Eren watches Jasper and David turn into blobs of shadow, dissipating like sand as the flow of time returns to the present. His incorporeal body lengthens, transforming from a toddler to an adult within seconds. His consciousness appears back in Ariellia's room. Predictably he looks towards the bed, expecting to see the heiress holding onto her stuffed teddy bear. He's startled to see her seated at the vanity several feet away from it instead. She sits on its plush stool, calmly combing her long hair with a dull look in her amethyst eyes.
"You saw it too, do you understand now why he treats me the way he does?" Her voice is barely above a whisper.
Eren frowns, beginning to understand David's contradicting actions while raising Ariellia. Elves have such outstanding memories, recalling things from their early childhood isn't out of the question. Most wouldn't want to recall the strange and awkward phase of being an infant, but that's not to say they can't. This is why David is hesitant when approaching Ariellia, afraid she has already recalled this memory and knows his initial reaction to her birth. He's avoiding the issue and trying to placate her with expensive gifts, willing to turn a blind eye to her willfulness. It all stems from his guilt towards her, the feeling of regret for ever saying those words in her presence.
"But you should know he truly loves you, right?" Eren feels out of place saying this. It might come off as cheap coming from someone like him with a broken home.
"Does he? We have a saying here, 'A person's first response is usually their truest one. Everything else can be planned.' Who's to say deep down he doesn't wish me gone, the rest can all be an act to keep up appearances."
"There's no way that can be true!" He's distressed by her dark thoughts.
"There is!" She doesn't seem to be hearing him at all, trapped in her own inner turmoil.
…
"There…is…a chance." She enunciates each word with a hard look in her eyes. "You saw the memory, I didn't understand it when I was younger, but I know now that Uncle Jasper was supposed to be my father's chosen. If my mother hadn't done something to twist fate, they would have met before my father's differentiation ceremony and the two would have been wed instead. My father would have made a different choice. I would never have existed!" She finally breaks, tossing aside the silver brush in her hand as she bursts into big angry tears.
…
Eren doesn't know what to say or do with this information. It's understandable for her to think this way, but he's seen how much David tries. The duke isn't simply playing at being a loving father, he truly does care for his daughter. The unbridled anger he showed towards Rei for losing sight of her under his watch wasn't fake. Such a dedicated love, there was a time in his life when Eren would have killed for such affection. He doesn't want to see Ariellia throw away such a precious thing just because of a single memory, or words spoken from a broken man finally realizing his entire marriage was a lie.
"What is this differentiation ceremony everyone keeps talking about?" he keeps running into this word, making him curious of what it truly means. Perhaps, explaining the common practices of her world to him might distract her from these depressing thoughts for a short while. It'll give him a chance to think of a way to convince her of the duke's love.
"It's a practice created by my late ancestor, the founder of our tribe." The change in subject seems to be working, the heiress pulls herself together to explain. Her voice is shaky and flat, her misty eyes unfocused as she recalls her history lessons.
"When our tribe originally fled to this continent from the North we were few. Before, I told you that beings of the elder race are blessed with long lives but low fertility, we cannot reproduce at high rates like humans. The elves of the Northwest Continent reproduce with the help of the world tree. They bear the seeds of its fruits to create new life and are buried by its roots when their lives have ended. That is the cycle. Our tribe is different, to help our reproduction without the world tree my great ancestor studied forbidden life magic to change our linked plant-based biology."
"How?"
Eren could never have imagined his simple question would lead to this crazy astonishing story. From all the books he's read in the castle's library he vaguely has an understanding that all elves originate from the Northwest continent of Endall. He's unclear about the rest because for some reason books on the Northwest continent are sparse in the duke's large library.
"My ancestor made it possible for us to bear both reproductive organs, in a sense we are a tribe of hermaphrodites. When we find the one we wish to marry, we hold a differentiation ritual before the wedding in secret. The shaman performs a ceremony for us to part with the extra organs, making us a perfect match for our spouse."
…
Eren is speechless, he automatically looks south on his own body. Being just an incorporeal soul of course there's nothing to see down there, but he can still sense his little junior present. To think he thought being thrown into Ariellia's body after death was the wildest thing he'd ever experienced, he now stands corrected. Her ancestor was even crazier, topping the charts by leaps and bounds!
'Can't give birth on demand, no problem I'll just whip up some forbidden life magic.' This ancestor was truly audacious. It makes Eren almost curious to ask how he met his end.
"Not all of our tribesmen choose to do this for multiple reasons, once performed the ceremony cannot be reversed. Our ancestor did this so no matter who we choose to marry, there will always be the possibility of childbirth guaranteed. He took the original spell to his grave, leaving only the spell the shaman uses to undo it to protect the tribe. It's become more of a sign of respect and love for your spouse to sacrifice a part of yourself to be with them."
It's no wonder why slave traders are particularly keen on capturing young elves of the southern continent. No wonder the dark elves of Rahnoff often look androgynous, wearing mostly unisex styled clothing and no role restrictions based on gender. Their unique physique is likely well sought after by wealthy nobles with their perverse tastes. Eren feels his scalp tingle from this new information.
"But you're…"
"Not the same!" She snaps back at him, clearly knowing what he was about to ask and becoming guarded because of it.
"It's the price I had to pay for the forbidden fate magic my mother cast to swindle my father. My soul was torn in two at birth and separated." This explains why she calls him her other half.
"How can he love an abnormal child like me, when even my condition is a constant reminder of what could have been?" Her inner demons return with tears leaking from her eyes, looking utterly miserable.
This time Eren doesn't let her wallow in her depression alone. He crosses the room to get to her side, taking her into his arms and rocks her gently like a child.
"You know that isn't true. David loves you, he wouldn't have you any other way. They may not be able to be together like a normal couple, but didn't they raise you together? Jasper loves you as his own. Besides, from what you're saying you would have chosen to be as you are now for Rei anyway. There's not much difference now is there. I can tell Miranda loves her little miss no matter what physique you have. I fear she might love you even if you grow a second head."
"Hic…you promise?" It breaks his heart to hear her sound so unsure of such a simple truth.
"I promise."