"Why you don't wash this bowl properly? I teach you so many times already, why you still so stupid!"
When I come back to my senses, I find myself actually back at my home on Earth. At this moment, my mother is scolding me while holding a bowl stained with oil.
"Because the dishwashing liquid finish already..."
I shrink my head and explain softly.
"No dishwashing liquid means cannot wash bowl? In the past, with no dishwashing liquid people also can remove oil stains. Anyone as stupid as you?"
Unexpectedly, after hearing this, my mother does not forgive me. Instead she angrily scolds me.
"You make me so disappointed! Look at other kids so sensible and capable. And see those kids on TV, they can earn money for their families already! You? Until now still let us keep spending money on you - all kinds of fees, food money, clothing expenses, all our money! Raising you not as good as raising a pig!"
"But raising me is legal obligation..."
A few days ago I watched a legal education program that mentioned this topic, so I softly rebut.
"Heh heh...you actually know what is legal obligation?"
The atmosphere falls silent for a moment. Seeing me say this, my mother seems even angrier and slaps me across the face.
"Good, grown up also got hard mouth already! Dare to talk to me like that, who teach you? The law? Then you know the law states when we grow old you must fulfill responsibility to support your parents? If not for this reason, we won't bother raising you! If had known earlier cannot abort, should just bury you in the ground, who would know. You can live until today all thanks to our kindness. In future when you work you better earn money properly to support us, if not you are an ungrateful wretch, scolded by everybody!"
Seeing me raise my hand to block her slap, after some scuffling as she cannot overcome me and pull my arm away from my face, my mother gets furiously angry and shouts outside.
"Tom, Flynn dares to hit me, you also don't care!"
"What! You dare to hit your mother!"
Soon, my father rushes out from another room. He looks extremely angry and immediately slaps me hard across the face.
So pain...
Seeing stars, vaguely feeling like this is all an illusion, why so painful?
"Yes! Hit him, hit harder, let him learn his lesson!"
My mother kicks me down, and in pain I keep rolling around on the ground. Only then I realise I have returned to my high school days, still a boy, of course not an angel.
This is a very profound scene etched in my memory. When the whips and attacks rain down on me, that long buried deep sense of fear within instantly erupts.
"No! --"
At this moment, all the figures suddenly disappear, including everything around.
...
"That just now a dream? Here is..."
When I open my eyes and catch my breath, the surroundings seem to have changed again. It seems I have come back to the outdoors of the Village.
This is clearly the Village outskirts right, so reset again?
But what happened just now, and how did I die?
Remember I just defeated Cyra, then Beluto appeared. Just as we were about to battle, I suddenly saw that scene of my parents abusing me back on Earth, and ended up back here.
What exactly happened? Adrian and the others should have reset too, maybe he knows something!
No point finding Vivianne now, I stride towards the "Shelter" instead, and the scenery along the way is still the same as before, the entire village lifeless.
But after just turning a corner, I see someone coming towards me - it's Adrian.
"Feliciana!"
Seeing me wave to him, Adrian's face shows a hint of a smile, finally relieved as he replies.
"Good you're okay! I'm relieved at last."
"What exactly happened at the end of the last round, why did I suddenly die?"
To resolve the doubts in my mind, I grab his clothes and quickly ask.
"...You really want to know?"
Adrian looks at me, seeming hesitant about my question.
"Of course, what cannot be said?"
I nod firmly, urging him on.
"Not sure if the God of Light or Cyra did something, but right after Vivianne finished speaking, you suddenly changed your stance, saying you decided to marry the Light God Beluto, never leaving this place again!"
"Huh?!"
I gape at him dumbfounded, feeling he's simply talking nonsense - how could I possibly say such a thing!
"You even attacked us, calling Cyra sister. I know you must have been unknowingly controlled by the Light God. But in that situation, we could not withstand the combined assault of you all, so we died and reset. I came looking for you immediately after that, luckily it seems there are no lingering issues."
