《Do You Think Someone Like You Can Defeat the Demon King? (WN)》 CH 7 TN: The author wrote character summaries as of the end of volume one. I havent translated the whole thing since its largely a rehash of whats already been covered, but we did get to see everybodys stats: Flamm Apricot Attribute: Inverse Strength: 0 Magical power: 0 Vitality: 0 Dexterity: 0 Perception: 0 Milkit: Attribute: Darkness Strength: 11 Magical power: 8 Vitality: 9 Dexterity: 6 Perception: 15 Jean: Attribute: Nature Strength: 994 Magical power: 8809 Vitality: 678 Agility: 1087 Perception: 2886 Eterna: Attribute: Water Strength: 668 Magical power: 10005 Vitality: 525 Agility: 564 Perception: 2898 Gadio: Attribute: Earth Strength: 7385 Magical power: 821 Linus: Attribute: Wind Strength: 3581 Magical power: 1063 Vitality: 3891 Dexterity: 8854 Perception: 2876 Maria: Attribute: Light Strength: 1857 Magical power: 6680 Vitality: 2279 Dexterity: 1136 Perception: 4278 Cyrille: Attribute: Hero Strength: 6899 Magical power: 6250 Vitality: 6887 Dexterity: 6716 Perception: 6529 Overall, with Flamms current gear she is well above an untrained person like Milkit but well below the Heros companions on raw stats. Kind of amazing she survived tagging along with them when she was at zeroes all around. Also, Cyrille is more of an all-rounder than a total dominating powerhouse like the Hero can be in other stories. If you visit the raw you can also see some fan art of Flamm. Flamm and Milkit went shopping in the Central Ward, as they had discussed the previous day. Flamm changed from her shabby clothes into a simple combination of shirt and hot pants. Compared to before, her appearance was much improved. Milkit was standing in a dressing room. The outfit that she had put on was Is this really OK? Flamm asked. I should be the one asking that. Buying such expensive clothes. The money isnt a problem thanks to the Anzu. Its just Milkit was wearing black serving clothes decorated with frilly lace around the skirt and chest. While labeled as a maids outfit, it seemed difficult to wear it and perform a maids duties, so it might instead be something meant for a person with a particular hobby. The overall impression provided quite a contrast with the bandage covering Milkits face. These were the clothes I saw the most often, so I thought that I wanted to wear them someday. When Flamm had asked Milkit if she had clothes she wanted to wear, this was what she chose. Even if it was not a strong desire and more of a vague, thin longing, Flamm still wanted to support Milkits choice. Well, it certainly looks cute. I think so. Its a nice design, right? Its not just that. It suits you and you look cute. Shop clerk! Milkit blushed as Flamm said something embarrassing. However, Flamm didnt notice as she was focused on getting the attention of the pretty female clerk who was standing a little ways away. The clerk came over. An ugly expression crossed her face as her gaze passed over the slave brand, but she immediately schooled her features into a neutral mask. It wasnt because she was a good person, but because she had already exchanged words with Flamm when they entered the store. At that time, her reaction was more blatant. Even so, it was far from as bad as the treatment Flamm had received in the guild. Flamm was also growing used to handling such situations. She would have to, as the mark of her slavery would not be going away any time soon. Flamm finished paying and the two of them left the store. A girl in a maid dress with a bandage covering her face and a slave girl with a bloody glove hanging from her waist slipped into the shopping crowds. They made for quite a sight. However, the main street in the Central Ward was crowded with shoppers and tourists from outside. Not as a result of a special holidays or festival, but just as the result of an ordinary day. In such circumstances, no matter how unusual two people were, they would soon vanish into the crowd. Flamm had to take a firm grasp on Milkits hand to make sure that they wouldnt be separated. The two of them had many things to buy. They were two people who had nothing starting their lives from scratch. Even if they brought home armfuls of luggage, they wouldnt be able to get everything they needed for daily life in one trip. For the moment, they focused on buying the things they needed immediately. The most urgent thing was to get clothes, which they did first. After that they went to purchase shoes, toothbrushes, and bathing supplies. Flamm also wanted a backpack she could use as an adventurer and needed to save enough to purchase the evening meal. She had enough money for that much, at least. While they had a financial margin, they had no time to spare. Over and over, they entered a shop, quickly picked up the item they needed, and bought it. It was a busy day, but it was a valuable experience for Milkit who had never been shopping before. Thank you! The two of them were sent off with a rare polite farewell from a slave working in the shop. They split their purchases between them and held hands as they walked on to the main street. Buying things is fun, isnt it? Flamm asked. Yes. Although I made some big mistakes with things I hadnt seen before, Milkit said. When I saw you wanted to buy such high-class tableware that it would clear out all of our savings, I was worried. Ah, sorry, I did not read the price. Milkit looked embarrassed. Seeing such a thing, Flamm brought the two of them to a stop. Looking up, she saw a sign she had been searching for hanging over a nearby store. Master? Can I take a break? Yes, of course. Flamm had found the largest bookstore in the capital. As they passed through the entrance of the shop, they saw a copy of Origins scripture on display. In the history of the kingdom it was the church that always possessed the greatest number of books. In addition, education for children was often conducted in the church. Thus, printing technology developed in connection with the churchs needs. Even now, the church had a close relationship with the printing companies and book stores in the kingdom. Even this shop had a sign that included a symbol of the god Origin. However, this was not because the store was connected to the church, but rather because the scripture was a top selling item. Flamm and Milkit were not part of any religion. Flamm led them past the scriptures and toward a bookshelf on the far wall, relying on a guide map posted on a nearby pillar. Master reads books? Oh, its not for me, Flamm said. She pulled a book out from the bookshelf and checked its cover while Milkit looked on in confusion. Then who is it for? I said I would teach you how to read and write. Since I got enough money for it earlier than I expected, Flamm said, I thought we should start as soon as possible. You were serious? Did you think I was joking? I never thought that an unlucky slave like me would ever learn how to read. Flamm had gotten used to Milkits attitude. Rather than confront her directly, she intended to work around the edges. She wanted to grow Milkits confidence so that she would naturally stop using such words. Does Master want me to be independent? I have not thought so far ahead, Flamm admitted. But you have the ability to live alone, with your knowledge and experience. Milkit sounded uneasy. Flamm, understanding her feelings, adopted a self-deprecating tone. Even if I seem confident, Im not sure at all that I could live by myself. You said something like that before. Dont you trust me? I dont know what trust is, really, but I think that I will be with Master as long as possible. Flamm laughed. Well, you might say about a trustworthy person, since I trust them, I want to stay by their side. This is trust Milkit patted her chest as she tried to feel out the shape of her emotions. Sometimes when talking to Flamm, she would feel her chest tighten. Just knowing that the name of that feeling was trust didnt mean that her fear of betrayal and loss just disappeared. However, she did feel a burden lift from her shoulders. Flamm finished picking out the book she wanted and bought it. It was a reference book for children that seemed just right for teaching Milkit. The book itself was not cheap. Milkit was surprised at the cost, but Flamm paid for it before she could protest. By the end of the day, the two of them had bought so many things that their hands were completely full carrying their purchases. Thus, it wasnt possible for them to hold hands. Fortunately, as they got closer to the West Ward the crowds began to thin out so they didnt have to worry about being separated. You spent a lot of money on me, Milkit said. She seemed to feel bad that more money was spent on her behalf than on Flamms. Dont worry about it. Your happiness is my happiness. I dont understand. When I think that Ive made somebody happy, I can be happy too. I still dont understand. Milkit had never experienced the idea of becoming happy by helping others. Her earlier masters sometimes treated her gently. However, it was never with good intentions. Instead, it was only to build her up so that she could be torn down. That sort of thing was much more painful than simple violent abuse, and often drove slaves to suicide while their owners laughed. After Milkit experienced such things over and over again, her emotions gradually grew numb. It was a matter of self-defense. Perhaps Flamm wouldnt betray her. Still, it was hard for Milkit to accept that Flamm solely wished for her to be happy. Well, you should get used to it little by little, then I think you will understand, Flamm said. Can you wait until I get used to it? Eh, no. Flamm gave her a full smile. Milkit felt her chest tighten again. But, Milkit still had not noticed why Flamm did not want to wait. She would only realize later. The two of them were distracted from their conversation when a man shouted out behind them. Stop, thief! There was a tinge of desperation in his voice. As he yelled, two men raced past Milkit and Flamm. Those two? Flamm recognized them. They were adventurers who had been drinking with Dain when she first visited the guild. Master, the bag they have C isnt it a luxury item? Certainly, its not something those two would buy, Flamm said. I guess Ill be away for a bit. Milkit, watch our things. Yes. Flamm set down the bags she had in her hands and lowered her posture before taking off running after the two men. As she ran, she took the glove hanging from her waist and pulled it on. It didnt do anything to make her faster, but it wouldnt hurt to increase her strength. Judging from the speed of the two men, they were D rank adventurers. They werent fast enough to escape from Flamm with her stats raised from the Soul Eating Zwei Hander. One of the men looked over his shoulder before cursing. Damn, its that slave woman! Realizing that they were too slow to get away cleanly, the two of them split up from each other. Flamm had no choice but to give up on one. After a brief moment of hesitation, she went after the one with the bag. She caught up with him in second. After rushing by, she planted herself in front of him and raised her fists. The man pulled out a dagger at the same that he prepared a spell. Fireball! The spell was low level. It traveled slowly and its power was low. Flamm avoided it by tilting her body. The man rushed in with his dagger, likely intending to use the fireball as a decoy. It was no use against Flamm. The dagger seemed to be stabbing forward in slow motion. Flamm simply grabbed his wrist and held it tightly. She felt a dull crack through her gauntlet. Aaaaah! The man screamed in pain as his wrist bent in the wrong direction. When Flamm let go he dropped the dagger and fell to the ground. It seemed the effect of increasing her strength was greater than she expected. Oh, oh, it hurts help me! Do you really expect sympathy? Flamm barely spared a glance for the man cradling his broken wrist in agony before reclaiming the stolen bag. She turned to head back to the rightful owner, but stopped in her tracks when she heard a crash from the direction the other man had fled. At the same time, she heard a voice cry out. Animals! Flamm had thought that she was alone in chasing the thieves. Now, peering in the direction of the noise that she heard, she saw a figure come into view, dragging the other thief behind her by his neck. Surprisingly, the figure was a little girl who looked about ten years old. Her golden blonde hair falling down over her clean white robe was the picture of innocence, contrasting strongly with the enormous mace carried over her shoulder. The girl was short, and gave the impression of a small child playing with her toys. However, the man she was dragging behind her had clearly been beaten into submission with a blunt instrument. Undeniably, her power was for real. Origin nun There were no other women in the kingdom quite like them. Maria, a member of the Heros party, had dressed in a similar fashion, and had also been surprisingly effective in melee fights. Most people who pictured Origin nuns thought of gentle women who healed with recovery magic, but the church also taught them fighting techniques so they could destroy demons. This girl had a sleepy expression on her face as she approached Flamm. Mm, this guys been captured too? she said, before giggling. Thank you very much. CH 8 Thank you for saving it! After returning the stolen bag, its owner gripped both of Flamms hands while thanking her with tears in his eyes. The man appeared to be around thirty years old, but he had a crooked back and seemed to have a weak constitution. He did not look like the kind of person who should be walking alone through the West District. Oh, Im sorry I didnt introduce myself. I am Rich Mancathy and I run a small shop. He introduced himself politely. His bearing and his clothes both marked him as a member of the upper class. Besides that, Flamm remembered hearing the name Mancathy. Not in a distant memory, but only recently. Milkit touched her shoulder. Is that the shop Master visited earlier to buy dinner? The two of them had stopped by a large store handling fresh food just before heading back to the West District Oh, yes, that Mancathy Shop no, wait, its not small! Ah, youre too kind. Although Rich was not putting on airs, the Mancathy Shop was the largest store dealing with fresh food in the capital. Just about everybody who lived in the capital had shopped there one time or another. While Rich looked a bit scrawny, Flamm was impressed that such a rich person would be so polite while talking to a pair of slaves. By the way, what is your name? he asked. Well, I am Flamm. I am registered as an adventurer in the West District. This is Milkit, Flamm said. I serve Master, Milkit added. Milkit deeply lowered her head as she was introduced. Thanks to the maid clothes, the overall impression was striking. Flamm and Milkit. Flamm, your face seems familiar. Rich scratched his chin, lost in thought, while Flamm felt her heartbeat pick up. I thought so too, the young nun added. As a member of the Heros party, Flamm was not exactly a celebrity but she was somewhat well known. Whether it was the people at the church who worked with Maria or the president of a large store who collected information as part of his work, it was quite possible they had seen her face before. No, well, Flamm said, then laughed. I often hear that I look like a celebrity. Flamm was calm as she deceived the two of them. Nobody would imagine that Flamm Apricot would become a slave. Even somebody who had seen her before wouldnt believe their eyes in the face of the slave brand. Ah, Im sorry if it bothers you. No, I dont mind. Also, Rich said, who is this nun here? I am Sarah Ambiren, the young nun said. I am doing my best to serve Origin. Well, thank you for your help! Rich said. I just cant thank you enough. Its only a matter of course as a nun to fight guys like that. Sarah put both hands on her waist and puffed up her chest as she spoke. Flamms mental picture of nuns being pure and weak was being overwritten by the image of a fighter. The two men groaning at her feet probably also couldnt have imagined they would be beaten and captured by a young nun. By the way, Flamm asked, what are you going to do with them? I have my bag back, Rich said, so I dont think theres need for anything more. Yeah, Sarah said, They should be discouraged by this much. Flamm made a noise of disagreement after hearing the two of them suggest letting the men go. She didnt believe that two men who followed Dain around were struggling to make ends meet. While somebody who stole out of desperation could be reformed, these two probably just stole for fun. She didnt think that people like that would repent their actions so easily. You disagree? Rich sked. I think it would be better to report them, Flamm said. I think these guys will probably start stealing again if we let them go. Do you really think so? Sarah asked. After being hurt, wont they reflect on what happened? Why would they do the same thing after getting beaten up? Youre a nice girl, Sarah, Flamm said. Bad people like these wont reflect on their actions unless they suffer serious punishment. Thats sad, Sarah said, looking distraught. Sad. Flamm crouched down and stroked her hair. Well, the world is sad sometimes. I think it will get better though, if somebody like you does your best. I understand, Ill do my best! Sarahs mood recovered quickly. She was definitely a simple child. If everybody were simple and pure like her, the world would be a peaceful pace. So, Flamm said, I think you should call a guard or a church knight. All right, Rich said. Ah, maybe you would know more about where to go in this area? I know where the church knights are, Sarah said. Ill go get them for you! With that, Sarah took off at a full speed run. Flamm and Rich both stared at the back of her head as she ran out of sight. Shes really something, Milkit said. A little impatient. Thats how kids are, Flamm said. I suppose. Rich smiled at the conversation between the 16-year-old Flamm and 14-year old Milkit. For teenagers a four or five year age difference could feel bigger than the actual number. Although for the two of them in particular there was a bit of envy at seeing the happiness of childhood that they have lost. After a moment, Rich lost his smile and spoke with a more serious expression. By the way, Flamm Yes? Flamm asked, picking up on the change in mood. You seem to be an adventurer with good skills, Rich said. Could you handle a personal request? Personal request? Flamm asked. Im only an F rank adventurer. Although Flamm was an adventurer, somebody in charge of a business the size of the Mancathy Shop certainly should have his pick of adventurers to choose from. She wasnt sure why he would want to make a request to somebody he just met. Was that the ability of an F rank just now? Well, I only registered yesterday. Simply looking at Flamms stats, they were above the F rank category. However, her experience was still too shallow. The capability of an adventurer wasnt just determined by strength. Experience and knowledge was also important. One fight, even against a high ranked monster, wasnt enough for Flamm to say that she had definitely surpassed the F rank. So they dont know your skills yet, Rich said. Honestly, its more convenient for me if you are not high-profile. Flamm felt uneasy. For Rich to be happy with such a thing suggested that this was a request that he didnt want other to know about. Even more so considering that he was asking directly without going through the guild, making things a little awkward. Rich seemed to notice Flamms feelings. In fact, my wife is ill. Im sorry, Flamm said. Have you asked the church for treatment? It seems that it is a disease that magic cannot heal, Rich said. The priest told me that I have no choice but to believe in my wifes ability to survive and wait for her to get better. Milkit flinched. The situation sounded much like the Mustard poison that had ruined her face. However, Rich continued, when I looked it up I found that it is a disease that can be cured with medicine. I see, Flamm said. What is your request exactly? If Rich put the request through the guild, it would be revealed to the church that he wanted to make medicine using herbs. The church had crushed pharmacists in order to protect its own interests. That was not just a bit of interesting history. It was still a crime, illegal drug manufacturing, to produce herbal medicine, no matter how effective. The kingdom has walked hand in hand with the church in the regulation of medicine. Even the head of the Mancathy Store would not be able to avoid prosecution if his request were discovered. My wifes condition gets worse day by day, Rich said. If she doesnt get medicine as soon as possible, she could die. So he felt forced to obtain medicine even if it was illegal. An adventurer like Flamm with low rank and high ability was just what he needed. Of course, the reward is high, Rich said. I understand a request that doesnt go through the guild wont help your rank, so you need to be compensated appropriately. As Rich said, a request that didnt go through the guild wouldnt be included in calculating Flamms rank. On the other hand, the guild wouldnt be taking a cut out of the fee. Also, the request itself wasnt inherently violent or immoral, and Flamm wouldnt have to deal with the obnoxious guild receptionist. What do you think, Master? Milkit asked. Well Flamm shrugged, torn. The reward was great, but so is the risk. If Flamm were sniffed out by the church, she would be in danger. Still, though, she cant help but respond to Richs feelings for his wife. She turned back to him and spoke clearly. I will perform your request. Rich smiled as his face lit up with hope. Really! O God, thank you for this encounter! Flamm was uncomfortable in front of a public display in a belief she didnt share, but it didnt shake her resolve. She was happy to receive Richs tear-filled gratitude. Although, while she had accepted the quest, she still didnt know what medicinal herbs were needed or where to get them. Ah, where do the herbs grow? Flamm asked, slightly embarrassed. Actually, I dont know the location, Rich admitted. I know that it is a plant with a blue flower called Chiaraly, but it is hard to find any books about medicinal herbs any more. With the Church suppressing information on medicinal herbs, it was already impressive that Rich even knew what material was needed. He had probably only succeeded because he was so desperate to save his wife. I see, finding it is part of the request. I know its an unreasonable thing to ask, Rich said, but this is my only hope. Ill do my best. I wont give up halfway. Flamm wasnt completely confident in her ability to handle this quest from scratch, but she was willing to give it a try. It shouldnt be impossible to find the missing information. Flamm could start from her basic understanding about herbs and try to figure out the location on her own. Ideally, she would be able to ask her friend for help. Unfortunately, she wasnt sure whether her friend will cooperate, or really even if she is a true friend. They were slightly troubled, but they eventually agreed. Those two thought you were the biggest burden. Flamm remembered Jeans words. She didnt know if he was telling the truth or not. Even just the memory was enough to make Flamms heart tremble. If he had been telling the truth, then Eterna would not cooperate with Flamm. But she had no choice than to believe. But, Flamm continued, I think it will take some time. While my wifes condition is poor, she shouldnt be dying soon, Rich said. All I can say is that getting the herbs as soon as possible will be fine. Im sorry to put such pressure on you. There is no specific deadline, but if she took too long then Richs wife would die. It was a heavy burden to bear. A life was in the balance based on Flamms performance of his request. My notes summarizing the characteristics of Chiaraly are at my house, should we go and pick them up? As the two arranged the final details of the request, Flamm could hear Sarahs voice approaching them. Oh, here they are! Sarah ran up to the three of them, followed by two other knights wearing white plate armor. The knights made a magical ring of lights that restrained the two unconscious robbers. In the mean time, Rich, Flamm, and Milkit made idle conversation. Presumably things went so smoothly because Sarah was a member of the church. Good work! Sarah shook hands with the knights and waved them off. She had sweat beading on her forehead from running back and forth, but the smile on her face was still untouched by any kind of fatigue. Sarah turned to Flamm after the two knights disappeared into the crowd. I hope that those guys mend their ways. Me too, Flamm agreed. It would help public security in the West Ward, and it would also reduce the power of Dains faction. By the way, Sarah said, I have something I want to ask. What is it? Rich asked. Sarah looked up at him and tilted her head. Is something bothering you? Specifically, with medicinal herbs. Flamms heart skipped a beat. Rich hesitated, but otherwise maintained his poker face. No, nothing like that. He and Flamm were both surprised. Sarah hadnt eavesdropped on the two of them, but despite that she had seen through the request Rich made. Well, in the past, when Ive seen someone with similar expressions who had similar troubles, Sarah said, I helped look for the herbs and handed them over. Handed out herbal medicine? Rich asked. Arent you a member of the church? Well, its the duty of clergy to help those in trouble, Sarah said. I learned that from Maria. Maria? Maria is an amazing person who is traveling with the Hero! Sarah said. When I was just starting in the church, she was very kind to me. Sarah seemed to be speaking of the saintess Maria Afengens. Sarahs eyes glittered as she spoke about her, and it was clear that she adored Maria from the bottom of her heart. Flamms experience with Maria had been a bit different. Certainly she was kind. But during their travels she always acted strange in the presence of the demons. She also followed Jeans instructions not to use restoration magic on Flamm in order to conserve resources. Flamm found it hard to think of someone like that as a saint. I think it is strange that the church forbids the use of herbal medicine. If a person cant be saved by magic, why not save them with medicine? Sarah continued. Oh, dont tell anybody I said that, Ill get in trouble. Reach, Flamm, and Milkit all looked at each other. Sarahs remarks sounded like somebody who barely followed church teachings. Rich seemed to be asking Flamm with his eyes whether he should trust Sarah. I understand that you dont want to say anything, but I want you to understand that I want to help, Sarah said. Also, the church still has some information on medicinal herbs. I think it would be useful. The church has that kind of information?! Rich asked, shocked. A little bit, yes. It was hard to trust somebody associated with the church on this matter. But on the other hand, the information on the habitat of Chiaraly might be in the church documents. Speaking up would be risky, but it could also help Flamm complete the request quickly. Rich was forced to choose. I think you can trust Sarah, Flamm said. She has very pure eyes. After Flamm spoke, Rich closed his eyes and remained silent for a while, thinking. Well, if you say so Sarah, I certainly have a problem with herbs, Rich said. My wife is suffering from a disease. We need an herbal remedy for her treatment. That kind of thing? I guess I will understand when I examine it. I already asked Flamm to help, Rich said. If you can cooperate and find what I need, of course I will give you a reward. I dont need it, Sarah said. Helping others is a nuns job. Sarah glared a bit at Flamm. While Sarah persisted in a life of service, Flamm felt a bit wretched for always acting for rewards. Well No, its okay, Sarah said. You dont work for the church, after all. The three of them, Flamm, Milkit, and Sarah, followed Rich back to his house. They would be working together to find the Chiaraly. Sarah left to gather information from the church based on what she learned from Rich. Flamm tried to look for information as well, but she was unable to find any books relating to medicinal herbs. Two days later, Sarah returned. She had notes written in her childish handwriting describing the location of a cave where Chiaraly could be gathered. I had a hard time stealing a look, Sarah said, laughing. Im glad I found it safely. Even the people within the church didnt have free access to materials on medicinal herbs. Sarah had to sneak around in order to take a peek. Flamm was surprised and a little guilty and finding that she had led an innocent like Sarah onto such a dangerous path. In any event, Chiaraly could be found near a town called Enichidae. From the capital city, it would take about two days traveling south by coach to get there. The three of them gathered at Richs mansion to make preparations to travel. Rich was delighted that they knew where to find the Chiaraly and gladly handled all of the travel arrangements. Flamm was prepared to handle the request by herself from that point, but Sarah insisted on coming along. After Milkit agreed that it would be a good idea, Flamm could only acquiesce, though she was worried that the church would find out what Sarah had been doing. Theres no problem with traveling around to help people, Sarah said. Other nuns do it all the time. It would probably be ok. They decided to leave the next morning. Milkit was lying in the hotel bad that evening, staring at the ceiling. She seemed too tense to sleep. Milkit, are you awake? Flamm asked from the other bed. I still Im nervous. Heh, thats right, youre like that. Flamm also seemed to be nervous and couldnt sleep. Well, Flamm said, do you want to talk a little? Please. What do you want to talk about? Well, can I ask about you? Sure. Flamms voice hitched slightly. She was glad that Milkit was showing interest in her. Has Master traveled? Milkit had no idea that Flamm had traveled with the Heros party, even after spending time with Flamm. As a slave, she knew about the existence of a Hero, but not the identities of everybody participating. Flamm had not spoken about her past before being soldin to slavery, but now Milkit was showing interest in learning more about her. She decided it would be better for the relationship between them to speak now instead of hiding things until later on. Actually, I was traveling with the Hero. The room was silent for a moment. It seemed that it was impossible for Milkit to believe such a ridiculous fact right away. A heroic person? Well, specifically, I was traveling with Cyrille, Eterna, and Gadio for months. Even Milkit who didnt know much recognized those names. She leaned up, tilting her body to look towards Flamms bed. You were one of the heroes chosen by God? I dont know if I believe in that kind of thing. Master, you were a wonderful person. Milkit had thought that Flamm was not a simple person. However, she had never imagined that she was one of the heroes. She peered through her bandages and studied her closely. Flamm felt suddenly shy. Well, in the end they kicked me out, Flamm said. Not just that, I was sold to slave merchants and given this mark because I was chosen by God. Flamm still didnt understand why Origin chose her. On balance she felt she had been hurt by being chosen. Oh, I see. Milkit seemed to have decided something. What? Master seemed dazzling to me. Even though we were both slaves, it seemed like you had not been stained by any part of a slaves mindset. Even though I was in the same cage I did not understand now I finally understand the reason. Was she dazzling? Rather, Milkit, a slave for years and years, might have been seeing things too positively. Well, Flamm could agree that she wasnt stained, at least. Perhaps Master is in a place that I can reach. Why say that I do not even like myself. Even so. I am still in a place where I can fall back, Flamm said. But if I hear that Milkit is sinking, then I will raise both of us. Master says such a thing again. Milkit acts as if she were upset, but her voice sounded slightly happy. Is that wrong? I want to believe you, so Im in trouble. Well, good, Flamm said, laughing. Milkit puffed out her cheeks and huffed a bit in frustration. Leaving tomorrow I hope everything ends safely, Milkit said. Yeah, lets plan to eat something delicious with the reward. Todays lunch was very tasty, it was the first time I ate such a thing. It wasnt that fancy, but if you like it, well go there again. Good. By talking with each other, much of their anxiety faded. However, it didnt completely disappear. Especially since the church was doing things that they didnt understand. Still, as Flamm thought about it, it seemed useless to speculate when she knew so little. She swallowed the premonition that was bothering her and closed her eyes. Good night. Good night. With those words, the room was filled with silence. The night grew darker. The time for departure drew near. CH 9 Greetings from the Translator: Astherfeld Cryomorph, reporting in. I will be taking care this novel under Flamms last name Apricot (following site standard) from here on forward. As per usual with other novels, I will be giving some announcements before the chapter. First of all, I dont make a promise I cant make, so Ill be straight: I cant promise a timely update. What I can promise you is to release at least one chapter every two weeks. Unlike other novels I work on, these chapters are huge, so I cant promise you one chapter per week. Depending on the situation, I might split the chapters into two, releasing one part per week and totaling in a whole chapter every two weeks, but I understand that it might make an inconsistent mess, so Ill try to do that less, except if its under popular demand. Second of all, I also promise you that this would be the last chapter that has a TL note before the chapter. From the next chapter forward, I will put all translator notes/comments after the chapter, so you can choose to read it or not. I understand that yall came here for the chapter and not my rambling, so you can choose whether to read it or not. Either way, enjoy your stay, enjoy the chapter, and I wish you and your extended family a blessed day. Astherfeld Cryomorph kurokurori.wordpress.com Within the swaying coach, the three, Flamm, Milkit and Sarah stuff their mouths with lunch. The soft and springy white bread was cut to make a gap, and inside it was smeared by spicy sauce while meat and vegetables are wedged between them. The innate sweetness of the bread and the spiciness of the sauce mixes into a mild flavor that are enjoyable by children. The lunch was made by Milkit who woke up early before they left the capital. She wrapped them with paper and brought them for lunch. Sarah: Ih gei-hush With her mouth jammed, Sarah said thus. Looking at Sarahs puffed cheeks, Flamm inadvertently choked. Milkit: Im glad you enjoyed it. Flamm: Youre so good at cooking too, huh Milkit? Its nothing much. Flamm: Is it though? I mean, this is really delicious. You made the sauce from scratch, didnt you? Milkit: Well I did, but Is that cooking skill something to be cultivated for slaves? Flamm can also cook, but this too is a very impressive feat. What was the ingredient, I wonder? I have to ask for the recipe next time. With a serious expression, she bit down on her bread. Flamm: By the way, what kind of town is Enichidae? Sarah: Ih a konkrihaid uih ngohing mah. Flamm: PfftSarah-chan, you can answer after youre done eating. Flamm cautioned her as she laughed, and Sarah chewed the chewy bread stuffed in her cheeks and swallowed them in one go. Is this what they call youth? Flamm took a mental damage. Sarah: gulpIts a countryside with nothing much it seems. Some time ago they mainly sell medicinal herbs though. Flamm: Some time ago as it may, its way back before we were born, right? I remembered the crackdown began just after the war with the demons. The war with the demons was an incident 30 years ago. One day, demons suddenly invaded humanitys territory to claim them. The Empires army stood up to defend them, and despite taking massive casualties, they successfully drove them away. The churchs clergymen also participated in the battle, coming out with great achievements. This resulted in the influence of the church soaring within the Empireor so thats how it went. Of course, the Origin had the greatest influence as a religion in the Empire, but at that time, there were still a some believers of other religions. However, in the present day, 30 years after the incident, there are virtually no other religion than the Origin. Sarah: I have no idea why they detested medicinal herbs that much. Flamm: Did they not teach the reasons in the church? Sarah: In the church, they say that medicine will weaken your faith, or your healing magic efficiency will decrease, but theres no way Ill believe things like thatyet again, there are children who believe it firmly. Being taught thus since they were young, there definitely would be some children who would believe them. Sarah wasnt one of them, butas the carriage shook, her body leaned forward. As she did, Flamm noticed a mysterious blue tattoo on the back of Sarahs neck. Flamm: Hey, Sarah-chan, what is this behind your neck? Sarah: Ah, that? Sarah touched it with her fingertips, and she started explaining. Sarah: My hometownis now long gone, but they believed in a different god and not Origin-sama. My parents were one of them devout believers, so when I was little, they drew this mark on me. They used a special paint that makes it not gonna disappear, so its left like that. Special paint? Is it similar to how Flamms slave mark was given to her? But to have lost your hometown, just what had happened?It was a sensitive question to have been asked, but Sarah herself spoke about it. Sarah: By the way, my hometown was destroyed by the demons. Its already past 8 years ago, and I was only 2 at that time, so I dont remember much. The girl powerlessly smiled. Sarah: That Maria-onee-sama was the same. That was probably why she cared for me. Flamm: Maria-san too Never having a chance to talk about it, Flamm didnt get to know about her circumstances. The reason why she behaved differently upon facing demons was because of the grudge she held for the demon had destroyed her hometown. Perhaps the one person who is the most motivated for journey to slay the demon lord was Maria after all. And for her, the existence of the non-combatant, useless Flamm is nothing more than a wrench in the gears of her plan. Sarah: Even now the demons are still invading human territories over and over again. Flamm: Eh? Even now? Sarah: Its not a public knowledge, but there are several towns that are flattened in the countrysides. Such information should be exempted from the Empires newspaper, and that means for the people of the church who knows of this matter, it is a highly classified information. On top of the matter of medicinal herb, Sarah felt that the current policy of the church doesnt sit well with her. Sarah: Fortunately there hasnt been any casualties, but I definitely wont forgive em! If I see a demon Ill definitely defeat that bastard! Sarah strengthened her tone. Despite having no memories of her destroyed hometown, she seems to definitely be holding a grudge. The demons continued on their path of destruction even after the war was over, so Sarahs rage is justified, but Flamm thought something was off. Why hasnt there been any casualties? Flamm had witnessed the power of the three demonic generals. With that power, they should be able to turn a countryside town along with its people into a sea of flames. is it because they dont feel like it? No, Flamm couldnt boldly put that thought into words in front of Sarah whose hometown had been destroyed in front of her. But then again, who exactly was the one at fault Sarah: But before that, Ill need to grow stronger so I can win when I gotta face em. Milkit: Now that I thought of it, you managed to catch those thieves easily, so isnt Sarah-sama already plenty strong? Sarah: You can call me Sarah-chan just like you did to Flamm onee-san, you know? Being called Sarah-sama somehow makes me feel uncomfortable. I cant possibly Flamm: Sarah-chan feels troubled, so please go along with it, okay? Milkit: If master said so. Then, Sarah-chan. As Milkit changed the way she calls Sarah, the latter nodded happily while taking a bite of her bread. Sarah: Yu kan skhan me if yu want. Milkit: U, UnderstoodScan. She had learned Scan just last night. They ended up postponing the reading and writing lessons because of it, but there will be a lot more chance to use it, so she learnt it it overnight. It was the first time Milkit ever use magic, so she was awfully nervous. Milkit gazed at the information displayed before her. Looking at the appearance in front of her, she brought her hand onto her mouth and chuckled, causing Flamm to also be drawn to check Sarahs status. Sarah Ambiren Attribute: Light Strength: 285 Intelligence: 301 Endurance: 123 Agility: 227 Intuition: 133 And thus, they were shocked. Is this seriously the status of a 10-year-old? they thought. The sum of her status value is 1069, meaning her strength is similar to those of a lower C-rank adventurer. Perhaps the reason why she was granted freedom of actions by the church is because they recognized her talent. Seeing the surprisingly high status, Flamm remembered her impatience and quickly scanned the status of the crest she has on her palm and the gauntlet next to her. Item: Soul-Eating Zweihander Rarity: Epic Strength -320 Intelligence -99 Endurance -297 Agility -183 Intuition -111 Item: Blood-stained Steel Gauntlet Rarity: Rare Strength -82 Intelligence -101 The total is 1193thats alright, I havent lost, she thought. The Soul-Eater curse was strengthened after she killed the Anzu, stacking the debuff. Yet again, the change was minuscule. To impose a bigger status change, shell have to cut down a lot of monsters. Its uncertain, however, if the speed of Flamms improvement can match the speed of Sarahs development. Its not as if Flamm is trying to compete with Sarah. Naturally that means there is no need to rush, but at the very least, as long as she is being called onee-san by Sarah, she wants to look admirable like one. Sarah: The clothes that you two are wearing, are those common items without any enchantments? Sarah asked the two as she scanned their clothes. Common-grade equipment cannot be enchanted. That means their equipment are very normal items. Flamm: If you set the looks aside, you can buy some Rare-grade clothes, butstill, right? Sarah: Certainly there are some with good design and great stats, but clothes like that are way beyond our budget, right? Common is the lowest-grade of equipment, and you cant scan them to figure out the good or bad part of the clothes. Sarah: But still, those are some cute clothes youre wearing, Flamm onee-sanI mean, the one Im wearing looks childish in comparison. Sarah took a glance to her developing limbs and turned crestfallen. But she immediately recovered and turned to praise Milkits clothes. Sarah: But I admire Milkit onee-sans clothes though. That frilly lace, that ribbon on the chest, I mean its full of cuteness. I too would like to wear something like that sometimes. Flamm: Milkit chose this herself. It suits her really well, right? I feel happy for being able to see it every day. Sarah: I get you, I want one of her for myself. Flamm: No way, this girl is exclusive to me. Saying thus, Flamm hugged Milkits arm. In the wake of the twos praises, Milkit who is not used to being praised hung her head in embarrassment. Milkit: Master, Sarah-chan, are you by any chance poking fun at me? Flamm: Fu-fu-fu, have I been found out? Sarah: Myy~ Milkit onee-san is quite sharp isnt she? Flamm: Its because shes my maid, you know? Milkit: Youre saying that sort of things again, come on The girl puffed her cheeks. Her change of expression is percievable even through her bandaged face. Including this gesture, Flamm thought honestly that the girl is very cute. Milkit, as well, started out thinking theres no way that is true in self-denial immediately as she was praised, but recently, she is gradually started to be honest and feel happy. It doesnt change the fact that its still embarrasing, however. Its only been several days that the two lived together, yet during those times, the distance between the two had certainly shortened. Sarah: Really, how admirable. Looking at the two messing around, Sarah said thus. What appeared in her mind was her elder-sister figure Maria. They havent been meeting each other recently. The loneliness she felt resurfaced as she saw the scene of Flamm and Milkit who looked like siblings. Despite the boring ride, the three had so much fun chatting that time passed by in the blink of an eye. They stopped by the transit town, staying for one night while having a taste of the local goods before leaving the next morning on another carriage. Depending on the weather, the road and the condition of the horse, there is a possibility of having to spend another night, but they arrive to their destinationEnichidaelater that night. After they disembarked the carriage, the carriage left for another town. The next carriage will arrive in this town in 3 days. If the three cant harvest the medicinal herbs by then, theyll have to request another carriage after a while, but they should be done by then. They were nailed to the ground as they stood gazing at the scenery unfolding in front of their eyes. Flamm: Is there people living here? Sarah: It looks like only about a dozen of people left living here. Milkit: I wonder if there is even an inn in a place like this. In every town there would normally be at least one establishment for travelers to stay their night. Believing thus and wandering around looking for an in, the three couldnt find an inn, and they cant even find anyone to ask. Depending on the location, you could also ask town of the inhabitants if you can stay over. Or perhaps they can stay outdoors and enjoy the viewsas those thoughts crossed their minds, Milkit: Isnt it that over there? Milkit found a signboard that looks like it belonged to an inn. But there were no lights in the building, and the entrance was locked. Flamm put her lantern near the door, and she found traces of a torn poster. She stood still and tried reading it. Flamm: To visitors with businesses in the inn, please ask for Stude from the house next door, it said. I wonder if they kept it closed if nobody comes. Milkit: Is it because there are barely any customers? Sarah: It used to be bustling with people back when they can harvest medicinal herbs. Im somewhat sad to think that the church is responsible for this. The three felt listless for some reason, but they cant help but to be immersed with sentimentality. Soon, Flamm led the group, to the house next door and rung the bell on the entrance. As she did, a middle-aged plump man showed his face. It seems like hes Stude. Flamm told him that we would like to use the inn, and the man replied how many hears has it been with a surprise. It was a line that instantly worried the three. But the man brushed the past aside and opened the inn, and as they entered, they noticed that it was relatively clean and tidy inside. From the several available rooms, they chose a double-sized room, and Flamm received a key from Stude. Stude: We dont serve food anymore, but there is a kitchen, so if you plan to cook, youre free to use it. Flamm: Can we? Stude: Yeah, I mean theres rarely anyone ever using it, so you can do as you like. You can buy ingredients in the stores near the big road, and if you want you can also eat over there. Also, if you have any issues, you can come to the house next door. We can deal with minor problems, and if its a major problem, we can move you to another room, and you can do as you like from then on. After a careless explanation, Stude left. The three were briefly stunned as they gazed on the mans back, but that that man had just portrayed what had become of this place, so they couldnt help but to think deeply about it. But they had just managed to safely get an accommodation with a roof, so they should enjoy it for now. They entered the room, and both Flamm and Sarah hurriedly lowered their luggage in the corner of the room. Then the two stood side-by side, looking at each other and nodded. They took some steps back, did a run up and jumped face-first into the bed. Poof! Milkit: ? Milkit stood still, unable to comprehend such unusual ceremony. But Flamm, still horizontally lying on the bed, pats the area next to her. Its like she wants to say you come too. She cant possibly object to her masters orders. Milkit lightly ran toward the bed and jumped to the bed with moderation. She didnt quite understand, but it was a little fun. Milkit: is there a meaning in this action? Milkit asked as her face sinks into the bed. Flamm: Dont you always want to jump into a soft bed? Sarah: Absolutely. Flamm: Its that kind of thing. Milkit: Haa In the end, she couldnt understand. Well, I bet as long as its fun, you dont need a reason to do it, Milkit thought, coming up to a conclusion. Afterwards, the tree rose from the bed, briefly chatted until their stomachs are empty and took some bread from their luggage. This time, it was a plain bread with nothing in between, but they all ate it for dinner regardless. They then realized that the bath in the inn couldnt be used, so they sought advice from Stude, so they were allowed to borrow his bath. In the meantime, Sarah tiptoed her way and said lets talk about love!, but since none of the three had any romantic experiences, the conversation didnt go anywhere. There are several things that they can do afterwards, but they were tired from the journey, so they decided to retreat to bed early and slept side-by-side in the same bed. But just before they go to sleep, Milkit said Ill be fine sleeping on the floor, but it goes without saying that Flamm forced her to sleep on the bed. The next morning, Flamm was woken up by the boisterous Sarah who yelled WAKE UP~! Sarah who lived in the church lived an orderly life, and that includes including waking up unusually early. It would also seem that the habit of waking up early had been ingrained into Milkit, leaving Flamm to be the last one to wake up. The girl who woke up with droopy eyes put on her outfit and briskly headed out with the two. They headed out to the shops in the road to both procure some food and to gather information. Enichidaes townscape in the bright morning was different from last nightand it looked even more desolate. Perhaps there were more stores in the main street before? Yet right now,there were barely any trace left. No thanks to those traces left, the town was in a condition that looks like its about to die out. The three sought a store that was open, proceeding while looking around restlessly. What they found first was the food store that Stude told them about. The building itself was decrepit, but the inside of the store was comparatively lovely, making them look forward to the flavor of the food they sell. As they continued walking, they reached a place with no lights, but there were some stores that sells vegetables and daily necessities. They took a step inside the store to check the condition, and at the far end on the counter was an old lady sitting down, wearing a glasses and reading some sort of book. When she noticed Flamms presence, she raised her voice, saying Youre customers from the outside? How unusual. Sarah gave a slight bow and went up to the lady with an affable smile. Sarah: We came from the royal capital! Old Lady: Hee, the capital. Three girls with unusual clothes, on top of that? There hasnt been anything as unusual as you three. Even though you cant harvest medicinal herbs anymore as well. Sarah: You cant harvest them, but there are some growing around, right? Old Lady: Thats true, but the cave they grow in had those behemoth roaming about, so no one wants to get close. If you all want to go there, you better stop quick. Its not a good place. The old lady said so insultingly. This time, Flamm walked close and asked. Flamm: When you say behemoth, what kind of monster is it specifically? Old Lady: I dont know. I havent seen it myself, you see. I think everyone who had seen it all died. There were dozens of adventurers like you who came looking for the medicinal herbs, but I havent heard of em returning. Flamm: No one, is it? Old Lady: Yeah, without exceptions. Speaking of which, this morning there were several men that asked about the cave. For two groups to ask the same thing in one day, talk about unusual. Ive warned them anyways, but they might be dying right about now The old ladys eyes looks like theyre looking far away as she said thus. In front of the old lady whose words carry a certain type of conviction, the three sunk into silence. Flamm: Is it really going to be okay? Flamm and Sarah who were done packing went out of the inn with their belongings in one hand. This time, Milkit stayed behind. They thought that they couldnt possibly bring Milkit who had no combat power into a cave where theres a behemoth. Flamm: First of all, if you think its dangerous, escape first. Milkit: But Sarah: Ill follow as well! Flamm: Milkit, I understand that youre worried, but if you dont send us off with a smile, we probably wont be able to bring up our strength. Milkit: The way youre saying it is unfair. Flamm: Nfufufu, you knew that Im that sort of master, right? Well then, well be going. Sarah: Were going~! Saying thus, the two left Milkit. Their unease were still left engendered, but as long as she can help bring forth Flamms determination, Milkit forcefully made a smile under the cover of her bandages as she bowed. Milkit: Have a safe trip, Master and Sarah-san. It had been 30 minutes after the two left the village. In the dense forest, their target cave suddenly appeared out of nowhere as it opened its mouth. Perhaps the place was well-maintained in the days when it was bustling with crowds. The entrance was so hugely enlarged that theres no way this place is naturally opened. But right now, there are barely any people that moss are growing here and there. Flamm sighed to dispel her nervousness. She then lit her lantern and took a step into the cave. While being careful not to slip on the moss-covered footing, the two progressed on the dark path on and on. Sarah: Its unexpectedly bright, isnt it? Sarah said in a small voice, but her voice echoed nevertheless. Flamm: That may be right. Seems like lights are pouring in from the rifts on the cave roof. For the parts that are covered with lights, plants that look like medicinal herbs are growing. Perhaps the Chiarly field is also growing from a place where there are lights pouring in. They tried snuffing out their lanterns, and it seems like there should be no problems looking ahead. As they proceeded onward, the path broadens. They noticed the planed walls, giving hints that this place too had been tampered by human hands. ???: Gugo From the depths, a beastly growl was heard. Flamm put her index finger to her lips with a shush and Sarah immediately held her breath. Stopping on their tracks and focused in hearing their surroundings, they could hear footsteps that doesnt belong to a human echoing around. Flamm attempted to walk as quietly as possibleand after peeking out her face on the bend of the path, she confirmed the figure. It was a monster with green skin, a muscular build and a towering height of 3 meters. Sarah: Its an ogre, isnt it? its a C-class monster. Sarah said with a low voice. Its profile that could be seen briefly sometimes resembles an angry oni, with its sharp fangs growing as far as its chin, giving a sense of oppression. One horn grew out of the middle of its forehead, and it grazes the cave roof every time it moves about. Flamm activates her Scan and checked its status. Ogre Attribute: Earth Strength: 608 Intelligence: 9 Endurance: 623 Agility: 136 Intuition: 81 Its status reflects its looks. They dont need to worry about magic and them forming a group, they are a category of monster that are easy to fight. At the very least, unlike the Anzu that could unleash wind magic all of a sudden, this monster is a league better than the Anzu. Furthermore, this time its a fight of 2 against 1, so this should be a lot easier than before. But they cant lower their guards. If they are hit in the wrong place, there is a danger of dying instantly. Sarah: I think there shouldnt be a problem with the two of us here. Flamm had explained about her status to Sarah last night. OF course, Sarah was surprised at first, but since she saw Flamm capturing the thieves at the capital, Sarah didnt doubt her strength. Flamm: Alright, lets go. When the ogre showed his back, the two broke into a run simultaneously on Flamms mark. The fight from now on will be one-sided. Flamms Soul-Eater and Sarahs mace will inflict one heavy attack that would certainly end the Ogres life. Especially, Sarahs lunging strike combined with her twisting her body packed a lot more punch than Flamm had imagined. Shes still 10, so shell be a lot more terrifying as she grows up. The ogre roared and flailed its arms about, but against the two who are calm and collected, theres no way that it would hit anything. The movement of the monster that took damage slowed down, and its power slowly drains away. At last, Flamm pierced her long sword into its chest, and as she pulled it out, the giant fell face-first to the ground. The two then worked together to flip over the ogres body, and then they cut out the ogres fangs from its head. As a weapon material, the ogres fang could fetch quite a high price. Their objective is the medicinal herb, but