Chapter 21: Hybrids

Perseus POV

I made sure to ask around and sure enough, I found the religious person I needed, he's this priest who worked as a temple for the autumn goddess. Okay, so why am I looking for a priest? I'm not religious. First, I just want to know more about the goddess, and I also have one major question.

I was then lead by one of the staff to this section of the library where it is a praying spot for visitors and the staff, they then assigned a priest to me to answer my question, I was brought to another private room and talk with the man.

"What do you need, young fella?" the priest asked

"Well I just need to know more about the goddess in general, is she active?"

"Yes, unlike the first 2 primordial gods, the 4 seasonal god regularly comes to help us every few years ago, though only a few amongst the highest orders like our pope are allowed to visit."

"I see, is she single?" Yes, this is my important question and I ask it early.

Look ok, if I'm gonna be a protagonist, I'm gonna do it right, I'm not gonna go just date a some noble daughter with family issues, a princess, or a female priest who turns up to be a saint, or one of the upcoming heroes who turns out to have a crush on you. And I'm not gonna even talk about other stereotypes.

There are lots of issues with that statement, why the princess? Usually her mother turns up as the better woman, date her! Second, priests shouldn't be allowed to marry, why are the rules so loose?! Yeah, I'm calling all of them out.

I'm not even gonna go into gritty details, but even if the loli is legal, the loli still looks like a loli! Ok, there's people with a small body frame, and then there's 'FBI! OPEN UP!'. 'Oh, but she's 1000 years old', nah, don't even go there, next you're gonna tell me a guy is dating a girl whose age is in the negatives.

And if I'm gonna be safe and satisfy my desire at the same time, I'm gonna go for a goddess.

"Well she's not married." the priest answered "Nor is she with anyone, she lives alone."

"So how strong in she amongst the 4 seasonal gods?"

"The winter and summer gods are tied, the autumn goddess comes after." the priest answered as he scratch his chin "The autumn and spring gods are the most peaceful, so there aren't as many records about them since people find it...boring."

"That makes sense. So if I were to let's say, not believe in the goddess, I wouldn't get executed or anything, right?"

"Oh, don't worry, those reeducation camps are no longer legal." the priest assured "I will try to convince you, but I happily accept and even befriend those who don't believe in the gods."

"So if I, let's say, speak some blasphemy, the goddess won't strike me down?"

"No, some other worshippers of the other gods do that all the time, some of our own did it too."

I just asked a couple more questions and excused myself to 'pray'. I did ask Ruka what the goddess name was, and the priest, the priest said her true name isn't revealed to anyone and asked to be called Autumn the autumn goddess, or if some people prefer, fall.

Ruka said that the roses never met the goddesses, but does know that Autumn is the goddess' last name, her first name is unknown, there have been many scholars who came up with many names, but there are no conclusive evidence to really prove em.

"Well goddess, if you can hear me, I'm accusing you of theft, if you want to prove yourself innocent, please make a proper appointment."

You'll understand why I'll say that later.

But that statement definitely will get her attention, that's for sure, it's not criticism or blasphemy, nor was it praise, just a weird sentence, since the priest said that the goddess is active, it means she will be able to hear prayers. I plan to do this once or 2 a year, and I will repeat the same thing.

After 'praying', I ask around about laws and people in general, those who are merciful, the smartest, the strongest, and vice versa. I'm just learning more about this world, and once I know enough, I just went back to my parents who were reading on how cartoons were made.

*****

The ceremony started and of course, I did not join. There are about a few hundred children of the age 14 at best, that's the age limit for this whole adoption, but participation age limit for everything is 17, it's for the academy, knighthood, and engagement with future powerful figures.

They all wear these vests over their clothes with numbers so the powerful figures can decide who they want. First competition was stupid, they created a pillar, got about 2 or 3 dozens people to then climb it with only their physical capability.

Obviously, the children of Paradis dominated the whole thing, even without the blue rose as a prize, people are still going to practice and hold the competition, plus, we live super high up, we're used to high altitudes and lack of air, no one used magic to make it easier to live, it sort of strengthen us.

Unless you're dying because of the lack of air, they'll get helped with anything the healers can get their hand on.

Like I can hear some people complaining saying that their children would have had a better chance if the people of the Paradis tree allowed them to join in our training and not be so stingy. And as I sat there, I can clearly hear the people's words, some of them discriminate against us.

There are funnily enough a couple people of the demon race participating too since Tehios and their figures are joining in. And even these demons are discriminating against us.

Remember the story of the hybrids being born when demon blood was purer and stronger? Yeah, hybrids nowadays are not as strong as before, and the children of the Paradis tree are the only ones resemble the old hybrids.

Unfair...the next competition is swimming, how the fuck are tree people gonna swim?! Hypocrites.