Chapter 135: Mother and Daughter (1)
“After countless eons, we meet like this. We should make this time worthwhile.”
Cambrian gently caressed Albus’ thigh, slowly climbing up his body.
It was the appearance of his past self that he thought he had subdued.
Albus quickly sorted through his thoughts.
‘Has she woken up? How? No, that’s not important right now. Has she materialized?’
“I completed the trial, so…”
The sensation of warmth and a sharp, sweet scent filled the air.
The atmosphere was dizzying, almost intoxicating.
“You’ll want your reward, right?”
Cambrian climbed over Albus, covering him as a predator would its prey.
Her voluptuous body embraced him.
‘No! This isn’t flesh! She hasn’t fully materialized!’
Albus realized that Cambrian hadn’t restored her physical form.
When he had lost himself to her, her soul had transformed, taking the form of a spiritual essence.
[Sensory Block]
[Soul Freezing]
Through the connection with her soul, Cambrian’ spiritual tendrils, which had been trying to seize Albus’ mind, were blocked by the power of his authority.
“Hah… You figured it out, didn’t you?”
“…What are you trying to do to me?”
“Heh. As expected, it’s me. I didn’t think you’d catch on so quickly.”
Even though her cunning plan had been foiled, Cambrian smiled, satisfied.
“You already know everything, don’t you? I’ve shared my feelings with you through the connected souls. My soul is now one with yours.”
Albus knew through the memories and emotions that flooded in that Cambrian was speaking the truth.
The pleasure and ecstasy that flowed through him via her tendrils were genuine emotions she was feeling.
A strange obsession directed at him.
‘She’s wearing underwear from Earth, something that shouldn’t even exist in this continent…’
Cambrian’s attire, that of scanty underwear, was an image formed through Albus’ memories of his past life.
She had learned his preferences through the connection and transformed herself to match them.
“I am your past, your past life, and the only one who understands you in this universe. You feel it too, don’t you? We are the most noble beings in this universe, and no one can understand or be equal to us.”
As Cambrian continued her long speech, Albus peered into her very soul through their connected spirits.
Previously, he had only seen fragments of her when she shielded her mind, but now, with her permission, everything was laid bare to him.
Every secret, every hidden corner of her being.
“The concept of the Holy Trinity I’ve established…”
Having seen all of Cambrian’ memories, Albus now understood why she had woken up from [sleep].
“The concept became known to your followers, and that’s how you awoke.”
To avoid the situation, Albus had fabricated the concept of the Holy Trinity involving Mother GM, Father GM, and their child.
He had used this to manipulate her followers.
The problem was that they were the ones who held the key titles to her resurrection.
Her image, as a beautiful goddess, had left a strong mark on their memories and affected their faith, creating enough divinity to awaken Cambrian.
‘Still, it’s only at that level.’
The current Cambrian was but a powerless spirit.
Unlike before, she couldn’t summon territories or possess Albus’ body.
“It was a brilliant idea. If you are bound to only one, the divinity and its hierarchy would reach a limit. But you, you created the concept of one and three, three and one, transcending the hierarchy and expanding it. You welcomed the soul equal to yours!”
Cambrian cried out ecstatically.
The fact that Albus was Father GM and she was Mother GM meant that Albus had officially recognized her as his only companion!
“You must want to become one with me! I’ve wanted that too! To make that wish come true, I became mortal, lowering my rank!”
She embraced Albus, pulling him in for a kiss.
“Wait a second.”
Thud.
Albus halted her soul.
Cambrian’s eyes, once filled with passion, began to tremble.
‘No, could it be? Do you not like me?’
Albus looked straight into her eyes.
Within them, he couldn’t find the same emotions he felt.
‘This is dizzying.’
In truth, Albus was only bewildered by the sudden shift in the situation.
Despite the inexplicable fondness that arose from sharing the same soul, Cambrian’s form now mirrored Albus’ ideal type from his Earthly days.
Had there been more time, Albus might have been overwhelmed by emotions, falling for her like she had for him.
“Ah, I see now. If we exclude us, the third being that is equal to us is… our child.”
Cambrian’s head slowly turned sideways.
“Ko…?”
At the end of her gaze, Dua was sleeping soundly.
“Are you considering that little girl as your companion? You’re abandoning me, the one who’s been waiting for you since the beginning!”