theres no harm in securing the loots. They lightly wiped the ogres fang and jammed it into their bags before they continued their search. The cave was wider than they expected. They sometimes heard some monster-like cries, but they rather chose not to fight them. The two painted the cave wall as they progressed to mark them so they dont lose their way back out. As they did, the brightness of the cave intensifies. Could they possibly be reaching the surface? They followed the twisting path and finally turned towards the light source. Then Flamm: I never thought there could be a place like this Sarah: I thought it was weird for herbs to be growing in a cave, but if its like this, then its possible. There was an open area where there were no cave roof. That place was rich of gentle sunlight pouring in, and a stream of spring water poured through, creating an ideal place for a field of plants to grow. Its all the more appropriate to call it the inner garden of the cave. With various plants big and small growing around, it shouldnt be difficult to find the Chiarly. Flamm: But somehow The clear air, the comfortable temperature, they almost felt like lying down on top of the grass, but. Sarah: Isnt it too quiet? Sarah asked Flamm with unease. The girl nodded in agreement. Even though this is a very livable place, somehow there were no signs of life. The only sounds eerily echoing were the murmurs of the stream and the blades of grass swaying in the wind. Flamm: For now, lets quickly find the medicinal herbs and go home. Sarah: Youre right. Its better if we dont stay here for too long. As they said that, the two nodded to each other before splitting up and started searching for the herbs. But right afterwards, BOOM! An ear-rending explosion roared from behind them. Flamm turned her body towards the explosion with a twitch. What she saw there was the sight of the cave roof sealing their exit, and the vulgar smile of two men. Sarah: Why did they suddenly blow it up!? Flamm: Dont tell me, theyre Dains henchmen? Did you seriously follow us this far away!? Was it some sort of revenge for handing the two men who stole Richs bags into the church knights? They recalled that the old lady said there were two men who was gathering information before them, and it was these two. But Sarah and Flamm couldnt have imagined that they would follow them in a journey two days away from the capital to Enichidae. As the collapse settles, Flamm approached a hole made by a boulder stopping the collapse partially and analyzed the situation. Flamm: Itll be difficult to move this by handbut I dont think its impossible. Sarah: If we force it open, it might collapse again though. Wouldnt it be better to search for another exit? Flamm: Youre right. UmmIm sorry, I ended up involving you in something terrible. Sarah: Why are you apologizing, onee-san? Isnt Dain the bad person whos been consolidating the adventurers in the western district? So that means theyre the bad ones. When we get out of here, Ill bring them judgment with these hands of mine! Clenching her fist, Sarah declared with strength. Flamm who was regretful that she made it a personal grudge felt slightly relieved that she wasnt the only one. In any case, if they cant get out from this direction, they need to do what Sarah said and look for a different exit. If there was a different exit, there wont be any difficulties, but this area is very wide, and there would be places that havent been explored yet. Flamm: Alright, first well look for the herbs, and then well look for the exit Just as Flamm said that, they could hear something moving. Interrupting her own sentence, she turned her gaze toward the thicket. Sarah: What happened? Flamm: I think I heard something move just nowmaybe its a monster. They stopped briefly, looking in the direction of the soundand then a green-skinned humanoid giant peeked out the thicket and very briefly entered their vision. Sarah: Looks like an ogre, I think we could just beat it like we did before. Sarah: Onee-san? Flamm: hold on. Flamm felt that something about that ogre is off. Doesnt the part of the face that peeks out earlier looks too different than the one they defetaed before? They couldnt see it clearly thanks to the thick grass, but the monster moved, and when its head appeared before them again, Flamm: Whatis that Flamm waas speechless. It has no face. In its place was the peeled skin, revealing its red flesh with twisted shape like a vortex. Furthermore, the vortex of flesh continued spewing blood as they saw it. The red body fluid that flows out of its face soaked its shoulder and its chest, making the ogres skin look more black than green. Sarah: Itsnot an ogre? No, but the body is that of an ogre, isnt it? Flamm: S-Scan! To understand what it is, scanning it would be best. As Flamm aactivates her magic, the information of the monster is lined up. F??O?u?nD? ??yO???u ?t??ri?b?b?u?t?e?: rUn?n?i?ng ?a?wAy? ?fr?OM S???T??R?eng?th?: 7 I?nT?E?L?l?i?g?eNC?e: RESPONSE RESPONSE E???????????n?????????D????????u?????????r?????????a??????n?????c???????????E?????????R??????a????????n???c?????????e???????: 9???1??? Agility: S???A?Lv?A??T??I?O?N DIE: 14 Fulfill your duty, Flamm Apricot The words are impossible to understand. Their instincts told them of its danger, as if its squeezing on their hearts. Flamm unconsciously gripped her chest, her body cowering in fear. Sarah: WWhat the hellis that? Ivenever seen it!? Sarah who also activated her Scan was also scared as she shrunk away. Failure in magic activation are common, but no one has heard about it in a spell as simple as Scan. Its even more impossible for two of them to happen at the same time. This means that the displayed status truly belongs to that monster. Thats the sort of information that thing is carving out. Sarah: And why isOnee-sans namewritten in its status? Flamm: Ive no clue, but!! The ogre-like creature didnt notice the two, but as soon as they used Scan, it turned its flesh-vortex face toward the two and stared at them. The circle slightly turned into an elliptic shape. Flamm thought that the thing is looking at them. Smiling. Flamm: I think itll be bad if we dont run away. The thing raised its clenched green fist toward the sky. The behemoth then swung it down with all its strength, striking the ground. For the ogres who can never use magic, such actions had never been anything more than a threatening move. Yet right after it struck the ground, Flamm felt that her footing is distorting. CH 10 As the Ogres fist smashed into the ground, Flamms footing warped. Flamm: Aheh!? It took a while for Flamm to realize that the red things scattered around her were once a part of her. Her feet were quickly shredded, followed by her ankles, calves, and onto her thighsand no matter how much she would like to pull herself out of the vortex, she couldnt pour her strength into her legs anymore. Even her regenerative power might be too slow compared to the pace shes getting swallowed. At this rate, forget her legs, the vortex would turn her entire body into mincemeat. Flamm: N-No, my legs! I cantmove!? Sarah: Onee-san! There were no one else to rely on but her. Sarah desperately screamed and pushed Flamms body away. Flamm: A-guhu, uha, cough! With both up to half of her thighs shredded, Flamm tried crawling away to open some distance from the vortex even for a bit. Losing its prey that is the girls flesh, the vortex groaned with a creepy WOOOO sound and continued to swirl. Flamm: Ha, aaaAAAAAHH! Despite the stinging pain, Flamm swooned. If she waited, her legs would probably regenerate, but unlike that time with the Anzu, her legs are torn into thousands of pieces, so she is suffering a lot more than she did in the past. She was bleeding profusely, soaking the ground with her blood. But even still, she didnt believe she would die from this. I wont die so its okay, I wont die so its okay, I wont die so I should be fineFlamm repeatedly told herself that. But what smarts will hurt. It hurts so much she feels like shes dying. Flamm: U, guhublarghh! Unable to breathe properly, the contents of her stomach rose and eventually spills out to the ground. Despite knowing that Flamm had a regenerative power, Sarah still thought that the injury the girl is bearing is evidently fatal. Shell die of hemorrhagic shock before I can heal hershe thought, so she rushed in and held her hands out. Sarah: Heal! It was out of pure good intention. Light flew out of Sarahs hands, and following her wish, they gathered on Flamms legs. The lights entered the body, restoring its condition to before it was injured. That was the intermediate-level magic, Heal. With her current power, it would be impossible to completely heal such large injuries, but the girl aimed to at least stop her bleeding. Howeverwith a sound as if somethings burning, Flamms thighs melted into thick liquid. Flamm: Aa, aGAAAAHH! AiGIIII! Flamm received a recovery magic, yet her face twisted in anguish even further in agony. She dug her nails into the ground, clawing it. Shes desperately trying to endure her pain. Perhaps because she used too much power, her nails also started bleeding. Sarah: WWhy? Why, even though I casted recovery magic Sarah lost her bearing, overwhelmed by confusion. But she was sensible enough to snap back to reality with haste. Sarah: is it inversed? Even the effect of recovery magic is reversed!? No wayOnee-san, I didnt mean to! But Flamm also understood. Sarah is a good girl, she was concerned about Flamm from the bottom of her heart and casted the recovery magic. She wanted to say its alright to her quickly, but with her barely staying conscious, all she could muster was a groan. Even still, she wanted to bring comfort to Sarah who was in the verge of tears, even for a bit, so she breathed in and tried squeezing out some words from her mouth. Flamm: Itsokaguhuughh! Sarah: Onee-san!? Flamm: Agh, haahaahu, moreimportantly, Sarah: What do you mean, more importantly? Flamm: Runa, way! Sarah: Run away, you said? Sarah was distracted by Flamms injuries, but the mysterious ogre had its full attention towards her. The enemy walked straight for the two. Perhaps because its getting close, the two could hear splashing sound coming out of its flesh vortex of a face. Flamms legs are regenerating, gradually shifting its shape back to what it looks like before, but she didnt think shell make it before the ogre makes its next attack. Sarah: O, okay! Theres no other choice but to follow what Flamm said and run away, so after coming into that conclusion, she carried Flamms body and broke into a run. It might look like an insane stunt considering the differences in their physiques, but for Sarah who had high strength, it wasnt a big problem. The distance between them and the ogre opened up once again. It was at that time when the grotesque beast clenched its fist and lowered its back. Is it coming againSarah raised her guard, expecting the ground to warp again as she glanced back at the ogre. But this time, it swung its arm forward, cutting the air. That means its vortex target is the air that surrounds Sarah and Flamm. Flamm: Sarah, charu, n! Sarah: GGAAAAAAAAAAHHH! Sarah roared as she desperately run forward, carrying Flamm in her arms. The air had started swirling, and it wouldnt be hard to imagine that in a few seconds, the air would turn into a wall of wind like a tornado and wrap the two. Even though she looked like she was about to fall from her legs getting tangled by the tall grass, Sarah kept desperately run past through them, and they somehow managed to escape. WOOOOSHHH! Right after they escaped, the rough, circular storm churned everything in it to bits. Flamm: Next, to the side! Without wasting a breath, the ogre struck the ground with its fist again. GGRRRRRRRRHH!! Sarahs footing starts swirling as it groaned. She managed to jump away to dodge, but she couldnt nail the landing, causing her to fall over and dropping Flamm from her arms. As she fell, Flamms regeneration was only just complete. Using the momentum of her fall, she stood back up and manifested her Soul Eater. Staying defensive wont secure them the win, shell have to strike forward. With her black greatsword in one hand, she dashed forward. Behind her, Sarah who managed to regain her posture shouldered her mace she took from her back, started circling around to flank the ogre. From what the status told them, its likely that its target is Flamm. The green fist is clenched. This timeit struck the empty air in front of it. Following her sense of danger, she dodged to the right. BAM! Something invisible whizzed past in a straight line, pulverizing anything it touches. A hole that looks like it was opened by a tool to create a perfect circle was opened by that attack. If she took it head-onshed probably be reduced into pieces. The previous attack had a time lag before it was triggered, but now its different, it immediately triggered and showed overwhelming destructive power. The damage happens in an instant. In other words, if the number of rotations are reduced, the preparation time is also reduced. But in the end, the power was more than enough to kill a human being. For Flamm who essentially cant use magic, fighting in a distance will only put them in a disadvantageous position. The same thing could also be said for Sarah whose main weapon is a mace. In conclusion, they must engage in a close quarters combat. Flamm performed a cartwheel immediately after she landed, and then she regained her posture and immediately starts dashing in. In between the time Flamm closed the distance until she can reach him with her Soul-Eater, the ogre managed to unleash one more attack like earlier, but Flamm dodged it again to her side. Before Flamm arrived in her attacking position, Sarah took on the monsters rear. Sarah: SERYAA!! She jumped as high as the creatures head. Brandishing the mace with all her strength, she swung the heavy part of her mace toward the back of the ogres head. THUD! The air vibrated as the sound of skull and metal clashing echoed. Sarah: Howd ya like my strike ya cheeky tart! Sarah landed and took some distance briefly, putting her finger under her nose, boldly laughing. There were some resistance. For a normal ogre, it was a critical hit that would have caused it to faint. Yetthat ogre barely flinched, and as if its just noticed Sarahs presence, it slowly turned toward her direction. Splash, splash, Sarah: Didnt work, huh? Flamm: Then how about this!? Perhaps its only strong against blunt strikes, and slashing attacks would do it some damage. With that thought in mind, Flamm swung her sword. Combining her acceleration and her power, she brandished her Soul-Eater horizontally, aiming for the ogres legs with all of her might But with a dull feeling, the blade didnt cut through the ogres flesh and instead stopped in its tracks. Flamm: This thingthe hardness of its body is completely different than an ogre!? Even if it has weird powers, if its status are similar to an ogre then we should be fine, That hope of hers was easily crushed. And as if its about to shatter it into finer pieces, the ogre raised its fist. Sarah: Onee-san, watch out! Flamm: Kuh!? She dodged it by backstepping. In the aftermath of that strike, the place Flamm stood in was gouged deeply. There was something equipped on its arm, and if they were to take it head-on, there probably wouldnt be anything left of them. Afterwards, the two retreated further, and looked at each other. They thought they could do something if they bring the fight up close, but they also failed to achieve that. Sarahs mace barely scratched it, and Flamms Soul-Eater couldnt sink its fangs into it. We cant possibly take down this beastsuch are the belief of the two. Flamm looked at Sarah who were on the other side of the beast and made eye contact, before nodding to her. Afterwards, the two dashed further deep into the open ground. Of course, the enemy pursued them, but they thought ogres dont have much in terms of speed, so they opened quite some distance easily. Sarah: What do we do? Flamm: Theres no other choice but to run for now! If they could pass through the hole in the blocked tunnel, they would have reached the exit by now. As they proceeded deeper and deeper into the cave, they found a large hole just past the trees. Judging by the size, most likely its the hole where the ogre came out from. Would it be alright to enter its den? Obviously, it only brought them unease. But the monster is chasing after them. They had no time to hesitate. Sarah: Are we going? Flamm: Lets go, if it doesnt work then what happens, happens, right? If push comes to shove, Flamm thought that she could just sacrifice herself to be a bait to allow Sarah to run away. Steeling themselves, they set foot into another cave. They were greeted by a long, straight corridor. Judging by the walls, this place is also excavated by human hands. Flamm glanced behind her, and Flamm: Wha! Sarah: What happenedwait, HII?! Normal ogres cant move fast due to its ginormous body. But this one is different. Its running in a form that looks like a human, closing in with large strides. Perhaps its also taking a toll on its body; from its legs, they can heard snapping sounds, like its muscles are tearing themselves apart, with blood congesting and coloring it black. But as if it doesnt have any sense of pain, THUD, THUD, THUD, the ogre stomped the ground, not losing speed. Its ignoring its own limit as a creature. Flamm felt that the creature had a different purpose than a regular ogre. no, save the investigation for later. For now, theres no other choice but to run desperately. The gap is swiftly closing. Unlike the wide space they were in, they cant have the same versatility if they fight in this narrow cave. And then, what appeared in front of them werea wall of dead end, and a large hole so deep they couldnt see the bottom. Sarah: Its a dead-end! Flamm: No, theres still this holebut, Sarah: Theres no other choice, huh Flamm: I dont think theres any way to hide from its attacks in this dead end, and if we dont run away, that thing will The ogre is still rushing toward them as they hesitate. If theyre going to die anyways, theyre going to choose howFlamm remembered the path she chose when she was locked up in a cage with Milkit. That memory pushed her in the back. She closed her eyes, exhaled, and slapped her cheeks, saying Alrightbut even so, her heart is still screaming in terror. She took a step forward, and plunged herself into the bottomless pit. Following after her was Sarah, who threw herself into the pit. The ogre stopped in front of the pit, staring into the darkness with its face of flesh. THUD! After a brief feeling of no gravity, Flamms body landed on top of something that is questionably soft. Sarah also fell next to her, and she immediately rose and surveyed her surroundings. The area around them were dark, but it was very dimly lit Flamm: Where is this Sarah: Looks like this place is also one made by people, buturk, what a smell Flamm turned her gaze downwards. The moment she saw what broke their fall, she immediately panicked and held Sarah. Sarah: Nn, guh!? Guh!? Flamm: Sarah-chan, close your eyes. Sarah: Nn, gu-goh? Flamm: Just do it! Close your eyes until I tell you otherwise. At her warning, Sarah nodded. Flamm carried Sarah, down the hike. Decomposing bonessome still looked fresh, but what they landed on was a mountain of corpses. Regardless of races, both monster and human corpses are piled together. At a glance, she could see some body parts and even bones warped into the shape of a spiral. No, thats not all. Even the grey walls that made the room are twisted into the shape of a spiral. Yes, just like that Ogres face. Flamm: What is this place To prevent Sarah from seeing the corpses, Flamm covered her eyes, but shell need to do it until theyre out of the room. But is there any meaning in the room that she didnt show Sarah? While thinking to herself, Flamm exited the room through the half-opened door that thankfully didnt have that vortex pattern. As she did, she immediately closed the door again and finally released Sarah. The girl who finally got to feel the ground on her legs exhaled Hafuu and checked her surroundings. This place is dark as well, as expected. Sarah found a crystal stuck on the wall. Sarah: Can I light this up? Its an activation device for a magic-type lamp; just by channeling magic into your palm, you can switch that light on. It has a different shape than the one they usually see in the capital, but its functionality should be similar. After Flamms nod, the hallway that the two were in lit up by the lamps on the ceiling. Finally, in the sight of the well-lit facility, the two were stunned. Sarah: What a place we ended up in, huh? How do you call it, futuristic? Flamm: Yeah, that ogre is not chasing after us anymore, butwe ended up in a more bizarre place, didnt we? Flamm touched the cold wall as if to ascertain its existence. She hasnt seen this sort of metallic structure before. And the fact that this is way below the cave they were in means that this place is further underground. Furthermore, the room full of corpses earlier were huge. For one to have such large facility underground means that they had such an impressive technological and economical advantage. Flamm: For now, we should look for the exit. Sarah: Youre right, theres a lot of things Im curious about, but our lives are more important. As they exited the room, the right side leads to a dead-end. Thus the two turned left and went straight ahead. Sarah: The shelves are all empty, huh? Flamm: Yeah While Sarah rummaged the shelves, Flamm was surveying the walls. As she did, she noticed that this room had those spiral patterns in several places as well. They were in various sizes, but all of them are swirling. Sarah: Onee-san, whats that all about? Flamm: I have no clue, but its also there on the walls of the room before. Also, we also see this on the ogre that was chasing after us. The swirling walls, corpses, and the monster. This facilityperhaps its a facility that utilizes such phenomenon or some sort? As she asked herself that, Flamm looked through the drawers on the desk and noticed that one of them are locked and cant be opened. Sarah: Can we just break it? I mean, theres no one here anyways. Sarah plainly suggested a dangerous idea, but theyre in an emergency. Flamm aimed to destroy the lock with her greatsword. As she did, the drawer easily opened. As expected, they didnt consider that they had to go this far. Inside, there was a single notebook. Flamm picked it up and opened it, while Sarah also peeked into it from the side. Its been two days since we lost control of that thing. There was finally a contact from above, telling us to destroy all the data. I asked if rescue is coming, but I was ignored. Seems like were being abandoned here. It was a scribble that couldnt really be called a diary. There was no date written, but judging by the condition of the notebook, its probably over 10 years old. Inherited position isnt something good. I didnt want to come to this place in the first place, I just want to gain some achievements and climb the social ladder. But why? The subject was imprisoned in the room, but the energy leaking out is starting to warp its surroundings. Theres several casualties reported as well. Are we doomed? The note was filled with sadness. The subjectFlamm remembered the corpses when she read that word. Sarah: They experimented in this place, which means that ogre Flamm: It was probably man-made. But still, according to the note, it said that they failed to control it. The handwriting gradually turned ugly. It wasnt pretty to begin with, but in the end, it even start going up and down. What do you mean, divine revelations? What do you mean its for the country. I dont care about any of that. I entered because I just want to do the right thing. Is the country not human? Am I not even a part of the country? I dont understand. I dont understand what theyre all thinking. I just did what they asked me to do. Is it perhaps because Im not perfect that its not good enough? Is it because its not linked well enough? Its true that the connection was lacking, but we lack knowledge as well. Is that why it went wrong? No, thats not true, it shouldnt be true. I did the right thing! I am me. I am me. I am me. Its spinning. No, its not spinning. I am me, so it is right. But what really is the right thing? Ah, its connecting. Everyone is connecting. Will the spinning knowledge gradually reach wisdom? If that is so, then what is really the right thing? In the end, the note was so cluttered that there were only up to 10 characters in a page and it started getting more difficult to read. It was becoming obvious that whomever wrote the contents of this note is gradually losing his sanity. Sarah: Spinning knowledgewisdom Flamm: I dont quite understand, but this is about the thing thats leaking energy, right? I think so. Power beyond human knowledge. It wouldnt be strange if it affects the human minds. As they continued flipping the page, they got to a point where they had to read while tracing the text with their fingers because of how messy the writing had become. I want to connect, I want to connect. Thats the way to reach wisdom. Thats right. This is what weve always aimed for, wished for, and believed in. Weve finally reached it, yet what small things were always fussing over. The researchers are all linked. Im also going. Where? Am I going to die? I dont know. Wisdom cannot be imposed upon the human body. Thats why we must go. But, ah, isnt that a place that isnt peaceful yet? To realize true wisdom, to realize true peace, judgment or rule is However, the two understood if they followed the finger. There was a pattern to the alignment of the letters. And on the last page, it says, in a spiral shape, Flamm Apricot The two were simultaneously silenced. Flamms hands trembled as she held the book, and the edge of the page is distorted. Flamm: Again? Sarah: Onee-san Flamm: But this note is even older, right? Its from when I was still small, when I was still living in the countrysidebut why, why does my name come out in this book? This is weird! She didnt understand if the feeling that rose in her chest was anger or fear. That mixed feeling incites her impulse. She slammed the notebook on the floor, while her shoulders rose and lowers as she breathes roughly. Flamm: I justwanted to live peacefully in my hometown. It wont even come true for me right now, but then I met Milkit. I thought if its with her, I could probably live a carefree life in the capitalbut what is this, what the hell is this. We just came to this place by coincidence, but why the fuck is this happening!? Sarah: I-Im sorry! The one that guided Flamm here was undoubtedly Sarah. She willingly took the blame and grabbed Flamms hands tightly while her eyes moistened. Flamm: ah, Right then as she saw Sarah who was in the verge of tears, Flamm regained her composure. She squatted down to her and gently patted the girls head. Flamm: Im sorry, I didnt mean it that way. Sarah: Im the one at fault without a doubt. If I didnt come up with the information about this cave, maybe it couldve ended a lot more easily! Flamm: Thats not true. If it wasnt for Sarah, I wouldnt have found the place where the Chialries grow. Sarah: Onee-sanIm really sorry. Normally at this sort of occasions I should be the one comforting you. Flamm: Its alright. Thanks to you, Ive calmed down. While pretending to be Sarahs sister, Flamms fear had subsided. Most probably she wont be able to do this herself. Thats why she wanted to say to Sarah, thank you for being with me. Flamm: It doesnt seem like there are any maps in this place, what do you say we look again in another room? Okay? Flamm wiped the tears trailing down Sarahs cheeks. The young girl whose gentle body temperature carried courage finally regained her smile, thus she energetically nodded. They both then continued their search, but they couldnt find anything like a map nor an exit door. At any rate, judging by the extensiveness of the facility, they wouldnt have the time to walk and explore around the facility. The more they explored, the more deformed the walls become, and it got to a place that even the hallways become twisted. It was such a tremendous power. So powerful that not even the ogre can win against it. Flamm: What a ludicrous facility, dont you think? I guess whoever created this place was really risking everything in researching. Sarah: Certainly if they managed to put this research into practical use, they would gain tremendous power I bet, a power that wont lose to even the demon race. Is there any more reasons as of why humans seek power other than to remove the demons? If they were to think of it that way, considering the scale of the facility, the empire is also definitely involved in this research. Its just like how the church shut down the doctors, but the citizens knew about the corruption involved in that. As they walked through the inorganic, grey corridor, they faintly heard a sound. Perhaps because the place was under complete silence, the two immediately noticed the sound despite it being extremely faint. The two simultaneously stopped in their tracks. ???: vee Flamm: Is it someones voice? Sarah: Someone might be alive! Flamm held back Sarah who was about to run ahead. There is also a possibility that its the sound of another monster. They proceed slowly and cautiously. ???: AAaave mee! Someeeee! It was a girls voice. They understood as they get closer, that the voice didnt belong to a monster. ???: AAAhhh, save meeee!! Somebody save meeee! It sounds like shes seeking help. At the end of the hallway, they found the owner of the voice. It was a long-haired woman wearing a white robe. She was curled down on the hallway intersection with her back leaning on the wall, hugging her knees while hanging her head. Perhaps that was why her voice was slightly muffled. Just to be safe, Sarah took a step back while Flamm approached the girl and looked at her face. ???: AAAhhh, save meeee!! Somebody save meeee! Even though Flamm was in front of her, the girl repeated what she said. She might have been through something dreadful. Flamm plans to calm her down, so she put her hand on the girls shoulder and thought of talking to her. ???: AAAhhh, save meeee!! Somebody, save. As she did, the girl stopped. Flamm: Its alright now, we are normal humans. After Flamm said that, the girl slowly lifted her face. Noit has no face. It was a roll of flesh vortex; splish, splash, and from it, nothing but blood oozes out. And then, the girl (beast) spoke; G????i???????r????l???????????: Found you, with a muffled voice. It doesnt matter if it was hanging its head or not; its voice was muffled from the beginning. The girls hands grasped onto Flamms arms, and then it pushed its flesh vortex of a face into it. Slurp zlurp. The vortex swallowed her hand. Feeling the sensation of warm, raw flesh wrapping her hand, Flamm immediately got goosebumps on her entire body. She collected her strength to desperately pull her hand back, but the girls arm strength is not that of a humans. Its even unyielding against Flamms strength enhanced bythe cursed equipment. As if adding fuel to the flame, she could hear footsteps closing in toward her direction. Its a different being than Sarah who approached, thinking of saving her. The sound that comes from beyond the corner where they cant see was coming with a tremendous speed, but it stopped just before it turned the corner. And then, as if its asking for Flamms condition, it slowly peeks its face over. The face of flesh, and the green skin. Its something that should still be up there; the grotesque ogre. Flamms facial muscles twitched. The hallway was meant for only humans to pass through, so the ogre shouldnt be able to. Butthis ogre was crawling through the facility on all fours. Using the repeated voice of a girl on the verge of her death to lure in peoples good will, it impatiently waited for someone to be caught by such unscrupulous trap. Flamm: KhLet me go, LET ME GO! LET GOOOO! Sarah: ONEE-SAAAAN! Flamm and Sarahs voices echoed fruitlessly. No matter how much she struggled, the girl didnt release Flamm, and the wriggling flesh vortex had swallowed her up to her upper arm. She cant run. If she were to take a direct hit at point-blank range, she would instantly die this time. Planning to finish off the girl once and for all, the ogre lifts its arm. CH 11 Flamms arms are being swallowed by the lady with a flesh vortex of a face and she couldnt pull free. Flamm: Sarah-chan, cast healing magic on my arm! Sarah: Eh?! But if I do that Flamm: Thats okay, hurry! Sarah didnt learn magic to hurt people, and Flamm understood that as well. But Flamms eyes are desperately shouting you are saving me!. Thus, Sarah overthrows her will and extends her hand. Sarah: Recover! Simply using Heal wont be enough to heal the part of the arm that are already shredded. Therefore she needed to use a more advanced spell. The dazzling light shining from Sarahs hands wraps up Flamms arm, seeps into it and dissolves it from the inside. Flamm: AGaAAAAAHHH! Finally with her power, Flamm pulled herself free from parts of her arm that has been minced to pieces. She gnashed her teeth, attempting not to lose consciousness from the pain. Rolling over, she managed to dodge the ogres fist. BLAM! The fist that grazed Flamm collides with the wall and created a glaring spiral shape. Sarah: Onee-san! Flamm: Haa, haa, haakuh, Sarah-chan, lets run! The two ran side by side. The ogre who was on all fours glared at the backside of the twoand it broke into pursuit. As expected, it was slower than when it was dashing on two legs. Flamm and Sarah used the turns of the corner and opened their distance with the ogre. All the while they ran, Flamms arm grew back and the pain disappears as well. Sarah: Are you sure youre okay? Flamm: Im al-rightor so Id like to say, fuhbut, I can, still go onI think. Every time she felt pain, her spirits are worn down. But despite her worn down spirits, remembering Milkit waiting for them in Enichidae, her spirits are immediately restored. As long as shes waiting, she cant possibly die in this place. She was out of breath because of her pain, but as her body returns back to how it was before, the two ran through the facility at full speed. As they tried to escape with utmost effort, the figure of the ogre eventually vanished. Sarah: Did we lose it? Flamm: Yeah, perhaps. But we need to still be on our guard. Sarah: Thats right, this time we can hear voices from everywhere. Save me; Please save me, those words are echoing all around them. Perhaps its a trap that uses a dead body like the woman from earlier and theyre set up all around in the facility. It seems like strength is not the only thing thats improved of that ogre; its intelligence did as well. Perhaps the original purpose of this research facility is strength improvement. Sarah: But what should we do? I feel its going to be difficult if we keep running. Flamm: We cant really do anything without beating him, can we? Sarah: Im not really good with light-attribute offensive magic. My highest damage output is this here mace Flamm: Me too, if this sword wont cut it, then Sarah: For now we can only think of a way to improve our power. That, or we have to use some sort of device within this facility. While its true that they have came through some equipment used for experiments, they didnt know how to use them. Perhaps theyre already broken and cant be operated anymore. If thats the case, they should search for a way to improve their powerbut are they really going to be lying around somewhere? Flamm: Were there any light-attribute magic that can buff your status? Sarah: I cant use those as well. Im ashamed of myself. Sarah lowered her head. Flamm: Then Flamm put her hand on her chin and thinks. But their enemy didnt give them any leeway to think of a counterattack. The sound of heavy footfalls they heard earlier reached the ears of Flamm who was deeply thinking their next step. The direction of the sound wasfrom their front. Sarah: Onee-san, that thing is coming! From their front, the ominous flesh vortex face peeks out suddenly and gazes toward their direction. As soon as he sees the figure of the two, it immediately broke into a chase. Flamm: Kuh, does this mean it understands its way around the facility!? The two changed directions and begin running away again. If they keep running, there wont be an end to it. They had to find a way break through its tough defense, somehow. The method isthe method to immediately improving the power of her sword is Gadio: We adventurers would sometimes need to fight enemies with their status several times higher than ours. At that time, theres a way to break through their defense. A memory of her journey resurfaced. The battle-hardened warrior Gadio had told her, before teaching her a sword skill despite fully knowing its futility. Flamm: Cavalier Arts Sarah: Whats that? While Gadio had taught her that skill, Flamm whose statuses were flat zeroes back then couldnt use that skill at all. But if its now, Her status is improved upon equipping cursed equipment; she can convert her strength into Prana, and her power are boosted, so right now, Flamm might be able to use that skill. (TLN: Prana is some sort of chi. Imagine it as some sort of inner power you can bring forth) Shes performing this without trials. If she failed, she could die. However, she would die if she didnt try anyways. Flamm: If I use that, my attack might go through. Sarah: Do you have a way? Flamm: YeahIts kind of all or nothing though. She truly didnt know if she would succeed or not. Wagering with that odds, she couldnt bring herself to bring a little girl like Sarah along. But for the brave Sarah, she said thus with an expression of trust; Sarah: Do you need some preparations? Would she leave it up to her? Even if its for a bit, she would have to send this little girl to face that beast. Flamm: I think would need a little bit of time. She didnt have a choice, for now. No matter how disgraceful it feels, she needs to do this to seize a better future. Sarah: If thats the case, then Ill buy you some time until youre ready! Sarah stopped on her tracks, held her mace and faced the ogre. She couldnt waste her determination. Flamm pulled her Soul Eater from the dimensional pocket just behind Sarah. And then she closed her eyes, held the sword with both hands and begun concentrating. Sarah: Alright! Come at me! If ya wanna be taken down by me then its fine ya know! The ogre who recognized Sarah as an obstacle gathered its power and swung its fist. She dodged with a paper-thin distance, and while rushing along the wall, she runs round and forth. Gadio: The basics of how you should think about it is like magic, collecting mana that fills your body into your hand and turn it into power. The difference with magic is that its difficult to think of your strength as a similar feeling. Recalling her teachers words, she attempted to grasp the strength dwelling inside her body with a third hand that she stretched into her body. Howeveras if it was water, it slipped between her fingers. Gadio: Its more fluid, smoother, and purer than mana. Therefore you would need your heart to be as calm as clear water that can produce reflections. Flamm further deepened her concentration. The sound from her surroundings are slowly disappearing. She becomes more keen. The waves in the depths of her heart are gone, leaving a calm, transparent, colorless, silent space of water. Sarah: Guh! Sarah received the ogres fist with her mace, blowing her away. The girl crashed into a wall, and remembering an ominous feeling from her back, she promptly cast healing magic on herself. In the gap of her assault, the enemy started pursuing her further. She dodged the attack by jumping out of the way, and after that she had to dodge again, and againwith each repeats, she was driven further into a corner. Sarah: Onee-san, yourenot done yet, huh? Its alright, I can still hold! Grasp itthat which is flowing; lay it on her palm. She succeeded. But she cannot celebrate just yet, if the tranquility of her heart is broken, that inner power will spill and scatter. She proceeded to the next level. Gadio: Once you take hold of it, the rest is simple. Bring that power forth into your arm and infuse it into your sword. Unlike magic which you had to keep a firm image or it wont activate, once you seize your Prana, it is easy to use them. With the Prana in her third arm, she fills her bodily arms with them. From her inner body onto her shoulders, From her shoulders to her arms, and from her arms to her palms, and from her palmsthe clear, pure and therefore sharp power, is infused into the Soul Eater. Gadio: When the highly pure Prana is infused, then She didnt know if itll go well. Sarah: Onee-san! The ogres fatal blow is approaching the downed Sarah from above her. She did wish to be saved, but her voice is wavering. Everyone would be scared if they were about to be killed by that beast. It would be too much for a girl in her early age. Flamm thanked the girl from the bottom of her heart. She then dashed to flank the ogre, aimed at its neck and swung her blade. Gadio: Bring forth all of your strength, and swing your sword. This is Cavalier Arts. Flamm: SEYAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!! Mitou Kikenzan! C Imitation Prana Slash! BUOOOTHUD! Her swing couldnt be considered perfect, it was a tempered blade used as a stopgap. Therefore, its Mitou (unattained), and therefore, its fake. However, the Prana-infused Soul Eater cut through the impenetrable ogres skin, and cut its flesh until its bone. Spurtsplash! The spiral on the ogres face spun even quicker while it spills a massive amount of blood. It looked like its suffering, which means the attack is effective. Sarah: It got throughif thats the case, its my turn next! Flamm: Sarah-chan, please! Flamm let go of her blade and took some distance from the ogre. And then, Sarah held her mace aloft, leaped into the air and smashed it down on Flamms sword that was stuck halfway into the ogres neck. CLANG! With that impact, the blade further sinks in until it completely decapitated the ogre. The head slips off and it fell on the ground with a thud. Afterwards, the vortex on its face stopped spinning, and the unpleasant gurgling sound of blood spilling out from its face couldnt be heard anymore. Sarah: Hahehe, as I expected that was awful, butwe did it, didnt we? Flamm: Haa, haawe cut its head off, I think it should be dead. Sarah stood forward and approached the now headless, unmoving ogre to confirm their victory. Flamm on the other hand observed the open wound of the ogre where blood is spilling massively. Itll be alright if its dead. But why is its body still on all fours and not collapsing? In any case, this thing is a creature beyond any sort of imaginations. Flamm still kept her guard up, in consideration of the possibility that it cant be taken down just by one strike. And then, surely enough Flamm: Sarahchanhaa, haalets run From the open wound on its neck, a new spiral was coiling. Flamm: Nowaythe neck is swirling! And then, the ogre restarts its operation. Normally it wouldve died. That means this thing isnt normal; this thing is an opponent that had surpassed common sense. Flamm: Hurry! The two took flight once again. As they turned the corner, they could hear the ogres movement from behind them. If its now, they might still be able to slip away briefly. If they do, they can take a breather and use Kikenzan againthey thought of that method, but would it even stop its operations if they cut it one more time? They turned another corner, and another, and another. When they confirmed that the pursuer is not coming, the two stopped on their tracks, leaned on the wall and adjusted their breathing. Sarah: Hahaaht-that thing is weird! Even though we cut off its headeven though its bleeding so bad! Flamm: Ha, hahahjust the same as me, isnt it? Sarah: Onee-sanhas that power of the curse. This means that ogre had another sort of power separate from its heart that keeps it alive. Flamm: If we could findsome sort of corehaah, withinin its bodyit should be fine Sarah: Either waythis situation isfrustrating. In this situation, as they are The answer to that phrase was once the Cavalier Arts. No, perhaps if Flamm wasnt inexperienced, they might have won earlier. But it turns out they were still lacking in power. They would need it; a power that surpasses what they have. Not just a tempered blade, but something that can certainly increase their power. Flamm: Hey, Sarah-chan, can I place another bet one more time? Sarah: I couldnt think of anything else. To think that you would want to place another bet, Ive got nothing but respect for you. Flamm: You wont get anything out of flattering me, you know. Wellfirst of all, lets go back to the first room. Sarah: The room that I didnt see? Flamm: YeahI didnt want you to see it, but since its an emergency, I can only choose that place. The two relied on their memories and traveled back to the first room while avoiding the traps set up. Perhaps because it had lost its head, the ogres footfalls far away are not coming closer. The more time they have the better. After they arrived at their destination without being spotted, Flamm warned to Sarah not to look around as much as you can and entered the room. The room was as pungent as ever, and as they turned the lights on, the disastrous spectacle becomes clearer. Sarah: Uui-is this allcorpses? Flamm: Im sorry for bringing you to a place like this. Sarah: N-noits okay. Im used to seeingcorpses or blood The duties of the people of the church includes healing those who had injuries or sickness. Perhaps she had seen a dead body or two. Even so, this is probably the first time she saw a massive pile of them. Sarahs face paled, and they didnt know when the ogre might get to where they are. Thus, Flamm rushed toward the mountain of corpses and suddenly drag one out. Sarah: What are you doing? Flamm: Corpse looting. Sarah: Corpselooting, is it? Flamm: I didnt want to do this as well, but with this much corpses, it wouldnt be weird to find a powerful cursed equipment, right? Sarah: Dont tell meyoure planning to use those!? Flamm couldnt think of any other way to improve her strength. Gather some cursed equipment, improve their strength, and unleash an even more powerful Cavalier Arts. It might still be not enough to finish that thing off, but perhaps she could at least cut off its limbs. If she did, that thing wont be coming after them, and they can just run away. The sensation of blood, decomposed flesh and entrails clung onto Flamms hands. As she forcibly tugged the corpse, those things sometimes came flying into her face as well. With a scowl, she wiped them off her face with her wrist while desperately looking through the corpses clothes, shoes and accessories while scanning through them. Sarah sat down next to her. Flamm: Sarah-chan, please wait down there. Sarah: Imgoing to help you search as well. Flamm: But thats! Sarah: I cant let you be the only one working hard for us to survive. As she said that, she narrowed her eyes, gnashed her teeth and started scouring the pile of corpses. Flamm: Ive been helped by Sarah-chan a lot since earlier. Sarah: Ive also only been saved by onee-san. Flamm: If we get back alive, what do you say we have a meal together? Sarah: Im looking forward to it. If possible Id like to eat Milkit-sans cooking. Flamm: Thats alright. Sarah: Thatll be just fine. Its a promise that they dont know if itll come true, but it serves as a good distraction. No matter how many times they used Scan, they cant find a cursed equipment. Or perhaps its a sign that the curse is converged into one equipment? Flamm told herself that. Sarah: Its coming, isnt it? The faraway footsteps are coming closer. This room is the furthest end of the facility. If the footsteps are closing in on the nearby passage, it will reach their location without a doubt. They dont have much time left. With the intention of being the last one, the two joined hands and pulled the corpse of a woman stuck deep in the pile. She has been decomposed, but the things stuck to her body are still okay. The two scanned the equipment from top to bottom. Item: God-loathing Leather Boots Rarity: Epic Strength -257 Intelligence -330 Endurance -885 Agility -885 Intuition -731 Inflicts Freeze on users body The moment she saw that status, Flamm immediately took the boots off from the corpse and stuck her feet in them. Squelch. There was that uncomfortable feeling, but she could feel strength surging in. She thought of what to do if her body suddenly bursts into flame, but it seems like its not happening. Stats that are minus become plusif the status debuff works the other way around, she was sure enough that the equipment will inflict Burn on users body, but as it doesnt, then how would the equipment affect her? Sarah: Onee-san, you found it! Flamm: Thanks to you. I dont know what sort of power it would give me, but well see if I fight that thing. Currently, Flamms current status is 3,396. Her strength and agility easily surpasses 500, and her endurance had exceeded through the 1,000 mark. It gives her a peace of mind in her disordered heart. For her right now, she could further refine her Prana. Flamm: Thank you, Sarah-chan. Sarah: Its still too soon to say thanks. We still need to beat that thing. As the ogre arrived in the front of the room, it forcefully breaches in. But for that gigantic body, nothing but its neck could pass through. Like a completely different being, the neck looked around and found the two. The two thought that the thing was temporarily withdrawing, but this time, it put its hands on the door frame and ripped it open. As it was opened enough for the ogre to pass, it crawled in before standing up and readied its fist. Facing the two, it punched forward. GOOOHH! It scraped the mountain of corpses. Flamm and Sarah jumped away, dispersing from each other. Obviously, the ogre is aiming primarily at Flamm, but its movement is completely different than it was before it had its head cut off. Approaching quickly before the ogre can unleash its next attack, Flamm passed by it and made a cut with her Soul Eater. A thin red line was appeared on the green skin. Thanks to the effect of strength increase, she can now pierce through. Flamm further flanked to the ogres rear; this time, she felt the new power flowing in her body, and thus she slashed at the ogre. Same as before, a thin cut was made, and afterwardsChink!, the open wound freezes. Splat! Splurt! Perhaps not being used to the feeling of its injury freezing over, the neck expelled blood. The headless ogre immediately turned around and threw its arms at the girl like a lasso, but as it did, Flamm was no longer there. Flamm had snuck through between its legs and once again positioned herself on the ogres back, fuh, letting out a sigh in the meantime. And then this time she jumped up and swung her sword down. That blade had been infused with Prana. Mitou Kikenzan C Imitation Prana Slash! The sword skill that brought more power than the one she unleashed earlier easily cut through the ogres arm in one slash. The enemy looked like its suffering, but its wound immediately turned into a vortex and the bleeding stopped. As if its venting its anger, it glanced over its shoulder and swung down its other fist. Flamm jumped back for quite a distance, easily dodging the strike. In the gap created by such large strike, Sarah approached from behind it. Sarah: TERYAAA! Along with her yell, her mace struck its frozen back. Crash! The ice shatters, breaking along with the ogres skin. It seems like this attack inflicted a lot of damage judging by how the green giant are pitching forward as it loses its balance. Furthermore, Flamms slashes froze its legs, and with a slash infused by Prana, she cut them off. Sarah then struck the frozen parts, opening large wounds as the ice shatters. The ogre gradually loses its dominance and was quickly driven into a corner, and then Flamm: HAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! Finally, its remaining left arm falls from Flamms Mitou Kikenzan. Its cut legs started forming flesh vortex again, but at this point, Flamm had robbed it of its ability to move. Sarah: Its still alive, huh Flamm: I wanted to finish it off, but I dont even know where to cut to kill it. Maybe its better if we just leave it as it is and run. Sarah: True, we might have to do it over and over again if we choose to finish it off. Well be dead tired by then. Sarah showed a smile for the first time in a while, but her expression was powerless. Flamm too was exhausted mentally and physically, so the two left the squirming body with a sense of anxiety and exited the room. However, Flamm suddenly stopped her movement right after. Sarah: Onee-san, Flamm: You feel it too, dont you? Sarah: Yes, the atmosphere of the roomits moving, isnt it? Is it still planning to go? Theyre facing its entirety. The vortexthe biggest one theyve seen, is going to swallow this room, or even the entirety of the facility. Namely, perhaps this is its last spurt. Not caring about itself, until it swallows everything. The ogreno, the purpose of whatever it is, is to kill Flamm. The spirals rotation is speeding up. If it finishes its activation, each and every single existence inside the facility will cease to exist. Once again, Flamm wields her Soul Eater she had stowed away while Sarah brandishes the mace she slung on her back and faced the headless, limbless ogre. As they did, the thing that shouldve been robbed of its movements floats, and the five vortices violently spins, expelling its bodily fluid. Flamm: TEYAAA! Sarah: ORYAAA! The two recklessly attacked the body with one strike containing all of their might. For Sarah whose attack cannot go through, she attempted striking the vortex, yet as it absorbs the impact, she couldnt deal any damage. She gave up and chose to focus on striking the frozen part left by Flamms attacks. On the other hand, Flamm attacks by alternating and interweaving her freezing attack and her Prana, further shaving off the ogre from what it used to be. Yet the spiral is still not stopping. Gradually, the corpses and the furniture cluttered in the room are swallowed, and the air is getting darker and muddier. Flamm: How much do we have to cuthow far should we go to stop this!? Sarah: I dont knowdamn ittt!! WOOOOOOSSSSSHHHH! The rolling wind even started peeling and destroying the metal walls. Be it the room or the hallway, the interior of the facility is becoming chaotic. The two are also starting to have a hard time keeping up their balance. Every time its wounds expand, it will turn into a vortex, and further attacks will be ineffective. The ogre had lost most of its internal organ including its heart, and whats left is its abdomenyet the vortex is not stopping. Sarah: Its just a twisted pile of meat at this point! Just stop already! Flamm: K, kuhstop, stop, JUST STOOPPP! Even as she continued cutting, the blade cant cut through the spirals. Flamm channeled her Prana, but this time, she focused it on the tip of her blade and thrusts forward. It was faint, but she felt like she penetrated something. This might work. Believing thus, she gathered her power into her two hands and pushed her Soul Eater. Sarah: Kuuh! Ah!? Sarah slipped and she fell down. Sarah: O-Onee-san, good luck! Imalready Flamm: Sarah-chan! Her body that lost its footing was blown away and swept by the storm. If her tiny body is thrown into the mix of debris and corpses, she would undoubtedly die. She had managed to hold on by sticking her fingers into the cavity on the floor, but its just a matter of time until she couldnt hold on anymore. Her hand is starting to sweat, and because of it, her fingers are starting to slip. The feeling of frustration pushed Flamms back, pushing her to shout in vain. Flamm: Guuuhhhh, uAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!! She gathered all the power that she had. She poured all the Prana she could, and she even used up all the strength of the curse until she could possibly wither. But its still not enough. While its true that the blade is slowly moving forward, it wont save neither Sarah or herself at this rate. Flamm: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH! She gave her all to survive. Bring forth more power. If not, think of a reason for it to come forth. Look, dont you have someone important waiting for you to come home? Yes, Milkit is waiting for you. Yeah, thats right. That girl is waiting for you. She cant be left alone. Even if its a codependent relationship, you decided to be safe together. You cant die now. She will be sad. You cant die now. Else you cant save her life. In that casethe image of the girl that floats in her mindanything and everything, charge it into this sword. Flamm: UWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH! She screamed until her vocal chords are close to being shot. Using Prana beyond the limit of her own body, her arms tear and blood started flowing. As the wound closes, a new one tears open. Flamm experiences pain as if shes being stabbed by blades all over. Yet still, Her power of perseverance, her rebellious heart is overpowering the malice of the heavens. SlidCRASH! The sword penetrated the flesh, breaking something hard on the other side. At that moment, the power that covered the entire institution vanished, and the debris and corpses that was lifted up falls simultaneously. Flamm: Haaaah Flamm who used all her power dropped on her knees, and her now powerless arms hang loose, and in a daze, she looked up to the empty space. Flamm: AhI finallydefeated it? There are no more signs of any flesh. The vortices are also all gone. All thats left on the walls are shattered black crystals crumbling