novelraw Chapter 197: Balance (Bonus Chapter for Alliance Head)
Chapter 197: Balance (Bonus Chapter for Alliance Head)
After that incredibly awkward first sentence at the very beginning, Fisher only then roughly confirmed that the "supernatural event" they encountered earlier was a prank by this Whale-kin who left the message on the stone wall.
One truly couldn't evaluate the vile degree of this Whale-kin. This action unexpectedly made Fisher unprecedentedly recall that bad woman Renee; if Renee were here, she absolutely would have liked this kind of prank very much...
Pausing for a second, Fisher shook his head and threw the superfluous thoughts out of his brain, having Jasmine continue reading the content of the next paragraph.
Behind him, Xi Yate still had her mouth open, half-dead. It could be seen that the water skills of this kind of demi-human, the Centaur race, were truly not very good. Adding on to the fact that she was the person closest to that ghost shadow just now, this back and forth, the double blow of both physiological and psychological strikes directly almost knocked her soul out of her body.
Anna, on the other hand, watched the two of them research the contents on the stone wall without saying a word. She originally wanted to open her mouth to remind the two people to seize the time to go to Nari Lake, but thinking carefully, Xi Yate hadn't even woken up yet right now. Moreover, it was only just past midnight, which was quite a bit earlier than the expected arrival time at the waterway, so she stopped speaking.
Jasmine in front of the stone wall moved a bit closer. First she read and filtered the subsequent content, and only then looked at Fisher happily and said,
"There are no pranks in the subsequent content. It's about this Whale-kin senior leaving behind the travel impressions they left behind. Let me see..."
Afterwards, she read the content while translating it into appropriate Nari Language,
"'It has been one year since coming ashore from the bottom of the sea', ah, what is used here is the 'year' term at the bottom of the sea, not 'age' (years old)..."
Jasmine was deeply afraid that speaking Nari Language would jumble these two concepts again, so she emphasized it again here. After Fisher nodded his head, only then did she continue translating the words on it,"It has been one year since coming ashore until now. The land blessed by the sun makes me forget to return. But at present, I have no choice but to leave here and return to my hometown. At the time of parting, there are many things in my heart I want to pour out, but there is no one beside me to listen, so I can only write them all here as a record. If there are other Whale-kin who also arrive here and can reap a thing or two, presumably it will be helpful to your journey on shore..."
"First, what must be emphasized is that between the land and the ocean is an Absolute Boundary. Once you cross the boundary, whatever you gain here, you will need to pay an equal price. That radiance, that vibrant vitality, that myriad of sounds all do not belong to us. The consequences of forcefully demanding them are not something you or I can bear. Remember well Lord Ramastia's teaching: All life is balanced."
"What if one stops their footsteps not for the radiance before their eyes, but for a certain living creature on land? I also do not know how to persuade against it, only you should understand that the sweetness of falling in love is like poison; in the end, no matter what, you will be unable to extricate yourself. I merely wish to borrow the characteristics of our Whale-kin passed down through generations to tell you one thing..."
"Love is both a radiantly shining blessing that will bestow you with matchless courage; love is also an etched-in-bones-and-heart curse that will leave behind a wound that will never heal."
"Having said this much, farewell right here, see you again if fate permits!"
Jasmine read to the end, while Fisher stroked his chin, continuously chewing over this message on the stone wall. Many of the pieces of information above were extremely interesting.
First of all, the Whale-kin who left behind the above information had already wandered the human world for a full year and gained a lot from it. But he seemed to have discovered some Whale-kin secret, so he decided to leave the land...
Life is balanced?
This keyword inexplicably made Fisher think of many things, especially associating it with the characteristics of the demi-human races he had already studied. He faintly felt that amongst the living creatures of every race, there was an extremely strange balanced relationship.
To use a similar analogy, take the Dragon-kin as an example.
The physical strength of individual Dragon-kin, whether in the Southern Continent or the West Continent, is universally acknowledged as first-rate formidable. A qualified adult Dragon-kin warrior can even single-handedly wipe out a slave-catching squad of several dozen people wielding guns.
According to reason, with their extremely strong individual abilities, they originally should be matchless in the Southern Continent...
Note, here, and the races discussed subsequently, should temporarily exclude the few demi-humans in the World-Ending Prophecy.
Because Fisher could be considered to have discovered that once the things of this world engendered a bit of connection with the Completion Handbook, they would instantly surpass common sense, akin to using an external cheat; there was fundamentally no corresponding logic to speak of at all. Pherone's soul technology, Blake's biological weapon technology...
