By Zephyria 
Divine Blood was a grand Divine Grace that was reset around the Imperial Succession Ceremony. A grand Magic, using 1.5 million mq of energy over a period of three to six months, was an achievement only possible in the Name of God.
Only the Emperor, who had formally undergone the Imperial Succession Ceremony, and his direct descendants for one generation could handle Sierren’s Divine objects.
I do not know how this Imperial Succession Ceremony is conducted. All I remember is Ruben’s firm declaration that he would perform the succession ceremony for his successor before he died and pass on his position, so it didn’t matter if I didn’t have a child with him.
“Look, we are gods. What is the power of a god? It is the power of faith. Just as you became the Tenth God by coming to believe in yourself, the Emperor of Sierren must have the strong faith of those around him, believing that he is the only one destined to be the Emperor of this land, to ascend the Throne.”
“…Does that mean an Emperor can also become a god?”
“It’s different from a god. An Emperor requires the faith of many people in the Empire, not just himself. Hundreds of millions of people who believe this child, this person, possesses sufficient qualifications to be the next Emperor influence the consecration of the Imperial Succession Ceremony.”
“…Why was it decided that way?”
“Because they were afraid the world would no longer need an Emperor.”
Is there a world that doesn’t need an Emperor?
There were Emperors in both the Central Plains and Sierren. I had heard many stories about tyrannical and wise rulers. But I knew of no world without any king.
Seeing me blink blankly, the Goddess laughed heartily again. Her face looked genuinely delighted.
The Goddess murmured in a humming tone.
What followed was not the Sierren Imperial Language. Nor was it the Zhongyuan Language. It was a voice that traveled from mind to mind, thought to thought, sense to sense, not through language but through memory, filling my eyes and my mind.
[My original world had so many different kinds of countries. Countries with kings, countries without kings, countries with slaves, countries without slaves, and countries with nothing at all. Sometimes the strongest became the leader, sometimes the most wicked led the world, and conversely, there were countries where merely being good could lead to ruling the world. Which of them is the right answer? Do good and evil hold the same meaning in all eras?]
“…”
It was a question I couldn’t answer immediately. As I quietly held my breath and pondered, hundreds, thousands of lives flashed through my mind. The reason I didn’t collapse with my head in my hands was that the First Goddess showed me the memories from a sufficient distance, like watching a play or reading a scroll.
While I was gasping for breath, the God asked again.
[Do gods live forever?]
“…Yes?”
[The Seventh, the Eighth, the Ninth all died, didn’t they? A god begins to walk towards death the moment they deny themselves. Also, no matter how powerful a Human is, they eventually die. So what about us, who were originally Spirits, then Mermaids, then Dragons, and then became gods as Humans? The world Spiritus lived in was tens of thousands of years old, and there were no gods there. Were there none from the beginning?]
“…”
[So I had a thought. What if, when I become so old that I can no longer exert any power on this continent, this continent no longer needs an Emperor? What is the most appropriate Mana Concentration for those who will live and cultivate this land themselves, and by what method should it be controlled?]
“…”
[I decided to let the majority decide that. So that what remains in the world after I die can live well on its own.]
For me, who had no experience crossing worlds, these words should have been incomprehensible.
However, thanks to the First God’s memories, which she had absorbed from all the times she had seen and heard, being transmitted from mind to mind, I could understand them perfectly. The worlds she had seen, the way she wanted things, and even the reason this continent insisted on continuing the lineage of Emperors in such a manner.
I let out a shallow sigh.
“Then the Shiaren Great Reform didn’t necessarily have to take that form.”
“That’s right. The reason the people of this land believed they absolutely had to appoint the Emperor’s bloodline as the next Emperor is because this continent still had many people who wished to be ruled under the Emperor’s authority.”
“People who wished to be ruled?”
“If someone wanted to become Emperor instead of a newborn infant, it wouldn’t have been impossible. But it was an era where everyone cherished their own blood relatives very dearly and passed down their status only to their family members, so they naturally believed the Emperor’s authority would be the same. That’s why they went out of their way to find the Emperor’s blood relatives and appoint them as Emperor. That was the era.”
“Not now?”
“Now is an era that emphasizes something else, more than blood ties… like economic growth and desires based on gains and losses.”
“…Mm.”
“If no one on this land believes an Emperor is needed in the world, the Imperial Succession Ceremony will disappear. Instead, those who use Divine objects will possess other qualifications and have different titles. They will regulate the continent’s Mana Concentration and perform miracles.”
“…”
“Human consciousness doesn’t change easily, so it’s still a long way off. I don’t know what it will be or what form it will take yet. From the perspective of those in power, it’s convenient now, but this structure won’t last forever. No matter what.”
I see.
I now knew what I had to do to create a world where my child could live comfortably.
“May I borrow your name for a moment, Sister?”
“My name? What for?”
“A child is expected to be born, one without any prior signs.”
The Goddess, who understood immediately, burst into laughter again. I left with a simple greeting.
The blood relatives were sitting on the lawn, with picnic mats spread out.