down. She didnt understand what it is. Right now she wanted to put it off for later. For nowshe wants to rest her body. Sarah: Y, you did itonee-san, you finally defeated it! Flamm: Hahahahis that soI defeated itahahahahanot bad, me She couldnt help but to praise herself. Overwhelmed by weariness, Flamm fell on her back where she stood. Sarah too fell on her knees as her strength leaves her body. The two were left feeling the sensation of the cold, hard floor. CH 12 After a brief respite to regain their strength to walk again, Flamm and Sarah once again sets out deeper into the facility to seek for the exit. Sarah: The effect even reach this far, huh? Taking the helping hand of Flamm who was ahead of her, Sarah climbed the wreckage of the wall. She was about to fall as she pulls Flamms hand up, but Flamm stopped her fall. Flamm: If we tried to run away maybe we wouldve been dead by now. Sarah: I dont think its a definitely rather than a maybe. Jeez, who made thatannoying beast anyways. After they destroyed the ogre, Flamm found a black crystal falling from the scrap of meat. Currently, she had it in the bag she carries over her shoulder. She had dropped it at some point in the height of the battle, but she was relieved that she managed to recover it. However, the handmade lunch Milkit made that she put in the bag is now but a mess. Flamm: Well, no matter how much we want to look for the culprit, we have to get out of here first. Sarah: I feel like weve spent quite some time here, dont you think? Flamm: I hope its not yet dark outside As they continued their journey thinking of the outside, their feelings calmed down. They safely passed the area where they were blocked by the ogre earlier and proceeded into the unknown territory. They found a room full of columns of gigantic glass cylinder cases, a reference room lined with empty bookshelves and a nap room with sofas and beds in it. They couldnt find the exit, and they gradually felt discouraged. Then, as if their overworked bodies are snagged down with their feelings, it gets heavier and heavier. But thatll just be for a little longer. Sarah: Is that perhaps the exit? Its the deepest areano, its perhaps originally the entrance. The door visible beyond the hallway clearly has a different feel than the other doors they come across. The two looked at each other and smiled. Their flourishing feelings guide their bodies forward and forward, and they spontaneously walked faster. Afterwards they placed their hands on the rather solidly-made door and pushed it open. Beyond the door was a staircase leading through the roof. On the end of that staircase was a hatch door, and they lift it open after opening the lock. Flamm: Alright! Flamm poured strength into her arms, and in turn, the orange light of the sun poured into the underground space they were in. The corner of the lips of the two rose unconsciously. As they further opened the hatch and got out, they realized that it was the first place they encountered the grotesque ogre; an open space filled with vegetation. It seems that the entrance of the research facility was camouflaged by the weeds around. It has just been several hours, but it feels like its been several days since they can breath in fresh air. Flamm reached her arms towards the sky and Hnngg! stretched her body with all her might. Sarah too did the same gesture as if imitating her. Sarah: Alright, finallywe cango home She was happy that she finally thought she could get out of the cavewas. But the cave had collapsed and their exit was sealed, so she dropped her shoulders in dejection. Flamm: We need to do something about that first, dont we? They completely forgot about the fact that Dains underlings had been here. Sarah: We have to take our frustration out on them when we go back! For that to happen, the two would need to open a path from these numerous large rubble. Sarah:Can you do something with that Chevalier Arts of yours, onee-san? Flamm: I can try, but I think Ill be dead exhausted and collapse after one try. Also I think it would work better if you smash the boulders with your mace instead. Sarah: Not right now, Ill collapse too. Flamm: Then theres no choice but to do it slowly, huh. Even though they still need to do some hard labor, the simple fact that there are no more beasts chasing after them put their hearts at ease. The two walked close to the collapse, and they reached their hands toward the closest boulder. On Flamms cue, they put their strength into their arms and lifted the boulder. Normally it wouldnt be the size where two girls could pick it up, but Sarah isnt your everyday nun, and Flamm is an adventurer for a reason. After carrying it quite a distance away, they drop it with a thud. Rustle, rustle. Its eyes met with hers. No, it had no eyes, but its definitely looking at Flamm. Being somewhat agitated, the flesh vortex spews out blood. Flamm: Noway Noticing Flamm who was facing the wrong way while not moving, Sarah tilted her head. Sarah: Onee-san, what happened She also saw the same thing. And then she also froze the same way. Sarah: eh? Why, was the question she was about to ask herself, but the answer came to light soon after. Some of the cylindrical glass cases they found in the facility were shattered. Not just one, but some. And clearly, its an ogre with the difference being that it moves differently above ground compared to being on all fours underground. In conclusion, this specimen is different than the thing that Flamm and Sarah defeatedthe thing they both encountered the first time. Sarah: I didnt hear about thisthatthere are more.! Even if they wanted to retreat, whats behind them is just a cold, rock wall. There is a bit of a gap in the rocks, but it wasnt wide enough to be considered as an escape route. Flamm bites her lip. If she had some stamina left, she could use Cavalier Arts and she might be able to take it down. But currently she didnt even have enough spare energy to run away from it continuously. They might manage if they can run and find a safe place to restbut there wouldnt be any such place in the face of this beast. Its a checkmate. Flamm: Im sorry, Milkit She intended to resist as much as possible. But it seems that Flamms wish to return to the girls side wont be coming true. As Flamm reached her hands forward, the particles of light converged on her palm and gradually formed the shape of a greatsword. Her palm that is now void of her sweat gripped the black blades hilt and pointed the tip towards the ogre. Sarah too readied the mace on her back and awaits the approaching enemy. The ogre looks like its in a good mood as its blood wets the ground and it approached the two with light steps. Its like a child looking forward to having snack time in their picnic. With nothing but the intent to kill Flamm, it hopped and skipped closer. As it got to about twice the Soul Eaters reach, the ogre stopped. It looks down on its prey. Perhaps it noticed its opponents exhaustion, so victory is assured and it has some time to play around. In such moodit lifts its fist. Flamm: I dont know how far I can go Sarah: Im going with the intention to win, onee-san! Even if she knows its impossible, if she could at least lift her spirit, it was enough for her. The fist shaking the ground was their cue. It was at that moment that the curtain of the battle rose once againthe moment the dust settled. From beyond the thicket, a figure of a lone woman appeared. She had blue skin and an even deeper blue hair, wearing an outfit that exposes a lot. Stroking the air as if shes playing a harp, a light fufu escaped her lips colored by red rouge and she said, ???: Crimson Sphere. A bluish-green sphere filled with massive amount of wind mana poured into it floats toward the ogre. The moment it comes in contact with the green skin, it expanded with a burst and swallowed up the 3 meter giant. SplashSPLASSHH! The ogre struggled in an attempt to escape, but it was powerless on the face of the overwhelming mana. The wind blades mercilessly mince the ogres flesh, spraying blood as it got split to pieces. Thusas the name implied, the sphere is dyed deep crimson. Neither Flamm nor Sarah could do anything but to stand still in shock. To think that the beast that they had to bet their lives to defeat was taken down this easily. What appeared in front of them was either a glint of hope or an even worse despair. The wind gradually weakens, and what used to be the ogre fell to the ground with a splat. From within, a black crystal with something twisting inside fell. The woman walked closer to it and the blood clinging to the magic scatters while she looked at the crystal uneasily. ???: To think that one would make such creature, humans are such troublesome being. Dont you think so too, Flamm-chan? Flamm: Whwha What happened to you? Cat got your toongue? The woman jovially curled her fist in front of her voluptuous chest imitating a cat. Flamm dropped her jaws, completely speechless. Sarah on the other handshowed hostility toward the demonfolk appearing in front of her more than she did toward the ogre. ???: Oh my, the girl over thereh-how cute you are. Youre quite cute. Are you perhaps an Origin Church nun? Sarah: Whowho are you calling cute, you murderous monster! Youre so disgusting, Im getting the creeps! Having abhorred openly by someone she first met, the woman turned apathetic. ???: this pattern again, huh? How many times has it been. That Maria girl was also scowling at me so badly. Sarah: Of course we would, both me or Maria nee-san! You demons took away our homeland and killed people important to us! We definitely wont forget this hatred and rage towards you! Sarah seemed to be ready to attack at any moment. Flamm gets closer to the girl, put her hand on her shoulder and persuaded her. Flamm: Calm down, Sarah-chan. Sarah: Do you think I can calm down now!? These demons, I will definitely Flamm: Please, scan that person first, okay? Sarah fuu, fuu breathed heavily as if hissing like a cat, but it seems she still had the composure to listen to Flamms advice. She activated Scan and looked at the woman. Neigass Attribute: Blood Wind Strength: 3,596 Intelligence: 15,997 Endurance: 2,479 Agility: 3,698 Intuition: 7,854 After seeing the numbers, the girl instantly lost her strength. The mace on her small hand fell with a thud. Neigass lifts her thumb and turned toward Flamm, smiling as she said Nice follow! Flamm herself remembered that the woman alone is evenly matched with the group of heroes, so she would frankly be troubled to respond as she encountered her again. Neigass: Finally she calmed down so we can talk, huh. Its not as if Sarah had completely calmed down, but she seem to be holding the capability to converse. Neigass: Well then, shall we start from introductions? My name is Neigass. My attribute is Blood Wind that controls Wind and Darkness. Im a lot older than humans anywhere, and as you might have known, Im on of the three demonic generals, and as youve seen, Im a demon. Flamm & Sarah: The two were silent. Receiving no responses, Neigass puffed her cheeks. Neigass: What a bad responsee, I introduced myself, so Sarah-chan toooh, wow, shes really glaring at me. Well, she had a grudge on me over her parents, so I guess thats impossible. Sarah: Why do you bother introducing yourself? If you have that much power, you couldve just killed us! Neigass: Im telling youu, we demonfolks arent killing humans. Neigass said it as if its obvious. Sarahs rage that has been stifled once again set ablaze from the womans insensitive words. Sarah: Stop messing around! In truth you really killed some, didnt you!? You kidnapped some too didnt you!? Neigass: Did you witness it yourself? With that cutting remark, Sarahs might grows dull. Sarah: Ididnt. But, but I was told that by the church that saved me! Neigass: Then tell me. Can you believe the words of the church that is doing a research thiiis suspicious in this remote place? Neigass said thus while showing the black crystal that came out of the ogre. Sarah: ugh. Sarah was at loss of words. On the other hand, Flamm was suspicious of Neigass words. Flamm: Why are you suddenly mentioning the church? Neigass: My, you didnt realize, did you? Well, I havent really seen whats inside, but it looks like Sarah-chan has already noticed you know? Sarah was hanging her head and biting her lip. Bit by bit, she started talking about what she felt inside the facility. Sarah: In the first doorthere was the motif of the Origin church. I had a bad feeling when I saw a twisted ring carved on it. It was a casual decoration that normally goes unnoticed by a normal person. That much might have just been a coincidence, so Sarahs feelings was at best just a premonition. But that premonition soon changed into conviction. Sarah: After that, the moment I saw the researchers note left behindthe divine revelation, the spinning knowledge, and then wisdomthose words jotted down by the researcher, its similar to the writings in the scripture. It was at that moment I realized that this is the Origin churchs facilityI wanted to think that its not true, but Flamm: The church is doing a human experiment here? The adventurers who went to the cave and didnt come backthey werent just killed by the beast, perhaps they were also used as a test subject. Sarah: But regardless, whats a demon doing in this place!? Neigass: The power theyre researching here is a bit of an inconvenience for us you see. Recently, we spotted this location by chance, so I came here to survey the location. A power inconvenient for the demonfolksthats what the church is researching. That means it isnt something weird by any stretch. Both the empire and the church acknowledged the demonfolks as evil, and to defeat them, they conduct various researches day by day, so this is definitely linked to that. Yet stillthe spiral that controlled the ogre was nothing but a decent power, and the church is painting an awful image as they did human experiment. Neigass: That aside, what are you doing in this place, Flamm-chan? Before I knew it you disappeared from the heros party. Also that mark on your cheek, isnt it the mark of a slave? Flamm: Thats Flamm hesitated. Sarah looked in her direction, and as if thinking its strange, she said, Sarah: Flamm onee-san, as I thought youre the hero Flamm Apricot? As I thought, which means that she did had a suspicion. Flamm: That was the case, I suppose. Well, even if I was branded a hero I had no power, so I was driven out, sold as a slave and I got here. Sarah: Thats awful! Neigass: What an awful story The two raised their voices at the same time, Sarah showing a difficult expression while Neigass showed a smile. Neigass: And? Whats the reason for you to be here? Sarah: HaaWe were requested to find some medicinal herbs. Sarah sighed as if she gave up and answered. Neigass: Wasnt medicinal herbs supposed to be strictly forbidden for the church? Sarah: There are people who are troubled by diseases regardless. Medicines will be needed to save them. Neigass who heard those words put her hand on her chest and said to Flamm in a rather agitated voice; Neigass: Flamm-chan, isnt this child so kind!? Flamm: Wellshe is. Neigass was thoughtlessly being over-familiar in her excitement while Flamm was still unable to keep up with her. However, gradually, Flamm started to think that the woman might not be killing humans. She couldnt sense anything behind that smile of hers. She wasnt lying, and she was rather exposing herself. It was because of that, Sarah opened her heart even just for a bit. Neigass: Is that so, you were looking for the herbs and you were attacked by the beast, and then in your attempt to run away from it you ended up in the facility, is that it? And then by the time you were cornered by the monster, I gallantly appeared! Sarah: Flamm onee-san defeated one though. Neigass: You did? You defeated that!? Im surprised, when you were with the hero you didnt look like you can fight at all and you were just a countryside girl. How did you beat it? Flamm: Even if you ask me Her memories from back then are fuzzy. At the very least she remembered shouting and driving her sword into the pile of meat with all of her power Flamm: When I shouted with all my spirit I broke the crystal-looking thing and the movement stopped. Neigass: you broke the core? Wait, do you have the broken core with you!? Neigass who are even more surprised came closer towards Flamm. Flamm: Yeah, I brought it in my pouch just in case. She took it out and handed it over to Neigass. In turn, Neigass thoroughly investigated the broken crystal fixedly with a serious expression she showed the two for the first time. Neigass: Its functions completely stopped, whats the meaning of this? No..is that so. Dont tell me, for that reason, she Flamm: What is it? Neigass: no, its nothing. Hey, Flamm-chan, can I have this broken core? Originally she planned to bring it to the right place and have it investigated. But now that she knows that the research institute is connected to the church, if she handed it over to a place that had a connection with the empire, she will surely be silenced for knowing about the core. Its quite ironic that the one thats most believable partner is a demon. Flamm: Theres nothing I can do with it even if I have it, so take it as you wish. Neigass: Thank you, youre a real help. By the way, you havent taken the herbs yet, right? Flamm: Well think about that after we open the blocked exit. As she said that, Neigass suddenly lifted her arms and unleashed her magic toward the boulders blocking exit. Neigass: Erosion. Afterwards, black winds came out of nowhere and wrapped its targets. The rocks it touched deteriorate and crumbled. And then in no time at all, the exit opened. Neigass: If there are any other monsters out there, Ill deal with them. You two should quickly find the herbs. Flamm: Eh? But Neigass: I know that you probably cant trust me, but just think that our interests coincide this time. Sarah: onee-san, lets just get this over with. Flamm: Y, yeah, I got it. Perhaps Sarah already came to a conclusion and thus tried to rush Flamm. Thus, the two proceeded with their objective to harvest Chialries and two other types of herbs with Neigass guarding them in a weird situation. She even guarded them until their way home leaving nothing to be desired, allowing the two safely and successfully exit the cave.As they parted, Neigass waved her hand toward Sarah who waved back and asked a question. Sarah: Did the demons really not kill humans? Neigass: I wouldnt say that we didnt kill any humans at all. During the war between the humans and the demonfolks, the humans invaded the demons territory, so there were definitely some victims then. ButI swear I can confirm that we didnt do it for the sake of our own benefits or pleasure. Sarah: In whose name are you swearing to? Neigass: Hmmits quite complicated. Neigass thought while putting her index finger on her lip. Finally, the answer she gave was Neigass: I dont believe in god, soI swear in your name, Sarah-chan. She smiled as she said that. Sarah briefly digested her statement. Yet her abhorrence towards the demons that has been implanted into her for the long years cant be easily erased. Sarah: Is that so. In the end she only gave a curt answer and turned around, leaving giving no reconciliation, compromise nor rejection. That was it. No. Rather than that, it was enough of a progress for her that they can hold a conversation. Being satisfied with that, Neigass too turned her heels back into the cave, planning to further investigate the research facility. Flamm and Sarah proceeded through the dark forest just with the help of the light from their lantern. Chirr, chirr, they could hear insects that sound like bells. The noise sounds even lonelier. The two proceeded without a word briefly, but midway through the forest, Flamm suddenly said, Flamm: Somehow weve been through a lot of things and now my head is a mess. Sarah: Onee-san too, huh? I feel so too. I suddenly lost my bearings and I dont know what to believe anymore. Her worries are worrying, and her confusion only deepens. Right now, all they want to do is tell Milkit Im home and sleep like a log. The two who are one in thought, returned to Enichidae. CH 13 Enchide is draped in the same veil of dusk as it was when they first arrived. The lights of the few populated houses seem even darker than they remember, likely due to Flum and Saras exhaustion. The only sound as they walk down the abandoned streets is the scattering gravel beneath their boots. Only the promise of being able to rest soon pushes them forward. The large, somewhat dilapidated inn comes into sight as they round the corner. The thought of Milkit waiting for them brings a smile to Flums face. Theres no light in the window of Studes house next door. No matter how early to rise and early to bed country folks are supposed to be, its far too early for that yet. Theyre probably both out somewhere. But more importantly, rest comes first. Flum is just about to climb the steps into the inn when she stops. Sara comes to a halt a moment later, turning back to look at her. What is it, su? Flum expressionlessly turns to face the front entrance of Studes home. The longer she looks the paler she turns. The lights off. The front door is wide open. Through the lace curtain on the window she can barely make out the kitchen table, covered in scattered and broken dishes. She tries to put it all together. Danes cronies used magic to seal off the exit to that cavern. Since they visited that old lady at the general store just as Flums party did, they should know that nobody comes home from that cave because of the monstrosity. In other words, they should be convinced that Flum and Sara are dead. What would those two do after returning to Enchide in high spirits? Guided by the scent of blood, Flum walks towards Studes house. They call themselves adventurers, but theyre no better than a band of criminals. Dane exerts his influence as an A-Rank adventurer to have his way with not only the guild but the entire West Quarter. Even in the middle of the Capital theyre confident enough that theyd try to steal the bag of someone like Reach in broad daylight. Theyd surely have no problem doing whatever they please with the residents of a country town, away from the eyes of the paladins and the guards. She puts her hand to the door and pushes. The smell of iron grows even stronger. The tiny stubs of candles that light the corridor are all but useless. No, forget petty theft. Theyve done far worse. Fraud, assault --- even murder. A little push from Dane and its as if it never happened. When they tried to steal Reachs bag, however, things were different. Before he could do anything, those thugs were taken in by the paladins. What did they think of that? The floorboards under Flums feet groan as she enters the dining room. Amongst the destruction is a man lying slumped against the table, scarlet blood from the deep stab wound in his back staining his blue shirt red. Shes never seen the man before. He mustve been one of Studes friends, come to visit when he heard Stude was back in town. Flum clenches her fists and grits her teeth. There are traces of blood on the floor, likely from someone dragging themselves across the ground while bleeding, starting from one of the chairs and leading to the doorway Flum is standing in. There are more victims. She follows it with her eyes down the corridor, further into the house. Dane and his men mustve been indignant. Theyd always had free reign over the West Quarter, so why should they have to be punished now? That must be the reason why they trapped Flum and Sara in that cave and tried to kill them. The floorboards continue to creak underfoot as Flum approaches a bedroom. Afraid of what she might find inside, she opens the door slowly. The hinges of the door screech in protest. They wouldnt just be content with killing Flum and Sara, though. Murder doesnt hold any special significance for those criminals. Just killing them alone wouldnt be enough to lighten their spirits. They need to take more from them, take everything they can. That, of course, includes involving innocent people, people who only tried to help them. Flum has her theory now. All she has to do is look at whats in front of her to confirm it. As I thought. As I feared. There are two people, a man and a woman, on the bed. The rooms dark, but anyone would be able to tell that much. One of them is an old woman. The other is a man, draped over her as if attempting to protect her. Stude and his mother. The room is filled to the brim with the raw smell of their blood. They did nothing wrong, ordinary villagers who committed the sin of letting Flum and Sara stay at their inn. And yet they were killed by for nothing more than a petty grudge. Aa Aaaaaaaahh She feels the weight of their deaths for involving them in her business. But something altogether different boils up above it, some pitch black emotion. Aaaahhh Aaaaaaahh!! Ill never forgive them. Her emotions boil over into her howl, her indignation boiling over into madness. Her indignation isnt rooted in some beautiful sense of justice but in something horribly egotistical, an addiction too twisted to be called affection not directed at the bodies on the bed but at whats about to happen, maybe whats currently happening, maybe what already happened, an unsupressable rage in the face of an unspeakable tragedy. Leaving her body to those dark emotions, she forgets her exhaustion and sprints out of Studes house. O-Oneesan!? Leaving Sara to her confusion, she dashes into the inn. Those bastards, those bastards, those bastards! The two men surely arent satisfied with just those two sins. Her feet pound the floorboards hard enough to break them as she storms through the inn. Faster! Faster! Faster!! If I can get there a second, a moment, and instant sooner---! The men can probably hear her coming. Like I care! If youre going to run then run, if youre going to resist then resist, but it doesnt matter to me. Even if you beg me to spare you, even if you maim yourselves in apology, even if you rip the flesh off your own faces and beg the gods for forgiveness --- Ill NEVER forgive you!! A little while before Flums arrival at the inn Milkit sits on the edge of the bed, patiently waiting for Flum and Sara to come back. She doesnt have anything to occupy her time and its too dark outside to take a walk so she sits in the dark, letting the colourless time flow by her. She doesnt find it boring, of course; until recently she was often left with such empty time. She fidgets as the watched the minute hand on the clock slowly advance. Theyd only taken lunch with them. They were supposed to be back by now. The skys grown dark and they still havent come back, causing unease to stir in her chest. ...Youre okay, arent you, Master, Sara-san? Saying it aloud makes her heart tremble and tingle. I shouldnt have said that. Its too late, however. The seed of unease buried in her chest sprouts and grows on the dusky light shining in through the window. Her chest feels tight, and she puts a hand to her heart. The rhythmic throbbing of her heart is noisier than it usually is. Master, Sara-san Just as Milkit worries about the two of them, she can hear footsteps from outside the room. Two sets of footsteps. Milkit stands up and half-runs to the door, opening it so as to not force her master to after a long days work. Mas Eh? Two men shes never seen before are standing there. Before she can do anything a large hand reaches forward and grabs her bandaged face. Ngh!? Nn! Nghngh!! The owner of the hand, a man with countless piercings on his lips and ears, grins at her sadistically. Hey, youre not seriously gonna do it, are you? asks the man behind him. The second man has heavy blue tattoos covering the right half of his face. The pierced man grins at the tattooed mans question. Shes ugly for a bitch, but Id rather screw her corpse than that hags hole or that hairy smarms ass. If youre gonna complain bout it then dont do it, man. Lets just kill her an go. Ahh, but wheres the fun in that? He nears his face to Millkits as she tries to scream and break free. His eyes are bloodshot and his breathing is ragged. Ive got one helluva boner after my first kill in a while. I cant just go loosin myself on any old living bitch! Ahyahya!! He raises his voice raggedly, as if hes high on something. Fear and disgust rise in Milkits chest, but shes too weak to resist as he pushes her back into the room. Her knees hit the edge of the bed and she collapses onto it. She flails at him, but shes not even strong enough to make him flinch, or maybe shes just in shock as he seats himself on top of her. If she resists, who knows what hell do to her. Oh, youre a calm one. Dont tell me youre used to this kinda thing? he asks as he strips his shirt off. ... Why so quiet? Huhn? Answer me. Hey, hey, hey!! I said A-N-S-W-E-R M-E! You stupid or something!?! The pierced man grabs her by the hair and starts slamming her head against the bed. She cant possibly answer like that, but he seems to grow angrier every passing moment she doesnt respond. ---Or so she thought. Suddenly he grins and lets go of her hair. He runs his hand through her hair, letting the silver strands slip between his rough fingers. Im sowwy. When Oniichan gets excited he cant help but get a widdle rough with girls. Most of them just cant take it. But you know what? Oniichan wuvs watching widdle girls suffer more that anything else in the whole wide world! Uu u Ugh, and now youre crying. Seriously, hurry up an answer already. You a virgin or what? Milkit silently nods. He looms over her, looking down at her with a cold expression. If you dont say it I cant hear you. ...I am. Nah, I gotta hear ya loud an clear. What are ya!? ...A v-virgin. Youre still too damn quiiiieeeeet!! Im a virgin! She manages to force the words out and he bursts out laughing. AHYAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! HAHAHAHAHAHA!! I LOVE makin bitches say that!! What am I, twelve!? Hyahahahaha, ahahahahah! Haha, ha haah. He quickly quiets down again. Hes tired of this game already. He reaches for the shortsword at his belt and touches the tip of it against Milkits chest for a moment before tearing open the front of her maid outfit. Seeing her bra exposed, he asks her a question. How''d you like to die? How? After Im done with ya the first time, I mean. I like to have a second go at bitches like you after theyre good an dead. Ah, that means anything that wrecks those bits down there is no good, course. The typical options are havin a knife jammed in your mouth, maybe in your neck. Maybe youd prefer it nice an quick through the heart? Or maybe I should just jam it in your gut an mix you up a little? How nice of him to give her an option. Milkit cant choose so easily, of course, but if she makes him angry again hell probably grab her hair again. Shes got to answer, as quickly as she can. Whats with that face? Ee...!? The time limits far shorter than shed thought. The pierced mans face twists, his face growing redder. No normal persons mood would shift so violently. Hes definitely very high on something, probably one of the illegal drugs being passed around in the back alleys of the Capital. Hes immune to common sense now. He slowly wraps his hands around Milkits neck. Kh khyu If youre gonna be so bitchy about it then howd ya like some strangulation play, huh!? Virgins these daysre animals! Oniichans worried about horny widdle sluts like you, yknow!? HA-HYAHAHAHA!! Aa Ghuh As she starts to black out, the only thing on her mind is her still-missing master. Flum immediately notices that the doors open, and as soon as she sticks her head in she cries out. Milkit!! Three pairs of eyes turn to face her as one. Two pairs belong to the man with heavy piercings and the heavily tattooed man, but the last one belongs to Milkit, pinned to the bed, a pair of large hands wrapped around her slender neck. Her clothes are torn, exposing her chest so pale it seems transparent. They all stare at each other for a long moment. All of them are stopped as if the entire room was only a painting. Its clear whats happening. Masteeer...! Milkit calls out to Flum in a thin, plaintive voice. Flum looks down at the ground, digging her nails deep into her palms and clenching her teeth hard enough to shatter them. ---Now youve REALLY done it. Theyve proven themselves less than insects, subjugating and tormenting a girl who has no way of resisting. If they really wanted to die so badly, they shouldve just asked Flum nicely. Ill end you. Her voice is so frigid she even startles herself for a moment. Stepping forward one, two long strides. The first one to react is the tattooed man. He gets as far as putting his hand on the hilt of his knife. You werent supposed to co--- The tattooed man is shocked at the sheer speed of her movements, but he never finishes his sentence. She lowers her waist and draws the Zweihander from its extradimensional sheath, using the unsheathing momentum to drive the razor edge soundlessly through his torso, splitting him clean in half. She swings the blade at empty air to clean it of the mans blood. A few fat droplets hit the pierced man in the face. The tattooed mans top half slips off and tumbles to the ground, hitting it headfirst. He opens and closes his mouth like a fish gasping to breathe and voices words that have no sound. It only takes a moment for his brain to realize its out of blood. He stops moving. A moment later, his lower half follows him to the floor and a wealth of murky fluids and ripe organs spill out. Ha The pierced man is suddenly alone. He wipes at the fluid on his face, looks at the crimson at his fingertip and swears loudly. Shit!! I havent even screwed anyone yet, dammit!! He scrambles towards the window, flings it open, and practically falls out of it. Tripping over his own feet, the pierced man fades into the darkness. Milkit, wait here for just a moment. Flum leaves Milkit with those words as she jumps out the window after him. ...Ah. It was her masters kind voice. In her masters eyes, however, burned a dark desire to kill. As soon as Flum leaves the inn, she scans the area for any sign of the pierced man. ...Found you. He hasnt vanished into the darkness completely, and hes still close enough that she can see him with the naked eye. She shifts the blade to a one-handed grip as she runs after her mark. The mans a D-Rank, at best a C-Rank adventurer. Theres no way he can escape her. He turns around at the sound of her pursuit, the metal rings on his lips and ears clanging together loudly. As he watches Flum starts to catch up and he twists his face in terror. Youve gotta be shittin me! All this for that crappy little virgin bitch!? Dammit, he told me I could just come out here, rape an kill whoever I wanted, and even get paid at the end! Ive got a mountain of bitches waitin for me and my money!! He doesnt spare even a thought for his dead comrade. Scum like him truly deserve death. If only Id killed that granny an the ape properly back then Id be long gone by now, dammit!! I hope thats not what you want written on your tombstone. Flums face suddenly appears out of the gloom. Nuh!? Before he realizes shes caught up to him and matched his pace. She makes sure he gets a good look at the black sword in her hand, still faintly glistening with the tattooed mans viscera. The pierced man, realizing that he cant escape, stops in his tracks. In a practiced motion, he drops to the ground and plants his forehead into the dirt. Ha Haha, hyahahahaha, no no, hold on. Dont get so worked up, its not like I actually screwed em. Its a misunderstanding, a M-I-S-T-A-K-E. Those clothes I wrecked tell ya what, Ill compensate you for em. Were even now, am I right? Anything that ugly bitch was wearin couldnt be that expensive anyways, right!? Bowing and scraping must be the secret to his success. She looks down at him with heartless eyes. I havent done a single damn thing worth killin me over! It was that asshole with the tattoos that offed the hag an the smarm! He thinks thats supposed to make some sort of difference to me. Wordlessly, she raises the Zweihander over her head. All she has to do is swing downwards and itll all end. The black blade fades into the darkness, making it impossible for the man to tell when itll come falling on him. Fear tightens its grip on his chest. Oneesan, hold on a minute, su! Just as Flums about to swing Saras voice comes from behind her. Murder is a sin. Even if it wasnt a sin to the Church of Origin, its one of the gravest crimes a human being can commit. Sara, believing wholeheartedly in human goodness, cant just watch Flum kill him. Stude-san and his mom are still alive, su! I cured em with my healin magic so theyre both just fine, su! Flum turns around to face her. Sara-chan its too late for that. The other ones already dead. Well maybe so, but that guy cant repent if hes dead, su! Theres gotta be some better way to punish him, su! Her words make perfect logical sense. Murder shouldnt be punished with more murder. Some murderers, while few, reflect on their crimes and live normal, fulfilling lives after receiving just punishment. There are many of people who never repent, however, who never change they ways. Heh Hehe Hya, hyahahahahahahahahaha! The pierced man springs to his feet and pins Flums arms behind her back, sticking a dagger to her neck. His fear has dissolved completely from his face, replaced by a twisted grin. Youre too damn careless! Thanks a bunch for the help, ya brat! I never thought a priestessd come help me murder this bitch, su! Thank you, su! Youre a really big help, su! Seriously, who speaks like that!? Hyahahahahaha! I thought I was dead but hey, therere nice people left in the world after all! Convinced that hes won, the pierced man starts spouting arrogant abuse. Sara stares at him at a loss for words. Flum gives her a small smile. You see, Sara-chan? Hey hey, suddenly you think you can get off chattin right in front of me!? Didja forget that if I push on this here dagger even a liiiittle bit therell be blood everywhere!? Take a moment to think on that! Think good and hard, wet yourself, cry, an get me all excited all over again!! None of the mans words have any effect on Flum. She remembers back to Jean, and after him that slave merchant. Some people just delight in destroying the lives and dignity of others and feel no guilt whatsoever. If only Sara could share some of her goodness with assholes like them. I told you before, Sara-chan. In this world, some people--- Oh, youre not even gonna apologize? I guess Ill just kill you then. Ahh, but I really wish I could at least hear some good ol grovelling--- The pierced man pushes a little harder on the dagger, breaking Flums skin and letting a thin line of blood streak down her neck. Flums expression doesnt change. ---some pieces of trash never repent, never learn, and are better off dead. As soon as she finishes gently lecturing Sara, she forces the dagger in the mans hands deep into her own neck. It easily carves through her skin and buries itself deep in her throat. The sound of flowing water accompanies the wave of blood that gushes from her neck. The man, shocked, lets go of the blade. She lets herself fall forward, but catches her fall, pulls the dagger out of her flesh, and casts it to the ground. T-The hell Howre you not dead!? Blood still oozing out and staining her collar crimson, she turns and swings. Wha, sto---! He reflexively tries to cover his face with his arms and loses both his hands. Blood gushes out. Judging from the sheer volume of his bleeding hell die if he doesnt get immediate healing, but its still not enough to sate Flums bloodlust. Aa, aaagh! P-Please, dont kill me! Whatre you saying? Youre the murderer here. N-No, its all a mistake. I-I dont wanna--- She cleaves the mans unsightly expression in half. The top half of his head is sent flying through the air, eventually landing in the middle of the gravel road. Thanks for grovelling, at least. The brainless sack of flesh in front of her spasms then collapses, wetting itself as it falls. Blood and human waste spread freely across the road. Flum heads back to the inn where Milkit awaits, putting a hand on Saras head as she passes. Sorry, Sara-chan. The way I see it, this is the only way. She wasnt always like this. After being betrayed and taking in more than her fair share of the worlds evils, this is her conclusion. This is who shes been forced to become. Oneesan Saras voice is weak. Even though Flums right beside her she feels as though theyre worlds apart. Unable to follow her back to the inn, she watches Flums back grow ever further away as she stands there motionless under the infinitely vast night sky. When she returns the room, the strong smell of death hits her nose. Milkit is still huddled on the bed, trying to wrap the torn shreds of her clothes around her chest. Its enough to break her heart. She draws close to Milkit and puts her hand on her cheek. Milkit feels Flums warmth through her bandages but returns a dark expression. I ruined the nice clothes that you bought for me. The first words out of Milkits mouth are those. Im so sorry, Master. She even apologizes, despite doing nothing wrong. Flum wouldve preferred to get yelled at for not coming to save her sooner. Even if she knows Milkit would never actually do such a thing, the apology hurts nonetheless. Flum faces the ground, Her lips start trembling and something hot rises in her chest as tears gather in her eyes. I dont care about your clothes, dont apologize But Master, this dress is the first thing you ever gave me. Its very precious. Even if it is! I thought I told you to treat your body with more respect! Why!? Whys that the first thing you have to say!? Youre wrong, the important thing isnt youre clothes its something else entirely! Flum snuggles up to Milkit, burying her face in her chest as she strongly embraces her. Shes warm. Bloods flowing through her veins, her heart is beating --- shes alive. When she thinks about how Milkit wouldve not only been defiled but killed, too, Flum feels like vomiting. Master, are you crying? Milkit looks down at her masters trembling shoulders. ...Yeah, Im crying. Im still so powerless, so pitiful, so unable to change what needs changing most so Im crying. Her voice is trembling. Milkit feels overcome with the urge to do something for her, but shes at a loss as to what she should do. Without thinking she moves to return Flums embrace but stops, staring down at her hands without knowing what came over her. When she was being attacked by the pierced man, she could feel some strange emotion sprout within her. Your body is worthless. All of her masters up until now have told her that, again and again until she accepted it as truth. But now its different. Her current master --- Flum told her to take better care of her body. Even now, Milkits convinced that her body is worthless, but if she does anything to harm herself Flum will be sad. Even if she doesnt care personally, the thought of Flum becoming sad makes her heart hurt and the area around her eyes feel weird. Milkit Flum looks up with red eyes, meeting Milkits again. Ahh Look, even though you say you dont care you were been really scared, werent you? Scared? Your eyes are all moist. It looks like youre ready to cry am I wrong? Milkits clear, crystalline eyes are faintly trembling. Even if shes not scared, theres clearly some emotion at work, or else she wouldnt be like this. She puts a hand to her eyes to confirm theyre wet before saying her feelings as the come to her. Itd too shameless for a mere slave like myself to wish to be saved by her master. I dont know for certain if I was scared or not, but When I was being assaulted, I imagined what it would be like if you were to swoop in and save me. She wasnt expecting anything to come of it. It was a dream within a dream. Im so sorry for being imagining such a thing despite being fully aware of how shameless it is I would appear that Ive let myself be spoiled by you. I dont care if its shameless! Imagine whatever you want, ask me for anything you can think of, Ill do my best to make you happy! But thats--- Thats how I want it! I dont want us to be master and slave, I want us to be you and me! Ahh, but I couldnt make it in time I couldnt protect you completely Thats not true. You saved me, Master. Rather, Im the one at fault here for failing to protect this dress ...Nn, that again I dont wanna hear it! Refusing to listen to Milkit pointlessly blame herself again, she pushes her down onto the bed, rubbing her cheeks with her own, whispering into her ears. As soon as we get back were going clothes shopping, okay? Anything you want, no matter how much it costs. But I cant let you just waste more money on me like that Then well mend what youre wearing now first. Ill buy you so many clothes youll never be able to wear them all, but Ill make you wear them all anyway! Then maybe youll finally understand that I dont care about any stupid clothes, I care about you! ...I dont understand. Thats okay for now. Until you can finally tell me you understand Ill spoil you to death! Ill make you so happy you wont know what to do with yourself!! Flum buries her face in the bed and starts bawling. Not even she knows why shes so sad. The inside of her heads an absolute mess. Even Milkit is able to figure out that Flums tears are meant for her, but in the end she doesnt know what she should do about it herself. Nobodys ever cried for her before. Nobodys ever wanted to make her happy before. Flums given her nothing but firsts. Milkit still doesnt know how she should answer her. All she can do is what she feels is right and move forward by her own will --- Hesitantly, haltingly, she wraps her arms around Flums back. She doesnt know herself what that movement, what that impulse means, but--- Her chest feels warm. That alone she can be sure of. CH 14 Flum heads a nearby house with a light in its window and asks for help from the woman who comes to the door. She tells the woman matter-of-factly that a man, likely a friend of Studes, was murdered and that shes already killed the criminals responsible. The woman seems deeply confused, but she calls the town militia nonetheless. The group of burly men seem to doubt Flums word as an outsider, but they follow her to the house and get a chance to ask Stude and his mother, and hearing the tale straight from the victims mouths they have little choice but to believe it. They carry out the body of the man who was collapsed on the kitchen table a short while later. James Theres a strong sadness in Studes voice as he watches the man be carried out on the makeshift stretcher. Flum balls her fists as she watches him from a short distance away. Her chest feels tight, but as one of the people responsible for the tragedy she cant just pretend its none of her business. Was he a friend of yours? she asks, walking up to Stude. Yeah, hes been mah friend since we were liluns. Ah invited him ta come an eat with us since Ahve been gone fer so long, but Ah never thought Studes voice trembles. He grits his teeth, desperate to hold back his tears, but a fat droplet runs down his cheek nonetheless. He quickly rubs it away with the back of his thick arm. Ahm sorry, Flum-chan. Ah didnt want ya ta see me like this. No Actually, its my fault they even came out here Nah, yer wrong there. If ya didnt come an save us, me an ma Mad be dead by now. If anythin Ah should be thankin ya! But Thank ya kindly fer savin us, fer avengin James, fer everythin! He gives Flum a hard thump on the back before heading over to his mother as she talks to the militia. She cant just accept his words, however. She hangs her head and watches the dried gravel road with emotionless eyes. After that, the mutilated corpses of the tattooed man and the pierced man are gathered into burlap sacks and abandoned in the nearby woods. The townsfolk have no way of punishing the dead, but at least by denying them any proper burial they can feel a little better about it. Soon wild animals will find the bodies and theyll return to the earth. The next day Sara is clearly depressed, but nonetheless they have her perform James funerary rights. They dont have any local priests or priestesses, so they have little choice. Throughout the entire ceremony she maintains her professional composure. Even if shes still only a child she has a strong sense of responsibility, and she throws herself fully into fulfilling her duty. To be honest, Flum doesnt know if she should even be there. All around her people are crying and mourning James death, but the only thing she feels is relief that the funeral isnt Milkits. I dont have any right to be here. I really am cold-hearted, arent I? She whispers to herself in the middle of the funeral, so quietly nobody else can hear her. Self-loathing wells up in her chest. Even if she didnt know him, she should feel something as the person responsible. If she doesnt its as though shes betraying all the kindness Stude showed them when everyone else turned them away. Flum grits her teeth. Milkit, standing next to her, notices and grabs the hem of her shirt, trying her best in her own way to cheer her up. Flums expression softens as she feels for Milkits hands. Thank you, she whispers. She gently squeezes Milkits fingers before letting go. They obviously cant just start holding hands in the middle of a funeral, but that fleeting contact is enough for Flum to ascertain Milkits warmth. They both softly smile at the feeling of the others body heat. A few hours have passed since boarding the carriage back to the Capital. Nobody has said even a single word the entire time. Sara especially seems to be lost in her own thoughts and in no state to talk to anyone. Watching her concentrate, Flum cant bring herself to lighten the mood. Milkit seems unfazed by it all but is quieter than usual, perhaps to match her masters silence. The carriage leaves an area of dried flatlands and moves into a region filled with rolling grassy knolls. A pleasant breeze reaches them where they sit. Sara tucks a loose lock of golden hair back behind her ear. ...Ive been thinkin a lot recently, Oneesan, su. She doesnt shift her gaze from the rolling sea of green in front of her. Theres still a lot I just dont understand, su. I still dont know what to trust an what to doubt, su. Im not that clever, so if I believe in somethin I wanna believe it all and if I doubt somethin I start to doubt it all, su. Saras still only ten years old. Shes still far too young to be able to cleanly divide the good from the bad and the true from the false on a case-by-case basis. Theres nothing wrong with that. Im really not in any position to talk down to her about whats right and wrong, though. Its my fault If it werent for me, you never wouldve got hurt like that, and It was nothing or so Id like to say. At any rate, its my fault I got my throat slit, not yours. And look, Im still alive, so you really dont have to worry about it. Flum laughs, trying to further soften Saras impression of what happened. Truth be told it really hurt, and even now just thinking about it causes the area around the wound feel funny, but theres no point telling Sara that. More importantly, I think you should wonder and worry about this kind of thing as long as you can while youre still young. Sara bursts out laughing at Flums words. Whatre you sayin, su? Youre only six years older than me, su. Those six years are big ones, though. Just hush and listen to your Oneesan. Muu, it sounds weird when you say it, su. She frowns at Flum discontentedly, but she seems a lot more at ease than she did before when she was still fretting about getting Flum hurt. Theres no end to her worries, but theres no need to be depressed about it. She still has a long ways to go before shes all grown up, and until then she has no choice but to live with her troubles and figure out to deal with them on her own. Shes still young, which means she should learn how to fail while she still can. Sara seems to regain her former energy and the mood pervading the carriage improves all at once. Now that theyre closer than ever before their conversation is even freer and more frivolous. When they get hungry, the three of them enjoy the lunches that Milkit made for them before leaving Enchide, and afterwards Sara and Milkit fall asleep, each resting their head on one of Flums thighs. She smiles as she watches over them. To be honest the two girls are surprisingly heavy, but its nothing she cant handle. Even the bumping and shaking of the carriage feels relaxing to her now. Eventually, the heat pressed against her body causes a warm drowsiness to envelop Flum. She bobs her head back and forth in an effort to fight off sleep, but the temptation grows to be too great. The only sounds left on that country road are the rhythmic clopping of horses hooves, the revolving of the carriages large spoked wheels, and the faint sound of gentle snoring. They arrive at the Capitals East Quarter without incident, hopping off the carriage not far from Reachs estate. Flum had thought that theyd all go report their success to Reach together, but Sara bids farewell to them there. If I go along Reach-sanll probably try to reward me, so Id better not, su. Given her position she cant possibly accept a reward, so rather than have to turn it down again its better if she just doesnt go. Im with the Central Quarter church, so if you even need anythin you can find me there, su. Dont forget you promised to treat me to lunch, su. Ill be waitin for you, su! She energetically waves at them as she runs down the street and back to the church. Flum and Milkit wave at her for as long as they can see her. As soon as shes out of sight, though, Flum tilts her head to the side in confusion. Is something the matter, Master? No, I was just a little confused about what she said there. I thought for sure that she was with the West Quarter church, since thats where we met her. Come to think of it, though, its hard to believe that the Church would let such a genius live at the little church in the West Quarter what with how dangerous it is there and how relatively shallow the believers faith is there. Theyd no doubt want to cultivate her talent someplace a lot more respectable. I guess it isnt really that important, though. We should get the Chiaraly to Reach-san as soon as we can. Yes, lets. Everyone, even Reach has business in the West Quarter from time to time, so its probably only natural that Sara was there. Without putting any more thought into it, Flum leads the way through the East Quarters residential area until finally they arrive in front of an exceptionally large mansion. A noble they happen to pass takes one look at Flums slave mark and Milkits bandages and wrenches her face in disgust as she starts whispering something fervently to her retainer. Its very unusual for the likes of slaves to be there, especially without their master anywhere in sight. Flum pays it no mind, however. Its the same no matter where they go. One of the guards by Reachs front gate addresses Flum. Is there anything I can help you with? Unlike the noblewoman, he addresses them politely and with a perfectly neutral expression. My name is Flum, and we received a personal request from Reach-san. May we see him? Ahh, so youre Flum. Reach-sama told me to expect your arrival. Please, go on in. He unlocks the front gate and ushers them inside. The front courtyard is surprisingly large and filled with so many beautifully blooming flowers that they almost forget what they came there for. Nonetheless, they move straight ahead along the path to the front door. A small spherical crystal is embedded in the wall beside the double doors, and putting her hand to it Flum channels a small amount of magic through it. They can faintly hear a bell ring from inside. Milkit watches Flums actions with acute curiosity. How do you suppose that switch works, Master? I think I remember hearing that theres a certain ore thats attracted to magic, so they base the bell mechanism around that. I see. Youre very knowledgeable. Nah, its just what I learned in school. It isnt that impressive, really. No, you really are impressive, Master. It looks like Milkits trust of Flum is only growing with every passing day. Unsure of what to do with that compliment, Flum lightly scratches her reddened cheeks. It really is only common knowledge, but it probably sounded pretty impressive to Milkit, whos never received a proper education. More importantly, though, Flum cant imagine Milkit asking a question like that back when they first met. Slowly, shes regaining her humanity. Flum smiles as she watches her study the crystal with great interest. A moment later, a butler whose hair is only starting to turn grey with age opens the door, bowing deeply and apologizing for making them wait. He turns and leads them inside. Even though this is her second time seeing it, Flum cant help but be impressed by the size and opulence of the mansion. The entrance hall alone is incredibly vast, and she lets out a gasp of astonishment as she walks under the exquisite crystal chandelier hangs from the ceiling above them. The elaborately patterned plush carpet that covers the floor is so clean and comfortable that she feels bad just walking on it. The walls are covered with paintings so beautiful that even she can tell that theyre masterpieces, and the vases that decorate the corners are probably as expensive as entire houses in the Central Quarter. Once again, Flum is reminded that Reach may as well be from another world entirely. The butler leads them up a staircase with a banister so polished that they can see their faces in it, and they climb without touching it out of fear of getting their fingerprints all over it. The newel posts are decorated with finely detailed wooden statues and Milkit practically turns around as she walks, completely absorbed