Chapter 619: 97. Stillborn
“Thud!”
As Holland’s headless body fell to the ground, Fisher slowly lowered the blade in his hand and silently murmured a “May the Mother Goddess bless” as he bowed his head.
The Death Completion Manual, which he had placed aside when removing his upper garment moments ago, was picked up by Fisher. Upon touching the cover of the book, a strange sensation surged into his heart.
It felt as if he had been stained by something dirty, making him uncomfortable all over, prompting Fisher to glance at his own skin, but he saw no signs of any dirt.
The next moment, this eerie feeling vanished instantly, as if it had never existed, returning to the mundane.
At that moment, he also sensed the Chaos Guide Manual belonging to the Duke of Peach tremble slightly.
He quickly pulled it out and opened it. Just as he had predicted, among the shadows of four large trees below, a new name suddenly appeared, filling Fisher’s eyes:
“The End of the Unclean?”
The newly transferred Completion Manual had not yet absorbed the power of chaos, so this large tree was barren, with no leaves around it.
Receiving no further information for now, Fisher tucked the Death Completion Manual and the Chaos Guide Manual into his clothes and stepped forward to quickly dig a pit in the ground with the Fluid Sword, as a final resting place for Holland.
Though he was a Westerner, Fisher felt no particular longing for his homeland; after all, he had only experienced hunger and slaughter there.
This was a nice place; at least the scenery was pleasant, and he should like it here.
Once he finished the task of collecting Holland’s body, he turned back and returned to Jasmine and Emhart’s side.
Jasmine bit her lip, appearing somewhat conflicted. The Whale Folk had always been devoted followers of the God of All Forms, Ramastia, holding an utter reverence towards life, and thus could not understand Holland’s desire for death.
As Fisher approached, she continued to gaze at the pool of blood left on the ground, feeling the passage of life.
“Let’s go. We’re heading to Raphael.”
“Mm.”
Jasmine quickly nodded and left with Fisher.
The crimson mist swirling outside the crevice appeared surreal, much like a mirage before the crevice was torn open, often causing the beings on the earth to wonder what was real, yet both Jasmine and Fisher knew it was an image of pollution surging from the Spirit Realm.
Thinking of the chill coming from the base, Jasmine glanced down at her palm with some distress, wondering:
“Teacher Fisher, is that pollution in the sky the source from the base of the Spirit Realm?”
“Yes.” Fisher nodded, his expression had just turned slightly serious when he thought of something else and looked at Jasmine, smiling as he asked, “Why do you sometimes call me Fisher and sometimes call me Teacher Fisher?”
“Eh?”
Jasmine blushed for a moment, pouting.
“Because… it’s a habit? I don’t know, I did mention wanting to change how I address you; calling you ‘Teacher Fisher’ makes me feel like a student. But I always forget and end up calling you that instinctively.”
“Oh, it’s fine; it doesn’t matter. What’s wrong with being teacher and student? Fisher actually likes being called that. Plus, isn’t it more exciting if we’re teacher and student? You agree, don’t you, ooh?”
This time, Fisher didn’t retaliate. The mischievous Emhart had already been smacked on Fisher’s shoulder by the blushing Jasmine.
“That’s not because of that kind of interest; it’s just a habit!”
“Sure, sure, it’s a habit.”
Emhart, too lazy to squabble with Jasmine, flew onto Fisher’s head and mumbled, “Ha, the great Sir Book is in a good mood now and can’t be bothered to argue with you. Do you know why? Because we defeated Baemon! Ha, just thinking about that scoundrel getting his comeuppance under our hands is so satisfying!”
“But Sir Book, you didn’t do anything at all.”
“…”
Emhart paused momentarily and then shouted angrily at the little whale person who had spoken, “You noisy little whale! Just say it—without my spiritual support, could you have made it this far? Besides, instead of worrying about my contributions, you two should be thinking about how to explain this to Raphael! Ha, you’d better apologize to me now, or I’ll exaggerate all the mischief you both did once you got out to Raphael!”
