novelraw Chapter 81 : The Name of Goddess
Chapter 81 : The Name of Goddess
Selene’s POV
The night was quiet. Too quiet.
Rooga had finally fallen asleep, his small chest rising and falling in peaceful rhythm. Elara and her friends had retired as well, their laughter fading into the back rooms. Lyra was awake, of course, keeping her watch over Riaz as dutifully as ever.
But my mind was restless.
And so, with Darius at my side, and Iris following behind us without question, we walked to the glowing tree.
The goddess-child sat there, humming to herself, swinging her little legs as if the world weren’t crumbling around us.
I stopped just before her, my arms crossed. “...You. Tell me about Mara.”
Her head snapped up. Those green eyes widened. “M-Mara? You know of her?”
The name hung between us like a curse.
Darius’ hand hovered over his sword hilt. Iris, confused but obedient, positioned herself to block any escape.
The little goddess tilted her head, expression twisting. “But… how?”
“Because something in the corrupted land spoke of her,” I said flatly. My voice was colder than I intended. “And it wanted me to tell you: Mara still lives.”
Her small body stiffened. The playful aura around her dimmed, replaced by something older, heavier. “Still… alive…”
Her voice shook, as if she couldn’t believe it.
The way she looked, Instantly i safely deducted that Mara is her previous reincarnation.
I narrowed my eyes. “Why do you have a different name?”
She blinked, then managed a weak smile. “Because… gods cannot keep the same name. Each name is an identity, tied to our followers. When we reincarnate, our new names… are new selves.”
Her little hands clenched into fists. “But Mara… she was my last self. My heart, my roots. If she’s alive, corrupted or not… then I must save her.”
The plea in her voice cut deeper than I expected.
But I shook my head. My heart hardened.
“You don’t understand what you’re asking. Saving her would mean fighting the very land that devoured her. Even if she still breathes, Mara is not what she was. She is corruption incarnate now.”
“No!” The girl’s voice cracked, louder than before. “I don’t care! I’ll wait! I’ll wait for Rooga to grow up, and he’ll help me. He has to. He’s the only one who can feed me this much, who can make me stronger!”
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Her little fists slammed against the roots of the tree. “He’ll save her. I know it!”
Darius and I exchanged a look. His jaw was tight, his eyes stormy.
I turned back to her, voice sharp. “Then wait. But don’t dare drag my son into your divine war until he chooses it himself.”
The goddess lowered her head, lips pressed tight, but she didn’t argue.
She would wait.
But in my heart, I already knew.
Whether I wanted it or not, whether Rooga chose it or not — the moment he became the goddess’ caretaker, his path was tied to Mara’s.
The Next Morning,
Rooga’s POV
The sun was still climbing when I stepped outside, stretching my arms like always. Training had to come first — mana exercises, then a few sparks of fire, and finally shaping water into smooth orbs. My routine never changed, though Maori kept clapping like it was the grandest thing she’d ever seen.
Today, though, the air felt different.
Elara was at the carriage, Edmond standing shyly at her side. Seris lingered nearby, her sharp eyes flicking toward me whenever she thought no one noticed.
Their holiday was ending.
I didn’t know why, but my chest felt heavier at the thought.
Elara crouched, brushing my hair back with her usual smile. “Be good, little brother. I’ll be back next year.”
I nodded, though I hated hearing that. “...Okay.”
Edmond, timid as ever, gave me an awkward pat on the shoulder. “Take care Rooga,” he muttered, though his eyes darted nervously toward Selene standing at the porch.
Then Seris stepped forward.
Without warning, she pulled me into her arms. Her embrace was warm, firm, and far too close for comfort.
“Goodbye, dear beloved,” she whispered, her voice sweet but steady.
My eyes widened. I didn’t even know what to say.
But before I could speak, I felt a strong grip yank me back.
Selene.
Her face was stone, her eyes sharp enough to cut. “That’s enough,” she said flatly, her arm holding me close.
The air grew tense for a moment — Elara’s expression flickered, Edmond looked like he wanted to disappear, and Seris only smirked faintly, unfazed.
I glanced up at Mother. Her hand trembled just slightly, though her face betrayed nothing.
And in that silence, I realized something.
This wasn’t just about me.
There was a war happening here, one I didn’t understand yet.
But sooner or later, I would.
Seris’ POV
The wheels of the carriage rattled over stone and dirt, the sound steady, almost soothing. Edmond sat quietly across from me, staring at the floor. Elara leaned on the window, arms crossed, her thoughts hidden behind that ever-serious look of hers.
I, however, was smiling.
The prince? The engagement I once thought unshakable? I no longer cared. Edmond was kind, yes — timid, soft, a boy I could easily respect. But he wasn’t mine. He never would be.
My gaze shifted inward, to the memory still burning in my chest.
Rooga Valemont.
That boy was no ordinary child. His words still rang in my ears: “You should be free to choose who you love.”
The dignity in them, the maturity — they weren’t the words of a toddler. And then… the glimpse I caught. The goddess at his side. The water blooming in radiant spheres. The way the land itself seemed to bend toward him.
I clenched my fists, my smile sharpening.
Yes. He would be my future. Not Edmond. Not anyone else.
Rooga.
But there was one problem.
Selene Valemont.
Her eyes when she pulled him away from me… they were like steel, like a wall taller than any fortress. She wouldn’t allow me near him. Not now. Not soon.
And I wasn’t foolish enough to challenge her head-on.
So, I would take the long path.
Elara.
His sister loved him more than anything. She guarded him, yes, but not with the same ferocity as Selene. Elara had already brought me here once — she could do so again. If I wanted Rooga, if I wanted to be his future, then earning her trust was the first step.
I leaned back against the seat, letting the carriage rock me forward, my plan forming quietly.
Selene was a fortress.
But Elara was the gate.
And I had every intention of slipping through.