Her eyes, once full of warmth, were now filled with madness.
“…Unbelievable.”
[Immunity to Anomalies Released]
[Stay]
“Ugh!”
Albus’ will took shape as an intangible force, binding Cambrian’ soul.
Had it been visible, the binding would have looked like a turtle’s shell, with patterns resembling that.
“She is my precious daughter. That can’t be true.”
Cambrian, now consumed by madness, screamed in frustration.
Though it was an unexpected misunderstanding, it allowed Albus to regain his composure and shake off the emotional turmoil.
“You… just a little more gently, please…”
“Ha… We need to have a serious talk now. There are still things to resolve. I guess resting peacefully isn’t an option.”
Albus, now confused by the sudden shift and the appearance of a new self, was unsure of what to make of the situation.
The fact that Dua’s mouth, which had been sleeping behind him, was now smiling more than before was undeniable.
Chirp, chirp.
Morning arrived, and the birds began chirping.
“Sigh…“
Albus had been dealing with the matters of Cambria and ended up staying up the entire night.
Although he had gained full divinity, and had transcended the limitations of a mortal’s sleep, he still felt the mental fatigue that had accumulated over time, and he found himself tired.
‘What should I do about this…?’
Thanks to their conversation throughout the night, Albus was certain of something.
This other version of himself… his obsession was too intense.
“-Why can’t you understand? Only I can be your other half, and you can only be mine!”
Having witnessed her past life, Albus understood her worldview, but accepting it was a different matter.
Who would accept the appearance of someone from their past life proclaiming that they should become one?
‘Does it even make sense for us to be connected from the beginning? Isn’t it just self-soothing?’
If anyone else heard this, they would likely think Albus had gone mad, with the situation completely defying common sense.
However, as the conversation continued, and given that Cambria kept insisting that she was the only one who understood him, Albus couldn’t deny that point.
Perhaps it was because they were the same.
Their tastes aligned so perfectly.
From coping strategies and ways of thinking to food preferences and the pursuit of pleasure, Albus had no choice but to accept that Cambria was, indeed, him.
If the circumstances were reversed, and Albus found himself in Cambria’s shoes, he likely would have turned out the same way.
“That’s what makes it more difficult,” Albus muttered to himself.
Her strange obsession hadn’t turned into animosity toward the beings around Albus.
It was her extreme way of thinking that made her view beings like Alia and Deus as inferior, not even worthy of being competition.
The only person she considered a rival was Dua, who had become equal in status after being bound in the Trinity.
‘How can I remove this animosity toward Dua?’
Albus had no idea how to calm the jealousy.
At this rate, the adorable Dua might see her as a rival and fight her.
“Dad…? And… Mom?”
Dua, waking from her sleep in a dazed state, murmured those words while looking at Cambria.
“-M-Mom…?”
The only being who could possibly be a competitor now referred to Albus as “father” and called herself “mother.”
This was a clear acknowledgment that she considered herself the companion of Albus.
Cambria smiled as if she hadn’t even noticed her expression had changed.
“It’s just for now.”
On the outside, she looked like a pure child, but there was more behind those words than one would expect.
***
Ten Days Later
Somewhere on the new server of Rudera.
“Wow! This is almost like a month’s worth of income!”
“We’re almost at the party level! Hahaha!”
“When we go back, there’ll be a feast!”
The players, returning to the village, celebrated their raid victory.
Whoooom.
“Ugh, ugh!”
“What, what is that?!”
A heavy, oppressive feeling descended upon them.
Whoooom.
The air split, and from within emerged:
[Dragon Lord]
A massive, red dragon revealed its enormous form.
“D-Dragon!”
“We… we need to run…!”
Despite being highly skilled adventurers, their abilities were no match for the creature that transcended their kind.
All they could do was kneel, pleading for mercy.
“-Do not fear.”
“Forgive us!”
“Great one! Please have mercy!”
The dragon’s immense presence overshadowed their cries.
“-I am Losef, a servant of the GM. Today, I bring you great news.”
Wrapped in the Dragon Lord’s magic, a cradle descended from the sky.
“-Rejoice and stand up! For the great leader who will save you from the oppression of your class has arrived!”
The sacred cradle of Duamutep descended to the earth.