Uh, his own Demi-Human Girls Completion Handbook wouldn't count. It seemed comparing it among these two was a bit embarrassing, because aside from maximizing the bonuses regarding reproduction and vile tastes, Fisher seemed to have obtained absolutely nothing else...
Returning to the main topic, taking this as a premise, although Dragon-kin were formidable, they were simultaneously endowed with extremely harsh reproduction conditions.
A pair of Dragon-kin spouses could give birth to many children, but it was highly likely all their children would have to remain bachelors. As long as just one child successfully suited their tail and married, it could be considered their ancestors accumulating virtue; two couples marrying could directly declare a joyful event in the entire tribe.
Thinking about it this way, for Raphaela to be able to suit tails with Fisher, his luck could only be said with one phrase: explosively good.
As a consequence of this rigorous reproduction situation, the overall population of the Southern Continent's Dragon-kin was actually very small.
Fisher deduced that the Life Rank mentioned by Eliog actually corresponded to individuals. According to individuals, all races could indeed be ranked into various grades, but once placed in the perspective of the entire population, they would maintain a certain kind of "balance".
But conversely looking at the Whale-kin, based on the previous research on Jasmine, their lifespans were extremely long, moreover their reproduction speed was extremely similar to humans, without any obstacles to reproduction, and there was also a twin ability system of blessing and curse...
According to this situation, their physical strength could clash with Dragon-kin, their lifespans were countless times longer than Dragon-kin, moreover their reproduction capability wasn't affected... If this wasn't Ramastia acting like a hoodlum and favoring his biological children, what was it?
Aside from this, Fisher couldn't find any reasonable explanation.
But now this stone slab rather brought another possibility of balance...
Thinking up to this point, Fisher looked at Jasmine beside him and opened his mouth to inquire,
"Jasmine, have you felt any difference between after coming ashore and in the sea?"
"There are many, many differences..."
The moment this was brought up, Jasmine had many things she wanted to say. She counted on her fingers, saying them one by one, still carrying a happy smile on her face,
"En... first of all there are many delicious things to eat, and I can talk with many people. Everyday I can see lots and lots of sunlight, and I can be together with Fisher. On land everyday I am very happy, moreover I feel time is much slower than at the bottom of the sea..."
"Much slower?"
"Ah, speaking of this, I suddenly remembered..."
Jasmine tapped her own chin with her finger, suddenly remembering something. She looked at the text on the wall and opened her mouth to say,
"My mother once told me that Whale-kin are the race in this world that are the most sluggish towards the world. She said this was a secret Lord Ramastia told her. I didn't understand what this meant previously, but after comparing it with life on land... When I sleep once in the sea, it's as long as half a 'year', so every time I open my eyes I can eat delicious fish..."
Fisher suddenly realized what the meaning of that "Absolute Boundary" on the wall was. No wonder he had always been pondering over a question previously.
If the Whale-kin didn't go forage for food at the bottom of the sea, only relying on other oceanic demi-humans to feed them fish, that would also be feeding them once a year; how could this be enough to eat?
Previously Fisher could still use the conclusion "perhaps the amount of eating fish once can sustain them for a year" to explain it. Looking at it now, it might not be like this at all.
Their lifestyle at the bottom of the sea made their perception of time extremely sluggish. Changing from dark to light they would sleep for half a year in one slumber, wake up to move a bit, then go back to sleep, wake up to eat another meal... well, that would be a year.
But once they came ashore, under the sunlight, their daily routine adjusted to be the same as other living creatures, three meals a day, sleeping once a day.
Then, what kind of change would occur to their lifespans?
The first thing Fisher thought of was that it was highly likely their lifespans would shrink. Therefore, the Whale-kin who came to live on shore highly likely wouldn't be as long-lived as the Whale-kin at the bottom of the sea...
Was this also the specific price of "whatever you gain here, you will need to pay an equal price" mentioned on the stone wall?
Having thought through the crux of the matter within, Fisher extremely solemnly looked at Jasmine before his eyes who was staring with wide eyes. He opened his mouth towards her and said,
"Jasmine, the information recorded on this stone wall might mean that the speed at which your Whale-kin lifespans drain will increase exponentially on shore. Once a Whale-kin chooses to stay and live on shore, your degree of sensitivity towards time will also change. This is the true reason why you would lose your longevity on shore..."
"If we deduce based on this, I'm not clear to what extent a Whale-kin's lifespan would decay, but..."
As Fisher spoke up to here, looking at Jasmine, the words in his mouth however came to an abrupt end.
