A few days later.
Sael walked into the room and saw the young boy lying on the bed. He was curled up, lying on the soft bed, with beautiful marks on his body and undeveloped wings on his back.
Sael approached and kissed him awake. The boy opened his eyes in confusion, as if he hadn't yet realized what was happening.
Then Sael dressed him and carried him to a seat, carefully feeding him food.
The boy, Shao Ci, was very obedient and didn't resist at all. He did whatever he was told, eating in small bites.
After all, he had lost all his memories.
Hia Shao Gege, he finally belonged to Sael completely.
Even without his past memories, it didn't matter.
Sael smiled as he watched Shao Ci, believing that as long as they created new memories from now on, it would be enough.
Shao Ci lowered his head, but a glimmer of light flashed in his eyes.
Days passed like this, and Sael finally let go of his worries. He even taught Shao Ci how to speak and write again.
In his words, he and Shao Ci were naturally very close.
Shao Ci seemed to believe this as well.
A few days later, in the middle of the night, Shao Ci sat up.
He cast a sleep spell on Sael beside him and then used various magic to seal off the area, before coming to an open space outside.
With the help of the system, Shao Ci didn't lose his memories this time... Besides, he had lost his memories so many times that he had developed resistance.
After this long rest, he had finally mastered the magic circle.
Although Raphael's body and residence were gone, he had spent a long time with Shao Ci, so Shao Ci could use this magic with his own body.
But the price was sacrificing his own body.
Shao Ci felt that he had truly lost his mind. He couldn't believe he was about to do such a thing. He knew he would regret it when the effects of the dark magic wore off.
But even if he would regret it, he had to do it now.
After secretly practicing many times, Shao Ci easily drew the magic circle, and also drew a teleportation magic circle nearby. The next step was the most crucial.
He gritted his teeth, and Sael, who was beside him, suddenly woke up and quickly ran out. However, he was trapped by powerful magic circles. He gritted his teeth and broke free from the magic circles.
Even though Sael moved as quickly as possible, Shao Ci had already placed his hand on the magic circle. A large amount of power and vitality from his body were absorbed into the magic circle.
"No, Shao Gege..." Sael's face turned pale. He could clearly see that what Shao Ci was doing this time was different from before. If this magic circle was successfully activated, Shao Ci would definitely die.
Shao Ci collapsed to the ground, exhausted. He felt a mouthful of blood in his mouth and coughed up several mouthfuls, feeling as if his whole body was being drained.
Then, light spots floated from the magic circle and gradually formed into a body.
Shao Ci stared in astonishment.
The body slowly took shape, and the person's blue eyes opened slightly, looking at Shao Ci with confusion.
Shao Ci gritted his teeth and reached out to embrace him, his voice choked with emotion as he said, "From now on, you have to live well..."
He had no intention of letting Raphael stay here. That would only lead to a tragic end at the hands of Sael.
Raphael seemed to reach out to embrace Shao Ci, but Shao Ci pushed him directly into the teleportation magic circle.
With the previous successful experience of teleporting Bayes, there was no chance of failure this time. The light flashed, and Raphael's body disappeared.
Shao Ci, however, fell to the ground, lacking the strength to get up. His consciousness was fading away.
Finally, Sael walked out, holding Shao Ci tightly. He gritted his teeth and said, "If you die, I will definitely kill Raphael. No matter where he runs, I will kill him..."
If Sael had known that Shao Ci would do such a thing to revive Raphael, would he still have spared his life?
Sael didn't know. Perhaps he would only regret not completely erasing his memories.
"So, don't die..."
"Even if you say that, I..." Shao Ci coughed, and a large amount of fresh blood spilled from his mouth.
Sael grabbed Shao Ci's hand and pressed it against his own face, tears streaming down his cheeks. "Shao Gege... Shao Gege..."
Shao Ci, however, closed his eyes.
Sael held Shao Ci's cold body in his arms, unable to find the words to say.
