Chapter 2148: Meeting Alma Again

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"Most people here are all Reincarnators," Alma said. "Possessing Unique Skills... well, some don’t, as they had their powers extracted. But regardless, we’re trying to help them survive and live comfortable lives. We are a community though, and we are supported by mutual help. Everyone here does something, farming, cooking, working, gardening, architecture, anything. Most people know how to do more than one thing... And yeah, as you can see, our kids aren’t the only ones here."

We also saw a few children playing around, around the age of Alma’s kids, they were not rescued Reincarnators, but the children of the refugees that settled down here. It was a whole new generation, born outside of those wicked labs.

"Are some of them Reincarnators too?" I wondered.

"Yeah... actually, we’ve discovered there’s a higher chance for Reincarnators to give birth to at least another one," Alma said. "Luckily for me, both of my kids are just not... but there’s nothing saying what the third one could be."

"So this is an actual phenomenon?" Benladann wondered. "Benladra is also a Reincarnated Soul, although she barely has memories of that."

"Indeed," Alma nodded. "Some of them are indeed Reincarnators, though most of the time they do their best to hide that... or like your daughter, they don’t remember much of their first lives. We assume they’re the Reincarnation of children that died prematurely."

"That’s sad..." Kate sighed. "Sis, is that true for you?"

"Uuuh, I don’t really remember, heheh..." Benladra giggled cutely. "Sorry."

"Nah, it’s fine, it’s better if you don’t remember much," I said, patting her head. "You’ve built a new life here, dear. With us. The past doesn’t matter anymore."

"I agree, I suppose..." Alma nodded. "I’ve built a wonderful family here... and I’m quite happy myself..."

"Aw, really?" Hermes wondered, teasing his wife. "Why don’t you try to be more honest from time to time, dear?"

"Ugh, if you keep teasing me like this I’m going to break your nose..." Alma groaned, glaring at Hermes angrily.

"Hahaha, actually, you’re really cute when angry too," Hermes kissed her cheek, calming her down. "Are you doing alright? Is the baby fine?" he patted her belly gently.

"I’m alright..." Alma said. "The baby is okay too... but it’s sure getting bigger... Ugh, I may give birth soon."

"I see, we should prepare for that," Hermes nodded.

"Don’t worry, it’ll be fine, I can give birth to the child on my own anyway," Alma shrugged.

"D-Don’t say it so casually, it’s important and special!" Hermes cried.

"Hermes, we’ve gone through two times already..." Alma sighed, rolling her eyes. "Also we’ll start using protection from now on, ok? I don’t want to get knocked up a fourth time! I’ve had enough..."

"Hahah, come on..." Hermes giggled. "It doesn’t feel the same with it..."

"Ugh, you’re so selfish!" Alma said, karate chopping him again.

"Ah! She did it again!" Aragorn said. "Mama’s karate chop is invincible!"

"Chop! Chop! Chop!" Rina said while giggling.

"Hahaah, you sure got a lively family!" Benladann laughed. "This is refreshing to see, I guess we can relate to one another even more now."

"Aaah, I guess so? You’re also a tired mom?" Alma wondered, sighing.

"Kind of... I also got another one on the way..." Benladann said.

"Me too," Miranda said.

"And me," Andromeda nodded.

"And... I don’t know about me, don’t look at me!" Yuki was glared by everyone else, as if they expected her to answer with the same answer.

"Wait, you’re... I had not noticed, but you’re also new, huh?" Alma wondered. "Who are you?"

"She’s Andromeda," I said. "She’s... uh, how do I say this without making it sound weird?"

"Hm?" Alma raised an eyebrow.

"I am the Spiritual and Physical Embodiment of Drake’s Unique Skill: System," Andromeda smiled. "I am also an independent being now, and also bound to him. Mostly thanks to his new powers as a Venerable."

"His System?!" Alma asked. "Pfff.... Hahaha! No way you married your system, bro? What?!"

Ugh, I knew this would happen.

"Hey, be more respectful with him, he’s a venerable you know?!" Amethyst suddenly spoke. "I know you’re friends with him but even then, such disrespectfulness would only get you a terrible punishment!"

"W-What? What is this pipsqueak talking about?" Alma wondered.

"Elf! Don’t you dare call me pipsqueak! I am a great dragon!" Amethyst roared, as I calmed her down.

"Amethyst, no need to defend me, it’s fine. This is just called joking around and talking casually. I don’t care her words seriously and she doesn’t take mine seriously either," I said. "That’s how people talk, it’s normal."

"Uugh, it’s confusing! I don’t understand mortals sometimes," Amethyst said grumpily.

"Of course you don’t dear, you barely interact with them," Jord laughed. "Oh? This presence...! I can’t believe it, is this really a dragon? It’s more like..."

"Like a Spirit Tree, right?" I asked. "Yes, that’s Root."

It resembled a huge temple made of gray stone, covered with moss and vines, flowers, grass, and surrounded by trees.

In the middle of this Sanctuary, there was a large tree almost reaching the ceiling, bathing on the gentle sunlight coming through the cracks.

The tree constantly released a bright aura of divine spiritual energy, and draconic power.

Both energies together, as Root’s existence was amongst the most unique of all of dragons, even of mine.

The giant tree faintly resembled something else than just a tree, of course.

It was a dragon made of wood, covered o branches and leaves, his eyes dormant, but once he noticed us, hie empty eyes, holes in the wood, opened, as a faint green light glowed from them.