Because Jasmine at this very moment, her face didn't reveal any surprised expression. She merely quietly and peacefully looked at Fisher before her eyes. Within those beautiful large eyes filled with spirit, continuously there were blue water flows flashing past; inside them reflected Fisher's shadow.
In this instant, Fisher suddenly understood something, thus he opened his mouth and said,
"You knew your own lifespan would decrease on shore?"
Jasmine pursed her lips, hesitated for a moment, and only then gently nodded her head,
"En, as early as before coming ashore, mother had told me I couldn't stay on shore for a long time... It was only after Fisher told me that human lifespans and Whale-kin are different that I began to realize this point..."
She reached out her two hands, but there wasn't much sadness on her expression, instead it was speaking with some emotion,
"A few months here is like a few years at the bottom of the sea... At that time I was quite jealous of humans. How could Lord Ramastia be this unfair, letting humans have such a long lifespan and still be able to feel such slow time every day... Only now do I know, so this was the meaning of the balance of life He spoke of."
"So, my aunt actually chose land between life at the bottom of the sea and land. She left the bottom of the sea for eighty years; she had long since been unable to return to live at the bottom of the sea. Mother sending me to find her also wasn't truly having me bring her back to the bottom of the sea. She was merely afraid my aunt wouldn't have the chance to see her family from the bottom of the sea again, so she had me come see her for the last time..."
"Is that so..."
Behind them, Anna's gaze was also slightly touched, seemingly moved by the Whale-kin's story. She gazed at the tranquil pool of water beside her, looking at the fluorescence continuously lighting up in the surroundings, not knowing what matters she was thinking about.
"However, I think aunt surely doesn't regret it. I've seen the many sceneries she had experienced on land. She has been to many places in this world... perhaps compared to living boringly at the bottom of the sea the entire time, it's better to delightfully and thoroughly experience magnificent beauty that possesses value... I... actually I also think this way."
"At the bottom of the sea, I was actually always very timid. Mother also had no way to deal with my timidity. I didn't dare to go anywhere, feeling like I couldn't do anything well, and didn't have any friends either... But, Fisher was willing to teach me, granting me courage. If it's like this, I want to stay by your side forever. This is also my choice..."
Her gaze gazing at Fisher was extremely straightforward and burning-hot, yet appeared a bit clumsy.
But this straightforward, simple state of mind had always been the easiest to move people. At this time Fisher's inner heart was also touched by the burning heat revealed by her gaze at this time; his heartbeat accelerated slightly following it.
Just as she spoke up to here, Jasmine suddenly felt that Fisher's gaze was extremely passionate, as if he wanted to eat her. She only then realized that she just now unexpectedly seriously spoke so many words that knew no shame.
That cute small face of hers instantly turned crimson. She waved her hands at Fisher, her ears also flapping blazingly fast, as if they were wings that wanted to lead her to take flight,
"Ah ah, that, I... I also wasn't saying... what should happen then... wuu..."
En, the final words had already turned into these kind of somewhat slurred cute words. Seemingly as if to alleviate the awkwardness, Jasmine flushed red and counted on her fingers,
"I am actually relatively sensitive to life force. After all, among the entire Whale-kin only I have this kind of blessing... When I was sleeping I actually secretly calculated it. Whale-kin on shore can probably also live for one hundred and twenty years, with Fi... that, getting married and having children and stuff is also... that, possible..."
En, reaching now, Fisher only then suddenly discovered a new characteristic of Whale-kin; that was precocious puberty. However, it seemed Whale-kin were actually adults at one year old; after all, eighty years even if it was sleeping was enough for them to grow up.
Fisher smiled. Facing Jasmine's somewhat shy yet expectant line of sight, he took the initiative to make a bit of response, placing his own hand on her head,
"I understand your meaning. But before this, let's go see your aunt first, then talk about our matters afterwards."
"...En!"
A strange sour stench of romance scattered out in the not-large cave. Anna speechlessly shifted her gaze away a bit. She had just soaked in water, so she was a bit cold, thus she was covering her own body at this time to keep warm.
Only with this shift of gaze did she suddenly see in her peripheral vision that Xi Yate didn't know when she had long awoken, yet was still lying on the ground, ears pricked up high, eavesdropping on Fisher and Jasmine's conversation behind them.
"..."
It turns out you are still secretly eating melon completely normally perfectly expressly exactly directly strictly firmly specifically directly plainly securely wildly proudly successfully thoroughly neatly frankly securely cleanly frankly deeply.
This is an extra chapter written out of gratitude for book friend greatly's Alliance Head reward, ha.
Begging for votes, rewards, and support; this is extremely important to me.
Ten thousand thanks for the support!