Xingyue, is Xiaokai also considered Kai?

"Hey, Miyu, this is a rare opportunity for adventure!"

Yoshiko transformed the fear and confusion hidden in her heart into courageous words, which she then spoke aloud.

"Are you planning to go take a look with your mom?"

The Shuoyue family, a family with a long history dating back to the Tensho era, is said to have girls born into this family with crimson eyes and extraordinary abilities. They can receive people's thoughts and unconsciously bring those thoughts to life as children of the gods.

The first one saved Fuyuki from famine, but died at the age of only 2.

Second, the spirit is worn down even before life itself.

From the third child onwards, their births were concealed. From then on, the girls of the Shuoyue family would be raised by their mothers alone within a barrier that isolated human thoughts. This was a ritual that caused the gods to fall into human form, advocating silence, thoughtlessness, and stillness—a cruel method completely opposite to ordinary parenting.

Due to the destiny of the Sakugetsu family, the child of the god cannot freely go out before the age of seven, because before the age of seven, she is still a 'god'. At the same time, there are strict restrictions on information about her, meaning she is not taught anything. However, Yoshiko still hopes that Miyu can gain worldly knowledge, become a normal child, and be able to communicate with people normally, act normally, and think normally...

And every generation of 'mothers' knows this and still teaches 'children' in this way.

Miyu shook her head again at her mother's words and looked in the opposite direction from where she had come from.

Yoshiko knew that this meant Miyu was refusing.

Although she didn't know what was going on, she didn't have any intention of forcing anything, so she just nodded and planned to lead Miyu in the opposite direction... if Miyu hadn't turned around and raised her head slightly.

The young black-haired girl, as always, turned her head slightly to look at a place that Yoshiko could not see, with an empty gaze that seemed to be looking somewhere unfocused, as if she wanted to absorb the whole world into her crimson pupils.

There was no explanation, no sympathy in her eyes, only a simple gaze. The young child himself resembled a finely crafted doll, even carrying a hint of melancholy. And those beautiful, crimson eyes only shone brightly at this moment—

In that instant, Yoshiko reflexively followed her gaze.

Although it was only for a moment, Yoshiko still saw it: on the summit of the giant mountain made of corpses, there was a small white figure.

"……This is!"

Sakuzuki Yoshiko, who could sense the magic through the air, couldn't help but hold her breath.

If the Child of God is barely a god, then that white figure is undoubtedly a god among gods, and if I'm not mistaken, this white god's power contains a 'wish' mechanism similar to that of the Child of God.

Although Yoshiko's face was ashen and she was filled with fear and confusion, she maintained her usual gentle expression in front of Miyu.

"Miyu, do you dislike that one?"

If both are wish-granting entities, the one that is too dominant will obviously cause rejection from others of the same type, she thought.

However, the black-haired girl kept her head down, neither nodding nor shaking her head, and showed no reaction to Yoshiko's words.

Yang Daizi chuckled.

She didn't have any expectations. If she did have any expectations, it was probably that her child would grow up smoothly, and she looked forward to seeing what she would be like when she grew up, dreaming of the day when she could call her "Mom".

Every generation of the Shuoyue family's 'mothers' hopes that their 'daughters' can communicate, act, and think normally after the age of seven. This can be considered a job, but in essence, it is just based on the 'mother's' love for her 'children'.

During the four years that Miyu was born, Yoshiko Sakuzuki used an extraordinary method of home education for her, after all, Yoshiko herself was raised by her mother in the same way. This included qualifications such as dance, flower arranging, tea ceremony, piano, swimming, archery, aikido, accounting, legal scrivener, boiler engineer, interior designer, nail technician, pufferfish chef, etc., except for IT-related qualifications.

But suddenly—

Miyu gently shook her head.

Yoshiko's eyes widened slightly, but she found that she wasn't actually that surprised. The feeling that 'despite being in a terrifying place, it's not something to be afraid of' was what gave her that sense of security. The small white figure that appeared for only a moment gave her that feeling.

"In that case, let's go."

Yoshiko generously picked up the child who looked 'rejected'.

