Chapter 371
"But it's better than the Engraved Worm."
"How about it?" Li Pu asked tentatively, "Would you like to try learning it?"
Well, Belldandy's greatest strength is her vast knowledge. She's a research fanatic.
Regardless of whether it's useful or not, she'll take the test first. So, after merging with Belldandy and summoning Li Pu angel, Lip now has a whole bunch of strange knowledge in her head that she doesn't know what to do with.
Let's take one out and see if this human can learn it.
Please don't refuse, Matou Kariya.
You are a rare guinea pig!
Chapter Thirty-Seven: A Mother's Feelings
"Sakura Matou..."
At the Matou Family, Li Pu met this protagonist of Fate, who has a tragic backstory, for the first time.
Sakura Matou.
Whether it was from the damage inflicted by the Engraved Worm or by her nominal grandfather, her once sunny and happy face was now completely expressionless, looking as if she were dead.
"Are you sure you want her to learn?" Li Pu asked Matou Kariya beside him, looking at Sakura who showed no signs of anger. "Aren't you planning to let her learn?"
The original plan was to have Matou Kariya try it out, but it seems that Matou Zouken made him quite resistant to Magecraft. Even after Li Pu explained that this was different from the Engraved Worm he had used before, Matou Kariya still didn't intend to learn the Magecraft Li Pu was going to teach him.
"I'll pass," Matou Kariya sighed. "I don't want to be Magecraft anymore. You said I wouldn't live much longer."
"If I can complete the rest of my journey as an ordinary person, I will be content."
"But Sakura has a long way to go. With her Magecraft talent, I think she will definitely become a very good Insect Master..." Matou Kariya wanted to say Insect Master, but he changed his words as soon as he said it, "Become a very good Magecraft, and Sakura's abilities are also very good. She is the successor that I think she is. If she is unfortunately involved in a battle between Magecraft in the future, I may not be able to protect Sakura anymore. I don't expect Sakura to become the strongest Magecraft, but I hope that at the very least she can protect herself."
Matou Kariya's words have a somewhat depressing feel to them.
'So you're already making arrangements for your funeral before you're even dead?' Li Pu thought to himself, but said aloud, 'Alright, since that's what you think, I'll teach her how to be an excellent Magecraft.'
"Sakura." Li Pu walked up to Sakura, crouched down so that her eyes were level with Sakura's, and said in the gentlest voice, "My name is Belldandy, and I am the Goddess of Fate. From today onwards, I will become your teacher and teach you how to become an excellent Magecraft."
Whether it was because of that gentle voice or because of her status as Goddess, a glimmer of light gradually appeared in Sakura's lifeless eyes.
"I know what you've been through." Li Pu noticed the light in Sakura's eyes, and a few thoughts suddenly came to her mind.
Perhaps she could prepare a way out in advance. After this Holy Grail War ends, she certainly won't leave this world immediately. At the very least, she'll stay for a while to study the coordinates on her body before returning to that world.
During my time in this world Matou Family, without Matou Zouken, might be a good choice.
"I know you don't have a good feeling about the 'Insect Master' technique." As soon as Li Pu finished speaking, she noticed that the light that had just appeared in Sakura's eyes quickly dimmed.
"As I just said, this thing is completely different from the Engraved Worm," Li Pu explained. "Although it's called Bug Manipulation, once you learn it, you can control more than just bugs. You can even apply this concept to other creatures."
"For example, some common mammals, like cats and dogs. The reason I asked you to choose insects is because insects are easier to find."
"Alright then," Li Pu stood up and extended his hand, "I'll show you what I'm about to teach you. If you want to see it, grab my hand."
Seeing is believing, and no matter how much I tell her, it's not as good as showing her this.
Sakura hesitated, looking at Li Pu's outstretched hand. The Engraved Worm of Matou Zouken had left an indelible psychological scar on her. What about this older sister who called herself Goddess? Sakura didn't know. She felt that this time she seemed to have a choice: she could choose to trust this older sister and become a Magecraft, or she could choose to push her away and refuse her invitation.
