The Mercy of God (Part 1)

A ritual that melts humans to create giants.

The idea of merging multiple individuals into one left no room for the dignity of life.

Living beings spread their offspring. But heaven's ritual was reversing that biological structure.

The lifespan records controlled the mortals' lifespans, and when the population grew, they were merged into giants to maintain the population.

If that was Ra's will, then the Day of Rebirth was the core system sustaining heaven.

Shirone and his companions gathered around the table to begin their meeting. Having witnessed heaven's cruelty, the tension was higher than ever.

First, there was the matter of Peope's treatment.

If she had reported to her superiors during the memory transfer, Kanya's house was no longer safe.

Canis: "We need to leave immediately. Peope will bring more forces."

Canis was in favor of moving.

Peope's abilities weren't extraordinary, but it was also true that she was only one year old.

Without knowing what abilities other fairies possessed, it was better to avoid combat.

Kanya: "Don't worry too much. Shirone is a Nephilim. According to the law, Nephilim are exempted from the law's influence. The fairies won't harm Shirone."

Kanya, a mortal, firmly believed in the law. But no one responded to her words.

What they had learned here was that Nephilim weren't omnipotent. While they were free from heaven's laws, that also meant they faced severe backlashes when interfering with them.

Amy: "Shirone, you decide. We'll follow your lead."

Amy handed the decision to Shirone. From heaven's perspective, heretics were like foreign substances. If they wanted to do anything, they had no choice but to use Shirone as their representative.

Shirone: "It's better to stay here tonight. I don't think Peope will report us. She has no reason to. Besides, we have the Metagate. If the worst happens, we can escape."

Shirone trusted Peope. Though her personality was eccentric, she had reduced Kanya and Rena's lifespan reduction to one year.

She was intelligent enough to self-reflect, so it was unlikely she would escalate things out of emotion.

What worried him more was Kanya. Tomorrow, Kanya's mother will undergo the Day of Rebirth.

For a human who had spent her life indulging only in herself, the idea of becoming one with others was terrifying.

Shirone: "I understand why you hesitated to talk about the Day of Rebirth. But Kanya, do you really believe that? What I saw was…"

Kanya: "I know. It's unreasonable. I know that too."

Kanya admitted readily.

For someone who had just described the Day of Rebirth as a sacred ritual, it was a radical statement.

But Shirone didn't find it strange. Faith and emotion were separate realms.

Kanya: "I'm not a fool. If I had never doubted it, that would be a lie. But what would change even if I did? If you don't believe in God, you die. If you believe, you gain eternal life. There's no choice."

Kanya mentioned death for the first time. She knew that death existed in heaven.

Kanya: "If you're staying, I'll prepare a place for you to rest. Come this way."

Pressing a button on the distribution board, a side section of the building opened, and a new structure flew over, connecting to Kanya's house.

Shirone and his companions looked surprised, and Kanya explained that most households owned multiple sections.

Kanya: "Hoho, the Mechas love inviting guests."

Kanya's smile hurt Shirone's heart.

That night. Kanya and Rena lay on the same bed.

Their hearts raced as if they were running, making it impossible to sleep.

The sisters didn't cry. They were waiting for the other to cry first.

As they tossed and turned restlessly, Rena turned over.

Rena: "Sister, will Mom be gone tomorrow?"

Kanya looked pitifully at her younger sister, who was about to lose her mother at such an early age.

She gently stroked Rena's head, but Rena said something unexpected.

Rena: "If it's Shirone… I can give him to you."

Kanya's brow furrowed slightly. Beneath her bewildered expression was a hint of being struck to the core.

Kanya: "What are you talking about? Shirone is a Nephilim. How could I share my life with someone like that?"

Rena: "But you'd never date a heretic. And someone like Shirone… you'll never meet anyone like him again. So, this is your chance. You have to take it."

Kanya struggled to hold back her tears. Her sister's feelings came through clearly.

Tomorrow, Mom won't be home. Rena wanted to fill the void with a new family.

Kanya: "Hoho, but you like Shirone too, don't you? If Shirone became your brother-in-law, you wouldn't be able to stand it. You'd be jealous of me every day."

Rena: "No! I mean it! I can give him to you!"

Kanya laughed. Both Kanya and Rena knew that nothing would come of it with Shirone.

It was just a conversation between girls on a late night.

As Rena clung to her like a wet cat, Kanya hugged her sister and kissed her forehead.

Kanya: "Don't worry, Rena. You're all I have."

Rena's eyes slowly closed.

And so, the last night passed.

Shirone and his companions rested in the room Kanya had provided.

A lot happened in a single day.

Shirone, of course, but even his friends were lost in their own thoughts, and for a while, no one spoke.

Tess: "Should we go back now? Too much has happened in one day. Honestly, this place… it's too much, really."

The others felt the same. How many battles had they fought in just 12 hours?

Moreover, every enemy they faced possessed unimaginable strength in their original world.

The fatigue was one thing, but the endless secrets of heaven were another problem. Having absorbed so much information at once, their heads were spinning.