Then, a few feathers fell to the ground. These pristine feathers turned into light particles as soon as they touched the ground.
Sael lifted his head in astonishment and saw someone standing before him. "You are..."
--
Shao Ci felt a throbbing pain in his forehead, and his body seemed to have turned into a ball of fur. "Hmm..."
That dark magic was truly terrible. Shao Ci shuddered at the thought of what he had done. It was horrifying!
But after being reborn, it seemed that the effects of the dark magic had disappeared completely. Shao Ci finally breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that there shouldn't be any problems now.
But... where was he now?
【Due to a small issue during the collection of the host's soul for revival, the host's spirit was swept into a temporal turbulence.】
Shao Ci: "??? Wait, is this a small issue? It seems pretty serious to me."
【In short... the host has been sent back ten years.】
Although Shao Ci didn't know the exact age of the original host, based on the appearance of a human form, the original host was probably only seven or eight years old ten years ago.
Shao Ci: "So when can I go back?"
After persevering for so many years, just when the original male lead seemed to become the big boss, he was sent back ten years?
【Because your power is not enough, you need to complete a mission here first to accumulate enough power to return to the normal timeline.】
Shao Ci: "Wow..."
Shao Ci opened his eyes and looked around. It was a very rundown room with simple furniture and dim lighting.
A beautiful female celestial being sat nearby, her face looking weary, her wings lacking luster. She was sewing something in her hands.
【Collecting surrounding data... Analysis in progress... Analysis complete.】
Then a stream of information flooded into Shao Ci's mind.
After a moment of silence, Shao Ci finally understood his origins.
This place was the celestial realm. The original text didn't mention much about the celestial beings, but the system had analyzed it in detail.
Within the celestial realm, there is a clear distinction between the nobility and the commoners. The nobility can only marry within their own ranks, as it is believed that marrying outside their noble bloodline would be seen as a degradation of their esteemed lineage. Marriages between humans and celestial beings are simply out of the question.
Even the islands where the nobility and commoners reside are separated. The major islands are inhabited by the nobility, featuring grand temples, numerous shops, and entertainment venues that are exclusively enjoyed by the noble class.
The smaller scattered islands serve as the dwellings for the commoners, and they are only allowed to enter the main island during festivals.
The original host's mother, Sophia, was the daughter of a minor noble family and was originally supposed to marry into another prominent family branch.
However, before her marriage, Sophia became pregnant, which caused outrage among the entire family. She refused to disclose the identity of the child's father.
When the child was born, although he had a similar appearance to the celestial beings, his powers were only half as strong as an ordinary celestial being, and his wings were small and pitiful. His affinity for the element of light was even weaker than that of a commoner.
People immediately associated him with the humans who had previously visited the celestial realm, assuming that he was the child of Sophia and a human.
The child was immediately regarded as a disgrace to the family. The family initially planned to abandon him, but due to Sophia's desperate pleas, they reluctantly allowed him to stay temporarily. Afterwards, the family severed all ties with Sophia and banished her to the area where the commoners resided.
Sophia, who was once a noble lady, now had to do menial tasks to sustain her daily life. There were often times when she couldn't even eat enough.
Shao Ci finally understood why he was referred to as the shame of the celestial beings.
After all, in a place where marriages between nobility and commoners were considered disgraceful, marrying a human was already considered lenient punishment, as they would usually be burned to death...
At that moment, Sophia noticed that Shao Ci had awakened. She wiped away her tears and picked up some food from the side, softening it with spring water. Carefully, she fed it to Shao Ci.
The food was coarse, even after being softened with water, it was difficult to swallow. Shao Ci struggled to eat it, not wanting to worry Sophia.
If he were a human child, he would have been able to do something by the age of ten... But for the celestial beings, who had long lifespans and couldn't maintain their human form for long periods of time during childhood, being ten years old meant very little.