But it seemed she had no choice; leaving that nominal grandfather was her only option.
Sakura didn't know how to choose, but she knew even more that she probably didn't have the right to refuse.
She could only timidly reach out and place her hand in the older woman's hand.
But...
But just as her hand was placed on Sakura's, it was suddenly grasped. A warmth suddenly emanated from her palm. It was warmth, but more than that, it was care. Like a spring breeze dispelling the chill, it swiftly enveloped Sakura's dying heart. Warming her, protecting her, caring for her—all these feelings were something she hadn't experienced since leaving the Tohsaka Family.
All of this felt like a figure from a sealed-away memory, someone who had long since drifted away from me.
This...
This is how a mother feels.
Yes, this is what it feels like to be a mother! Just like in the past, my mother held my hand, big hand leading my little hand, taking me walking and playing with me. She would be happy because of my happiness, sad because of my sadness, and frantic with worry when I was sick or injured. She would always care for me, accompany me, and warm me.
Once she grasped that hand, Sakura felt a sense of never wanting to let go.
She stared blankly at the older woman, completely forgetting what she was supposed to do, and simply let her lead her through the familiar courtyard. Finally, she was pulled down to the fishpond in the courtyard.
"Can you sing?" she suddenly asked herself.
"Really?" Sakura was a little startled by this sudden question, and she didn't know how to answer it.
Completely different from the despair and indifference she felt just moments before, she was now more afraid that if she answered incorrectly, her mother might be unhappy. If her mother got angry, she would definitely leave. She didn't want to lose this warmth that she had finally regained.
She was so afraid that if she said something wrong, she would leave in anger and never return to this place.
Seeing Sakura's stunned expression, Li Pu probably felt that his question was pointless.
It seems that singing isn't part of Sakura's character design, right?
"It doesn't matter if you don't sing well, no one will laugh at you." Li Pu thought for a moment and then said, "It's okay if you don't sing, because you don't know these things yet. Singing is actually about expressing your thoughts and feelings. The important thing is to convey your thoughts. As long as you can convey your thoughts and feelings, that's enough."
"This is the simplest way to use it, so what you sing now is not important, what matters is the sentiment."
Li Pu didn't say much, because it was difficult to say. In the human world, insect wielders are considered a legitimate branch and profession of Magecraft. However, in the divine realm, insect wielders are entirely a byproduct of Divine Art.
Because God's song always attracts a large number of creatures, among which insects are one of the creatures that are attracted.
Then some gods, perhaps out of boredom or genuine interest, began to study this matter and developed a special skill, which is the 'insect messenger' in the human world.
Therefore, for the gods, 'insect master' is just a niche skill and not a formal profession.
However, for the God Race, 'song' is the foundation for using any skill.
Therefore, if Li Pu wants to teach Sakura this unconventional skill, he must teach her to sing.
As for now, since this 'song' is something that conveys feelings and isn't a specific Divine Art, how it's sung or what its melody is like doesn't matter. The key is to use it to convey feelings.
'What should we sing then?'
What should we sing? That would make it easier for Sakura to understand.
Li Pu thinking for a long time, a piece of music that was very suitable for the moment quickly came to her mind.
Yes! I've decided on you.
'Come forth, my angel, let us sing this song together.'
Sakura held tightly to the older sister's hand, looking up at her. The next second, a beautiful light emanated from the older sister! It was a warm light, not dazzling, and it made Sakura feel a warmth like that of a mother.
An angel appeared behind this older sister.
This was the first time Sakura had ever seen an angel—those holy wings, that beautiful face, and that gentle smile that made her let down all her guard.
Goddess! She really is Goddess! This older sister is truly Goddess!
"ぼくらは みんなきている
We are all alive
きているから うんだ
Because we can sing when we are alive.
ぼくらは みんな きている
We are all alive
きているから しいんだ
Sadness only exists because we are alive.
