Chapter 291: The Goddess’s Child Nicholas Is Born
A mountain of white stone, shaped like Nicholas’s face, was now brutally mined and carved away for building material.
As I stood there speechless, Oracle asked me,
「Takeru, isn’t that the Archbishop?」
「Yeah…」
「Do you think he might still be alive?」
「Well, it’s hard to say. He’s already been partially carved up, and before that, he was fully petrified.」
When asked if he was dead or alive, I’d say he looked dead in every possible way.
Who knows how, but somehow the giant face of Nicholas, after being swallowed by the Great Demon God, had surfaced here on the Abyss Continent.
If this is the will of chaos, there’s probably no point thinking about it.
Ria, who was riding on the back of Hydra’s dragon, suddenly piped up. 「Oh, right! Isn’t this the perfect time to use the Silver Feather?」
「Good idea. I’d forgotten about that.」
The Goddess Asama had given Ria the Silver Feather when she descended, perhaps foreseeing something like this.
Going with the flow, Ria landed atop Nicholas’s face and pressed the Silver Feather against it. The face began to shake violently with a loud rumble.
「Aaaah!」
Ria screamed, and Hydra quickly retreated on her dragon. I’m glad I didn’t land there with her.
With a loud crack, the face split nearly in two and stopped shaking.
「What’s going on? Did I maybe mess this up by all means?」
「I don’t know, but keep going, Ria!」
「But I’m scared by all means!」
「You’ve already started, so you’ve got to break it all the way!」
Ria glared at me, thinking it was easy for me to say, but this is precisely the role of Asama’s chosen apostle.
In the end, Ria kept using the Silver Feather until the statue was completely shattered, eventually falling right into the gap between the cracked stone.
「Aaaaaah!」
「Hey, you okay down there, Ria?」
Peering into the crevice, I heard her yell, 「By all means, help me!」
I lowered a rope for her, and she quickly climbed up.
「Are you okay, Ria?」
「Yes, but I found something in there.」
Ria reached into the hood of her goddess’ robe and pulled out… a baby.
「That’s not just ‘something you found,’ is it?」
「It looks like an ordinary baby.」
No way was a baby that came from a cracked stone gap normal. This was like some strange, eerie looking Momotaro.
「Waaah! Waaah!」
The baby screamed, squirming away from Ria as if he couldn’t stand being held by her.
「Oh no!」
The baby slipped out of her arms and started crawling toward me at an unnervingly fast pace, like some kind of creepy insect.
「Waaah! Waaah!」
The baby clung to my leg, demanding to be held. As it clung, it rocked its hips back and forth. Creepy, creepy, creepy!
What kind of dancing baby are you supposed to be? Wait… I think I get it now.
「…You wouldn’t happen to be Nicholas, would you?」
「Waaah?!」
The baby’s face twisted in shock, like it had been caught red-handed. No ordinary baby could make that expression.
「I knew it…」
「Takeru, you figured it out so quickly.」
Yeah, I had a hunch and kind of took a wild guess. Coil that Lyle-sensei gave birth to was suspected of being a reincarnated person so I always had this idea in mind.
For a tenacious old Archbishop, getting consumed by chaos, dying, and then being reborn as a baby on the Abyss Continent doesn’t seem that far-fetched.
That’s just how it is in this world—don’t overthink it, or you lose.
「Waaah!」
「Oh!」
The reincarnated infant Nicholas suddenly dashed over, jumped up, and swiped a piece of the Silver Feather from Ria’s hand, then started speaking out of nowhere.
「Ahem, mic test, mic test… I have a dream! Alright, now we can communicate.」
With an unnervingly deep voice, the baby launched into a speech. This whole situation is way too much to handle.
「It appears to be holy magic for sound conversion. It can even turn a baby’s cries into speech.」
「Wait, that’s actually a thing?」
The magic of the Asama Church is so bizarrely convenient in the strangest ways. Who came up with that idea?
Chaos aside, the Asama Church needs to stop piling on these sanity-shaking surprises.