"Hey Root, we’re back... you’ve built a wonderful place here."

"...Drake."

"Yeah it’s me... It has been how long? Five years? That much time has passed? I seriously can’t keep track of time sometimes..."

"Hmm... You’ve grown, and so has your family... I have been growing as well, slumbering as I delved deeper into my own powers and origins."

"I see... I’ve come here to greet everyone and... well, okay, it might get serious now, but I actually came here to talk about other things than just having a nice meeting between friends."

"I am well aware, I’ve touched Yggdrasil’s roots, part of her knowledge flows through me. Your battle against Chaos and Pandemonium was world changing. Although you managed to defeat them and save our world, the aftermath has created cracks between dimensions, our world was about to crumble, absorbing other worlds to patch itself. Now, we’re left with having to deal with what’s coming. And that’s without even considering Umbral and Greenwood right around the horizon."

"Right around? Wait, what?! Root, what do you know?"

"Calm down, Alma, I knew that he was coming, and so I saved my energy until he arrived. But it is time for me to finally wake up. We need to talk about the current state of the world, and how you’ll have to decide to either use your Blessing of Endless Mana to help save it or abandon it entirely."

"Root..."

Crack, crack...!

CRACK!

The wood started breaking apart and cracking, as a giant dragon made of wood and covered with leaves emerged from within the large tree, sap covering his body as his aura glowed powerfully.

"You seem stronger."

"I have become stronger... but I fear it won’t be enough to handle what’s coming. Destined Dragon King, we’ll require your aid..."

"Of course, that’s why I’m here."

Although I am not too sure what he means by needing my aid though, is something bad going to happen right now? Why can’t he at least tell me?

"First, let’s have a meal, we can’t just let our guest starve, can’t we, Alma?" Root spoke with a lighter tone.

"Ah, yeah..." Alma nodded. "Knifeeeeee! Hey, Knife! Stop slacking and come and help me cook! Cut down some veggies and butcher some meat please!"

FLASH!

From the interior of the Sanctuary, which seemed to be Alma’s home, suddenly, a pink and purple colored knife came flying, leaving behind a trail of glittering light of the same color as its blade.

"D-Do you have to call me like I’m your dog or something, you damn old hag?!" Knife screamed at her, floating by her side.

"W-Why are you calling me old hag?! I’m as young and pristine as always!" Alma cried angrily.

"Are you sure about that after three kids?" Knife teased her.

"Maybe I should have crushed you into bits and made a new weapon out of the materials..." Alma smiled viciously.

"Eek! Spare me!" Knife cried. "Fine, I’ll get to it but stop treating me like your kitchen knife! I am a powerful Weapon made by an Ancient Venerable and your family’s treasure!"

"And you’re also really getting on my nerves right now..." Alma said.

"On it, ma’am!" Knife quickly flew away.

"T-That’s Knife, your talking weapon right?" I asked. "Hahah... I remember the last time you used his powers, you were able to cut through that giant robot Greenwood sent."

"Yes, he’s a powerful Venerable Treasure," nodded Alma. "And... an annoying little bastard sometimes. I’ve had him since I was a child. But back then he barely had his original power, I had to feed him Mana Cores for years before he could ever become what he is today... but even then, he’s better as a kitchen knife, he can even cook some simple dishes all for himself... a mother’s life is not easy you know Drake? So having him around is useful."

This is as if I suddenly told Celestia to cook for me... it feels wrong on so many ways, but I guess that’s their dynamic, and I have no right to talk about her life choices either.

But still, this is ridiculous.

"It seems you want to speak after we eat, so fine," Alma said. "Come on in, everyone, let me show you our house while I go cook something..."

"Let me help as well, I’m good at cooking," I said.

"Alright~" Alma shrugged.

"Wait, I’m also helping!" Hermes said, teleporting in front of me and rushing to the kitchen.

...Did he get jealous or something?

...

Well, whatever the case, Alma’s house was quite spacious, made mostly of stone and plants, but it had a nice feeling for it, and it seemed to be well attuned to elves, who loved nature.

Especially mixing nature with their own buildings, it was practically what elves loved the mot when creating their own houses and such.

She had several living rooms, a gigantic kitchen, a second floor with many rooms for everyone, and they even had comfortable beds and lots of furniture they had made themselves.

They were practically living inside a palace of their own making, which was quite impressive.

Once I was done looking around, I moved to the kitchen to cook with Alma and Knife, and that’s where I saw the weapon cutting onions, cabbage, tomatoes, carrots, and more, singing some sort of Italian song while doing so.

Wait, who even taught him Italian songs?

Hermes also helped cooking, and he wasn’t as jealous as I imagined, but he didn’t seem to like the idea of another man being alone with his wife in the kitchen.

Alma’s kids got along nicely with mine, especially with Drakda, who was around their age mentality-wise, and we heard them playing outside.

"Alright, noodles with some nice tomato sauce..." Alma nodded. "This was my fav meal back in my first life, and still is now, hehe~"

"I always love it when you make it, honey," Hermes said, kissing her cheek.

"Hmm~ Do you~?" Alma acted coquettish, as she let him taste the sauce. "How is it?"

"To die for!" Hermes laughed.

Aw, well, they do make a really cute couple. I just have to take away the mental image of Alma once having been a man my age in her previous life...

Wait, is this how I would’ve ended if I had reincarnated as a woman instead?!

No, there’s no way...

Ugh.

I shouldn’t be thinking about this, let’s just never think about it ever again.

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