Fisher reached up and lifted the agitated Emhart off his head, but speaking of it, Fisher indeed felt a bit guilty; if Raphael found out he had eaten Jasmine during such a critical situation—oh, and Eil too—he couldn’t be sure Raphael wouldn’t regret saving him.
Well, it would probably be better to let him die directly in the Demon Dynasty.
Although none of this had been Fisher’s intention, saying he was entirely uninvolved wouldn’t align with the objective facts, so Fisher felt somewhat troubled.
In theory, neither of the two had accepted the other yet; before, they had been sidelined because there were two demon gods present, so what about now? Telling her the Apocalypse Prophecy is coming, although I secretly ate Jasmine, but don’t worry about those details, who told you to let her go with me?
As Fisher pressed Emhart’s mouth closed, he was deep in thought when he caught a glimpse of Jasmine standing tall and unwavering, seemingly unaffected by Emhart’s threats. She pondered for a moment and then blushed slightly as she said, “In any case, I will take responsibility.”
“Huh? Why does it feel like something’s wrong?”
Emhart shot a speechless glance at Jasmine, while Fisher couldn’t help but laugh wryly. Just as he intended to say something, he noticed in the direction Jasmine was looking, many soldiers from the Dragon Court had gathered there, and Fisher’s gaze shifted slightly as he sensed a powerful aura.
“Lady Jasmine, you’re here!”
“Ral, you all came!”
From a distance, Jasmine and Fisher noticed Ral among the group of soldiers and waved their hands cheerfully.
Fisher quickened his pace, aiming to check on Raphael’s condition. “Where’s Raphael? She—”
As he opened his mouth to ask, he suddenly saw the soldiers parting, revealing Raphael, armored and standing at the forefront.
At this moment, her soul and body were completely integrated, clearly having entered the Mythical Rank, and the aura Fisher had felt earlier belonged to Raphael.
“Fisher! Jasmine!”
With hair like flames flowing behind her, she rushed towards them, arms wide open to embrace Jasmine and Fisher, seemingly having felt a pang of fear at the earlier disappearance of those nearby.
At the moment they touched her, Fisher immediately felt her searing body temperature, sensed her slightly trembling form, and the tears sliding down her cheeks.
“Thank goodness! I thought… I thought I would wake up with no memory. I just remember jumping down and seeing Fisher—oh, I thought you died, Fisher. Jasmine, I’m so glad you both are okay.”
“You too, it’s really great that you’re fine, Raphael.”
Fisher opened his mouth, embracing Raphael, but as she was also hugging Jasmine at that moment, it ended up in an unexpected situation in Emhart’s deadpan gaze, with them both being hugged at once.
She had just been consumed by the chaos of her soul, and the blessings of Fei had reignited her spirit. The soul was the source of consciousness, so experiencing some memory damage was normal.
The soldiers from the Dragon Court behind them all looked at the human embracing their queen in astonishment, exchanging glances as if wanting to say something, but instinctively fell silent upon sensing the pressure from Fisher’s rank.
“So—”
“Raphael, Baemon and all the demons have been sealed back into the Demon Dynasty by Fisher and the Demon God Eil. Even the one responsible, Baemon, can no longer leave the underworld. As for the others—”
“Baemon? Eil?”
Raphael stepped back slightly, raising a brow in confusion, but caught sight of Jasmine still holding tightly onto Fisher’s arm after she had left Fisher’s embrace. A faint sense of unease crept into her heart, and her gaze towards Fisher turned somewhat dangerous.
Ha, I said, what should come will come eventually—Emhart.
Ral approached, arms crossed, casting a quiet glance at Jasmine beside Fisher. Just before Raphael could speak up, Fisher kept staring at her abdomen, then raised his gaze to Raphael, causing her to become puzzled.
“What’s wrong? Why do you keep looking at me?”
“Raphael, don’t you feel anything unusual?”
“Are you asking about my heart?”
These words were directed at Fisher and seemed to address Jasmine too.
“.”
Jasmine blinked and, realizing it belatedly, let go of Fisher’s arm, taking a small step back, but only one step.
“I mean physiologically.”
