Villain Retirement

885 Chapter 885: Seed

"You're a themarian."

"You are too."

"Oh?"

Riley was curious, so much so that his eyebrows rose almost more than half an inch as he started looking back and forth between Esme and the supposed themarian stranger. How could he not be curious, when female themarians are biologically and mentally superior to their male counterparts by quite a lot.

And yet, here was a male themarian that was in the domain of the gods.

"...What even is a themarian?" Miss Pepondosovich also could not help but raise an eyebrow, but in confusion.

"Forgive me, madam. For having followed you this far and not make myself known," the themarian strange had long golden hair that smoothly flowed down from his shoulders as he bowed his head,

"My name is Seed."

"My name is Esme," Esme did not really show any formalities and just introduced herself, "Miss Esme."

"Forgive me once again for asking," Seed respectfully placed his hand on his chest, "Although your stature is completely different, but you remind me so much of one of the princesses of the Varoif kingdom."

"Then you are probably thinking of my mother, Seed," Esme let out a small hum as memories of her past returned to her.

"Then you are themarian royalty," Seed once again bowed; this time, even kneeling as he showed his utmost respect to Esme, "I greet you, I am a vassal of the Varoif kingdom and have worked as a scientist all my life."

"There is no need to bow to me, Seed," Esme quickly took a step back and subtly walked behind Riley, "Whatever I was before I died, I am no longer. My people, home planet, and entire universe have already succumbed to a malevolent sickness."

"Yes… although immortal, it is our fate to die in the end," Seed let out a very long and deep sigh as he soon turned to look at Riley, "And you — I do not know what you are, but I have been watching you ever since you brought out the undead themarian that happens to be Princess Esme. Although dead, I quickly sensed the energy she was giving out because I happen to be in the city of summoners."

"Hm," Riley shrugged, "I apologize, you may not know about what I am, but I have an idea about who you are, Seed."

"Hm?" Seed squinted.

"You are from a dead universe that was devoured by millions of cherbis," Riley nodded, "I have met one of your colleagues when I was sent to her universe by a conqueror who happens to be the variant of my adoptive father."

"That…" Seed could not help but take in a deep gasp as he heard Riley's words, such a small sentence containing almost an infinite number of curiosity. And yet, Seed could really focus on one thing, "...Dead universe?"

"Yes."

"So, in the end… I failed," Seed closed his eyes and breathed in deep. But after a few seconds of quietly lamenting, he once again focused on Riley, "You mentioned a colleague?"

"Dr. Caitlain. She happened to be lucky enough to have met my friend and me, who got us out of your dying universe even without access to multiversal travel," Riley recalled his adventures with Hera, and how it almost seemed like a lifetime ago even though it shouldn't have even been a year. But then again, he did spend time trapped in eternity.

"Dr. Caitlain is alive?" Seed quickly placed his hand on his chin before looking at Riley from head to toe, "I know that three of you are heading to the Mortal's world, but may I ask for some of your time? I…

…wish to know what happened after I left my universe."

***

"Hold up… are you saying you have really met the Primordials?"

It did not really take Riley long to share what had happened to him, as he honed his story-telling skill back when they were pruning out Hannah and the others from all the dead universes they were thrown into.

Whether or not his story was believable, however, was something only those who listened to him could really only judge — and right now, only Miss Esme seemed to be nodding her head. Miss Pepondosovich and Seed, on the other hand, could not help but look at Riley in bewilderment. The four of them were now in some sort of tavern, seated at a table with Esme and Riley just enjoying some snacks, Miss Pepondosovich and Seed could not really eat or drink anything even if they wanted to, as they were too immersed in whatever Riley was telling them.

"That is… a very intriguing life you have, Riley Ross," Seed let out a small hum as he rested his back on his chair, "Although most of it is unbelievable, I could not help but just think that they truly have happened. After all, you are here — and although bringing an undead themarian in the Domain of the Gods is not enough proof, it is still proof nonetheless…

…thank you for sharing with me what I have missed."

"It is no problem at all, Seed," Riley just shook his head as he took a sip of milk, probably divine milk judging from the taste.

"Since Master has already quenched your curiosity, Dr. Seed," Esme leaned forward on her seat as she focused on eating her snacks, "Perhaps you may tell us what you are?"

"...What do you mean?" Seed blinked a couple of times.

"Master said that you might be a themarian from the ancient times, and have lived for a million years. But I am positive that even after all that time, you would have never surpassed a female themarian in terms of strength and intelligence. And this is not in any way to belittle you, Dr. Seed, but that is just the way our species works."

"Of course," Dr. Seed truly did not seem to mind as he just shook his head, "I am a man of science, I follow and respect only the facts."

"And so, how come you are here?" Esme tilted her head to the side, "And the Seed that Dr. Caitlain seemed to be describing from Riley's story is aloof and untrusting of another, a lone wolf. And yet here you are, even approaching us on your own."

"A man can change drastically in just a single moment, Miss Esme," Seed could not help but let out a soft chuckle as he looked at Esme, "And the moment that changed me is quite drastic, as to why I am here — then perhaps it is my time to share my story."

"Oh?" Riley quickly raised his hand to order another set of snacks and milk for the table. And as soon as it arrived, Seed carefully rested his elbows on the table as he looked Esme and Riley in the eyes, even Miss Pepondosovich could not help but be curious even though it had nothing to do with her and she lived in a completely different universe.

"You said Dr. Caitlain theorized that I discovered multiversal travel, correct?" Seed looked at Riley.

"Correct, Dr. Seed."

"I did not," Seed shook his head, "What I did learn, however, as I lured away the cherbis… were their entire physiology and biology."

"Oh? I thought they were just a clump of living black holes," Riley squinted his eyes, "So that is why my summon turned out the way it did when we were in the city of summoners."

"Ack, please don't remind me of that," Miss Pepondosovich almost dropped the food she was chewing as she heard Riley's words.

"Hm," Esme nodded, "I sort of miss Cherbi even though only my dead self interacted with it, Master. You should have brought it here."

"They are much more than that," Seed interrupted everyone's small talk before they could get sidetracked, "I will not go into the specifics, but I managed… to merge myself with them."

And as soon as Seed said that, his eyes turned completely black; the wooden mug he was looking at, instantly disappearing as he did so.

"Oh?" A small smile started to crawl on Riley's face as he looked at Seed. Or more specifically, at the back of his head, "That is a very interesting ability, Dr. Seed."

"I was going to save my universe, Riley Ross. I was," Dr. Seed nodded to himself several times before looking at Riley, "With this ability, I was able to also remove the cherbis from my universe permanently. And I was removing them, and I was on my way back to Dr. Caitlain and the Common Council…

…but I was suddenly pulled away."

"By a Primordial?" Riley squinted as he placed his hands on his chin, "I could see why they would take interest in you now, Dr. Seed. A themarian with the ability of Cherbi is truly a force to be reckoned with."

"No, I was not pulled by a Primordial," Dr. Seed shook his head, "I was pulled away by one of the Higher Gods."

"...Which one?" Miss Pepondosovich widened her eyes.

"A themarian."

"...What?"

"A themarian like you and I," Dr. Seed turned to look at Esme, "I have forgotten her name since she had only said it in passing before sending me here, but now I remember."

"One of the Higher Gods is the same species as you two?" Miss Pepondosovich could not help but widen her eyes even further, "I haven't even heard of your race until now!"

"It is."

"Hm?" Both Esme and Miss Pepondosovich could really only turn their heads to Riley as Dr. Seed suddenly pointed his finger at him.

"The themarian god's name is…

…Aerith'Ross."