by them. Finally they arrive at the parlor shortly after reaching the second storey. Flum sits in one of the chairs and is again amazed by just how comfortable it is. Milkit takes up her position behind her, but Flum grabs her and practically forces her to sit in the chair beside her. Chairs are made for sitting in, yknow, Flum says with a smile in response to Milkits guilty expression. The butler tends to them while they wait for Reach, serving them an exceptionally good-smelling herbal tea and tasty little fruit tarts that they cant seem to stop eating. They find themselves wishing that Reach will take a few hours to get there, but he arrives only ten minutes later. His forehead glistens with sweat, giving off the clear impression that hes in the middle of some important business. I didnt expect him to drop everything just to see us I guess that just goes to show how worried he is about his wife. Im dreadfully sorry for making you wait, Flum-san, Milkit-san. Wait, wheres? Sara-chan said she had some urgent business to take care of back at the Church. I see. That really is a pity. Ill have to go thank her for helping sometime soon. He wipes his forehead with a handkerchief before taking a seat opposite Flum and Milkit. He then eagerly voices whats on his mind. You brought back the Chiaraly, didnt you? Flum reaches into the bag on the floor beside her and hands a small pouch inside it to Reach. He opens it, looks inside, and breaks into a smile. Ahh, this must be! Tears start to gather in the corners of his eyes. Emotionally moved to the point where he cant even speak, he simply stares into the bag of Chiaraly. Finally he turns to Flum, bowing so deeply his forehead grazes the table between them. Thank you so much for everything youve done! With this With this I can finally cure my wife! I honestly cant thank you enough for what youve done for me! Flum is at a loss. Hes a lot more grateful than shed expected. Please stop that, Reach-san. I only did what you hired me to. Even so, to think you actually found the plant Ive been looking everywhere for It was truly a miracle that brought the two of us together! Maybe for you, but it feels like Ive just gone through hell and back though its not like I can just tell you everything. Now, about your reward. Any one thing you desire, if its within my power to give, is yours. Anything you want. Hmm nothing really comes to mind Milkit, is there anything you want? I certainly have no ideas. There you go, then. Cant you just give us money like a normal requestor? Thats fine by me. How much do you want? Judging by his expression he intends to literally hand them a blank check. The thought is deeply unsettling to Flum. Since its come to this, maybe I should just be completely honest with him Come to think of it, we could really use a place to use as a base of operations. Do you know a good apartment in the West Quarter where we can stay? The West Quarter, you say. He gives them a puzzled look. If they wanted, he could easily get them a room in the Central no, even the East Quarter isnt out of the realm of possibility. But Flum has no intention of running. Shes going to make Dane pay for everything hes done, no matter what. Seeing the firm resolve in her eyes, Reach seems to suddenly remember something. If thats the case, I have the perfect place in mind. ...Is this really the place? ...This is really the place, Master. Flum and Milkit stand in front of the place described in the documents they received from Reach. I was pretty sure I said we wanted just an apartment Thats certainly what you said. Dont tell me this is all? From what I can tell, yes, this is all ours. Theyre utterly confused. Just as they asked, theyre in the easternmost part of the West Quarter on the border with the Central Quarter, which is comparatively a good, safe place to live. What they didnt expect was --- T-This is a whole house! --- a two-storey wooden house. Looking closely at the papers, theres also a deed to the land it sits on included. Its an old place that Id bought some time ago to turn for a profit, but I didnt manage to sell it. Please help yourselves to it, Reach had told them. Not only that, but he also gave them a large bag of gold coins, insisting that the property alone wasnt enough, and he even entrusted them with a heavily enchanted ring for Sara the next time they met. Flum honestly felt like turning it down, but she wasnt able to bring herself to. It just went to show how truly grateful he is for their aid. I dont think theres any problem with this, Master. You suffered through all that but didnt give up, so think of this as an equivalent reward. Well, yeah, it was hard, but not this hard... I truly think you deserve it. ...If you say so. The one who decides the reward isnt the adventurer but the requestor. If Reach is content with giving them this much, then its Flums duty as an adventurer to accept it with grace. Well then, wanna take a look inside? Yes, very much so! They unlock the front door and walk in. Theyd heard that it hadnt been used in some time so they were prepared for everything to be covered in dust and cobwebs, but Huh, its pretty clean in here. Its almost as if someone lives here. Looking around, they find tables, chairs, shelves, and enough other furniture that they should be able to start living there right away. Theres a full kitchen, a living room, a parlor, a restroom and a nice bath --- Flum realizes with growing excitement that its a far nicer house than her parents house in her home village. At that moment, she hears a clinking sound coming from the supposedly abandoned second floor. Perhaps its a small animal of some kind? Milkit wonders aloud. The sounds too loud for it to be a rat or anything like that. Even though the front door was locked, its entirely possible that someone broke in through one of the windows. It might be a burglar, or worse, one of Danes cronies Flum grips Milkits trembling hand and slowly starts leading her up the staircase. The second floor is also in excellent state. It at the very least hasnt been just abandoned as Reach said. There is someone living here Theres no doubt in her mind now. You mean they just broke in and set themselves up here? This is the West Quarter, after all. I wouldnt be surprised. They speak in hushed voices. The clinking sounds are coming from beyond the closed door right in front of them. Hands sweaty, Flum reaches for the doorknob, trembling slightly from the anxiety. She grips it, feeling the chilly metal through her fingertips. Swallowing hard, she twists her wrists and opens the door as silently as she can. ...This is no good. This is uwah, it reeks. Did it fail? No, it tastes awful but it works. On the other side of the door is a little girl, sitting at a desk mumbling to herself. In front of her is a mortar, pestle, a variety of test tubes and glass pitchers, and all manner of herbs and powders. Shes wearing a strange white bodysuit with a wide-brimmed witchs hat, and floating around the room is a weird spherical thing. She looks a lot like someone Flum knew very well, and theres probably only one person in the whole Capital who would dress like that. W what? Youre Nn? Is someone there? In a very casual voice, the girl turns around. Seeing her face theres no doubt about it. E-Eterna-san!? Sitting there is one of the Heros companions, a chosen one from Origins prophecy, the person who taught Flum all she knows about medicine --- Eterna Rinebow, The Eternal Witch. Flum has so many questions about why shes here, whats going on with the Heros party, and a million others that shes struck speechless. Eterna looks at her, and--- Ah. Flum, she says in a laid-back tone, as if her being there is the most natural thing in the world. CH 15 Flum is frozen in place, her mouth hanging wide open. Milkit nervously looks at the mysterious trespasser, then looks at her master, then back to the trespasser. Eterna stands up, walks up to Flum, puts a hand on Flums face and guides her there down to her level. What is this? Shes looking right at Flums slave mark. Shes pretty sure Flum didnt have it before. Its strange that youre here when youre supposed to be back home, but this is even stranger. What is this? She sounds distinctly irritated as she glares at the mark. Even though Flum knows that her icy stare isnt aimed at her, her stomach tightens. She was planning on asking Eterna what shes doing there, but the words die on her lips. Who did this to you? What happened? I thought you err, everyone except you knew about this? What? About, yknow, Jean selling me for being so useless about my becoming a slave. Eterna is silent for a long moment, then slumps her shoulders, letting out a vexed sigh. That pointlessly prideful, shrimpy, pathetic little cherry boy sage! Rare abuse flows from her lips. Aside from the virginity thing, Flum has a pretty good idea of who shes talking about. Didnt he tell you? Of course not. If we knew we all wouldve stopped him! At Eternas words Flum feels a huge weight lift from her shoulders, as if a dark fog in her heart has finally dispersed. She feels so at ease now. Gadio was disappointed to hear that you left, and Cyrill was so depressed she couldnt even fight properly. Even Gadio-san and Cyrill-chan Gadio is one thing, since he looked after her a lot, but she was certain that Cyrill hated her. It doesnt change the fact that she was and probably still is useless to them, but --- she has a place there after all. Shes not really moved to hear that, but a tear nonetheless falls down her face so naturally that she doesnt even realize it at first. Touching her hand to her face and feeling it, she laughs. Eterna continues. I shouldve doubted Jean when he said you went home. It mustve been hard, being a slave. Her typically carefree expression clouds over into an apologetic one. In response, Flum grabs Milkits hand and pulls her into the room to her side. It was thanks to that I got to meet Milkit, so its not like its all bad. Milkit lets out a deep inwards sigh of relief. She was certain that they were only together because neither of them had anywhere else to go. For a moment she was afraid that Flum would abandon her now that she can to return to the Heros party, but instead she was just made to realize all over again just what kind of person her master is. She really wont ever abandon me. Milkit can feel that little seed of confidence take root in her heart. That girls face mustaad poison? You can tell even through the bandages? Its very distinct. Who would be cruel enough to use that on her? Ah, thats right! Id like you to do me a little favor. Whatever you need. Alright, just lemme grab a few things! Ill be right back! Flum rushes back down to the first floor where shed left her bag, leaving Milkit alone with Eterna. Flums nice. Milkit jumps slightly at Eternas sudden voice. ...Eh? Ah, yes, I couldnt wish for a better master. Nn. I wish I could go punch Jean right now for selling a good little girl like her into slavery, but I dont know where he is. I cant just charge into his room in the Castle right now, either. Milkit feels oddly happy at the irritation in Eternas voice. Even the Hero and her companions understand how amazing Master is... She has the strange power to attract people to her. Jean was probably jealous of her. Hes too much of a genius for charisma. Is he the person who made Master a slave? Nn. Hes weak, a virgin and a real pain in the butt. Ahaha She must really hate Jean to still be insulting him like this. But if you stick with Flum, you cant go wrong. Thats exactly what I was planning on doing --- until she abandons me, that is. Then I hope youre ready to follow her for life. Im not so sure about that. Nn. No mistake, shes--- Eterna is interrupted by the sound of Flum running up the stairs. She makes no move to finish her sentence as Flum reenters the room. Here! Flum holds two bundles of herbs out to Eterna. The reagents for the mustaad poison antidote? Master, when did you!? I picked them when I was looking for the Chiaraly. Theyre not all that rare, so I looked for them in that cave while I was at it. The only real problem was finding an apothecary to make the antidote itself. Reach apparently managed to find someone who was willing to help him through some underground connections, but she couldnt bring herself to ask him to do the same for her. Fortunately, a skilled apothecary just happened to fall into her lap. Ill start mixing it. Give me three hours. Is that really all you need? Nn. Its me were talking about. She responds firmly, giving Flum no choice but to nod and accept her words. Shes about to leave the room so that Eterna can concentrate when she suddenly remembers an important question she has. By the way, Eterna-san, whatre you doing here? Hows the journey going? It was boring after you left, so I left too. Eh You just walked out!? You left, so theres no reason I couldnt. Then I found this place and it turned out to be pretty nice, so I borrowed it. Flum responds with a somewhat strained laugh. Even Eterna should know better than to just take over a random house. Youre aware thats technically trespassing, right? Im working for my rent right now. So you knew, after all Nn. Its a nice place. If you really want I can leave. No, dont worry about it. I own this place now, so you can use this room however you want. I owe you one. Youre welcome. By the way, I have a question. If youre curious about anything, feel free to ask. Theres no way shes not curious about anything. Eterna was certainly surprised to see the slave mark, but theres one more mark that she cant just ignore. That mark on your hand. Epic-tier equipment? Come to think of it, it doesnt make sense that you got a house when you cant even fight. Ahh, that It turns out that Reversal turns the status-down effect on cursed equipment into a status-up effect for me. Her eyes widen in shock for a moment, then she strokes her chin. I see. Didnt see that coming. Neither did I, really, but thanks that Im strong enough to make it as an adventurer! Isnt that amazing? Flum talks with enthusiasm in her voice, but Eterna isnt so sure its a good thing. It may be one of the few ways for a slave to earn money, but it also means putting herself in danger every day. Its hardly a respectable line of work. I can give you a hand if you need it. If youre ever stuck just let me know. ---If it comes to it, she can just protect Flum. Shes strong enough to do that, at least. Thank you. If Im ever in trouble Ill make sure to come straight to you. Their conversation finished, this time both Flum and Milkit leave the room and head downstairs. After waiting a moment to ensure that shes alone on the second floor, Eterna mutters to herself. Protect be protected I was protected back then. No matter what I wont forget. She stares blankly at the old wooden desk in front of her for a moment, then lets out a deep sigh and gets to work on the antidote. Flum and Milkit start unpacking all theyll need to start living there. Thanks to Eterna all the cleaning has already been handled, but whether or not they should actually thank her or not as an illegal trespasser is another matter entirely. Between not having to clean and the fact that they dont have a lot of luggage, they end up finishing quickly and painlessly. They sit facing each other at the dining room table. There are a total of four chairs there, enough for the three of them and Sara if she comes to visit, but they should probably get a few more just in case they have other guests. I cant believe that you own this entire house now, Master. Milkit looks around the room, clearly impressed, but Flum corrects her. You mean we own this entire house now. No, I cant possibly Yes, you can possibly. Since this is your house too, just tell me if theres any furniture or anything you want. Well have to start budgeting and stuff, but Ill do what I can. ...Okay. Theyve had this same conversation too many times already for Milkit to not know her resistance is futile. No matter what, Flum has every intention of honoring Milkits will. Shes been trying her best to avoid making her opinion known to her master, but if her master insists changing bit by bit all the while, shell just have to accept it. We ended up with an unexpected housemate, but it looks like my life as an adventurers about to really get started Even if they dont have to worry about rent, theyll still need enough money for food and other daily expenses. Theyll be able to get by on the money Reach gave them for the time being, but they cant count on such convenient requests to fall into their laps all the time. That of course means having to deal with Dane and his group while earning enough to get by, but no pressure he can exert on her could beat out the comforting feeling of having a home to return to. As Flum reaffirms her resolve, Millkit speaks out to her. Um Master? Yeah? This might be a foolish question, but Will my face really go back to normal? Her voice is filled with uncertainty. Of course. Normally itd only take a day, since in your case youve been living with it for so long itll probably take a full week. Only a week She feels her face through her bandages. At first she was rather depressed about her condition, but she accepted that there was no helping it. But she was wrong. There is helping it, and the thought of it terrifies her. Milkit wants to be cured, of course, but she doesnt want to change. If she changes, her surroundings will change with her. She might gain something new, but she might lose something in exchange. What if she loses Flum? What if Flum stops caring about her after shes cured? She cant stop thinking about that worst-case scenario. By the way, why were you poisoned in the first place? Milkit is suddenly brought back to earth by Flums question, and after replaying what Flum said in her head she replies. I was never told specifically to take it, at the very least. I simply woke up one morning to find my face like this. So it was probably mixed in with your food or something, then Your former master really was the worst. Even though it had nothing to do with her, Flum gets angry. Her anger is for Milkits sake alone. Was your master back then a man or a woman? She was a she. Ah I thought so You thought so? What does gender have to do with poisoning a slave? Milkit cocks her head to the side in confusion. If your master was a man, I cant really see any point in ruining your face like that. I mean, Im sure there are some twisted perverts out there whod do something like that just for kicks, but Flum looks Milkit in the eyes and smiles. Whether its because of some mans twisted fetish or some womans jealousy, I think they mustve done it to ruin your beauty. No, thats completely unthinkable. Milkits reply is instantaneous. Shes never been told that shes pretty before, so that cant be the reason. Im just an ugly, filthy little thing... Oh really? Your eyes are really pretty, just like your heart. I dont think its a stretch to say your face is pretty, too. Please stop saying such things, Master. Youll only get your hopes up. Haha, no way thats happening. Wait, dont tell me thats why you seem so down? Youre worried Ill be disillusioned and leave you, is that it? ...Yes, it is. Milkit responds frankly. Flum stands up, walking around to behind Milkits chair. She doesnt want to relieve her anxiety, all she wants is for her to face the truth. Milkits naive, too naive. She should know better by now. Milkit. Calling out her name, Flum wraps her arms around her from behind. Do you really think you mean so little to me? Hearing her masters sweet voice in her ear, Milkit starts to feel something warm and fuzzy wrap itself around her chest. You should know better than that. Weve only been together for a little while, sure, but I thought Id made that much clear. The warmth spreads up Milkits neck, through her cheeks and finally tinting her ears. Though Flum cant see her cheeks through her bandages, she can clearly see the tips of Milkits ears turn bright red. She playfully tugs on one of her ears. Hya!? Milkit lets out a cute squeal of surprise at the sudden sweet stimulation. Youre all red. It looks like you get it after all. I-I know thats the kind of person you are, Master Thats why Im so afraid of losing you It all comes down to you, Milkit. Maybe nothing I say can change your mind, but Ill say it anyway. She pulls Milkit deeper into her chest, letting her warmth seep into her. No matter what, I promise Ill never, ever leave your side. The words seep deep into Milkits heart, filling every last nook and cranny. The words of every master before now only froze and scarred it, but now all that pain and torment is melting away, leaving it soft and pliant. This is weakness. If she didnt have it shed be better off, for sure. But the depths of her heart accept it fully, unconditionally, deepening her emotions, accelerating her feelings, and leaving her only wanting more. Recently shes noticed that her body has been moving a lot more on its own in response to strange impulses that defy all reason. Without even realizing it herself, Milkit has opened her hand wide and brought it to rest overtop Flums own hands. This must be one of those impulses. Milkit starts taking it from that day forward, drinking it without complaining even once about its truly foul taste and smell. Every day Eterna takes off her bandages to check the progress, but every time she checks she does it behind closed doors on the second floor, forbidding Flum from seeing. Flum can always hear their voices, but never clearly enough to make anything out. Cmon, let me see, too! Flum had begged, but she was firmly rejected. Why am I the only one left out? she mumbles to herself as she days pass, her loneliness only growing. Whenever Eterna checks up on Milkit, Flum waits on the first floor, knees hugged to her chest as she sits on the floor beside a chair. Whenever Milkit sees her like this, she gives her the same words of encouragement as always. I dont want you to see me halfway cured, I only want you see see me when Im fully back to normal. Guess it cant be helped, then! Flum always returns with a full smile. Shes surprisingly easy to handle. Its not like Flums just sitting there twiddling her thumbs for a whole week, though. She goes out shopping with Milkit a few times to gather all the furniture and everyday goods they need, finally making the house feel more like a home. On top of that, Flum works at completing F-Rank quests so that she might eventually increase her rank. The receptionist Ilas attitude and the sneers of Danes cronies are no more pleasant than before, but they havent made any further moves against her yet. News of their comrades deaths in Enchide shouldnt have made it back to the Capital yet, but they probably expect them to be dead since they still arent back yet. She simply waits for them to make their move, sharpening her fangs as she gathers all the information on them she can. Eventually theyll clash, and Flum when they do shell be ready for them. Shes so busy that before she realizes it, a full week has passed and the time has finally come to undo Milkits bandages with her own two hands. Flum and Milkit sit on Flums bed facing each other. The air is ripe with anticipation. Eterna, not wanting to get between them, is waiting down on the first floor. The knot keeping Milkits bandages in place has already been undone. All Flum has to do is pull them off. Flum reaches forward, grabbing the ends of the bandages with quivering fingers. Y-You ready? Yes! Milkit clenches her fists and plants them on her thighs, leaving the rest of her body to Flum. Her entire body trembles with nervousness. Flum takes a deep breath and starts to slowly pull the bandages away. The first thing to appear is her pale, gently flushed skin. Next, her soft pink lips are unveiled. Flums heart skips a beat and her hands stop. M-Master? Milkit asks with uncertainty. What am I thinking!? Shaking her head clear of impure thoughts, she continues to unravel Milkits face. Her petite nose and blushing cheeks are revealed next. Her face is on the slim side, but imprinted there on her soft cheek is a red slave mark. Flum runs her fingers across it without thinking. !... Milkit twitches, unused to feeling anothers warmth there. Ah, sorry! Its fine W-We match, dont we, Master? Milkits words strike Flums heart like an arrow. She feels like if shes not careful she could just sit there feeling Milkits cheeks for hours, so she forces herself to keep moving while she still can. It goes without saying that Milkits eyes are beautiful, a pristine shade of green only slightly darker than emerald. Flum can see herself reflected in those eyes as they tremble with anticipation and worry. Finally she reveals even Milkits forehead, and the white bandages rustle to the bed between them. Haa Flum lets out a gasp of astonishment. How on earth can she think shes ugly!? Just looking at her causes emotions to burst from Flums chest. W-What do you think Master? Milkit looks ready to curl up so small shell disappear. Countless words and phrases flow through Flums head, but none of them are fit to describe her. I really hate not knowing more words no, maybe even if I knew every word of every language in the world it wouldnt be enough to describe her beauty properly. To be honest, theres a fair chance that her affection for Milkit has distorted her vision somewhat, but Milkit is truly a rare beauty nonetheless. I think I can understand why her former master was so jealous. Um Master? Flums silence only makes Milkit feel increasingly uneasy. This is no time to be searching for words. Even though she hasnt found words shes content with, its her duty as Milkits master to make her feel at ease. She puts her right hand on Milkits cheek, causing a faint sigh to leave her lips. She puts her left hand on Milkits other cheek, gently caressing the ridges of the slave mark there with her thumb.[1] Flum looks deep into Milkits eyes and announces her conclusion. Youre really cute, Milkit. The words turn out to be a lot more embarrassing for the both of them than Flum had expected. Milkits face starts turning bright red. She tries to speak, but only a faint moan comes out as she tries to move her lips. She doesnt dislike it. Shes elated. Picking up on that, Flum follows up. Youre really, really cute, she says with a smile that could outshine the sun. Milkit is finally unable to handle the mounting embarrassment. Before Flum realizes whats happening, she pulls her face out of Flums hands, grabs the bandage off the bed and turns around. Eh? Milkit, whyre you? I cant do it, I just cant do it!! Cant do what? I-I cant just expose myself to you like this! Id die of embarrassment!! She quickly quickly re-wraps the bandage around her face. By the time shes turned back her face has been sloppily covered once more, but perhaps because of the hurry she was in the bandages conceal her right eye and half her mouth. E-Even so, compared to just showing her everything like that! Milkit has never felt this way before. Her heart is beating so hard it hurts, and she cant bring herself to look Flum in the eye. Flum, not meaning anything bad by it, puts her hand on Milkits shoulder and brings her face closer for a good look. Aww, cmon, youre so cute! A-Are you youre just teasing me, arent you? Of course not! At the very least youre the cutest girl in the world to me. ...Ah, uh N-Nobodys ever told me that before Then the whole world must be blind, although I guess its thanks to such a blind, cruel world I met you. Cmon, let me see your face again! Flum undoes the bandages for a second time, once again exposing Milkits real face. Feeling oddly self-conscious, Milkits body temperature starts to rise. She puts her hands to her cheeks to try to cool off, but all she succeeds in doing is warming her hands. She just cant seem to cool off. Um I-It looks like I really cant show you my face after all She starts wrapping up her face again. Flum bursts out laughing. I really want to see more If youre that cute, isnt covering your face just a waste? I-Its not a waste at all S-So Flum wants to see Milkits face, no matter what. Milkit becomes too flustered to function whenever Flum looks at her face, so theres no way she can go out in public like that. Theres only one path left to them. W-What if I only take off my bandages when were alone together? Milkit puts her right hand to her cheek, feeling it through her bandages. The sight of Milkit looking at her with upturned eyes, her blushing faintly visible through the edges of her bandages, is enough to cause Flums temperature to skyrocket. I-I get the feeling thatd be pretty embarrassing in and of itself Y-You really think so? Well Personally, I think its fine, or actually I think Id kinda like that If she just exposed her cuteness to the world, theres no telling what kind of weirdos would fall for her. At least if she wrapped up her face in bandages before going out Flum wont have to worry so much. I-I guess that means my face belongs to you and you alone, Master ahh, it is embarrassing, isnt it Milkit mutters the words on a whim, but its enough to cause Flums vision to swim before her eyes. What raw destructive power. Well, I am your personal slave, so its only natural! Milkit says, as if to better come to terms with it herself. Flum cant hold herself back any longer. She grabs Milkit, pulling their bodies together impulsively, reason unable to hold her true feelings at bay any longer. Milkit blinks several times in shock, but awakening to the warmth of Flums body she gives in and wraps her arms around Flums back. Flum didnt plan ahead this far, so she has no idea what they should do now. ...Ill say it again, Ill be forever in your care. As will I, Master, until the end of time. Having said all there is to say, they remain there in each others arms. As an aside, when they finally returned down to the first floor--- You sure took your time. ---Eterna gives them a slightly fed-up look. CH 16 Various dishes were lined up on top of the table. To fulfill the promise from some time ago, Sarah was invited to be treated with Milkits cooking. Feeling that she had an expectation she must not betray, Milkit came up with a wonderful assortment as she put in more effort than usual. When she was cooking, however, Flamm came up from behind and hugged her while peeking at her cooking. Additionally, Eterna stealthily tried to snack on the food she prepared, before she was followed by Sarah who tried to copy her, but as they were found out doing it, the girls couldnt help but to wait restlessly for the food to be done. To be completely honest, Milkit thought that the people other than Flamm was a slight bother, but she didnt think too badly of it. Since to her, it was the first time she met people who are waiting in anticipation for her cooking. Ith gelishush! Mmmhmmghmmm, hmm? Mmhmm, ith gelishus! Milghits kookhing ih gelishus afther awll! ith gud. As the three was stuffing their mouths while speaking, its completely impossible to figure out who is saying what. But since they conveyed that the food was delicious, it was such a wonderful thing. Milkit didnt even lay her hands on her own portion as she looked at the three who had their cheeks stuffed. As she did, Flamm who saw her and couldnt leave her be, cut a bite-sized portion of the Genofish stew from her own plate, picked it up with her form and pointed it at the girl. Here, say aan. Master, I can eat by myself, its okay. So you say, but youre not moving at all, arent you? Here, aan! A-Aaan In the face of the persuasive Flamm, Milkit opened her mouth. As the meat of the fish entered, the mellow aroma of the spice spreads across her mouth. It certainly is delicious, but because it was a food she prepared on her own and she was feeling embarrassed, she couldnt think about the taste at all. There getting awong so well, hmm? Theyre always like that Her face was healed, but I dont know why shes still wearing her bandages. She said she doesnt want to show it to anyone except of Flamm. They get awong so well, huh Yeah, something like that. The two people who was focusing on bringing food into their mouths, Eterna and Sarah, chatted to each other as they observed the two other persons. Sarah was surprised when she was invited to the house only to meet the hero Eterna, but she had gotten used to the situation right now. Perhaps it was because she was young, or perhaps the two were in the same wavelength. By the way, With a serious expression, Sarah stopped her hand that was holding the fork and asked Eterna. You were together with Maria nee-sama, right? Yeah, more or less. How was she? Is she healthy? I didnt talk much with her, so I dont really know. ButI feel like shes hiding something. hiding somethingis she. Sarah wasnt really surprised. The girl stabbed her fork into the Harposhi and carried it into her mouth. Munch, munch, as the sound of her chewing, and after she swallowed, she continued. Unlike me, Maria nee-sama is a remarkable person, so she has more in the matter of circumstances with the church. I dont believe in the churchbut it might be bad for me to say that right in front of a nun. Im sorry. After returning from Enichidae, Sarah moved around in an attempt to look into the research facility. Yet she couldnt find any information. Supposing that the research of that beast is still being continuedthen they must have made more progress than from the time that facility was abandoned. They made an Ogre, a monster that wasnt noticeably strong, into something that could finally be defeated by the power of two people. If that power is implanted into a stronger monster or even an adventurer, then It might be better if we leave difficult topics for later. Youreright. Ill enjoy Milkit onee-sans food for now! Thatll be greatchomp. Chomp, chomp. The two emptied their heads and started stuffing their mouths with snacks and taking a bite of the bread. On the other hand, for some reason, Flamm was waiting for the embarrassed Milkit while holding the fork at her and saying Aan, After everyone had cleaned up, the four sat down around the table again, held the tea brewed by Milkit with both hands and started to exchange information. They wanted to end up with a fun talk before sending Sarah away if possible, but the situation didnt allow for it. I looked into the research facility after that, but I couldnt find anything. What about the documents written down in the place of the Chialries? I think those belongs to the bishop of the church in the Central district, butit seems like it was just left defenselessly in that room by coincidence. Which means that the bishop knows about the situation. To Eternas comment, Sarah said maybe, as she nodded. But even if I wanted to look into it a bit more, theres a limit on what I can look into. Could we look into it from another approach? Like from another church from a different district for example. I think its definitely impossible to do it from the cathedral in the North district, so probably its going to be either the East district or West district. But the West district isI know some church knights, but I dont think that its a place for it. Why would you say that? asked Milkit. For the girl who was talking in a more positive way than when she was before, Sarah replied while being slightly surprised. Its a joint establishment with an orphanage. See, the public safety of the West district is so bad that there are a lot of abandoned children, so the place also serves to protect those children. Actually Ive been in there, so I think itd be impossible for the information about the research facility to be included there. Conversely, it could also be used as a front to hide the fact, but Sarah wanted to believe that the church couldnt possibly be that twisted. Besides, as far as she has seen when she entered the place, at the very least she couldnt find anything suspicious in the extent of what she investigated. Then, for now we can only look into the church in the East district, huh Theres a lot of wealthy people in that district after all. I dont think we can do anything to make us stand out though. In the first place, the research facility is built outside, so there are also possibilities that we wont find anything even if we investigate the church. Well, thats also true. Theres also no guarantee that the research is still being continued. I wonder. It was then when Eterna interrupted. The history of human experiments in the kingdom dates far back, so I think theres a bigger chance that its still being continued. It does? At the very least, theyve already started doing it ever since I was born. Everyone in the room thought similarly; But I dont know when At the very least, the research was older than everyone except Eterna. That facility had that grotesque creature with that core implanted. The fact that they built the facility underground is an evidence that both the empire and the church are wagering on it. I dont think theyd give up after losing just one facility. However, her words had a certain persuasiveness to it. Shes not the type of person to lie or take a shot in the dark, so its probably better to think under the impression that the research is still being continued. For now Ill try going to the East district and the cathedral to see if I can try investigating something. Im sorry that we cant do anything. Dont mention it, Im also interested in it in a personal level anyways. If the church that I belong to is doing something bad, I want to bring it to light. The ones who raised her until now are without a doubt the followers of the Origin. In actuality, perhaps she doesnt even want to doubt them. But after witnessing the beast and the countless corpses in that facility, she knows that the church is committing a grave sin in any ways. The people of the church had taught her that evil must be judged. By the way, what about Dain? Have you thought of a way to demolish him? About thatthat guy has been awfully quiet recently. Thanks to that, the West district has been peaceful. He doesnt even try to pick a quarrel with me. Conversely, its becoming harder for me to do anything against himthat, or hes planning something that we cant see. Nothing but bad premonition, huh In the end, they still could not secure enough concrete information as of now. Flamm said we could only do this patiently, couldnt we?, to which everyone nodded. There are differences in the plan in dealing with the two, but be it about Dains faction or about the church, they are both something larger than Flamms group. Thats why they couldnt quickly gather important information, so they had no choice but to steadily investigate. After that, the four spent the time together calmly, and after they finished their third cup of tea, the curtain for the dinner party descends. Sarah insisted that Its okay! but obviously they couldnt leave a single ten-year-old little girl on her lonesome to walk through the West district. Thus in the end, Flamm sent Sarah home. Late that night, the hoarse voice of a man echoed across the back alleys of the West district. S-Stay awaySTAY AWAAAYYYY!! He looked like he was in the middle of his twenties. As he was wearing a mantle and a set of light leather armor, it doesnt take a genius to know that hes an adventurer. The man readied a hatchet he has been carrying and faced his enemybut he couldnt think of a way to fight the threat in front of him. If only hes facing against a person or a monster, he might have thought of a way to fight it off. But what hes facing are justeyeballs. Its not even a beast with the shape of an eye. The rolling, human eyeballs are solely intending to approach the man. But their numbers are just too much. Not only they are in the alleyway, the eyeballs are flooding around him on the walls, and even on the rooftops of the building around him, while their irises are all facing at the man. Theres no longer any way for him to escape. He draws back slowly before his back was pushed against the wall, and by then, AaaaAAAAAAAAHHHH! The man was convinced of his looming death, so he lamented as he lies on his arse. Even still, his instincts are attempting to preserve his life, so he tried brandishing his axe in vain. Squash. Some eyeballs were crushed by it, but it was but a drop of the ocean. Finally the moist sphere touches his body. From his toes to his knees, from his knees to his thighs, and they kept crawling up to his shoulders, and when he thought they got where they need to be Slip, the eyeballs slips into his body. There were no pain. Under the ticklish feeling and the strange sensation of foreign objects entering his body, the man gasps and pants. And as they entered his body, A new arm appeared on his torso. It had tactile sensations, and he could also move it freely. There were no complications; its now a part of his body. AAah! It doesnt make any sense. He was just following Dains orders to threaten a researcher from the church. But when he was going back and thought he saw eyeballs falling, the number gradually increases. And before long, the streets were flooded with them, and as he was cornered running away from them, they entered his body, and another arm grew on him. From the start to the end, nothing made sense. What in the world is he fighting right now? But he couldnt come up with an answer, and the eyeballs are still rolling up on him and kept sinking themselves into his skin. It doesnt hurt, but that was precisely what scared him. Rather, if it does hurt, and if he could have screamed, he probably wouldve been able to dissipate. UaaAAAAAAAHH!! He grew another right thumb. He grew another leg. His stomach is bulgingno, perhaps he also grew another one. He could also feel the timing of his heartbeat pounding in a lag. Since a while ago, he had already grown five arms. On top of that, as the eyeball enters his throat UAAAAAHH! AAH, AAAAAHH!! His two voices screamed in unison. This time, he gained another head. From the center of his neck, as if its the bark of a tree, another neck extends out, and two of the same faces were lined up. Their breathing was mixed, and as theyve gotten confused on whose body does it belong to, they lost their freedom to even crawl away. If this is his retribution for threatening the researcher from the church, an atonement was supposed to be enough. STOP IT ALREADY! KILL MEEE! NO! I DONT WANNA DIE! KILL ME WHEN IM STILL HUMAAN! Even as he begged, they didnt stop. The eyeballs rushed to him and entered his body. He kept growing more heads until he had three, even four, and he started to lose sense of who he is or what hes feelingall until his body and his mind turned into something thats not human. The next morning, The subordinate that went to threaten the churchs researcher did not come back. Hearing that news, Dain unusually started to investigate the matter himself. He had the ambition to seize the entire West district, and he finally managed to go against the church. Typically, as he advances his plan, his harassment against Flamm is slacking. He must punish them for hurting his comrades. But right now, there was an important matter that he should prioritize. In order to seize control of the church, he has to corrupt those on the top. He has done this for quite a while, so there has been some church knights and pastors who had fallen to his hands after he had bribed them or treated them to wine and dine. Furthermore, he also had reached out to stores that had close transaction history and the wholesalers that sells goods to these stores West district, and he had made a solid ground from that. If he strengthened his grounds, he could put pressure to the church and he could then raise his social status using the influence of the church knights and the pastors. Right now, hes in the phase of exerting pressure against the churchbut even though he had predicted it, he didnt think that they would use force this early in the game. The reason he had to come out himself is also to investigate the movement of the church. Just by looking at the methods of killing or hiding the corpse can give you a general idea of what kind of people the church or the knights are composed of. Even if he was to be unlawfully abducted and confined, he could still figure it out. Witness their modus operandi to know your opponent, and figure out who have to to take out. He also must confirm it with his own eyes before he could progress with the strategy from now on. hm? As he walked in the alleyway not far away from the church, he recalled a terrible feeling and snorted. After he did, something smells fishy from somewhere. Its not the smell of a rotting corpse nor the smell of blood, yet it was still a strange smell. If one was to describe it, it smells similar to kitchen waste, but it smells more severe and condensed Following his nose, Dain goes onward. And after he turned a certain corner, he found it. What the hell is that He unconsciously let out that sentence due to the grotesqueness of what hes witnessing. The color of its skin and the parts of its body are that of a humans. Its hands are in the shape of human hands, and its legs are in the shape of human legs. It even has human face. Its just that they are not located in the normal place, and the number is also irregular. In other words, it was but a lump of meat with dozens of arms, legs, and heads in a mass of meat wriggling about. Is hePhil whos been missing!? He realized that when he saw the mans face. Just to make sure, he attempted to scan the thing, and without a doubt, its the person hes been searching. But the thing hes looking at is already unable to fulfill its own functions. Body fluids flow out from its mouth, nose and eyes like an excretory organ. Similarly with its other heads, it had its own thought, but they seem to have lost its consciousness. Dain-san, there youarewait, what the heck is that!? Its been here since earlier. Also, look at his face. Facewait, isnt this!? Ive no clue what happened, but the bunch were dealing with seems to be a lot more troublesome than Id expected. The church, isnt it? Ill bet. They had heard some dark rumors about them, but they didnt think it includes a creation of such creature. Dain pulled a knife from his lower back and suddenly sunk its blade into the lump of meat that was wriggling restlessly. Dain-san!? His subordinate panicked, but Dain calmly cut open the lump of meat and confirmed its insides. As he pulled his knife back out, those that flows out of the open wound were parts that belonged to a human. What shocked him further was that inside the body, there were two beating hearts and three eyeballs. As he scanned it, the heart showed Phils status, but the eyeballs showed a complete different status. Retribution Attribute: origin Strength: origin Intelligence: origin Endurance: origin Agility: origin Intuition: origin Dain scowled at such bizarre description. Huh? Origin? What the fuck, this is crazy. Oi, you, try scanning Dain was about to ask the other man to scan the thing again, but he was even more confused than Dain was that he was frozen still. Oy, dont just stand there, cmere! U-UmDain-sanw-whats happening to me now? I couldnt move my neck and my right hand wellheck, I couldnt separate em. Dain couldnt see him properly when he looked at the guy from the side, but now that he sees him from the front, Dain could clearly see the abnormality. The mans right hand is becoming one with his head. He was trying to brush his hair with his right hand while Dain was using scan. However, the right hand stopped moving, and his neck leans more and more as if its getting drawn to his arm. Whats with your expression, Dain-san? Hey, Dain-san, whats happening to me! Whats happening!? A, I-it hurtsIT HURTS! AHGII! His hand is getting swallowed by his head. Even his shoulder is starting to similarly assimilate into his head, twisting his neck to an angle it wasnt supposed to bend. SAVE MDAISA, GA-GYAA! And then, with a dull Crack!, his neck completely broke. Drool flows out from his mouth, drenching his collar. However, the phenomenon that could only be described as an assimilation didnt stop, and the man in front of Dain gradually started folding smaller and smaller. Finally, in front of scene of carnage of the subordinate whose only head was left, Dain was left dumbfounded. It seems like he had touched something he shouldnt have. It was too late for him to notice that. Splurt. As Dain heard that sound, he turned his back against Phils corpse. A lone faceless boy was standing there. Instead of a face, the boy had a flesh vortex on his head. Its elliptical shape wriggles, and a red blood-like bodily fluid flows out, soiling his white shirt. The boy whose chest and shoulders are dyed red glared at Dain without even moving a muscle. Hahahahahahahaha Dains dry laugh echoed across the alleyway. He could figure out just by lookingthat this is not an opponent he can win against. In front of an overwhelmingly powerful person, he was overcome with a sense of powerlessness, and he could do nothing but to laugh. And then, the boy looked at Dain and stretched his hand forward. CH 17 The day after their dinner party, Flamm was just finishing her request for harvesting ingredients from monsters and exited the guild after making her final report. Or ratheris Eterna-san going to work? She had been staying inside her room doing something, but she didnt know what it is that shes doing. But since she taught Flamm about medicinal herbs and magic during her free time, it was hard for her to bring up the question of are you going to work? They can still manage their expenses for now, so Flamm decided to see how it would go from now on. The sky is turning dark. Its not like shes taking her sweet time in the guild. It was simply because her mission was a hard one. She thought that the monster wasnt really strong, but it turns out that the small animal was a tad too quick on its feet. Eventually she managed to take it down and obtained its hide, but she was a lot more tired than usual. With that, she wont be surprised if she was attacked by the receptionist Iira or the fools from Dains group. But fortunately, those group seems dispirited today. It also looks like their leader Dain is also having a meeting with his boys in such a heavy atmosphere. It was simply a blessing that theyre not picking a fight with her. But at the same time, she grew impatient knowing that there are no ways for her to repay their debts. It wouldve been great if I could take them out when theyre looking at their lowest. Muttering her wish, her boots kicked a pebble away. But then the pebble hit something big fallen on the ground. it was a girl. The girl that was lying down as the cold pebble hit her perhaps was just about Sarahs age. Her black hair was tied up into a ponytail, and both her white top and bottom are dirtied by dirt. This feels like trouble is brewing up, Flamm complained. To be fair, the figure of someone collapsed on the streets was not a rare sight in the Western District. Some drunken men usually lie unconscious just over there, and after living around here for several years, youre guaranteed to have seen a dead body or two. But it might be a rare sight for it to be a girl, especially in such a young age. Obviously, as night falls, public safety will get even worse, so if a girl like her is walking around, a lot of men would swarm her. Obviously, only to sate their lust. Which meansIts possible that someone noticed her but pretended not to way before Flamm caught sight of her. She couldnt possibly just leave her lying there. So she squats down, put her hand to her shoulder and shook her up. Hey, are you alright? Youll get attacked by perverts if you sleep here, you know? Nnuu The girl flopped over, and as Flamm saw her faceor rather, her eyesshe was startled. They were stitched shut. It was so cleanly done that it has no fester, so its possible that it was done by the hands of a doctor. But whats even more strange was, You cant see, buthow did you get here? She still had a volume in her body, so it seems like shes been eating properly. Her hair wasnt rough, so someone has been properly cutting her hair. There are no signs of abuse, and she didnt smell bad, which means shes been taking baths. It doesnt feel like she escaped her confinement, but as Flamm continued shaking her shoulder, she listlessly said Who is iit? Just a normal person passing by. If you need to go somewhere, should I send you there? The girl was quiet for a while, but then she exclaimed with a bright tone; Ink! Huh? My name is Ink. Nice to meet you. Eh, uhhnice to meet you. She was caught by the girls flow and ended up saying nice to meet you, but whats so nice about all this? While Flamm was having a hard time grasping the situation, the girl rattled on. I lost my memories. I dont really know who I am. But you remember your name? Yeah! By coincidence! It was such a convenient coincidence. Flamm heaved a sigh in admiration, and for now, she pulled the girls hand to let her stand. After patting the dust from the girls clothes off, she bid farewell, saying See you, Ink, and waved her hand calmly as she left the place. But the sitting duck that is the girl couldnt let her go, so both of her hands tightly grabbed onto Flamms clothes and stopped her. You see, I dont have a place to sleep. R, right I dont have a place to return, and I dont have moneyI have nothing! She can imagine what the girl wanted. Basically, the blind runaway girl wants to stay in her place. She even blatantly lied all the way and said she lost her memories. If she were to take care of this kid, she didnt want to imagine what sort of complications shell get involved in, and on top of that, doing that didnt benefit her in any form. But if she leaves her aloneits easy to figure out whatll happen to a young girl on her lonesome in the West District. But the moment she started thinking like that was the moment when Flamm lost. She heaved a heavy sigh once more and took Inks hand. Ill bring you to my place for now. Thats fine with you, right? I know nothing! I lost my memories after all! Are there some people in the world who can be so cheerful if they lost their memory? The tired Flamm quickly heaved her third sigh of the day and started walking with the girl in tow. On the way home, Flamm asked Ink a lot of questions, but she was adamant in not answering anything. Her lie had been exposed long ago, but it doesnt seem like shes planning to retract her story about her amnesia. She wont be able to deal with this on her own, so aiming to seek help from Milkit and Eterna, Flamms pace quickened. Ink, too, didnt mind that and followed suit. There arent any problems with her physical strengthso what does her status look like? She felt bad for checking without the persons permission, but it was Inks fault for not retracting her statement. Ink Riesekraft Attribute: Water Strength: 18 Intelligence: 43 Endurance: 28 Agility: 23 Intuition: 49 Her Intelligence and Intuition are somewhat high, but they are the numbers of a healthy girl. It seems like she wasnt lying about her name as well. Riesekraft, huhI wonder which family is that. Did you Scan me? I did. Perv. Flamm clenched her fists as her arms trembled, but she managed to keep it down. Shes just a child, and as a 16 year-old, Flamm needs to be the mature one. By the way, how old are you, Ink? Ten! As expected, shes the same age as Sarah. You said you had amnesia but you remembered that, huh. Ahum, I remembered about my body. Such clever body. Dont you think the way you say it is also perverted? Nope. What a very convenient amnesia. Either way, its such a reckless behavior for a blind 10-year-old to run from home in the night at the West District. Its such a drag, but Im glad I found her first, thought Flamm from the bottom of her heart. After a short walk, the two arrived at Flamms house. She opened the door and said Im back~, and a set of footsteps could be heard rushing toward her from the kitchen. Milkit showed her smile from behind her bandages at her master as she said Welcome home, master? but as she saw the girl next to her, she showed a puzzled expression. Ill explain it to you later, so can I go up first? Y-Yes. I prepared your meal as well. Yeah, thanks. As she said that, she petted Milkit on her head and Milkit turned bashful in turn. Right behind them, Ink held onto Flamms clothes and followed after her. The delicious smell even got this far. Just smelling it makes me feel hungry. With perfect timing, Flamms stomach grumbled. It wasnt loud, but it seems like it was captured by Milkits ears, and her cute yet stiff cheeks slackened. Fufu, this is the first time I tried this ingredient, so I hope master likes itAh, by the way, should I prepare a meal for this child too? AahHow about it, Ink? Do you want to eat? Of course! She was truly a child without modesty. Flamm dropped her shoulders in exasperation, while Milkit showed a bitter smile. As the three entered the living room, the one waiting inside was Eterna, holding her fork and knife as if shes waiting impatiently for dinner. She looked over at Flamm, and then to Milkit, and finally to the girl, before sayingFlamm brought home a girl! with a blank expression. Thats not it! I just picked her up by chance, I cant possibly leave her behind. She brought me here! One idiot raised her hand up cheerfully. Im telling you Ahaha, what a cheerful girl. There is some other things I need to do to prepare dinner, so please have a seat first, Master. Ah, its alright, Ill help too. Sit down over here, Ink. Okaay! Ink raised her arms again and replied cheerfully before searching for the chair by her hand and sitting down after finding it. They thought shed need help because shes blind, but it turns out that she can be independent to a certain extent. Flamm headed for the kitchen along with Milkit to finish her cooking. For an instance, Milkit looked like she felt bad for having her help, but she didnt put it into words anymore. It wasnt as if shes ungrateful, and Flamm helping