4~ You’ll Be Reborn
I can guarantee it: I’m absolutely not the reincarnation of your beloved relative.
“I’m sure you are. I’m absolutely certain,” Bilodis said, her fairy-like beautiful eyes gazing tenderly at Dillin. “I’ve never seen two such similar souls in this world, so there’s a very high probability that you’re the reincarnation of my sister.”
Certainty or not, may I ask, Miss Elf, what is your name?
“Pardon me, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Bilodis Garnolin, the Elf Empress, the ruler of Garnolin City, the place of origin of the elves, and the descendant of the Elf Goddess Garnolin.”
Miss Garnolin, shall I address you by your surname? If your confidence fails, or if I really am not the reincarnation of your beloved relative, what then?
“Obliteration.” Bilodis tersely answered Dillin’s question.
So, am I just a stepping stone for you to resurrect your relative?
Hearing this, how could Dillin keep calm?
“Relax, this is a form of sublimation; nothing will happen to you,” Bilodis said, her expression suggesting she was already convinced that Dillin was her sister’s reincarnation.
Now, Dillin understood why the Moon Elf had called her that earlier, but he really wasn’t her. His previous life was on Blue Star, he had nothing to do with her sister.
“And, didn’t you come here for someone else? It was for the abbot who is gravely ill and needs a lot of money for treatment, wasn’t it?”
“…”
Dillin was silent.
“That abbey is about to close due to financial issues. If that happens, the abbot won’t be cured, and the human children the abbey takes care of will likely become homeless.”
“May they survive the winter,” Bilodis said, her fan-like golden eyelashes blinking before she closed her eyes.
“And what’s your answer, sister?”
…I am not your sister! I’m male!
“Souls inherently lack gender.”
…Then, do you keep your word?
“I am the Elf Empress. Saving lives, how many, is but a thought of mine.”
Conversely, how many you want dead is just as quick, and I’m but an ant under your foot.
To elves like you, human lives are but numbers.
In response to this accusation, Bilodis remained silent, choosing not to refute.
“Do you remember how long I’ve lived?”
How would I know? Don’t you know how long you’ve lived?
“Too long. I’ve lost count. No one ever celebrated my birthday with me so gradually I forgot… Of course, except for you.”
“…”
“You’re right, to me, human lives, and even my own, are just cold numbers…”
“I won’t deny my indifference because it’s the truth, and I don’t remember if my past self was this cold.”
“I don’t want to dwell on these. Living too long has tired me out,” Bilodis’s words were steeped in deep fatigue.
“Besides the mission given by the deity, what I most want to do, and what keeps me alive to this day, is to resurrect my beloved relative.”
“Even if the chance is less than one percent, I would give up everything to fight for it, so you’re right, in my eyes, human lives compared to your successful memory recovery and resurrection are just numbers.”
“As long as my loved one can come back to me, I wouldn’t care if I’m forever despised or if rivers of bl**d flow. I’m prepared for that.”
“So, sister, what’s your choice?” Bilodis looked at Dillin with deep affection, as if not viewing him as a complete stranger.
I’m telling you, I’m not your sister, and my previous life wasn’t even in this plane. Do you believe me?
Bilodis smiled but said nothing.
The result was obvious, she didn’t believe him.
Do I even have the option to say no?
…So, that’s why I dislike your arrogant kind.
Compared to her beloved relative, human lives are just numbers. With Bilodis saying it to this extent, does it even matter what Dillin thinks?
She essentially offers you the choice to refuse, but does not allow the refusal itself.
The plea of the weak never reaches the ears of the strong.
She firmly believed he was the reincarnation of her sister. In her, Dillin sensed an intense obsession.
Elves can live for thousands of years, which sounds beautiful, but upon reflection, it’s terrifying.
You don’t know what the hearts of these pointy-eared beings have turned into after endless years. Can you really gauge them with human thinking? Perhaps they only appear normal but are actually mad, perhaps bewitched even.
Maybe she really has lived too long.
Before long, Dillin, having no right to refuse, had his shirt taken off, was seated in the central pool of the hall, and was surrounded by the great star-shaped formation built in the shape of the zodiac.
“Don’t worry, relax…” came a light splash from behind as Bilodis’ toes daintily touched the water. Then, a pair of soft white arms embraced Dillin from behind.
A golden pattern burned on her back, a mark of a golden sun interwoven with a harp, creating a unique beauty.
“Child, you will soon be reborn…”
A strand of fragrant golden hair lay on his shoulder. Behind him was the warmth and care unique to an elf girl.
