The days, weeks, and months passed like the wind, and the long-awaited day of Ophélia’s delivery finally arrived.

  For this grand event, Father-Volden had called upon Martha, the vilge elder and midwife.

  She was about sixty years old, dressed in a dark blue dress, and her graying hair was tied up in a bun.

  Given her age, this dy had assisted with many births. So it seemed only natural to have her oversee this one. Of course, she was assisted by her granddaughter Livia, who hoped to follow in her footsteps.

  This young woman, in her twenties, with long brown hair tied in a ponytail and wearing a light blue dress, was also present.

  Obviously, today was also the day Deity Ogme had pnned to visit us…

  I suspect he must have arranged with Father-Volden and Mother-Ophélia to take care of me during the delivery.

  And me, who wanted to help… even just a little…

  Today is the sixth day of the second month of spring, and the afternoon began amid the anguished cries of Mother-Ophélia. Meanwhile, I was confined to the dining room with Deity Ogme, who was seated right in front of me.

  This time, as a gift, I received from him a simple instructional book for learning to write.

  Since I apparently had some free time, I took the initiative to read it. However, Mother-Ophélia’s cries made it impossible.

  Each of her cries was like a tear ripping inside me.

  It was as if someone were holding two pieces of the skin on my belly and pulling them in opposite directions—splitting me in two—and then grabbing my intestines to tie them into tight knots that were untied and re-tied even more tightly, over and over again…

  And all I had to do during that time was simply to wait patiently…

  I just had to wait for it all to be over…

  Seeing that the little boy could not concentrate for even a single second, Deity Ogme closed his eyes and focused to channel his energy.

  Suddenly, a gentle wave of energy emanated from the Deity and swept through the room, and then not a single sound could be heard from outside.

  It was now calm—very calm.

  This sudden action startled Elwyn, for he had never before witnessed any Entity magic, whatever its form.

  — Now, you will be able to concentrate on what you are doing.

  Once he recovered from his surprise, the little boy began to stare at the Deity with a questioning look.

  — I have just isoted this room from all external distractions. This is only one of the abilities of my Domain.

  Having received the answer even before asking his next question, Elwyn then resumed his usual neutral expression and posed another question.

  — Teacher, what is a “Domain”?

  Ogme adopted a serious expression before replying.

  — Since time immemorial, Entities and half-Entities have been categorized by what we call a “Domain.” This cssification tells us both the function and the type of power an individual possesses. For example, I, Ogme, am an Entity of the Domain of Knowledge and Understanding, and furthermore, I currently hold the title of Deity because I am the most powerful Entity in this Domain. As for my function, I collect all forms of knowledge and understanding that the beings of this world possess and preserve them in a vast library created with my powers. In short, I am the current guardian of all the memory of the world of Ilnolia.

  This sudden revetion made the little boy understand why his adoptive parents were always so surprised and tense when Deity Ogme visited them.

  “Deity Ogme is someone truly very important and very busy. And despite that, he spends part of his precious time here, with me.”

  Once he recovered from this new surprise, Elwyn asked another question, this time with a hint of reservation.

  — Teacher, can you tell me which Domain I belong to?

  At this important question, Ogme cast a heavy, thoughtful look on the little boy and, for several long seconds, did not take his starry gaze off Elwyn.

  Then a slight smirk appeared on Ogme’s usually impassive face.

  — You know, Elwyn, an Entity devotes its entire existence to its Domain, and the same is often true for half-Entities like you. So, if I were to tell you now what your Domain is, you would no longer be able to escape your destiny… And furthermore, you would easily discover who your parents were, since one of them was a known Entity.

  This answer did not surprise the little boy in the slightest. Meanwhile, Ogme kept his information about Elwyn’s biological parents very carefully to himself.

  “If I understand correctly, it’s not yet the right time…”

  — Indeed, it is not yet the right time. You know, I do all this not to tease you but to protect you, nothing more. One day, you will know the whole truth, I promise you.

  — All right…

  And the little boy immersed himself back into his reading.

  The calm and silence of the room made the little boy increasingly nervous as time passed.

  Two hours had now epsed and nothing—not even the slightest sound from the outside.

  — Elwyn. Worrying won’t change what is happening outside this room.

  — I know, but…

  — But nothing at all. You are supposed to be a child still living in a protective cocoon, unaware of the harshness and cruelty of this world. So, you are simply going to copy the first character, as indicated on the first exercise page, as neatly as possible and forget the outside world.

  — All right, I’ll try, said the little boy with little conviction.

  — Very well, then…

  The Deity then produced from one of his pouches a block of paper and a small, ornately carved wooden box.

  Inside the box was a bck ebonite pencil, its body adorned with a fine silver mesh, exquisitely crafted, as well as a pen of the same style, with a silver nib.