Adrian says with lingering fear, worried that after resetting I might still be in a controlled state, which would be very troublesome.
"So what exactly is going on? Why would I be controlled, and why were the rest of you all fine? Vivianne is also a girl, she didn't say she wanted to marry Beluto right?"
Stunned for a while, I was so shocked by his words that my mouth couldn't close.
"No...the rest had no issues, only you alone!"
Adrian shakes his head, looking at me with some concern.
...
"Perhaps, this is some power of the Light God!"
On the first floor of the "Shelter", Judith sitting on the ground explains.
In order to find the answers, to prevent the same thing from happening again, we found Judith and directly brought her here.
In any case, it must definitely be related to the Light God! As a senior researcher from the Sage Alliance studying elemental theory, she may be able to analyze and provide some useful intelligence.
"The Light God having some power to directly make people marry her, that's too ridiculous right?"
Whether Adrian believes it or not, I certainly don't. If Beluto doesn't become a stud, it's really a pity.
"Hee hee, of course not what you're imagining, but rather absolute control over the light element!"
Upon hearing this, Judith immediately laughs, as if she finds my words silly.
"Think about it, why were the other humans not controlled? What's the difference between you and them?"
"Wings? Humans don't have wings right!"
I answer doubtfully. When I hide my wings, basically there's no difference from ordinary humans right?
"Anything else, the fundamental difference?"
She shakes her head and continues asking.
"Er...a body purely made of light elements?"
"Correct, you got it!"
She claps her hands in praise.
"Unlike ordinary beings, angels are not negatively affected by light elements. Your whole body is made of light elements, including your brain! And the Light God has absolute control over light elements, so he can manipulate your brain however he wants!"
"Moreover, light elements can inherently communicate with the mind and soul. Don't forget most psychic magic is light-based, so naturally it can further control your soul, making you suddenly change your attitude to say you want to marry him."
"But I myself had no awareness at all, not the slightest memory of it!"
I can't help but be dumbfounded, this is too overpowered, then how to deal with the Light God!
"The brain is the brain, the soul is the true self! Your body was controlled, Beluto can even read some residual memories in your brain, but it doesn't mean the Light God can immediately control your soul."
"The soul and all things in this world, including humans and living beings, are all formed by a combination of various elements - even an angel's soul is no exception! So in theory the Light God should find it very difficult to fully control humans, and very difficult to fully control souls..."
Judith grins at me mischievously, as if trying to see my experience at that time.
"During that period, your soul must have been resisting in some form, or perhaps you weren't completely unconscious then?"
"..."
I naturally know what she's referring to - that memory of being abused by my parents. So was the Light God using my past to encroach on my soul?
But why must it be in that situation! How to avoid that, completely got no clue...
"If Feliciana's soul successfully resist, then can she escape the Light God's control in the end?"
After hearing her say that, Adrian ponders for a while before voicing his question.
"Absolutely impossible!"
Unexpectedly, she directly refutes him.
"Even if her soul can remain conscious, but her body still made of light elements, will ultimately be tightly controlled by the Light God, no chance at all to resist. Maybe at that time she will feel even more suffering, better to be fully controlled instead!"
Judith laughs dismissively as she stands up from the ground.
"So, if really want to challenge the Light God, as an angel you absolutely cannot participate. Just give up, why not enjoy life?"
"Enjoy life?"
I did not expect her to suddenly mention this, and am dumbfounded. Clearly trapped in this place with no idea how to leave, feeling vexed, yet she tells us to enjoy life?
"Or have you all not thought about it? If time can really reset while still retaining memories, doesn't that mean no matter what you do ultimately there will be no responsibility or consequences?"
Judith smiles at me meaningfully, then looks out the window and walks outside.
"Oh? Seems there's a fight happening over there, are those the Apostles you mentioned earlier? Looks like only four wings, then I will go take a look! A world with the Light God existing may actually be quite interesting..."
By this time, three Apostles have arrived above the village, clashing with Mike, Vivianne and the others.