No Need to Fear

"You might not believe it." Daisy gestured with her hand, raising her palm to about 1.2 meters off the ground. "He has already grown this tall."

Norwick paused while stroking his blonde hair, a look of astonishment flashing in his eyes. He truly had not expected a three-month-old toddler to reach a height of 1.2 meters; it was indeed highly abnormal.

"It is just rapid development. Doom fell from the sky and survived the center of an explosion unscathed, so some extraordinary traits are to be expected."

"That is not it." Daisy shook her head. "That is not what I fear. Doom can eat at least a hundred pounds of pure meat a day, so I can understand his rapid physical growth."

"What I fear is his learning speed. In just three months... or to be precise, two months ago, I already had nothing left to teach him. He has finished reading one-fifth of the tomes treasured in the Great Library, and he can recite them all backward."

"Norwick, my King." Daisy stood up and knelt on the lawn, her emerald-green eyes fixed on her husband as she asked, "Doom's learning ability and his extraordinary nature terrify me. There is often only a thin line between a genius and a madman."

His wife's words left Norwick shocked.

He remained silent, staring at the stone table before him, but his eyes lacked focus; he was clearly deep in thought, unable to spare attention for anything else.

His wife's concerns were not without reason. Knowledge is sometimes a curse; it records not only the past glories of humanity and the understanding of all things, but also profound darkness hidden between the lines.

Queen Daisy waited quietly. She knew King Norwick was thinking and firmly believed he would provide a solution.

She had been troubled by this matter for a long time, and today, Norwick finally reached a decision.

After a long while, King Norwick regained his focus and lowered his eyes to look at his wife. "From now on, you do not need to guide him excessively, nor do you need to fear him. You only need to love him—truly love him—and keep loving him."

"Love?"

"Norwick, I am very fond of the child. Everyone who has come into contact with Doom likes him."

Daisy tucked a strand of blonde hair behind her ear and asked, puzzled, "I don't quite understand what you mean."

"Does Doom respect you?" Norwick did not rush to answer his wife's question, instead posing one that seemed entirely unrelated.

"He is very sensible and well-behaved." Daisy pondered for a moment and realized that, aside from her intuitive fear, she truly could not find any fault in Doom.

"He is also very obedient. For everything I teach him, he thinks carefully and then executes it perfectly." As she said this, a smile couldn't help but appear on Daisy's face. "Doom's ability to act is exemplary..."

No mother dislikes her own child, especially when he is so outstanding.

"No! No! No!" King Norwick shook his head, interrupting his wife's endless praise. "That is not what I am asking. You are talking about the talents and gifts he possesses."

"I want to ask if he respects you and loves you subjectively?"

This time, she did not answer immediately. Daisy thought carefully, recalling every little detail of her time with Doom.

She thought of how the child would tell jokes when she was exhausted, massage her shoulders with his still-tender hands to soothe her fatigue, and even bring a basin of warm water to wash her feet.

As his knowledge grew, he would sometimes offer clever suggestions, wanting to help her.

Although she felt fear and dread at times, the concern contained within those clear eyes was so fervent.

So much so that when their gazes met, Daisy would even doubt herself, feeling ashamed of that genuine concern because of her inner fear.

"He respects me, and he loves me!" Her emerald-green eyes narrowed slightly, and Daisy answered in a gentle, unquestionable voice, with absolute firmness.

Norwick nodded, smiled with relief, and asked her, "Does he have any hobbies?"

Not knowing what answer her husband was seeking, Daisy replied truthfully, though this time, her expression was one of helplessness: "Doom is very fond of those ancient holographic games, and he also likes to eat fried meat."

As a mother, facing a child who is sufficiently outstanding is a helpless feeling.

When a child asks for his interests after perfectly completing all his lessons, it is very difficult to refuse.

Fried food and video games—those "bad habits" that give human mothers headaches—still existed.

Listening to his wife's account, Norwick laughed in a way that was not very dignified. His serious face cracked into a grin, revealing white teeth as he laughed aloud.

"Norwick!" Daisy gave him a reproachful look. She let out a long sigh, unsure whether being exposed to those things was good or bad for Doom.

"You need not worry or fear." Norwick's smile remained as he took his beloved's fair hand and stroked it gently. "He has love for you, interest in the outside world, and things he enjoys himself."

