[Book 2] Gate Guardian - Song of the Frozen Soul

PHASE 90 - MY FATHER IS A NUCLEAR DRAGON

PHASE 90 - MY FATHER IS A NUCLEAR DRAGON

We immediately consulted the Kozukata Shrine for my father’s unstable condition. We had him on the shrine infirmary checked by shrine maidens who have expertise in diagnosing curses.

My father possesses the eye of the Cursed Guardian, but his eyes retained its original color and not crimson black. Since the curse is not that powerful to defeat his mind, that’s a good indication that he won’t go mad or haywire like Helena. What troubles me is that he said that his days are numbered, as if he is going to disappear.

Rikkun and I waited outside the room for about ten minutes. Finally, the door opened, and the head shrine priestess told us my father’s condition.

“It’s no good,” Asumi-nee said as she shook her head with a frown. “The curse has eaten eighty percent of his prana circuits. I’m surprised that he can still maintain his reasoning despite that he’s already tainted. It seems that he’s sacrificing his life force instead of his will to keep him conscious. Maybe the only thing that keeps him going is his love for you, Tiara.”

“That’s bad! Asumi-nee! Can he still be saved?” I cried.

“I don’t know,” Asumi-nee said. “Even if the curse was lifted, I doubt we can restore his life force. He may still have three days left.”

“T-That’s…!!!”

My eyes opened wide and my shaking jaw fell. Tears flow from my eyes.

I can’t accept it.

I just met my father, and he’s going to die just like that!?

There’s no way I can accept it.

All I can do is to cry on my lover’s chest who has been staying with me the whole time. Rikkun caressed my hair in an attempt to calm me down, but there is no way I can suppress my tears.

“Uwa…” I hollered silently.

“I’m sorry.” Asumi-nee continued. “I have known Frederick for a long time, and the same goes with his curse. But we didn’t tell you. It was your father’s decision to keep it a secret. He doesn’t want you to worry about his condition.”

“How long has he been cursed?” Rikkun asked in my stead.

“I think it’s a long time ago, maybe when he was at your age,” Asumi-nee said. “He said that he received some kind of corrupted God Core from certain someone in exchange for changing fate. The counterfeit God Core he received is not cursed per se, but using it to defy fate inflicts a curse upon the wielder.”

Rikkun clenched his fist as if he knows what Asumi-nee is talking about.

“The Outsider…” He muttered.

Asumi-nee continued to explain my father’s condition. “The Fake God Core is stuck in his heart, and it continues to spread the curse to his whole body like a cancer cell. It won’t be long before he loses control of it.”

“That damn Outsider!!!” Rikkun gritted as he suppresses his anger. “Why is it always him!?”

“You need not worry, Alaric.” Somebody joined the conversation.

It was my twin brother Diadem. He looks like he just came out from the bath as he is wearing our shrine bathrobe. He had his long hair looped at the back of his head.

Judging from his slightly pale face, Diadem looks surprised upon knowing about our father’s condition. He must have been eavesdropping the whole time. But he mustered his courage and suppressed his emotions to keep his cool. That must be why he sounded so calm.