TuxedoTranslations

Chapter 80

Zeman recalled, “Love can create miracles… I remember that’s the motto of your Temple of the Goddess of Love. I didn’t expect it to have this kind of meaning too.”

Every temple had its own motto—for example, the Sun Temple’s was “Eternal Light,” and the Night Temple’s was “Only death is inevitable.”

“It’s just some of our speculation. After all, whether this child even existed is uncertain. Records from the Age of Gods differ between temples, and the wording is often vague.” Edward smiled calmly. “But for us, we firmly believe in the power of love—and that love will eventually bring forth miracles.”

Whether the “miracle” in the goddess’s womb was a symbolic concept or a real divine child was a subject of constant debate even within their own temple.

Edward lifted his head, looking up at the three statues of the goddess atop the platform, his gaze deep and focused.

The Child of Miracles…

Albin silently repeated the name in his heart.

Ever since he saw the statue earlier, he had felt an indescribable sense of closeness—a joy he couldn’t explain.

The golden sunlight filtering through the clouds made the Holy Mother statue appear especially gentle. As Albin looked up, he felt as if the Goddess of Love’s warm and loving gaze was falling directly on him. A sudden tightness rose in his nose, and he inexplicably wanted to throw himself into her warm embrace.

To craft a sculpture that evoked such feelings—perhaps that was the miracle the artisans had forged.

Albin couldn’t help wondering: If I had a mother, what would she be like?

He hadn’t thought about this in years.

Back in kindergarten, when he saw other children being picked up by their parents, he learned for the first time that other children had parents—that he was found, and what that really meant.

It meant his parents had probably abandoned him, just like he threw away toys or food he didn’t like.

He had once cried under the covers for a long time over this, and even feared that his older brother would abandon him too.

As Albin drifted into thoughts of the parents he had never met, Padma raised a question of his own about the legend.

“Then who is the father of the Child of Miracles? A human—or a god?”

Padma asked because he had thought of something.

According to legend, the Goddess of Love and the God of Wine had once been lovers.

And the God of Wine currently resided inside his body, so he couldn’t help being a little concerned.

What if a divine child suddenly appeared someday to make trouble for him?

Edward shrugged. “As everyone knows, the Goddess of Love had many romances—whether with the God of Wine, the Sun God, the Sea God, the Shepherd God… all were once her lovers. It’s even said the founding king of our Rose Kingdom—who remained unmarried his whole life—was also her lover. So as for who the father of the divine child might be, we have no way of knowing.”

While Edward spoke, Muen nodded lightly as if confirming his explanation.

After visiting the statues, Edward continued guiding them, but Albin seemed a bit distracted. The adults assumed he was tired, so Edward took them toward the Temple of the Goddess of Love.

As they walked farther from the city center, Albin asked, confused, “The Temple of the Goddess of Love isn’t in the city center?”

The Sun Temples they’d visited before were always located right in the center of the city.

“That’s right. The temple’s minor rites occur only once every three months—not that frequent—so it’s built in the southern forest, where it won’t disturb the residents.”

They walked into the forest, where vibrant greenery and bright flowers wove together into a lively tapestry. Flowers and climbing vines wrapped around the pillars and arches lining the path; the white pillars, staggered in height, blended gracefully into the woods.

Passing quietly flowing streams and layers of dense trees, brushing aside the hanging wisteria in the flower corridor, they finally saw the true form of the temple.

The temple was made of white marble, its carvings exquisite, glowing with warm radiance under the sunlight. The walls were draped with vines and ivy, like green lace and embroidery adorning a magnificent gown.

The sound of the stream murmured softly. A statue of the goddess holding a flower crown appeared once more in their view. Entering this garden temple made one’s heart feel peaceful and joyful.

Albin took a deep breath of the cool, floral-scented air, feeling as though he had stepped into an elven realm.

“Welcome to the Temple of the Goddess of Love—”

Edward greeted them with elegance and gave them a brief tour of the interior.

Albin’s bright eyes darted excitedly around, taking in every beautiful sight, unusually energetic.

After bringing them to their rooms, Edward ruffled Albin’s hair and asked, “In two days it’ll be New Year. There will be events on the streets, and a banquet at the palace. Would you like to join?”

New Year celebrations! Fun!

Albin tugged eagerly at Zeman’s sleeve.

Seeing how excited he was, Zeman naturally agreed.

After Edward left, Albin flopped onto the soft, fragrant bed, and all his fatigue vanished instantly.

Thankfully these were single rooms—otherwise he’d have to struggle again over whom to share with.

Come to think of it… wasn’t his journey basically over already?

Staring up at the gauzy canopy, Albin suddenly realized this.

They could stay here for a few days, but they couldn’t stay forever. Did this mean they’d continue traveling afterward?

And Brother Padma… now that they were in the Rose Kingdom, was he going to apply to work for that marquess’s wife? Would they soon have to go their separate ways?

Even though they had only been together for less than three months, Albin felt deeply reluctant to part.

He hugged a pillow and rolled around on the bed, his heart feeling a bit stuffy, so he slipped on his shoes and went outside for some fresh air.

Elsewhere, Muen left the room immediately after setting down his luggage.

This was the Temple of the Goddess of Love—her dwelling place. He had something he needed to confirm directly with the goddess.

At first, based on the name and the slight resemblance in appearance, Muen had suspected that Albin was the child of the Goddess of Love.

But the question was—why would the goddess allow her child to be left out in the world?