“Miyu, you tell me, if that deity is an ancestor of our Shuoyue family or something, it would be good to meet him, right? Even if he isn’t, since he’s so similar to the Shuoyue family in essence, it would be better to meet him. Maybe he can help us. Even my mother’s mother has never seen him. Little Miyu is the first witness to something like this in our family.”

Miyu stared blankly at Yoshiko, making no move, but still showing a look of 'rejection'.

Seeing this, Yoshiko first sighed, then took out a temari ball and waved it in front of Miyu, saying with a smile:

"Alright, then we won't go. But how about we play a game? Like before, I'll toss the temari ball up, and then you catch it with your hand, Miyu. Then I'll toss it again, and you catch it again. Hmm, it's decided then."

As soon as she finished speaking, Yoshiko threw a temari ball, but judging from the fact that she threw it in the direction of the white figure, she was just trying to lure her daughter to move forward with her.

Ultimately, Yoshiko was also puzzled as to why Miyu was so resistant. The answer was actually quite simple: as the child of the gods, Miyu had always been cared for by her mother within a barrier that isolated her from outsiders. Therefore, people's longing could not be transformed into hope and projected onto Miyu. Her arrival here was purely an accident.

If Novia hadn't used the power of 'Miroku' to come here, Miyu's power would only have been enough for her to come here for a moment. However, it was precisely because she had some support that she and her mother were able to come together and remain here for so long. As for her resistance, it was because, as a 'wishing machine,' she naturally heard Novia tell the 'wishing machines' to go back to their own homes and just stay the same as before.

However, the very clever Yoshiko solved this problem with her own unique method.

And so, the mother and daughter continued their journey towards the very center of the world, tossing temari balls along the way.

The further they went, the more terrifying it became. If the creatures above them displayed their tragic ends, then the barren earth piled with the dead was a stark reminder of 'silence and death,' a suffocating web of intricate patterns.

Sakuzuki Yoshiko could hardly imagine that a powerful god of the 'wish' type could survive in such a lifeless and futureless 'static world'. In the process, she had already used magic to discover that the growth of her own cells had stopped, but this curse-like manifestation had not caused her any damage.

Generally speaking, the most common reasons for stagnant cell growth are cell aging, apoptosis, disease, or lack of nutrition. However, these are usually partial and can be compensated for as much as possible. But now, the growth has stopped throughout the entire body, which means that various organs and functions of the human body will experience a variety of problems.

However, rather than such a stagnation, this stagnation is more like a pause button being pressed, because Yang Daizi senses that the cells are still active.

Although it was incredible, she couldn't accept it so much when she thought about the Shuoyue family's tradition of having children born from divine beings; after all, it was mysterious.

But only by careful observation can one understand that the death that is everywhere here cannot extinguish the 'hope' here.

Suddenly, an unusual, sharp voice warned Sakuzuki Yoshiko as she moved forward.

Be mindful and prepared; only those who truly desire to achieve their goals can progress further.

An unusual, sharp voice warned her. Looking towards the source of the sound, she saw something flash across the sky... something indistinct, seemingly human yet not quite human.

This left Yoshiko Sakuzuki completely bewildered, but after glancing at Miyu, who was still playing with temari balls, she stopped worrying about it.

Afterward, the mother and daughter walked through a long, barren land, passing through intricate gates far beyond the technological capabilities of this era, and climbing countless steps, finally arriving at the center of this world.

In reality, the distance wasn't that far, but it seemed exceptionally far to Yoshiko when she and Miyu had watched it together before.

"you--"

Just when Yoshiko thought she had successfully brought Miyu to see the God of Wishes, she found that she and Miyu had somehow ended up at the bottom of the steps again. Confused, she continued forward, but every time she was just one step away, she found that they would end up at the bottom of the steps again.

Therefore, he could only gaze at the white figure that was becoming clearer from afar. It was a person with long silver hair who had only an outline and no facial features.

Judging from his physique, he would look like he was only eleven or twelve years old from a human perspective.

The figure standing above also seemed to be sitting, as if looking at them, or perhaps looking somewhere else. It appeared to be there in a melancholy, languid manner, resting its cheek on its hand in a listless manner. Its image gave the impression of announcing the beginning of some great event.

