Chapter 400 - ALI MINI THEATER Side Story 20

"How is the little one? Is she still upset?"

Perun asked his brother with a worried expression on his face. For anyone in the Celestial Plane, this was a very rare sight. However, for Stribog who had stayed with the king ever since he ascended with his daughter, this expression was the norm. 

The King of Heaven was forever worrying over his only remaining child, his beloved daughter, Alencica. Since Perun had many tasks to perform as the overseer of heaven, his younger twin served as the young lady's guardian when he's away. 

As for disciplining heaven's favorite child…

Stribog was totally unreliable. He spoiled his niece too much so it was still Perun who admonished his daughter. It rarely happened, but today was such a day that it did. Alencica, the princess eighteen years of age was too adventurous and curious for her own good. She had taken upon herself to bust myths and legends and would frequently disappear. 

This was dangerous…

In two years' time when normal demigods' divine inheritance awakened, the spawn of Czernobog within her would activate. With Fanya on the loose, there's a big chance she would take advantage of the time when Alencica was out on her adventure to take her so she could properly awaken as the harbinger of catastrophe. 

"Well…"Stribog hesitated, and the king frowned. 

"What is it?"

"Isn't it understandable that she's still upset? She's been raised as a free spirit, and now she's locked up inside." 

Stribog's voice sounded melancholic but there was no accusation in it. He totally understood his brother's reason. After all, it was him who reported the sighting of Fanya in the Celestial Plane just a few days ago. 

Perun placed his elbows on his desk as he crossed his fingers, deep in thought. "There's no choice. It's my fault. I have shamefully miscalculated. If I knew this would happen… I should have dealt with Fanya differently. I should have revoked her status as a deity and banished her to the mortal planes. If I did, she wouldn't have been able to use his divine powers to cast that curse."

"Brother! Do not speak as if you did wrong!" For the first time, it was Stribog who had reprimanded his elder twin. "Fanya had committed treason and the punishment you had given was according to Rod's Law. You did your part as the King of Heaven." 

Silence hung between them before Perun smiled bitterly. "Yes, I did my part as the King of Heaven…"

But failed greatly as a father… 

Stribog looked at his brother worriedly. He knew the unspoken words after and could understand. Bound by strict celestial rules, Perun could only get by with finding the loopholes and utilizing them. 

This was the reason why even if they were twins who were as different as night and day— even if the disparity in their powers were miles apart, there was never a moment that he felt jealous of his brother's power. 

Stribog, just like the other deities had many children, although they were only ones he sired to guard the mortal world against the Black God's minions. He had never given any one of them any special attention or power. But Perun, his brother only sired three— and all were brought up with his love. 

"She will be fine. Alencica is not stupid. She understands why you had to restrict her," Stribog pacified his twin. 

The two of them had explained to Alencica the details of her birth and the curse when she turned fourteen. She knew that she was a risk. The twins knew that this would be painful to bear, but they knew that it was important that the child understood her circumstances well to protect her. 

But of course, a child was still a child. 

Alencica grew up doing everything she wanted as long as it was not harmful. But since her eighteenth birthday, since Fanya appeared again to taunt them, she was told she couldn't go out anymore. She had obeyed at first. But today…

It seemed she had enough. 

But it was only understandable as Alencica, if her curse did not happen was supposed to be the deity of curiosity and mischief. It was all because of Shitara. Perun's wife had no idea that when she was asked one day what their child would govern when she's born and answered with those two words that it would be what the child would become. 

The Deity of Curiosity and Mischief…

Stribog sighed. Shitara's wish had come true. 

And she cried…

Alencica had never cried in front of them before. He had to admit that as an uncle, her tears were unbearable to see— what more to her father? 

"Should we go and see if the little one is still angry?" Stribog asked in a small voice. 

Perun looked at his forlorn expression and let out a heavy sigh. He then stood up from behind his desk, and the two of them walked towards Alencica's room. 

However, the sight that greeted them when they opened the door was not something that they were expecting to see. It was empty. 

"Where is she?"

Stribog and Perun looked around the room but there was no trace of the girl. In panic, the Wind God opened the window and looked outside in time to see Aello flying away with a young woman on her back. 

"EH? Aello-chi, what are you doing?" Stribog was shocked. Aello had probably taken Alencica because among the harpies, Aello was the weakest from his niece's tears. She'd do anything to make Alencica stop crying. "Alencica, where are you going? Your father said you can't go anywhere dangerous!"

The young woman instead turned and stuck out her tongue at him. "I'm visiting my darling!" she yelled and they were gone.

"The little one will probably just going to visit Kresnik," Perun said in defeat. 

Aside from going on adventures, Alencica had also started pursuing the Flame Emperor. 

"Should we warn Kresnik?"Stribog asked and Perun raised a brow. 

"Warn him about what? That he'd have chicken for dinner again today?" the King of Heaven retorted as he swiftly turned and walked away, leaving Stribog who had clamped his mouth shut to keep himself from laughing out loud. 

He had never expected his twin to joke— although only he knew about it. It was because Alencica had been visiting Kresnik a lot and offering him her favorite chicken. The Flame Emperor should be fed up with it by now. 

"Chicken, huh?" he muttered as he shook his head. Nonetheless, he went to follow after Perun. He reckoned his brother returned to his study to mope about the daughter who had just sneaked out after being grounded. 

To be young and daring!