Chapter 438 - Baby Goddess
"So, that's what happened?" Nell glanced up slightly while thinking about something.
"Yes, that's all I know. You'll probably get more details from the Holy Grandfather himself." Lucia, Ella's mother, nodded politely.
"But, he's out of range. Did he go to a sealed place or something. I can't detect him anywhere." Nell used her magic vision again, but she couldn't see any Emperor-level aura other than Arthur's in the imperial palace.
Right now, she only got the information from Pope's daughter-in-law. But, that was not enough because she needed to speak from the highest authority under her.
"Sigh, he will show up on his own sooner or later. Anyway, what about the progress of preparations for the inevitable?" Nell changed the topic to something else because she was just waiting for Elysia and her big sister.
"For that, everyone is very busy taking care of it all. If we look at the percentage, it's about fifteen percent of the original plan." Lucia picked up a document on the desk and nodded to look at the data.
"That will take quite some time, hmm... With this speed of progress, it will take us at least two months to be fully prepared. Let's hope for the best for all of us." Nell sighed. She closed her hands and clasped her hands.
Lucia, Gio, Yuuki, and everyone else in the room also clasped their hands in prayer to follow the movements of the Goddess of Blessings.
"Where's your daughter and her friend? They're inside the Holy Cathedral, right?" Nell opened her eyes and looked at Lucia.
"Uhm, please forgive me because I'm the only one here to welcome you, o the Goddess of Blessings. Those jolly girls decided to go around the cathedral because they were bored. After all, the regulation that was issued suddenly didn't allow them to go out. Holy Grandfather forbids them to go out for any reason." Lucia gave a slight bow to apologize.
"No problem on my side. But, could you please tell them both to come here? I'm sure they will be very happy to know their friend Elysia is back as well." Nell suggested with a compassionate smile on her face.
"Mm, I'll tell them right away." Lucia took out a gold talisman and wrote something on it with a pen.
Not long after the handwriting disappeared, a response appeared there so quickly.
"Oh my, they're really excited. I'm sure Ella and Eve will be here in no more than five minutes." Lucia smiled faintly and shook her head.
On the other side of the cathedral, Ella wiggled her hands excitedly. "Eve, you know, the Goddess of Blessings and Ely are here! They're back after their week-long journey!"
"Well, that's an eight day trip, Ella. Let's end this cathedral tour and head back to your house." Evelyn couldn't hide her excitement either. She grabbed Ella's hand, and they both walked back at a quick pace.
Meanwhile, outside the Holy Cathedral, a certain girl refused to enter, no matter the reason. That girl sulked like a little girl who refused to do things she didn't like.
"Anyway, I don't want to come in. I'll wait for you here." Sylvia sat on a bench outside the cathedral and held it with both hands.
"Uhh, you're just like a little girl. You said you were coming with me, right? Why change your mind now. I'll help you neutralize the holy aura that's coming at you, so let's go in." Elysia grabbed Sylvia's arm and used a bit of telekinesis magic to make the stubborn girl know that everything would be fine. She literally just dragged Sylvia into the Holy Cathedral.
"Yah- I don't want to. I'll be short of breath. Aah, I can't breathe. Air, fresh air, I need-" Sylvia tried to run away, but it was futile and too late. But, one thing she feared never came. She was breathing normally without any problems. "Eh? I'm not feeling short of breath?"
"I already said that, didn't I? It hurts a little because you don't believe what I said. Anyway, please don't stay away from me more than 20 meters or you'll feel suffocated because of the holy aura." Elysia wore a sad, disappointed expression. But that was just a pretence.
"Ah, ah, no, it's not that I don't trust you. I'm afraid of several things, and one of them is shortness of breath." Sylvia tried to explain the situation.
"Mm, I know your fear is for a reason. And because of that too, I dragged you along so you could prove the truth of what I said." Elysia replied with a tender gaze.
"Oh, thanks for the concern." Sylvia smiled brightly and leaned closer to Elysia's ear, and whispered. "Psst, I was probably the first devil to set foot in the Holy Cathedral. This shocking fact needs to be recorded in the history books, right?"