From what Edward had said earlier, it seemed the goddess had never sent anyone to search for her child.

Although he didn’t understand emotions well, Mu En still knew the Goddess of Love wasn’t that kind of person.

He had once spoken with her about this—before Raf became pregnant.

The red-haired, red-eyed woman suddenly asked him, “With such a long lifespan, do you ever feel lonely?”

Mu En looked at her in confusion. After thinking for a moment, he replied calmly, “I’ve always lived this way. I don’t understand what you mean by loneliness.”

His way of life hadn’t changed after becoming a god. A long lifespan, to him, was simply a long stretch of spacing out and sleeping.

“At times like this, I envy you a little.” Raf gazed into the distance. “My family, my former lovers, my friends—everyone I’ve cared for has left me one by one. Even my country has been destroyed. The world in my eyes has become unfamiliar.”

“Death is unavoidable.” Mu En didn’t understand what she was lamenting. Didn’t everyone already know this from the beginning?

“Death…” Raf murmured. She gave a small, wistful smile. “Perhaps someday, we will die too.”

Mu En, who possessed the divine authority of Death, sensed a faint will to die within her—and beyond that, he also felt that Raf’s power was weakening.

Why?

Was it because of the loneliness she spoke of?

Mu En couldn’t understand. He said, “Aren’t you with Sun and the others?”

They were all long-lived beings. That shouldn’t have been a problem.

To his surprise, Raf let out a long sigh. “That was hundreds of years ago. We broke up. I’ve broken up several times. I just don’t get along with them.”

Mu En wasn’t interested in this topic and therefore didn’t ask further.

Until one day, Raf told him she was pregnant.

At that time, Raf radiated abundant power of love. Although Mu En didn’t understand what love was, he could tell that a child was the source of her continuously overflowing affection.

A Raf like that would never abandon her child.

Therefore, only two possibilities existed:

1. Albin isn’t Raf’s child at all.
   
   Perhaps, as Edward had said, the so-called Child of Miracles might not have been born in the first place.
   
2. Something happened to Raf.
   

He had heard Albin mention the Spear of the Gods, but he didn’t know when that happened, nor did he know what condition Raf was in.

Whichever it was, he had to see Raf to confirm.

He couldn’t let his younger brother be happily mistaken. When his brother had once cried so bitterly over his parents, Mu En didn’t want those wounds reopened.

Mu En walked toward the back of the temple.

He had been there once before and knew that Raf’s garden lay behind it—she had invited him there once.

But someone stopped him.

“That area is a forbidden place of our Temple of Love. Entry is prohibited~” Edward smiled politely, yet firmly blocked the way.

Mu En frowned. For Albin’s sake, he didn’t force his way through.

“I’m looking for Raf. She told me I could visit her anytime.”

After thinking for a moment, he took out the token Raf had given him—a rose-shaped brooch.

Edward froze, looking at him with suspicion and alertness, but accepted the brooch.

Edward cast a spell. A beam of light shot out from the rose brooch and landed on Mu En’s forehead, transmitting the will Raf had left within the token. A familiar power flowed into him, and a gentle woman’s voice echoed in his mind:

—“He is my honored guest. Allow him to come to me.”

Hearing the Goddess of Love’s voice, Edward was stunned for a moment. When he returned the brooch, his expression had become complicated.

“Who are you? Lady Raf has been unconscious for a thousand years. Why do you have this?”

A being who could live this long was certainly not human.

“…I am her son.”

“The Child of Miracles?!” Edward exclaimed.

“No. Her adopted son.”

Mu En wasn’t interested in continuing the conversation. He simply asked Edward to lead the way.

With the Goddess’s decree, Edward had no choice but to comply.

However, halfway there, the forest suddenly rang with sharp birdsong, as if conveying some message.

Edward’s expression changed drastically. “Another intruder!”

—

Albin stepped out of the temple, breathing in the fresh air. As he looked around at the beautiful surroundings, the gloom in his heart eased.

“I forgot to bring Emerald out. This place is all forest—he’d love it here.”

He muttered to himself as he admired the scenery. After walking for a while, he found that he had gotten lost.

Because the Temple of Love was built seamlessly into the forest, it was naturally hard to distinguish directions.

He considered setting off fireworks to be found, but decided to try walking a bit more first—in case he managed to get out quickly.

“Maybe this way?” Albin looked in a certain direction, feeling something inside him urging him to go that way.

Following his intuition, he did indeed emerge from the forest—but the sight before him was not the Temple of Love.

Instead, it was a vast flower field.

Endless flowers swayed like waves in the wind, moving in a graceful rhythm. Their vivid colors formed a masterpiece of nature.

His gaze landed on the towering ancient tree at the center of the flower field. Its lush green leaves glimmered in the sunlight, and the wind that rustled through them sounded like a greeting.

For some reason, Albin felt a powerful sense of belonging toward this ancient, majestic tree.

Even stronger than what he felt when he saw the statue of the Holy Mother. He suddenly had the urge to embrace it.

Instinctively, he walked through the sea of flowers to the base of the tree. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, scattering across him like golden rain.

Albin craned his neck to look up at the massive tree. Its branches twisted and intertwined like vines, and there was a hollow in the trunk—empty inside.

As he gently brushed his hand over the bark, a surge of emotion washed over him. In a daze, he murmured:

“…Mom…”

Suddenly, a sharp voice exploded behind him:

[Damn intruder! Come to steal again?!]

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