Canis: "We can't do that. We've come this far. Arin and I must reach the Seventh Heaven, Araboth."

If they had only planned to sightsee in Shamain, they wouldn't have even tried in the first place.

Once in heaven, there was no way to retrieve the Metagate. Thus, what they had paid as the ticket price was nothing less than ancient relics.

Amy: "But Araboth is where God lives, right? It must be the hardest place to reach in heaven. How do you plan to get there?"

Canis: "I'll handle it, so don't worry. If you're scared, just wait here."

Amy: "Oh? You're outright ignoring me now? Should we just go back first?"

Canis: "That's even more impossible. Activating the Metagate here would reset our memories. Memories are one-time use. Even if you stay, there's no way back."

Amy sat up, hitting the floor with her pillow.

Amy: "Oh? So that's how it is? In the end, if we want to go back, we have to take you with us?"

Canis: "Exactly. Didn't you know that you pumpkin?"

Amy: "What, pumpkin? Have you ever seen a pumpkin as pretty as me?"

Canis: "I have. It's hanging around your neck right now."

Amy gritted her teeth. Whether it was a compliment, or an insult was unclear, but Canis had effectively silenced her.

Shirone sat down, hugging a pillow.

Shirone: "I'm not ready to go back yet either. But Canis, the timing of using the Metagate has to be reasonable. If anything, other than survival remains in your mind, you'll hesitate at the critical moment."

Canis: "Hmph, I know that much. Leave it to Arin. If things get really dangerous, we'll go back no matter what."

Tess: "But, you know…"

Tess propped her head up and turned to her side. The curves of her body from head to toe were overwhelming.

'An adult… she's an adult.'

'Tess is an adult.'

The children's gazes focused on one spot, but Tess, as if accustomed to it, paid no attention.

Tess: "How do they control lifespans here? Does God really exist and move people's lifespans at will?"

The children fell into thought.

Child: "I think it's like magic. When I fought Marsha, it felt the same. Magic seems like it can do anything."

Marsha Clay's abilities were undoubtedly beyond imagination. But Amy, who had fought alongside her, disagreed.

Amy: "Hmm, irregulars, huh? Reducing lifespans might be possible depending on the cost and conditions, but what about eternal life? No magic can extend lifespans. It's beyond human limits."

Child: "Really? I think there might be a way. Hmm."

Arin: "Why is everyone so critical? Maybe Ra really is a god. Even if they didn't create the world, they might at least be close to godhood."

Amy: "That's also strange. If they're really a god, why would they need a name to control lifespans?"

As Amy said, a name is just a label given by humans. The idea that a being dependent on human language could ascend to godhood didn't make sense.

Shirone: "And the Day of Rebirth… don't you think it's evil? No matter the reason, treating human lives like objects… Ra might just be controlling lifespans to manage heaven. The idea of a god managing the world doesn't make sense."

His friends realized Shirone viewed heaven negatively. Good and evil were human concepts, fluid depending on the environment. Making value judgments requires utmost caution.

Tess: "But there's nothing we can do. It's their chosen life, their culture. Especially religion—it's an absolute concept within a cultural sphere."

Shirone: "No, it's not religion. We just said Ra isn't a god."

Tess: "That doesn't matter. Even if Ra isn't a god but a dictator, it's the same. Ra has the power to control lifespans. What's more important than that in religion?"

Shirone seemed to have more to say but ultimately held his tongue.

Watching him, Amy realized Shirone was still looking for a way to save Kanya's mother.

She liked that about him, but now was the time to be cold.

Amy: "What are you planning, Shirone? Tomorrow, the Day of Rebirth will proceed. As Tess said, it's the mortals' choice. It's not something we can interfere with just because it seems unreasonable by our standards."

Shirone: "But Miro denied the law."

Amy: "Shirone, that's…"

Shirone: "I know. I'm not trying to follow her thoughts. I'm just starting to feel the same way. I think I can understand her now."

Shirone recalled the story about Miro that he had heard at Noor's Sanctuary. Despite Miro denying the law, the old woman's mother said she didn't hate her.

If mortals were merely beings who submitted to Ra, how should he interpret that statement? What had Miro seen and felt in heaven?

One thing was certain: by tomorrow, Shirone would also have to make a choice.

Perhaps Miro… wasn't wrong after all.

The First Heaven, Shamain.

Fairy Management Bureau, 73rd Branch.

The fairy department where Peope worked was located on the outskirts of Shamain, bordering purgatory. Hundreds of houses were built on the massive tree known as the World Tree, and small fairies flitted about like larks.

Peope ventured deep into the World Tree.

The residence of the fairy department head was much smaller than a human house, but it was all the more charming and ornate for it.

As she opened the door and entered, the fairy department head, Igrin, sat in a chair with her wings folded. She wore heavy eye makeup, and her cheeks were adorned with golden vine patterns.

Though she was a fairy born from authority, she was also an adult far beyond Peope's reach in terms of age. Her beautiful appearance, in particular, drew admiration even from other fairies.