As if my own protests went unheard, baby Nicholas began explaining his situation entirely unprompted.
「Ah, such hardship I endured! Swallowed by Chaos, I passed through a hellish, heavenly, muscular dimension, and at last, I’ve made it here without losing myself!」
「Uh-huh, no need for details. It’s good that you’re back, at least.」
「What’s this? You don’t want to hear about my grand adventure? Hey hey heeeey!」
「I really don’t care.」
I get the heaven and hell part, but what was that about a muscular dimension? Actually, don’t even explain.
Just hearing about Chaos’s world feels like it could drive me mad.
「You’re just as cold as ever, Hero Boy.」
「Don’t call me ‘boy’ when you’re the one who got reincarnated as a baby! Even as an infant, you’re just as obnoxious as before—this is impressive, really.」
You could at least try to act cute. For a baby with a cute appearance, he gives himself away as Nicholas with his creepy hip-swinging dance in an instant.
「By the way, Hero Boy, where are we?」
「This is the Abyss Continent.」
Could he stop calling me ‘boy’? Does he just like the sound of it?
「So, the Abyss is the continent across the sea, yes? Quite far, indeed. Well, if it’s the will of Asama, I shall accept it.」
Asama Church members are still astounding. Being reborn as a baby, stranded on the Abyss Continent—they really accept everything as the goddess’s will.
When we finally returned to Laurentite, the Holy Mother’s army saw Nicholas toddling around and began revering him, shouting, ‘Goddess’s Child!’
「Oh, how devout these boys of the Goddess Asama are!」
Nicholas, now a dancing, preaching baby, seemed like a divine miracle sent by Asama to the Holy Mother’s army.
「Nicholas.」
「Hey hey, what’s up, Hero Boy?」
「Actually, I came here due to a revelation from Asama.」
「What?!」
「As you mentioned Asama’s will, it seems that guiding these lost sheep is your new role.」
「I see! I didn’t realize that, Hero Boy!」
Perfect. Now to flatter Nicholas and make him their leader.
I handed Nicholas the Silver Feather and a map of the Abyss Continent.
「Beyond the Abyss are lands yet unexplored. Your new mission, along with these devout followers, is to venture forth with the Silver Feather as your guide.」
「Iyaaahhooooooo! What a glorious Genesis Plan!」
With a strange shout, baby Nicholas leapt into the air.
Seems he’s on board with the idea.
The Abyss Continent remains largely undeveloped.
Vast, untouched wilderness stretches across the inner reaches of the Moroc and Dagon regions.
These lands are rumored to be teeming with bizarre tribes and demon beasts, neither truly human nor demon. If anyone can handle such a formidable expedition, it’s the reincarnated Nicholas, who’s crossed countless realms to be here.
The Holy Mother’s army may seem useless at first glance, but they have real resilience, having marched the length of the Abyss Continent from south to north with barely anything but rags, a little food, and some wine to keep them going. They could actually make an excellent exploration team.
A few members will remain behind for transport and security across these territories, but most of the Holy Mother’s army will join Nicholas as a frontier expedition force to chart the unknown reaches of the Abyss.
「Give it your best, Nicholas. We’ll support you with supplies as needed.」
「Understood! Everyone, in the name of our great Asama, let us carry out the Genesis Plan to claim new lands!」
At Nicholas’s rousing cry, the Holy Mother’s army erupted in cheers. As I watched, Kaara came up to speak with me.
「Nation’s Father, do you think exploring such an undeveloped land will yield anything of value?」
「Just knowing what’s out there will be useful. If they find any exposed resources or catch an unusual beast, that’ll be more than enough.」
It won’t be profitable for a while, but considering the Abyss Continent’s future, it’s a long-term investment. Plus, it’s a chance to send Nicholas and the Holy Mother’s army to a remote location, solving two problems at once.
「Takeru, what about my Holy Steriana Queendom?」
「We’ll keep it as a queendom, but the territory is too large, so just the inner region of Dagon.」
We’ll establish Ria’s Holy Steriana Queendom as a small domain in the remote territories. The more problematic elements—the Old Church affiliates and fervent followers of Liliella—can be absorbed into this new nation. It’ll save us from the civil unrest that crushing them would surely cause.
