Gurgle—
Blub—
A few bubbles slowly floated up in the pitch-black sea.
Among them was a small figure.
"When is this ever going to end..."
Ian, who had been reborn in the Sea of Life, let out such a question.
He had no idea how many days it had been since he arrived in this place called the Sea of Life.
Here, the concept of time was extremely vague.
The existence of space had also become blurred due to the boundless ocean.
The only thing he had to do was soak within here.
Oh—
And one other thing.
That was, to be scooped up by his mother, Tiamat.
A roar echoed from above the sea.
A giant dragon soared into the Sea of Life and then gently lifted Ian out with her mouth.
After that, she slowly transformed into another form.
It was a figure that bore no resemblance to her draconic body, yet she retained the pair of enormous, terrifying horns from her time as a dragon.
Perhaps due to the influence of the Sea of Life, her curvaceous body now retained its purest, most primal form.
Mmm...
She was the kind of existence that, with a single glance, would make one feel that "it's a sin not to have impure thoughts about such a mother."
However, Tiamat didn't mind.
Or rather—
She was completely oblivious to such things.
"Ian~"
"How are you feeling today?"
"I've already adjusted the Sea of Life properly for you."
"You must love it, right!"
"..."
"What's with that expression—"
Seeing Ian's silent face, Tiamat immediately grew concerned.
"Mama isn't lying to you, you know."
"I know."
"I've been soaking in this place for so long, of course I know that the Sea of Life changed."
"Then, is there something you're not happy with?" Tiamat asked cautiously.
It was clear that she cared deeply for Ian.
"Tell Mama——"
"After all, Mama can do anything."
Tiamat's gaze was sincere and fervent.
As the master of this black sea, she undoubtedly possessed an extremely powerful authority. That much was certain.
It was just—
"I want to leave this place and see the world outside," Ian said.
That was right.
He had been here for far too long.
Although the Sea of Life provided everything he needed to survive, and he had his mother Tiamat to take care of him...
But...
Ian always felt that he wasn't supposed to stay here forever.
It was an impulse that screamed from the very core of his being.
"You are not allowed to go out!"
Tiamat roared almost instantly.
If her soft-spoken words just now were those of a loving, doting mother who would do anything for her child, then now, she was the embodiment of severity, absolutely forbidding Ian from escaping her side.
"The Sea of Life is so wonderful, why would you want to go out!"
"The Sea of Life is certainly good, but the outside world can't be all that bad, can it?" Ian looked directly at his mother. "So, I want to go out and see it."
"No, it's very dangerous!" Tiamat waved her hands, completely losing her motherly demeanor.
"Humans are cunning creatures, not to mention you are so exceptional."
"The moment you go out, you'll definitely be targeted by wicked women!"
"They will ruin you!"
"Then I'll just avoid them, right?"
"No, you can't avoid them." Tiamat gripped Ian's shoulders.
"They will drag you into all sorts of dangers and make you do many bad things."
"By the time you realize it, you will have already fallen into their trap."
"You can't, you absolutely cannot go."
"No one is allowed to hurt you—"
"Mama forbids it!"
Tiamat, who had always been completely indulgent of Ian, was now as agitated as a raging bull.
Ian knew that continuing this conversation would likely not get him her approval.
But still—
He really wanted to go out.
The Sea of Life was not a place to stay forever.
"How could you have such a thought?" Tiamat was still hung up on Ian's words, completely failing to notice the change in his eyes.
"That's right."
"It must be because Mama hasn't done her best yet."
"That must be the reason."
Tiamat threw her arms around Ian.
"Today, I'll just have to love you even more."
Splash.
Ian and Tiamat fell into the Sea of Life together.
The "deep cleansing" power of her motherly love was on full display.
[TL Note: The original phrase used here, "洗面奶的深度清洁" (shampoo/face wash's deep cleanse), is a internet slang/euphemism for having one's face smothered in a large-chested woman's bosom.]
However—
When the scene of motherly affection and filial piety came to an end, just as Tiamat fell asleep, believing Ian would no longer think of leaving...
The real rebellion had only just begun.
"Mother, I'm just going out to see the world—"
"I'll be back soon."
Saying this, Ian also transformed into his draconic form.
As the son of Tiamat, he had long since physically evolved from soaking in the Sea of Life.
However, he soon discovered that he had underestimated the restraints his mother had placed upon this sea.
At the boundary.
Ian felt a powerful, sticky, obsessive aura.
It was an aura he could sense even while Tiamat was asleep.
"Don't leave me—"
"Don't leave me—"
"Please," Ian pleaded, "let me see the world outside."
With all his might, Ian finally broke through those restraints.
However, he was gravely weakened in the process.
There was a price to pay for defying his mother.
In the final moment before he left the Sea of Life and fell into a world where time and space began to flow, it was as if he could see his mother standing there.
"I will bring you back—"
"You are MINE—"
"And nothing will ever change that—"
He had no strength left to argue.
Ian closed his eyes, surrendering himself to the fall.
At almost the exact same moment.
In Britain, beside a certain lake.
The pure, white moonlight scattered lazily across the surface of the water.
In the lake, a golden-haired girl was watching everything before her with great apprehension.
To be precise—
She was standing there wearing nothing at all, watching the scene unfold.
The girl's name was Artoria.
Just a moment ago, she had witnessed the most shocking scene of her life.
A great roar from the heavens.
Then, a shooting star made its dazzling debut.
And then...
With a great *splat*...
It landed not far from where she had been humming a little tune while bathing.
Was it a person?
Or was it... something else?
With only the moonlight to see by, Artoria couldn't tell at all.
But...
She could faintly sense an aura about it—one that was very similar to her own.
No.
It wasn't quite an aura.
It was more like the feeling of seeing someone of your own kind and exclaiming, "Wow, so I'm not the only one like this."
Why was that?
Without realizing it, the girl had drawn closer and closer because of that very curiosity.
And.. the moment she saw who it was, Artoria froze. A deep blush creeping onto her cheeks.
"..So very handsome..." she found herself muttering.