Chapter 1272 Kinship <TOC> Chapter 1274 Eureka’s Eeriness
Translator: SumTLMan
In the grand hall, Sanders communicated to Angel through the mental link they shared, relaying all that transpired.
More precisely, he replayed the recorded scene within the confines of Angel’s mind.
Interestingly, he and White Bear had been absent for a good chunk of time. Yet within this period, the conversation between Totoro and Popoca was remarkably brief.
“Who are you?” Totoro was the first to break the silence.
Popoca announced his name, followed by another drawn-out pause.
It wasn’t until Angel’s impending return that Totoro remarked, “It seems we share some form of bond.”
Upon hearing this, Popoca nodded vigorously, his face gradually shifting to an impassioned expression, as if he’d had a revelation. Meanwhile, Totoro seemed lost in contemplation, up until Angel’s arrival.
When Angel re-entered the hall, the delicate balance of the atmosphere was visibly disrupted, the previous subtle tension fading away. Totoro was roused from his introspection, lifting his gaze to meet Angel’s.
The ambiance shifted from taut to relaxed.
Taking a seat across from Totoro, Angel raised his teacup, sipping the warm liquid. “You seemed deep in thought just now?”
With a slightly embarrassed grin, Totoro admitted, “I noticed something unusual and got lost in it, oblivious to your departure. But on reflection, it doesn’t seem to be of significant concern.”
“Have you pieced it all together?”
“I believe so,” Totoro pointed to Popoca, “He seems to share some unique bond with me.”
“What sort of bond?” Angel cast a sidelong glance at Popoca standing on the side, noting his clenched fist, hinting at a trace of anxiety.
Turning his attention to Popoca, Totoro looked at him with an air of suspicion, “Could he be my grandson?”
Angel struggled to contain his laughter, almost spitting out his tea. This revelation was truly unexpected! On the other hand, Popoca’s eyes widened in surprise. He had thought Totoro recognized the blood bond between them. Who would’ve anticipated such a response?!
So, was he being inadvertently teased?
After feigning a couple of coughs to mask his previous lapse, Angel arched an eyebrow and said, “You claim he is of your bloodline?”
“I’m uncertain, yet there’s this deep-seated intuition,” Totoro replied gravely, his gaze fixed on Angel. There was an unmistakable earnestness in his eyes.
Angel had initially dismissed it as a jest. Yet, the earnest look on Totoro’s face suddenly reminded him of Totoro’s authentic age — well over a millennium.
While Popoca and Sparrow Blossom grew up in the Fairytale World, Totoro hailed from a millennium past.
Considering this, the possibility wasn’t entirely far-fetched!
“Is there a blood relation between you two?” Angel inquired.
Pausing momentarily, Totoro eventually nodded, “It seems so, though the blood ties aren’t too pronounced.”
In other words, they might hail from the same tribe, but they aren’t direct blood relatives.
Angel had initially conjectured that Popoca might be a direct descendant of Totoro, which would have made for a whimsical twist of fate. Nevertheless, even if not of direct bloodline, Popoca could still be considered generations down from Totoro.
However, Angel, despite being privy to this knowledge, chose to remain reticent. After all, Totoro’s millennia-old age remained a secret.
“At such a tender age, how can you have descendants? I reckon it’s some distant relative,” Angel paused, “After all, you both are from the same tribe.”
“Is Popoca also a Laudsourcian?” Totoro inquired.
“You’re aware of your Laudsourcian bloodline?” Angel was slightly taken aback; Totoro seemed well aware about his heritage.
“Tree Spirit and Mentor Maya both informed me,” Totoro responded.
Given Totoro’s awareness of his bloodline, Angel ceased his coy act and nodded in affirmation, “Indeed, Popoca is also a Laudsourcian, a fellow tribesman.”
Angel had expected Totoro to express astonishment, or perhaps probe further about their kin. Yet, Totoro’s demeanor was incredibly placid, acknowledging the revelation from The Encounter with a mere nod.
“Aren’t you curious about your kin?” Angel probed.
“Curiosity towards him eludes me, and the so-called kinship doesn’t pique my interest,” Totoro paused, looking directly into Angel’s clear eyes, “But if Angel introduces it, I wonder why.”
Angel could discern that Totoro truly wasn’t invested in Popoca or his own kin.
It’s as if his world is missing a touch of empathy.
Could this be the aftermath of his millennia-long slumber? Angel pondered. Yet recalling Totoro’s sporadic “imprint reactions,” it didn’t quite add up.
Perhaps, he’s just innately indifferent?