Swift reform often leads to fresh conflict, so we’ll proceed peacefully. Trade is about to flourish, and with large ports, the Times Kingdom and the newly reformed Abysspania Queendom are bound to thrive.
When the time comes, having a small religious state in the interior shouldn’t be an issue. As the benefits of trade and cooperation with the demons become evident, even the staunch traditionalists will eventually soften.
And since Ria’s the queen, any extremism can at least be managed.
With the Holy Mother’s army sorted, it’s time to think about the new demon kingdom Kaara will establish.
Studying the Abyss Continent map, if we’re setting up a Grand Demon Kingdom under Oracle, the Nisrok region, where Great Demon King Ifriil once ruled the demon city of Laurentite, and the nearby Moroc region look promising.
「About that, Nation’s Father….」
「What is it, Kaara? I was about to discuss the demon kingdom you wanted.」
「Actually, since it’s getting late and Orakeru-sama seems a bit tired, perhaps you should take dinner first?」
Ah, is it that time already? It’s been a while, and once we start talking business, I lose track of time.
Since we have little ones and babies around, we can’t afford to push ourselves too hard.
Luckily, with Kaara and Ria both nursing, the babies will have what they need.
「Nation’s Father, I’ve made arrangements for the Demon King’s Palace to be usable whenever you’re free. It’s still under renovation, so it may lack the grandeur expected of a royal residence.」
It seemed Kaara had already rebuilt the ruined palace of the Great Demon King. From the outside, it still looked like a ruin, but the interior had been neatly restored, with a dining hall and bedrooms ready for use.
A warm meal was even prepared in the dining room. If I ask how she managed it, Kaara will likely just say it was ‘magic’.
In this fantasy world, magic is so omnipotent that it’s almost absurd to handle administration by hand. No wonder science advances so slowly.
After dinner, the children seemed sleepy. Seeing Orakeru dozing while eating was adorable, but it’s time to get them to bed.
「I’ve also fixed up your favorite bath, Nation’s Father. Why don’t we have an in-depth discussion about the new Demon Kingdom there?」
Kaara suggested, placing a hand on my shoulder.
「Hmm, but I should put the kids to bed first…」
「Let me handle that.」
「You, Oracle?」
「I am already pregnant with your child, Takeru.」
「Wait, Oracle, are you pregnant again?」
「You said you wanted to witness the miracle of childbirth, so I made sure to conceive again just for you.」
「No, I didn’t say that! Don’t say things that sound terrible in front of the kids!」
What I had said was that I regretted not being present for Orakeru’s birth. Though half-asleep, being led by Oracle, Orakeru looked ready for bed with her droopy eyelids.
Anyway, if Oracle says she’s pregnant, then she must be. As an Ancient Succubus, it seems she can control when she conceives or doesn’t.
「What, are you not happy that I’m carrying your child?」
「Of course I’m happy. How could I not be?」
Because, after all, I love Oracle deeply. How could I not be thrilled?
「Just say so, then. I’ll put the kids to sleep, so you go and work hard on… adding to the family.」
Hey, that’s not what we’re supposed to be discussing. We’re supposed to be planning the new kingdom!
「Hydra, feel free to have as many children with Nation’s Father as you’d like. The Abyss Continent is vast, with plenty of land to spare. Once they’re born, we’ll grant each one territory and make them all Demon Dukes.」
「R-really? Oh… hearing that just…」
Hydra trembled with joy, sinking to the floor.
「Now hold on, that’s not fair, leaving the demons with all that land! The Abyss Continent’s territories are vast, so my Queendom will need more children too!」
「Well, Ria-san, you’re welcome to join the planning. It’s not like anything’s going to be lost, and we can share the responsibility. Especially since you can restore the King, you’re more than welcome.」
…That’s right.
I’m the one taking on all the work here.
And so, I was thoroughly drained later that night.