  The Deity pced the box directly in front of Elwyn, and the little boy opened it carefully, marveling at the craftsmanship of these two writing instruments.

  Meanwhile, the Deity took the pencil and held it between his thumb and forefinger, without them touching, with the tip pointing downward.

  — This is how you should hold your writing instrument.

  The little boy then took the pen from his box and positioned it between his thumb and forefinger.

  — That’s good. Now, gently pce the nib on the paper and trace the character. But be careful—the nib is very fragile. If you press too hard, you risk bending it and rendering it unusable.

  Elwyn obeyed and attempted to trace the first character.

  — Go a little more gently; you are still pressing too hard on the tip. Be gentle, like the caress of the wind on skin. Let your pen glide, as if you were sliding your finger over a freshly waxed table.

  The little boy then rexed his grip so as only to hold the pen between his fingers and began to let it slowly glide across the paper, retracing the character.

  — That’s much better, but go faster with your stroke. You might create ink smudges if you leave your pen in one spot for too long.

  Elwyn started over, this time moving faster.

  — Keep going like that, you’re on the right track.

  The character Elwyn traced was far from perfect. It was uneven, with irregur strokes and occasional ink stains scattered about. However, his grip on the pen was good, and that was all that mattered at the moment.

  Encouraged by the Deity, the little boy began tracing the character repeatedly, trying each time to make it smaller and more precise, much like the characters in his book.

  Four hours passed in this manner.

  All that time went by without Elwyn noticing. At the same time, he was completely under the influence of the Deity’s “study aura.”

  And yet, during this period, he had to refill the pen’s reservoir several times, clean the ink stains off the table, and—of course—have his hands tapped when he attempted to grab the book with ink-stained fingers.

  Nevertheless, the little boy had managed to trace many different characters, and the sheets began to stack slowly on the table.

  — You know, Elwyn, if you continue working like this, you will eventually assist me at the academy.

  The little boy then looked up at the Deity with a questioning expression. In response, Ogme pointed to the window right behind Elwyn, and the little boy saw that the sun had set.

  — Already this hour!

  — Yes, time really flies when you’re having fun… If only the days could be longer, or the nights brighter…

  Elwyn then turned his head toward the entrance of the room.

  — Are they finished?

  — No, not yet. They would have told me if they were. But well, I’m going to go check, to see how things are.

  The little boy seized that opportunity.

  — May I come too?

  — No. You, you stay here and continue writing.

  Ogme’s response was direct and uncompromising.

  Elwyn then reluctantly stayed seated on his chair, while the Deity left the room, leaving the little boy alone with himself.

  Once outside the dining room, Ogme was immediately bombarded by the everyday sounds—no longer enveloped by the lingering effect of his aura. And so, before even moving toward the living room, the Deity listened to the sounds and surveyed the atmosphere to get a sense of the situation.

  From what he could hear, there were cries; however, they did not belong to an adult but rather to a baby. There were also bored breaths, which likely came from a woman, no doubt Ophélia. And the overall atmosphere carried a certain heaviness, accompanied by a slight trace of fear and panic.

  This final sign armed the Deity.

  — All of this does not bode well…

  The Deity then knocked on the living room door to announce his presence before cautiously entering the room.

  Inside the living room, Ogme quickly assessed the situation.

  Seated on the second sofa, near the firepce, was midwife Martha, whose arms were occupied with a bundle of undry she was gently rocking—presumably the baby. In the center of the room sat Ophélia, almost unconscious on the floor, beneath which a growing pool of blood had formed. Right behind her was Volden, holding her in his arms with a panicked expression, and in front of him stood Livia, in a state of panic as she tried to stem the bleeding.

  The Deity then calmly approached Livia and crouched down beside her.

  — Can you tell me what happened?

  The young girl turned to Ogme, her eyes brimming with tears and her jaw trembling from stress and panic.

  — E-e-everything was fine, and then, she… she… she started bleeding, and it wouldn’t stop…

  — I see.

  The Deity then turned toward Volden, who was trembling like a leaf.

  — Volden, calm down and listen. Take a deep breath, and once you are calm, tell me where I can find the nearest healer.

  Volden complied, keeping his eyes fixed on Ogme, and took a long, deep breath before answering, his voice trembling.

  — There is one in the town of Alina, to the south, but… it’s too far… She won’t be able to… she won’t be able to hold on until then…, he said, as tears began to form on his face.

  Seeing the gravity of the situation, the Deity began rubbing his face, trying to find a solution.

  After several long seconds, that much-desired solution finally came to him.

  In fact, it had almost leapt to his face—arriving just as he removed his ink-stained hands from his face.

