[Vol. 7] Chapter 159: The Essence of Life
Under the dazzling stage lights, the two giant teddy bear-like figures continued delivering the standard, formal opening remarks expected of event hosts.
But Violet paid little attention to their words. Instead, she idly tapped her fingers against the table, her gaze fixed on the two animated figures, clearly designed to showcase their creators' technological prowess.
"Creation... huh."
She had heard before that the City of Miracles embraced all forms of knowledge, even those considered forbidden elsewhere. And from the looks of it, that reputation wasn’t exaggerated in the slightest.
But genius and madness... were often separated by only the thinnest of lines.
Seated across from her, the Goddess of Life, Sethlin, was also watching the spectacle. Though she was usually as gentle as flowing water, her eyes now carried a sharpness rarely seen. She gave a slight nod and said,
"Now do you understand why I had to come here in person? What you’re seeing now is only the surface. This academy, and many things revolving around this city, are far from simple."
"Are you saying... there's something wrong with Sainz?"
Sethlin didn’t answer directly.
"At the very least, the technology they’re developing and applying here is problematic. Turning fantasy into reality, creating entirely new forms of life. Yes, these may still be empty shells, mere puppets controlled by external forces, just like this body I’m using. But even so... the act of creation is still the act of creation. The moment you take the first step, a butterfly effect begins, and the consequences are inevitable."
She paused for a moment, then added,
"They may have the power to open the forbidden door, but what comes rushing out..."
She didn’t finish her sentence, her unease left hanging in the air. Instead, she suddenly changed the topic.
"Violet, in your eyes, what is 'life'?"
"Life?"
Violet met the goddess’s deep emerald gaze with a slightly puzzled expression. She hesitated, then shook her head.
But Sethlin seemed to have already expected that she wouldn’t give a direct answer. So, without waiting, she continued.
"Life... is calamity."
The Goddess of Life murmured those words as if they were an undeniable truth.
Then, her divine, ethereal eyes once again turned toward the stage, where the two lively, innocent-looking plush creatures stood in the spotlight. Her voice barely above a whisper, as though speaking to herself.
"You know, the Goddess of the Earth holds two powers, Life and Wither. They oppose each other, yet they also complement one another. The essence of life is nothing more than the branches and leaves growing from the World Tree. When they are born, when they age, and when they wither. All of it follows an unseen, predetermined order. From the moment something comes into existence, its eventual decay is already set in stone."
"Life needs decay. Only when fallen leaves decompose into the soil can new sprouts emerge from their remains. The same is true in reverse. If either side loses its balance, the Tree, our world, will suffer from endless expansion and eventually collapse under its own weight."
"That’s why the essence of Life is no different from Withering. Both are forces capable of bringing destruction. The vast, intricate chain linking all living things is a delicate cycle, forged by the world over millions of years. That is why the birth of new species, new forms of life, must take time to evolve gradually. It cannot be forced into existence overnight."
"But if someone, blinded by arrogance, tries to crudely mimic the sacred act of creation and recklessly graft new branches onto the World Tree, the consequences… That catastrophe known as Life could very well disrupt the entire system, sending the tree into decline and death."
The Goddess of Life turned back, tilting her glass and letting the last drops of wine slip past her lips. In that moment, something cold and distant flickered across her face, a side of her Violet had never seen before.
For a brief instant, Violet thought she saw the reflection of another goddess, the one known as Goddess of Withering.
"Violet, the world we live in is far more fragile, far more delicate than anyone realizes. Mortals, short-sighted as they are, chase after immediate gain, driven by fleeting desires. That is why… they need gods to guide them."
"......"
The banquet hall buzzed with excitement, cheers filled the air, applause rippled through the crowd like waves. People were enthralled by the wonders unfolding before them.
And yet, deep within Violet’s heart, a quiet chill took root.
Sethlin’s warning might have sounded overly ominous at first. But she was the Goddess of Life, if anyone in this world had the right to make such a claim, it was her. After all, she had once held dominion over both Life and Wither. She had lived for tens of thousands of years.
The end of the world was not just a fairy tale or an absurd legend. Whether it's the [Aibus] or the world named [Ryznes] in the [Endless Wasteland Sea] of the Ancient Spirit Realm, or the thousands of such corpses that the Spirit Fox Shrine Maiden once buried. Those are all vivid memories, a past filled with blood and tears.
And for some reason, what surfaced in Violet's mind at that moment, was a vision from the Ghost Sea, when she had once touched the buried skull of the God of Truth, trapped beneath the seabed and under the tentacles of the Great Evil God.
[Truth is poison. Reality is the original sin.]
And now…
[Life is calamity.]
"But..."
Perhaps sensing that the conversation had become too heavy, the goddess smiled gently. Seeing that Violet had yet to respond, she softened her tone, her usual warmth returning as she offered a quiet reassurance.
"That being said, the world has its own stability and corrective forces. From what this city has shown so far, it is still far from reaching the level of true catastrophe. At most, the seeds of disaster have only just been sown. So there’s no need to rush, just keep a close watch and step in to correct things when the time is right."
"At the very least, their research hasn’t been directed toward war and destruction. As long as they maintain a deep respect for the boundaries of the 'forbidden,' I actually have some hope for this city. Even among the gods, the power of 'Origin' is nearly untouchable. The price is undoubtedly steep, but for mortals to even crudely mimic a fraction of it... that is quite an achievement."
Violet pushed aside the lingering thoughts in her mind and nodded slightly.
"Mm. I’ll keep an eye on it too. Like you said, this kind of technology… doesn’t seem like something mortals could develop entirely on their own. They must have borrowed outside forces or studied something as a reference."
Their gazes met for a brief, knowing moment, and both women exchanged a faint smile of understanding before turning their attention back to the stage.
By now, the brief opening speeches and performances had concluded. The main hosts of this joint conference, representatives from the world’s five great powers, were now stepping onto the stage, invited by the two toy bear puppets, to deliver a few words to the gathered guests.
At a glance, many of them were indeed familiar faces.
The Holy Empire’s representative was none other than an old acquaintance, Judgment Saintess Frederica Cecilia, the older sister of Edwina. Though it had been more than a year since they last met, the saintess looked unchanged.
Her golden waves of hair cascaded naturally down her back, and she wore a ceremonial saintess’ gown imbued with an air of divine authority. At her waist hung the [Judgment Holy Sword], one of the three holy artifacts, exuding an aura of unwavering dignity.
Violet couldn’t help but recall how it was the same back during the Feathered Emperor’s birthday celebration in the Azure Sky Kingdom. No matter the event, it always seemed to be Frederica handling diplomatic affairs, running from place to place. And when war broke out, she was the first to charge into battle, leading from the front. She's really working hard...