The soft touch on his back reminded Dillin of cotton candy, and he immediately tensed up.
How could this innocent boy withstand it? Thinking back to the stunning elf girl who earlier was sitting n*ked behind him in the pond, touching him soothingly, he absurdly thought, ‘Even if I d*e, my life would have been worth it.’
After Dillin’s anxiety was soothed, a violent storm suddenly began.
Dillin was caught off guard, and in a daze, deep cuts covered his upper body. bl**d flowed out of his broken veins into the pool, and simultaneously, one of the eight lamps in the star formation lit up.
The soul-sacrificing ceremony had started.
First, the person to be sacrificed must have their bl**d completely drained, and then their own bl**d must be used to recreate their body.
In full consciousness, Dillin felt he was undergoing a thousand cuts and ten thousand slashes.
“Ugh!!”
“Relax, it’ll be over soon, soon you’ll be reborn…” Dillin’s struggles were quickly calmed by the golden-haired girl behind him.
Bilodis’ voice had a certain magical quality, making one relax and entrust one’s body and soul to her.
This sensation was peculiar. Although he knew the person behind him would rather his bl**d flowed faster, he still fell under her spell, willingly submitting to her soothing touch.
A miraculous scene occurred. Dillin’s bl**d constantly dripped into the pool, but the clear water remained spotless, as if automatically filtered.
Human bl**d would always leave no trace in an elf holy spring.
Soon, Dillin’s body became withered. But that was not the end.
Bilodis knew it was far from over. She hugged Dillin’s chest with her hand and placed a golden wire butterfly hairpin into Dillin’s hand.
“Hold on to this.”
Dillin, who was almost losing consciousness, subconsciously took hold of the special golden wire butterfly hairpin and gripped it tightly.
In dealing with Dillin’s struggles, Bilodis soon resorted to using her legs to hold Dillin’s waist from behind with her white and soft feet.
During the sacrifice, movement must not be allowed, or else the ceremony would fail. She had to keep Dillin still to prevent him from struggling.
“Are you scared? Is it painful?” Bilodis’ head rested on Dillin’s shoulder, whispering sweet nothings.
The pleasant scent made Dillin weaker in his struggles and soon he could fight no more.
His bl**d had been completely drained.
Bilodis glanced at the star formation. The eight lamps had already become six, with just two remaining.
This was it.
Bilodis stood up, with a wave of her staff, cutting her blue veins on her white wrist.
Bilodis’ bl**d stained the elf holy spring. The water surged, rushing towards Dillin, who remained motionless and shrunken to just a layer of skin.
Please…
Bilodis looked at the center where the bl**d surged, her face grieving.
This was the last chance…it had to succeed.
Finally, the seventh lamp lit up! The eighth one flickered!
Hurry, light up…
The eighth lamp flickered like a torch in the eye of a storm, at times burning and at times extinguishing.
Having lived for a thousand years, Bilodis’ heart had long been unmoved, but today, for the first time, she felt a rollercoaster-like stimulation.
For she saw hope.
In the center of the spring, she could already see the outline of the girl, who looked just like her with platinum hair and a stunning appearance, her eyes closed.
It was true, this human boy was the reincarnation of her sister!
After waiting for so long, it had finally come…
“Little sister…” Bilodis clenched her teeth, continuing to release her own bl**d.
She didn’t know how much bl**d would be necessary to bring this girl back to life, but now, she couldn’t stop.
The moment that yearning face reappeared before her, Bilodis’ heart had gone wild.
All the obsession accumulated over countless days and months erupted at that moment.
Even if she lost her demi-god status, even if she lost her life, she had to bring her sister back from the brink of d*ath…
Finally, the last lamp lit up amidst Bilodis’ bewildered consciousness.
But before Bilodis could rejoice, a fierce gust of wind extinguished the eight lamps.
“What…what…” Bilodis’ face turned ashen as she suddenly sat in the bl**d-stained pool.
How…?
Was it really not her?
No, it was definitely her…
The mix of bl**d and holy water soaked her white body, yet she was entirely unaware, her hand reaching out but unable to hold onto the disappearing outline of the girl.
All for naught.
“One moment, Empress of Elves?” After multiple futile attempts at calling, the Moon Elf girl finally pushed open the door to the temple.
Inside the dim temple, seeing the ruined star formation, the Moon Elf girl closed her mouth and silently began to clean up.
There was no need for words; the Moon Elf girl understood.
Failure.
She didn’t search for Bilodis, knowing probably this time Bilodis would lock herself up for a very long time.