  Ogme then lifted his head toward Volden, who saw in the Deity’s reaction a glimmer of hope, albeit a bitter one.

  — I might have a solution.

  Quickly, Ogme left the living room and rejoined Elwyn in the dining room, where the little boy had remained quietly seated, still tracing characters on his sheet.

  When the Deity opened the door and entered the room, the little boy turned toward him, eyes alight with hope.

  — So, how is it going?

  Ogme approached the little boy, took the nearest chair, and sat down beside him.

  Adopting a grave expression, the Deity looked the little boy in the eyes and expined the situation.

  — To be honest, things are not going well.

  At this, the little boy’s face grew equally somber, though he said nothing and did not appear too unsettled.

  — Ophélia is in critical condition, and there isn’t a healer close enough to help her. However, the baby is fine.

  — I see… That’s something at least… What can we do to help Mother-Ophélia?

  Then, the Deity pced his hands on the little boy’s shoulders and looked him straight in the eyes.

  — Elwyn, the current situation forces me to turn to you, even though you are absolutely not ready.

  — Ready for what?

  After a brief pause, the Deity replied:

  — Elwyn, you are going to use your Entity powers and heal Ophélia.

  At this, the little boy froze in astonishment.

  — Pardon?

  — You heard me well. You are the one who will heal Ophélia. You, and only you.

  The look in the Deity’s eyes left no doubt—he was extremely serious and had no time for further expnation.

  — Understood.

  — Very well. Now, I will unlock a certain part of your memory so that you can easily use your power.

  Elwyn looked at the Deity with a questioning expression.

  — Unlock my memory?

  Without further comment, the Deity quickly pced his right hand on the little boy’s head, and suddenly, a jolt of energy surged through Elwyn’s entire skull, causing him to feel nauseous and suffer a particurly acute headache for a brief moment.

  Once he had fully recovered, Ogme nodded to the little boy, signaling that he should remain focused, and they left the dining room in silence to join the others in the living room.

  When Elwyn entered the room, he felt heavy and oppressed by the prevailing atmosphere.

  That feeling was most unpleasant; he tried to dispel it by closing his eyes, taking a deep breath, and exhaling slowly.

  Once done, the unpleasant sensation completely lifted, and with a clear and calm mind, Elwyn calmly approached his adoptive parents.

  When Volden saw the little boy coming toward him and Ophélia, he did not understand his presence and instinctively retracted his right hand.

  — Elwyn? What are you doing here? Get out of this room! A child has no business here!

  At these words, spoken loudly yet tremblingly, the little boy stopped immediately, and Livia—still trying to stop the bleeding—froze and turned toward Elwyn, her face completely panicked and trembling.

  Then the little boy turned to Ogme, who approached him and stood right beside him.

  — Volden. At this moment, Elwyn is the only one capable of saving her, so let him do his work.

  Volden lowered his hand, still looking at the Deity in confusion.

  Meanwhile, Elwyn resumed his steps, sat down next to Ophélia, and gently took her hand—she, who was nearly unconscious—and caressed it softly.

  From what he could see, Ophélia had lost much blood and her complexion had become very pale. Moreover, her breathing was slow and irregur.

  Once he understood the situation, Elwyn then turned to the Deity.

  — What do I do now?

  Ogme approached the little boy and sat beside him.

  — Before we begin, know that Entities use their powers instinctively, so there is no precise manual on how to use them. However, I can offer you some advice and information.

  — What kind of information?

  In a voice low enough that only Elwyn could hear, Ogme replied:

  — As you must now know, your powers belong to the Domain of Life. This means you have the ability to heal living beings.

  The little boy confirmed this new knowledge.

  — Indeed. What else?

  — To heal her, you must maintain physical contact with her.

  The little boy held her hand firmly.

  — Understood. And then?

  — You must completely empty your mind, just as one empties a full gss.

  Elwyn then closed his eyes, took a long, deep breath, and once his lungs were full, exhaled slowly.

  Using this method, he cleared all unnecessary thoughts from his mind, just as he had done upon entering the living room.

  When his mind was clear and empty, the little boy slowly opened his eyes and saw that he was now in a white room.

  Scanning the room, Elwyn saw that in front of him, on a table as white as the room, y Ophélia—unconscious and frozen like a statue.

  “Where am I?”

  At that moment, a dazzling emerald light appeared above him, illuminating the entire room with its presence.

  This emerald light exuded a warm and comforting aura, like a pair of arms ready to embrace and warm the coldest heart—even to the point of melting it.

  The little boy’s gaze remained fixed on this light, which began to take on a humanoid form.

  Once formed, it then settled on the opposite side of the table, directly facing Elwyn.

  — Who are you? the little boy asked.

