[Three Days Ago]
Upon returning to the Sect, Raiking guided Libinea to her quarters so she could recuperate from the ritual's aftermath. Meanwhile, Martha, the head nanny, approached with a request for the remaining items needed to complete the "Milk Quest": a small stool, a bucket, and a feeding bottle.
Dia'Tia, who was currently exploring the Mortal Realm, received an urgent summoning scroll listing these items. When she hurried back to the Guild to learn their purpose, she immediately regretted her curiosity.
Ezmelral took it upon herself to explain. As the Sword Spirit recounted the tale of abducting livestock from the Divine Realm and the Master's confrontation with the Emperor, the story became so outrageous that Dia'Tia felt her grasp on reality begin to unravel.
She couldn't decide whether the Guild's leadership had lost their minds or if this was simply the peculiar nature of raising a divine child. Ultimately, she decided she was too frightened to ask.
She merely stood at the Guild entrance, nodded in silent shame, and turned away to resume her journey in the mortal world, pretending she had heard nothing.
---
[Present]
Now, three days later, with everything ready, a few guild members gathered in the center of the Forbidden Hall. Martha sat on a small wooden stool behind the beast. Her hands shook slightly as she arranged her tools: a bucket, a sterilized bottle, and a warm cloth.
The air was thick with anticipation.
To her left were the Fairy King and Queen, hovering nearby. The Queen watched with interest, while the King focused intensely on the cow's belly.
"My Moon-Weave Orchid is in there," the Fairy King murmured, his tiny wand vibrating with anger. "I can sense its spiritual essence. Being digested. Slowly."
"Let it go, dear," the Queen responded with a sigh.
To her right stood Ezmelral, the Spirit Sword, carefully observing Martha's hands.
Overshadowing them all was the throne where Raiking sat, holding a sleeping faye in his arms. His icy gaze pierced into Martha's back, for this was the moment everyone had awaited; when the relentless crying that had plagued the guild would finally cease.
The pressure Martha felt was immense. This normally simple task had become a critical mission. She believed that if she failed to soothe the baby, her village could be doomed, as it was currently under the protection of the storm dragon.
"Please, Celestial Cow God," Martha whispered, her eyes locked on the udders. "Let this beast be not only full of milk but let it be delicious. If you bless me now, my village will honor you with a golden statue. I will carve it myself."
As Martha prepared to begin milking, a sudden wave of heat filled the hall. She recoiled as a bright streak of crimson fire burst through the main doors, spiraling toward the throne. The flames solidified beside Raiking, then exploded into a cloud of ash, revealing Libinea.
She appeared rejuvenated, her previous fatigue replaced by a vibrant, glowing complexion.
"You've recovered," Raiking noted, his gaze still fixed on the cow.
"Naturally," Libinea replied confidently, perching on the armrest beside him and snapping her fan open with a swift motion.
She glanced down at the tense scene in the center of the hall.
"It seems I arrived just in time," she remarked, eyeing the bucket. "The Grand Extraction."
"Proceed," Raiking commanded.
Martha gripped the udders, pausing for just a moment before her muscle memory took over, positioning her hands high on the teat to ensure the proper technique.
A strong, steaming stream of milk splashed against the metal bottom of the bucket.
She found her rhythm, alternating hands. The milk in the bucket rose, frothy and rich, with the sweet aroma of fresh dairy filling the air.
Raiking observed from his throne, his dark eyes tracking the precise movements of her hands. It was a display of perfect efficiency, with no motion wasted and no excessive force applied.
For the first time since the cow's arrival, the baby in his arms stirred, sniffing the air. Rather than crying, Faye let out a small, hungry gurgle.
"Bring it forward," Raiking ordered.
Ezmelral, accompanied by the fluttering Fairies, presented the warm bottle at the throne. They gathered, anxiously holding their breath, aware that their eardrums' fate depended on this moment.
Raiking gently placed the rubber nipple to Faye's lips.
She hesitated, taking a cautious sniff before finally sipping.
Her eyes widened in surprise.
A surge of pure spiritual energy coursed through her tiny frame, and a soft, golden-black aura enveloped her, signaling an immediate breakthrough. The nutrients from the Celestial Cow, combined with her Demigod lineage, worked instantaneously.
[Advancement: Mortal Stage 1 ➔ Mortal Stage 2]
Her cheeks flushed with color, her muscles grew more substantial, and she reached up, clutching the bottle with both hands. With newfound strength, she began drinking with glee, her grip now strong enough to crush a walnut.
"It's working!" the Fairies exclaimed, buzzing around in excitement.
"Gaga!" Faye proclaimed between sips, handling the bottle like an experienced drinker.
"Peace at last!" the Fairy King wept openly, embracing his wife.