On the other side, hearing Totoro’s response visibly stunned Popoca. To him, kinship might be the most vital aspect of his life, even willing to sacrifice himself to rekindle the Ancestral Altar. Totoro’s indifferent reply was something Popoca found hard to swallow.
It felt as though——
When he lifted the torch of ideals, it was doused with a cold downpour.
“You claim no interest in your kin, but they’re your roots!”
Unable to contain himself, Popoca hastened to Totoro, grabbing his collar, “Do you know what the Laudsourcians have been through? Do you know who turned the Laudsourcians into what they are now?”
Up close to Popoca, even with the hood veiling, Totoro saw Popoca’s distorted and fierce face. Yet Totoro seemed indifferent, gazing as if looking at a completely unrelated stranger.
Observing Totoro’s apathetic eyes, Popoca realized his overreaction. Releasing Totoro’s collar, he leaned on a table, his arm trembling, “When I learned there was another of our kin in this world, can you fathom my anticipation? I yearned to meet you, to rejoice in our reunion, hoping you’d understand my ideals.”
“It appears I was mistaken.”
For a moment, Popoca seemed to age decades in despair.
A silence hung in the air, with no one uttering a word, until White Bear entered the hall, breaking the stillness.
White Bear, still oblivious to the unfolding situation, initially intended to approach Angel with an inquiry. Yet, sensing an unusual atmosphere in the hall, he refrained from speaking and discreetly stood aside.
“I am aware,” a cold voice emanated from Totoro, drawing everyone’s attention.
“I’ve glimpsed certain visions. You’ve taken actions you believed were right, leading to your current predicament,” Totoro stated. “While I can’t fathom your reasons, I surmise it was for the honor and continuation of your tribe, correct?”
Popoca, taken aback, turned slowly. Did Totoro imply he foresaw this using some prophecy spell?
“But how does this pertain to me?” Totoro continued in his aloof tone. “Moreover, do you truly believe your actions were just?”
Popoca defended, “I acted to rekindle the embers, to ensure our tribe’s survival. I’ve done no wrong.”
“Yet, the scenes I witnessed paint a different picture. You lost everything, endangered yourself, and gained nothing,” Totoro paused, “Worse, you almost implicated Angel.”
“You’re merely ensnared by your own convictions, imposing your own sense of justice.”
As Totoro calmly relayed these observations, Popoca staggered backward, collapsing in disbelief.
He wasn’t swayed by Totoro’s words but recognized their vastly differing values. He understood that such deeply ingrained beliefs meant he couldn’t influence Totoro’s decisions.
“You don’t grasp my aspirations or understand my determination,” Popoca murmured, seemingly resigned to the conclusion of their confrontation.
The unexpected turn of events caught even Angel off guard.
Yet, it appeared neither was entirely wrong. Perhaps Popoca’s extreme obsession had sharpened Totoro’s response, like a clash between the tip of a needle and the edge of a blade. Harmonizing their perspectives now seemed a challenging endeavor.
“Let’s set right and wrong aside for a moment,” Angel interjected, coughing gently to gather everyone’s attention. Choosing his words carefully, he addressed Popoca, “You shouldn’t impose your obsessions upon Totoro.”
Popoca looked up at Angel, beginning, “But…”
“No buts,” Angel promptly interrupted, “I always uphold my promises. However, this matter doesn’t necessitate Totoro inheriting your obsessions.”
Entrusting the Source Fire and rekindling the Ancestral Altar. Angel was convinced that Totoro wouldn’t decline; there’s no disadvantage for him. In fact, because of the Source Fire, the benefits are immense.
However, if Totoro inherits the resolve of Popoca and shoulders the responsibilities of an entire race, it would not be something Angel would wish to see.
Such a responsibility is vast, potentially even shaping Totoro’s destiny.
“Let’s conclude for today. I keep my promises,” Angel said, momentarily ending the conflict.
At this moment, Sanders finally took action. With a snap of his fingers, Popoca vanished, whisked away to the Gravity Garden.
Angel turned to Totoro and smiled, “Don’t overthink it. I let him meet you today because I had promised him.”
Totoro replied, “I understand.”
“It seems you’ve truly witnessed numerous visions,” Angel raised an eyebrow. It’s noteworthy that many formal wizards with prophecy abilities fail to foresee, but Totoro seemed to have overcome this hurdle.
“I can only see some events surrounding him. Rarely do I see anything about you, Angel.” From what Totoro had witnessed, Popoca held malice towards Angel, but why Angel and Popoca later joined forces remained a mystery.
Gazing into Totoro’s curious eyes, Angel didn’t explain, simply saying, “You’ll know in a few days.”
Shifting the topic, Angel glanced at the anxious White Bear on the side and said to Totoro, “By the way, there’s something I need you to confirm for me.”