NOVPUBChapter 828 -207: I am Your Shepherd (Vote for Monthly Pass) Chapter 828 -207: I am Your Shepherd (Vote for Monthly Pass) “`
…Within Selene’s personality, does Lulu still harbor the past yearning for her mother?
After all, the lack of maternal love she received made an unconscious longing for it quite normal.
And maternal love happens to be one of the core narratives of the Path of Love…
However…
Under “Number Fourteen” form, Aiwass’s gaze subconsciously fell upon Lulu.
This time, however, Lulu did not lose consciousness.
Her reactions just became a bit delayed—and when Selene raised her hand and spoke, Lulu’s body instinctively moved too, wanting to raise her hand and open her mouth.
...
But before she could perform those actions, she would quickly come to her senses and suppress her impulses.
Thus, her movements looked more like twitching.
Just like twins with a psychic connection, only their relationship was even closer—either could control both bodies, with Lulu having a slightly higher authority as the dominant personality.
Aiwass thought of a remarkably fitting analogy: Lulu and Selene at this moment are like trying to draw a circle with the left hand and a square with the right.
When focusing on the left hand, the right might stop or deviate off track; vice versa is also true.
It’s just that Lulu’s control is stronger, so the circle isn’t as round; when Selene is in control, the other hand ceases to move completely.
This was not at all about splitting a personality into two and placing them into separate bodies—it was about creating another body, controlled by two personalities!
Their connection had not been completely severed…
That’s when Aiwass understood why Selene had said “the ritual might have failed” just now.
Perhaps the ritual didn’t fail, but succeeded.
The Eternal Self of the past had used this ritual to ensure the shedding of the old self.
And from the perspective of the “new self,” the ritual was a success—the animalistic personality of Lulu, the “Selene” of the Path of Love, had indeed been unsealed and lived on.
If Selene were to abandon Lulu completely, she would be akin to being reborn.
And this ritual, was invented during the age when the Path of Love was still the Beast’s Path.
It’s just that the two Paths aren’t all that different, hence some confusion.
Meanwhile, Aiwass’s Nurturing Skill was precisely “The Art of Beast Taming”!
Selene, born and out of control in an instant, was successfully subdued by Aiwass’s blood.
That’s why she had instinctively recoiled at Aiwass’s reprimand just now.
The original purpose of this ritual was like severing a relationship and splitting an estate, ultimately leading to one person with one set of property to avoid conflicts; now it’s like two people controlling two sets of property.
Although they can live separately, in reality, the cut was not clean, with both people being able to enter the same set of property at any time.
From the perspective of self-separation, the ritual has surely failed.
Because it didn’t make a clean cut.
But this doesn’t seem to be a bad thing either.
“!You two practice well for now.
Start with an experiment to see how far apart you two can be and still affect each other.”
Number Fourteen sighed and then refocused on the mirror, transforming back into Aiwass.
“Yes, master.”
Lulu looked over and softly responded, while Selene sat back down with a touch of disappointment, without responding.
“I want to drink master’s blood.”
Selene, restless, spoke out loud: “I also want to eat master’s flesh.”
With that, she opened her mouth wide towards Aiwass and tentatively bit down on Aiwass’s palm.
At this moment, Aiwass finally felt the monstrosity in Selene—those were not the round teeth of humans, but closer to the sharp teeth of the Son of the Moon.
More akin to the teeth of a carnivore designed to tear animal flesh than a “lamb.”
The structure was completely different from humans.
And Selene’s personality was also unlike Lulu’s—Lulu adhered to the law and morality, while Selene was wild and beastly, closer to a humanoid animal.
This trait is more like the Son of the Moon than human.
Even the color of the pupils resembled that of the Son of the Moon.
In the beginning, Aiwass paid no mind and let Selene bite him.
But shortly after, he felt a pain in his right hand—Selene had drawn blood and was powerfully shaking her head, tearing at it.
Aiwass’s expression suddenly became stern.
“Selene!”
He called out.
Selene immediately stopped shaking her head, but the sharp, barbed teeth of a predator remained embedded in the palm of Aiwass.
Aiwass could clearly feel her tongue still quietly licking at his wound, sipping his blood.
At this time, Lulu was somewhat flustered: “Sorry, master!
I…”
Selene’s pupils instantly returned to their human roundness, and she also released Aiwass’s palm.
“Go back for now, Lulu.”
Aiwass, now serious, instructed Lulu to return inside her own body.
Looking at Selene, who had reverted to sheep eyes but become docile, Aiwass let out a cold laugh: “Still aware of your mistake, huh?”
“Master…
smells so good.”
Selene whispered.
“Give me your hand.”
Aiwass spoke sternly.
