Chapter 518: 135. The Lost Name
After saying these words, Michael stepped back a step, standing to the side between Gabriel and Fisher. Although he avoided a direct line between them, he seemed to stand closer to Fisher.
In the forging room behind, those sacred objects were stirring restlessly, waiting for Michael’s command at any moment.
Gabriel also turned to look at Fisher. Clearly, Fisher’s rank was far inferior to hers—one was at the Nineteen Rank and the other at the Fifteen Rank. Despite such a large gap, it was Gabriel who stepped back first.
She tightly hugged Emhart and the crystal in her arms, seemingly retreating instinctively, as if afraid that he would take Emhart away.
“Mom, we promised!”
At that moment, Emhart, who was in Gabriel’s arms, cried out while struggling.
“Mom?”
Fisher raised an eyebrow, while Michael also smirked, seemingly understanding why Gabriel was so stubborn about not letting Emhart go.
“Daring to play such a role-playing game in front of Gabriel is courting death,” Michael whispered, assuming this was voluntary on Emhart’s part.
Fisher didn’t have time to ask about the background of the situation before he saw Gabriel hesitating for a moment.
Then, instead of letting go of Emhart first, she looked down at him and said word by word, “Nob. We promised.”
“Nob?”
Fisher didn’t know what had happened during his absence from Emhart. He was unaware that after spending over a month with this insane angel, this fellow seemed to have been reborn.
He had a new name and a new mother.
Emhart shook his body vigorously in her embrace, indicating that he was still keeping his promise.
“I know, Mom, we promised.”
With Emhart’s assurance, though Gabriel still kept her gaze fixed on him, the arms that hugged him loosened increasingly until they completely freed him from what felt like a cage.
“Five minutes.”
“What? Five minutes? Can’t we make it a bit longer, say… ten minutes or something?”
Gabriel remained motionless and gave no response, as if after Emhart left, she had turned back into a statue.
Emhart knew Gabriel wouldn’t bargain with him anymore, so he could only bite his lip and quickly fly toward Fisher.
“Fisher!! Waaaa!”
“Emhart.”
Fisher reached out to catch him, but unexpectedly, Emhart collided straight into his chest, sticking to the spot where he had often been held before. However, this time Fisher was wearing the angel’s white robe, leaving no place for him to fit in.
“What on earth happened during your time away?”
“Waaaa, don’t say it!”
Before Fisher could even question further, Emhart began crying, his long-absent, grating voice suddenly sounding melodious.
“Fisher, listen, Gabriel isn’t going to let me go. She lost her child before, so she’s been in a fog for so long, and you know, I’ve also been searching for the Holy Spawn that created me all over the world, but I couldn’t find him. Now, having met Archangel Gabriel, we can be… waaa!”
As he spoke, he started crying again, clearly indicating that even the rehearsed words of comfort were insufficient.
Fisher likely already understood that Gabriel had taken conscious Emhart as her second child, and one who had already lost a child would never give up on this second one.
Once he realized Gabriel’s determination, things would get very troublesome.
Firstly, Fisher could still activate the power that Renee gave him to return to the future, but many people he cared about remained here.
He couldn’t guarantee that the grief-stricken Gabriel wouldn’t go insane; even if she became muddled again like before, the worst-case scenario was that she might completely go mad and search for him worldwide. In that case, Hela, Gouwen, and Tang Zeming Asuka, who had once been connected to him, would surely face danger.
“And besides, during the time you were away, Mommy Gabriel kept taking care of me. When Michael bullied me earlier, she was the one who stood up for me. Earlier when I said I wanted to go to the Ideal Nation to see you, Mommy Gabriel took me there too.”
Fisher cast a sidelong glance at Michael, who shrugged nonchalantly, signaling that he merely wanted to study him. Then he turned his gaze back to the unmoving Gabriel in the distance, who, like a statue, had her eyes light up again after hearing Emhart’s words.
She clutched the remnants of her child tightly and quietly waited for Emhart and Fisher.
“Whether it’s you or Mommy Gabriel, I don’t want you to come into conflict. So, perhaps this is the best solution. I’ve already told Mommy Gabriel that I came this time—waaa—I just wanted to see you one last time, and then I will stay with her. Fisher, you just… uwaaa!”
This guy.
While he was speaking, Emhart started trembling in his embrace. Fisher looked down and saw him retreating slightly, his body also slightly opening as the pages inside seemed to flutter rapidly as if there were no wind.
Those familiar with Emhart knew that this was him reading the knowledge recorded within him.
But at this moment, Fisher, who was so close to him, saw those recorded details clearly for the first time.