out with cooking is an everyday thing, and even when she apologized, Flamm would say You dont have to say that, Im just doing whats obvious The master Milkit is living with right now is different from those she served under in the past. As if its the natural thing, Flamm is someone who would devote herself to a lowly slave that Milkit thought of herself as. If Flamm wants to pamper her, then it is also the duty of a slave to follow through, but Milkit herself also wished for that. Her eyes met with Flamms. There arent any deep meaning behind it, but when Flamm smiled, Milkit replied with her own smile. She was happy with just that, and even if shes scared of losing her, she wants to deepen this relationship that they have. I took a shower ahead~ When Flamm brought the food to the dining table, Sarah entered the room while scrubbing her head with a towel. Youre here too, Sarah-chan? Preparing food for 3 people might be a bit too much, but it turns out that Sarah that had stopped by yesterday had stopped by today as well. Ah, Im sorry, Master. I forgot to tell you that Sarah-chan is coming. Evening, Onee-san! Milkit onee-sans cooking is so delicious that I want to keep coming back! Are you okay with the church? When I told my friends Im going to eat at a friends place, they ended up laughing and sending me out you know? The churchs is a bit more lenient than Flamm had expected. Well, despite the bad public safety of the West District, there shouldnt be any idiots who are stupid enough to attack a nun, and if its Sarah, she would be able to turn the table if she did. By the way, whos that girl? Im Ink! Ink-chan, huh? Nice to meet you. Nice to meet you! The cheerful Ink flapped her hands as she said that. Perhaps because their age is close to each other, the two clicked together and got even more hyped up, giving each other high fives while yelling Yaa~aay! During such bustle, the foods are lined up on the table. Perhaps because Eterna is nearing her limit of hunger, she glared at the Candy Boar Stew with bloodshot eyes. Oh, by the way, Candy Boars are C-rank monsters, right? Arent these quite expensive? It was half-off since its near its expiry date. Its still wasnt cheap thoughis it too luxurious? No, isnt it fine? If its half-priced its going to be cheaper than Goat or Buffalo meat, and Candy Boar meats are delicious anyways. Im hungry now. Flamm put the vegetable salad on top of a large plate on the middle of the table and took a seat. Candy Boars are large-bodied C-rank boar-type monster. Just like its name, it has high strength, and it has high agility despite its enormous body, so its subjugation difficulty is quite high. Its weakness is the fact that it could only move in a straight line, but it also had a wide range of Earth-Attribute magic. The name candy comes from how it tends to ruin the sugarcane fields, a raw material for sugar. The Candy Boar likes all sorts of sweet things and not only sugar, so there were witnesses of candy boars charging into trees to knock down beehives and lick its honey. Perhaps because of that, the sweetness of the fat of its meat made it into such a delicacy in the pork category. Thoroughly cooked and soaked in demi-glace sauce, the diced meat can get so soft that you wont need utensils to cut them, so anyone could understand how Eterna feels right now as she salivated just by looking at the dish. The sauce itself was a ready-made one bought by Milkit from a store, but she had added some of her own secret ingredients. And once she added her secret ingredient, there would definitely be a step-up on the flavor, so that too is something that the girls look forward to. The flavor also permeates into the potatoes that are cooked together, so the soft and flaky potatoes are looking delicious. It would definitely go well with the baguette that they also prepared. After everybody confirmed that everyone had sat down on their seats, everyone said Itadakimasu, while Ink followed after albeit slightly late. Thus, dinner is served. The first thing Eterna did was to scoop up bite-sized meat, mix it with the stew sauce and ate it. Just by moving her tongue slightly melted the meat in her mouth, and the sweetness of the meat and the rich demi-glace sauce spreads across her mouth. The moment she bites into the fatty meat, the fat that oozes out from it further enhanced its sweetness. With a satisfied sigh of Nfuu~ and a smile, this time, she tore a piece of the baguette and dipped it into the stew. With the meat on top of that, she had to open her mouth wide to stuff her cheeks with it as it wasnt so small anymore. The sauce soaks into the piece of bread, and as her teeth sinks into it, it flows back out and floods her mouth. And that was added on top of the baguettes savoriness and a tinge of saltiness, giving a completely different sensation than when eaten alone. Seeing everyone enjoying their foods, Milkit looked happy as she smiled. She felt happier seeing other people eating the food that she made rather than eating it herself. That seems to be the type of person she is. Flamm looked at Milkit being happy, and in turn she became happy herself. Suddenly, their eyes met. Is it tasty? Yep, its the best. Youll be a splendid wife, Milkit. Rather than a wife, Ill be happier if master and the others eat my food. After exchanging those words, Flamm scooped up more of the stew with her spoon. Seems like Ink was satisfied with Milkits home cooking, so she said It tastes better than the food on my house, while somewhat surprised. So Flamm though to herself for the third time; what happened to your memory loss story? After dinner and the cleanup of the table, what comes next is the questioning time. As expected, the girl isnt fooling anyone with her amnesia story. To begin with, they started with simple introductions. Im Ink Riesekraft, 10 years old. Im an amnesia1! Even if you say it like that Flamm looked tired. And then, Ink faced toward her. Seems like its Flamms turn to introduce herself next, and thus she was paying attention to her. Im Flamm Apricot, 16 years oldoh, I havent really introduced myself, have I? You havent. As they exchanged their introductions, perhaps now they had clear ideas about each others identities. Flamm honestly lowered her head. Sorry about that, I completely forgot. My occupation right now an adventurer for now. Ink nodded her head a lot of times as she mumbled hm, hm, as she listened to Flamm. Afterwards, Milkit, Sarah and Eterna continued in order. Eterna Lynnbow2you mean, the Hero? Well, it was expected that shed be surprised on Eternas introduction. And thus, the woman who made the girl surprised puffed her chest as she looked somewhat proud of herself. Which meansFlamm Apricot is too? I just thought youre just someone with the same name. Yeah thats the casesomewhat. A lot of important people are gatheredIts unexpected. No, should I say lucky instead. Looks like they have good economic power. Flamm looked at the girl with a suspicious gaze as she looked like shes in it for the money. Including that statement of hers, they need to know her true character. If shes just a runaway girl then thats fine. They can just send her back the next day. Alright, now youve to spit the truth. I lost my memories so I might not be able to answer you know? Youre sorely mistaken if you think you can slip away with that. We couldnt possibly take a child in whose background we dont know. W-Why do you say Im lying about my memory loss? Shes seriously shaking. She was a child after all. Im more surprised that you didnt think that we havent found out yet. She gave too much hints. She does act childish, but that was dangerous. If she planned for this runaway, her parents would have been looking for her by now. If it gets serious, they might even mobilize the soldiers or the church knights. They want to quickly hear about where she belongs before the officials treated the case as an abduction. Wellthe memory loss was a lie, but I dont know where I came from. No no, theres no way that could happen. Im serious. I was just running around wildly, and then I didnt know. You werent at your home? They were about to say no way, but it doesnt seem like Ink is playing around. It seems like she truly didnt know where in the capital she lived in. Would that even be possible? Was she raised where her guardians were too overprotective? But you see, there were also other children in that place. Fuwys, Rook, Nect, and even Mute! She revealed that there was at least 4 children the same age as Ink in that facility. Which means the place that she described could be narrowed down to several choices. Is it perhaps the Orphanage in the West District? I dont know. But anyways, there are other children too. A place within a limit of a 10-year-olds walking range where other children are also present. Thinking that way, theres no other place but the orphanage. Do you remember the name of your guardian? About Mother3? Thats not a name now is it? But everybody calls her Mother though? Theres quite the possibility that the nun taking care of the children in the orphanage is called Mother. Even still. Is it even possible for her to not know the real name of her Mother? Or is her name truly is Mother? I know some people from the orphanage, so I could ask around in the West Church tomorrow. If I can get to see the name register we could know right away too. Sorry to involve you in this, but thank you. Flamm bowed her head to Sarah. Flamm doesnt know anyone from the church, and if possible she doesnt want to get close with anyone from the church save for Sarah. And it was obvious since just several days ago they were just about to be killed by a beast that they made. Even after that, they couldnt find any decent information about Ink. She said that she climbed the stairs as she escaped, that their food there was delicious, or that Mother was very kind. It was questionable, however, to judge if Ink was speaking without hiding anything. Either way, if they know that she is from the orphanage, everything would be resolved. For now, there are no other choices but to wait for a contact from Sarah that would come tomorrow at the earliest. To send Sarah all the way to the church in the Central District, Flamm was about to go out of the house together with her. As they were, Eterna silently walked up to them. Speaking of which, she was mostly silent during the questioning earlier. Milkit was quiet too, but she tends to not participate much in their conversation. In other words, Eterna was the only one to act different than usual. She stood right in front of the two, and with a serious expression, she spoke in a low tone to make sure Ink couldnt hear her; Theres still a lot that the girls hiding. I thought so too. We couldnt get any information as of why she ran away from that place anyways. Well, that too, butit was faint, but she smelled a bit like me. Smelled like you? Flamm approached Eterna and took a whiff, but she received a sharp chop on the top of the head as she said Not that! Owthen what did you mean by smell? Flamm asked as she rubbed her head, and Eterna answered as her eyes peered off into the distance. Its likeshes not normal, or theres something unnatural about her. I dont think youre unnatural though, Eterna-san. Youre such a blockhead so its obvious that you dont notice. Why do you have to be so mean I think I understand. I think she felt a bit off, and she feels like shes got a different feel than other children, right? The description is too abstract that Flamms head is now full of question marks. But Eterna agreed that the feeling is indescribable by words, which only irritates her. Anyways, lets quickly find her home and send her back as soon as possible before we get too deeply involved with her. Ill come and tell you tomorrow, so I think we can get it done by then. Everyone thought that most likely shes a child from the orphanage. Even if shes not a child from the orphanage, there arent many orphanages in the capital. Sarah will look into it tomorrow, and they will know which orphanage Ink belongs to by then. The next morning, Sarah immediately departed from the church in the Central District, sent by her fellow nun. Her destination was the church of the West District. It wasnt a place you could go casually, so she doesnt have many people she knows there, but since some of the Church Knights posted there had been to the Central church, they had been acquainted then. They were the two knights that took away Dains underlings when Richs bag was stolen. The men who were on standby in the guardroom near the church saw Sarah approaching and stood up and said Yo, glad you could come with a friendly tone. And then one of the two approached Sarah and pet her head as if playing around with her. Wa, stop that, Ed! My hairs gonna be a mess! Oh, so youve paid attention to your hair now eh? Youve grown up now havent you? Despite that, the man called Ed still continues to ruffle her hair with his hand. His face showed a smile that could only be described as a teasing smile. Let her go, she always hated that since long ago, didnt she? Well I cant really help it Johnny. The moment I see this girl I just wanna touch her. You know, like when an owner sees his dog or something. You know that feeling right? Id be troubled if youre asking me to agree. Johnny showed a bitter smile. In the meantime, Sarah who still had her hair mixed around yelled Im not a dog! as she tried to shook Eds hand off, and Ed said sorry, sorry as he let her head go as he laughed it off. Combing her disheveled hair with her fingers, Sarah glared at the men while holding back the urge to yell at them and started asking about Ink. Yesterday someone I know took care of a lost girl, so are there any issues about children going missing in the orphanage? No, I dont think theres anything. Yeah, everything is the definition of a peaceful day. We had nothing to do that we got so bored. Peeking behind the two into the guard room, she could see card-like things scattered on top of the table. It turned out that they truly didnt have anything to do, so Ed and Johnny are betting or some sort. Her name is Ink Riesekraft, ten years old. Nothing comes to mind? Nope, not a thing. I didnt hear any requests from other orphanages looking for a lost child either, Ed said. And then when Johnny who takes his job seriously agreed to him, then thats the truth. Then how about Fuwys, Rook, Nect or Mute? Have you heard of these names before? I couldnt possibly remember all of their names Should I bring out the name register? Please! Johnny went to the orphanage in double time. He got back when Ed and Sarah was partly arguing with each other and handed over the name register. Lets seeInkInk They started by searching for Inks name, but they couldnt find it. Afterwards they looked for Fuwys, Rook, Nect and Mute letter by letter, but even after going through it one by one with their fingers, they couldnt find them either. So they dont belong to this orphanage huhThen whats next is A child that doesnt existlooks like that, isnt it? Ed grinned toward Johnny as he said that. Johnny also laughed with his nose to the sudden change of topics. Aah, that. Every night there are weird sounds echoing around the orphanage, and a child that doesnt exist appears. Whats that about? Its a rumor thats been spreading around us Knights. It has became out of topic though. But Johnny probably doesnt know. Theres a continuation to that topic. Perhaps because Ed likes this type of gossip, he started talking. Theres actually a secret facility below the church in the West District, and theyre doing experiments using the children from the facility down there! No thats not gonna be possible. Even if just one child went missing, there will be a huge uproar. Also if the rumors are true, the church would be the bad guys, wont they? The people at the top wont stand for that. Johnnys no fun. How about you, Sarah? Youre interested, right? it really is interesting. Though her interest was beyond just the interest of occult. Perhaps the rumor Ed told her was more than just a rumor. Theres no smoke without a fire. Someone who knows about the existence of the facility accidentally leaks it out, and now its being concealed as a rumor spread across the knightsIt wouldnt be unthinkable for that to be the case. It seems like an experiment ascend to the domain of God. You mean Origin? No I dont know if the plot is that detailed, but justGod. And with that, theyre planning to implant Gods power into the human body. Could it possibly be resulting in the monster she found in the research facility in the cave? She swallowed the saliva that had built up in her mouth nervously. And then the children are made to wield the power that can only be described as the power of gods. Theyre also said to have the ability to communicate with God. Man, even the Saints are going to lose out to them if they do exist. You could hear a divination from Maria too, but its not like you can do it at any time you wish. But she had a revered position of a Saint, if there is a child that can constantly communicate with God, they will definitely be treated as a God in human form. And the name of that plan is! The man swiftly pointed his index finger toward Sarah, and as if its his signature, he said, The Helical But he stopped before he could finish his sentence. Core? And then, with his mouth hanging half open, a weird word flows out of his mouth. Ed? Worried, Johnny came close to Ed whose condition turned weird. And then, he put his hand on Eds shoulder, and Eds head jumped. AAahthe HelicalChildren? Thefirst Oy, Ed, whathappened!? What was reflected on Johnnys eyes wasanother one of Eds head growing out of his neck. It grew just like a branch of a tree, and its mouth are opening and closing repeatedly. EdEd! Whats going on! Johnny felt something weird from his right thigh, so he turned his gaze there. As he did, a sphere of black, white and red sinks itself into his thigh. UWAAAA!! GET AWAY! DONT GET INN!! He desperately tried to gouge it out with his hand, but it was too late. The eyeball had already sunk in, and thenhe grew another leg. He shed cold sweat on his forehead, and after feeling the sensation again, he looked up toward the station ceiling. As he did, he saw countless eyeballs looking down on him. He felt death approachingno, perhaps its something even worse than that. His blood froze, his face twitched, and he felt a cold chill running up his spine. But he couldnt run away, thinking that his third leg would be dragging him down. So he drew his sword, and started swinging at the eyeballs raining down from the ceiling. Fortunately, those eyeballs doesnt seem to be very tough. The only problems are its number and the fact that itll be dangerous the moment he comes in contact with itbut at least he could stop it on its tracks. S-Sarah, run away! B-But Its fine, just run! I dont know what the hell this is but its not something we can take on! UUu Thats what Ed would want too! Johnny yelled at Sarah with a pale face. She accepted the mans resolution, bit her lip and ran away, biting her lips as she said Im sorry, with a pained expression. Ed had lost himself long ago, degraded into something non-human. Meanwhile the eyeballs are entering Johnnys body one by one. His consciousness is fading. His body is gradually turning into something that is not human. It was truly scary, but hes already resigned himself. Whats more important isSarahs figure that was already far away, disappeared as she turned the corner. Confirming that, Johnny heaved a sigh, and with a smile, drew his last breath. CH 18 Sarah ran for her life. Someone she knew closely had just died. Nothey turned into something else; a fate worse than mere death. Is it her fault? Is it because she asked them those questions? She wanted to think otherwise. Yet no thanks to the timing, she couldnt help but to worry that it is her fault. Furthermore, Sarah felt that she had seen those eyeballs somewhere before. They felt similar to that ogre that she had encountered during her struggle with Flamm in that research facility. Which means, if those eyeballs are the result of the experiment Theres seems to be a secret facility below the church in the West District, and theyre doing experiments using the children from the facility down there It seems like an experiment ascend to the domain of God. It was nothing but a vague information given how he said the word seems, but that information might have some truth in it. Yet still, it wouldnt be an answer as to why Ink and the other childrens name didnt come up in the name register. But to make sure that the mens sacrifice didnt go in vain, she needs to deliver this information to Flamm. Firstly, she needs to go out to the road along the wall. If she did, the main street shouldnt be that far. Normally its a place with a public safety so bad that she wouldnt get close, but right now, if anything happens shell have to just smash through with her mace. She had to focus on going through the West gate, exit the main street and run to Flamms house. The girl went downhill as she calculated her escape route. Squelch, When she turned aroundthe countless eyeballs found her. They rolled on the ground, crawled up the wall, and looked down at her from the roofs. Turning her neck, the teary-eyed girl cried, They took the lives of those two peoplebut thats still not enough!? Can these eyes listen? Knowing that these eyes are chasing her after Ed told her about the gossip, then that means they should be able to. Hence in response to Sarahs words of grief, the eyeballs rolled in to close their distance, as if saying thats right, its still not enough. AAAAAAAHHHH!!! Sarah shouted her anger and fear that had nowhere to go, and once again, she ran. The eyeballs keep growing in number. They came forth from the roofs, from inside the buildings, and even from the drainage channels. They crawled out like swarms of insects, flooding the streets. The street had no pedestrian trafficits as if those things had known it from the start. Sarah decided not to look back anymore, knowing if she did, there were only the scene of despair. So all she could do is to whip her screaming legs, shut her ears so she couldnt hear her lungs wheezing, and control her heart beating so quickly that it felt theyre about to break. She had to keep swinging her arms and run forward. There are also some poor people living in the capital, so the closer she gets to the walls of the West District castle, the smell started to change. The air is filled with the stench of raw garbage, but that smell brought Sarah a sense of security. She thought that those things probably wont chase her to a place with a lot of people. As she exited to the wider road, she turned right in a wide arc without reducing her speed. Her neat and tidy white robe she wore made her stand out, but she couldnt care less about the peoples gazes. Just in case, she continued down the street, and afterwards, she dropped her speed and turned around. Haahaatthisthis is impossible Perhaps because she was so desperately running, she couldnt hear any voices from her surrounding. But what she saw as she turned around was a gruesome spectacle that could be described as the scene from hell. What is this disgusting? O-Oi, stay awayStay awaAAAAAHH! A pedestrian who was just passing by had his arm grow into twoand three before long. As he stumbled to his feet, more eyeballs flood into him, and before long, he lost his figure as a person. Hiiiii!! Please, god, give me your protectionpleaseplease godgouguh And then, the eyeballs entered the torso of a lady who was sitting on the streets, desperately gripping onto the symbol of the church of Origin, and her body swells up. At the beginning she screamed in fear, but her voice gradually drowned as her mouth froths. There were so much eyeballs entering her body that her pink-colored insides are squeezed out. No, NOOOOO! STAY AWAY! PLEASE, NOT MY CHILD! NOT MY CHILD! Mommy! Mommy Go away, GO AWAAAY! Momsave Savememommyssaveme Sa-ss-save memomz..zabe..m Hiii!? The childs desperate struggle is in vain as the eyeballs sunk themselves into the childs neck, and on his mothers arms, his head grew into three. The mother released her child by reflex with her face paled from fear, but in that instant, the eyeballs flooded into her, and her body merged with her childs. They showed no mercy. They didnt even think of concealing themselves. If this is the churchs method of covering up their actions, this is too unreasonable. Im sorry, Im sorry, Im sorry! The girl was sinless. But she was unable to bear the feeling of guilt, so she apologized with all her heart as she started breaking into a run again. The number of victims grew, but the enemys objective is to maintain secrecy of their intelligence. They would eliminate anything that got in their way, but their target is Sarah, without a doubt. Once again, Sarah turned the corner and entered a narrower road. She could continue to hear the screams of other victims behind her, but she couldnt do anything to help them. It would be possible for her to prevent further casualties by stoppingbut it would be too unreasonable to tell a 10-year-old to do so and stop living as a human. So right now, all she could do is grit her fists so hard that her nails are sinking into her palms and move forward with her sight blurred by the tears she shed. Runrunrun She wandered about, looking for a path or a place where there were no people She lost count on how far she ran. She had ran out of stamina since long ago and her body had been screaming because of that, but she could only move her numbed legs under the sense that she had to keep moving. Wheezewheeze, As she wheezed through her parched throat, her chest started to hurt. Shes starting to reach the true limit of her body; one way beyond the limit she had already passed. But those things had no limit. Once she thought that she had shaken them off, they appeared from everywhere, and before long, Sarah had already been surrounded. How far does she need to run to reach the end? Or rather, can she even run away in the first place? Hasnt ones fate been sealed the moment they heard about the facility in the basement of the church? Hacoughaaaahh Sarahs powerless voice leaked out from her throat. Yes, there is certainly an end to it. As she couldnt escape to the main road, she had to keep turning corners after corners into a narrow road where there were nobody else. And at the end of it, a dead end. Her hands touched the wall behind her, and the moment she noticed its roughness, her knees gave out. Theres no way out. Knowing that theres use running out anymore, her body relaxed. EdJohnnyIll be with you right soon The walls are on her back, and the ground is where she collapsed. Since it was going to be over regardless, she paid no mind to her soiled robe. As her limbs gave out, her listless eyes gazed at the streetand then she saw the eyeballs starting to appear. Being able to roll around, come down from the top or crawl out of the gutter, these eyeballs are quite clever. Before long, the ground was flooded with the white sphere, and the black pupils all glared at the girl. Im sorryeveryone What appeared like a soumatou1 in her brain werethe people she lived together in the Central District church that she regarded as a family, Ed and Johnny, Flamm and the othersand the victims that got caught up during her escape. After apologizing to everyone, she looked up into the sky, and closed her eyes and a calm gust of wind brushed her cheeks. CH 19 The man glared at Flamm who abruptly jumped into the conversation. Isnt it okay? I mean youre also depressed because youre being left out by those guys who went to the church. Flamm unconsciously turned her sight towards Iira, but the moment their gazes met, she scoffed and turned away at once. Apparently Iira was moved by their similar distaste toward Dain. Well thats true, but The man looked at Flamm in the face as he thinks, but at last, he smacked his lips and started talking. Phil is the guy we sent to threaten the members of the church, but he got killed. Though they failed and turned into a believer instead. They suck, said Iira as if spitting out those words. It would seem like she really didnt like their behavior. I accidentally heard about Phil, but he was killed in a way that he turned into something that you cant call a human anymore. You said that he turned into something that looked like a beast, didnt you. Yeah. He grew some limbs and heads and his body swelledrumors has it that countless eyeballs went into his body and then it started turning weird. I didnt think it was true since it sounded too absurd, but now that I saw a corpse like that, I think I could believe its true now Countless eyeballs and growing limbs It was a grotesqueness different than that of the spiral-faced beast in the research facility. But the fact that it happened to someone who threatened the church members, theres a huge possibility that its an extension of the same research. Ten years has passed; it wouldnt be strange if the shape the result of the research had changed. Did theydid they continue their research in the capital? Do you know something? To Flamms unintentional mutter, Iira promptly responded. Im just thinking that theres an eighty or ninety percent chance that its the churchs doing. Flamm only had a basis that could lead to her belief. She knew about the existence of the research facility, but whether its done by someone that has connections with the church is only a conjecture. But Phils case didnt go as far as to make it into public, did it? Right. If it did, the news about such strange corpse would have reached my earsthen why is it that its a huge ruckus now? The man shook his head to Flamms question. I dont know that much. Probably because theres a lot of it and its not hidden well since its found in a place with lots of pedestrian traffic. But then again, why did they get him at such a public place. Its unusually sloppy method for the church that wants to conceal their research. Even if they meant it as an experiment, one would think that they wouldve done it more discreetly. Hey, you mind if I come along to where he is? She cant start if she cant see the body herself. The man unenthusiastically nodded and led the way. For some reason, Iira also followed suit, leaving the guild unattended, but perhaps she didnt think it matters since Dain and his boys are absent. In the end, shes still as careless as always. The scene of the crime was the center of the slums. It was brimming with curious onlookers, so even getting into a place where you can see the scene of the crime was tough. As the three people pushed through the crowd, a rotten smell stabbed their nose. Ughit stinksThis isnt just because its the slums, is it? Iira brought her hand to cover her mouth and nose, scrunching her face without paying attention to what people around her think. The public hygiene of this place had been bad from the beginning, but it doesnt seem like that wasnt the only thing that stinks in that place. As they reached the forefront of the crowd, not only does the stench intensified greatly, an unimaginable sight emerged before their eyes. Gehwhat the hell is that. Thats not humanis it? Thats what we were talking about earlier butunbelievable, isnt it. Several lumps of meat with limbs and heads growing out of it were scattered around the street like grotesque objects of art. On top of that, these things appear to be moving as if theyre alive. Which begs the question again; are they really corpses? Even the guards that received the reports scratched their heads in confusion. Uguh There were no shortage of people who closed their mouths due to nausea just like Iira did. Try not to throw up here, will you? Flamm said, not because she was worried. how can you be so calm looking at this. Im still an adventurer after all. Can you even use that as an excuse? Uugh It seems like shes close to her limits. Flamm signaled the man next to her, and once again, they went through the crowds and exited the area. They stopped in a place where there were less people around. The expression of the three was dark, all for a different reasons. Perhaps because they went into a road where sunlight is sparse, the place felt even unnecessarily darker. I dont get it. Phil was turned into such a shape like a monster but Dain-san went to the church insteadare we really going to be okay following him? Perhaps Dain was attempting to expand his influence to keep his power in the West District. Not only among adventurers, he had also colluded with the guild, and there were many merchants that they had established connections with. People look up to him and his progress, thus his misdeeds were overlooked. That benefit is something that only he enjoys, and sharing those benefits is perhaps a part of his intellectual leadership. But that is not something that he can enjoy forever. Just like now; if there is another party with a stronger influence, it would swallow them up and dissolve their cohesiveness. Their development would stop, and if they betray the public expectation, they would collapse. And Dain is not stupid; he understands this himself. Maybe theyll turn into monsters just like Phil and those other corpsesI get that its scary, so I get why youll want to obey something that could do that. Picking a fight against the church might have been an uphill battlebut its precisely because of that illogical plan that were here! Dont they know that if we give up here our dreams are gonna be over just like that!? Isnt it clear that its over? Dain values his life so much so he ran away with his tails between his legs, along with the other guys too. No matter how important you can think of his dreams is, his life is more important in the end, Iira said with a cold tone. Thats what is normal for anyone. But did they not follow Dain because he was not normal? That courage of his is his greatest charm, one that made people admire him spontaneously. Flamm herself didnt approve of Dains methods, but she admitted that hes doing well. I think its best to get out of the West district if youre at loss of what to do. We wont know if those eyeballs are going to come out again. R-rightI think its best to wait out until the chaos calms down. I guess Ill take some distance away from Dain too. I dont want to accidentally kick the hornets nest and turn into that hideous monster. It was a wise choice from Iira. Meanwhile, Flamm wasnt such an outlaw that she would harm those who wants to distance themselves from Dain despite how disagreeable they are. However, if they are pulling any more dirty tricks against her or the people around her, she wouldnt hesitate to unsheathe her sword. Afterwards, Flamm separated from the two who decided to return to the guild, and she headed for her own home. As Flamm opened the door and exclaimed Im home!, she was replied by three voices saying welcome back. It would seem like Milkit and Ink is currently in the living room, while Eterna is in her room on the second floor. Usually Milkit would lightly run up to her and welcomed her back, but Flamm understood why she didnt the moment she peeked into the living room while feeling slightly lonely. Ink was sitting on her laps, so she was unable to stand up. Welcome back, master. I apologize that I wasnt able to welcome you back, Milkit said apologetically as she saw Flamms face. Its alright, its alright. So uh, what are you doing there? Flamm pointed at the wooden parts scattered on top of the table. Laid in front of them were something of a wooden frame and several parts inserted into it. Puzzle~! answered Ink innocently. Thats right. For the blind girl, a puzzle is truly something that she can still play with. But its something Flamm never recalled seeing before. Eterna-san had took out everything she could find inside this house, and she said Ink-san could enjoy this. HeeShe found something nice, didnt she? Flamm said, sitting on the seat across Milkit and Ink. She knew that there were things left behind by the houses previous owner in the storage room on the second floor. Though since it was filled with old items that are full of dust, they havent had the chance to look through them. However, it seemed like Eterna who came before them had managed to spend some time rummaging through them. What about those? Flamm pointed at the metallic toy next to the puzzle. She thought that it was also an item Eterna had found. Its a disentaglement puzzle. We were playing with it until some time ago, but playing with it too long would bore her after all. Milkit is awesome you know! I had no idea what to do, but she could solve it quickly when I gave it to her! Hee, youre really good with your hands, arent you? F-Far from itwith things like these, as long as you know how to do it, then it should be easy to solve. I have played with this before after all. Despite her humility, it was well known fact that her hands are dexterous. Her way of handling the kitchen knife is nothing short of magnificent that one could think that she usually works as a chef. Not to mention, she could comprehend how to read and write as Flamm had taught her very quickly. Her looks and her personality were perfect, and she was also brimming with talentit irks Flamm to know that such a girl was oppressed until recently. Though since the person behind that irritation is not within her arms reach to vent her anger, holding a resentment in her heart would only tire her, so she quickly regained composure and looked around the room. Speaking of which, Sarah hasnt come over yet, huh. The house felt silent without everyones little boisterous nun. Is she not supposed to come before dinner time? Well she was supposed to come to exchange information instead of just eating dinner though. Ahaha, but I am really happy when she comeswhich means, Im rather upset with her now. Isnt it difficult for you that you have to make a lot of food? Of course not. Rather, I am happy if I can see more faces enjoying the food I made. The more the merrier. Its a textbook answer of a perfect housewife. Without a doubt, she is probably hiding an extremely cute smile under her bandages. Im glad I brought her out of that cage with me, Flamm thought from the bottom of her heart. Hey Flamm, if by any chance it turned out that I really ran away from the church in the West District, do I have to return as soon as possible? Ink who was listening to the twos exchange asked in a depressed tone. She mustve had a reason for why she ran away from home. Arent your friends and Mother going to be worried about you? But Flamm still couldnt not send her home. The girl was stuck on those words; friendsare they Arent they? They always ridicule me by saying Im useless. Only Mother was kind to me, but I feel like she also thinks Im useless After listening to the girl, Flamm heaved a huge sigh. Theres bound to be someone saying that sort of thing just about anywhere. Saying that theyre useless, over and over, despite the person in question is the one who knows about it best. Wellif someone told me that Im utterly useless, I would understand the feeling of wanting to run away. So Flamm thought of it too. I was thrown away before I could run away though, said Flamm with a bitter smile before touching the slave crest seared to her cheek. Master Dont make that face, Milkit. Thanks to a certain someone who said we match, I dont think badly about it anymore. The truth is that without that crest, the two wouldnt have met. Without that seal, she wouldnt have discovered her true capabilities and she would still be stuck doing menial works in the heroes journey, while Milkit would perhaps be eaten by the ghouls and died inside that cage. They met at the depths of hell, but it was precisely because they met, the two could still smile as they arethough Flamm still had no intention to forgive Jean for it. Thats niceFlamm has Milkit with her. Yeah. Honestly if I didnt meet her, I dont think I was able to escape. I wonder if I could also escape if I continue staying together with you, Ink whispered. Flamm is painfully aware of her conditions. But theres a huge difference between Flamm who was deserted and Ink who left on her own will. There are people who are looking for her, and she felt that Ink doesnt notice that grace. So first, she had to try and talk to her guardians. Wellif Ink insists that she needs to, I dont mind if she stays living here. Really!? The girl leaned onto the table, smiling ear-to-ear at Flamm. But you have to clearly say it to your guardians. Its not like you were abused or confined, right? You ran away on your own after all. I dont know, but I dont think I was imprisonedmaybe. But until now, Ive never went out once. N-Not even once? To the spontaneous question, Ink nodded. Even if shes blind, is it possible that they did not let such a child out from the institution? Its an orphanage, right? I dont know about that too. How many children are with you? Only four. Theres Mother too with us. The institution only held 5 children, so it is questionable if the institution is truly an orphanage. In a city with the scale of the capital, there should be a larger amount of orphans gathered. Rather, the orphanage in the West District should house several dozens of children. Hey Ink, why did you run away from there? To that question, Ink stayed silent. The question about the reasons behind ones runaway is a delicate one. That was why Flamm didnt ask her that the first time she meets her, but without an answer, the situation would only grow worse. Now that Flamm had asked the question, theres a possibility that she had hurt her, but discovering the truth was a higher priority. You werent abused, and you werent imprisoned, so is that place uncomfortable for you? Ink silently shook her head. Thenis it because you dont want to be ridiculed by your friends? She shook her head again. Then why? Thats It seems like Ink was troubled. Its like shes prohibited to tell the truth to other people. Howeverit appears that her trust towards Flamm was stronger. After a brief silence, she whispered; Its becauseI was left out in a place that I feel deeper than just friends and familyIm sure that Im not supposed to be there, so thats why I ran away. That means her problem is a different case than simply being useless. Though not understanding the meaning behind closer to, Flamm spontaneously asked back. Sorry, I dont quite get it. What do you mean that you were left out from a place you feel deeper? We can communicate and play with each other, butI dont know how to explain itits like Ima differentcreature? She ended in a questioning tone, making a question Flamm didnt know how to answer. Yet somehow, the image of those people transformed into grotesque monsters appears on Flamms mind. If Ink escaped the institution she was kept in the day before she met Flamm, then it was in concurrence with the timing when people discovered Phils body. The eyeballs, the stitched eyelidsthere certainly is something in common. However, the whole time shes been staying in Flamms place, she had never gone out even once. Phil aside, she was not responsible for the massacre that she witnessed today. On top of that, her status is completely normal. Ink was not the criminal; it would be more natural to think that blame falls upon the orphanageor rather, the people related to the churchs research facility. Theyre looking for the runaway girlfor example, using someone who can control a large amount of eyeballsbut then again, is their search so urgent that they are willing to take the risk of going public? Judging by her appearance, Ink doesnt possess any sort of power. Even her attributes are normal. And so perhaps that was why the children around her and even Mother regards her as useless. No, if that was the case, then why was she kept in a facility with other children with abilities? Flamm knows of an underground facility that arent so kind to such failed creation. If shes such a failure, the church wouldve disposed of her already. Then is she a successful creation? Then in that case, shouldnt her status show a hint of abnormality. Just like the Ogre from back then. There are no helices on her body, and her status arent abnormal, so its unthinkable that the girl was lying. Which meansInk is innocent. Thats what Flamm wants to think. Thats the only way Flamm can think of for now. If thats the case, the only thing Flamm can do to help the girl is to try to hide Ink as much as possible. However, Sarah is already started asking around in the West District. Depending on what she did to do so, the fact that Ink is under her care might have reached their ears. Which means, Sarah is Flamm abruptly stood up from her chair. Is there anything wrong, Master? Im going to the church in the Central District. We still have time before dinner right? Yes, I was just about to start making them. Are you going to Sarah-sans place? Yeah, just in case. Flamm was just about to dash out before Ink suddenly yelled Wait! and stopped her on her tracks. Judging by your reaction, I guess you know something about the place I was in, dont you Flamm? There was an incident out there. Im just thinking maybe its got something to do with that. Incident Flamm couldnt possibly tell her the details. Ink herself showed a pained expression as she bit her lips, perhaps having knowing about what Flamm was talking about. Are Mother and the other children looking for me? Maybe. Do you think the children you live with had some sort of strange abilities? Ink nodded. Mother always told me not to tell this to people outside though Dont worry, if anything happens, well be sure to protect you. mm. I cant see so I dont quite understand, but everyone said Im useless because I cant hear that voice or wield their power. Voice andpower She could somewhat understand what she meant by power. Perhaps by getting a core embedded into her, she could wield the power of that Helix like that Ogre did. But What voice? That was what Flamm didnt quite understand. Hesitating perhaps because its yet another thing she wasnt supposed to disclose to other people, Ink said after a delay: we were told that we were supposed to be able to talk with Origin-sama. Thats! This is the first time she clearly said the word Origin. Now it is clear that the church is involved with this incident. I couldnt do it. Everyone else could, but I couldntbut I saw that Flamm, Milkit, Sarah and Eterna couldnt do itI thought I was the weird one because only I cant, but is that really it? Its not. A normal person cant talk with him. Everyone else is just like you, Ink. Is thatsoso Im normal Ink stroked her chest. Looking at the girl, Flamm and Milkit looked at each other and smiled. Upon being surrounded by abnormality, normalcy itself becomes an abnormality. It was perhaps further drilled into the poor childs head as she was kept within an enclosed space. That was why she escaped, thinking that a monster should not be mingling among the normal people. Yet the fact was the complete opposite. Ink was the normal person surrounded by a flock of monsters. Flamm doesnt need to hesitate anymore; she just need to protect the girl. With her objective crystal clear, Flamm double timed out the house. Under the illumination of the sinking sun, Flamm ran towards the church of the Central District, where Sarah should be. CH 20 The skies had turned dark when Flamm arrived at the church in the Central District. Hey Sister, can I ask you something? Flamm instantly called out to her. The woman stopped, and with a swing of her pale pink-colored hair, she turned to say What might it be? with a smile. Flamm beckoned the nun to come over to a place where the knights cant see and asked the nun frankly; Do you know of a girl called Sarah? Y-You know her!? As she did, the nun suddenly asked her the question back, grasping on Flamms shoulders. Seeing the nuns desperate expression, Flamm immediately knew that something had definitely happened to Sarah. AhIm sorry. An unexpected incident happened, so we are a bit disordered The woman was grasping onto a bag of groceries. Perhaps she was asked to go and buy some things in the middle of the riot. As I thought, something happened to her, doesnt it? Before thatcan I ask you how you are related to Sarah? My name is Flamm. Sarah is Even before Flamm could finish her explanation, the nun interrupted her and started speaking. Aah, its you! The kind person that Sarah said made her delicious foods! Seems like Flamm is well known already. Its truly just like Sarah to talk about food. I havent introduced myself, have I. My name is Tina. I have been living in the church with Sarah since we were small. Flamm remembered something Sarah had told her. Sarah used to tell her a lot about the family she had in the church, and Tina was one of those people. Then I think it would be fine for me to talk about this with you. An announcement came down from the Church earlier todaythey said that they have excommunicated Sarah. Excommunicated!? Why so suddenly!? It seems thatthe reason is that she had been involved with demonic worship. I heard that the moment she was discovered, she was immediately dragged to the Court of the Church. The Court of the Church is an institution separate from the court established by the Kingdom. It was made specifically to punish the members of the church that broke their internal rules. Its an institution that was said to punish the rulebreakers by imprisonment, torture, or even execution. Obviously, it is a violation of the laws of the Kingdom, yet the Kingdom had no interest of intervening with the tyranny of the church, and instead, they even gave the church the authority to make decisions to maintain the public safety of one entire district. In the end, it means in the present kingdom, anyone being taken to the churchs courthouse would be treated as a criminal. Of course none of us believe that she was involved in demonic worship, I can guarantee that. We lived together with her after all. She was under a false sentence. Flamm grits her teeth strongly from her irritation. Sarah was supposed to be a talented, precious asset of the church. Then perhaps Ink and whatever exists in the church in the West District was something they are desperate to hide that they are willing to throw the girl away. Hey, Flamm-sanwhere did she go? What did she do? Why is she being treated like this!? Tina asked, her voice shivering. As if shes trying to push back the emotions that are pushing her to cry. Yet Flamm herself came to the church to ask that question. Ionly heard that she said shes heading to the orphanage in the West District because she had something to investigate there. She is acquainted with the knights there, so she said she could ask them. The knights she knowsits got to be Ed and Johnny. As I thought, they arent unrelated after all. Did something happen to those knights too? Just today they were suddenly transferred away to a remote village. They dont demote Royal Capital Knights unless theres a major problembut we didnt hear anything about it, and they already left the capital by the time we thought of asking them directly. They were very friendly with us when they were posted here in the Central District, so normally they should have called out to us if they were transferring away. Tina explained, feeling uneasy as she wrapped her arms around her body. Frustrated, Flamm fiddled with her shirt. Clearly, they are attempting to hide something using their powers to bypass the laws. However, why did they excommunicate Sarah but transferred the knights away? There should be a meaning in that discrepancy. Was it because Sarah was a nun and the men were knights? No, excommunication was supposed to be the heaviest punishment within the Church of Origin. If the church wanted to drive them out, they could have declared the knights excommunicated and bring them into court as well. Naturally, Flamm could only think that theres a reason that they had to transfer them out instead of bringing them into court. Also one more thing. I heard that there are witnesses that says that they saw a blond-haired girl in nun habits. Waitwasnt that the place where we found the corpses? Tina silently nodded. Afterwards, despite knowing that she wouldnt be able to gain an answer, as if taking a gamble on her last hope, Tina asked; Was Sarahs excommunication and the case of the corpsesconnected? Flamm herself doesnt believe in it. Yet the timing, the situation, and the conjectures made from the churchs past conditions, Flamm could only come up with one answer. I think its got something to do with the church. Tinas red eyes widened. Along with her surprise, somewhere deep down in her heart, she thought; I called it. I had thought that those demoted knights might have been dead. Thats why I think their transfer is an attempt to conceal their deaths. Then what about Sarah? They havent found her body yet. Maybe shes still on the run, so perhaps just in case she appeared again, they declared her excommunicated. What is it that the pope wanted to hide so much that they are willing to go that far? Thats If she told her, there will be no coming back. Im sorry, I cant involve you in this. If I do, what they did to Sarah might happen to you too. I dont mind! Wewe might not have been related by blood, but shes one of our family member! But If shes on the run even now, then I also think that its one of her wish to not let any of you involved. even soeven so! How much do you think we all loved that girl! Tinas words showed hints of her vexation. But Tina wasnt the only one that was frustrated. Sarah wouldve relied on them if only they had a the strength to solve this problem. But she didnt. The two realized their own powerlessness. What should I do? If we just beat up the pope would she come back? It wouldnt be that simple. Rightpeople like us cant simply make enemies of the pope No, not that. I didnt mean it like that. The church itself is The church iswhat? Its fine to just tell me already, right? Ive steeled myself. Even Ieven I have noticed that the popes are hiding something. She might have a deeper suspicion towards the church than an outsider. At the very least, shes not the popes that Flamm couldnt easily trust. This is a common understanding between the upright nuns and priests. In front of the womans determination, Flamm gave in and told her everything she knows. Whatever caused the incident this timeits possible that they couldnt control it. Incident? The results of human experiments. Human experiment!? T-ThenSarah is involved in it? Perhaps. Not with the experiment, but she got to know something that has got something to do with its product, and theyre trying to erase her to conceal it. Perhaps she was erased already. Tina held her head as she staggered. Thats how far the truth shocked her. Yet even if Flamm is someone Sarah knew well, Flamm herself feels that the woman couldnt trust her whom she had just met. Sarah probably left the church this morning to go to the church in the West District. You said that she had something to do in the orphanage, right? Nothing is happening there. Ive been there before, and I can see the children living well. Yeah, so its likely that the research is not conducted at the orphanage. Maybe they used the children to conduct their research somewhere else. That was what Flamm had taken assumed from her conversation with Ink earlier. Though considering that Sarah was taken out in the West District, the institution should not be that far from that area. But then after or when she talked with the two knights, she was attacked by the eyes1 that created those grotesque corpses. Eyes? Thats what the witnesses reported. The victims were attacked by a lot of eyeballs, and their bodies swelled until they turned into what they look like now. Whatwhat do you mean? Eyes? Only eyes attacked them? Perhaps Those disgusting creatures are in the capital? And thats the result of the human experiment? Tina swallowed her saliva. She hadnt seen what they look like, but she shuddered thinking that such monster is currently hidden somewhere in the capital. But why were they attacked at all? Ed and Johnny are ordinary knights. They shouldnt have known anything about the research. I dont know about that, but the fact is those knights had sacrificed themselves to allow Sarah to run away. Then she ran away to a place with no people around. Flamm thought of herself in Sarahs shoes. She was attacked by ominous eyeballs as she was conversing with her friends. Her friends died to cover for her. She managed to run away, but she continued to be pursued. She continued to run as she kept being attacked by the eyeballs. However, at that point, the girl must have noticed something. The grotesque appearance and the timing must have led her to believe that this is the result of the research that the church wanted to hide. After that, she separated herself from the district wall. She assumed that because the church wanted to hide these things from public sight, those eyeballs wouldnt come out in front of a crowd of people, much less attack them. Butthose people ended up getting involved2. Thats why you said that they couldnt control it. Yeah. Perhaps the church is being impatient. Otherwise they wouldnt have made such unreasonable actions of transferring the knights or excommunicating Sarah and instead make some sly excuses like they usually do. The two fell into silence. They couldnt confirm Sarahs safety. They did not know the true nature of those eyes, they could not stop the churchs tyranny, and nothing had progressed. Buttheres still hope. Sarah is still okay, right? Possibly. That information alone is enough. Ill talk to some people I can trust and well find her. Dont get yourself too deeply involved. We cant be sure who or when theyll go after next. Thats even better. I can get to Sarah quicker if theyre after me. Flamm could not laugh at that joke. She was there to witness corpses who had