the big bad beast in the book?”

Kaina nodded. “It looks like a bigger Ikkin.”

Lazarus laughed, he looked down at the book that she held and then thought of an idea, theres a passage in the book about “pot making” something out of clay. Lazarus blinked for a few seconds, it was an idea, and now he had a plan.

“Kaina,” Lazarus called out warmly.

“Ye?”

“Do you want to build a Koronausaur?”

Kaina noticing Lazarus’ tone nodded enthusiastically. Lazarus laughed and then carried Kaina, seemingly going home.

“Dad?”

“Let’s go home first, daddy will get busy for a while.”