As the most unique sacred object in the Holy Realm, Emhart’s functions were beyond what others, even angels, could imagine. His almost limitless recording space stretched as far as the eye could see, but Fisher saw the specifics.
Among the numerous pages of the past were many recorded pieces of knowledge he had gathered from his travels around the world. Just as he had stated when he met Fisher initially, he loved documenting knowledge, much like a gourmet loved tasting delightful food.
He had documented the customs, histories, stories, and theories from various places. Except for magical theories he completely couldn’t understand, many of the recorded knowledges surpassed that of all human royal libraries combined.
Emhart had strictly categorized this knowledge, so Fisher soon discovered that a vast amount of it contained snippets related to the Holy Realm and the angels.
But what came next?
As Emhart’s pages slowly turned back, aside from all that rich knowledge, he had also recorded a lot more other things.
Those were what he had new learned since encountering Fisher at the Royal Library of Nali.
Many were things Fisher found and brought for him to read. Of course, some were actually things Fisher read himself first, then claimed he prepared them for him when he asked.
Maybe Emhart himself knew, but he just didn’t care.
It turned out to be interesting stories.
The “list” that Emhart spoke of and recorded concerning ladies was not a lie; it was just not a simple list with only names and codes, but rather pages looking somewhat lengthy, resembling diary-like records.
They detailed how they witnessed the stories of Muxi and Blake amidst danger, and how they were chased by Elizabeth in front of the burning Nali Lake.
Day by day, night by night, the stories turned out to be numerous.
There were even more than the cold knowledge he had previously sought after in various places, describing how he was kept awake by Fisher, this “scumbag,” and included the promise Fisher had once made him to have him inscribed with a magic to taste human food. Although later Fisher forgot this matter, Emhart was still angry about it.
Michael didn’t focus on the specific contents recorded, merely watched Emhart with curiosity, captivated by the miraculous functions he possessed as a conscious sacred object, his eyes seemingly probing him.
Gabriel’s rainbow-colored eyes also glimmered with the pages of Emhart leaping by, making her involuntarily blink.
“Fisher, you scoundrel. You better watch yourself in my absence. This kind of operation, lingering on the Death Line every day, you’re going to face severe consequences sooner or later. Don’t say I didn’t warn you when the time comes.”
With the leap of those pages, vast memories were stirred, and before parting, Emhart also shared his advice to Fisher.
“You promised Elizabeth before to return to Nali to see her. Don’t keep her waiting too long; she’s not someone easy to deal with. If one day you are to die, it’s probably going to be by her hand—oh, and maybe Jasmine too. I actually noticed a while ago that she often stares at the back of your head. I just forgot to remind you and don’t know if she has become a bit better after your guidance.”
“…”
“And then there’s Captain Alagina, that Sardinian; she’s really simple-minded, and of course very foolish, or else she wouldn’t have been so easily deceived by you. But you better be cautious; Valentina might wake up one day, and the situation in the Northern Region will change significantly. If they end up meeting… well, if Valentina hasn’t fully recovered from her wheelchair by then, she’d be enraged by your ‘deeds’ enough to stand up, not to mention she has slimes loyally serving her.”
“…”
“I haven’t seen the ladies you encountered before. The only one I’ve seen, Renee, I also don’t dare to record, but she seems to be a bit more agreeable than the other ladies. Waa, Fisher, remember to hug tight! Survival is tough.”
As Emhart spoke and spoke, he finally couldn’t continue, his eye and mouth tightening into a wrinkled expression, unable to even open his eyes.
“Even coming here isn’t peaceful, and yet…”
At this moment, his infinite sadness suddenly stilled. In his mind, that extremely terrifying shadow suddenly occupied all of his thoughts.
Right!
He had been so caught up in sadness that he had forgotten to remind Fisher about that matter!
“Right! Fisher. And Ba!”
“Emhart, tell me, do you want to go with me?”
But before Emhart could finish his words, Fisher already observed everything recorded within him with keen clarity. He distinctly saw that at the end of that record, there was part of it concerning Gabriel, detailing how Gabriel evolved from being monotonous and rigid to increasingly vivid.
After a moment of silence, Fisher interrupted the reminder Emhart was about to express, asking very seriously.
Emhart was slightly taken aback, pouting pitifully, and then replied, “I want to, but I don’t want you to conflict with Mommy Gabriel. She hasn’t done anything wrong; she’s just too miserable. Although she is an archangel and possesses a lot of wisdom, I feel nothing but countless despair and void from her. Her child was taken away, and she’s in pain, but she has no way to relieve that. And I have this chance to help her, even if it means staying here forever. After all, I was created by the Holy Spawn.”
Although, the Holy Spawn he encountered after coming to this era certainly was not as great a race as he had imagined.