lost its shape as a human. It was impossible for her to laugh at it. Thank you for telling me a lot. NoLikewise, thank you very much. Ill contact you again if I can confirm Sarah-chans safety. Please. I will also contact you if we find her. Tina and Flamm exchanged addresses, and before long, they waved at each other as they parted ways. She had managed to obtain more information than she expected, but The girl looked up to the violet sky and heaved a massive sigh. Sarah-chanI hope youre fine Just imagining the innocent little girl swelling with multiple limbs growing out of her and turning into that unsightly figure made her nauseous. She had to find Sarah as soon as possible and destroy the institution Ink was inbut it is still unclear if the eyes will stop at that point. For now, she had no choice but to move forward. As Flamm was returning to the West District from the Central District, her eyes met with a large mans in front of her. it was Dain. Yo. He pasted a disgusting grin on his face as he called out to Flamm. About 20 men followed after Dain in a line, as if hes is commanding an army. Perhaps because they were just back from a worship in the church, or perhaps because their face is as expressionless as a doll, Flamm couldnt figure out what theyre thinking, which only made them even more ominous. Flamm was about to ignore them and pass through, but then, Hol up. Youre lost thinkin about that lil brat gone, right? Flamm unconsciously stopped after hearing those words. The men behind Dain turned to look at Flamm with a blank expression. Flamm felt a chill running down her spine. They might be takin that disgusting bandage girl next time. Dain, you bastard! In response to that clear provocation, Flamm raised her voice and closed in on him to grab his collar. However, the man fearlessly smiled and replied; You sure you wanna do that? Were the churchs believers, ya know? Were Origin-samas3 devout, obedient dogs ya know? Hyahahaha! And so you chose to throw away the last shred of your almost nonexistent pride? Hahahah! A small dog like you glaring at me aint scary! The church aint half bad. Being able to catch an asylum behind such overwhelming power brings my mind at ease. Some things left a lot to be desired though, said Dain, shaking free from Flamms grip before taking two steps back. My clientno, my current boss told me to keep my hands off of Flamm Apricot. Well if they went that far to say that, we can only accept. Low risk high return, you know. What are you talking about? Heheh, youll see. Oi, you lots! Lets go! With his orders, the men moved completely in order. Their movement seems as if they are lifeless machines. Now she understood the reason why Iira hated the current Dain. He said something about low risk, high return, but theres no way that it is possible. Because the profit he gains right now is massive, he could not notice that he would lose a lot of things. Its likely that Dains faction is nearing its end. Perhaps, he has a new vision of a revolution of his governance. Yet if that was the case, that governance is not one to be led by the charismatic Dain Phineas. Flamm clenched her fists and collected her strength into her arms. Dain kept walking further away. Its likely that although they could not harass Flamm directly, theyll go for the people around her. That includes, as he declared, Milkit. Would it not be preferable to take care of him now before he could make a move? With her seething anger, Flamm was about to pull out her Soul Eater, butshe felt something glaring at her, and so she turned her face to the right. A single eyeball is looking at her. It was only one, but its gaze is fixated at her. kh Flamm held her breath. Why? She hadnt obtained any information regarding the church, nor had she inflicted any harm, so why does it appear in front of her? Thiscould it be Without a doubt, it is one of the eyeballs that created those corpses. Flamms hostility towards Dain was replaced by a paralyzing dread. She pulled out her sword and headed for that eye. As she did, the thing rolled away, turned a corner and completely disappeared. Flamm chased after it in a hurry, but she already couldnt see it anymore. What the hell was that It only showed itself instead of chasing after her. Feeling hazy from its incomprehensible actions, once again, Flamm headed for home. Seeing Flamms expression, Milkit who had been waiting for her smiled and said Welcome back without asking anything. Food is better eaten joyfully and cheerfully, which is why Flamm chose not to disclose what happened to Sarah just yet to allow Milkit, Eterna and Ink to dine as they usually do. Yet everyone in the room have sensed something. Perhaps not about how Sarah is missing, but they noticed that Flamm might have some bad news. After they finished their food and cleaned up, Flamm informed everyone that Sarah had not returned to the church. The one who was hurt the most was Ink. Sarah got caught up in an incident because of her. The rest tried to comfort her as much as possible, yet her pain could not easily be healed. After a while, the girl went up to the second floor and shut herself in the guest room across Flamms room. Eterna said that she had work to be done, so she too returned to her own room, leaving only Flamm and Milkit in the living room. For several times already, Milkit had tried to say something to cheer up Flamm who looked down, yet even after she opened her mouthshe couldnt express her thoughts properly. For the first time, the girl had thought that she wanted to do something for someone else. It was a principle the girl never followed. Thanks. Eh? I feel like Ive been saved by you a lot of times, Milkit. N-No, ImI couldnt do anything No, youve done enough. I feel stronger just with you being here. So Flamm stood up from her seat before leaning forward and held Milkit by her hands. You dont need to say anything special, so you dont have to feel down. I can do my best just by seeing you smile. Even soI want to give you the same amount of support as you have given me, master. Hehe, you really know how to make me happy. Well, if thats what you think, I wont stop you, but please remember that your master here wants you to smile as much as possible. Flamm lets go of her hands as she said that, but Milkit responded with a lonely yelp. It was unclear if she realized it or not, but just as Flamm was about to leave the room, she lightly hugged the girl from her back and caressed her head. Master, whispered Milkit, left alone. She put her hand on her bandaged cheek, gripping the bandage firmly. From the gaps between her bandages, her cheeks could be seen, dyed in deep red. Knock, knock, the door to Eternas room rang, to which the owner responded with Go ahead. So you really came, she said as if already expecting Flamm to enter the room from the beginning. Howd you guess? Your face is like an open book that reads you have something to say when we had our dinner Flamm touched her own face all over, confused if she really did make a face like that. Though of course, theres no way for her to understand. Use the chairs as you like. Flamm took a chair left in the darkness near the wall and put it down by the desk, next to Eterna. The latter stopped her hands and faced Flamm. The desk was littered with dried herbs and some mysterious sculptures scattered about. What were you doing? Im making something to make you the user feel better. Not that it would cure illnesses or heal injuries though. Arent those some problematic drugs then While its true that if the drugs doesnt cure illnesses or heal injuries the church wont bat an eye to it, another party is going to set their eyes on them for it. Im just mixing it into a herbal tea. Ah, thatwait, arent those too much for you to drink by yourself? Im thinking of selling them. I cant keep living off of you after all. I see, Flamm said, hitting her hands together. It seems like Eterna felt bad for living there for free. Though Flamm held herself back from saying that its a bit unexpected for there is a risk of her turning angry. Then what are those sculptures for? These are That was not the issue Flamm had at hand, but Flamm was too curious to let it slide. They seem like wooden sculptures made in the image of a persons upper body. Eterna took one of them and handed it over to Flamm. HmmDoesnt it look like me? Its a sculpture of you that Milkit made. So it is me. Milkit did this? We did say that shes got dextrous hands, but When she was a slavewell she still isanyways, since long ago, she tends to fidget around by shaving or carving rocks or woods. This is what it led to. And why are these in your room? She said it would be embarrassing if you found these, but she couldnt bring herself to throw it away. I dont need them, so you can have them. Flamm also felt troubled to be given a sculpture of her own figure, so she respectfully refused and put the sculpture back on Eternas table. Eterna frowned, obviously troubled as well. Milkit has been trying to do a lot of things when you werent here so she could be useful to you. And one of them is sculpting? Yeah. It amazes me how much she loves you. I wouldnt say she loves me butI think she likes me. Are you actually bragging? Im not! Flamm loudly objected as she leaned forward. Perhaps relieved seeing Flamm regaining her spirits, Eterna showed a faint smile. Flamm sat back down and her expression stiffens once more. Alright, let me start again. Lets move on to the main topic. Now that Eterna is not fooling around, she concentrated on the issue. Eterna-san, can you teach me magic? Flamm had realized her own lack of abilities. Sarah wouldnt rely on her, and she couldnt save Sarah, so she hated herself for it. Yet because of her Inverse attribute, her status wouldnt grow. No matter how much she tried, it was impossible for her to grow stronger like everyone else. However, there is something else she could do. She could polish the skills that arent written in her status, namely the Cavalier Arts or the arts and knowledge of magic. In her free time, she would train to refine her Prana and practice to grasp the mana flowing in her body. However, she was unable to sublimate those mana in the form of spells. My attribute is water, so theres not much I can teach to someone with a rare attribute like you. Besides, Im not that good at teaching things to people anywaysI feel like Ive told you this before though. You can just tell me about the simple how-tos. HmmmYou can use Prana, right? Using those are supposedly more difficult, so I dont understand why you can use them but not mana. I can grasp the feeling of mana within me, but I cant release them in the form of spells. Alright then, try to collect your mana to your palm. Okay. Flamm narrowed her eyes. As she did, she seized the mana welling up in her body, formed it into a shape and collected them on the palm she held in front of Eterna. As Eterna said earlier, doing this is a lot easier than refining Prana. The amount, quality and condition isnt bad, but Eterna murmured as she touched Flamms hand. I seeso it has this characteristic. Afterwards she seemed to comprehend it with a nod. Did you find anything? To Flamms nervous question, Eterna suddenly stood up and pointed at the chair she was sitting on. Touch this chair with the mana on your hand. Okay? As instructed, she touched Eternas chair. There was a subtle warmth left from Eternas body temperature. Next is the problem of the image. Imagine clearly how the inverse attribute would invert and put that into effect to a material. Uhumshould I imagine it and send my mana into the chair? Yeah, exactly like that. As per Eternas instruction, Flamm started imagining. Invertvertically, horizontallyinside, and out. Perhaps because its her first time, she was not quite able to grasp the feelings, but the process that consumes the most is perhaps inverting it inside out. It takes a lot of energy to break a chair after all. Because shes using it for the first time, she chose to invert it vertically, with a very simple movement. And then, the name of the spell naturally appeared on her head. Reversal!4 To her exclaim, the chair rotated, in place and stopped as its seat faced down. It was inverted just as she imagined it, so while stunned, Flamm whispered; I did it. The influence of her spell was minor, but it doesnt change the fact that she managed to cast it. She managed to do, with her own hands, something that she thought she could never do in her whole life. I canI can cast a spellthat easily How much mana did you use? Did you feel like something had been drained from your body? N-no, nothing like that! It seems like she has the margin to repeat the process several hundredno, several thousand times. Then there are no problems. Your attribute has an excellent mana efficiency as long as you can maintain it. I think it depends on what and how you choose to invert though. It seems that Flamms guess had been correct. For example, if she tried to turn the chair inside out to destroy it, she would definitely feel a sudden exhaustion. Also, breaking Eternas personal belongings would definitely ruin her mood as well. But why can I suddenly cast spells? Its simple, Eterna took Flamms hand and massaged it as she speaks, The applicability of your mana is very limited. You cant cast it if you dont touch your target, so unlike other attributes, you cant use it for long-range attacks. Thinking back to her training, all Flamm had tried to cast were spells to attack enemies far away. After all, her main weapon is a great sword, so she wanted a way to attack enemies that are far away. However, her attribute is more suited for close-quarter combat. I wanted a way to fight without getting hurt though Flamm is a girl too after all, Eterna thought. She had gotten used to getting hurt, but its still unpleasant to get hurt. Your choice is just to give up, because thats how it is. The rest depends on how you use it. For example, if the target is connected to another object, the mana consumed would increase, but you could still entirely invert them. Soif I cast it on this floorboard The girl crouched down and touched the wooden boards affixed to the floor. Eterna nodded and said, You can flip that entire plank. In other words, if she could use it on a long plank, its not impossible to use the spell to make a long-range attack. Though it would be difficult to say if she could really use it in actual combat. Can you use it on the ground? It depends on your control and imagination. You couldnt possibly invert the earths surface, but if you designate the appropriate extent and depth and affix that to your image, then it is possible. Flamm doesnt think that she could think that far. However, despite its limitation of being able to cast it on an object she touched, its already a major difference for her to be able to cast spells. That said, even though you can use magic now, dont push yourself too hard. If its something I could do, then Ill lend you a hand. Thats true, but I still need more power to protect those that are important for me. After all, her enemies are either monsters who defied common sense or an absolute trash of a human being. Youre pushing yourself too far, Flamm, just like you did during our journey. Theres not much that I can do, so I have to do my best doing what I could. That self-sacrificing way of fighting is okay if youre alone, but try not to do that if you have friends. Milkit is always sad when you get hurt, you know. I understand that. Flamm wanted Milkit to smile from the bottom of her heart. She would get hurt to protect that smile of hers, and when that happens, the girl would grieve. Flamm would contradict her own objective, yet she still had to fight on, for the small beauty to stay with her. After all, Flamm is neither strong nor skillful. CH 21 After Flamm left Eternas room, she headed for her bedroom. Good night, Flamm. It seems like she only came out to say that. Good night, Ink. Flamm replied as she pets the girls head. She had done this to Milkit ever so often that it had became a habit. It seems like Ink enjoyed it; the girls lips loosens as she did. At least she didnt think it feels bad. Afterwards, Flamm lightly waved at the girl who groped around for the doorknob to close the door to her room, and finally, she entered her own bedroom. Milkit was already in her room, seriously looking at her notebook with a pen on her hand. Instead of her usual maid uniform, she was clad in light green sleepwear. Flamm was the only one who is able to see her wear such garments, so it is quite a rare sight to behold. Milkit did not realize that Flamm had entered the room. Even as the latter silently approached the girl, she was still concentrating too deeply to notice her. It appears that shes currently practicing reading and writing. Usually she would be full of smiles in front of Flamm, so there were not that many chances for Flamm to see this serious expression of hers. Her eyes are beautiful as evershe thought. With such a rude thought, she couldnt suppress her urge of wanting to touch the girl, and thusshe reached out to her and slipped her finger between her bandages to touch her cheek. HYAN!? The clueless Milkit jumped with an adorable yelp. Flamm smiled at her response. Fufu, how are you doing? M-Masterplease let me know if youre in You didnt notice me even when I get this close, so you deserve to get pranked at least once. But still Milkit stared at Flamm in discontent. Compared to the past, she had been able to show a wider range of expressions. Thanks to having sufficient nourishment, she also had grown a healthy amount of roundness to her figure. Flamm had helped the girl develop mentally and physically, and seeing the result in front of her, she felt truly happy. That was also the case for reading and writing. Even if shes only gradually learning, the girls future is being built in front of her. Thus, Flamm was as happy as she could be. It is definitely a taste of happiness she couldnt possibly attain before she lived on the countryside before she departed on the journey. She wants to protect her. She strongly desired to protect her. master? Flamm didnt notice that she had been too deeply absorbed in her own thought, but Milkits voice pulled her back to reality. Aah, sorry, sorry, I was thinking about something. Anyways, shall we do that? Flamm asked as she sat down on the bed. Come over, she beckoned for Milkit to sit next to her. The girl complied immediately and sat down so closely that their shoulders brushed against each others. It is something they do every day, so the two of them, acted like they were used to it. Flamm reached out and circled her hands behind Milkits neck to untie the knot of her bandages. The strip that covered the girls face was removed, unveiling a soft and delicate fair skin that was slightly tinged in red. At night, when it was just the two of them, they would regularly conduct a ritual of undoing the girls bandages. At first, the two of them would feel so bashful that it would take a long time for them to finish, but now, they could do it quickly just like that. Perhaps because she was regularly covered in bandages, the sunlight had not affected her fair skin, unlike the adventurer Flamm who chapped her skin on a daily basis. Flamm was not only jealous; she was also conflicted whether it is okay for such a fine beauty to belong only to her. Howeverboth her and Milkit wished for that monopoly, and that gratified Flamm. She was aware of her own unfairness. She talked a whole deal about broadening Milkits opportunities for her future, yet shes doing the exact opposite. Even so, she could find the merits of laughing it off as she thought who cares. They were used to the thing they were doing, but it doesnt mean that they will be weary of it. Every day, every night, Flamm would heave a sigh in captivation. Is itis it that fun to look at my face? whispered Milkit, looking down in embarrassment as Flamm stared at her closely. Yeah, its the most fun I have in the whole day. Flamm replied immediately, to which Milkit further lowered her head in embarrassment. How many times have they done this exchange already? Milkit should have just stop doubting her masters words and start to be confident in herself little by little. However, Milkit could not even think of being confident of herself. She merely thought that my master is weird, and it happens to be that my face is the weird type she likes. Flamm put her hands on the girls cheeks, and as she caressed her slave crest with her thumb, she said, youre extremely cute today as well, Milkit, with a slightly playful tone. If the obstacle of her self-doubt disappeared, the words that she conveyed to her would soak into her heart. Her frozen heart had already been melted long ago, so it is finally time for Flamm to fill that empty, tender heart with her colors. She wished for her words to reach deeper into her heart. Nurture that emotion until it fills her heart. The fear of loss that continued to swell to a certain point has recently faded day by day. its probably going to be alright had came closer to it will definitely be alright She had started to think that yes, this person will definitely not leave me. Through their exchanges every night, the roots of Flamms feelings spread wider and deeper, strengthening her belief. Even after their exchange, the two would continue with trifling conversations, smile at each other as their eyes met, or frolicking about playfully2 with each otherIt was a moment of happiness without any other meaning. However, as they were doing that, Flamm suddenly rose from the bed and looked outside. Milkit followed suit and looked at where Flamm was looking at, but she can only see the darkness of the night. However, as if she could see something, Flamm stood up and walked closer. She then slowly opened the window, reached out, and pulled something from the window frame. Is there something stuck there? its a knife. Theres a message stuck to it too. Perhaps someone threw it out from outside, aiming at the window. She opened the paper that was stuck to it, and the words written crudely on it reads; Dont go outside. What is this, a threat? Its not the time for this. Sarah went missing. Telling her to not get involved would be more unreasonable. No matter what the paper said, Flamm would still go downtown to look for her the next day. Why would they go as far as putting the message on a knife though? The writing looks very messy too. Or rather It looks like whoever wrote this did it in a rushright? As Milkit had pointed out, the words were a mess, and as if it wasnt written on a flat surface, the strokes went everywhere. Flamm tried to think of a person who would so desperately warn her, but she couldnt think of anyone. Is it just Dains underlings playing a prank? Perhaps its a threat that says we got you on our sights Though as long as Eterna is there, they would not be able to lay their hands on the house. Haalets just hit the sack, shall we? suggested Flamm after having lost her spirit. To that, Milkit quickly nodded. I think we should. We should be ready for tomorrow, right? They turned off the light and went to their respective beds before saying their good nights to each other and closed their eyes. However, a while after that Clatterclatter Flamm heard the sound of clattering window frames far away. The next morning, Flamm don her shirt and hotpants after she had her breakfast and washed her face. After she was done preparing, Milkit and Ink sent her out. Her objective was clear; to search for Sarah. To begin, she wanted to follow the path Sarah went through, thus she headed for the church in the West District. She stood in front of the gate, looking up at the churchs main building. Compared to the main building of the church in the Central District, its general look is a lot more modest; it was smaller and it looks more decrepit. Straining her ears, Flamm heard the voices of some men from inside the building. She circled around to the side of the building and peeked inside through one of the windows. There was a sermon taking place; a priest that looks uneasy was preaching to a group of silent, strong-looking men. Dain was sitting on the frontmost seat. I seethis really is quite a disturbing sight, Flamm thought. However, its not like Flamm could ignore them now that they had claimed to be a believer. The priest, too, is certainly facing just as much hardships. Flamm stepped away from the window before she risks getting caught. She then exited the site and saw the orphanage next to the church. From the outside, she could see children playing innocently. Her eyes met with one of the little girls playing there, and the little girl smiled. Flamm showed a smile and gave a reserved wave, to which the little girl replied by doing the same before turning away to head for where her friends are. As she had expected, the number of children present there were not just as small as five. She thought that perhaps there is a possibility that there really is an underground facility below this institute, but Flamm alone would not be able to break in there. Thus, Flamm turned her heels, this time heading to check the knights guardroom. She watched the location from afar. Two knights that she didnt know were stationed in that place. However, they both looked very bothered as they uneasily surveyed their surroundings. If they are the knights colleagues, they should know more about the transfer orders of Ed and Johnny. Or perhaps they might have heard of rumors about their deaths, if it turned out that they are deceased. It would not be strange for them to be anxious since they know they might be next. The situation of the surrounding area, however, was nothing strange. The West District was nothing more than a tranquil, clean place. Flamm spread a map in her head and begins heading for the direction she thought Sarah went for. She distanced herself from the church, entered narrow alleyways and followed them until she came out on the roads along the wall. As she got closer to the wall, the faces of the people she passed by got worse. The numbers of vagrants she found sprawled on the streets grew and public hygiene gets worse and worse. Flamm continued without any other leads, but she ended up at the street where she found the grotesque corpses. The pungent smell pierced her nose. Perhaps because it was the location where the incident happened, there were not many people around the site of discovery. However, as she continued down the street, she found a row of houses made out of scrap woods and miscellaneous junks. Sarah must have regretted her decision that led her to involve these civilians, so she must have escaped into another narrow alley. Remembering the positions of the corpses, Flamm continued walking until she found the entrance to a narrow, dark alley. Again, Flamm stepped forward into the alley Sarah might have ran through. However, the alleyway turned to be a maze, which brought further trouble for Flamm to retrace Sarahs steps. She decided to do a thorough search, thus she begun walking through the path on the very right. She repeated her process at every fork until she reached a dead end. There was a huge stone wall in front of her, which means that there was no other way out. It was an ordinary dead endor so it should be. However this is clearly a trace of combat. There were countless gashes on the wall, as if it was deeply cut by a very sharp blade. No, not only the wall, but the ground, too, was full of those gashes. Flamm rubbed her finger on those gashes, trying to confirm something. they all vary in depth and size, so it would be weird if all of these are made with the same weaponthen could it be that they used a spell? Sharp bladesperhaps it was a wind-based spell, or a water cutter-type spell. No, there would still be a possibility for it to be an earth-based spell. Whatever spell it was, judging by the damage it did, the person that cast that spell was no amateur. Sarah-chan didnt cast thisthen who could it possible be? No matter how much she tried to look into it afterwards, she could not come up with any more clues. She even tried to look at the other routes she could possibly went through, and went to other areas to cover a wider search area to look for the Sarahs traces until the sun eventually started to sinkyet in the end, she was still unable to find Sarah. Flamm dropped her shoulders and dragged her legs back home. As soon as she reached home, she opened the front door languidly, and with her spiritless voice, she said; Im home As she did, Milkit lightly jogged up to her and welcomed her back with a smile. Welcome back, Master. Flamm got drawn in by her smile and she turned to smile herself. Milkit truly is the one for her. The feelings inside Flamms heart grow stronger day by day just by having her here. I was just about to go shopping. What would you like to do, Master? Milkit was holding the basket she usually brought along whenever she went shopping. Perhaps she was waiting until Flamm returned home before she goes shopping. The red ribbon on her chest coupled with the maid clothes she wears made her look like shes the servant of a rich household, while as a matter of fact, she was the partner of Flamm the adventurer. The outfit she wears now is not the one Flamm bought for her, though she recently changed her outfit every day, which provided comfort for Flamm. However, her fatigue that built up today could not be healed with just that alone. sorry, Id like to rest at home. She wanted to go together, but her body disagrees. Understood. Please rest easy, master. I shall go together with Eterna-san. Ill be right back Eterna suddenly popped her head out from the living room and said that. Flamm saw the two out and went for the living room. There, she sat in front of Ink who was playing with puzzles while wearing Flamms baggy hand-me-down shirt. Welcome back, Flamm. MmIm back. How was it? Did you find anything on Sarah? Mostly nothing. I searched through every corner and I couldnt find Sarah-chan anywhere. I didnt think I would find her in a day, but this is really draining me. I seebut I think you will definitely find her. Yeah, I think so too. If she doesnt think so, she wouldnt be able to bring herself to do it. Perhaps because of her fatigue, Flamm lay sprawled on the table. Meanwhile, Ink stopped her hands and thinks, probably because she was worried, and it seems like she understood that the only thing she could do int he moment is to let her rest. The girl rolled up her baggy sleeves and continued to play with her puzzles again; this time, being very careful not to create any noises. Milkit and Eterna hurried home to where Flamm is waiting after they finished shopping. Eterna held a bag full of ingredients, while Milkit repeatedly glanced at her, seemingly feeling bad for making her hold it. Ummis it really okay for you to hold it? I dont mind. I have more strength than you anyways, said Eterna, showing off the biceps on her left arm. That arm was very thin, but despite her Strength status being comparably lower than her other stats, it still easily exceeds 400. This much baggage is nothing for her. Either way, you bought a lot of Flamms favorite, didnt you? Its because I think I have to cheer my master up. What a wholesome mutual love. Thats not it! Its justI just think that I want to return the favor, even for just a bit. How admirable. Im masters slave after all, she said, puffing her chest while putting her hand on it. Is it really something you would say so happily? Sounds like the two of you had a really wonderful encounter. Yes, without a doubt. Their encounter was in a hellish place. By chance, the two of them survived, and the two joined hands to ease each others wounds. Milkit did not choose; she obediently went with the flow, just as she always did. Because of that, in the end she did not truly understand what happened, but her life turned for the better. Ooh, this is a rare combination. What a trouble. Sooo troublesome. Why is a the great hero Eterna Lynnbow taking the side of that little girl? A man came out of the nearby alleyway, speaking so unnaturally with open arms as if hes a stage actor. He was tall but thin, and he had a light brown hair. Perhaps because its his off day, he was only clad in a leather armor he put over his shoulder. He had a 20 cm dagger on his waist, a bowgun on his back and a wooden buckler strapped to his arm. Not that his equipment would matter. The problem was who he is. Dain Phineas! Milkit showed a rare aggression, glaring sharply at Dain. She was her masters enemy, and that was enough to affect her opinion of him. What about it? Despite saying that emotionlessly, she concentrated her mana on her palm. She was being vigilant, for she didnt know how far these peoples cowardice would go after all. Hold on, hold on, we just meet by chance today. I dont mean to fight. I know the difference of our skills anyways. Then why do you come to us? I want to talk. Its something beneficial for the both of us. We refuse. Lets go home, Eterna-san. Eterna nodded, and the two was about to pass through without batting their eyes toward Dain. However, the man grinned, and as if acting once again, he said; Aah, how regrettable. Flamm was searching for Sarah Anvilen3 the whole day, didnt she? Dont you wanna know how she went missing? Sarah-san! Milkit unconsciously stopped on her track. Milkit, dont stop. But! Milkit, too, enjoyed the moment they spent together at home. She, too, wants to find her. She wants to talk again, play again, and eat together again. Besides, Flamm had searched for her so extensively that she got very exhausted. If she could get any information If she could be useful even just for a bit I like an obedient slave, you know. Youve gained some weight, and your face is healed already, right? I bet youll fetch a great price if you sell yourself. Shut your mouth, you lowlife. Eterna glared at Dain. That intensity of her glare was enough to paralyze the man. But where could Dain possibly get information about both MIlkit and Sarah? He would usually boast that theres nothing he doesnt know in the West District, and despite his information network deteriorating, it seems like its still functioning properly. Uhhehe, scawwy. I dont need to fear anything now though. I didnt think it would make me so relaxed knowing Im being protected. I was the one doing the protecting until now, you know. I dont care about that. Tell me about Sarah-san. Kuhe, hehe, dont be in such a hurry. Ill proooperly explain it to you. His expression turned way more vulgar than earlier, so much so that Milkit unconsciously scowled when she sees him. It was a truly shameless expression that carries no dignity. The day she went missing, she went for the church in the West District, and she asked the knights about a girl called Ink, said Dain. He took a break after that to check on the two womens faces. The man was looking for a reaction from the two when he mentioned the name Ink. However, the two women did not want to show him any sorts of responses. Eterna thought logically while Milkit thought intuitively, but they both came to a conclusion that they could not give any hints that Ink is currently living in their house. It is highly likely that Dain and his men are searching for Ink. That was why they are trying to make Dain keep talking to get the information they want. Thus, the two tried to keep up a poker face. Not seeing the reaction he wanted, Dain clicked his tongue and continued talking. I dont know the details of what she talked about, but the knights only knew about some rumors, and that seems to be the trigger. Trigger? Milkit unconsciously asked back. Yeah, for something like an excessive, automated self-defense. That thing was kind, and it was trying to protect its allies by doing something excessive. They only distinguish themselves and and us. The two was unable to comprehend Dains abstract description. Dain then muttered Seriously with a bold smile and started talking more descriptively. The distinction is not between the church or anything other than that, but its between the Spiral Children and everything else. We are siding with the children, so we can protect them. Spiral Children? Could it possibly be the churchs human experiment? Yeah, that. Aah, so you knew about it, huh. No, thats not it, the conditions are met. Ahwhat I mean isthat. Youre on a different team. Team The Spiral Children are those whose hearts has been replaced by aCore or something? Its a general term for the monster made out of whatever that thing is. There are teams for these research, these includes some people who made great results, and they set up a certain facility under the capital Dain is blabbering about crucial information for some reason. Eterna tilted her head. Why would this man go out of his way and provide them with such information? What is the meaning behind his actions? As Eterna was trying to make sense of the situation, Plop, She could hear something dropping. Im smart, you see, so I thought of something. Even if I dont ask, or investigate about you, as long as I give you some information, the conditions have been met. The man knocked the temple of his head with his index fingers repeated.y Splat, splat, splat, A large amount of something fell from the roofs. no, not just that. They appeared from the ground, from the alleyways and from the windows of the houses and rolled their way closer toward the two. HihihiHAHAHAHAHA! Theyre all here, you know? You should run quicklybefore you turn into those stinkin disgusting corpses!! As those words flew out of his mouth, Dain showed his most rotten smile of the day. Stinking, disgusting corpses. The two have heard about the grotesque corpses found in the West District from Flamm. If what Dain said was true, then touching those things would be dangerous. Hiiiii. Milkit, were running away! Hold on! Yyes Eterna carried Milkit who was so scared that she could barely speak. Milkit, on the other hand, tried desperately to move her paralyzed arms around Eternas neck. After confirming that Milkit had held on to her securely, Eterna infused mana into her feet and kicked the ground with her toes. Water Needle! Water in the form of countless needles protrude from the cracks on the ground. The needles accurately pierced through the approaching eyeballs, killing them in the process. Whoa! Dain jumped away and shot a hook from his buckler. The anchor hooks itself to a nearby building and pulled the man towards it. Seems like I overstayed my welcome. Hero sama, slave-chan, please do your best in running away. HYAHAHAHAHAHA! His laughter echoed as he distanced hiimself away with his grappling hook. Eterna was about to cast a spell to pursue him, but Eterna-san, theyre still multiplying! Not a problem. She must fight and protect Milkit. She has to forget abaout Dain for now and take care of the eyeballs attacking her in huge numbers. She infused her feet with mana again, but this time, she kicked the ground with her heel and cast her spell. Aqua Shelter! The water that emerged from the ground surrounded the two to make a wall. It was a defensive spell to defend themselves from outside attacks. The wall was made of water, but it was so condensed that normal attacks wouldnt be able to pass through. The eyeballs are still growing in numbers. It would be difficult for Eterna to cast large-scale spells since the two of them are in the middle of the city. Thus, she planned to approach the point where the eyeballs are emerging from as much as possible and crush them all at once However Theyre cutting us off The eyeballs spotted their prey and made a beeline towards them. Just like it did to the bodies of its victims, they tried to encroach themselves into the wall of water. What should we do, Eterna-san? Theres no end to themwe should run for now. Splash! The ground quaked again, and this time, the large amount of water threw Eterna to the sky as the top part of the shelter opened. Hia?! Milkit yelped, not being able to say anything. She was holding onto Eterna, there were no worries that she would fall. The two landed on a nearby roof, and she immediately cast another Splash to jump to the next roof. The eyeballs, however, paid no heed to the place and kept pursuing them. The moment they thought they had shook them off, they appeared out of nowhere and surrounded them again in no time. The person that appeared on Milkits mind was none other than Flamm. The girl would definitely grow more depressed as she kept waiting for the two to get home. She prayed that her master not do anything reckless while the twos escape had barely just begun. After an hour After two hours Even after three hours The two have yet to return. Inks stomach has been grumbling, but not once had she said the words Im hungry in the room that was shrouded in a gloomy atmosphere. Dinner time had long passed, so it is certain that Milkit and Eterna had been involved in some sort of trouble. However, in this timing? What if they were pursued by the eyeballs just like Sarah? Flamm hung her head with her elbows on the table. Uuuuuuuuhhhh.! groaned the girl, tearing on her hair. What had she done? She thought that she needed to look into the church. She thought that she must do something about Dain. Howeverthat was all she has done. She hasnt done anything to any of them. YetWhat did she do wrong? Where did she go wrong? The girl herself does not know. While she was clueless, she lost Sarah, Dain and his boys turned weird, and now something happened to Eterna and Milkit. yes, even to Milkit. AaahAAAAAHHH! Should I have gone together with Milkit!? Butbut!!! The situation would be hopeless even for Eterna, so there would be no chance for Flamm to solve the issue. She was powerless. PowerlessPowerless! No matter where she is, she would only continue to be useless. Nothinghas changed. In the endIm still crawling in the abyss She clawed at the slave crest on her cheek so strongly that she hurts herself. She felt the pain, and the tips of her finger was bloodied, but thanks to her curse, the scar immediately disappeared. Even with this powerI still couldnt protect her! Flamm In the depths of her despair, Ink was clueless on how she should call out to her. She wanted to console her, yet the words wont come out. Irritated, she clenched her fists under the table. BAM! All of a sudden, Flamm stood up so vigorously that she knocked her chair over. Ill go look for them. Ink, you absolutely must not leave the house. Okay, Ill wait. The sky was dark; looking for them by herself would be reckless. Flamm went to another room and took out a lantern before departing. Sending her out was Ink, who could only worry as the girl left the houes. Despite the light she had on her hand, her field of vision was very limited. Roaming about in the dark, Flamm repeatedly called out Milkit and Eternas name. She walked through the route they usually go through to go shopping and even went through the branching alleyways to look for them. Yet just like when she was looking for Sarah, she couldnt find any clue. The only ones she could find were puddles of water on the road. It did not rain today, so it might be the trace of Eternas water-based spells. Howeverwhere did they go beyond that, and who could be pursuing them even now? She spent hours searching, yet she was still unable to find them. Flamm was still fatigued from her search during the day, so she felt her body growing heavier by the second. Her legs felt numb, and her breathing turned erratic. The night breeze lightly cooled her head, and around the time the clock strikes twelve, she returned to the place Ink was waiting. The house is still illuminated by the lights. It would normally be way past bedtime, but perhaps the little girl is still awake, waiting for her to come home. Im back, she called out with feeble voice. There were no replies, but she could hear footsteps from inside. As she looked forward, she could see Inks figure, trying to climb up to the second floor. Ink? Flamm tried to call out to the girl, but the latter did not stop and disappeared to the second floor. What happened? She forced herself awake, so could it be that shes so sleepy that shes barely staying up? However, if thats the case, her gait was too steady. Flamm decided to follow after her and climbed the stairs before knocking on the guest room the girl usually sleeps in. no reply. Clatter, clatter However, she could hear the sound of the window being opened. Ink is definitely in there. Hey, Ink, can I come in? Again, she didnt respond. Im coming in, okay? She felt bad for going in without permission, but Flamm still opened the door and entered the room. The room wasnt illuminated. The first thing she saw in the dark was Inks small back. The girl was leaning out of the window, staring down at the alley behind the house. Flamm walked closer and said; whats wrong? Are you looking for Milki, but then she stopped dead on her tracks. Squelchsquelch She heard a sound she felt far too familiar. Her body stiffened, and the muscles on her face tensed. Her blood curdled, and chills ran down her spine. I-Ink? She summoned her courage and walked up to her. The soundgot louder. It sounds like a bunch of flesh wriggling as it spits out something. Squelchsplashsplatter, splatter. The difference between this sound and the sound that thing made is that this time, something spilled to the floor this time. What in the world is happening? What is Ink doing? She didnt want to know. She didnt want to see. However, she could not turn away. Flamm took another step. The sound grows louder yet again. The floorboards creaked, and she could feel its vibration transmitted to her sole. She swallowed her saliva. The sticky feeling passes through her esophagus and down to her stomach. The sweat on her forehead flows down through her cheek and down to her jaw. Her breathing was short, as if her lungs were convulsing. Everything felt soeerily vivid. That vividness were combined with her hyperventilating to the point of dizziness. She was palpitating so bad that she might as well wish she had lost her consciousness, but despite that, Flamm reached out to the girl. Her finger touched the shirt she lent the girl. As the cloth wrinkled to her touch and rubbed Inks skin, the little girl finally noticed Flammand turned her head. Squirtsquirtsplat In front of her wasa vortex of flesh. The complete exact same one that she saw on the Ogre and on the corpses she found in the research facility. The flesh was throbbing as it violently spews blood. However, that was not all. It was also spewing out a huge amount of eyeballs. Aaaaa What did she do wrong, and here did she go wrong? Flamm finally found the answer. The blood spewing out dyed the shirt red, while the eyeballs dropped straight to the ground all with a splat. That sight immediately overwrites Flamms memory of the time she spent together with Ink. U.aaaahhhaaAAAAHH! Nausea loomed over her as she squeezed out a groan. Her body was bathed in cold sweat, and tears flowed out endlessly from her eyes. However, despite seeing her grim resolve, there were no changes to the thing that was Ink. It stared at Flamm briefly, and as if it lost interest, she leaned out of the window once again and spewed out more eyeballs towards the ground. Aaakaha-aaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!! Flamm could not hold herself back and screamed. She then dashed out of the room, and as if she wanted to pretend that what she saw didnt happen, she slammed the door shut. The sound of the door echoed as it separated the hallway and that room. Flamm leaned her back on the door and fell to her kneesthough she still could hear the sound from behind the door. The sound of something wriggling, and the sound of something being spat out. She closed her ears with her hands. Her sweaty palm felt sticky and unpleasantbut it was better than having to hear that sound. Whywhywhyyyyy!? she desperately asked. To who? Nobody knows. Anyone is fineshe just need an answer. At this point, she would even accept an answer from any sorts of villains. Yet there are no longer anybody else. Not Sarah, not Milkit, not Eternaand not even Ink. There are no one else in this house. The only ones who are in the house are Flamm and someone who was InkA monster who she believed was a girl called Ink. UueeHahaaUghulphhahaaa Despite her desperate effort to close her ears, she could still faintly hear the sound. She thought she was already in the in the bottom of the pit of despair. However, the depth of that pit goes way deeper. And there she was. In the depth deeper than the bottom. Her sweat, her tears, her saliva, even the contents of her stomach along with gastric acid came gushing out. Thenshe sat motionlessly with her hands over her ears, until the sound stopped. CH 22 Flamm lost her sense of time. Clatter, By then, the door behind her shook. The doorknob clattered as it twists, and the door itself hits the girl on the back several times. Huh? The door isnt openingbut why? It shouldnt be locked though? She could hear Inks voice from inside the room. Flamms body twitched. Should she step away from the door? Howeverwhats next? Theres only one answer. Ink is, without a doubt, something similar to that monster she saw in the research facility. ThenThen Wah, it openshuh? Is someone there? Flamm stepped away from the door, and while still crouching on one knee, she took out her Soul Eater. She pointed the edge of the black blade towards the girl. Haahaahaa I could only hear breathingIs it you, Flamm? Hey, please say something. Her face wasInks normal face. Is there a requirement for her to show this face? Or did she change it intentionally? She doesnt knowbut she can no longer believe anything. The one thing she can be sure is the sight she saw earlierthe nightmarish sight where her face turned into a vortex spewing eyeballs. Sarah had disappeared. Milkit and Eterna did not return. Countless other people had also died. All of that was because of her. Flamm stood up. She put strength on both hands that gripped the hilt of her sword. She just needs to swing it down. If she doeswould it be enough to kill her? No, if she is truly similar to that thing, her open wounds would turn into another vortex. She would not die until her core has been destroyed. Where would her core be? Would it be in her heart? Or could it possibly be somewhere else? Flamm would need to confirm its location, so she would need to cut her upshed need tocut her! Youre there, right? Welcome back, Flamm. Im sorry, looks like I fell asleep last night. Maybe I sleepwalked, because when I woke up I was already on the second floor. It happens a lot in the past, you know? Thats why everyone used to scold me saying your sleeping habits are so bad! khfuh Oh Flamm, are you pulling a prank on me? My ears are great so I could hear just fine, you know? Even if youre this quiet, I can hear the sound of your heartbeat. Ink talked to Flamm as she always does. Does she kill her? Can she even kill this girl? Could it be that what she saw was someone who is not Ink? Yes, she was taken over. That thing emerged when she was asleep, intentionally showing itself to frighten Flamm. It all makes sense when she puts it like that. It makes sensebut what would it mean? Ink In the end, Flamm called out her name. A relieved expression floats up to her face, though the next instant, her cheeks puffed with anger. You finally replied. I wouldve been worried if it wasnt you, you know? she said, showing an expression that befits a human of her age. Shes a person. Rather, what would she be if shes not a person? It could stay as a monster, yet why did it turn back into a human? It must have been to corner Flamm, or to throw her off her guard. Though if that is its objective, it could just kill her directly when they spent their time living together. So why did it not do that? Why? Why? Why? Flamm didnt know anything. No matter how long she thought about it, the answer wouldnt come up, and thus, she couldnt accept it. Judging by how you are, I guess you didnt find the other two. Its unfortunate, but they might come back when it gets brighter tomorrow Hey, Inkdid you not remember? And thus, she asked. From the pits of despair, she reached her hands out. Ink tilts her head. Remember what? With her parched throat, Flamm replied; That youturnedinto a monsterthat spews eyeballs What? If youre joking, thats too far, Flamm! No! Im not joking, and that wasnt an illusion either! Until just now, you really turned into a monster in front of me! I saw it! Flamms griefs echoed in the house where none other than the two are present. That voice of her faintly leaked outside. F-FlammThats not It is possible! I didnt mistake anything. I heard it, I smelled it, and I even remembered the temperature! You clearly werent human back then! You were a monster that spits out eyeballs! Hey, tell me the truth. What are you, Ink? Where did you come from!? Ink probably could tell from the tone of voice that Flamm was telling the truth. Countless times has Ink whispered thats not itthats not it as she shook her head. Placing her hand on the wall to grasp her position, she stepped away from Flamm. Im a human! No, youre not! Her words were met with an instant denial. Neither of the two are lying to each other. The two were confronting each other precisely because they both believed that they werent lying. Im a humaann Those eyeballs were the one who chased after Sarah. N-NoI didnt do it! A lot of other people had fallen victims to it. Flamm kept spouting her thoughts with anger, while its target, Ink, could only be baffled by the sudden abhorrence from the person she believed in. Yetthe girl did not think that this hatred is irrational. She had a sliver of thought that perhaps shes right, which only made Flamms words hurt more. I dont know! I dont know! And now Milkit and Eterna is not coming back! No! Youre wrong! Youre wrong! Why wont you believe mee!? Obviously because I saw it! Are you telling me to believe you after showing me that!? Flamm didnt even want to say this if she doesnt have to. She would believe in the girl as long as she could. She thought that this could be a place Ink could belong to, just like how Flamm and Milkit found a place they belong after their encounter with each other. Howevereverythingcompletely crumbled. ImIm not a monsterIm not a monster!, said Ink, and she turned to climb down the stairs. As she did, she tripped over and tumbled all the way to the first floor, and as her entire body throbs with pain, tears spilled from her sewn eyes. She quickly wipes her tears away with her shirtthe shirt that had a sweet scent of Flamm, the person who lent it to her. The memories of the past several days floods back to her that only made her even more sorrowful. That sorrow got her up to her feet and pushed her to run down the hallway, and despite staggering as her shoulders glanced off walls, she passed the entrance and dashed outside barefooted. The chill of the night feels like its telling herthat shes in solitude. Flamm didnt even try to stop the girl. Her Soul Eater dropped to the ground with a loud thud as she dropped to her knees. She shut her eyes and raised her face, and just like Ink, Flamm cried. The girl herself didnt know for what reason does her tears spill. The combination of various laments materializes in the form of those teardrops. KhAAAAAAAAHHHH!! AAHHAAAHHAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!! Her feelings that couldnt go anywhere turned into a yell, and Flamm roared as if she has lost her mind. She held her head with both hands and placed her forehead on the floor, before once again, she screamed. The girl smashed her forehead on the floor repeatedly until she bleeds, punishing herself with the pain it broughtand with her withering voiceshe screamed once more. As Ink was about to leave, she inadvertently stopped on her tracks as she heard the voice from inside the house. She was not the only one lamenting. She was not the only one suffering. The feeling behind that scream was neither a lie nor transient; that feeling was truly based on something she experienced. In other words, Flamm was telling the truth. It was not a dream. Ink was convincedthat Flamm had truly saw her turn into a monster. Fuguhuhuu Ink bit her lip, and she weeps as her shoulders tremble. She wanted to believe that it was not possible. Yet at the same time, she understood that the facility she was raised in was not normal. The girl didnt know what they have done with her or for what reason had she been raised there. All because she was an ostracized, good-for-nothing. Though if she knew that this would happen, she wouldnt have ran away. She would continue to live like a clueless livestock in a small garden. She wouldnt have gotten the chance of obtaining the happiness of an ordinary person, but at the very least, she wouldnt have to go through this suffering. FlaMMPH!? Just when she was about to take the first step back into the house, someone bound her hands behind her back and covered her mouth. Judging by the size of the hand and the strength of the person, it was likely to be a man. Despite her struggle and resistance, it doesnt look like she could break free, though when the hand that covers her mouth loosened, the girl screamed desperately. Flamm heard Inks scream as she lay dazed with her forehead on the floor. Her scream was immediately interrupted, but it was definitely her scream. Is she perhaps being attacked by someone? I have to save her, she thought on reflex and immediately stood up. However, she stopped herself. Haaahwhat..what would I do after saving her? What would she do after she had driven the girl out as if shes a monster? aah, The fake justice in her heart lifts her head. Thats the type of person she is. Still What is she doing, playing hero even when Milkit is not around? Flamm, too, didnt understand herself. However, she doesnt seem to be able to hold herself back. I stillhave