“Physiologically?”
Raphael became even more confused. She lifted her arm, as if thinking Fisher was worrying about her condition after her transformation, and happily said, “Why would I? I feel fantastic! Isn’t this what you called… Mythical Rank? Don’t worry, I’m doing great. And those demons have finally disappeared. It’s time for those traitors in the north to pay the price for selling out their own kind to Nali.”
Fearing Fisher wouldn’t believe her, she waved her fists, producing a strong gust, which made Fisher’s scalp tingle as he hurriedly reached up to hold her down.
“Wait, Raphael, don’t get so excited. I mean, are you sure you haven’t felt anything?”
“Felt? Felt what?”
“You might not, but I’m certain—you’re pregnant. Earlier in the dynasty, I personally observed the Spirit Realm’s lock on the fetus in your womb. You should know, this is a symbol of life in gestation.”
Raphael opened her mouth, her raised arm going limp in Fisher’s grasp, and she stared at the person in front of her, seemingly unable to comprehend Fisher’s words.
Everyone around, including Jasmine, Ral, and Emhart, widened their eyes, all looking at Raphael.
“What did you say?”
“Wait, Raphael, you’re having the child of Teacher Fisher.”
“What the hell, Fisher, are you serious?!”
Emhart flew up, his head seemingly spinning with golden thoughts. Initially, he thought it was an April Fool’s joke, but upon reconsideration, who would joke like this?
This meant that the being within the body of the dragon woman named “Raphael” truly contained a new life.
Huh?
Of course, for most beings in this world, it would be joyous news. Even Gabriel, when he granted a wish for a child through the Holy Grail, poured all his love into it and gained happiness from it.
So what about the so-called “minority”?
They are either too young and fragile, unable to raise a new life like those former students of the Royal Academy; or they are Nali gentlemen who are already married but misbehaving outside.
Certainly, plenty of Nali ladies also betray their contracts, but unlike the gentlemen, they can shamelessly pretend that the child is their husband’s.
Fisher’s situation likely falls into the latter category, after all, he had been married in the Northern Region, and aside from that, he had greedily formed connections with several ladies.
Fortunately, the northern region’s Lady Valentina was probably still asleep at this moment. If she found out her husband had a child with someone else outside…
“Lady Raphael, I’ll report this to the Dragon Court and to Lady Aria immediately, and then bring a few doctors over. We can discuss the northern expedition later; for now, we should return to the Dragon Court and confirm the status of the child and your condition.”
Ral snapped back to reality and quickly removed her facial mask, excitedly saying, “This will also allow me to introduce Fisher to the entire Dragon Court. With today’s great victory and the news of a successor for the Dragon Court, Fisher can officially marry Lady Raphael!”
“Eh?”
Raphael, stunned, touched her abdomen covered by armor. To be honest, she hadn’t felt anything, and she hadn’t fully come to terms with the earlier shock yet, so she momentarily missed Ral’s train of thought.
But before Ral could finish speaking, Jasmine and Emhart both chimed in simultaneously, “No way!”
“Wait, no way!”
Raphael stared blankly at Jasmine, who had instinctively spoken up. Ral, beside her, seemed to be prepared since she had good relations with Mill and her husband, Bull, and Fashir and Keshil had already told her about the absurdities appearing from behind.
This was indeed a dilemma; one was a close comrade and sister she had spent four and a half years with, while the other was her first love who saved Raphael’s life five years ago, changing her destiny and life. Thus, Ral found it hard to express her opinions.
But what kind of demon did this unsightly book represent? What kind of nonsense had you just uttered?
“Jasmine.”
Fisher turned slightly in surprise to glance at the self-destructive truck, Jasmine, noticing her face was beet red, and then belatedly added, “Right now, it’s not over yet; the north still has the faux Dragon Court and Elizabeth from the Western Continent, so speaking out now might not be good.”
Raphael opened her mouth and then lowered her head, saying, “But if I’m pregnant, I should provide an identity accepted by the Dragon Court.”
