Peope: "Chief, I’ve returned."
Igrin: "Ah, Peope of the Spiral Fairies."
Peope: "Yes. I’m glad you remember me."
Igrin: "Of course. No other fairies have been born since you a year ago."
Peope’s expression soured. The youngest of the 72 Orders of Fairies. The only reason Igrin remembered her was because of that.
Fairies, being female in form, cannot reproduce. To maintain the race, they had no choice but to wait for new individuals to be born, and Peope was the first fairy born in nearly a decade.
Igrin: "How did the fugitive case go? Kanya and Rena, was it?"
Peope: "Yes. They confessed and cooperated with the investigation."
Igrin: "And the verdict?"
Peope: "I sentenced both to a one-year reduction."
Igrin’s displeased expression made Peope gulp. She had no doubts about her verdict, but as a novice, she couldn’t guarantee it was the right decision.
Igrin: "Though you’re still young, you are also an enforcer of the law. I must respect your judgment. But I want to ask this: was there any external pressure?"
Peope: "No. It was my decision."
Though Shirone had threatened her life, it hadn’t escalated to external pressure. She had realized the excessive sentence was unreasonable and thus issued a one-year reduction.
Igrin eyed Peope suspiciously.
A one-year reduction for escaping purgatory had never been issued before. For a fairy only a year old, the verdict was refreshing.
Igrin: "Was there anything else unusual? I heard that heretics entered heaven following mortals."
Peope hesitated. Strictly speaking, those who accompanied Kanya were not heretics but Nephilim.
But if she explained everything from start to finish, there was room for misinterpretation. And that wasn’t what Peope wanted.
Peope: "I didn’t see any heretics."
Igrin waited for more. The situation required additional explanation.
But Peope offered none.
Igrin sighed and waved her hand.
Igrin: "Alright, excellent work. You may go."
Peope: "Yes. Rest well, Chief."
Peope bowed and left.
As the door to her residence closed, Igrin looked up at the ceiling. She then asked her confidant, Mer, the Fairy of Truth.
Igrin: "What happened?"
Mer: "Peope spoke only the truth. But it doesn’t seem like she told the whole story."
Igrin: "I thought as much. What could have happened? She’s still at an age where she needs to learn, but I’m worried she’s becoming too opinionated too early."
Igrin rested her chin on her hand, lost in thought.
Igrin: "Find out about the humans who entered heaven following mortals. The Mech Command should have detailed records."
Mer: "I’ll leave immediately."
With that, Mer flew out through a hole in the ceiling.
Igrin crossed her legs and furrowed her brow.
The 73rd District was known for being a quiet, incident-free zone. For humans who were neither heretics nor mortals to enter such a place...
Her intuition, honed over 3,000 years, brought one heretic to mind.
Igrin: "Adrias Miro..."
Peope: "Whew, I thought I’d die from nervousness."
Peope dragged her tired body home.
Though she had lived for a year and should have adjusted by now, her body stiffened every time she met Igrin.
Especially on days like today, when she had to make a discretionary decision, the pressure was even greater.
Peope: "Sigh, being an enforcer of the law is tough."
Fairy Trio: "Hahaha! What’s so hard about dealing with mortals? It’s just because you’re incompetent!"
Peope frowned at the voices behind her. Turning her head, she saw the three fairy sisters approaching, sneering.
Before Peope was born, they had been the youngest. Though fairies born from concepts had no blood ties, these three were called sisters because they were born around the same time.
Peope: "Hello, seniors."
Peope forced a smile. The fairy trio’s expressions grew even more hostile.
Their faces hadn’t always been like that.
Fairies born from emotions easily showed changes in their hearts on their faces.
Any fairy who spent about ten years as the youngest would inevitably end up like that.
Fairy Trio: "We heard about it. You issued a one-year sentence, right? You were swayed by humans, weren’t you? We can tell without even looking."
Peope: "No. I really thought that was the right decision."
Fairy Trio: "Oh, really? Then it’s a truly foolish verdict. Now you’re officially a pushover. Don’t expect mortals to respect you from now on!"
The fairy trio covered their mouths and laughed.
Peope was angry but couldn’t show it. If she got on the bad side of her direct seniors, she’d be tormented for life—a life that lasted at least 10,000 years.
She had no choice but to endure. Once the next youngest was born, they’d leave her alone.
Fairy Trio: "Anyway, do your job properly. In the past, someone like you wouldn’t even have been made an enforcer. These days, fairies are rarely born, so they’re cutting you some slack. Squeeze the mortals harder."
Peope: "I’m doing that."
Fairy Trio: "Doing what? What do you, a one-year-old, know to talk back?"
Peope kept their mouth shut.
It was ridiculous that they, who had just passed ten years, were lecturing her, but in the strict hierarchy of the fairy world, a one-year-old had no voice.
Fairy Trio: "Understand? You need to make them fear us. That’s how you get mortals to obey. Be careful so this doesn’t happen again."
As the fairy trio left after their scolding, Peope felt like she had aged ten years.
At this point, she felt like she could take them on in a fight.
Of course, that was only possible in her imagination.
Peope: "Whew, I’m exhausted. I just want to go home."
Peope’s flight wobbled as she let her limbs hang.
The central plaza of Shamain’s 73rd District, where the Day of Rebirth was to take place, was bustling from the early morning.
