When the head of the Rasmussen family jumped down from the Earth Dragon, he had already noticed that his butler was waiting for him at the entrance to the castle’s corridor.
He walked over, wanting to know why he was there.
"There is a visitor, sir," his butler said concisely.
"Who is it," the middle-aged Panso cat-person, Pensao, raised his eyebrows—curious as to who might be waiting for him.
"In the corridor, the usual spot," said the butler after catching the riding crop and bracelet his master threw at him.
Looking a bit older than he had a few years ago, Mr. Rasmussen arrived at the seventh arcade in the corridor and saw the human who looked even more aged than he did in previous years.
Ah, it turns out we’ve both aged.
"Gaiate, what happened to make you come here without saying a word," the white-haired cat-person asked his old friend, taking out a cigarette case. It contained mint cigarettes from Carterburg, tailored for Panso cat-people, and an excellent consumer product.
"It’s about Maya," the elderly human replied, accepting the cigarette and lighting it with a flint lighter.
This answer made the cat-person curious, "My daughter, what happened to her? I remember she had just become Legendary not too long ago, and now none of those old fogeys in the tribe dare to speak to me. If you think my family wants to welcome her back, rest assured, she will still be your daughter. Although the Rasmussen family has its share of willful ignorance, we would not commit such treachery against our vows."
"No, she’s pregnant with Malin’s child. I thought you should be informed," the elderly human said, leaning back against the railing and enjoying a long drag on his cigarette.
"...Is that so, we’ve all aged, haven’t we," sighed the cat-person, lighting a cigarette for himself, "Are you worried that we Panso cat-people would want to bring her child back to The Great Forest Land?"
"Yes, but it’s not Maya and Malin I’m worried about, it’s those of your kind who are senseless. Malin also crossed that line half a month ago," the elderly human said calmly, making his cat-person friend frown.
The latter mulled over this in silence, until he glanced at his human friend, "That shouldn’t be, he’s too young. I’m aware of my daughter’s talents, but that child... where did he come from?"
Doubt plastered across his face, he waited for an answer.
After taking a puff of his cigarette, the elderly human began, "At first, I investigated with no results, but I later discovered that Lady Anna is very fond of Malin, fonder than what would be normal for what she has done for Malin."
"Anna... that elf, you mean... the mentor of that group of people?" The cat-person said this and then took a deep drag on his cigarette too.
If all of this was indeed true, then this child... "Could he indeed be the progeny of that Sage?"
"It’s very likely that his existence has been completely erased by his students, a pity that some part of the truth was still uncovered by me. You know, I am a seeker of truth, and I have found portraits of the older generation of renowned sages in their homes, offices in their Church, and other places. The portraits from their youth show a child who appears again and again. I have reason to suspect that this child is the now completely vanished mysterious mentor who taught so many generations of apprentices. It’s certain that he had an exceedingly long life, but I can’t find the reason for his disappearance."
The old human said all this in one breath, shaking his head at his friend, "You see, this is why I am bogged down by the truth. I still haven’t finished my initial pursuit. In the search for truth and The Truth, I’ve been utterly defeated."
"...Have you given up?" Looking at his old friend, the cat person sighed at the traces time had left on his face.
"Yes, although I have found some clues, I am old now and no longer wish to continue the search. You can say I have given up on the truth, but as you people say... I am too tired. The pursuit of the truth no longer holds my determination; I now only wish to see Maya’s child born."
"I’ve started to envy you. That is my child, and yet I could not be there for her when she needed a father most... I truly am a useless father." The cat person sighed while taking a drag from his cigarette, then exhaled the smoke from his lungs.
"You’re really not going to welcome Maya back?"
The old human’s question puzzled the cat person, who glanced at his old friend and saw the defeat in his face.
"...Is the Truth Sequence consuming you?"
"Yes, I’ve abandoned the pursuit of The Truth, and this ancient artifact from before the great destruction has begun consuming everything it has previously touched; I’m the first in line." The old man said this, coughing twice, then reached up to wipe away the blood that had trickled from the corner of his mouth: "I doubt I will live to see the spring, so I ask you, go and see your daughter. She is your child."
"But I took an oath before the elders of the Rasmusen family; Maya was my gift to you, she is your daughter." The cat person looked at his old friend. "As for the Truth Sequence, you still have time to separate yourself from it. Give it to your apprentice."
"...Why pass on a cursed artifact? I wish to seal it within my own body." The old man looked at his old friend, "In Carterburg, too many talk. I’m afraid that boy Malin might uncover clues, so I’ve planned to complete my sealing here with you." The old human said this with a smile, "Before coming here, I went to see the Divine Master, and she agreed to my request."
"You must be insane. Using your own body as a vessel and your soul as fuel for the sealing, do you realize... how heartbroken Maya will be if she finds out?"
"She is your daughter. I’m merely the human sir who fed her. Even though she always calls me father, I know that in the quiet of the night, she prays to the deity under the stars to see her real parents."
At this point, the cat person noticed tears in the old man’s eyes, "Go see her. In this life, due to Chaos, I never got to see my own parents one last time. I’ve been an orphan since I was very young. My father’s brothers raised me, and to become The Truth, I gave up my humanity, only to choose to raise Malin and Maya... In this life, I’ve seen too many regrets. So, don’t let Maya have any, alright?"
"Life exists in this world to witness regrets and sorrow, Gaiate. I will not go to see Maya," the cat person said, then turned to walk deeper into the corridor, "You once vowed to find The Truth and the truth. I did, too... To protect Maya, I’ve also sworn never to see her again in this life."
"Then she will soon become a new orphan." The old friend’s sad words followed from behind.
"Everyone will eventually become an orphan of Fate, so... why not see her before you die? You are Maya Gaiate’s father, while I... I’m just a guide from the Rasmusen family, a mere passerby in her eyes."