The seats, made of quilted cotton, were comfortable for sitting or lying down on the lush, emerald-green lawn that shimmered with a soft sheen. I indulged in the luxury of sitting in the offered seat and bringing a cold drink with ice to my lips. Everyone sat quietly, counting flower names or popping snacks into their mouths, enjoying the sunlight.
The laughter of children playing in the distance was boisterous.
My maternal grandfather’s gaze was fixed on those children, unable to look away. I knew what he was thinking. I subtly sat down next to my grandfather, and his affectionate gaze and touch soon reached me. As his wrinkled hand covered and patted the back of my hand, my maternal aunt took out a cookie bag from her basket.
“Yes, it took longer than expected.”
“Yes. I had something to ask the Goddess, so I prayed for a long time.”
“Haha, yes. What did the Goddess say?”
“She said it would be best to ask Grandfather.”
“Huh? Ask what?”
I took a deep breath. Should I consult Ruben first? But my grandfather is my family, so it’s right for me to appease him. Trying to keep my voice calm, I looked directly at my grandfather’s face.
“If Ruben conceives my child, what name would be good to give it?”
Several drink cups overturned and rolled on the floor.
I learned something from my conversation with the First Goddess.
I did not want to differentiate between a child born of my body, a child born of my heart, and a child sculpted from Mana. When the child who would act as my child was born, I wished for them to frolic with their first smiles amidst the profound love and affection of their relatives, just as I had.
However, the child sculpted by Ruben and me from the egg of Karzentia, while a child to Ruben and me, had a high probability of not being seen as such by others. Since the position of Emperor is inherited by faith, wouldn’t it be easier for everyone in the world to believe that the child to be born inherited Ruben’s bloodline?
It wasn’t an entirely false statement, and it would also make it easier for Ruben’s status as a son-in-law to be accepted.
“That, that, that what… What are you saying?”
“I returned after executing the Ninth God at the request of the gods, didn’t I? This seems to be the reward, or compensation. Since the Goddess has offered to grant me a child by her will, I had no choice but to accept…”
“So, uh, no, uh, geez… So, what you’re saying is.”
“We haven’t even consummated our marriage yet, so it’s something to think about slowly, but I wanted to tell the family in advance because I want to receive congratulations from them in due time.”
Blink, blink. Asdel blinked a couple of times, then took out a handkerchief and handed it to Michael. Michael, who had spilled juice all over his front and knees, fumbled, picking out strawberry pieces tangled on his lap, and mumbled,
“…Brother, you really have to…”
“Hm?”
“You really have to treat Ruben well… You know? Really… You…”
“That’s obvious.”
Everyone swallowed their slight misunderstandings along with their drinks.
I calmly sat and looked around.
My maternal grandparents were beaming, my paternal grandmother was amazed, and Asdel and Hendel were delighted. My parents nodded, acknowledging it as good news. On the other hand, Michael and Aizen, their faces pale, shook their heads, unable to hide their bewildered feelings.
And my maternal uncle gently touched his wife’s wrist.
“If I could have had children too, you wouldn’t have had such a hard time.”
“This child…”
There was something else I had to say. I cleared my throat.
“Hmm. And…”
“And, what else? What else are you going to say?”
“Ruben wishes to pay his respects to the elders of the family before the wedding. If it’s alright with you…”
“Yes, we must go! Of course, we must!”
My maternal grandfather slapped his knee and, before rising from his small frame, asked,
“What did the new bride say she liked?”
❖ ❖ ❖
The first Sunday of June.
Everywhere Ruben moved his spoon, even just once, my maternal grandfather’s gaze followed. Various side dishes, continuously presented by my maternal grandfather, were already piled high in front of Ruben, who sat unusually demurely.
The attendants, with expressions that could neither laugh nor cry, kept rearranging the dishes according to my grandfather’s gestures. Despite having told them several times before their visit that Ruben was not pregnant, it had little effect.
“Your Majesty, please try this as well. It has a mild, sweet aroma and tastes good.”
“Oh, please stop. You’re making His Majesty uncomfortable.”
“No, it’s not. Perhaps because Grandfather is taking care of me, I have a better appetite than usual.”
Ruben winked playfully. If he had a tail, he would have had nine of them.
The moment the child popped a piece of food given by my grandfather into its mouth, Lucilla let out a strange sound and buried her face in her plate.
While my maternal grandmother repeatedly pinched my grandfather’s hand, the Empress Dowager’s fan was constantly in her left hand. Although her expression hadn’t changed from the beginning, the slow fanning motion to cool her face was a clear sign that she was trying to dispel her embarrassment.
Everyone except my maternal grandfather and Ruben was busy hiding their embarrassed faces.
After a while, my maternal grandfather, regaining his composure, cleared his throat with a dry cough.
“Well, I know… I apologize, Your Majesty. It’s just that this is my first time having a granddaughter-in-law, and she is so lovely and precious.”
“It’s nothing. …Duke Ernhardt, you enjoy Silantor, don’t you? Please try some of this.”
The hesitant Empress Dowager gestured for a piece of fish to be placed on my plate as well. I bit my tongue to suppress the laughter that was about to burst out and nodded gratefully.