SON OF THE HERO KING

He didn’t care what Kaiser thought of him. It was nothing special, actually, it was very simple. Kaiser was, at the end of the day, absolutely inconsequential to his life.

So why was he still staying here and listening?

Because he didn’t have any male friends.

The only friend he somewhat made was Ares and there was the whole nearly getting poisoned by Ares and him putting Ares in his dimension to mind manipulate him shenanigan going around that…

Well...yeah, their relationship was awkward, to say the least.

“So, what brought the sudden apologies? I doubt it’s because I am clearly stronger than you.”

Kaiser gave a bitter smile at the sucker punch Sol playfully delivered but did not rise to the bait, “I do not like you.”

‘Well, figures. I don’t like any of you either.’

“I would not have apologized if my actions were the result of pure dislike. No matter how much stronger you are, I couldn't care less.”

Kaiser’s eyes showed a firm will. He had seen the power of Sol. Seen how Sol toyed around with two mighty demigods like it was nothing and even revived himself from certain death.

To say that he was not impressed and awed would be a lie.

But that alone would have never been enough to make him cower. He had his own pride. Even as small and ridiculous that pride was, he was still a proud dragon.

So why did he apologize?

“I was jealous, envious and those feelings of mine made me have unfounded prejudice against you.”

As he said this, Kaiser threw a glance at Isis who was playing around with Nefertiti and Skuld. For a brief instant, fondness flashed in his eyes before he released a sigh, killing that emotion from taking root…

“You have a very good girl who loves you very much. Take care of her.”

“I don’t need you to tell me that.”

Sol sighed, now he understood why he didn’t have any male friends.

‘Well, I guess Anubis is something of a friend?’

Sol was really getting desperate.

“Anyway, I honestly didn’t care very much. Be it you, Nidhogg, or the others, I understand perfectly why you had no good feelings for me and I do not begrudge you for it. At least you guys were forthcoming with what you thought of me.”

Sol chuckled before turning over the meat. The sizzling sound of the grilling meat and the delicious scent made his mouth water.

Throughout his life, he had eaten many exquisite meals, but nothing could beat some good grilled meat. There was something about this that made it taste better than anything else.

“By the way. What are you gonna do now?”

“I will fight against one of the princes for the title. Nidhogg will do the same.”

“Heh…”

Sol drawled. He was also a prince. But the only reason he fought for that title was to get his reward.

A contract with a phoenix.

Now that this was done. The contract with the goddesses was nearly complete.

All he needed was to pass one last trial and he would have permission to come and go from the Mortal realm to the Astral realm as he wished.

‘I should be able to move through the realms with my dimension as long as I set some anchor points here. But better not provoke them.’

Even if one had the power to move through the realm, doing so without actual permission was no different from entering another country without permission from the authorities.

It was possible. But illegal, nonetheless.

‘I wonder what the third trial will be.’

He hoped that it wouldn’t be anything crazy.

———

While Sol and Kaiser were trying to get to know each other and form a more amicable relationship, Nephthys was looking at Nent like she was looking at an alien.

“Sister…? Is that really you?”

Even though she did not have the power to see souls like her husband and daughter, she was still an experienced old monster.

In the first place, one didn’t need to be a genius to see that Nent had seriously changed.

‘Just what happened during those few months?’

She was filled with disbelief. 700 years ago, the just, bubbly, and upright Nent changed into a scheming woman filled with bitterness and hatred as well as twisted ideals.

Be it her or their mother, they had tried everything to make Nent go back to her old self. But they miserably failed and finally simply gave up.

They were resigned and thought that all they could do was watch as Nent gradually approached a line that should never be crossed.

But… Now?

While Nent was not back to what she once was. She had without a doubt greatly changed once again and for the better.

“Was I really that bad?”

Nent gave a bitter smile at the look of disbelief her sister was plainly directing at her.

“Not gonna lie. You were pretty ugly.”

“Anubis!”

“What? I am only telling the truth. Her soul was severely rotten.”

Nent gave a look at Anubis, “Rotten because I was doing wrong?”

“No.” Anubis waved his hand, “Dear sister-in-law. You see. People have this funny idea that the purity of the soul depends on some flimsy distinction between good and evil. Mere social concepts created to bring order.”

A murderer was ‘bad’. But a soldier defending his country was ‘good.’