to save hereven though I know Ill regret it! she thought, leaving behind her reasons. This means she must not think of what happens after. She just needs to think about it when she gets there. For now, she needs to save Ink so that she can have a future where she can choose whether to let her live or kill her. Flamm descends the stairs as her Soul Eater disperses into thin air and returned to being a seal on her palm. The moment she reached the hallway on the first floor, she ran straight outside as fast as she could. As she took a leap outside, light particles converged on her feet, and the Epic leather boots equips itself, She landed sliding, and immediately, she looked around her. Ink wasthere, with her arms bound on her back by a man with a large build. INK! Whoops, there she comes, huh. Dain! What are you doing here!? What? Isnt it obvious that Im here to find this runaway guinea pig? I felt that she might be here and turns out Im right. Smart, arent I? Dain said. He tightens his grip on Ink who suffers as she writhed. Let go of Ink! Shit, Ive got my own shit to deal with too yknow? sides, this runt came out running herself. Didya have a fight or somethin? Cant say I dont feel ya. I heard ya sayin YOU MONSTER and shit. Poor runt. Its true though, HYAHAHAHAHA! YouYOU BASTARDD!! Ooh, scary. Sorry that I spit facts. Despite what he said, Dain still looks as easygoing as ever. Ey, Flamm, do you know why this brat is called a useless failiure? No, and I dont want to know! Welp, just listen for a tick, will ya. This girl doesnt know as much as you do that shes a murderous monster. You know why? Mmmm!! Murderous monster. Hearing those words, Ink responded as she faced down. She must not have wanted to know. Yet Dain didnt pay any attention to herno, he rather looked like hes enjoying himself as he started telling the truth. Its because the Origins power can only manifest itself if shes in a state of deep sleep. Origins power can only control over her body if shes unconscious. Even when shes livin with ya, those gentle eyeballs they call automatic defense function spat out by that disgustin face only functions when every one of ya was sleepin. Funny aint it? The one creating the things that corners yer friend and even that slave yer protecting is right under yer nose the entire time! AHAHAHAHAHAHAH! Youyou knew about Milkit and Eterna!? Knew? I was the one who tricked them to have the eyes on their tail. Theyve probably turned into those disgusting pile of meat right about now! kh! Ill kill youILL DEFINITELY KILL YOUUUU! Flamm took out her sword and charged at Dain. Whoa there, I have a duty to send this runaway monster back. Ill leave the distractions to these guys. Right as Dain said his mark, several of his men hiding nearby revealed themselves. Their eyes are all dead. Its likely that the church had done something to them. How pitiful. Even though they were Dains allies that had believed in him for such a long time, their consciousness had been taken away as they waited for church service, and now theyre left being treated as a tool. The employer said to not kill Flamm Apricotwelp, no matter, I myself want to kill you, but let me give you a warning. warning? Yeap, Im just being kind to ya. Anyways, dont you lay your hands on those guys. Run, and dont even think of going after me. Those guys are officially church members. Are you trying to beg for your life!? Leaving those words behind, Dain took Ink and ran away. The girl in question stretched her hand out towards Flamm as if shes begging to be saved. IINNNKKK!!!!! Flamm yelled the girls name and stepped forward, but Dains subordinates stood in her way. About 10 men surrounded Flamm, each holding various close-combat weapons like shortswords, spears and blunt weapons. There are even some men wielding bows, bowguns and slings standing further away and on the rooftops. One could consider it overkill considering their opponent is a lone girl. Flamm scanned one of the man nearby to confirm their abilities. Gauguin Torres Attribute: Fire Strength: 611 Intelligence: 422 Endurance: 580 Agility: 412 Intuition: 457 His total number is 2,482, a strong C-rank. Hes a quite capable adventurer; perhaps hes the leading figure of the group. Just to be safe, she decided to scan another man. Gauguin Torres Attribute: Fire Strength: 611 Intelligence: 422 Endurance: 580 Agility: 412 Intuition: 457 Itsthe exact same!? Is that even possible? The same given and family name aside, is it possible that they have the same value on their statuses? She tried scanning the person next to him, and Gauguin Torres Attribute: Fire Strength: 611 Intelligence: 422 Endurance: 580 Agility: 412 Intuition: 457 It also shows the same result. This means that despite their difference in appearances, Dains subordinates that surround her all had the same strength. Seeing this blatant show, Flamm is not even surprised. This must have also been the churchs doing. This iis definitely the power of those cores. Dain sold his friends so he could be one of the church members. She could tell by looking that these guys have probably lost their minds. As if there are people who wishes to be like this. Flam gnashed her teeth. She wouldnt say that these people are innocent. However, these guys all look up to Dain in one way or another. And he betrayed them to save himself Everything about himis unforgivable She empowered herself with her anger and leaped forward to charge at the men. This is the first time for her to fight a large number of people. Her opponents are adventurers that had slightly lower status than hers, and if she considers their number, theres no way she could win. She had to use all of her advantages to see a chance of victory, be it her regenerative power or her Reverse spell. As a start, she needs to whittle down the enemies to take away their superior number. Fwish! Flamm swung her Soul Eater horizontally, but the men who were in range of her blade avoided by leaping away. The moment Flamm swung her sword, she could hear a whistling sound coming from above. She saw an arrow on the edge of her field of vision, aimed at her feet. She charged her mana, and when she was hit with a sharp pain, Reversal! She casted her spell. As a result, the arrow changed its direction and shoots back towards its owner, but the man twists his body and evaded. Flamm clicked her tongue instinctively. She couldve finished one off just like that, but it didnt happen. She had known that the men would attack her like this, thats why she could cast her Reversal spell. If that was a surprise attack, she wouldnt have managed to pull it off. She steeled herself again immediately afterwards. The moment the man she slashed at retreated, another man wielding a spear in front of him thrusts his weapon towards her body. With a stab, Flamm purposely took on the hit. Theres only one way for her to overcome his advantage of the long reach of his weapon, so she grit her teeth and forcibly pushed forward. The sharp end of the spear buries itself into her shoulder. Her blood spews, and the heated feel from the stabbing brought her severe pain. The girl showed a pained expression for a split second, but then she exhaled and suppressed her feelings. To make sure that the man wont take the spear back easily, she held onto the spearhandle and robbed the man of his weapon. She confirmed that the man had released the spear, she pulled it out from her shoulder and threw it on the ground. At the same time, two men wielding a sword each charged in from both sides, and another man wielding a spear is closing in from behind. She had no choice but to go forward. Flamm struggled through the flurry of blades attacking her and swung her sword towards the unarmed man. Flamm thought that her rush was imperfect, so the man must be able to dodge this strikebut, Fu! The man charged in, and with a twist of his fist, he hit Flamm on her abdomen. Gaha!? The impact shook her internal organs, expelling all the air she had in her lungs. His movement is too skillfulso his primary weapon wasnt a spear? No, his movement when using the spear wasnt one you could call amateurish either. As she staggered, Flamm was impaled from behind. The man quickly pulled out the spear and unleashed another attack immediately. Aguh At the same time, the man on her right charged in, aiming for an attack to her neck. Flamm defended herself with her right arm, but that ended up with her right arm being cut off instead. Igiiiiihhh! Furthermore, an arrow whistled in from her front, burying itself into her shoulders. A fireball was shot from the roof to her left, and as it explodes on her left leg, it gouged her flesh and caused her to tumble to the right. Uguaah! Every parts of her body is hurting and it robbed her of her freedom of movement. The difference of strength between them is too overwhelming. Fighting this many people in such an open space is reckless, and it was near impossible for her to make her way to an alleyway. Prioritizing ease of movement, the collapsed girl removed her Soul Eater. With her power, she made a cartwheel and rolled behind the man wielding a sword. AAAAHH!! Afterwards, she swung her hand as she instantly rematerialize her Soul Eater, aiming to cut the mans neck. Fwish! However, even without looking back, the man ducked down and evaded that strike. No way. Flamms eyes widened. Did he have eyes on the back of his head? She couldve had him. maybe theres another thing that the men shared. Perhaps not only that they shared their skills and abilitiesthey also shared their five senses. Otherwise, there were no other way the man couldve evaded that attack. In the moment of her surprise, more blades, spears, arrows and spells assaulted her. Even if she rolls away to evade the attacks, the intensity of their attacks persist. She remembered what Dain told her, which pissed her off further. She didnt want to admit that she had to follow his warning. However, she had no choice but to run away. Pitching forward as if shes falling over, she rushed to the entrance of the nearest alleyway. She still felt pain despite her injuries being healed already, but it wasnt so bad that she couldnt move. The men chased after her. However, the men would have difficulties chasing after her, and the narrow alleyway can make a situation where they would have to fight Flamm one-on-one. Despite stumbling over and over, Flamm desperately ran. Just a bit morejust a bit more and shell get there. Thatswhat she thought. Two fireballs grazed her on both sides, hitting the outer walls of the houses and exploded. The walls collapse and the rubble blocked her way. She probably could climb over the rubble, but with this many people chasing after her, they would definitely not let her do so unscathed. Flamm impatiently turned around, but that instant, arrows pierced her stomach and her thighs. HaAAAAAHHH!! She immediately pulled them out. Hahhahhah Her eyes widened from the pain, and her breathing turned rugged. More arrows and spell bolts were fired at her without delay, and a man wielding a one-handed mace approached her as he dodged the incoming projectiles. Flamm desperately swings her Soul Eater. Her strikes were dodged without question, and the man closed his distance and raised the lump of metal at her. If she were to counterattack in an obvious way, all the men would know about it due to their shared senses and they would make a move to avoid it. Theres no other choice but to take on their attacks. However, Flamm smiled. She focuses her mana to her feet and sent it to the stone pavement that spans several dozens of centimeters around her through the tip of her toes. Reversal! The moment she cast her spell, the pavement turned inside-out. As he heard a dull sound, the legs of the man in front of her turned into an angle its not supposed to go as they got caught under the stone. Losing his balance, his body lurched forward. With this, theres no way for him to dodge no matter how many angles he could see himself in. SOORYAAA! She landed a strike with her all as she raised a shout, cleaving the defenseless man from his right shoulder down to his left flank, and that instant, the cross section froze immediately. Thats one! Theres still a clear difference in numbers between her and her enemies, but a kill is a kill, and the intensity of the enemys attack would be reduced regardless. Despite seeing their ally slain, the rest of the men didnt react. They truly has lost their mind. They had consolidated their consciousness, turning into something that couldnt be called human. Theyre nothing but dolls that can only serve Dains command. Though, perhaps because of that, Flamm didnt feel the guilt of killing a human. Flamm avoided a spell bolt aimed at her leg and pointed the tip of her blade at the men. Now that she had used her trick, it would be difficult for them to fall for another one. As she thought about how to deal with the second enemy, she heard the sound of something dropping. Glancing to the side where she heard the sound, she saweyeballs dropping. huh? It would be fine if there was only one of thembut following that, countless spheres kept dropping like a squall. Not only were they coming from above, the eyeballs are flooding in from the gutters, from behind her and even from where the men are charging at her. Is thatwhat he meant!? This is what Dain was warning her about. Flamm finally understood what he meant when he said dont lay your hands on these men. Run. Ink is not aware that she kills people. Shes not aware that she is a monster. This means that everything has nothing to do with will; the power she has are activated spontaneously. Its an automated defense. It attacks those who are involved with the churchno, considering that Sarah and the knights are involved, that was not it. Its likely an uncontrollable defense system that tried to protect the confidential information regarding the experiments. That was the true nature of those disgusting eyeballs that Ink produces. Flamm finally saw the last thing those poor people saw at the end of their life. She instinctively jumped away to distance herself, yet she was too late. The eyeballs that had glued itself to her boots invaded her body. There were no painonly disgust. HII!! Flamms body froze. The eyeballs crawled up into her shin, and after it went into her leg, her boot swells as another foot grew out from her shin. T-thisguhdisgusting! Perhaps feeling as if the two feet are stacked on top of each other, Flamm couldnt properly manage the strength of her leg and maintain a steady footing. At that moment, a man wielding a short sword charged in on her, aiming straight for her heart. Flamm promptly took the hit with her hand. Ackguh The blade pierced through her palm. The man was about to pull his sword back to unleash another attack, but Flamm grabbed the sword by its hilt and prevented him from doing so. The physical strength of the two are about even, so considering Flamms injury, she might have been in a disadvantage, but Flamm kicked the mans leg and ruined his posture, causing him to fall over to the sea of eyeballs. Like a bunch of spiders, the eyeballs scattered to avoid the falling man. It seems like it had the function to not injure its allies. However, those that had no time to avoid the man ended up touching him, and that instant, the eyeballs entered his body, and the man grew another arm and leg. Perhaps because his internal organs also multiplied, his body part that touched the ground swells in a warp shape. The man writhed as he tried to get up, but unable to properly use his limbs, he ended up only wriggling on the ground like a maggot. Thatstwo! she declared to encourage herself. However, there are still a lot of enemies she had to face. Her movement speed dropped because she had another foot, but she could still avoid the arrows and spells coming her way by a hairs breadth. She turned some of them back with Reversal, but because of the enemys shared senses, she couldnt hit them back. Because of the eyeballs, her plan of fighting the enemy little by little has been thrown out the window. Are there any place that could be advantageous for her? Flamm turned away from the men and ran to look for advantages, but because of her other foot, she couldnt run as fast as she usually could. With this much people she had to go against, it definitely would be a fight of attrition. The growth of her foot is not considered an injury, which means that the Soul Eater is not going to regenerate it. Thats whythe girl stabbed the Soul Eater to the ground and sent a kick towards it. KkhGAAAAAHHH!! Slice. Along with Flamms voice of anguish, she cut her foot off. Losing her foot, Flamm advanced forward using her sword as a cane. If she stops, shell fall victim to those eyeballs. She could only advance this slowly until she regenerates her foot back, but its still better than having to drag another foot with her. She finally regenerated to full health before the men could catch up on her. Due to the increased agility from her boots, Flamm could run away from the men. By then, she saw some knights in front of her. There were 5 of them. Dains subordinates aside, she couldnt let them get swallowed up by those eyeballs, thus Flamm ran up to the plate armor-clad men to warn them. Hey, this place is dangeroussoyou should However, the knights suddenly drew their swords all at the same time, the well-polished golden blade reflects the streetlight. Flamm scans the men, and she found that although they were different than Dains underlings, all five of them had the exact same status as well. No wayfrom both sides!? The church were thorough. It was unclear if theyre going to capture her or kill her; what is clear is that they are not going to run away from Flamm. Gripping on her Soul Eater, Flamm looked to all sides where the enemies surround her. Adventurers, Knights, Eyeballs. There were too many of them. How could she cut her way through them all? Her hand trembles, and the tip of her blade wavered. The feeling of solitude emphasized her fear. She had always fought by thinking she could support Milkit, but the girl is nowhere to be found. At that moment, there were no one she has to protect, nor there is anyone waiting for her to return. Her heart cracks, her feet froze. Her endis approaching. I dont want to dieII dont want to die!! She only had whatevers left of her courage; the backwards-thinking willpower of not wanting to accept death. In other words, if either of her enemies would stop in their tracks by just one step, she would have the chance to run away. There are less knights than there are adventurers, so Flamm pointed her blade at the knights and lifts it high. She concentrated, consuming the power circulating in her body and transforming them to Prana. She transfers the energy dwelling within her like water to her arms and sent them straight into her sword. The Prana Slash. Not the Imitation, but the real one. If she could unleash thatno, even if she could unleash that, she still wouldnt be able to take down all of the knights. Could she unleash it in several succession? No, shes not that skillful to be able to do such feat. In the first place, she wasnt even sure if she could unleash one properly. Her palm sweats, and her Prana fades along with her determination. No, dont be pessimisticdont give upyou wont know until you try! Flamm told herself. That would probably the last thing she could tell herself. Shes running out of time; the adventurers would catch up to her soon, and the eyeballs will probably surround her in no time. If the Knights properly joins the fray, there would be no way for her to even pull through their attacks. Thus, despite knowing its futility, she believed in a miracle and wagered her life in this one attack! Flamm! Slam your Prana to the ground! However, the voice of a brave hero echoed in the capital filled with despair. HAAAAAAAAAHH!! Flamm raised her voice and slammed her Soul Eater to the ground. That moment, the Prana violently explodes. The power of the explosion created a shockwave filled with countless blades that assaults the knights. The men defended themselves with their shields, yet the power went through the cracks of their armor, tearing them to pieces. Cavalier ArtsPrana Storm. Instead of unleashing the refined Prana as a blade, this technique shoots them to her front, creating an extensive destructive power. It was something that requires more Prana than the Prana Slash, but the cornered girl had already reached a level where she could unleash it. The source of the voice jumped down from a nearby rooftop to Flamms side. As he landed, the man wearing a jet black heavy armor crushed the stone pavement under him. He stood up as he drew his greatsword and swung it towards the adventurers and eyeballs that approached from behind Flamm. Hmph!! He unleashed colossal amount of Prana, shaving away not only the ground, but also the walls of nearby buildings, while all that lives within range were obliterated. More eyeballs keep appearing from other places, but the adventurers took caution and stopped. Gadio-san! Flamm called to the man with her voice wavering. Heads up, Flamm. Theyre still coming. His hoarse voice was impactful but there was a kind tone to it, and that voice was enough to lift up Flamms spirit who was sinking in solitude. As he said, the fight is not over yet. Flamm was happy for their reunion, but she could save that for later. yes! Flamm wipes her tears away and looked directly ahead towards some more knights that just appeared. The two gripped their greatswords, and with their backs against each other, OOOOOHHH!!! HAAAAAAAAAA!! The dashed forward CH 24 Flamm swung her Soul Eater with all her strength Thats just one shot! Ill strike it down. With that thought in her mind, she readied her sword. Youre too simple! Spread! That was a spell being cast. She thought the bolt spontaneously combusts midair, but the bolt actually exploded and broke into countless fireballs, all rushing towards Flamm at once. Knowing that she wont be able to stave them off with just her sword, Flamm dashed sideways and rolled on the ground. Dain used that chance and consecutively fired more bolts at her. Spread! Spread! SPREAD!! HAHHAHAHAH! I dont know if its a curse or whatever, but do you actually think you can win against me without bringing the Hero with this much difference in strength between us!? Flamm desperately ran around amidst the incessant downpour of fireballs. Some of them managed to graze her shoulder, burning her clothes and caused her to bleed. It healed almost immediately, but her face still twists from the pain. The floor caught on fire, and the smell of burnt wood quickly fills the church. At that time, Dains attack slacked, and Flamm wouldnt let that chance pass. AAAAAHHH! Flamm swung her sword through her unstable stance, sending a Prana Slash flying straight towards Dain. However, Dain pulled another band on his buckler and his grappling hook released its grasp to the wall. So what!? Aiming for the location Dain is supposed to land, Flamm unleashed another Prana Slash. KUHAHAH, your thoughts are still too simple!! Explode!!1 Dain cast another one of his Fire Attribute spells, and the explosion that burst under his foot caused him to flutter midair. Flamms attack obviously missed and instead it smashed the church wall. Without even landing back on the ground, Dain fired his grappling hook again and kept firing at Flamm as he moved quickly through the air. Thinking he was about to cast Spread again, Flamm used her sword as a shield and got into a defensive stance. Moron! Burst is up next! The bolt he fired did not scatter. It was a spell that made the bolt explode on contact instead. The very sound of the bolt landing next to her sent a chill up her spine, but on the other hand, Dain flashed a grin. The bolt then reacts to the impact and explodedor so it should. Flamm channeled her mana through her arm and REVERSAL! managed to cast her spell in the nick of time. The direction of the Burst-enchanted bolt was reversed, and the bolt flies back towards its shooter. However, Dain had already reacted to it. Perhaps already taking her ability into consideration, Dain released the hook without delay and landed back on the ground. Just about a fraction of a second after he landed, there was a powerful explosion in the impact point of the bolt. Oooh, not bad. You used it earlier, eh? Is it a spell? Its a rare attribute, aint it? Flamm completely ignored Dain who spoke in an overly familiar tone, and instead, she chose to Scan the man and his equipment. Dain Phineas Attribute: Fire Strength: 561 Intelligence: 212 Endurance: 409 Agility: 854 Intuition: 633 Totaling 2,669 points, hes a lower B-rank. As shed seen, his strength alone couldnt consider him an A-ranker, yet he was still able to climb up through the ranks through the help of his minions. However, it feels like hes a bit different today. It seems like something is boosting his strength, and its likely to be the effects of his equipment. Leather Armor of Insolence Rarity: Legendary Intelligence +442 Agility +301 Grants immunity to Poisons Buckler of Intelligence Rarity: Legendary Intelligence +375 Agility +299 Intuition +108 Automatic Crossbow Rarity: Uncommon Mana +12 Iron Dagger of Ambition Rarity: Legendary Strength +241 Intelligence +224 Endurance +301 Steals the targets Mana His equipment alone raises his status by 2,303 points. Combined with his initial status, his total points of 4,972 puts him on the league of upper B-ranks. Furthermore, his Mana that was supposed to be low from the start has been enhanced to above 1,000, explaining why he was able to recklessly fire off his spells. Additionally, it would seem that his crossbow is something hes really attached to. Considering its rarity, its not something an adventurer of the West District would use. Since adventurers generally avoid Cursed Items, theyre usually sold at very low prices (or rather, they wont be sold in the first place), while Legendary equipment are exactly the opposite. Did ya just use Scan? Ya know that aint gonna change nothin though right? Those equipmentsare those really yours? Course they are. My kind friends gave them to me, so theyre really mine. Ya could say itsthe bond between them and I. Big words for someone who sold those bonds away along with his soul to the church. Dain scoffed at Flamms remark. Ya really tryin to paint me as a bad guy, huh? But think about it; between your life and yer bonds with yer mate, which one would ya pick? Huh? Even a goody two-shoes like miss Flamm aint gonna pick yer friendship, right!? Recalling Milkits smile, Flamm declared; Id choose my friends if Id have to sacrifice dozens of people. She wouldnt hesitate. If her life would bring any forms of pain to Milkit, she wouldnt hesitate to plunge her blade into her chest. Fuck, the cringe. THE FUCKING CRINGE! The mans hands trembled. Amidst his laughter he continued; Youre really just a runt that knows nothing. Khhahah, why the fuck do I have to deal with someone like you! However, Flamm felt that his words were more suited to describe the man himself. Flamm felt that he didnt wish to help the church himself, but rather he had no choice but to do so, and that sense of powerlessness resonates with what Flamm felt. It was a method of roundabout self-harm, like the fake tears of a child who only wished to be cared for. However, no matter what started this exchange of blows and however much she sympathizes with him, none of those mattered. Flamm could only think of killing Dain. Just imagine that everything youve built up over the years are gonna be destroyed by some 8-year-old brat! Funny, aint it!? Yet the man didnt stop talking about himself. Perhaps thats how badly he wanted to be heard. But they showed me an crazy power! Dains past glories flashed in his mind, but all he can see are either in the past or present. Right now, he had no choice but to obey an 8-year-old boy from the church that boasted that hell swallow him eventually. He was nothing but a gofer. A dog. His pride has been torn to shred. You want me to pity you? Flamm said, as if rubbing salt on his wound. For the first time, the composure on Dains face disappears, and his face lights up with rage. With his face turning red and his veins popping on his temple, he said; HahahahahasAS IIIIIIIIIFFFFFF!!! Even Flamm understood why. Dain just wanted to let it out his softer side out, despite knowing that an enemy was in front of him. He wanted someoneanyone, to listen and understand this irrationality, and feel empathy towards him instead of pity. Flamm might understand, for she is someone who had witnessed the irrationality of the world as she fell from being a hero to a slave. What Spiral Children? What the fuck do you mean Proliferation!? What the fuck do you mean by Connections!? FUCK OFF WITH THAT SHIT! FUCK OFF! The man was frenzied. He has nothing left. He has no way of taking them back. The pain of his loss was so unbearable that yelling was all he could do. IM THE KING OF THE WEST DISTRICT! I CRAWLED MY WAY UP OF THE SLUMS WITH THESE HANDS, THIS BRAIN, AND THE CHARISMA I BUILT UP! You get it, right? All thatif I dont rely on themand if I dont kill one little girl!! The eyeballs showed itself crawling in from the hole made by the exploding bolt. They rushed in as if racing each other, emphasizing its grotesque nature that could send a chill up the spine. Whats your point? asked Flamm after glancing at the hole. She also took a glance at another wall, which apparently was filled with eyeballs with its iris and its front half poking out of them. They all turn and twist, drilling their way out from the wall. Furthermore, theres not just one of them. Tensno, hundreds of them are all gazing at Flamm from all directions. At this rate, the eyeballs filling the room is a matter of when. For an instant, Flamm had thought that this fight between them are his way to buy some time, but seeing Dains grim resolve, she immediately brushed it aside. It seemed that these two are a rather separate matter. Whats my point? You dont get it, do yahahahhahahah. AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! Dains dry laugh reverberated in the chamber. HahaHaaaahaaahh. However, he soon lost strength in his voice. The man dropped his shoulders and his hands dangle powerlessly. I dontI dont know either. Aaaahh, haaaahI dont know nothing. What do I wanna do? I lost to a brat, begged for my life, threw my friends away, got protected by the church just and got my livelihood secured. I was supposed to live a regular life from then. What the fuck was that? Thats fucking boring! Thats the thing I hate the most! The path I dont want to go the most! Fucking boring! Everything after this will be boooooooriiiiiiinngg!!! Dains voice echoed. Even he doesnt know who that sentence was addressed to. AHHAHAHAHA! HaaaaaaaaaaaahhHey, FlammThose morons that were with metheyre all dead, aint they? He was probably referring to the 20 adventurers that were chasing after Flamm. Id consider them criminals rather than morons, Flamm replied without intonation in her voice. Theyre going to be judged eventually. In fact, I actually killed them, but they looked like theyre already dead from the start. HuhRight Dain replied with a soft whisper. Light dissipates from his eyes. His mouth opened halfway, as if hes turning into a corpse himself. no, wait, whats with that? You said they looked like theyre already dead? Youre tryna tell me I killed them? Do you know anything? Do you actually wanna die here? His lips twitched, and with his face still looking dead, he pointed his crossbow towards Flamm. That was the end of his fate. Even without killing him, Dain is already dead. He has reached his end. Perhaps if Gadio didnt came to save Flamm, she wouldve ended up in the same place. Perhaps she does have a room in her heart for empathy. Yet the man didnt understand that there was an inviolable barrier between him and Flamm since long ago. Hey, Dain. Since listening to you, Ive been thinking. Huh? At the moment, Dain wouldnt pull the trigger. He was preoccupied with his feelings, or rather, his expectation However, with a scoff, Flamm brushed it away. Can you not fawn on me like that? Its disgusting. The man froze. Not only a 8-year-old child, but a 16-year-old girl also saw through him. Even after swallowing his own pride, Flamm had crushed what remained of it. At this point, everything that made up Dain Phineas as a human had been lost. Imfawningnono! He wanted to deny ityet he couldnt. Aahso its notwrong? ThatsthatsaaahhAAAAHHHUWAAAAAAAAAHHH!!! That was when his identity crumbled. As if he chose to reject the reality that he refuses to accept, he rubs his head violently as he screamed and unhesitatingly pulled the trigger. There are no traces of mana in the bolt. However, even without twitching, the bolt missed its mark and went away into next Tuesday. ILL KILL YOU! The girl remained unmoving. Yet the next bolt still misses its mark. ILL KILL YOU!! He missed again. DIE, DIE DIE DIE!!! His hands were still tremblinghe couldnt properly acquire his target even though Flamm was standing still. He then decided to hold his right hand thats pulling the trigger with his left, attempting to stabilize his aim, and this time, he properly aimed to sink a bolt between the girls eyes. DIEE! Its all your faultITS ALL YOUR FAULT!! There were no reasons behind his fury; he was merely venting his anger. Flamm swung the black sword lightly with his right hand and easily struck the bolt away and approached Dain. S-SPREAD!! The man regained his sense, just about enough to enchant his bolt before shooting them off. Flamm lowered her sword as she ran and refined her Prana before infusing her sword with it. The moment she swung her sword, the Prana she infused bursts, creating a storm that rips apart the floorboard and destroys the approaching eyeballs as it rushed towards Dain. Of course, the blast also cleared away the scattered flaming bolts, dropping them to the floor harmlessly. Guh! Dain covered his face with his arm, and Flamm used this chance to pick up her speed. She swung her sword once more with a heavy attack which Dain promptly stopped with his crossbow, but as he was unable to bear the strike, Flamm tore the crossbow away from his hands. It would be difficult for him to take it back, so he decided to abandon it and shoot his hook to attempt to retreat. Flamm immediately refines her Prana in response, but it would seem that the girl is running out of breath. Haah! Continuously firing off her Cavalier Arts is certainly shaving her stamina away, but she was still well enough to be able to force herself to unleash some more. Flamm thrusts her greatsword that felt heavier than usual. GET BACK HERE! The Prana Sting, flying like a drill, severed Dains wire, and as he lost the force pulling him away, Dains body falls. He didnt cast Explode where he was supposed to landno, perhaps he knew that if he did that, hed only make himself an easy prey for the Soul Eater. He purposefully dropped himself and pointed his palm towards Flamm. Fireball! He aimed to stall her with a shot of a simpler spell. However, the movement of the fireball was a lot slower compared to the crossbow bolts she faced earlier, so she could easily evade them by simply lowering her stance. As she did, Dain turned his back against her and dashed away towards the entrance of the church. He wasnt running away; he sought refuge on the floor that was already covered with eyeballs. Thus, Flamm is now surrounded with eyeballs. Theres only one response to Dains trickeryCavalier Arts. BWOOSH!! The swing created a strong gust of wind, and in an instant, Prana turned it into a raging storm. The eyeballs that were about to surround her burst like water baloons, and even Dain who covered himself with his arms suffered several gashes. However, even after that, Flamm didnt stop her attacks. HAAAAAAAHH!! At last, the blade had cornered Dain. I CANT DIE JUST YET!! Dain fends off the attack with his buckler, but as he couldnt held the force back, his body staggered sideways. To add insult to his injury, the power of Flamms equipment froze his buckler including the mechanism behind it. Fuck, he cursed on reflex. As a matter of fact, the bucklers mechanism can also be used to fire poisoned needles; a trump card he saved as a last resort since he only has one shot. However, that trump card now has frozen over and therefore unusable. Even as she was against Dain who was cornered, Flamm showed no mercy. TAAAAAHH!! She thoroughly shattered the frozen buckler with her next attack. With his defense crushed, Dain fell to the ground as he scampered away, but even then, Flamm continued her barrage of attacks start to injure his shoulder, legs and cheek. FIREBALLLL!!! Dain desperately cast his spell, which obviously had no way of ever hitting Flamm. The fireball was evaded just by Flamm tilting her head and it hit the ceiling before exploding in a shrill blast. What did you!? Flamm reflexively turned to look above and saw countless rubbles falling. She immediately jumped back, but as she did, a sharp piece of wood grazed the tip of her nose. Heeheehee, didya really think I didnt set up any traps!? The explosion clearly isnt something that was caused by the fireball. Its likely that hes loaded gunpowder into some of his bolts earlier and spread them across the church as a trap. You really dont know when to give up, huh. No matter how prim and proper one can be, thats the only way for me to survive! As he said that, he cast another Fireball, though this time, it was aimed at Flamms feet. The fireball hits the floor and bursts, activating a bomb embedded under the floor that used a fire-attribute spell as a trigger. GAAH! Flamm tried to dodge sideways, but he explosion still swallowed and crushed her right leg and blew her away. She slammed against the wall, where she then realized that her arms had made contact with the eyeballs. Shit! The eyeballs entered her left arm in a disgusting manner. Even when she stood up and jumped away, it was still too late. Several more arms grew out of her and they intertwine with each other against her will. By then, another fireball came flying straight to Flamm. She wouldnt be able to dodge it, soshe thrusts her mutated left arm forward and took the fireball with it. The flesh scatters, and a burning pain assaults her, but now, the excess arm she had was burnt away. Tch. Dont be so cheeky, you brat. Kuhspeak for yourself! Flamm starts to run again, despite her left arm still stinging as it was still regenerating. Still full of injuries, Dain tried to move to keep his distance from the girl while trying to recover his crossbow. Flamm headed for the same place to try and prevent him from doing so. The two of them leaped at the same time, and Flamm was the one whose hand latched on to the crossbow first. She took it and threw it further away, making it a lot more difficult for Dain to recover it. Instead, he desperately tackled Flamm. Kyah?! HYAHAH! Whyd ya scream like a girl when were killing each other!? Flamm was stuck with Dain above him. She wanted to push him away, but Dain had locked her wrists with his hands. Haahhaahhehehhow dare you say whatever you like! Im just saying the truth. Thinking back to it, its all you, innit? Everything goes to shit since the day you showed up. Its your fault then. Thats right! Its your fault! Flamm is not responsible for their decision to mess with the church, so all he was saying was a baseless accusation. For the moment, however Dain couldnt care less about reasons. He only wished to deny and reverse Flamms remark against him and kill her. Heeeheehee, wouldya look at that, those cute widdle eyeballs are all coming closeerr! Even if they wont kill me, theyll turn you into a monster you knoow!! Flamm was completely unable to move. She lets out a huge sigh. Perhaps thinking that Flamm had given up, Dain showed a big smile as if he was insane. However Flamm whispered; Reversal and her expression changed completely. With a dull cracking sound, everything beyond Dains wrist started twisting around to a direction its not supposed to go. GAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!! Dain involuntarily rose as he screamed. Flamm finally broke off from his restraint and swung her sword, aiming for his neck, but it only managed to gouge a part of his shoulder as he was leaning back. GI..IIIHHGAAAAHH! You bitchYOU BIIIIITCHH!! However, Dains movement did not slow down, as if his pain had failed to reach his brain. He forcefully smashed his wrists to the ground trying to turn his hands back to how it was. The strength of his grip had weakened, but it was still enough to for him to be able to grab his knife from his waist. GUUAAAAAAHHH!!! Dain approached Flamm like a beast possessed. Flamm expected him to attack, but noticing the approaching eyeballs, she leapt away. Wha!? Hes rushing over!? GUOOOOOOHHHH!!! Dain rushed towards her chest and thrusts his knife forward. With a fleshy sound, the blade sinks into Flamms abdomen and Dain twisted it by the grip. Kah! FLAAAAAAAMMMM!!! His tenacity brought fear into the girl. The man who had nothing left to lose had finally threw away his human nature, struggling to at the very least bring the girl down with him. Flamm removed her Soul Eater and used both her hand to tear the man away from her, which pulled the now bloodied knife off her torso. However, right now, Dain would not stop after just that. Once again, he lets out a strange bellow and rushed towards the girl again. Flamm kicked the man on his guts with her sole in retaliation. Guh! Dain held his stomach in pain. Flamm then grabbed the man by his hair and drove her knee into his face. As the man staggered, she once again drew her sword and went for his headbut Dain recovered quicker than she had expected; he was able to rush towards Flamm and swing his knife once again as she was still summoning her sword. He sliced Flamm on her chest, exposing her underwear before sending another thrust that drove straight into Flamms upper left arm. Hitting her ulna, Dain shaved off a part of her flesh along with a scratching sensation on his blade. The eyeballs are still approaching. Time is running out, and Flamm felt the rush to quickly put an end to this fight. Flamm held her right fist aloft and drove it into his vulnerable cheek. It should be a clean hit, one that should send a normal human staggering and retreating. However, despite having gone through his mental and physical limit, Dain didnt even flinch. He kept glaring at Flamm as he stretched his hand, still gripping his knife. Aiming for her heart, Dain rushes forward again. I GOT YOU NOW, FLAAAAAMMM!!! Perhaps for him, it was the roar of victory. As a matter of fact, it wouldnt be unthinkable for him to win. He is the one with advantages in status and combat experience. Not to mention, being surrounded by eyeballs and traps, Flamm was in an overwhelming disadvantage. Thats whyThat was why Neither Dain nor even Flamm couldve thought A white sphere came rolling. It rolled through the mans shoulder and sunk itself into his upper arm. ah? As Dain looked at his arm, his movement stopped. Why him? The eyeballs shouldve targeted Flamm and not him, an ally, so NNo Dain was left dumbfounded. AahI get it Flamm finally realized the answer. The eyeballs are part of Origins power controlled by Ink. They certainly are something the little girl creates. Thinking back, when she passed by Dain earlier during the day, there are eyeballs that gazed upon her. If Dain was to pick a fight with her at that time, he wouldnt have lived through the day. In other words, Flamm was saved by them. There were no need to think who did. Theres no one but her. It was her wish. A wish powerful enough to overwhelm the will of a God. A subconscious, desperate wish, to protect Flamm against Gods will, from the little girl called Ink. NNOOOOOO!!!!! Dains arm begins to multiply, and the man was thrown into dismay. His hand that was supposed to drive his knife into Flamms heart stopped moving against his will. The next moment, his body was blown away, leaving him in a staggered state. Flamm raised her Soul Eater with difficulty, perhaps signalling the limit of her stamina. Simply gripping the handle caused her hands to tremble. Thus, she had to collect all her remaining strength, just like when she had to destroy the Origin Core. HAAAAAAAAAAAAHH! She thrusts her blade right in Dains center of mass. However, her strike did not split the man in half; it didnt even go through the mans bones. That alone shows how much stamina Flamm had left. Aah? Thenwhat was the meaning behind the wound she had given him? Perhaps Dain himself, the one suffering from the injury she gave him, would be the one who understands it the most. StopAgahgaggaAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!! Slowly, starting from the wound in the middle of his body, his skin and his flesh starts to peel away from his skeleton. His bones are exposed, and even they start to turn inside-out. exposing whats usually hidden within the bone. Killmeat leastwhile Im stillhuma.AAAAAAAHHHHHH!!! If it were to be given a name, it would be Cavalier Arts ExpansionPrana Slash: Reversal. His body had been turned inside-out; that spell, without a doubt, brings certain death, though it would only be thus since Dain was already greatly weakened. GYAAAAGGHH! The base of his neck also begins to turn inside-out, drowning out his death throes, while in return, his vocal cords emerged from the lump of flesh, creating an uncanny noise. suffer and die, Dain, whispered Flamm after taking some distance. She turned her back against the dying man and headed for Ink. Left alone in the chapel, Dain completely turned inside-out. His internal organs and his brain was laid bare and left as is, though in truth, his body was uninjured. His heart and internal organs kept working despite being exposed, keeping him alive an unimaginable suffering without having even the option to die. CH 25 Flamm opened every door in the hallway behind the chapel. Perhaps snapping after killing Dain, her body isnt following her directions. She puts her hand on the wall to support herself and dragged her legs forward. Countless eyeballs were still closing in from behind herit seems like even after her fight was over, the crisis still goes on. At the end of the hallway, she opened the last door. In that room that was slightly wider than other rooms, she found Ink. IInk? However, her voice was cut short, for there was a woman about 180 cm in height whom she never saw before. no, are they truly a woman? The person was wearing a dress and a wide-brimmed hat, and her blazing red hair extends down to her jawline. Its a feature that was hard to miss, even in a glance. However, their limbs were muscular, their shoulders wide, and their face looks like it belongs to a man. That voiceis that you, Flamm? My oh my, that man lost that easily, I see. I didnt think you would come this quickly. The persons voice was throaty, indicating that hes unmistakably a man. So you are Flamm, yes? Its a pleasure to meet you; I am Mother, the mother, the mother of these childrenthe Spiral Children. Flamm took out her sword. She had heard of her existence from Ink, but she completely thought the person was a woman. I wonder why cant I leave her alone? Besides, the person that called Ink terrible things like monster and whatnot was you, is it not? Since you called yourself their mother, you must know about her power, right? Why of course. I was the one who replaced her heart with a Core anyways, replied Mother immediately. Since the person called himself Mother, he must be the leader of the research program, which probably means that he is the researcher belonging to the church. In short, that was the ceremony of a second birth through a mothers womb that allows me to become their mother! So all of the girls, including Ink, are truly my children, and I am truly their mother. Mother kept talking, spilling out even the details Flamm shouldnt have heard. Rather than calling him a fanatic believer, the person was too absorbed in fulfilling his role that he loves to emphasize in being the childrens mother. ButIm Youd like a human instead? Why though? While its true that youre a failure , it is still a wonderful power to have. Its a power to give birth to more children, a power to become a mother! Look at that! The man pointed behind Flamm, where the white eyeballs gathered beyond the door Flamm left open. The eyeballs, however, didnt come into the room. Is it because its owner, Ink, is present in the room? Inks lovely little children are looking this way~ Childrenyou mean! The things you lost, Ink puts her palm on her eyelids. and the things you wanted most. Origin-samas power multiplies that desire, and so your body can spit them out. And then as you housed Origin-samas power, it follows Ink-chans wishes and they protect us. NooI didnt! Dont be ashamed, you did very well. You are a splendid mother, Ink-chan. I am happy that my beloved children became a splendid children Mother said, before hugging the little girl. The power of Origin Flamm had seen was repulsive in another meaning. It brought chills to her spine and it nauseated her greatly. Flamm didnt think that the love expressed by Mother existed. Im sorry to do this in our first meeting, but Mother, or whoever you are. What is iit? I think you might not be suited to be a mother. Why? Why would you say that even though you dont know anything? Because youre not properly looking at your children. You kept pushing your ideals to them and manipulating them to wish for what you want them to dodespite clearly no one wanted that kind of body or heart! But even if its not for me to decide, its not for you to decide either, you know? Hey, Ink-chan, you clearly feel my love for you, right? The man brought himself even closer to Ink. He even went further and rubbed his cheek against the girls as his breathing turned rough. Perhaps shes used to it, Ink herself didnt seem overly troubled by it, but at the same time, she doesnt seem pleased. However, the girl timidly opened her mouth and said, Idont want it. Humansare fineI dont want to be a monster that hurts anyone! Really. The smile that never left Mothers face disappeared. Expressionless, the man stood up and stood in front of Ink. He grabbed the girl by the collar and, with a loud smack, he slapped the girl across the face. Ink was slammed to the floor as she received the brute strength of a man. Then I dont need you. Youre nothing more than a piece of garbage to me. Get yourself disposed. How ungrateful of you. Even though I raised you with love and care despite your uselessness. Ink!! Flamm rushed to the girl and held her in her arms. Her worries dissipates slightly as she could faintly hear Ink calling out to her in a low voice along with a powerless smile. Flamm immediately moved the girl to the corner of the room and glared at the mans wide back. MOTHER!! Responding with voice packed with anger, the man stopped on his tracks and turned around. How scaary. Youre really not suited to raise kids. The moment he said that, four children appeared behind him. They were either concealed with magic or they teleported in. To Mothers left was a boy with a wavy green hair that was smiling for no reason and an irritated-looking blonde boy tapping her toes in a rhythm as he faced away. To Mothers right was a cheeky-looking, scowling blue-haired boy who was holding his swollen cheek and a girl who had her eyes covered by her long bangs, holding a human-shaped stuffed toy. Oh my, whats with that injury, Nect? I was defeatedI swear Ill kill that fucking bastard the next time I see him! It was Nect, the boy who fought against Gadio. They fought so violently that the sound of them fighting could be heard across the city, but it seemed that Gadio had managed to safely drove the boy back, and now he retreated here. Thats right, Ill introduce them to you, Flamm. These kids are my most precious childrenthe Spiral Children. Mother spreads his arms wide and spoke proudly. The children looked like theyre either Inks age or younger. They all looked like normal humans, but their face would definitely change into that disgusting vortex of flesh when they have to use their powers. The green-haired one on the left is Hewis-chan, and the blonde boy next to him is Rook-chan. The blue-haired one is Nect, and the girl on the very right is Mute-chan. What do you think? Arent they such cuties? Flamm swallowed her saliva. Shes sure that if they were to try to kill her right now, she would undoubtedly lose. She couldnt run away otherwise shed be erased, not even leaving anything behind. Fortunately, it doesnt seem that theyre holding animosity against her, but My, you dont have to be so cautious, you know? Even between Origin-sama, theyre still uncertain if we should kill you or use you, so we who are neutral will not try to kill you. BetweenOrigin? Flamm was puzzled with how the man implied that there are more than one Origin. Mother giggled; You will see in due time. Mother, lets get out of here quickly! Hewis is right. How long are we gonna waste with these garbage? Just throw Ink away already. My education policy is to give every child a chance, Rook-chan. In response to Mothers advice, the foulmouthed Rook averted his gaze once again. Mother, pee pee. Oh my, thats not good, Mute-chan. We need to hurry. Nect-chan, can you please help her? Okay, Mother. Nect held his open hand aloft, and Flamm immediately thought that some sort of power is whirling on top of his palm. Oh, right, about the disposal of that thing, Just before Connection activates, Mother called out to Flamm as if she just remembered about Ink. Honestly the eyeballs are kind of in the way, so can you please destroy her with your powers? Also, its better for you not to even think of saving her. Its not possible anyways. Besides, shes physically weak and she doesnt have any strong points on top of being completely blind, so shes just a complete garbage. Flamm grits her teeth. Hes beyond saving. Hes too selfish and unreasonable, and Is that something a mother should say!? Were complete strangers now, so shes nothing but garbage. Thats all there is too it. Well, see you again, Flamm-chan. Connection, declared Nect, and at the same time, Mother and her children disappeared. Wait!!, Flamm shouted, but her voice didnt reach them and instead they echoed in the room. Instead, she could only clench her fists in frustration with a grunt. Hearing the girls voice Ink voiced her uneasiness and said Im sorry, Flamm. Why are you apologizing, Ink? Im the onewhos at fault. II said something terrible back then. But its trueisnt it? When the sun sets, I turn into a monsterI produced a lot of things Im dont know aboutIm creating problems just by living! Thats Not true, she wanted to declare, but she couldnt. If she keeps her alive, there will be more people that would fall victim to her eyeballs. Flamm and her friends would be pursued by them until they die, and they couldnt possibly have a peaceful sleep unless they can keep Ink in check. it wouldve been fine if the consequence is only several days of sleepless nights, but for the rest of their lifetime after this point, they would live a life thats comparable to dying. Itsfine Ink? Its fine alreadyIm already happy that I get to talk with you in the end. W-wait, dont just give up all of a sudden THEN WHAT SHOULD I DO!? As long as I live, I will keep hurting people, right? If I went that far then I dont even think that I want to live! If I cant live and try to be happy like a normal human can, then I would rather be dead than live in eternal misfortune! Flamm truly wished she could tell her otherwise, that she could do something about itbut Flamm understands her own powerlessness. She bears the pain of knowing fully what she can and cannot do. Sometimesgiving up is the correct choice for one to take. Ink stood up, breaking herself away from Flamms arms. Before long, she sat back down on the ground with her legs to her side, and as she smiled at Flamm, she opened her eyes and said, alright, go ahead. Childishly, she begged for death. Flamms lips wavered, her teeth gnashed. She tried to hold back her tears, but they came streaming out anyway. She couldnt do anything. She couldnt make any difference unless she destroys the girls corebut if she does, the girl would die. Even if theres another way to solve the problemcan she even do it by her lonesome? All she has are her Soul eater, the ability to freeze, her Reversal, and her Prana. Even if she racks her brain and fiddled with those ideas as if they were pieces of a puzzle, she cant come up with anything. You know, I can be happy enough if I get to be killed by you, Flamm. I mean sinceyou know, at least Ill be able to die as a human, Ink said in a cheerful voice. That tone of her hints that what she said was not meant to convince Flamm; instead its a tone that indicates that she accepts her death. Flamm obviously didnt want to kill herbut not being able to choose when it counts is also a form of irresponsibility. She removed Dain, prepared to die, just to get to where Ink is. To choose whether to let her live or kill herand the answer had showed itself. Even the girl wished for it. Which means,if theres no other way, the only optionwas to kill her. UukkhhaahaahAAAAHH. Her shoulders shaking and her face flooded by her tears, Flamm slowly stood up. Like a ghost, she swayed and stumbled as she gazed at Inks smile behind her blurred vision. The little girls fake smile only made it more painful. Her cheek twitched, and even more tears spills out as she squeezed her eyes shutbut even then, Flamm advanced forward to fulfill her responsibility. She pushed her limbs that even still refuses to moveand stepped forward. With every step she takes, her body grows heavier and heavier. HAAHH! She puts strength into her abdomen, moving her left foot this