He had come to realize! this failed ritual was originally meant for Lulu’s animalistic nature to replace her personality.
It was only forcibly salvaged by Aiwass’s Nurturing Skill, yet Selene’s personality was still out of control.
He had thought for a moment whether to seal her up.
But then he abandoned the idea.
“`
However, since the Nurturing Skill had such a fatal attraction for her…
perhaps it would be simpler to treat her as an animal to be tamed.
Compared to a clueless child, Selene was more akin to a wild beast with human knowledge and intelligence.
When Selene obediently extended her hand, Aiwass spared no pity and forcefully struck her palm three times.
It was a blow that could shatter the bones of a mortal— for Selene, who might be both a witch and, possibly, a werewolf, it was just about right.
Any lighter and it might be taken as pampering.
Selene yelped with pain, withdrawing her hand and curling up in the bathtub.
Aiwass’s tone remained stern: “If there’s a next time, I’ll strike your face or whip your palms.
Understand?”
Seeing Selene nod obediently, Aiwass softened his voice a bit: “What I give you is yours; what I don’t, you cannot take…
do you understand?
There are no daughters who would bite their mother, if you do this again, I will cut ties with you.
“If I don’t offer it willingly, the blood’s not as sweet, right?”
“…It’s still sweet,” Selene timidly interjected, “but indeed…
it’s not as tasty.”
“Right?
So if you’re obedient, I’ll give you my blood.
You’re the beast I’ve tamed, and I am your Shepherd…”
Aiwass paused mid-sentence, suddenly lost in thought.
A curious illusion wafted across his eyes—
It was a fragment of a memory.
He seemed to recall saying the same words somewhere.
A ferocious Penalty Demon lay prostrating before him, its head bowed to kiss his feet.
And he, dressed in a white robe, wand in hand, stood with his wounded bare feet upon the desert sands, as endless dunes whipped around him.
“I can give you my flesh and blood, my life.
But you must heed my teachings and not act rashly.”
He was gazing down at the demon, softly admonishing: “You’re the beast I’ve tamed, and I am your Shepherd…”
It was a momentary fragment of memory.
Just a fleeting instant, without beginning or end.
…Strange.
Were those the memories of a “Shepherd”?
Aiwass remembered glimpsing a similar scene in the “Nurturing Secret Sequel.” But that book had already been destroyed by him, making it impossible to verify by rereading.
He fell silent for a while, deciding to skirt the topic for the time being.
So, he continued to issue instructions: “Also, Lily…
you should get used to controlling two bodies simultaneously, just as a sister would look after Selene.
Given Selene’s temperament, she might cause trouble at any time.
You share sensibilities, right?
So remember to take over her body at any time to help resolve her problems; otherwise, you can let her have control of the body first.
“Selene, no bullying Lily.
You must listen to her.
If Lily enters your body, do not act rashly and see how Lily manages the situation first.
If Lily faces danger, remember to protect her.”
Aiwass was assigning tasks to the newly born sisters.
For some reason, he subconsciously felt that Selene was stronger than Lily.
But seeing that neither of them objected, Aiwass decided to just leave it at that for now.
After Selene had been separated out, Lily’s presence felt as unnoticeable as it had ever been…
If Aiwass didn’t pay attention, he might even forget Lily’s existence entirely.
Aiwass found himself contemplating at this moment.
Why…
even though Lily consumed his flesh and blood, did Selene end up more resembling Subject Number Fourteen?
Logically, “Subject Number Fourteen” was merely a persona, a false image prepared for Aiwass by the Eternal Self.
The real Number Fourteen must have died long ago.
…Could there be some blood relation between himself and Number Fourteen?
It was not entirely out of the question.
Aiwass suddenly recalled the first advancement ceremony he had participated in— he had no recollection of his birth mother, Annie, yet during that advancement ceremony, he saw the likeness of Annie Alexander as portrayed by Lulu.
Annie had the same hair color as Aiwass, not the black hair like Number Fourteen.
However, her pupils were exactly the same emerald green as Number Fourteen’s!
Number Fourteen was once the daughter of a Viscount in the Helasal Empire, and Annie was born into a noble family of the Iris Kingdom.
Considering the intricate, messy relationships of noble bloodlines, there might indeed be some connection…
Or is it…
that his grandfather had mixed some other messy stuff into his creation?
“Anyway, it’s good that the ceremony went without incident.
At least this way, Lily won’t go mad due to conflicting Paths, and Selene has her own body…
Overall, it’s all good.”
Probably.
Aiwass sighed: “For now, clean yourselves up…
I’ll wait for you outside.”
There was more to say, but not until they were dressed.
The sight of two young girls’ bodies bustling before him made him feel as if his motherly love was on the verge of spoiling.
