21 Side Story 1: A Cup of Tea (1/2)

Every single day, Altwidus EbonyWood began his morning by brewing a pot of tea using leaves from his garden.

Although he was the master of the Forest of Rejuvenation and could control and create any plant within seconds, he preferred to cultivate and pick his own tea leaves. After all, Dahlia would mock him if he were to choose the easy way out.

With a swipe of his hand, a dainty table and chair formed next to his wooden cabin. On top of the table, a wooden cup and teapot formed. With careful and experienced movements, Altwidus quickly prepared some tea into the pot. The tree next to his residence utilized its branch to pour the tea into two cups.

Several animals with vegetation covering their bodies played in the stream next to his cabin. Altwidus watched them frolic around with a smile.

”I wonder how the children are doing?” Altwidus sipped his tea while enjoying the same scenery he had witnessed for hundreds of years.

He chuckled remembering the children's antics. Some of them were unbelievably clumsy when it came to chores while others had difficulty in moving their new bodies. The only capable ones were Jae, Jade, and Iris. Wendy was better with housework than all the other children, however, it required her a couple of weeks to walk on her four limbs.

”Is this how it would feel to have children?”

Unlike a certain otherworlder who was capable of everything despite being in an unfamiliar world, these children were far more immature and even acted the age of their current bodies. He refused to accept that they were internally older than ten. It was truly amusing to observe them babble this world's language like toddlers when he initially taught them.

Dahlia had always wanted a child with him, however, it was nearly impossible for them to have children together.

All four goddesses of this world each created several diverse species. But, two races created from different goddesses cannot procreate a child with each other. Even if they did, their child would be deformed or disabled.

The only race able to breed with other species were humans for they could adapt to anything. As creatures produced from Eva, the goddess of love, fertility, and life, it was no wonder that they can do so. However, half-bloods cannot breed with any race at all and most could not control the mana in their bodies.

Dahlia was a dryad and he was half-demon. Not only that but also a flame demon which normally lived deep within volcanoes. Originally, he would have never been able to enter a forest without causing a forest fire nor would he have the chance to be even near Dahlia.

”But, look at me now, in a forest for years and yet, nothing burned down. Well, aside from my fingers when I boiled tea for the first time.”

In addition, dryads were formed by the goddess Celeste, while demons were created by the goddess Ath, so even if he was a complete demon, there would be no chance of copulating.

Nonetheless, Dahlia believed that together, they could overcome the limitation of their species and spawn a child. But, she never had a chance to conceive a child before dying under the hands of the demon lord, Igthixus. In her last moments, she transferred her authority as the keeper of this forest to Altwidus and left a single seed.

”If only I wasn't a failed product, then I would have been able to use magic and perhaps changed the outcome.”

It wasn't as if Altwidus didn't want to teach the children magic, but he had never been able to use his own magic. The forest's magic was not his, but Dahlia's. Furthermore, the forest merely responded to his intentions and he never did comprehend the mechanisms of magic.

A branch poked the man's cheek, snapping him out of his thoughts.

”You're right, I shouldn't think too much of the past, but rather, focus on the present.”

Flap. Flap. Two black birds with mushrooms and moss enveloping their bodies landed on the table. One was a raven and the other, a crow. They were Altwidus's familiars who had returned with messages.

”Let's start with you,” he pointed to the left bird as its beak opened.

A voice message sounded from the raven.

”The sixteenth ruler of Mirathya, Ialantha Mirathya, had been executed by the nineteenth ruler, Erlane Mirathya. Before her demise, a group of children had visited the Pherlorna clan. No casualties occurred other than Ialantha Mirathya. The children are safe and are currently heading to the beastmen country, Alkbestia.”

A remorseful expression surfaced on Altwidus's face as he only replied with the two words, ”I see.”

He never did like the elf who always clung onto Dahlia back then, but he also didn't wish for her to meet her end like this. She was, nevertheless, an ally who fought in the front lines with him. Perhaps he could have changed Ialantha or even help the miserable woman cope with Dahlia's death. Alas, it was now too late.

After some time passed, he fingered at the crow, ”And you, what's your message?”

A cheeky voice resounded from the crow.