  — I am you. Or rather, your power.

  The voice of the emerald light was soft, warm, and feminine.

  — Alright, I see…

  Noticing that Elwyn seemed troubled, the humanoid light extended its right hand above the table.

  The little boy watched it pass over Ophélia, and once her form was still, he moved toward it and slowly extended his hand to grasp it.

  However, just before their hands could meet, the light’s hand pointed its index finger toward Ophélia.

  — Wouldn’t you have something more important to do right now?

  Elwyn then turned his gaze toward Ophélia.

  — Yes, but… How? How do I save her?

  — It’s very simple. However, since you do not yet know—or rather cannot yet properly use—your power, you must follow my instructions to the letter.

  — If you say so… Then, what must I do?

  The being of light took Elwyn’s hand and pced it against the young woman’s belly. Suddenly, her clothes disintegrated into particles of emerald light exactly where the little boy’s hand touched.

  — What’s happening?

  — Everything is fine. Look.

  The being of light then slid Elwyn’s hand along the length of the young woman’s belly; her clothes disintegrated where his hand passed and then reformed after each pass.

  — This is just so you can see the external injuries that need healing.

  — I see… And then?

  — Well, since she has no external wounds, we must now address an internal injury.

  The being of light then guided the little boy’s hand inside the young woman’s belly, and at that moment, Ophélia’s flesh completely vanished, leaving only her skeleton and internal organs visible.

  This internal view of the human body did not disturb the little boy at all; he was waiting for one thing only—the next instructions.

  Understanding this, the being of light moved Elwyn’s hand until it was above the young woman’s uterus.

  — Look.

  With its left hand, the being of light showed the little boy a small piece of torn membrane inside her uterus, which was gradually filling it with blood.

  — She is losing her blood.

  — What must I do to stop this?

  — You must detach the remaining piece of pcenta, purify the spilled blood, return it into her body, and finally close the wound.

  — All right… I will… try…

  — Do it. You must do it.

  Elwyn then made a pinching motion with his right thumb and forefinger to delicately detach the remaining piece of pcenta.

  — I have detached the piece of pcenta. And then?

  — Pce your index finger on the bleeding area. Then, imagine that the blood spilled outside is returning into her, like a river flowing back to its source. Of course, the blood must pass over your finger to be cleansed, like a fishing net separating the fish from the water.

  This vivid and explicit expnation from the being of light made the procedure straightforward for Elwyn, who proceeded with the actions without pause or question.

  — And now?

  — Finally, slide your finger along the bleeding area, imagining that it closes up.

  Elwyn complied and slowly ran his finger along the hemorrhaging edge, as one would apply an ointment to a wound, while picturing the torn edges gradually sealing, like a book being closed.

  Once the operation was complete, the being of light lifted the little boy’s hand away from Ophélia.

  — There, you have just completed your first healing. Congratutions.

  — Well… thank you… I think…

  — With that, good luck for what lies ahead and a speedy recovery.

  — Pardon?

  At that moment, the being of light emitted a blinding emerald fsh, forcing Elwyn to close his eyes for several seconds before reopening them in the living room, where he was seated.

  When he became aware of his surroundings, the little boy felt extreme fatigue, and suddenly, an unbearable pain shot through his lower abdomen—simir to the tearing sensation he had felt hours earlier, but magnified tenfold.

  This excruciating pain caused Elwyn to colpse backward, and he fell unconscious.

  Fortunately for him, Ogme saw that the little boy was on the verge of colpsing and caught him just in time in his arms.

  The Deity of Knowledge and Understanding had seen everything that had happened—or rather, everything that was visible.

  When the little boy had closed, then reopened his eyes after focusing, his irises had changed color and began to shine brilliantly.

  Indeed, the concealment spell on the ring he had been given—which he wears around his neck—had been overcome by his powers, revealing its natural silver color.

  At that moment, Elwyn no longer seemed part of this world. He had become impervious to all forms of external disturbances.

  He was in his own bubble, alone with himself.

  Ophélia, meanwhile, appeared to have peacefully fallen asleep when the little boy activated his powers.

  The only visible sign of healing to the outside world was the movement of Elwyn’s hands on the young woman’s body, and when he inserted them inside her, like a ghost. Then, a few minutes ter, he regained consciousness of the outside world and immediately colpsed again.

  During those few minutes in which the healing took pce, Ophélia regained her color, and her internal bleeding completely ceased.

  — Congratutions, Elwyn, you have done well. Unfortunately for you, I must make you forget a rge part of what happened…

  Ogme then turned his head toward Volden, astonished by what he had just witnessed, and signaled to him that everything was alright.

  In the end, the entire ordeal had gone well today. Ophélia was in good health, and the baby, too.