NOW THAT Mona was looking at the pitiful young woman properly, she noticed that the strands of the lady's hair were the same color as her hair.

It was pink.

Her heart once again thumped hard and loud against her chest.

Is she really my future daughter?

"In the future, the seed in your womb would become the pitiful human tree in front of you right now,

" the majestic voice coming from the sky said. She wasn't certain if it has a gender, but its voice sounded like it belong to a woman.

"Your daughter is destined to be the next Aether, dear.

"

Mona let out a shocked gasp.

"The next Aether? Isn't Aether the pure upper air that the gods breathe?

"

Her mind was currently a mess.

The air in the Upper World where gods lived was different than the normal air that humans in the Middle World breathed. The air in the Upper World was called 'Aether' and it was said that it was a

"pure essence

" not found in the human world.

And the voice talking to her was saying that her unborn child was going to be the next 'Aether' in the future?

Aether was a person all this time?

"Aether is the personification of the pure essence that the gods breathe,

" the voice explained as if she noticed the confusion on her face.

"The breath that the child in front of you breathes reaches the Upper World. Then, it becomes the pure essence that serves as the gods' air.

"

Her body froze in fear.

Was that the reason why the giant young lady was looking up with her mouth open?

"Why…

" she asked weakly.

"Why would gods use a human's breath to be their air?

"

"Why do you think gods take human forms to conceive a child with humans?

"

"Huh?

"

"Gods may do things on a whim all the time. But conceiving a child with humans isn't a thoughtless move,

" the voice explained.

"The gods leave their seeds in the Middle World for their own benefits, and planting a tree that would grow as an Aether was one of their reasons for doing so.

"

She respected gods, she really did.

But at that moment, she was starting to lose her faith.

She wasn't gullible, and she wasn't the type to easily trust other beings. After all, she was the Daughter of Nature. She had the ability that could protect her from falling into lies or illusions made to hurt her.

Unfortunately, she could tell that the voice was speaking the truth.

"Even I don't know why the seeds from the de Moonasterio clan are the best seeds to use when growing an Aether,

" the voice continued.

"Mona Roseheart, the air in the Upper World is starting to become polluted. That is currently causing pandemonium among the gods.

"

She hugged her stomach tighter.

"That doesn't give them the right to use my child as their air! It's against the law of Nature to use human lives as–

"

"But the Nature you speak of is also dying, Mona Roseheart.

"

Once again, she was shocked.

"The power of Nature resides in the Spirit World and thus, the Spirit World needs a more fertile soil for it to continue living.

"

She gasped again.

"The Spirit World…?

"

The Spirit World was like a second home to her.

"The Spirit World wouldn't do that to my child,

" she insisted, but her voice didn't really sound convincing. She didn't want to doubt her ally so she hated that she was feeling weak at the moment.

"They wouldn't harm my child…

"

Her gaze fell on the living human tree's torso.

The poor young lady's torso was covered with dirt, and different types of flowers and plants were growing from it.

No…

"In the future, the gods and the Spirit World would join hands to raise your child as the next Aether,

" the voice declared firmly as if the future that she was talking about wouldn't change.

"They would tell you that it is for the greater good.

"

Anger rose up in her chest.

If the voice was telling the truth, then it only meant that the Spirit World was destined to betray her in the end.

They promised to help me protect my child from the crows…

Tara, the Queen of the Spirit World, was a close friend of hers.

When she expressed her desire to have a child with Nikolai despite the threat of the cult that kills female de Moonasterios, the queen promised her that she would open the doors of the Spirit World to her and her daughter.

"Do you know why the gods and the Spirit World would work together to take your child away from you?

" the voice asked, but it answered its own question.

"It's because of the threat of the Underworld.

"

Her gaze naturally fell on the human tree's roots.

The part of the pitiful young lady's body where her legs and feet should have been were replaced by thick and long roots embedded into the ground.

She felt the urge to cry as if her heart was being squeezed painfully.

"Once your daughter becomes the new Aether, the gods and the Spirit World would use her roots to strengthen the Demon Race's seal,

" the voice explained in a bitter voice.

"The gods are afraid that the seal that they used to lock the demons up in the Underworld is weakening. Thus, they plan to use the new Aether's roots to solidify the seal.

"

Hah.

She couldn't believe it.

