Three weeks later, in a dark alley in the roots of the capital, a prostitute was in labor.
Jin sighed as he sat in the adjacent room. He was under a disguise with a purple wig and a lion toy mask. Having money certainly made things easier and him hiring the city guard in the royal guard's team proved its worth. Of course, he did not ask her directly about this kind of place nor to led him here. Simply by asking casually about her work experience, she revealed all he needed to know herself.
It did not take long for him to find one of those poor women who used their bodies to earn their keep. After making sure that the baby growing inside of her was female, he offered a deal. The kind of deal that a woman from her social class could never refuse. As for that baby...She planned to abandon it anyways. Women like her did not have the abilities to take care of themselves, what more of a newborn.
She agreed to the deal.
A deal so evil that it should not be spoken of.
Jin sighed as he waited with the cries from the adjacent room for sole company. Now that he was here, he was finally taking in the true gravity of the sin he was about to commit.
He killed before, yes.
He did some awful shit, yes.
But never did he slaughter the innocents... And to buy a newborn only so that he could end its life before it began... It was wrong. In too many ways.
However, he had no choice.
Well, he did. There was always a choice. He was just unable to consider the other options for he was human. Selfish and greedy for life. As he waited, he kept on questioning his decision.
He only needed to leave now and no sins would be committed.
At the very least, it would not be his sins.
But, no. He watched the glowing symbol on his palm that was bringing him this kind of mental pain. At the same time, he agreed to a deal. A deal that he had to see through. The choice back then...He did not regret it. He would have died back then otherwise.
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As for whether or not his life was worth more than that of the newborn? No, it was not. All lives were equal. But to him, his life was the one worth the most. It was his own after all.
He was someone who could kill to survive.
It just brought much more pressure on him this time as it was not in order to survive that he would sin.
There would be no turning back after this. Not for him. Not for anyone else who would have been in his position.
The cries of a baby resounded. One of the two nurses exited the adjacent room. She was exhausted and sweaty but smiled brightly. She bowed to him as he got up and stated: "The baby was born healthy! Congratulations, Sir!"
He nodded and entered the room.
The newborn baby was in the arms of its mother. That woman was in bad shape at the moment yet the look in her eyes was full of love. Jin's heart throbbed in pain.
The woman looked at him and asked: "Is she going to have a better life than if she stayed with me?"
Jin did not answer. It was a difficult question. The body would likely thrive. As for the soul within? He did not know. Was there even one at the moment?
He was unable to bring himself to answer.
The woman sighed and whispered while looking upwards: "It seems like there are really no Gods in this world"
She kissed the baby lovingly before slowly handing it to one of the nurses at the side. The nurse then handed it to Jin. As he held this little life within his arms, he trembled.
However, this was the path that he picked.
He took out ten gold coins and gave five to each one of the nurses. They received their salary happily, bowed and left in a hurry. With that much money, they would be able to change their lives!
Jin then turned to the woman that was still in the bed. He wanted to give her some words of comfort, ease her mental...But was unable to. In the end, he moved next to the bed and dropped a bag filled with fifty gold coins. It rang harmoniously as it dropped.
Then, he left.
Silently.
As he did, he heard the sobbing of the woman.
She might have received enough money to change her life but the price she paid for it was far too great. Jin bit his mouth and walked away in shame, staying within the shadows.
...
Once he returned to his new home, a gigantic mansion situated in one of the branches, he ordered the servants to stay away and directly entered a bedroom.
He gently dropped the baby on the sheets. He looked at it once before he channeled the spiritual energy within the seal in his hand, making it flow in the required directions.
Mere moments later, a green portal began to open, tearing up the space.
From within it, a blue transparent hand extended. Then an arm. And after a few moments, a woman stood there as if an ethereal deity.
Sarina Sempress returned to the world below.
She gazed at Jin and he returned her gaze as the portal closed.
She turned towards the baby sleeping in the bed and an ugly expression could not help but appear on her face. When it was finally time for it, she was feeling ashamed of it.
Still, she did not want to die.
She breathed in and adjusted her mental state.
Then, she turned her gaze to Jin and said: "You're upholding the end of our deal"
Jin nodded in silence.