Chapter 376 - The King of Heaven’s Will

Tip tap tip tap…

Footsteps echoed on the wooden corridor as Alinea rushed from her room towards the dining hall where everybody gathered for lunch. The screen opened to reveal the interior and her silver gaze scanned the place for the face she was looking for.

And she found it – not. It's the correct face but the wrong twin.

"Uncle, where's my dad?"

"Oh, Ali, you're awake," Gin greeted her, totally ignoring her question. He sat with the others. Everyone was there now as Ryuu and Ivan followed her except for Aki, her father, and Yuuka.

"How are you feeling now?" Emi asked. She walked over to Ali and took her hand to guide towards the table. "The Young Master said you have been sick."

Alinea noted the worry on Emi's face and she grinned at her. "I'm okay. I just had motion sickness from magic misuse."

"Don't rush. You still have time to practice. It's why my brother still didn't fix the time difference between here and Ged so you wouldn't be pressured too much."

When Perun arrived and noticed the time difference due to the portal, he wanted to fix it so that Ged and Earth would be parallel. But Gin said that it would give Alinea more time to prepare for her quest so he postponed fixing it for now.

"I know that now," Ali answered with a pout. "Uncle you still didn't answer my question. Where's my father?"

She thought Perun was also there since Ivan said they all returned from the Maki's place.

"He went on a date," Gin answered easily as if it were nothing.

Alinea was not buying it. She tugged on Gin's shirt, her eyes demanding that he tell her what's going on. Stribog, as always had no power to resist those silver eyes.

"Ah, my little niece, you still bully your favorite uncle until now," he complained.

"My father?"Alinea prompted ignoring Gin's complaints, making Emi giggle.

"Ya, wife! Whose side are you on?"Gin demanded.

Normally Emi would fold like a mouse, but this time, she grinned unashamedly at her husband. "Ali's!"

The answer made everyone laugh – Alinea included. But she was still desperate to know answers so she glared at Gin until he gave up and explained as they ate.

"Just as you might have already heard, the Maki's infestation was more serious than what we thought initially so we deviated from the plan. We had to come up with something else we wouldn't be able to extract the parasites from the couple, and if we waited longer they'd have been beyond redemption."

"Yes, I know that," Alinea said almost impatiently.

For outsiders, it might seem a very logical approach – and it was. But she knew her father. Her father's purpose from descending was because of her. He was not someone who's interested in human affairs. Regardless of who or what the circumstances might have been he wouldn't meddle even if the outcome would be negative.

It was because Perun was the King of Heaven that he was bound by this rule. Deities were not allowed to interfere with fate unless the people concerned were their believers and offerings had been given. Only to those who worshipped the gods would heaven allow miracles to be performed. It was the rule established by Rod, the creator of every existence including gods. It was why the king was miles apart in power compared to other deities. It was so they could keep the deities in line – and Perun was the reigning king.

"But why is my father engaged to Yuuka now?" she asked.

"Why? You don't like Yuuka?"Gin countered so naturally that Alinea almost gave him an award. Her uncle was truly living up to his reputation as a smooth talker, lawyer, and negotiator. No wonder Homura International was so successful.

It didn't work on her though.

"Uncle, if you don't spill properly and stop trying to distract me, one little girl named Rosey will be squished to death." Alinea's expression bode evil.

"Ya! Not my Chilean rose!" Gin was upset but looked ready to cooperate.

It seemed Alinea was correct in taking her uncle's pet tarantula as a hostage.

"You can't fool me, uncle. No matter what happened, my father didn't need to be the one engaged to her. Even if you and Ryuu can't take Aki's place,  Shiro would have been sufficient. His ranking is higher than my brother in the eligible bachelor list."

Gin sighed.  He looked defeated for a while after he extracted his niece from him and made her sit. But then his face became serious as he looked at each and everyone in the room in a warning. He never used that expression unless he meant business.

"I will tell you, but I have to warn you, none of you will meddle – not even you Ali," he told his niece sternly. "This is not about me. This is the King of Heaven's will."

The King of Heaven's will.

Stribog didn't even use Perun's name. So this meant that it was an official order that none of them could break. Else, heaven would automatically bestow punishment.  

Lightning strike.

"Fine," she acquiesced.

It's not like she had a choice anyway. Also, she had nothing against Yuuka. If her father really liked her then she wouldn't say anything. Yes, she couldn't think of any other explanation about how her father took the initiative to engage himself to the lady. He'd never do that unwillingly. No one could make him form a relationship with another woman even as a pretend – not even if Alinea begged him. For now, she just wanted her questions answered.

"Alright." Seeing as she was cooperative, Gin finally decided to confess.  "First, the engagement is temporary."

"What?"Alinea, of course, didn't believe this, but Gin looked serious so she had to stay still.

"It is temporary," he insisted. "Second, after the shadow lurkers are extracted in a week's time, the memories of the Makis and everyone in the household will be wiped out – including Yuuka's."

Alinea frowned. "Yuuka is a blank soul. She's immune to divine influence."

"Not Perun's. Your father can wipe her memories – and he will as it's Yuuka who wished for it." Gin had on a complicated look which meant that he didn't agree with this decision but had no choice in the matter.

"Well," Alinea was more confused now. "Does Yuuka know about us?"

"She does now," Gin answered. "But she's human with no… without any relationship with us deities in this lifetime. She's not like Chiaki or Aki that are connected to us as family. It's normal to be overwhelmed and be scared. It's why when the shadow lurkers are successfully dealt with, Yuuka requested for their lives to return to normal – without knowing about us. "

Alinea noted the falter in her uncle's words but didn't think too much about it. Still, she couldn't fathom why her father decided to step in if it's like this.

"And my father became engaged to her because?"

Gin sighed heavily. "It's to spend time with her while he can still be himself in front of her."

Alinea frowned. "What do you mean uncle?" she asked and Gin hesitated before answering.

"Maki Yuuka, the blank soul, is your mother."