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549words2026-01-26 09:09

My best friend was desperate for a child—so obsessed that,despite my warnings,she insisted on venerating my shrine.
Left with no other option,I did everything I could to help her conceive.
But one child wasn’t enough for her.She harbored a wild dream of giving birth to eight children all at once.

I told her,even with my mastery of witchcraft,such a wish was beyond my capabilities.
In a rage,she smashed my temple,dug up my true form—buried in the earth for over five thousand years—and burned it to ashes.
My soul shattered.
When I opened my eyes again,I found myself back on the day my best friend first begged me for a child.
“Lila,give me a child.”
Hearing those words again sent a chill down my spine.

I’d known my best friend,Emma Carter,for five hundred years.
She was aware of my true identity and my fatal weakness.
In my past life,she had used the same words to beg for a child.
I warned her,“Your mule clan is barren by nature.Forcing fertility goes against the laws of the heavens,and you’ll surely incur divine punishment.”

She turned a deaf ear,insisting on setting up my shrine at her home.
My true form is a pomegranate tree,a symbol of fertility and abundance.By the ancient rules, whoever venerated my shrine was entitled to my blessing of conception.
Especially when it came from my dearest friend.
I expended half my magical power to help Emma conceive one child.
She was overflowing with gratitude—until she gave birth and made a new demand.
“Lila,one isn’t enough.I want eight.”
It terrified me.Her clan was infertile by nature,and helping her conceive one child had already risked my life.
I refused outright,and that sent her into a furious rage.
She rallied her clan to destroy my temple,dug up my true form from the soil,and burned it to ashes.
My soul was torn asunder.
Even in my final moments,she cursed me for not giving her eight children.
Now reborn,facing the same request,I smiled faintly.
“Don’t worry,I’ll make it happen.”
“Tell me,what kind of children do you have in mind?”
Emma’s eyes lit up.“Ideally,I want eight at onve,all boys,all fierce beasts.They need to be full of vigor,real men!”
I smirked inwardly.She was getting picky.
Fine.She wants eight?This time,I’ll give her ten!
I was eager to see just how many she could actually carry to term.
I got to work.Since I’d promised Emma ten children,I’d keep my word.
I scoured the heavens and earth,gathering embryos from various clan to create a chaotic mix in her womb.
Emma was moved to tears.“Lila,I knew you were my truest friend.No wonder I keep your shrine at home.”
Her tears made me scoff.If I hadn’t secretly visit her house at midnight,I might’ve fallen for her.
A shrine?All she had done was print a photo of me, ,propped it on a table,and lit a single dime-store incense stick for three days.
Back when I accepted offerings,the cheapest incense was worth at least fifty cents!
The more I thought about it,the angrier I got,fueling my drive to collect embryos.
Wolves,tigers,leopards—the fiercer the beast,the harder I worked.
Emma was overjoyed with my collection.“I can’t wait to give birth to these children.I’ll be the greatest mother ever!”
I sneered.A mule dreaming of birthing fierce beasts?She had no idea what she was getting herself into.