Jasmine pressed her lips together and came up with another reason, “But now that the crevice has opened, everything is very dangerous, so—”
“But what does that have to do with me already having a child?”
“!”
Jasmine’s reasoning was thwarted by that simple statement, leaving her temporarily unable to continue fighting back. Meanwhile, Emhart above Fisher’s head recalled the terrifying ladies; if Raphael were to announce to the world right now,
“Ha ha, I’m having Fisher’s child, and I’m going to marry him! You’re all losers; from now on, he’s mine, ha ha ha!”
It felt like they would suddenly acquire some inexplicable enemies.
Beings with all types of backgrounds coming from north and south, especially Nali and the Northern Region, would react most strongly.
And Fisher would probably suffer; he would be in trouble—oh no, what should the great Sir Book do?
Thus, it would be better to take precautions and find a reason to dodge the issue!
Fisher, move! Why don’t you have any survival instinct now? Say something!!
Under Emhart’s eager hint for survival, Fisher remained completely still, as if frozen in place.
Raphael also belatedly returned to her senses; she reached down to touch her abdomen, as if only now vaguely realizing there was a life within her. Moreover, just as Ral had said, this arrival of life not only meant a resolution for her love with Fisher but also offered her a legitimate reason to have the Dragon Court accept Fisher.
An heir that countless tribes had worried and pleaded for over many years, a powerful human who helped the Dragon Tribe win the war, and a fiancé acknowledged by Aria.
It’s said that rainbows appear after storms; Raphael hadn’t expected this rainbow to come so suddenly.
Her heart couldn’t help but fill with joy as she glanced at the stunned Jasmine and Emhart hovering above Fisher’s head, though she just gently suppressed her smile and cleared her throat, shaking her tail behind her, saying, “Alright, we’ll discuss this later. If that’s the case, we should have the Dragon Court’s doctors check first. I haven’t learned much about this topic before; anyway, let’s handle the aftermath here and then we can—”
“No, it’s impossible.”
“Eh?”
Raphael was slightly taken aback, realizing that the child’s father, Fisher, had not spoken for a while. She hurriedly looked at Fisher and noticed his face was pale, with a layer of cold sweat on his forehead, as he stared in disbelief at Raphael’s abdomen.
“Fisher, what’s wrong?”
“Raphael, wait a moment!”
Fisher provided no explanation and suddenly stepped forward, kneeling halfway before Raphael, placing his hand on her abdomen, seemingly trying to feel something.
“What… what’s wrong?”
Raphael asked with confusion, but Fisher maintained a serious expression, even hinting at a sense of panic. His palm trembled as he reached to pry open Raphael’s armor at her abdomen.
“Raphael, I need to remove the armor here; wait just a moment.”
“Eh, okay, but what’s going on?”
“Wait, could it be that Fisher misread it earlier?”
The onlooking Ral rushed over to Fisher’s side, asking anxiously, just in case they had been overly happy for nothing.
But Fisher didn’t respond; he used all his strength to tear off the armor, and reached out, placing his hand against the fabric over Raphael’s abdomen.
His expression grew increasingly pale and filled with disbelief.
“No.”
It seemed more severe than simply misreading.
Raphael looked down at Fisher’s suddenly altered expression and couldn’t help but ask, “What’s wrong, Fisher?”
“The Spirit Realm’s lock on you…has disappeared.”
“So does that mean you were wrong earlier?”
“No.”
Fisher’s pupils trembled slightly. His hand resting against Raphael’s abdomen seemed to detect a hint of weak life—within Raphael’s womb, the fetus currently nestled.
“It’s still there, but…”
Yes, Raphael had stepped into the Mythical Rank.
At this moment, Fisher, who had previously been preoccupied with other thoughts, suddenly remembered this fact.
The existence of the Mythical Rank could not reproduce; a mother who was one with her spirit and soul could not have her fetus marked by the Spirit Realm and endowed with a soul. They were stripped of their reproductive rights by the gods of creation—a sin of procreation.
This also meant that Raphael was now treading the same path as the Moon Princess.
What was about to be birthed in her was a stillborn, devoid of a soul, merely a shell.
