breastmilk withdrawal
If there was ever an elegant way of scarfing down food, Ha Neul would be able to show the perfect example of it.
She shoved in five pieces of French fries dipped in hot sauce and cheese without leaving a single crumb or stain behind, carefully chewing and savouring the taste before taking small but many gulps of coke.
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Gaea looked at her in amusement as she cut into her own little dessert, a decadent slice of dark chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream and cuts of berries in between.
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"This is amazing," said Ha Neul as she bit into a savory crepe, getting hit with the flavours of fresh vegetables, lemon juice and the juicy but not-so-greasy karaage.
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"I'm glad you like it," Mother Goddess smiled.
"One of the goddesses took on cooking as a hobby and so she usually sends me part of what she makes."
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"That's awesome." She grabbed a glass of cider.
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"You'll meet her one day, since you have her blessing." Gaea neatly piled the plates before choosing a sweet lemon tart.
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Ha Neul gulped down a piece of the cheesecake in front of her as she processed her words, promptly dropping her fork after.
"What?" Σ( ° △ °)
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"Yes," Gaea reaffirmed, magically tying back her wavy locks.
"Charis, also known as the Goddess of human creativity. You had her blessing since you were a child and that gift has followed you in your new life. I think you'll have fun."
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'Oh. That explains the Crafting Apprentice title.' She picked up her fork again and took another bite of the cheesecake with the raspberry jam.
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"You know, time is dwindling. You can ask what you want while you eat," the goddess offered, sipping a glass of Rosé.
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"Oh right," Ha Neul gave her a sheepish smile, one hand reaching out to grab onto a skewer of tanghulus.
"I had forgotten to ask God about one thing regarding my skills. Since the world I live in is less advanced than my previous one, I've realised that procuring some materials in the future would be difficult. There's no internet, no amazon - I was wondering if there is, by any possible chance, a way to access a sort of otherworld delivery?"
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Gaea pondered for a moment before replying. "There have been many travellers from other realms over the millennia, I'm sure there will be one but the specifics would be with the other gods. Don't worry, you'll meet them once you're of age for your second blessing ceremony."
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"There's a second ceremony?"
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"Yes. Here, you find your innate powers. Elements that are akin to your temperament." Gaea, with a twist of her wrist, summoned small images of multiple elements Ha Neul often saw in mangas and TV shows.
"There are also variant skills, specific areas that you excel in. Your older brother here has one and so do you."
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"Wow." Ha Neul bowed her head as a hotpot replaced the empty plates of food.
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"You'll have your second ceremony at the age of 12, there you will be given your blessings from one god or more according to your pursuits and interests," Gaea further explaned while helping Ha Neul add the ingredients.
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"So, if a child shows interest in books or warfare, they will be blessed accordingly to those interests?" Ha Neul asked.
Both reincarnator and Goddess had a bowl of rice and a small plate of roasted seaweed by their sides as they talked over the boiling food.
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"Yes and no," Gaea added some bok choy, "it's more about your potential. For example, say a child is interested in offence magic but has a great capacity for healing, then that child will be blessed by Asclepius instead of Hecate or Athena."
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"There are many Greek gods here, aren't they?" Ha Neul meticulously cracked two eggs on top of the ramen.
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"Well, many universes share the same gods. And since the spiritual faith has dwindled in your previous world, many of the forgotten gods have moved to other dimensions."
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The simmering hotpot began to emanate the smell of meat and mushrooms.
Gaea passed a bottle of soju to Ha Neul who spoke her thanks in reply.
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"You don't have to rush into life, you know," Gaea adviced as she picked up a translucent thin slice of cooked beef.
"You've been given a second chance, that too with a family that loves you dearly. You should do what makes you happy while you bring change to the world."
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Ha Neul absorbed the Goddess' words in silence, chopsticks laid on her plate.
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Wasn't she happy as Ha Neul?
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"There's another thing you need to be mindful of," Gaea interrupted her inner thoughts, "your mind is that of a 29-year-old woman but your body is still fragile and in an infantile state. There will moments when the balance between your physical and mental state overlap. You might be pressured by your young body, so I would advise you to strengthen your physical body while maintaining your mental stability."
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"How do I do that?"
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"It's a passive skill that you'll come to once you're ready for it. Remember to circulate your magic charge every now and then if you want a head start. Just breathe and imagine your magic as the blood that your heart pumps and it's oxygenation process."
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"OH," Ha Neul gave her a profound look, eyes momentarily glazing as she thought of her biology classes as a young adult.
'Seems easy enough.'
Most people would remind her that no one was a borderline psychopath like her.
She was always very invested in true crime and would've turned into a mortician if she wasn't so interested in gory crime scenes. Sadly, her expertise was required only during serial crimes so she had spent most of her career as an enforcer.
"I wonder how the team is doing," she thought with a bittersweet smile before biting into a succulent hot broth infused king oyster mushroom.
'That hit the spot.' (*´▽`*)
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"Do you have anymore questions?"
"Umm... None that comes to mind. Sorry." (￣▽￣*)ゞ
Gaea chuckled at the shy mortal and emptied the table of food. Their time was coming to an end.
"That's alright. You can prepare your doubts for your second ceremony. However, if you wish to ask more you will have to go through the trials of the church since not everyone is allowed to meet gods everyday."
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"That's understandable," Ha Neul nodded her head. She leaned back on her chair and yawned, eyelids drooping until the image of the Goddess blurred before her eyes.
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"You're a gifted child, Ha Neul," she heard the beautiful woman whisper.
"I hope you find the happiness you forgot."