“Since that’s the case, I understand.”
Fisher took a deep breath and then held onto Emhart tightly, lifting his gaze to Gabriel in front of him.
Sensing Fisher’s unwillingness to let go, Gabriel’s expression remained unchanged, but the eyes behind her slowly turned a dangerous red, all locking onto Fisher.
She hadn’t made a move yet, seemingly because it wasn’t time for the “five minutes” she had promised Emhart.
Nearby, Michael snickered softly and reached for the sacred object floating beside him, clearly ready to forcefully snatch it away.
Yet Fisher didn’t make a move; he simply frowned and spoke to Archangel Gabriel ahead.
“Thank you, Archangel Gabriel, for taking such meticulous care of Emhart during this time. But regardless, you should know that Emhart is not your child. He is a friend I brought.”
The eyes behind Gabriel grew more crimson, the kaleidoscope-like movement indicating her impending rage, but Fisher showed no signs of stopping.
“In the past, Emhart traveled across the world just to find that angel, the Holy Spawn, who created him. That answer is buried in the past, and that’s why he couldn’t find anything. You were the angel he encountered on his journey who could possibly replace his past, and conversely, he is the one who can most replace your lost child.”
“But Archangel Gabriel, whether it’s you, me, or Emhart, we ultimately must move forward. As you can see, his past occupies only a small part of him, and he has vast futures ahead waiting for him to record. There are many aspects of his life that he must write himself. Even if you love him this much and see him as a substitute to compensate for your regrets, you cannot make decisions for him, letting him forever remain stuck in the past.”
Fisher lifted Emhart, pointing the book with eyes growing from it directly at Gabriel. He said, “Archangel Gabriel, in this world, no child is born to remain swaddled in their parent’s arms forever.”
“Is your only demand for the child that he stays by your side forever?”
Emhart opened his mouth but continued to gaze directly at Gabriel. He saw the speed of the spinning eyes behind her slowing down until they gradually came to a halt.
Those eyes remained scarlet and fixed firmly on Fisher, but she inevitably turned her gaze to her long-deceased child, who had already transformed into crystal within her embrace.
At this moment, her child was by her side, but was this what she truly desired?
No, what she wanted was her child to come back to life. She wanted that small, pure child who would smile at her.
But the time had passed too long, and the separation felt so blurred.
The child’s death had frozen all of Gabriel’s thoughts about children at the time when her child was young and so fragile.
Only now, through Fisher’s words, did Gabriel suddenly recall the fantasies she had placed on her child while he was still alive.
Once, she had wanted to see how her child would grow strong.
She had envisioned her child slowly growing ethereal wings from his back, his halo brightening more and more.
What a mix of joy and unease that was.
She delighted in everything he would gain and everything she was about to see, the innate magnificent possibilities; she was uneasy about the fate of him eventually leaving her side, the challenges he would face that she couldn’t help with, and the sorrows he would encounter that she hadn’t experienced herself.
Could it be that at that time, she ever thought of binding that child full of infinite possibilities to her side?
No, she hadn’t.
Yes, until this moment, the wisest angel in the world, long tormented by the pain of losing a child, finally realized that she had never thought this way. It was only because she had been away from her child for so long that she felt such reluctance.
Unwilling that once full of possibilities, life had come to an abrupt end; unwilling that the time spent by her side was so brief.
And at this moment, she encountered Emhart, who was about to take flight, and her unwillingness led her to bind him.
Even with wisdom like Gabriel, she could naively desire to extend that child’s stay by her side for eternity.
Was she wrong?
Gabriel gazed blankly at the crystal in her arms, where the shadow of a curled-up infant lay lifeless within, as though everything had been frozen in place.
A drop of golden tear slowly slid from the corner of Gabriel’s eye, the bloody reality pulling her up from endless sorrow.
She remembered all the secret knowledge in the world and would certainly not forget everything that had happened in the past.
Her child was dead, and the one who could potentially carry her love, Emhart, would now have to leave.
Emhart also tightly pressed his lips together; he couldn’t bear to see Gabriel endure such torment. After hesitating for a long time, when a word of care and thanks was about to escape his lips, Gabriel before him suddenly posed a question.
Gabriel’s rainbow-colored eyes slowly lifted. Perhaps she had been troubled by this question for a millennium without finding any answer. She asked Emhart, “Nob, like your brother, do you want to leave because you don’t want to stay beside Mommy?”
Emhart pouted sadly, then flew out from Fisher’s hand, shaking his head in mid-air, saying, “No, both my brother and I have always wanted to stay by Mommy’s side. We want mommy to be part of our future and memories, but due to fate, that opportunity didn’t favor my brother. As for me, I have already missed that chance. Mommy, now a choice has come before us: to give up all future for this missed opportunity or to let it pass and seek other things.”
