!~Ding~!
[Spirits are described as non-physical entities that exist beyond the material world. They are manifestations of essence, will, or energy—unbound by flesh yet still capable of influencing reality in ways that defy common understanding.]
[They take on various forms, sometimes appearing as elemental beings or even adopting human-like shapes. However, most of them remain formless, existing as pure energy. Only a rare few are able to manifest physically, and that, too, is either through unwavering faith… or sheer, overwhelming power.]
As he listened to these details, Aether hummed thoughtfully, a slight frown forming on his face.
He had never, in all his time within these worlds, come across such information. Nowhere did it mention anything even remotely similar to what was being described—spirits.
[Because these worlds didn’t have such things… They were never supposed to exist here! And for something like this to happen—it’s completely impossible! Miracles of this nature simply do not occur.]
Aether smirked, his expression tinged with amusement. ‘And yet, despite all that… it happened, didn’t it?’ His Log was stating something so absurdly impossible, yet here he was, standing in the midst of that very impossibility.
It was almost ironic, really. After all, wasn’t he himself something akin to a miracle?
His gaze drifted toward the butterfly hovering above them, its delicate wings fluttering gently in the air. ‘So… this thing is a spirit?’
[Affirmative.]
Aether blinked, his frown deepening. ‘… So that’s why I wasn’t able to see it before. It isn’t bound by flesh… it isn’t alive in the way we understand.’ He exhaled slowly, trying to wrap his head around it.
‘Anyway… how is Maelona able to do something like that?’ he asked, his curiosity piqued.
[It wasn’t Maelona who did this… It was you!]
Aether’s brows furrowed slightly. He blinked in confusion. ‘Wait… What? Me? Come on now, I didn’t even do—’
Before he could even finish his thought, the Log cut him off.
[Maelona… was supposed to be dead.]
Aether fell silent.
[You see… because of her bloodline ability, the ability to exchange, she made a trade—one so absolute that it left nothing behind. She sacrificed everything in order to heal you. And as a consequence of that decision… she should not still be here. Her existence in these worlds should have ended the moment that exchange was completed.
And yet… due to your interference… something changed. Something that should never have been possible.]
Aether’s frown deepened further, his mind racing to piece it all together.
The Log continued,
[Her fate in these worlds has already ended. Her entire existence is now tethered to you in ways beyond laws. And because of that… she is no longer subject to the rules that govern these worlds. In simple terms, she is an anomaly… just like you.]
Aether inhaled deeply. Everyone around him was watching him closely, waiting for his reaction, waiting to understand what he had just learned. His expression shifted, a mixture of emotions flickering across his face.
“Is everything alright?” Aria asked with a fearful tone.
Aether exhaled slowly before responding. “Give me a moment… I’ll explain everything soon,” he assured her, his eyes still locked onto Maelona’s log. He needed to think—needed to make sense of all this before speaking.
The Log didn’t stop.
[Not only that… she is also barely walking the thin, fragile thread between life and death. Her body is decaying, and her soul is tied to you. Due to this strange and unnatural phenomenon, the energies that were once passive, without form or emotion, have begun to react….. And they are reacting to her emotions.]
Aether slowly nodded, his gaze shifting to Maelona. It was clear as day—she was barely clinging to life. The only thing preventing her body from completely falling apart was his nectar.
Without it, she would have already succumbed. Even though her soul remained bound to him, her physical form was constantly on the verge of collapsing.
The Log pressed on,
[At first, those energies showed little to no reaction. The laws that governed them were too rigid, keeping them from interacting with Maelona. However… the moment her body began its monsterization due to the Monster’s bite, everything changed. The energy within her grew violent, unstable… And then, as even more Clarion energy invaded her system, that instability worsened, turning into something far more dangerous. But then… when she consumed your nectar… that which contains #####— Hmm…]
“Huh?”
[It contains #####– I suppose this is as much as I can reveal for now.]
His frown deepened further. “What do you mean by that?” he asked.
[Nothing… You will have to uncover it for yourself. Regardless, returning to Maelona—when she drank your nectar… it must have triggered another cosmic imbalance… one that led to the birth of energy itself… The butterfly!]
‘So that thing is…’
[Yes, that is Maelona’s emotional energy form… It responded to her call. Though it calls you “Papa” and all, it’s just a part of Maelona, nothing more.]
Aether stared at the butterfly fluttering joyfully in the air. His gaze softened, and a warm smile spread across his lips. This… this was exactly what Maelona had always wanted—freedom. The ability to go anywhere, to fly without restraints, to live without worry.
‘So it’s her emotions, given form… I see,’ Aether thought, exhaling softly. Still, something didn’t quite sit right. ‘Then why is she had Demi-God title?’ he mused, his brows furrowing.
[…]
‘Log?’
[… Well, the spirit Maelona birthed is actually a completely new kind of spirit—one that holds an exceptionally high level of energy. A significant part of that is due to your “Nectar.” I cannot fully explain that part.
However, she was on the verge of Ascending to Godhood… To put it simply, she was as weak as an ant when she was just Maelona. But once the spirit merged with her, just like before… no one could touch her.
And most importantly, this spirit was born from Maelona’s decayed body, her soul’s emotions, and… your nectar. Because of that unnatural combination, the butterfly spirit possesses the ability to drain the life essence and energy of others… and even affect their souls!]
Aether’s eyebrows lifted slightly. ‘So that’s why I felt weak, huh? Is that the reason I was feeling tired and dizzy?’
[….]
There was a brief pause before the Log responded.
[Yeah… Make sure it never comes into contact with others. Otherwise, they won’t be anything more than a pile of flesh. Also, please—under no circumstances—feed your nectar to the spirit. Unless Maelona fully masters her control over it… If you do… next time, she will completely lose her mind!]
Aether frowned. Though this explanation answered a lot of his questions, something about the Log’s hesitance made him uneasy.
‘Why the sudden silence? Are you hiding something from me?’
!~Ding~!
[Negative. Cannot be answered.]
The Log’s tone suddenly shifted into a monotone, as if it had reverted to its default state after all that extended conversation.
Aether sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. ‘Well, I guess I got enough information for now.’ He turned his attention toward the group, who were waiting eagerly, their eyes filled with curiosity.
Aether smiled. “Nothing much… She became a God of Spirits.”
“SPIRITS?!”
Everyone blinked in shock. Even Maelona looked stunned, tilting her head in curiosity.
Aether chuckled before slowly explaining everything—the process, the transformation, how this all came to be, and most importantly, just how unbelievably powerful Maelona had become.
While everyone listened intently, fascinated by the story unfolding before them, deep inside Aether’s being—within the very core of his existence…
Umbra/Ethereal Domain…
In the vast, endless expanse, two indistinct voices echoed,
“To think… He created a miracle like this… Something that took Arcane and the others years to even finish… How amusing.”
“Indeed… He is far exceeding our expectations.”
“A Demi-God… Ah.”
“It seems we’re finally reaching the next stage of the endgame…”
“Indeed. I wonder… How does Clara plan to finish her game after ‘his’ death? But it seems like she has already started making her move using this incident…. How amusing, the way she seizes every opportunity… Ahaha.”
“….. Yeah. Arcane has been busy with her own game… It’s been ages since she last contacted Aether.”
“I wonder… What are they planning to do next?”
“Haha… Me too… I’m very curious…”
“Haha…”
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