The gods and the Spirit World would sacrifice a human life for the

"greater good?

" What was the greater good that they were talking about anyway? The air that the gods breathe was becoming polluted? Didn't gods claim that they were omnipotent?

They should clean the air in the Upper World using their own

"almighty

" power!

And the Spirit World needed a child's body to turn into fertile soil?

Hah!

"They must be out of their mind,

" she said while combing her hair using her hand.

"I won't let them touch my child.

"

"You do not have the power to fight against the gods and the Spirit World, Mona Roseheart.

"

She couldn't deny but it didn't mean that she wouldn't try.

"I will protect my child–

"

"Run away.

"

"Huh?

"

"There's a world where the gods and the Spirit World won't be able to reach you and your daughter,

" the voice said.

"No matter how omnipotent the gods in this world are, they are still bound to abide by the rules that the gods from another world created.

"

Her brows furrowed in confusion.

"Another world…?

"

She suddenly remembered the strange dream that she had.

No way…?

Now she finally understood why she tried to run away to another world in her past life. She also probably discovered the terrible future awaiting her child back then.

"I will help you and your child escape this world.

"

"But why?

" she asked, confused.

"Why would you help me?

"

"Because I don't want another child to suffer the same fate that I did.

"

She covered her mouth with her hands when she gasped again.

"You are the current Aether?

"

She realized she was right about her feeling that the voice belonged to a woman.

Following their conversation, she ended up with the conclusion that the voice must belong to a female de Moonasterio.

"I am dying,

" the voice said.

"They're looking forward to replacing me with the seed in your womb, Mona Roseheart.

"

Her tears silently rolled down her cheeks when the human tree in front of her changed its appearance.

The young lady was replaced by an old woman.

She didn't need to ask who it was.

"The gods have found me,

" the voice said. This time, even her voice had changed into an old woman's voice.

"Mona Roseheart, the darkness isn't always an enemy.

"

After saying that, the world where she was began to crumble.

She could feel that her body was starting to wake up. And once she opened her eyes, she knew that she would return to the present.

"I am so sorry,

" Mona whispered sincerely, her heart breaking for the awful life that the Nameless Royal Princess had as the Aether.

"And thank you so much for showing me my child's grim future that I must avoid at all cost.

" She wiped the tears off of her face with her hands.

"I will find you soon.

"

The Nameless Royal Princess laughed softly.

"I will wait for you, Mona Roseheart.

"

***

"MONA?

"

Mona opened her eyes when she heard the familiar voice of her lover.

Nikolai's worried face greeted her.

She wanted to smile at him and assure him that she was fine. But she couldn't. The memories of the conversation that she had with the Nameless Royal Princess was still fresh in her mind.

The awful future of their daughter was still clear in her memory.

My poor child…

"Mona, why are you crying?

" Nikolai asked in a panic.

"Are you hurt anywhere? Where does it hurt? Please tell me.

"

She got up and hugged Nikolai instead of responding to him verbally,

Nikolai, our child's future is grim…

But she couldn't say it so she just cried her heart out while her face was buried against Nikolai's chest.

She noticed that she was in an unfamiliar yet fancy room. Obviously, she passed out in the forest. She didn't know for exactly how long she had been unconscious. But it must be at least a day if Nikolai was here already. And since the room was unfamiliar to her, she could tell that they were still in the Spencer Estate.

At least Nikolai hasn't destroyed their estate yet.

She knew how overprotective he could be.

Although she was worried about her companions (that Nikolai must have scolded and punished for what happened to her), she couldn't bring herself to care for anyone else at the moment.

"Nikolai…

"

"Yes? What is it?

"

Mona pulled away from the hug to look at Nikolai's face.

"Nikolai, I'm pregnant,

" she said softly while looking straight at his ash-gray eyes. She tried to smile but it must have looked awful because her tears wouldn't stop falling yet.

"We're finally going to have a baby.

"

Nikolai's facial expression suddenly turned cold.

He was clearly wasn't happy with the news even though he agreed when she told him that she wanted to have a child with him.

Oh, Nikolai…

As her heart began to break into pieces, Mona heard the Nameless Royal Princess's last words in her head before it completely disappeared.

Don't leave your child to Nikolai de Moonasterio– he would choose his duty as an emperor over your child.

***

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