The Mechas inspected the devices, while the Noor’s checked the magic spells to be used in the ritual.
As Kergoin led the subjects in a rehearsal, Shirone clutched his chest, feeling it tighten.
A rehearsal for an event where people died? Just how little did heaven’s god value human life?
Once the preparations were complete, the subjects bid farewell to their families, including Kanya and Rena.
Rena’s tears wouldn’t stop. Even the brave Kanya was now just a pitiful daughter sending her mother off.
As the time for the ritual approached, Kanya took out Epines and Corfin from her pocket.
Kanya: "Drink this. It’ll help."
Shirone knew what Kanya was handing over.
After learning what the Day of Rebirth was, his heart grew even heavier.
What good would stimulants and sedatives do?
No, he didn’t know. Once their brains melted and they became giants, there was no way to know how their minds would transform.
Perhaps it was better than nothing.
For parents, nothing could be more encouraging than medicine brought by their children.
As the preparations for the ritual were completed, the mortals spread out in a circle around the statue.
The scene was no different from what Peope had shown in her memory, except that there were ten subjects this time.
According to Kanya, the person who carried out the Day of Rebirth was the oldest in the district. Being old meant they had been granted lifespans continuously, making them the most faithful among the mortals.
This time, the executor was Kergoin.
He appeared to be a sturdy young man, but he was said to be 187 years old.
He was from the noble class of the Kergo and was scheduled to soon gain eternal life and move to the Third Heaven, Shehakim.
Kergoin: "We will now begin the Day of Rebirth! Subjects, step forward!"
The ten subjects approached the glass orbs.
It would be a lie to say they weren’t scared. The idea of dissolving in strange chemicals and merging into one was the most unsettling and terrifying death for a human.
As Kanya tried to run forward, her father held her back.
Though she clearly heard her daughter’s voice, her mother didn’t look back.
Everyone was behaving similarly.
The subjects smiled for their families, and the families hid their sorrow for the subjects.
Shirone didn’t find it beautiful.
He didn’t know what value the Day of Rebirth held for the mortals, but accepting such a ritual was wrong from the start.
The subjects removed their clothes and entered the glass orbs. They then sat on the cold glass floor, closed their eyes, and prayed.
Shirone’s anger boiled over.
For what were they praying? How could they praise the god who was driving them to their deaths?
Shirone: "This is murder. I can’t accept this."
Shirone finally blurted out. It was the conclusion he had reached after countless deliberations since last night.
The Day of Rebirth had to be stopped.
Anyone would do the same if they understood it was murder.
Shirone walked toward the statue. He intended to stop the ritual before the subjects died.
Tess grabbed Shirone’s wrist.
Tess: "Shirone, wait. I’m angry too. But this isn’t our world. There’s a saying that you must follow the laws of the land you’re in."
Shirone: "I don’t know who said that, but it’s just a human thought. Kanya’s mother committed no crime. Dying shouldn’t happen under any circumstances."
Tess: "But what can we do? Even if we stop the Day of Rebirth, Kanya’s mother’s lifespan ends today. Even if we save her, we’ll only be putting ourselves in danger."
Shirone: "No, that’s not it. Kanya’s mother might not die today."
Tess: "What? What do you mean?"
The reason the Day of Rebirth continued despite the mortals’ doubts was that Ra controlled lifespans. The fact that they would die today compelled them to obey the law.
But Shirone said the law was wrong. If there was truly an error in the Day of Rebirth, the mortals were being deceived. It was a clear fraud. In that case, there was ample room to change the situation.
Executor: "Inject the life fuel! We will now begin the Day of Rebirth!"
As the executor shouted, Kergoin grew busy. Once the liquid rose, there is no second chance. Though it was unclear when the bodies would dissolve, drowning would come first.
As Kergoin approached the device, Shirone shouted.
Shirone: "Wait! The Day of Rebirth is unacceptable!"
The mortals’ gazes focused on Shirone.
It was easy to spot him standing alone in the open space. But since they didn’t understand his language, they couldn’t grasp his meaning.
Shirone looked at Arin. He wanted her to translate. Reluctantly, Arin sighed and approached.
She knew better than anyone that Shirone was a cautious person. If he had made a decision, it meant he wouldn’t back down under any circumstances.
Arin expanded her Spirit Zone. Though mental images specialized in tentacle forms, simply expanding the zone was enough when dealing with the public.
Shirone repeated his earlier words.
The language penetrated the mortals’ minds. Since it was a fairy-like ability, no one was surprised. But the meaning behind the words couldn’t be ignored.
Hostility filled the mortals’ eyes. To label a ritual worshiping Ra as evil was clearly heretical logic.
The executor couldn’t hide his anger and snapped back.
Executor: "What authority do you have to say the ritual is unacceptable? Are you not a mortal? Do you wish to face death without the chance of resurrection?"
Shirone: "I am a Nephilim."
The room fell silent in an instant.
Even in the original world, Immortal Function was a realm not just anyone could reach.
In the 73rd District, a Nephilim revealing themselves was a first in their lives.
The executor was equally flustered.
He had faithfully carried out Ra’s duties to reach this position. His 187 years were like a medal to him.
But even such a medal couldn’t compare to a Nephilim.
Nephilim were descendants of angels.
Though they couldn’t interfere with the law, they were inherently different from mortals.
Executor: "A Nephilim... Why do you reject the Day of Rebirth? This is the law decreed by God."