"Uh, please don't whisper suddenly in my ear. But, well... you need to get a historian to record that." Elysia covered her ears reflexively. "In my opinion, please don't do it because you'll only get in trouble instead of getting fame."
"Is that so? All right, I'll hear you, Ely." Sylvia nodded in agreement. She was just joking, but if good advice came along, of course, she would appreciate it.
Then, she quietly brought her hand to the cute baby in Elysia's arms.
"Isn't that so, sweet girl?" Sylvia pinched the baby's cheek gently.
Unfortunately, the baby in question didn't like that. Rhea slapped Sylvia's hand and buried her face in Elysia's arms.
"Oow, this is quite painful. For the strength of a baby under seven years old, it's quite terrifying." Sylvia flicked her rosy hand and blew at it.
"Yeah, it looks like you're not liked by babies, Sylvi." Elysia stroked Rhea's head gently. But, she realized Sylvia's downcast expression. Therefore, she tried to comfort the sad heart. "Anyway, anyone doesn't like being pinched by someone they just met. You're still a stranger to my cute baby~"
"Hmm, you're right, Ely. But is this how a father feels about their little daughter? I remember reading an article or story that babies love their mother more than their father." Sylvia folded her arms to think various thoughts.
"Hehe, you're not a father and neither am I your wife. Why do you seem to be in so much trouble?" Elysia shook her head and looked back at the front. She chose a quiet path with few holy knights or priests.
"This gave me second thoughts. Is this how my father feels because of me? But I'm sure I've been acting like a well-behaved little girl for too long, for so many years. It's time for me to be a little selfish and rebellious to do what my heart desires." Sylvia patted her chin and nodded at her own statement.
"You can do that as long as it's within reasonable limits. After all, your father is your family. You know what's right and what's wrong. I'm sure you can make your own decisions." Elysia didn't want to give much advice apart from a reminder of kindness.
"Un." Sylvia nodded, but she looked directly at Elysia with an incomprehensible gaze. Did they come to a dead-end in a deserted corridor? Elysia wanted to do something unspeakable to her?
"Hm, what's with that gaze? Somehow, I get the feeling you have a meany thought about me." Elysia rubbed Sylvia's face so that the latter would not stare at her continuously.
"It's a dead end, Ely. Do you want to corner me in the corner of the room and whisper soft words into my ear to make me melt and helpless before you can do the unspeakable?" Sylvia was reminded of a story from an incident from a story.
The corner of Elysia's lips twitched at that. She just gave a head chop to the silly devil girl. "You're thinking too much about unnecessary things. You'll know where we're going."
"Oow..." Sylvia held her head even though she didn't feel any pain. She simply followed Elysia into the dead-end of the corridor.
"Hm, Ely?"
A girl's pleasant yet sweet voice came from behind. Sylvia turned around to check, and so did Elysia.
"Yay! Welcome back Ely." Evelyn came closer and hugged her best friend's arm.
"Um, I'm back." Elysia felt a little overwhelmed because of the excited Evelyn.
"Mm, welcome back, Ely. I'm glad you're back in good health and- Uhm, it's only been about a week and you have a baby, Ely? Sweet girl, hi, nice to meet you." Ella waved her hand to get the cute baby's attention.
"Eh? This cute baby is your daughter, Ely? What? When did you get married? Am I an aunt now?" Evelyn widened her eyes in surprise. She looked at the cute baby in Elysia's arms with sparkling eyes.
"Err, why are you so quick to assume? But, please be polite because the one you refer to as a cute baby is actually a divine being. She is the Goddess of Nature, the Goddess of Light's big sister." Elysia decided to reveal the truth because it seemed Rhea didn't want to tell regarding identity if she didn't do the reveal.
"Oh my Goddess..." Ella covered her mouth.
"Huh?" Evelyn did likewise.
"Eh, wait, what did you just say, Ely?" Sylvia was the one who was the most surprised among the three girls.
After all, it had been almost an hour since she bothered the cute baby who turned out to be a divine being! Baby Goddess!?
"Y-yo- you are a divine being, o almighty baby? Why remains silent and ignored me? Ely, why didn't you tell me about it in the first place." Sylvia stuttered due to mixed feelings in her mind. She felt guilty and feared divine punishment if she had offended this divine being.