Another month passed.
The space inside the egg was becoming increasingly cramped.
Amid curled his body, feeling like he had grown nearly as large as the eggshell itself.
The surrounding nutrient solution had been almost entirely absorbed, leaving only a thin layer wrapping around him.
He knew the time had come.
It was time to go out.
He took a deep breath, opened his mouth, and let out his first sound since transmigrating into this world:
“Cele~”
It was very light and soft, like the rustle of wind blowing through leaves.
But Nahida heard it.
She was holding the egg, preparing to begin the day’s lessons.
That subtle sound drifted out from the egg and fell clearly into her ears.
Nahida was stunned.
She lowered her head, looking at the egg in her arms.
The next second—
A dazzling green light bloomed from the eggshell!
The light was so bright that it instantly illuminated the entire Sanctuary of Surasthana.
Nahida’s eyes were slightly dazzled, making it hard to keep them open, but she didn’t look away; instead, she brought her small face even closer.
She held the egg with both hands, cradling it carefully as if she were holding a fragile treasure.
The light grew brighter and more intense.
Then, Nahida felt something.
It was vitality.
An incredibly dense and pure vitality was surging out from the egg, like a spring river breaking through ice, like a sleeping seed finally sprouting.
At the same time—
Outside the Sanctuary of Surasthana.
Plants throughout Sumeru began to move.
In the rainforest, the branches of those thousand-year-old trees began to sprout new buds, and tender green leaves unfurled at a speed visible to the naked eye.
At the edge of the desert, rare greenery broke through the soil, blooming with tiny flowers on the parched earth.
Inside the city, potted plants on every windowsill were growing wildly, vines climbed up walls, and flowers vied to open.
All the plants, regardless of species or size, swayed gently in the same direction—
Toward the direction of the Sanctuary of Surasthana.
As if in worship.
As if in welcome.
On the docks of Port Ormos, merchants stopped their trading and stared dumbfounded at the surrounding plants.
“W-what is going on?”
“Has Lesser Lord Kusanali manifested her power?”
“Look!
Those flowers!
In Gandharva Ville, Tighnari poked his head out of his tent, frowning slightly as he watched the surrounding trees.
“Such strong Dendro Energy…” he murmured,
“Is it the Dendro Archon?”
Within Sumeru City, it caused quite a commotion.
But no one panicked.
Because those plants brought only vitality and beauty.
The air became exceptionally fresh, the scent of flowers filled every corner, and even the sunlight seemed a bit warmer.
“It must be Lesser Lord Kusanali blessing us!”
Someone shouted.
Consequently, many people pressed their palms together and bowed their heads in prayer toward the Sanctuary of Surasthana.
Only one person had no trace of piety on his face, only gloom and vigilance.
Grand Sage Azar.
He stood at the heights of the Akademiya, looking at those wildly growing plants, his expression sour to the extreme.
“This level of divine power…” He gritted his teeth,
“Has something gone wrong with the cage?”
Could that little deity, imprisoned for five hundred years, have gained the ability to escape?
No, impossible.
That cage was meticulously designed by Greater Lord Rukkhadevata.
She couldn’t possibly escape.
But if it wasn’t her, who was it?
In all of Sumeru, who else could mobilize such a massive amount of Dendro Energy?
Azar no longer hesitated, turning and striding toward the Sanctuary of Surasthana.
“Summon the guard!” he ordered in a deep voice,
“Follow me to the Sanctuary of Surasthana!”
Inside the Sanctuary of Surasthana.
The light began to recede.
That ball of dazzling green light gradually condensed and contracted, finally forming a small silhouette—
An onion-like head, a small body, a pair of transparent wings on the back, and two antennae on the head swaying gently.
The light completely dissipated.
The final nutrients of the eggshell turned into starlight, merging into that small body.
Then, he opened his eyes.
They were a pair of azure eyes, as clear as the sky after rain.
He lay there in Nahida’s palm, tiny, soft, and still carrying the slight dampness of a newborn.
He blinked, his gaze falling on the face in front of him.
That face was very close, close enough that he could see his own reflection in her eyes.
Nahida.
His Mama Nahida.
She was looking at him with those cross-shaped pupils, her eyes slightly red, yet her lips were curled into a smile, so gentle and happy. New chapters come out on g.com first.
Amid’s heart suddenly softened into a pile of mush.
He raised his tiny claws and waved at her.
“Cele~” he called out, his voice soft and sweet.
This sentence roughly translated to:
‘Hello, Mama Nahida~’
Nahida’s tears fell instantly.
But she was still smiling.
She held the tiny Celebi to her face and gently rubbed his fuzzy little body with her cheek.
“Hello, Amid.”
She said softly, her voice a bit choked up yet as gentle as a spring breeze,
“My Amid…
you’re finally out.”
Amid felt ticklish from the rubbing and couldn’t help but let out another “Cele~,” his little wings fluttering along.
Nahida lowered him slightly, carefully examining his appearance.
A light green body, large blue eyes, small transparent wings, and two antennae on his head swaying—he was so cute it made one’s heart tremble.
“You…
are so beautiful,” Nahida said softly.
Amid proudly puffed out his little chest.
‘Of course, I am a Celebi!
A Mythical Pokemon!’
But he soon remembered something and reached out a little claw, gently touching Nahida’s face.
There were still tear tracks there.
“Cele~”
He called out again, as if asking, ‘Why are you crying?’
Nahida was taken aback for a moment, then understood his meaning.
She shook her head, her smile deepening.
“It’s not sadness,” she said,
“It’s happiness.
The kind of happiness that makes you very, very happy.”
Amid tilted his head, then patted the back of her hand with his little claw.
‘As long as you’re happy.’
‘In the future, I’ll make you this happy every day.’
Nahida seemed to understand his meaning, brought him a bit closer, and gently pressed her forehead against his little head.
“Thank you,” she said softly,
“Thank you for coming to my side.”
Amid closed his eyes, savoring that warm touch.