Moreover, Yoshiko faintly heard these words coming from above:

"The first generation of prophets at the beginning of the founding mostly started from the bottom, traveling around to practice medicine and save lives, forming self-governing groups to help each other. At that time, other religions were in power, and the believers showed idealism and spontaneity. Despite being persecuted repeatedly over the decades, they were full of vitality and eventually spread throughout the Mediterranean with mutual assistance."

"When it was established as the state religion, it was unknowingly transformed into a tool for accumulating wealth and promotion. The deeds of the old prophets were excessively mythologized, the new bishops were dressed in extremely luxurious clothes, and the bishops kept repeating holiness and morality, repeating the old prophets' salvation of the lambs. They didn't care what they said, it was just their lips moving. The grateful voices of the believers drowned out the clinking of gold coins into the box."

"Whether in the fourth century or now, it remains the same."

“Baptism is something that anyone can do, but the so-called blessing of ‘God’ has degenerated into a struggle for discourse power between the old and new sects, and it has continued to this day. It’s really quite ugly.”

During the Reformation in the 15th and 16th centuries, in order to counter the rising Protestantism and consolidate its influence, the Roman Catholic Church formally declared at the Council of Tritten that "no one can enter the Kingdom of Heaven without baptism."

The General Communion’s Incoterms further clarified this doctrine, stating that anyone who says baptism is optional, that is, not necessary for salvation, should be considered a “curse.” It also emphasized that baptism is not merely symbolic, but a sacrament that bestows real and effective grace and is necessary for salvation.

However, prior to this, although baptism was generally considered a necessary condition for salvation because it was a way for a person to be born into a life of grace, the church at that time also acknowledged that God's mercy was not limited by sacraments, and that in some special circumstances, salvation could be obtained without formal baptism.

After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, St. Augustine, who took up the banner of the Church after being enlightened by Avia, also believed that the grace of God could operate beyond the visible sacraments, and that God's mercy could benefit those who had not been baptized but lived virtuous lives and sincerely sought God.

However, during the Reformation, the attitude towards baptism degenerated into a 'means' for vying for the right to speak.

"You guys are really living such a comfortable life, I'm so envious. Want to join me?"

To whom were these words addressed? Or were they simply a monologue?

In any case, Yoshiko was certain that she wasn't talking to herself or Miyu. Her tone conveyed a sense of 'indifference,' yet there was also a feeling that she might kill without hesitation at any moment.

In fact, this wasn't Yoshiko's illusion. In the Roman era, although Novia's mentality remained the same, her personality had actually undergone a subtle change, thanks in large part to Martha... However, perhaps it's because she's smaller now that her personality has subtly changed as well.

At the same time, just watching from afar was enough to make the mother and daughter feel an overwhelming sense of oppression, as if a curse had been compressed to its limit, thus reaching a state of silence. In other words, the two of them didn't have much time left. If they didn't see each other before the 'momentum' reached its peak, they would probably be sent back.

Seeing Miyu trembling so much for the first time, Yoshiko felt a pang of heartache. She thought, "Let it be, let it be, don't force Miyu anymore." But then she suddenly remembered that warning, which made her make up her mind.

So she knelt down and placed her hands on Miyu's shoulders to comfort her, and the mother and daughter looked at each other with their reddened eyes.

"Miyu, let's play temari ball toss one more time."

Since she thought she was about to arrive, Yoshiko had put away her temari ball, but now she wanted to give it one last try.

Hearing her mother's warm and courageous words, Miyu's trembling body gradually calmed down, and she finally nodded.

So, just like before, Yoshiko held the temari ball with both hands and threw it forcefully upwards onto the steps. Miyu then ran over to catch it. If they were still inside the barrier, the two would have stood still. However, here they chose to run towards each other because they caught it and threw it backwards.

Knowing this was her last chance, Yoshiko forgot all her emotions and thoughts, focusing all her consciousness on her steps.

To make the senses more acutely integrated into one point, and to obscure all unnecessary stages of perception.

Unlike nerves and blood vessels, there are invisible circuits throughout the body, through which one can feel the invisible flow of hot water.

Then, in the next instant, with the overwhelming radiance that even Yoshiko could feel with her eyes closed, she vaguely sensed the world itself trembling, as if blessing the mother and daughter's courage, or perhaps fearing the anger of the controller.