It was truly unimaginable that the former noble lady now lived such a life. If she had abandoned this child back then, she could have lived as a noble. Although Sophia had her shortcomings and a very timid personality, she could be considered a good mother.
Shao Ci used to believe that the original host was abandoned at birth, but it turned out that he had been living here for several years. So why was the original host eventually driven away?
After finishing their meal, Sophia stood up while holding Shao Ci, put on a hood, and carefully carried him out of the house.
Outside, there were many celestial beings, clearly commoners, but each of them had good looks. There wasn't a single ugly face among them, making for a pleasant sight.
Celestial beings were creatures favored by the goddess, maintaining their youthful appearance throughout their lives. They only aged rapidly when nearing death.
Today was the Day of Holy Light, a time when even the commoners could go to the main island and receive the illumination of the Holy Light from the Goddess of Light.
This would alleviate illnesses and promote better health, allowing the celestial infants to grow stronger.
It was for this reason that Sophia mustered the courage to go to a place she initially didn't want to visit.
The main island was magnificent, with numerous beautiful buildings lining the streets, and floating structures as well. At the center stood a massive temple, housing a colossal statue of the Goddess of Light, radiating a sacred glow.
Of course, the commoners couldn't enter the temple; they could only kneel outside.
Sophia knelt with Shao Ci, just like the others, outside the temple. She appeared restless and nervous.
Soon, the nobility arrived. Each one possessed a beautiful countenance and a noble aura, seemingly radiating brilliance. Without even sparing a glance at the commoners, they chatted and entered the temple.
Shortly after, members of a prominent family arrived. Among the nobility, the most influential figures were those from the major families, some of whom even had the privilege of marrying into the royal family.
Following them was an incredibly handsome young man, holding the hand of an exceptionally elegant and aloof woman with silver hair and fair skin. They both cradled a furball in their arms, undoubtedly their child.
"It's Lord Rist of the Perry family!" "Oh my, and the person next to him must be Princess Deloris." "I can't believe I'm seeing the princess here. I feel so honored."
In the celestial realm, silver hair is a symbol of the royal family. The royal family holds the highest status among the celestial beings, both in terms of power and religious significance. It is said that the Goddess of Light shows great favor to the royal family and personally blesses each member upon their birth.
The royal bloodline is difficult to propagate, and usually, only one or two children are born every few hundred years.
Deloris, however, cannot be considered a member of the royal family. The royal bloodline in her is already very diluted, but she inherited the silver hair, which made her highly favored and held a high position within the family.
Shao Ci felt Sophia's body trembling slightly, and her grip on him tightened.
Yes, this was indeed a very cliché storyline.
In reality, Sophia's former lover was Rist, the heir of the Perry family. However, Rist was a true scoundrel. He already had an engaged fiancée, Deloris, who also came from a prominent family. Sophia was merely his pre-marital pastime, and he had numerous other lovers like her.
After spending some time with Sophia using sweet words and gestures, Rist simply left. He never even bothered to inquire about the child he had fathered with Sophia.
Sophia always believed that Rist must have had his reasons, and she never disclosed his identity. It can be said that her current predicament was partly due to her naivety.
Later on, Sophia believed that Rist would come and take her away, but instead, she heard the news of his marriage. When she went to the Perry family with Shao Ci, she was directly expelled through a side door. She saw Rist and the elegant Deloris, who seemed so well-matched. From then on, she became disheartened and determined to raise Shao Ci well on her own.
Shao Ci: "..." This lineage is even more dramatic than the original male lead's.
As for why two nobles would give birth to a child inferior to commoners, Shao Ci wasn't quite sure...
Rist casually glanced around and noticed Sophia. His gaze turned cold for a moment, but then he nonchalantly looked away.
Shortly after, a person arrived, surrounded by countless others. It was a young man with silver hair, indescribably beautiful in appearance. His eyes were also silver, and he even had two pairs of wings on his back. The pristine feathers seemed to emit a sacred glow.