Raiking felt the tension melt away from his shoulders. Beside him, Libinea smiled, watching the child eat. Martha exhaled a breath she'd unknowingly held for days, slumping slightly in relief.
But the moment of bliss was fleeting.
Raiking handed the empty bottle to Libinea and cast his gaze downward. His voice deepened, resonating with ancient authority.
"Arbor of Perdmalguis."
The temperature in the hall dropped sharply. The stone floor at the throne's base trembled, cracking open to reveal a dark abyss.
From the depths, thick, thorny roots spiraled out, slithering across the floor and up the walls like searching serpents.
"My Lord..."
A voice echoed from the hollow—hoarse, wooden, and older than the mountains themselves.
On the walls, the decorative suits of armor began to rattle. Helmets, breastplates, and gauntlets detached and floated toward the throne. The vines intertwined with the empty metal, forming a towering entity of steel and nature.
"W-what is that?!" Martha gasped, clutching her chest, nearly fainting from the overwhelming spiritual pressure.
"An immortal Realm Spirit," Ezmelral replied nonchalantly. "The Guardian of The Wilds."
The Forest Spirit descended to the floor, the metal groaning as it knelt before Raiking.
"What is your command?"
"Have you paid attention to what has occurred here?" Raiking asked.
"Yes, my Lord."
"From this day forward," Raiking declared, pointing at the chewing animal, "you are the Guardian of the Celestial Cow Farm."
The Spirit turned its glowing green eyes toward the cow, inspecting the udders that had quieted the cries.
"I will protect it with my life."
The Forest Spirit meant every word. Though it slumbered within the Forbidden Hall's depths, it had heard the baby's piercing cries as clearly as the others. To finally have a remedy for the chaos? It would willingly wage war to keep that milk flowing.
The Spirit rose and glided toward the terrified Martha. She trembled as its massive, vine-wrapped hands reached out. She closed her eyes tightly, bracing for the worst.
Nothing happened. Then, she heard a sound beside her.
Moo!
Martha opened her eyes. The Spirit had gently lifted the cow with a bed of vines, carrying it as if it were a precious gem, floating out of the hall to a new pasture.
Raiking turned his attention back to the Nanny.
"You have performed admirably," he remarked. "Now, tell me, what reward do you seek for your efforts?"
"I... I wish to go back home," Martha stammered.
"Is that all?"
Martha paused. There was another pressing issue that troubled both her and the villagers. With winter approaching, chaos threatened the unprotected lands.
"There is one more request I have..."
"Go on."
She hesitated, then mustered her courage. Even if it displeased him, she needed to attempt this for her people.
"I hope... you can assist us with the bandits who have been ravaging our lands."
Raiking studied Martha. In the past, he might have dismissed mortal concerns as trivial. But the cries had ceased. Gratitude needed acknowledgment. And more importantly, Faye watched him with wide, curious eyes.
An example had to be set.
"Very well," Raiking said. "I will instruct the Storm Dragon to expand his territory. Your settlement will be under the Guild's protection for the next three years. Does that satisfy you?"
Martha dropped to her knees.
"Thank you, My Lord! Thank you!"
"I will accompany her down the mountain," Ezmelral volunteered, stepping forward.
However, before they could leave, Martha raised a finger. "Hold on. While food is important, the environment is equally crucial."
She surveyed the Forbidden Hall—its ancient magical scrolls, obsidian stones, and intimidating weaponry.
"This place is hardly... suitable for a child," she declared with confidence. "Her room should be a sanctuary, not a dungeon."
She reached into her apron and produced a scroll. Libinea descended the steps and took it.
"Here," Martha explained. "I've outlined several essentials a baby needs for a proper nursery. For starters, a crib not made of bone would be advisable."
Raiking nodded in agreement as Libinea handed him the list. He glanced over it before closing his hand, and a sense of magic began to fill the hall.
A small, crimson gem appeared in the air and softly landed in Martha's palm.
"If ever you find yourself in grave danger," Raiking said with deep seriousness, "break it. I will come to your aid."
Martha gazed at the gem, astonished. A summoning stone from a deity? It was a treasure more valuable than her entire kingdom.
"T-thank you," Martha stammered, quickly tucking the precious gem into her sleeve to keep it safe.
Raiking gestured for her to leave, and she curtsied deeply before turning to walk towards the main doors with Ezmelral, eager to reunite with her family and share the news of salvation with her village.
As the doors closed, the hall fell into silence.
"There remains one final task," Raiking said, tapping the scroll against his throne.
"I understand," Libinea replied.
She turned her gaze westward, towards the Skyward Region, home to the Sky Beasts, the floating islands, and most importantly...
Her tribe.
The Phoenix Festival was about to begin.