Then, the light focused on the white figure—

"Congratulations, you have successfully reached me, Yoshiko Sakuzuki. Say your wish. You can say three."

The voice was clear and pure, yet it also carried a hint of cold indifference, as if it could encompass everything.

The white figure that then appeared before Yoshiko and Miyu was in Lily's form. In human society, she would be a boy in his early teens, with long, lustrous silver hair cascading down her bare upper body.

"Why...why do you want to see me and Miyu...?"

Upon hearing this, Novia, appearing in this form, chuckled softly.

"It wasn't me who saw you, but you who saw me. Considering you're just genuinely confused, I'll offer this as a friendly answer. Tell me your wish."

After much deliberation, Yoshiko Sakuzuki finally expressed her wish.

……

"My third wish is that you and Sakuya Miyu take good care of her together until Sakuya Yoyoko dies."

Why doesn't the new moon, Yang Daizi, mention what happened after her death?

This was because she was self-aware; the magical power of the seemingly ten-year-old silver-haired boy before her was far too terrifying. She even felt that the twelve monarchs of the Clock Tower, if gathered together, might not be a match for him... Perhaps the master craftsman, the Jewel Mage, could? But this was merely her personal speculation.

In Yoshiko's mind, the 'boy' before her was undoubtedly a powerful deity. It is a good thing for a person to know their own limitations, especially since he was willing to grant her three wishes even though she had not done anything for him. So why should she be greedy?

The first wish is to learn that no matter what, despite the many hardships, Miyu will eventually find happiness.

The second wish was to learn that the fate of the Sakugetsu family would come to an end with Miyu.

Based on these two points alone, Yoshiko had a vague idea of ​​what her children would experience in the future.

Isn't it incredibly romantic that a child with a special destiny, after enduring numerous hardships, finally escapes the troubles of their family and finds happiness? Just like the unfolding of a fairy tale.

Why not just request that all of these be removed from the US game?

Because that's enough for Yoshiko, and think about it, aren't some stories ultimately tragic because of insatiable greed?

The fact that this unknown deity could help me in this way is already incredibly fortunate.

And I'm still so young, I can live a very long time.

"Is that all?"

Novia's smile vanished, replaced by a calm indifference. "Since this is your last wish, I'll tell you. The third wish will only last a short time. Before I make a decision, you still have a chance to say it again."

If we count from now, Yoshiko Sakuzuki's life is barely two years left, because she will unfortunately perish in the barrier due to the disaster caused by the Ainsworth Holy Grail War on the day of Miyu's sixth birthday.

These words made Yoshiko instantly realize that she might not live much longer, perhaps by accident or illness. After all, her health was very good at the moment, so it could only be an accident. Even so, she still looked at Novia with determination.

"……Do not."

Sakuzuki Yoshiko looked at him, her lips tightly pressed together, and shook her head.

"No need. Miyu will become independent one day, just like I was before. She will eventually go to a world that I, as her mother, don't know, get married, have children, and so on. Although I may not be able to see it, I will still be by her side watching over her, because I am both the sun and the moon... Ah, sorry, I may have said something unnecessary."

"It's alright, you can continue."

The name Shuoyue Yangdaizi carries the imagery of both the moon and the sun.

"Although this child may have left my hands a little too soon, which I regret... But after leaving my hands, she has touched yours again. Will it be easier for her to end the fate of the Sakuzuki family? In any case, this will help her through her future hardships. Hmph, although the hardships will eventually pass, if there is a way to resolve them without getting hurt, I will give it to Miyu at all costs."

"Is that so? But it's meaningless to me. Rather, your unrealistic plans are just a waste of this wish."

Novia smiled as she crafted her words, but her tone remained somewhat cold.

Yoshiko was neither displeased nor surprised by Novia's frankness; she simply felt it was only natural. Having witnessed Novia's appearance as a white-clad figure, she found it hard to imagine that someone like her would hold another person in her heart after such a short time together.

After all, for something to exist on a scale far beyond human imagination, even if it's hot on the outside but cold on the inside, we should be thankful.

"I just want Miyu to have some security."

"Is that just spoiling them?"