“Mommy, you are the wisest and smartest angel in the entire Holy Realm; you make this choice.”
Gabriel looked at the remnants of her child in her arms, then tremblingly placed the crystal against her cheek, tightly leaning against the cold crystal, finally feeling the call from the past.
Perhaps he too was waiting for a ticket to the future he had once chased but couldn’t grasp.
“Nob. You… go.”
Gabriel slowly lowered the crystal, speaking to Emhart before her.
Emhart’s eyes brightened slightly, and golden tears welled up in his eyes, which were exactly like Gabriel’s, before he quickly rushed into Gabriel’s embrace.
Nearby, Michael, with his weapon raised, glanced at Fisher and then Gabriel, looking speechless.
Behind him, a mechanism suspended in mid-air also flew over, gazing at the distant scene, moved, and asked Michael, “Oh, this really moved David. Archangel Michael, are you also my mommy?”
“I am your dad.”
“Oh, that’s good too. It’s nice having Administrator Mikhail as my dad, mm, a male mommy.”
“Ha, that’s right.”
Fisher finally let out a sigh of relief. He smiled as he walked toward Gabriel and Emhart. During this process, he slowly reached into his embrace to retrieve something.
A short while later, a tear-shaped object radiating an extraordinary glow appeared in his hand.
That was the tear of the World Tree that the Supplement Handbook for Sub-Humans gave him.
“Mom, I’m leaving with Fisher now.”
“…”
Gabriel’s expression revealed an overwhelming sadness but she showed no signs of holding him back this time, nor did she extend her hand to bind Emhart again, allowing him to fly back to Fisher’s side, once again standing steadily on his shoulder.
Fisher gently reached out, handing the glimmering golden tear to Gabriel.
Behind them, Michael, who had already begun to depart, paused, staring wide-eyed at the tear.
Then it seemed he realized something, gritting his teeth as he spoke.
“You scoundrel. It turns out the tear we didn’t find in the Ideal Nation is in your hands.”
But Fisher didn’t have time to bother with Michael; he only gazed at the momentarily dazed Gabriel, placing the tear into her palm.
“Thank you, Archangel Gabriel, for returning Emhart’s future to him. But do not feel regret; you too will have your future to compensate for past regrets. I did not want to see the process of you relinquishing Emhart as a transaction, which is why I didn’t present this tear before. Now, it is a gift from Emhart and me to you, as a precious memory; please feel free to use it.”
Emhart paused slightly, looking at Fisher beside him, moved.
Gabriel also looked at the tear for a long time before she slowly tightened her grip around it, fully aware of its effects.
“Thank you, Fisher.”
“Don’t mention it, we’re leaving. Goodbye, Archangel Michael, Archangel Gabriel.”
Fisher smiled briefly, then took Emhart and swept past Gabriel, just as they had come, leaping toward the depths of the Fifth Day, seemingly preparing to head toward other heavens.
Though there was no conflict, after all, he was “escaping” from the Holy Realm and had to hurry.
Before returning to the future, he still needed to meet with Hela; he had some words to say to her.
Within the Fifth Day, Michael sighed as he reached the edge, watching the figure of one person and a book growing more distant below, involuntarily curling his lips slightly.
But soon, he withdrew his gaze and looked again intensely at the tear in Gabriel’s hand.
“Gabriel…”
Before he could speak, Gabriel turned her body slightly, avoiding his gaze.
“…”
Michael was momentarily taken aback, then scoffed coldly, stepping back and taking the nearby David ready for action away.
“Ha, fine, if you’re not going to let me study it, I don’t care. David, let’s go. By the way, this is my Fifth Day; you better hurry back to your Sixth Day, Archangel Gabriel.”
“…”
Gabriel still remained unmoved until Michael, Fisher, and the others had completely vanished from sight. She continued to look at the tear in her hand and the crystal.
It was only after a long time that she suddenly recalled something.
She suddenly remembered the name of her long-deceased child, a name she had not spoken in her days of endless suffering and muddling through the pain, lost in the depths of despair, where her angelic peers had known nothing of the formal name Gabriel had assigned to her beloved child, beyond the names “little one” or “little Gabriel.”
Ah, she should remember.
Her child was originally meant to be called “Emhart.”
In the shimmering light of her rainbow-colored eyes, a drop of golden tear gradually brewed, yet unlike before, this spinning tear did not fall but instead allowed Gabriel to reveal an unprecedented, liberating smile.
Her long-deceased child, the child buried in the past, finally regained the lost name after waiting so long.
Of course, there was also the future he had lost.
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(End of Chapter)
