Chapter 39 - Secrets Revealed (1/2)

”Have you been blessed by the gods?”

”What?”

”I said, have you been blessed by the gods?”

”Yeah, I heard you the first time. What do you mean by it?” Of course, Aurus was blessed by a god, the Goddess of Reincarnation specifically. He wasn't stupid at all. It was one of his most hidden secrets and how was Herellia, a branch that had only been with Aurus for a short while, able to know that he was blessed by a god?

Sensing the confused aura surrounding Aurus' body, it seemed that Aurus in front of her did not know what being 'blessed by the gods' meant. Feeling like a knowledgeable scholar, Herellia then said, ”A being blessed by the gods is someone who has become a representative of the god, or perhaps, an indirect child of the god. This is attributed to how those blessed by the gods are able to grow strong that would allow them to defeat those stronger than them at a lower level, or perhaps even be undefeated amongst every being that fought them.”

”Mm,” Aurus replied with a soft grunt hesitatingly. He really didn't want to tell Herellia that he was blessed by the gods. At that moment, a spark of realization entered Aurus' mind. If Herellia asked him if he was blessed by the gods, then that meant she might be blessed by the gods as well? Testing if his hypothesis was correct, he then asked Herellia, ”Well...judging by what you said, then that must mean that you're blessed by the gods, Herellia?”

”Eh? Uh...” Unsurprisingly, Herellia went silent for a moment as she hesitated on what to answer. From this alone, it seemed that his hypothesis was correct. With this, Aurus continued onto the next step, which was coercing her to say she was blessed even if it meant knowing he was blessed.

Looking at Herellia that was floating a few decimeters above the ground, Aurus then said, ”You know what? Let's just say our answers at the same time?”

”Answers? What answers?” Herellia easily forgot her question as she wanted to keep her secret as well. Aurus then followed up with, ”Being blessed by the gods. Whether we are blessed or not.”

”Ah. Uh...” Herellia hesitated for a bit before giving off a helpless aura. ”Sure.”

”Okay then. I'll count from 3.”

”3...”

”2...”

”1...”

”Yes!”

”Yes.”

”Oh, as expected,” Aurus couldn't help but say after hearing Herellia's answer. Herellia, on the other hand, was surprised that Aurus had the same fate as her, being blessed by the gods. Continuing to trudge on forward, she then asked, ”Which god blessed you?”

Seeing that Herellia was now open to this topic, Aurus didn't hesitate to say it out loud. ”The Goddess of Reincarnation. You?”

”The Goddess of Kinship,” Herellia replied with motivation. ”Why did the Goddess of Reincarnation choose you?”

”Well...” Aurus hesitated once more. If he answered the question, she would be the first one to know his past. Deciding to play safe, he asked, ”You should tell me why the Goddess of Kinship chose you first. If you answer, then I'll tell.”

”Heh? That's unfair,” Herellia couldn't help but complain that she became the one answering Aurus' questions rather than the opposite. But it did seem that Aurus didn't want to answer unless she answered first, so after letting out a sigh, she then explained, ”Before the Goddess of Kinship chose me, I was any other stick out there, no life at all. Though there were circumstances and lucky encounters that made my body grow stronger, I still wasn't 'alive'...until the Goddess found me. Even up to now, I still don't know why the Goddess chose me. But she did say something to me once she chose me.”

”What did she say?” Aurus asked.

”Make a family that you won't regret.”

In an instant, Aurus' mind went into overdrive as he tried to find the hidden meaning within that statement. Although he knew that the Goddess of Kinship was focused more on trust and family, he couldn't help but think about it the other way.

'How do branches do it? Can we even do it at all?'