"Everything you have said proves that he possesses humanity and the complex emotions of a human being; he is not a monster wearing human skin."

"My dear." Norwick lifted his wife's hand, kissed the back of it, and affirmed, "You have taught him well, keeping the pure white paper free from filth."

"You need not fear him either. Humanity is the foundation for distinguishing good from evil in the world, and you have laid that foundation firmly."

"You should be confident, and even more so, proud. To be the mother of an extraordinary child, one must possess the courage to accept his uniqueness. At the same time, in your heart, do not treat him as some kind of superman. Even if he could shatter a planet with a single punch, he is still your son."

"The innate talent Doom displays is not something he can control. Do not concern yourself with the power that lies on the surface; at his core, he is a child who needs love and guidance."

"I understand." Daisy listened quietly to King Norwick's perspective. The concerns and knots in her heart were largely dispelled, bringing peace to her anxious mind.

"I will do as you say, loving him without the slightest reservation and accepting his extraordinary nature."

"Actually, sometimes I feel very helpless and lost," Daisy said, feeling much relieved after her husband's guidance, a gentle smile returning to her porcelain-white face. "I worry that I cannot teach him."

"Now I understand. If I cannot provide guidance, I will provide love. Aside from love, there will only be less and less that we can give our children."

"You can always provide guidance with your wisdom." The Queen leaned against the King's lap, enjoying a moment of peace and reliance in the quiet courtyard.

Because she knew that after their brief reunion came another departure; before long, the King would set out on another campaign to eradicate the Greenskin Orks.

The direct threat of the Greenskins had diminished significantly, but they were like a stubborn skin disease, constantly popping up from the ground.

The War Academy had discovered through research that Greenskins possess asexual reproductive characteristics similar to fungi. They do not need to mate; any hair or skin flakes that accidentally fall from their bodies take root upon hitting the ground, absorbing nutrients from the soil, and then the Greenskins sprout from the earth like mushrooms.

This troublesome biological trait meant that even if a battle against the Greenskins was successful, the post-war cleanup was more important and far more time-consuming than the war itself.

"Norwick."

Whispering her lover's name once more, Daisy asked with a touch of sorrow, "Ennio and Flano, is there truly no chance for them?"

"Mm."

The response was heavy, yet as firm as steel.

Norwick and Daisy had two sons. Their eldest, Ennio Norwick, and their second son, Flano Norwick, were both exceptional.

Before Doom arrived, the eldest, Ennio, had been Norwick's top choice, the most suitable candidate to serve as heir and become the leader of the Night Watchers.

Just like the generations of Norwick kings before him, he was meant to lead the people of Nul in search of a glimmer of hope, to return once more to the deep cosmos.

Things were different now. King Norwick had seen true hope—the hope to finally shatter their shackles!

"My heart aches for Ennio."

Unable to see his wife's face as she rested against his lap, Norwick heard her voice choke with sobs: "To meet your expectations, he has spent decades without a single day of slack, pouring his heart and soul into understanding and inheriting your legacy."

Scalding tears fell, shattering against his cold armor.

Norwick clenched his fist and then released it; he had once wavered, questioning whether his decision was too rash.

But now, it was different. No existence could shake his resolve.

"Have you seen Doom's talent?" King Norwick stroked his lover's back with a large hand, soothing her grief. "Can Ennio catch up to him?"

"The destination Ennio has yet to reach is but his insignificant starting point."

"I believe that you, having had the most contact with Doom, should be able to see this clearly and understand my choice."

The Queen's body trembled as she stammered, "This is too unfair. Can Ennio accept this?"

"The world was never fair to begin with." Norwick let out a long sigh. "If Ennio truly understands me, he will know that the choice I made is the right one."

"The oath of the Norwick family is not bound to the throne, but to the vast universe."

After these words, the two fell silent. Daisy stopped crying and drifted off to sleep, leaning against Norwick.

A while later, a palace maid hurried into the courtyard, her expression panicked as she said, "Your Majesty, the third prince has run off to the arena!"

"Take me there!" Daisy snapped her eyes open and rose to leave, but a large hand caught her.

"I will go as well. Since the Siege, I have not seen Doom."