Someone stealing just to get richer was ‘bad’ but stealing from the rich to give to the poor was ‘good.’

“At the end of the day. Good and Evil are never fixed. They are concepts that change depending on the situation and the place.”

“So then… Why was my soul ugly in your eyes?”

“Because it was tainted by indecisiveness, hesitation, flawed goals, hatred, and self admonishment.”

Nent and Nepthphys stayed silent.

“Did you know? The most beautiful souls I have seen came from the same kind of people. People with firm and unshakable belief in what they were doing. Whether they were doing evil or good did not matter.”

He gave another look at Nent, “Now though. You look freer. As if a great burden has been released from your shoulders. Your goals are clear now and you show no hesitation. While there is still guilt in your heart, it does not make your soul uglier but in a way even more beautiful.”

“Anubis. I…”

“I know what you want to ask. Is it about your friend?”

“I…Yes. I know that he did many wrongs and there is nothing that will change that reality. But please, release his soul. Let him enter the Afterlife. The true Afterlife.”

“Hmm… Honestly, I don’t care about his soul. But my darling daughter needs a general. Your friend would make a very useful first lich.”

Nephthys gently touched Anubis’ hand, gripping it tightly in a concerned fashion.

“Sigh… But, since it seems to be so important to you. I am willing to make a few concessions. I guess having Isis create her own lich will be more rewarding.”

He moved his hand and a small blue light appeared inside. This was the true form of Drei, or rather Hansel.

Now that his body and phylactery were destroyed, all that was left of him was this small flickering soul.

“I have already wiped out all his ego and he wiped out his own memory. All that is left is a pure soul.”

Once someone died, they would enter the Afterlife where their souls would be wiped clean of all ties from their life before being thrown into the cycle of reincarnation.

“I… Thank you.”

Nent took the soul of her friend in her hands, before walking away, her head down along the gloomy walk.

Looking at the despondent back of her sister, Nepthphys sighed, “You are very cruel.”

“I know. But you still love me.”

“Unfortunately…”

“Oh my… That wasn’t what you were saying a few hours ago in bed.”

Nephthys flushed slightly and give him a hit in the side before running after Nent…

“I am ignoring you today.”

Looking at her acting like a mischievous young girl, Anubis shook his head, “I guess their relationship will get better after this.”

Playing the bad guy sure wasn’t easy.

“Now then. I need some meat. My dear son-in-law better have reserved the best part for me.”

———

A few minutes later, both Nent and Nephthys were sitting on a far and isolated corner of the beach. Nent gazing silently at the flickering soul in her hand.

“I am sorry about the way Anubis acted. He is…”

“I know he was simply acting. Anubis never talks so much usually.”

“Indeed.”

“Thank you.”

“For?”

“For helping me get his soul back.”

“He would have still given it to you even without me present.”

“It doesn’t matter. What matters is that you helped me.”

“...”

“...”

“Did you love him, sister?”

“I do not know… It has been too long. But I really cared for him. Both he and his sister were very dear to me.”

“But they died.”

“They were executed. Brutally. Unjustifiably.”

“...”

“...”

“I am sorry. In the end, we gave up on you without really trying to understand your pain.”

“I am sorry too. In the end, I was simply throwing a temper tantrum to hide my pain.”

“What will you do with his soul?”

Nent did not answer. she opened her hand, gazing silently at the soul of her friend.

Memories flashed through her mind as she remembered all the moments they spent together. It wasn’t always good. They certainly had some disputes. But all those memories were precious memories for her.

A single tear trailed down from her face as gentle golden flame erupted from her hand…

“Farewell, my friend.”

Before long, her hands were now empty.

“May your next life be filled with happiness.”

Watching as the soul dissipated into moths of light and flew toward the sky, Nent’s heart was both filled with immense sadness and relief.

But now, she realized that a new page for her life had finally opened.

(AN: Every day, fluffs stray further from me. I am depression…)

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Changed the gift-to-chapter ratio for a new month and because of the changes on WN.

Bonus for Gifts:

A Dragon= 1 BC

A Castle= 4 BC

A golden Gachapon= 8 BC

Bonus for Priv unlock

3K= 1 BC

10K= 4BC (Spread over four days)

25K= 8 BC (Spread over a week, otherwise I would die)

Bonus for Golden Tickets

500 GT= 1 Bonus Chapter

1500 GT= 2 BC