To the Love Born in the Lowest Place

Chapter 42



Child, did you have a bad dream?

It is alright. All dreams are mere illusions.

The gods’ voices bore down upon Liv’s head, causing her to curl up. She felt a heaviness, just as she did when having nightmares. Though she had spent her entire life with the gods, no human could ever fully adapt to their voices. As Liv whimpered from the gods’ voices, the man’s voice reached her:

“It’s okay, Liv.”

“Ah…”

“It was just a dream. Nothing has changed. What did you dream about?”

Unlike the gods’ voices, the man’s voice was soft, gentle, and entirely unthreatening. Soothed by his comforting tone, Liv felt herself regaining some composure.

“I dreamed the hole in the ceiling was blocked… I sometimes have dreams like that.”

“I see. Was it scary?”

“Yes… The gods told me humans also have nightmares about monsters or ghosts appearing. But since I don’t know what monsters or ghosts look like, they don’t appear in my dreams.”

“…From now on, I will stay by your side so you won’t have such nightmares.”

Those words made Liv smile faintly. Though she didn’t know if he meant it sincerely, she felt a bit better. With a dazed expression, Liv opened her mouth:

“It’s strange…”

“What is?”

“When the gods try to comfort me, it only makes me more scared. But when you do it, I don’t feel that way. My shoulders don’t feel heavy, my body doesn’t tremble uncontrollably. Instead, I feel better.”

At her words, the man gave a faint smile and raised his hand towards Liv’s head before stopping himself.

“…Ah.”

“You can’t touch me, can you?”

“No, I can’t reach you…”

Saying that, the man gazed down at his own hand before squeezing his eyes shut.

“I wish the day would come soon when I can touch you, Miss Liv. I want to be able to reach you.”

“Me too. I’ve never touched anyone before.”

Liv was immensely curious about what it would feel like to touch another human’s hand. Would it be warm, or cool? Would it be soft like her own body?

“Haah…”

Meanwhile, the man let out a sigh as he stared at his own hand.

“I didn’t know being unable to touch someone could be so painful. I feel like berating my former ignorant self.”

“What’s ignorant?”

“It means lacking knowledge.”

“Aha, so you mean you were foolish.”

The man seemed taken aback by Liv’s overly candid remark, muttering to himself:

“Yes, I was truly a fool…”

“But it’s okay. The gods told me that if I don’t know something, I can learn it. I’ll keep improving.”

“Yes, I must ensure I don’t make such mistakes again.”

The man regarded Liv with a resolute expression. Though she couldn’t discern his thoughts, Liv smiled at him. Then, feeling an inexplicable itch, she stole a glance at his face before asking:

“Are all humans usually like this?”

“What?”

“Are all humans as kind and good as you?”

Those words left the man with a pensive expression. Whenever Liv asked such questions, he would make that face. It didn’t seem due to her questions being difficult, but rather him carefully considering how to respond.

“Humans are… generally good beings. They help one another, creatures of that sort.”

“Wow!”

“Once you go outside, Miss Liv, you will quickly come to like humans.”

“Yes, I’m going to go to crowded places every day. Just observing without speaking seems like it would be fun. Though of course, being able to converse would make me even happier.”

“That will certainly happen. However…”

The man hesitated, gauging Liv’s reaction before gently explaining in a tone of concern for her feelings:

“Some humans may dislike you, Miss Liv.”

“Why?”

“Originally, no one can be loved by all humans. There may be those who dislike you, just as there are those who dislike me.”

“But why you? You seem like such a good person.”

“…I am not as good a person as you think. It is only because I am the sole person you have met that you do not yet realize it.”

Though unable to understand his words, Liv nodded at his resolute demeanor. Since imagining the outside world had always been difficult for her, it seemed she would not know until she experienced it firsthand.

“However, there will also be many who like you, Miss Liv. You can simply interact with them. There is no need to pay mind to the others.”

At that, Liv tilted her head in puzzlement. Unlike other humans, she lacked common sense and had only ever been confined here.

“Will there really be many who like me?”

“Yes, there will. Because you are a lovely person, Miss Liv.”

The man met Liv’s gaze as he spoke.

“It will undoubtedly be so.”

“Wow…”

At his words, Liv imagined herself mingling among people – sharing meals, dancing together at festivals, going on picnics… Just the thought filled her with joy.

“I want to go outside and meet people soon.”

“You will certainly find happiness, Miss Liv.”

* * *

After telling Liv about humans in the outside world, Emmett fell deep into contemplative silence, his lips firmly sealed. It concerned the foolish response he had just given Liv.

He couldn’t bring himself to tell Liv the truth – that only a tiny few would like her, while many would hate and dislike her. The very humans she was so curious about would likely not take a liking to Liv.

However, he couldn’t outright tell Liv that truth either. Seeing the hopeful anticipation in her eyes, the words wouldn’t leave his lips. No, no human could speak that truth before such an innocent, bright-eyed gaze. Liv looked at him with eyes far too pure and clear.

He couldn’t reveal to Liv, who loved humans so dearly, that humans could sometimes be utterly vile creatures. How could he inform the girl who had spent her entire life in this dark space dreaming of others of such a cruel reality?

And yet, he had instead told Liv a cruel lie that would quickly be exposed once she ventured into the outside world.

‘You need not forgive me, Miss Liv.’

With closed eyes, he inwardly spoke to the elated Liv.

‘I have dared to lie to you. One day, you too will come to know my lie.’

However, there was one part of what he said that contained his true feelings:

-You will certainly find happiness, Miss Liv.

That much was sincere. Liv would find happiness. No, she had to find happiness. For he was determined to guide Liv to happiness by any means necessary.

* * *

After around a day had passed, Liv slept once more. Upon waking, she immediately sought out the man with sparkling eyes. As expected, he was observing her by her side.

Strangely, for the first time, Liv felt she wanted to remain awake continuously without sleeping. Everything had always been so dull to her, with sleep providing an escape from the boredom. So Liv had always welcomed the arrival of sleep. But this time, she shook her head, trying to shake off the drowsiness so she could converse a bit longer with the man, reassured by his words that he would remain by her side even if she fell asleep.

“Do you have any fun stories?”

Rubbing her eyes to clear her face, Liv asked in a bright voice. She could hardly wait to hear the stories the man would tell. Since the gods lacked interest in mere humans, she didn’t know the precise details of human life outside. But this man’s tales felt completely new and intriguing!

“Fun stories, hm…”

Seeing the man’s pensive expression, Liv urged him:

“Tell me a story about plants.”

“Plants?”

“Yes, I’ve never seen a plant before.”

“…Do you know what the color green looks like?”

“Um, no.”

The man’s face grew contemplative before he walked beneath the light-entering hole and sat down. Then he rolled up his sleeves, exposing his arms to the light.

“Miss Liv, can you see?”

“Wow, your arm looks different from mine!”

Liv marveled at the man’s arm, with its protruding veins – unlike her slender, pale arms. Why such a difference?

The man clenched his arm tightly, causing one vein to bulge further, which he pointed to as he spoke:

“This is the color green.”

“Aha…”

“Of course, the actual green color is far richer and more beautiful than this.”

Though the man said that, Liv’s gaze remained fixed on his vein. Her own veins were not as thick and distinct as his, so she had never truly seen the color green before. But this first glimpse of green was such a wondrous hue.

“Plants typically have a similar color. They consist of flowers and leaves, with the leaves being green.”

“Then what about the flowers?”

“Ah.”

The man let out an exclamation, as if recalling something, before smiling softly.

“Come to think of it, you will surely love flowers, Miss Liv. Yes, I believe that was the case.”


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