My mother's love song

At that time, I naively believed that I could always love this girl.

But I was wrong, very wrong.

"That child can only live for 15 years at most."

Zeus said expressionlessly: "Cherish the time you have with her."

The abnormality of Narcissus's body was noticed when she was three weeks old.

In fact, Rhodes had discovered it long before that, but he just didn't want to face it.

"Hey! Old Zeus, what nonsense are you talking about? Do you believe that I will destroy your temple?"

"Face the reality, Rhode. It only took your daughter one month to grow physically and intellectually to the level of a five-year-old human... She is obviously neither a machine god nor a natural god.

It is neither part of normal human growth nor is it like a god who is perfect at birth.

There is only one conclusion: your daughter is an artificial life form...she is an artificial human."

"A cyborg...?"

Rhodes opened his mouth wide, and he felt like his whole body was falling into an icy cave.

Homunculus is an artificial life with an extremely short lifespan.

Growing up faster than other children, but at the same time this also means that he ages faster, so fast that they will be closer to death than most of their peers.

The babies sleeping in their cradles were the same age as Rod's daughter, who was playing in the garden.

By the time they grew up, Rhodes' daughter would have died of old age.

What an ironic reality! The name "Narcissus" which should have been a blessing given by her father now seems to be a curse that predicts that the girl will be a "short-lived flower".

Why is Narcissus an artificial human?

The first question that popped up in Rhode's mind was

"I think she must be the child born in response to your wish."

"…My wish?"

Rhodes' mouth opened wide.

My wish... is it because I felt overwhelming loneliness on Earth that that child was born?

Zeus continued, "This is a one-of-a-kind miracle that happened because of your special Holy Grail physique.

However, miracles have their limits, and life born from desire cannot possess the noble soul of natural life.

The result of the miracle was the appearance of a man-made being that was closely related to the Holy Grail itself."

Rhodes grabbed Zeus by the collar angrily: "You said that child has no soul...?"

Are you kidding me?

What a joke!

I absolutely do not agree with this kind of thing.

How could Narcissus be soulless? She was obviously more noble, pure, and lovely than any other child!

She is absolutely.

She is the Most High.

She is the truth.

She will continue to grow, and keep growing.

One day, Narcissus will be more beautiful, more noble, more gentle and more shining than any other goddess!

How could she only live to be 15? That child must live a hundred years... No, she must live longer than me and longer than the universe!!!

So, Rhodes began to frantically seek a way to keep Narcissus alive.

He was somewhat insane at the time, and thought that if he could just let his daughter live to a normal human lifespan, it could be extended a little longer through magic or powerful means.

But Rhodes was obviously greedier than anyone else. He believed that the lifespan of daffodils should be measured in thousands or even tens of thousands of years.

In other words, Narcissus should become a god like her mother.

Rhodes quickly remembered Hades who died in the White War.

Wouldn't it be fine if we just gave Hades' power over to Narcissus?

No one understands immortality better than Hades.

However, obtaining Hades' [Immortality] also means fulfilling Hades' obligations and becoming the ruler of the underworld.

After all, Narcissus is not a real mecha god. If Hades wants to maintain his power, he must draw strength from human cognition and worship.

To maintain immortality, one must become a true Hades.

Erasing her past, and

"I need to dissolve your father-daughter relationship with her... Is that okay?"

"No problem, no problem... As long as the child can survive, anything is fine!"

"You're really going to come up with this idea of ​​letting her replace Hades... I'm sure she'll hate you."

Rhode gritted his teeth and lowered his head. "Please, Zeus. Erase the memories of all the Mechagods except Persephone. Let Narcissus... become the real Hades."

What does it mean to have your daughter become Hades?

Humanity will spit on her, no one will offer sacrifices to her, no one will worship her, poets will not sing her praises, heroes will not respect her.

She will become a goddess who is born unable to be loved by anyone.

Even as a father, I couldn't give her the love that should have been hers alone.

But Rhodes still decided to do it.