He appeared extremely aloof, dressed in intricate robes. The people around him showed great reverence, even fanaticism.
Upon seeing this young man, Deloris and Rist's expressions became more ingratiating, subtly indicating their desire to establish a favorable relationship with him.
Clearly, this young man held an extremely prestigious status.
Moreover, it is generally difficult for celestial beings to maintain their human form during their growth period. Only the most powerful celestial beings can maintain their human appearance for extended periods of time during their youth.
[Beep beep beep... Detected a character with higher combat power... According to the system's rules, changing the target for strategy... Target changed, current target is Eumir.]
Shao Ci: "!!" Oh my god, it seems like the other person is a formidable character. How is he supposed to complete the mission?
Eumir seemed to intentionally or unintentionally glance in their direction.
"Your Highness, is there something over there?" Deloris immediately spoke up.
Rist became anxious, fearing that Sophia would attract attention.
"Nothing." Eumir turned his head and walked towards the temple.
The others followed him inside.
Shao Ci suddenly felt worried about his future...
Soon after, it was time for the Holy Light of the Goddess of Light to shine, emanating from the statue.
Shao Ci was bathed in the holy light, feeling warmth spreading through his body. A large amount of light elemental energy surged into his body, even making his previously dull fur shiny.
If others knew that Shao Ci had this effect, they would surely be astonished. Normally, this treatment was only reserved for those in the central area of the temple. The commoners standing outside only felt a slight warmth.
In the evening, the two of them returned to their residence.
Sophia looked at the furball, which had clearly improved significantly, and felt a deep sense of contentment. "You must grow up well."
Then someone knocked on the door. When Sophia opened it, she saw several cold-faced celestial beings standing at the doorstep, adorned with the Perry family emblem.
Sophia was taken aback and held Shao Ci protectively. "May I ask what you want?"
The individuals were indifferent and expressed Rist's displeasure. They requested that Sophia and her son move away from here, to a place farther from the main island. Of course, they offered a substantial amount of money as compensation.
Shao Ci was shocked. This scoundrel could stoop to such a level.
Sophia struggled to maintain her smile, holding Shao Ci tightly and whispered, "I will leave after the Day of Holy Light."
With this money, she could provide a better life for her child. That was all that mattered.
The individuals nodded and left. They clearly held disdain for Sophia, considering her nothing more than a woman who clung to the family head for money.
After closing the door, Sophia sighed while holding Shao Ci. She thought about Lady Deloris, the noble and elegant woman she saw today, and wondered if she had made a mistake. Perhaps she should have sent this child to the Perry family from the beginning. Even if he grew up as a branch member, it would be better than being raised by her like this.
Shao Ci comfortingly nuzzled against her, and she finally smiled.
The next day's Day of Holy Light was similar to the previous one.
However, in the evening of the second day, Shao Ci's body started to feel feverish due to absorbing an excessive amount of light elemental energy.
Sophia became anxious and carried Shao Ci, who was radiating heat, to find a doctor. However, the doctor couldn't provide any conclusions and only said, "Perhaps this infant's body is too weak, and the excessive absorption of holy light has caused this. Unless it's a temple priest, no one can save him."
Given Sophia's current status, it was impossible for her to enter the temple.
Shao Ci also heard what the doctor said, and though he felt that it might not be a major issue for himself, he couldn't express it since he couldn't speak. He could only feel anxious.
Sophia panicked and had no choice but to bring Shao Ci to the family she hadn't set foot in for several years. She knelt at the door, hoping to see the family head.
But no one allowed her in. After all, Sophia was considered a disgrace to the family, and the family head wished he had never had a daughter like her.
Realizing that there was no other option, Sophia stumbled back home, still holding Shao Ci, and made a decision.
Even if she no longer wanted any entanglement with that person, there was no other choice now.
