Chapter 358: Spirituality (3)

    The greatest pain a person can experience is, first, burns, and second, cuts.

    From the third place onward, the ranking varies, but most people tend to prioritize the pain of childbirth, and after that, it differs depending on the statistics.

    However, when a man is hit in the testicles, the pain definitely ranks within the top 10. If we limit it to just men, it would definitely be in the top three.

    Even though they are exposed outside, testicles are still organs. If an organ is directly struck, the pain is beyond words.

    Sometimes, there may be people who are fine after getting hit in the testicles, but those people aren’t trained—they are just accustomed to pain.

    Anyway, if an ordinary person gets hit properly, they will be incapable of moving for about five minutes, and in severe cases, they might end up as the famous figure in that viral clip.

    Even just flicking with a finger can send a horrible pain surging, so what would happen if a stronger shock came?

    It’s not just awful pain; the stars would start spinning in front of your eyes. What’s worse, this pain doesn’t come instantly; it slowly creeps up on you.

    That means you shouldn’t rely on luck, like fainting. In other words, you need to feel the waves of pain that gradually build up.

    “Are, are you okay now?”

    “... ...”

    I couldn’t even respond to Arwen’s concerned question. Right now, I was in a state where I couldn’t even scream.

    Cold sweat streamed down, and saliva dripped from my open mouth onto the floor.

    I tried to wrap my arms around my stomach to alleviate the pain, but it didn’t help at all.

    If I had to compare, it felt like someone had stabbed a knife into my belly and was twisting it around.

    “Appa?”

    A cute child’s voice clearly pierced my ears. The one responsible for me experiencing this pain.

    I quickly processed that thought and barely lifted my head.

    The pain was still there, but I wanted to at least see the child’s face.

    As soon as I lifted my head, I saw two pairs of eyes looking at me. One pair had silver-gray pupils, and the other had golden eyes.

    The silver-gray eyes were filled with deep emotion, while the golden eyes were sparkling with innocence.

    It seemed like the child didn’t even realize what they had done wrong. Well, I suppose that’s to be expected.

    I wanted to smile for their sake, but the pain was so intense that I lowered my head again.

    I couldn’t even get to the bed. I would have to wait like this, holding my stomach for a while.

    “Hu...”

    About five minutes had passed. I let out a deep breath as the pain gradually eased.

    Thankfully, the impact wasn’t as concentrated as a baseball; otherwise, I would never have been able to have children again.

    I wiped off the cold sweat that had dripped like rain during that short time and lifted my head.

    I looked up and saw Arwen and the child’s faces. I smiled weakly and tried to act like I was fine.

    “...I think I’m okay now.”

    “Really? If it still hurts, we should call a doctor or a priest...”

    “No, really, I’m fine.”

    “If your testicle burst, we would’ve called for a doctor or a priest right away. But I checked, and my precious testicles are perfectly fine.”

    Besides, I had just been talking to Luminous, who would have warned me if something was wrong. The gods would care about my offspring as well.

    I wiped my forehead, which was drenched in cold sweat, again and looked at the child.

    The child, who had just been born, looked sad, as if they understood their mistake.

    Moreover, the little sprout that had been standing up was now drooping. It seemed that, like F’s ears, this sprout expressed emotions.

    “Hey.”

    “Uh-huh.”

    “From now on, when you run, try to run slowly. And don’t jump on people like you did to your daddy. Understand?”

    “Uh?”

    The child tilted their head and blinked at my words. I stared blankly at that reaction and then chuckled weakly.

    Now that I think about it, the child was so new that it made more sense they didn’t understand than that they did.

    I made a mental note to explain things gradually when I had the chance, then pushed myself up with some effort.

    Though my abdomen still ached like it had been stabbed, it wasn’t to the point I couldn’t bear it.

    “Uht-cha.”

    “Uh?”

    I lifted the child into my arms and adjusted my posture so she could lean on me.

    I met the child’s golden eyes, which were wide and bright. She blinked at me, staring back.

    How could such a cute being exist? Her wings were adorable, but the little sprout on top of her head was especially charming.

    ‘But what should I name her?’

    Putting the treatment aside, I needed to figure out the most important thing—the name. I couldn’t keep calling her “the child” forever.

    It seemed that the child picked up on my thoughts, as she blinked a few times and then cheerfully shouted:

    “Name?”

    “Yes, a name. We’re going to choose your name now.”

    “Name!”

    It was clear she didn’t know what “name” meant, but I couldn’t help but laugh at the adorable response.

    I looked at Arwen.

    Since she was a girl, I was sure we’d choose a girl’s name. However, finding the right one for this child was far from easy.

    “Uhm...”

    “Heave-ho.”

    While I was deep in thought, the child suddenly stood up on her own two feet.

    Seeing that, I had no choice but to pause my thinking. I was concerned it might be something odd, so I kept an eye on her.

    She then walked over to me on her two legs...

    “Appa.”

    She immediately snuggled into my arms.

    I blinked, surprised at the suddenness, before wrapping my arms around her.

    “Hehe.”

    The child giggled happily as soon as I embraced her. She rubbed her face against my chest, clearly enjoying the warmth of my embrace.

    I smiled at her, feeling overwhelmingly affectionate. It was almost maddening how adorable she was.

    As the gods had said, I’d raise her with love, but it was clear she would be loved no matter what, even without me.

    “...Ariel.”

    “Uhm?”

    “Ariel seems like the best name.”

    In my past life, there was a famous angel known as Ariel, one of the seven archangels.

    Though she wasn’t part of that group, Ariel herself was a powerful being.

    What symbolized her was nature. She was an angel who particularly loved animals and nature.

    Since the child was born from the World Tree’s seed, I felt this name would be the most fitting.

    I looked at her again, those radiant golden eyes glowing brightly.

    “Your name is Ariel, okay?”

    “Ariel?”

    “Yes, Ariel.”

    “Ariel!”

    The child seemed to like it, shouting her name with energy. Just as I smiled with contentment...

    Flash!

    The translucent wings on Ariel’s back suddenly flickered with light, and a change occurred.

    I widened my eyes and watched the wings closely.

    They had been wrapped in white light, but it gradually faded. And then, I realized what had happened.

    What had once been translucent wings was now more distinct, with colors that were noticeably brighter.

    It seemed that, by giving her a name, she had established her true identity.

    Though the sprout on her head was still there.

    ‘Maybe the sprout will grow as her body develops?’

    I watched Ariel, who now seemed closer to an angel than before, and patted her head in silence.

    Whether she was an angel or not, I would raise her with all my love.

    That wouldn’t change.

    I might get a bit scolded by Mary, but I was willing to bear it. If it came from Hirth, she’d probably accept it, though reluctantly.

    “Ariel.”

    “Uhm?”

    “My name is Isaac. Isaac.”

    “I... Saac?”

    “Yes, Isaac.”

    “Appa!”

    “Yeah. Just call me ‘Appa.’ It’s easier.”

    I smiled softly and turned the child in my arms so she was facing Arwen.

    “The elf’s name in front is Arwen. Do you know who she is?”

    “Mamma!”

    “Yeah. You can call her that too.”

    “Uhm...”

    As soon as Arwen responded, Ariel stared at her intently. The sprout on her head even leaned slightly towards Arwen.

    It seemed like she could read her emotions. What exactly was Arwen thinking?

    “Dead?”

    “...Huh?”

    “Fuck. What should we do?”

    “...”

    It seems like you’re only bringing up the bad things.