On the one hand, it was for emergency purposes and to prolong Narcissus' life as long as possible.

On the other hand, he had already thought of a way to remedy the situation in his mind.

Zeus finally agreed to Rhodes' request.

This is a win-win plan, as the King of Gods also urgently needs a god who can rule the afterlife.

Just like that, Rod lost his daughter and Narcissus lost his father.

Faced with his daughter's crying, Rhodes gritted his teeth and said nothing.

The original intention of not telling the truth was to make her stronger and make Hades' role more perfect.

But Rhodes never expected that his daughter, who had only lived with him for a month, would have such amazing enthusiasm for him.

Hades actually found Rhodes and said that she was willing to give up her life and future for him as long as she could be with her father.

Rod was scared and at a loss: It shouldn't be like this, you should have your own life! Narcissus, you should hate me!

Today, my hands are shaking.

Today, I feel heartbroken.

Why is this happening?

I took everything from her, but she still loved me.

Why did you give her this kind of pain?

What had she done wrong? What had she done wrong?

Narcissus...

Narcissus...

I, I, I, I really love you so much, why do I always hurt you?

Hehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehe. Hehehehehehehehehehehehehe.

"Narcissus... please bear with the loneliness for ten thousand years. I will definitely make it up to you later, and I will never let you suffer any injustice."

Rhodes already knew how stupid and selfish his plan was.

But he had a remedy.

The so-called remedy is to end the Age of Gods...

When Hades' immortality could no longer be maintained, and when Narcissus' life came to an end again.

Rhodes will kill Hades, and he will let his daughter swallow his spiritual essence.

Let Narcissus become the new beast of the apocalypse!

An equal exchange, exchanging "Rod's death" for "Daffodil's life".

This is undoubtedly the perfect way to have the best of both worlds.

Rod will get what he has always dreamed of: his daughter's eternal life.

Narcissus will get what she has longed for for ten thousand years, the love of her father.

"One day my life will come to an end, but you will be immortal."

……

……

……

"Varied……!?"

Atalanta was confused by the scene before her.

The red liquid that spurted out from Rhode's chest was blood.

The young man used his glowing left hand to carve a large hole in his chest, digging out his intact heart and spiritual base bit by bit.

“No, no… Father, no…”

Faced with the abnormal sight of having his own heart dug out, Hades shed hot tears and tightly held his father's arm.

"It's not like this, Father... It shouldn't be like this... Stop it! Father!!!"

"…My beloved daughter, Narcissus."

Rhodes dug out the crimson spirit core and then held Hades' shoulder with one hand.

He spoke as he swallowed the blood that was pouring out of his lungs.

"I can't make up for the sins I committed against you in the past. It was my obsession that caused you so much suffering.

I'm a terrible, selfish father, and like you said, I'm a loser.

I know clearly that you don't care how long you can live, you just want to stay with me...but I still keep avoiding the thought of facing you.

It turns out that I have never changed. I am a guy who is always immersed in self-satisfaction.

Narcissus...you are right, I am the most despicable coward in the world.

Even so... please accept this. The only thing I can give you is my life."

There is only one thing you can give, and that is all of yourself.

The power of the beast, eternal life, the glory of the holy sword...

For you, I would give up everything I have.

Hades cried, "I know, I know...! I know that my father loves me, so that's enough... No more!"

"not enough!"

Just like the scene of the father and daughter's separation ten thousand years ago, Rhodes did not give his daughter any chance to resist and stuffed the soul core into Hades' chest.

"From now on, I will become one with you, and I will be with you forever."

“…Aaaaaaah, I don’t want that, ahhhhhhhhhh.”

The girl fell to her knees and screamed.

It was not pain from the body, but the cry of the spirit's resistance.

I wanted to reject my father's spiritual core, but I couldn't.

Because she is Rhodes' biological daughter with blood flowing in her veins, it is natural that she has the most perfect physical adaptability to the spirit core of the Beast of Apocalypse.