The sun is shining brightly and the sun is shining brightly
Let the sunlight shine through your palm
True red flow れるぼくのbloodtide
My blood flowed bright red.
みみずだっておけらだってあめんぼだって
Whether it's an earthworm, a mole cricket, or a water fly
みんなみんなきているんだ
We are all alive
AUO Nako
They are all good friends
ぼくらは みんな きている
We are all alive
きているから うんだ
Because you can only laugh when you're alive.
Sakura was lost in thought when a song suddenly called her back to reality. It was the Goddess singing! The lyrics were simple, the melody bright and cheerful, with a touch of playfulness.
But Sakura seemed to understand, to understand the meaning behind the song.
This is a call to life, a celebration of life. Whether vast or small, all living things live in this world as passionately as the sun, radiating all their beauty.
Soon the song was no longer monotonous, and Sakura heard it.
Those were the sounds of insects—crickets, crickets, cicadas, any insect capable of making a sound. They seemed to be accompanying the Goddess, singing together this simple and cheerful song.
They are singing along, they are dancing along.
There are moths and butterflies, and fireflies, like starlight, dancing in the courtyard.
This was completely different from Engraved Worm Sakura had encountered before! It was beautiful, friendly, and a powerful life force accompanying her. Sakura unconsciously reached out her hand, and a firefly landed on her palm.
Sakura stared blankly at the firefly in her palm.
'The insects?' This is a completely different feeling, not a one-sided demand, not the exploitation of your magic. This is trust and kindness, this is care and love! She could feel that it was because the Goddess sister conveyed her feelings through her song, and that motherly warmth made these insects choose her.
'Goddess...' Sakura looked at the insect in her hand and then at the singing Goddess. She was so engrossed in looking at that beautiful and holy figure that didn't make you feel distant, but rather high above you. That warmth, that care, and that song that sounded like a nursery rhyme.
All of this involuntarily led Sakura to utter words she had long forgotten.
"Mother!"
"Huh?" Li Pu suddenly stopped, looking at Sakura incredulously and saying, "What... what did you just say?"
Li Pu chose that song simply because it was very fitting. The song is called "Palm Towards the Sun," a song from the Tachikoma anime Ghost in the Shell. Back then, she watched Ghost in the Shell purely for entertainment and didn't understand what the creators were trying to express. But putting that aside, the Tachikoma, that little blue, spider-like vehicle, left a very deep impression on her.
Especially when Tachikoma chose to sacrifice himself to crash into the nuclear bomb, it was at that moment that Li Pu began to understand the story of Ghost in the Shell for the first time.
Body and soul, what does it mean to be alive?
Here, she chose this song not only to demonstrate the Insect Master skill she was going to teach, but also to awaken Sakura's heart. She could sense that Sakura's heart was dead at this moment.
Her life was merely a shell; her heart was dead, incapable of reacting or making choices.
She was more like a puppet, being led or driven to do things.
The difference between the God Race's Insect Mastery and the Matou Family's Engraved Worm lies in the fact that the God Race's Insect Mastery places greater emphasis on mental communication. Although the insects are easy to control due to their low intelligence level, this is not purely about controlling them for the sake of controlling them.
It requires communication, treating the other person as a friend, a comrade-in-arms, and someone to fight alongside.
Instead of simply driving others to work and treating them as tools.
In this way, it becomes even more important for the 'heart' to be alive.
Only...
Li Pu never expected to have such an unexpected gain.
This is Li Pu.
She looked at the timid Sakura, who seemed afraid because she had said the wrong thing and was trying to make amends but didn't know what to say. Li Pu could even feel Sakura's grip tightening, as if she would disappear forever if she let go.
Sakura's heart must have come back to life.
Can...
'Why is this happening?' Li Pu had a bit of a headache. She could understand if you said Kiana, Bronya, or Mei. But why are you getting involved?
I'm a mother over there, and I have to be a mother here too?