On the third day of the Day of Holy Light, everything was similar to before.
Sophia struggled to squeeze into the front row, close to the path where the nobles entered the temple. Guards stood on both sides, but the actual barrier was the magic array along the road.
Such magic arrays could block true commoners, but Sophia, who was originally a noble, managed to squeeze through.
She knelt on the ground, silently waiting.
Shao Ci felt his body getting hotter, and his mind became hazy. He could hardly pay attention to his surroundings.
Soon, members of the Perry family approached, and Deloris was holding a five or six-year-old boy with light golden hair. The boy had small wings on his back and a proud expression.
Clearly, after absorbing two days' worth of light elemental energy, he had gained the power to transform into a human form.
Noble infants naturally had priests to channel their powers, while commoner infants couldn't absorb as much light elemental energy, so they didn't face as many issues.
Someone like Shao Ci, who hadn't appeared in hundreds of years, was a rarity.
Both children were born to single mothers, yet the other child effortlessly had everything, while Shao Ci would die because he absorbed too much power. It would feel incredibly unfair if it were someone else.
However, Shao Ci felt it was fine... He had confidence in his spiritual power. Even if he couldn't do it now, he believed that with more effort in the future, he could still succeed.
... But why was he eventually kicked out?
Seeing Rist and feeling the warmth in her arms, Sophia finally made up her mind. She rushed onto the road in front of the temple, blocking their path.
Upon seeing Sophia, Rist's expression turned cold, with a hint of disgust.
Naturally, Rist didn't care about this woman from a small family. He just wanted to have some fun with her, but he didn't expect it to cause so much trouble.
Sophia pleaded desperately, "Please... at least save your own child. I know you don't want to acknowledge him... but as long as he's safe, I'll immediately take him away from here."
Tears streamed down her face. Despite her pride, she couldn't care about anything else at this moment, only concerned about Shao Ci's well-being.
Deloris's expression immediately changed, and she questioned Rist, "What's going on?"
She knew that Rist had been quite promiscuous before their marriage, but she never knew he had a child outside.
Rist dreaded the thought of his wife finding out about this. He looked at Sophia and sneered, "I don't even know you. Who knows where you came from... Guards, get rid of this woman."
He was well aware that Sophia had his child, but so what? The child was just someone who completely lacked his talents, undoubtedly born because this woman's bloodline was too lowly... Bringing the child to his own family would be a disgrace.
Deloris remained silent. She had questions in her mind but knew it wasn't the time to ask.
"You..." Sophia never expected Rist to be so heartless. Amidst the shoving of the guards, she held Shao Ci tightly but accidentally fell to the ground. Shao Ci rolled out of her arms.
As Shao Ci rolled on the ground, he suddenly heard gasps from those around him.
He struggled to open his eyes and saw a pair of white boots in front of him. Then, he was lifted up by a beautiful hand.
The moment the person touched him, Shao Ci felt his feverish body improve significantly. He even caught a faint scent.
Shao Ci finally saw the person's incredibly beautiful face, and those seemingly holy, light silver eyes gazed at him.
This scene felt very familiar to Shao Ci, as if he had seen it in a dream... the person with silver long hair.
Everyone around was stunned, and Rist hurriedly spoke, "Your Highness, please let go. Holding such a thing will dirty your hands."
Sophia was so nervous that she could hardly breathe. She wanted to do something but was restrained and unable to move.
Eumir completely ignored Rist's words. Instead, he gently brushed off the dust from Shao Ci's body. It seemed like he rarely did such things, and his movements were a bit awkward. Then, naturally, he held the clean Shao Ci in his arms and softly asked, "What happened?"
Tl/n: Don't let me see some bastard ditching their kids. Does this Rist fucking asshole knows what lamb intestine is? Fucker, alternative for condom, you fucking shithead. Seriously, if I see people like him I won't think twice before creating a crime, I will cut their dicks in front of them and grind it before feeding it to them..