time along with an exhale. The Soul Eaters blade rings as it scrapes the floor, and Flamms shirt clings to her uncomfortably as it was bathed in cold sweat. AUAAAH! She will reach the girl before long. Flamm gripped the handle of her sword with both hands, and with the pointed tip of the blade trembling, on Inks chest. Feeling the coldness of the metal blade, the girl twitched. Yeah, thats fine. Ah, but please finish me off quickly, okay? I guess I really dont like pain The girl is truly putting up a very tough front. Theres no need to even think about it; nobody truly wishes to die. If one could, they would want to live happily as a person. Even Ink should have that thought right now. A 10-year-old little girlwishing to live, yet the world couldnt grant her that wish. Flamm? Inks question was only replied by Flamms erratic breathing and wheezing. You cant do this, Flamm, you cant stop here. Youre scaring me. You can do it in one swoop, like fwish! Despite sounding cheerful, Inks voice also wavered. If she could open her eyes, she too would perhaps have tears flowing down her cheeks. Hey, Inkyoure actually holding yourself back, right? Im not Of course you are! BecauseIf youre not then its weird! Dont lie to me! Tell me what you really think! Is there any meaning to it even if I tell you? If I were to tell you my true feelings right here, would it bring any meaning other than to make it harder for you and me? Theresno such thing. If putting up front was for Inks own self-satisfaction, knowing Inks true feelings was Flamms selfish wish. Even if there isntI want to hear it. She didnt want her to die leaving lies as lies. At the very least she would want her to die honest to her desire. It was her cruel, yet kind wish she had. II actuallyI too! Hearing Flamms wish, Ink crumbled, hinting her immaturity. Her bluff was transient, and once it crumbles, she wouldnt be able to rebuild that wall around herself as it disappears. She would be able to act her age, and her wish, her hope, and her desirewould all spill out selfishly. OF COURSE I WANT TO LIVE! IM STILL 10! IVE ONLY LIVED FOR 10 YEARS, OF COURSE I WOULD THINK THAT ITS WEIRD THAT ITS JUST GOING TO BE OVER! Yeah, thats right. WHY DO I HAVE TO DIE!? WHY DID I BECOME A MONSTER!? WHY CANT I LIVE NORMALLY!? I DONT NEED ORIGINS POWER!! It wouldve been fineIt wouldve been just fine if I could live like a normal human! Yeah, yeah. But even as Im saying thisI know that I cant do anythingthats why I didnt want to say itI wanted to keep my silence since theres no choice but to die! yeah. Youre cruel, Flamm Im sorry. Flamm was aware of what she did, so she obediently lowered her head and apologized. Since her answer came out immediately, Ink chuckled lightlyshowing a genuine smile. Butthank you. I think I feel better now. Letting out whats left of her lingering attachment, she felt like she removed some weight off her shoulder. That weight would then be carried on by Flammbut that was what Flamm herself had wished for. Now that I feel better, please finish it quickly, Flamm. Following what the girl said, Flamm put more strength into her palms. Okay Just a bit more and she will thrust her blade forward, and after pouring some mana, everything will be over. From now on, even amidst all other pain and suffering, Flamm would continue to shoulder the lives she had taken today. She swore to not let this happen for a second time. With that thought as her fuel, Flamm would continue her fight with the church. Its not something she chose to do. The moment Flamm met Ink, she already ceased to be a human. Her heart was transplanted by the Origin Core, and she had became the Spiral Children who can use inhuman powers. Thats why, unless she can turn back time, Flamm couldnt save her. It was over before it started. In all honesty, this feeling of guilt isnt necessary in the first place. As Ink had told her, she only need it to make it quick; release her from this living hell and move on forward. moveon. Forward. Forward. Forward. which way is forward? Whats the proof that the direction shes moving on is forward? It was certainly to kill the girl who was had the power of Origin within her, and to continue fighting might be to go down the path of righteousness. Howeveris that really the way forward Flamm wished for? Thats not it, she muttered. What she wants is completely different. She had met the little girl. Even if they only know each other for several days, it was just like the time with Milkit; she didnt care about how long theyve known each other. Flamm just wanted to save Ink. That was her idea of moving forward. Common sense or ethics didnt matter to her. Progressing the way she wants to continue on for her is moving forward. This isnt it. Killing someone she wanted to protect wasbackwards, and a degradation of who she is. Doing that is equal to the death of Flamm Apricot, and she is not going to let that happen. As if shes going to let that happen. Shes not going to let that happen! This is wrongdefinitely. I am! Her grip slackened, and her sword fell from her hand. I am not going to kill Ink! I wont give up until the last moment! If I just give up right now, I wont be anyones hero! Flammits fine already As if! You want to live, dont you!? You have stuff you wanted to do, dont you!? Then we have to make it come true! But what can we do? What can we do to fulfill that!? Dont just randomly say it if you cant think of a way! The two girls voice echoed around the room. A wayif its a method! What is something she needed to save the girl? Destroy the core, obtain something to replace it and transplant it into her. The first problem is that there is nothing else Flamm can do, while the main problem is the second and third problem. She decided to think about them one by one. First is the cores substituteno, in the first place, the core is the substitute, functioning in place of her heart; the core is the substitute for her heart. Substitute for her heartsubstitute? Is there something they needed for a substitute? Can they just use an actual heart? A heart that lived and beat? A heart that could be active, and it doesnt matter if its deadsomeone elses Dainsheart Take it, and transplant it to Ink. Flamm looked like she was about to laugh at her own absurd idea despite saying it herself. Even if it is possible, how would she keep Ink alive after she destroys her core and while shes in the process of having the heart transplanted? She needed the power of life to keep her alive, even if its just for a moment. Once again, Flamm scoffed at herself, thinking is there even anything that convenient? Howevertheres something she had in mind. Im telling you its not possiblestop it! Ink snarked, angry at Flamm who were quietly mulling it over. At that time, an explosive wind blasted through the entrance of the room. The wind blew away the eyeballs flooding the hallway in one strike, creating a pathway for the people to walk in. Those people are Flamm, youre okay! We finally get to meet againthankfully it seems like youre still alive. Masteeerrrrr!!! It was Gadio, Eterna, and the Flamms most precious person. Seeing her masters figure, Milkit immediately broke into a run and tightly hugged Flamm, who immediately returned her hug with the same intensity. Im gladIm soo gladI really thought I would neber zee you again YeahI really wanted to meet you too, MilkitIm really, really glad youre okay.! Flamm thoroughly felt Milkits warmth and the sweet smell of hers. The two were elated that they could meet again as the two exchanged hugs as if they were trying to ascertain each others warmth. However, that happiness only lasts for a brief while. Even if they managed to reunite with each other, the problem that was infesting Ink still persists. Shes Ink Riesekraft, one of the Spiral Children. Im glad youre alright, but looking at the situation it doesnt seem to be something to be happy about. Eterna quickly judged the situation just by noticing Flamms greatsword lying on the ground and the twos tear-stained faces. However, knowing that there are some people that didnt know, Ink decided to explain herself. Actuallythose eyeballs that has been chasing after everyoneI made them all. Huh? Ink-san made them? asked Milkit after she separates herself from Flamm. Origins power would surface when I lose consciousness and itll turn me into a monster. I cant control it myself, so I wanted to end it all by having Flamm kill me I see, but when Flamm was about to kill you, she stopped, right? Thats what shed do, Eterna voiced her objection, sounding slightly exasperated. There could still be ways to save her though right? I dont know about the condition of her body in the first place She had her heart replaced by an Origin Core the moment she was born. The person who answered her question was Gadio. Thanks for explaining. So in short, Ink will die if we destroy the core. I see nowso theres no saving her unless we find a replacement. Thats why, I Since she had nothing to lose, she started explaining her train of thought, not even minding if the rest of them are going to laugh at her ideas; I thought that I might be able replace Inks core with a heart from Dains corpse in the chapel. Flammtheres no way thats going to be possible. I know! But We wont know if you wont listen Flamm turned sentimental, but Eterna managed to cut through before she finished. Its possible. With that one phrase, the room fell silent. Obviously, Flamm thought it was a joke at the start. She never heard about transplanting organs from another human body. Youre talking about a heart transplant, right? I can technically do it. Perhaps understanding that the rest of the people might have taken it as a joke, Eterna declared for a second time, and by the time her words reached Flamms ears, Flamm didnt doubt it any longer. Maybe its true, maybe its possible, maybe she can. Ive heard that transplanting organs were common practices before the invention of healing spells, but Im a big fan of lost techniques and pharmacy after all. Its just that it requires a high level of magic control given how delicate it can be. In other words, shes the only magician that can do it. Its Eternas field of expertise huh. You could say that, Eterna showed a small peace sign with her hand as she said that. What a heroto be able to make possible whats absolutely impossible, Flamm thought, once again realizing how great heroes can be. By the way, speaking of Dains body, do you mean that disgusting lump of flesh we saw earlier? It is still moving. T-Thats right! We can use that! Theres several miracles that must to happen including the miracle of the two having the same blood type, the miracle of Inks body not rejecting the organ and several others, but we can try if you want. Also, how do we keep her alive after destroying her core? ThatsumI know it might sound stupid, but If it can help with the transplant, then she only had to say it. Gadio-san, Prana is initially something like a life forcethe life energy of a person, right? You can interpret it that way, yeah. Then can I not use Prana to prolong the life of someone whos on the verge of dying? Can her Prana keep Ink alive if they need several hoursno, several dozen minutes? After a bit of thinking, Gadio gave his answer. Its probably quite difficult to use it that way, but it has been used to heal wounds and extract poisons, so I think its not impossible. The possibility is finally born. All thats left is if it can be executed well or not. Flamm approached Ink and crouched down to lower herself to Inks height before telling the girl; We might be able to change you back to human. Is itreally possible? The probability isnt zero, but we wouldnt be able to recover you if we fail Of course, theres a chance that she might diebut there is a chance of being able to attain happiness and live as a human, a chance that she never thought even existed. She didnt have to give up for there is a choice she can make. Even if it failed, it was not because of something arbitrarily decided for her; shell die as a result of something she herself chose. Nobody had any idea how much that difference had saved her. Without hesitation, the girl made her choice. If theres even a small chance, I want to bet on it. Afterwards, its a battle against the clock. Eterna immediately returned to the chapel, wrapping Dains corpse with water and carried it back to the room. Perhaps since it was too grotesque for Milkit who was sitting away in the corner of the room, she couldnt help but to bring her hands to her mouth. However, it wasnt so much the case for Flamm and Gadio. Ill match my timing with yours. On your go. Yes! Instead of her greatsword, Flamm was puts the pointed end of the shortsword she took from Dain to Inks chest. It will hurt, but please endure it, okay? yeah, Ill do my best. Flamm closed her eyes and took a deep breath, gathering the mana pooling in her body. She imagined the mana collected in her body into a sphere and sent them flowing; from her body, into her hands, into the hilt of the shortsword, and into the blade itself. Her target is the Origin core. The power of her Inversion would flow into the core and destroy it the moment the blade makes contact. She burned the image of the flow in her closed eyes. All thats left is to follow the procedure and move her handsshe put strength into her arms and the blade was driven into Inks torso. NnGuh Reversal! Crash!, the moment she infused her mana, the core started to swirl in reverse, creating a negative energy that split the crystal in two as it couldnt bear the energy flowing to the direction its not built for. Ink felt her strength leaving her body. At the same time, the eyeballs surrounding the church started to turn grey, withering as they deteriorate?. Its likely that they wont have to see that repulsive scenery ever again. Humph! Without a moments delay, Gadio put his hands on Inks body and started to pour his Prana with his bare hands. Thump! He injected a huge clump of life energy to the girl. With the core destroyed, Inks body that was gradually turning cold suddenly starts to increase in temperature to the point that she was burning. Ugga, ack Inks body curled backwards as she twitched violently. Hang in there, Ink. The girls lips formed a smile, indicating that she perhaps had heard what Flamm said. Next, Eterna came closer and begins the transplant process. Its going to hurt a lot more, so grit your teeth. As Eterna said that, she pushed the girls hands aside and evoked water blades of various sizes around her. One of them quickly approached Ink and cut her skin like a scalpel. Its movement werequick and delicate, and even Flamm who were looking at it from very closely still wasnt able to grasp what its doing. The dozens of water blades worked together with several water tentacles that appeared sometime afterwards to perform the surgery on Ink. Blood splattered from the opening when Eterna first pulled out the shattered core from inside her body, but she immediately closed the open wound with a water ball. She needed to prevent blood loss and maintain the hygiene of the woundsomething that normally require several people to do, but Eterna was able to do everything by herself using nothing but spells. Ink desperately endured the pain even as she breathed heavily to the point that her throat trembles violently. In reality, her sense of pain was dulled thanks to Gadios hands which greatly reduced the pain she experienced, but even after that, it was still an amount of pain she wouldnt have normally experienced. The one thing that supports her from crumbling was the single hope that after this process is finished, she will return to being human. Before long, Milkit who was watching from far away had moved closer to the girl, holding onto her hand tightly as she prayed for her safety. Flamm, too, held the girls hand. Without looking away, Flamm looked over the process with an earnest expression. At times, Eterna would heave a soft sigh as she wipes her forehead that started to get sweaty with the back of her hand, indicating that even for her, this is a very difficult thing to do. However, she proceeds through the operation in a speed no normal human hands could manage. Flamm looked in blank amazement as she witnessed Dains heart being extracted from his flesh and put into Inks body. The water spell then created a thread that it used to sew the heart in place and confirmed if its functioning normally. Finally, after it closed the incision with a suturethe surgery is finished. Ive done all I could, said Eterna, falling to her rear as a sudden rush of fatigue assailed her all at once. Perhaps reaching her limit, Ink lost consciousness, her face showing how she suffered in pain. Under her undulating chest was a working, beating heart that used to belong to someone else. did wesave her? I hope so said Gadio as he glanced at the hallway littered with ash and dust. The rest depends on the post-surgery development, Eterna said expressionlessly, though despite that, the woman was praying for Inks recovery. Thank you very muchI wouldnt be able to do it on my own. Flamm deeply bowed at the to in front of her. You could say the same about me. Wouldve been impossible if its just me too. I thinkit would have been fine if Im not here said Milkit, being humble. In response to that, Eterna flashed a grin before saying; Flamm wouldnt have had the determination if Milkit isnt here, so you were useful. Youre saying as if I never had any determination in the first place! Flamm prattled on quickly. Shes right though, Flamms really different from before and after they met. Not you too, Gadio-san Seeing the pouty Flamm, Eterna and Gadios expression softened. Milkit, on the other hand, turned bashful before inching closer to Flamm. She ended up sitting next to Flamm, and while trying to be careful not to be seen by other people, she silently piled her hand on top of her masters. Milkit? Their eyes met by accident, and Flamm decided to call her out. In response, the girl whispered in a voice that only the two of them can hear: It seems like I too am no good without you, master. Even if Im away for just a bit, its so painful that I feel like Im going crazy. Its like my chest is always squeezing with anxeity, and it was so hard that it gets harder to breatheso pleasestay with me. That thought seemed to be transferred through her hand, which caused Flamms face to turn beet red. Flamm wasnt the only one who had experienced the pain of losing someone. The two suffered through each others absence, which is why their feelings for each other only got stronger. Flamm squeezed the hand that was merely placed on top of hers. Ah Isnt it fine to just let them see? To Flamms suggestion that was accompanied by a wink, Milkit replied with a quiet yes. In reality, however, both Eterna and Gadio have noticed about the two of them since long ago. A bunch of amateurs really cant deceive the eyes of the heroes. I hope she opens her eyes soon. Yestheres a lot of food Ink-san wanted to try. The two peered at Inks face. No one in that room had even thought that the girl wouldnt open her eyes. Everyone was convinced that the procedure was a success. The capital bathes in the morning sun, driving away the darkness and turning the sky to a bright orange color. The long night had finally ended, and a new day begun with no one left behind. CH 26 Flamm heard the chirping of birds in her drowsy state as she was roused from sleep. Soon enough, as she opened her eyelids, she could see the wooden ceiling shes so familiar with. The sunlight passing through the gaps between the curtain poured on her face, so she tried to shield her eyes with her hand as she laid facing up. Its morning already she whispered, then realizing how parched her throat was. Flamm sat up, stroking her now ruffled hair as she takes a look around. Noticing the cabinet, the desk and the other bed amongst other things, she was sure shes in her own room. Uhhyesterday, I immediately jumped to bed after going home, and just like that She fell asleep and that was it. That was all she could remember after getting back home. Then again, she was sure that it happened early in the morning, and since its currently morning I slept through the entire day? No matter how she thought of it, shes slept for too long. Perhaps that showed just how exhausted she was. She ran around for an entire day and fought her way to the next morning. Not even the enhancement provided by her equipment could keep her away from the limits of her body. Even now, her body still feels heavy, as if she still couldnt get all of her strength back. Her body are aching here and there from muscular pain. Flamm let out a huge yawn and chewed on her mouth. Her absent-mindedness showed that she wasnt completely awake yet. Her head bobbed side to side from her drowsiness before stopping fast at one point, looking at the place directly next to her. What she saw was an adorable fair beauty, sleeping soundly next to her. It was Milkit, clad in her sleepwear. Looking closely, her own bed is empty. She was either feeling too lonely to sleep alone or she was too worried that she doesnt want to separate herself from Flamm. Either way, it seemed that Milkit had crawled into Flamms bed when the latter was fast asleep. Shes so cute when shes sleeping Flamm said with a listless smile before lightly stroking the girls hair. The fact that she was wearing her sleepwear means that unlike her, she stayed awake even after they got home. What happened to Gadio, Eterna andInk since then? Flamm spent her time waiting until her mind freshens up as she kept thinking. Her hands were still on Milkits hair before it moved on to pet the girls cheek and rub the girls ears. She didnt mean to wake her from her sleep, but judging from where the sun is, its way past the time when she should wake up, so she thought she should wake her up as well. Nyuumashter Hmm? Did I come up in her dream as well~? Mashterdontgo Flamms heart throbbed from the girls unconscious sleep-talking and her body temperature quickly rose. She understood that judging by the situation, Milkit would feel uneasy, but A surprise attack like that isnt fair you know~ you precious little thing~ said Flamm, mercilessly attacking Milkits soft cheek with the tip of her finger. As she did, the girl softly groaned, and when she opened her eyes, she saw her masters figure looking at her. Master? Good morning, Milkit. Flamm greeted Milkit with a great smile that formed just because Milkit is there. Without even needing to express herself, by just existing there, Flamm was able to smile. Ahgood morning, Master. Milkit, too, had her cheeks melt and smiled just by seeing Flamm right next to her. The twos existence makes itself known within each other, creating a fleeting feeling for the two. Despite only being separated for several hours, the fear of not being able to see each other and the reunion thereafter further deepens their feelings towards each other. Their relationship had long changed from master and slave, and who knows better than the two themselves. I was surprised that you slept next to me. Forgive me, Master. I see that you never woke up after falling asleep, so I was worried that you would never open your eyes again Aahsorry for making you worry. Seems like I was dead tired back then. Thats rightit was such a huge ordeal after all. I truly thank you for your work. I think that precisely because of your hard work, Ink-san is safe and sound. I couldnt have done it by myself. Even if you said that, Eterna-san and Gadio-san said that we couldnt have done it without you, Master. To think that even those two praised her for it. Unsure if shes supposed to feel embarrassed or happy, Flamm grits her teeth. Right now, shes neither worthless nor useless, and she had obtained strength that even heroes would acknowledge her for. She couldnt bring herself to be conceited, but those words fueled Flamms self-confidence and strengthened her heart. Ah, by the way, I heard that Ink is alright, but is she awake yet1? Yes, shes resting in Eterna-sans room right now. Eterna-san told me that weve gone through the most dangerous period, but we shouldnt let our guard down for at least half a year. Half a yearit might be long butwell it is long. No one would even think of transferring someones organ to another person. The reason she didnt say it at that time was probably because she didnt want to ruin the sliver of hope she finally had. At least until her wounds truly close, its better for us to not see her. ReallyI want to see her soon, but I guess just knowing that shes fine is all I need. As long as they knew that, theres no harm in waiting. After knowing her well-being, Flamm felt a weight off her chest as she got off the bed with Milkit and started to tidy herself up. Since her clothes had become tattered from combat, she naturally would pick another outfit to wear, but it seems like most of her clothes had been shredded from a lot of combat shes been on. She needs to go out and buy some more clothes soon. For now, she decided to don a plaid shirt on top of a white shirt. After checking herself with a twirl in front of a full-body mirror, she sat on a chair and started straightening up her hair. As she did, Milkit who had somehow changed to her maid outfit and wore her bandages looked closely at Flamm. Whats wrong? Her expression seemed nervous at a glance. The maid outfit for today is a combination of a pure white apron on top of a deep blue one-piece dress while her head was decorated with an Alice band; a truly orthodox style. Its slightly plainer compared to her usual outfit, but its still a mystery how anything would suit her. UmMaster, theres something I want to give you Milkit said, opening a drawer from the cabinet and taking something from within. She then stopped where she was, closing her eyes in anxiousness. Not knowing what Milkit would want to give her, Flamm looked at Milkit, not through the mirror but directly after she turned around. Milkit didnt move, tightly gripping the item in her hand close to her chest but with a quiet whisper alright, she steeled herself and approached Flamm. Hereit is Flamm extends her hands, looking up at Milkit as she stayed on her seat, and what Milkit gave her wasa hairpin with a decorative flower. The semi-transparent light-blue flower sparkled brightly through the sunlight pouring in. Wowits so cuteIs this a present for me, Milkit? Y-YesIm sorry I could only give you such thing Why is she sorry for giving a present? Immediately, Flamm objected; No, dont apologize. It looks cheap in comparison with what you have given me, Master, butI thought it couldve helped when you were down because of Sarah-san disappearing, so I thought of giving it to you then. But in the end, I didnt have the time to give it to you, but I didnt want to not give it to you either I will always be happy with anything you give me, Milkit. Masteryou really are too kindThank you very much. I thought I should express my gratitude even for just a bit, so I tried making that. Its handmade!? Milkit nodded with her face red in embarrassment. Flamm had thought of treasuring it being the first present Milkit gave her, but now that she knew its handmade, shes dedicated in making it a family heirloom. She treasures it so much that shed feel bad putting it on, but then again, she could only express her gratitude by wearing it. She must prepare an ornamental jewelry box for that hairpin alone. Thank you! Im really really happy! I know its sudden, but can I try it on? Of course. Flamm brushed her hair aside and put the hairpin in place. With her forehead peeking out more than usual in her now different hairstyle, she looked at the mirror. Milkit who also wanted to see how her master looked with her hand-crafted hairpin smiled happily at the sight. How is it? You look stunning as always, Master. Not thatno, wellIm happy that you think so too, but The two fell silent. Their eyes met through the mirror, and somehow, the girls cheeks turned red from embarrassment. After they were done changing, Flamm and Milkit descended the stairs and head for the living room. There, they met Gadio who were standing next to the window as he looks outside. He wasnt wearing his armor, but instead he was clad in a black coat, something not even Flamm had seen him in before. Despite him only looking outside the window, the current him was stunning enough for a painting. Good morning, Gadio-san. Hey Flammand Milkit too. Having her name called, Milkit nervously lowered her head. They were supposedly together yesterday too, but it seems like she still couldnt get used to his demeanor. Even though youve expended that much Prana, being able to wake up after a day is quite impressive. Is it impressive for sleeping through a whole day? A terrifying truth smoothly made her way into the girls mind. She must better manage her use in the future. Speaking of which, Gadio-san, is that how you usually dress? Gadio checks his outfit after Flamm pointed it out and replied in understanding; Yeah, Ive always been wearing my armor in our travels, so I guess youve never seen me like this. It seems like his giant black armor that isnt even Epic-grade in rarity is stored in another room on the first floor. For someone in Gadios status, it wouldnt be weird if he were to don an Epic-grade armor, but it seems that he truly preferred that black armor over another. As Flamm and Gadio conversed with each other, Milkit quickly tottered her way to the kitchen and begun preparing breakfast. Meanwhile, the former two made their way to the dining table and talked across the table. I know its a bit too late for me to say this, but I didnt expect to be saved by you, Gadio-san. I didnt expect that you were in the middle of this chaos either. Not only that, I didnt expect you to be fighting up front and I was also surprised that you have that slave seal on your cheek. What the hell happened since you left the party? The way he narrowed his eyes as he raised his doubt wasslightly scary, yet he was like that precisely because he was worried about Flamm. The girl he had traveled together to subjugate the Demon King had turned into a slave after all. Anyone couldve seen that something went terribly wrong. I guess I should explain from the start Flamm roughly explained what had happened to her. How Jean had sold her as a slave, how she met Milkit and how she obtained a cursed equipment that allowed her to fight. How she found the churchs research facility and fought monsters as they went to search for medicinal herbs. How the monsters are targeting her and how she had the power to destroy the core Gadio paid close attention to what Flamm told him, verbally indicating his attention from time to time. After reaching the conclusion that led to today, Flamm finished her explanation with and well, thats how it went, to which Gadio responded with a quiet hmm as he crossed his arms, thinking. Jean, huhIve thought that hes a self-centered man, but I didnt think hed go this far. Seems like his pride wont be satisfied by simply kicking you out, huh. I didnt think I could forgive him, but I guess everything ended well. Because you met that girl? Flamm peeked at Milkit behind Gadio as he said that and answered, That too. Too, huh. Are there anything else youre glad about? If I continued traveling under the church or Origins willmaybe I could really end up in the Demon Kings castle, and thats what they wouldve wanted. So Jeans selfishness ended up crumbling the Churchs plan all along. Though its hard to admit, yes. Still, theres no way she could forgive Jean. She hated him to the point of wanting to beat him within an inch of his life the next time she sees him2. By the way, you were investigating the church, werent you Gadio-san? Yeah, I felt something shady after I left the party. I used my connection to probe around the Cathedral but Y-Youre bold, arent you? Hm, I do admit it was quite coercive of me. It was something that brought a battle-hardened warrior like him to laugh, that was how reckless his invasion was. But that was the quickest way to do it. Thanks to that I managed to get information about the Spiral Children and the churchs history that it so desperately tried to hide. Historylike how they were involved in the war between the Humans and the Demons? That too, and theres also information about the demons raids ten and eight years ago. The incident that swallowed the town Maria-san and Sarah-san lived before, right? As she asked that question, Flamm remembered that she hasnt heard about Sarah from Gadio. She was concerned, but she couldnt interrupt Gadios explanation. I assume youre talking about Sarah Anvilen. Im not sure about her, but at least Maria hated demons with passion. The reason is because she believed the demons are behind that raid. But that wasnt it, right? From the beginning, the incident is too good to be true. The raid left children who had talents in recovery spells, something thats very convenient for the Church. The thing is, theres no record that said that Church Knights were dispatched to destroy the town. Are you sure it wasnt altered? Theres a possibility that it was, but at that time, Maria was eight years old. Normally someone that age wouldve been able to differentiate between humans and demons, huh Yeah, so that wouldnt explain her hatred. Consequently, theres no way of making clear whether the raiders were humans or demons. Theres also the possibility of demons disguising themselves as humans. Either way, whoever the culprit was, theres no doubt that they have connections with the church. Is there any solid proof of that? The survivors of that incident isnt just Maria and Sarah. Theres other survivors? Gadio nodded. That survivor couldve talked to Sarah and Maria. Perhaps one of the nuns concerned about Sarah in the Central District might be one of them. Combined with the survivors of the second raid, there are five survivors taken in by the church, all five of them are pregnant women. Pregnant? That is definitely something she was hearing for the first time, further complicating the issue. For what reason would the Church be gathering pregnant women? Flamm could assume that they were gathering them for research, but Do you not notice? The raids happened ten and eight years ago, which means right now their children would be between 8 to 10 years old. Ahthe Spiral Children? Yeah. Long story short, they abducted talented children and pregnant women for experimentsand then they used them to obliterate the heathens. Obliteratethe hereticsthen doesnt that mean there should be a trace of that within Sarah? Within Maria too. Perhaps they used to believe in Gods other than Origin in the past. If thats the case then we can be sure that the Church had something to do with those raids, right? Though that wouldnt straighten why Maria abhorred the demons. However, now that they can be sure that the Church is behind it, that is not their biggest problem at the moment, for the church might have a lot of tricks up their sleeve; probably disguise or brainwashing. By the way, lets say the raiders are the Church Knights, why would they put the blame on the demons though? I feel like they couldve said a giant monster attacked the village and not muddy the waters. Giant monsters attacking towns are rare, but they arent that rare, so what could be the reason behind directing peoples malice towards the demons? Thats a good question, Flamm. The cause iswell I cant say its the direct reason behind it, but it was written down in the documents I found in the Cathedral. He seemed to have obtained a more detailed information, but that opens the question of where in the Cathedral did he manage to sneak in. It shouldve been stored in a location where Gadio would have been killed on sight if he was found out. Seeing how Gadio is speaking about it as if it was nothing made Flamm realize that him and Eterna who calmly dealt with Inks implant were the people who have reached the stars. About fifty years ago, the past King devoted himself to the Origin cult. At roughly the same time, it came down from the government through stories that demons are evil. Stories? Like fairy tales or plays? Why would they do that? I dont know why, but thats the truth. After that, twenty years ago, its established within the masses that Demons are evil, and as the anti-demon sentiments grow, we reached the point of a war between humans and demons. Wouldnt that mean that Humans are the ones instigating the war? Thats the fact. Flamms cheeks twitched at his unhesitant declaration. Seems like history can easily be twisted. I bet itll be difficult for just the Church to do it, but it seems like the entire Kingdom is also conspiring on this by manipulating information. I wouldnt say its an easy feat, but I think its not impossible. The fact that humans are evil, and the demons are just is an inconvenient truth any ruler would try to erase. Flamm once again remembered the time she spoke to one of the three Demonic Generals Neigass in the Enichidae cave. She recalled Neigass saying that humans invaded the territory of demons in the war between humans and demons. If that was the truth, then what she said about demons never killed humans could be considered the truth as well. She never thought that the time would come when she found a demons words being more credible than the Churchs. Also, theres another concealed truth behind the war. Theres another? The more you know the more you dont. Anyways, about the war between humans and demons, when the humans were defeated in the war, the demons gave out a proposition. Do you know what that is? Territoryor maybe not. Money or resources maybe? Normally, yes, thats what one would ask for, but not the demons. They demanded that the two races wouldnt clash again in the future. The disparity between the image of demons and their peaceful demand caused dizziness upon Flamm. At this point, it was the humans that are evil. However, is that the truth? After unilaterally instigating a war, the humans did not acknowledge their loss and continued to conceal the truth. Is that demand still in effect? It should. Then wouldnt Cyril-chanor rather, the whole Demon Lord subjugation party be a grave violation of that demand? Flamms doubt is justified, but Gadio only lets out a tired scoff towards no one in particular. What Im going to say from now on is only my assumption, so I cant take any responsibility of whether its the truth or not. I dont mind. Please tell me. First, we are, at the very best, a mishmash of civilians. Well, I figured that out. They were people of different affiliation and social status, there were no comon ground to them. Gadio and Linus are S-ranked adventurer, Jean is a Sage acknowledged by the kingdom, while Eterna is a witch of unknown origins. Thats exactly why. We are just a bunch of volunteers driven by our own sense of righteousness and thats how they used us. Were not an army, just a bunch of civilians running on a rampage, so our actions had nothing to do with the Kingdom. Whaisnt that just sophism!? Yeah, of course the demons wouldnt just take the beating with all smiles. Still, the kingdom insists that were a bunch of civilians, and thats why I guessed they created the group of Three Demonic Generals, to create and oppose the Heroes advances. Flamm was speechless. In short, the recent demon subjugation activities that has been happening within the kingdom was something caused by the kingdoms mistakes. Rather, being able to end where they are itself was a miracle. There arent many demons compared to humans, but their strength can overwhelm the average humans. They could possibly flatten a human country without breaking a sweat if they wanted to. However, the demons do not seek war. It is unclear why, but they do not wish to kill or hurt humans. That was why, using the excuse that the heroes are civilians, it is not seen as a declaration of war and therefore there was no reason for them to declare war. The kingdom took advantage of that goodwill or naivety of the demons and commenced an act of aggression. The Kingdom and the Church is nothing but a heresy. What couldve caused the kingdom to despise the demons this far? I hoped it wouldve been a simple thing like wanting to expand territorybut its inconsistent with the risk taken. Why would the late king suddenly started to devote himself to the Origin cult fifty years ago and branded the demons as evil, and why is the current king still following through with itI dont think well get anywhere until we solve that puzzle. They need to disclose the Kings truth. If they could, they could perhaps figure out the Churchs goal and why they are after Flamm. It wont be simple; even if she has Eterna and Gadio on her side, the wall she needs to overcome wouldnt be so easily conquered. However, if they cant disclose everything and ruin their plotFlamm wouldnt be able to obtain the peace she longed for with the Church constantly on her tail. Well, its best that you dont think too much for now. We just have to steadily collect information. It irritates me. Keep that feeling close to your heart and use it to drive yoruself forward. When they finished their conversation, Milkit puts down a plate with bread in front of the two and two other in front of the other empty seats, seemingly for Eterna and Milkits own portion, while Inks portion is prepared separately in the kitchen. Looks like she would bring it up to Eternas room later. Time for breakfast. Lets shelf this discussion for another time. Wait, I have just one question before we start breakfast. Its something very important that I must ask. The conversation finally ends and Flamm can ask Gadio the question shes most concerned about at last. Where is Sarah-chan? Ah, that little girl? Gadio showed a slightly troubled expression. He supposedly said that she was okay, but Flamm couldnt help but to feel a tinge of anxiety just by seeing his expression. Is she with someone? Thats right. Are they someone you know? Cant say she is. Ive talked with her some, but His added details continue to complicate the matter, but Flamm steeled her determination and asked once again. No matter what condition shes in, Ill accept her, so please tell me, Gadio-san. Shes fine, shes just fine, totally. Shes neither hurt nor sick, and shes completely safe. The thing is, the person with her is Whois it? With his arms still crossed, Gadio fell silent breifly, and with a soft sigh, he answered; One of the Three Demonic Generals, Neigass. Sarah is following her around. Huh? HUUUUUHH!? Flamm shouted in astonishment after hearing the name appear when she least expected it. Her shout caused Milkit to jump and drop a piece of weiner that was on top of the plate to the floor. CH 27 Three days passed since Dain was killed and Ink was saved. During those three days, the West district was surprisingly too peaceful, and there was no hint that the Church might come attack Flamm and her friends. It was a rather anticlimactic development. Perhaps they didnt realize that Ink was saved, or perhaps they thought it wasnt such a big deal to them. That being said, the town was so quiet it seemed unnatural, which brought nothing but discomfort to Flamm who is making her way towards the guild. She took a left on the next corner she came through, and as she entered a somewhat narrow road, she could feel the wind, smelling like mud, blowing between the weathered walls. Flamm scowled, swiping her golden-brown hair away from her cheek with her slender fingers. Its too quiet whispered Gadio, clad in his coat. It seemed that the man had been staying in the house he owned in the capital, but this morning, he came to Flamms house and invited her to come to the guild. The girl looked up to the mans face from his side. It doesnt look like the church is going to attack us either. At least I think those folks from the Spiral Children are too busy looking for a new base or something. In just two days, the day before yesterday and yesterday, Gadio had managed to find Mothers location, seemingly pinpointed through the information he obtained, and the clues provided by Ink. In the end, the location he raided was already deserted when he got there, but hes sure that at least thats one of their hideouts removed. Theres no way that they could possibly made several underground facilities in the capital, so it is highly likely that Mother and the 4 children are out there looking for a new home. Other than thatmaybe its becoming safer since Dains boys are gone now. That too. I doubt itll stay that way for long though. My head hurts just thinking what those headless rascals could be up to Gadio said, shaking his head as he whispered yare yare The outlaws of the West District had been controlled by Dain up until three days ago, but now that hes been taken out, theres no one left to control them. Wonder if Dains gonna have a successor. I dont think its going to go well though. That said, Dains ability to lead people is second to none, so if just any rascal were to imitate him recklessly, whatever coalition they make will crumble in no time. Maybe a lot of different parties will come flooding in and start a war. Weve got our hands full with just the church so if that happens, were screwed. Thats why we need to go to the guild and think of our future plan while considering that too. At the guild? So far, Flamm hasnt asked why he invited her to go to the guild of all places, but as she did, the man evaded the question and replied with a short Youll see why. Thinking she couldnt help it, the two continued to quietly make their way to the guild. Flamm entered the guild first, eliciting a sour expression on Iira, who was lazily resting her chin on her hand. Alright were closing up for today~ Youre still a lazy receptionist huh. Still refusing to work? Ive finally gotten an off time since Dain is gone, so can you like not disturb the peace? Arent you too self-indulgent? Theres no one to stop me from doing that so Ill do what I want. Now go home already, you filthy slave. Shoo! The woman gets on Flamms nerves as always. Flamm bared her hostility against her unlike usual, but Iira feigned ignorance and turned the other way. Considering their initial exchange, however, their relationship had grown for the betternot that Flamm could forget that the first quest she provided couldve led to her death. Damn it, just remembering it makes me all irritated. I wonder if youll get fired if the guild in Central District knows that you sent a rookie adventurer without a license on a werewolf subjugation quest. Fufufu, you wish. As if the higher ups on Central District would believe a D-rank slave like you. Just give up and go mingle with other slaves like that bandage girl or something. UghIf I could just call the guild master, I couldve taken care of you so easily Ahahaha, keep dreaming. I only knew our guild masters name but hes an S-rank adventurer. That big a person wont even spend their time visiting our guild in the West District. Go call him if you want, hahahah! she said. As the two continued to bicker with each other, Gadio appeared from behind Flamm. Looking directly at Iira in the eye, he spoke. You rang? The woman froze like a little bird being glared at by a dragon. Blood drains away from her face and cold sweat started to flow down on her forehead. Her arm broke free of her frozen state, and as they trembled, they slowly start to move. Her right hand goes for her mouth while her left points at Gadio. GaGadioRuscat? W-Why are you here? Arent you supposed to be out on a journey!? I came back because I have something to do. Anyways, you told her to go ahead and call, right? What do you want to do now, Iira Gelicyn? A-Auuah Iira was at loss of words. Her anxiety was further emphasized by how Gadio even knew her full name to boot. Her mouth quivered as she for some reason decided to look at Flamm, begging for her to help. Of course, theres no reason for her to lend a helping hand, so instead, she mocked her by extending her tongue at her. So you are the guildmaster, Gadio-san. Thats how it went down. Someone pushed the job to me some years earlier, even though Ive never done this sort of job before. Ah so thats what you meant by thinking of our future plans at the guild. If you are the guildmaster then Dains boys wont be able to do as they like. In the end, Gadio is one of the few S-ranked adventurers. Hes one of the few people who are more powerful than Dain, and with him here, the adventurers wont be able to do as they like. By the way, Flamm, I heard what you said earlier but did she actually try to kill you? Thats right! You know when I was trying to apply for a license, she sent me on a quest to subjugate a D-rank monster. D-rank, huh. You can get a license for clearing an F-ranked quest, but youre right, a rookie couldve died if they were sent to do a D-rank quest. This is unforgivable. S-s-s-s-she cleared it so isntitfine? Y-You think so too, right Flamm? Right? The woman was so flustered that Flamm couldnt help but to stifle a laugh. Upset at being humiliated by a slave, Iira clenched her fist under the receptionist desk. I personally dont mind having her fired. How about you, Flamm? Hmm, what do I doo W-Wait, you dont seriously think you want that, do you!? I mean, usually someone would get fired for that. II know, but! She thought she would be fine since Flamm came back alive. However, it was only because the victim was Flamm that she was able to return back alive despite the major injury. Flamm still couldnt forget the pain of having her four limbs torn apart from that time. This isnt between you and me. I feel like my chances of getting fired is increasing if were talking about you and me She couldnt recall anything else but harassment between the two of them. Lets get along from now on, okay? I dont know how to live if I get fired now! Cant you just sell your body? Youre heartless! Flamm held herself back from saying Youre one to say!. Flamm still held some grudges towards the woman, but unlike Dain, shes not beyond saving. That was why she distanced herself from Dain and his men the moment they started joining hands with the Church. While she would mercilessly strike down those who are beyond saving, Flamm has no reason to corner Iira any further. You can just give her a salary cut, thatll do just fine. Really. Youre kind, arent you. Aaahhthank godThanksno wait, pay cut!? Why do I have to get my salary cut!? Shouldnt you be grateful that you didnt get fired? Ugh Iira cannot object to Flamm any further, perhaps still feeling a sense of guilt even if its just a bit. Still, she seems to be as headstrong as always, deciding that she didnt want to quit. Perhaps that too was necessary for her to survive in the West District guild in the first place. Now that Im here, I wont let you work lazily like youve been doing. Ill have you work properly. Steel yourself. Yees Iira responded, hanging her head, while Flamm looked over her with a grin on her face. As soon as Gadio disappeared into the room for the Guild Master saying hes got something to do, Iira glared at Flamm strongly. Thanks to you I have to shave my food expenses for this month. You reap what you sow. Hmph, dont get conceited. Anyways, since you know Gadio Ruscat, youre really that Flamm Apricot, huh. Oh so now you realized that? Obviously? Nobody would think the hero that was off on a journey would turn into a slave and roam around the West District. Well Im just as surprised seeing Gadio coming back. Eterna-san is here too by the way. Huuh? You mean that Eterna Lynnbow? What happened to the demon lord subjugation now that three of them are here? What the hell is the church doing? From the perspective of an ordinary citizen, seeing the three heroes that were supposed to be off on a mission back in the capital is a recipe for unrest. It seems like there were rumors flying about just about when Eterna came back, but it doesnt seem that she made quite the uproar since she never really go out except for going shopping from time to time. Gadio on the other hand, was someone who stands out, and now that hes going to be working as the guild master, more people are going to see him and notice. Ive said this from ages ago but seeing those disgusting corpses and everything, I feel like the church is acting suspiciously. As a result, Gadios presence undermines the credibility of the church. Taking that into account, the man might be able to take some more active roles. Its true that they need to properly dismantle the churchs plan one by one, but the church was only able to alter history and conceal their human experimentation efforts because they have a lot of people backing them up, which means that the shortcut to sabotaging the church is to undermine the its credibility in the eye of the public. Still though, is it okay for him to go back and be the guildmaster? You have a problem with Gadio-san? You dont know? Some people call him Gadio the Coward. Hearing that it is a nickname that doesnt suit Gadio at all, Flamm scoffed, believing that it mustve come from adventurers who were jealous of Gadios strength. What the hell, hes the person whos the exact definition of brave. What part of him is cowardly? Thats now. Way back in the past, he was said to abandon his friends and came running back by himself. Youre not saying this because you got your pay cut, are you? Im not! If you dont believe me just ask the other adventurers. That or you can just confirm it with the person himself. Of course, its no easy task for her to simply ask Is it true that you were once called a coward to Gadio himself. Baffled, Flamm could only furrow her brows. Shortly afterwards, Gadio returned. Ill start my guildmaster jobs from tomorrow, he said to Iira before leaving the guild along with Flamm. As soon as they went out, the two start to head for Gadios house in the Central district. During that time, Flamm constantly had a difficult look on her face, thinking deeply about what Iira had told her. Did that girl tell you something? asked Gadio, still looking forward as he kept walking. Huh? Looks like youre lost in thought. Aah, noitswell, she said somethingor I heard something she replied ambiguously. As they get closer to the Central District, the roads start to get noticeably wider and cleaner, and more people could be seen passing through the streets. These people the two passed by was naturally focused on Gadio. Some of them paid attention to Flamm, but most of them were focused on her cheek, perhaps really wondering why the Hero is walking around the town with a slave in tow. Gadio the Coward, huh. Gadio spoke of his name. So you know it. Flamm averted her eyes awkwardly. I mean, thats the truth. That cant be. Gadio-san, youre No, I am a coward, and I should be called a coward. he forcibly cuts her sentence as if scolding himself. He then lays his eyes on his palms and started to recall his past. Something happened to him; something that even a great adventurer like him could not overcome. Flamm did not open her mouth any more afterwards. Without little to no conversation, the two kept moving through the Central District and on to the East District. The two went all the way to a high-end corner of the East District. Welcome back, Danna-sama1. Seeing Gadios figure coming closer, the soldiers bowed deeply, and before long, the iron gate loudly creaks open, its grandness made Flamm involuntarily voice out her amazement. What entered her sight was a meticulously tidy garden that was the size of a public park. A wooden arch wrapped in red flowers decorated the pathway towards the mansion. The flower beds were filled with plants of different colors, while a large tree that are larger than a regular house was growing in the middle of the garden. Additionally, there were a swingset as well as a sand pit along with a play space for children maintained on one corner of the garden. It is said that being an S-ranked adventurer could earn you vast amount of wealth; its something Flamm shouldve vaguely understood, but now that she saw it right in front of her, she once again was made aware of her lack of imagination. Flamm thought of something as far as eating thick steaks every day or eating huge chunks of cakes without having to complain, but in truth, being rich is on a whole different level. Is this your house, Gadio-san? Yeah. No that its just for me though. As he said that, the man started walking down the stone-paved pathway leading up to the three-story mansion. Flamm is a country girl who first visited the city relatively recently, so she couldnt help but to look around restlessly and suspiciously. Seeing her behavior, Gadios stiffened expression finally relaxed. Her actions that matched her age, if not younger, made him remember the figure of a certain child in his mind, and he thought that he wanted Flamm and the child to meet each other someday, believing that the two would surely get along well. Standing in front of the mansions entrance, the man could hear the sound of footsteps running closer towards the door, and as the person reached the door, they opened the door just as Gadio reached his hand out to open it himself. The person appeared wasa young girl. Despite her ragged breaths, she showed a beaming smile towards Gadio. And then, a bombshell announcement. Welcome home, papa! no, considering that hes 32 years old, its truly nothing weird, but for Flamm who never heard of anything about this, she couldnt help but to open her eyes wide and looked at Gadio with her jaws hanging. Meanwhile, the man covered his cheeks with his hand and heaved an unusually long sigh. CH 28 G-Gadio-san, you have a child? NoDidnt I tell you not to call me papa Hallom? said Gadio while petting the little girl called Hallom on the head. The mans hand moved as if hes too used to doing it, yet perhaps he was denying it because they were not blood related. Papa is papa. Mama has acknowledged you for being papa too. Hallom puffed her cheeks in rage, to which Gadio responded with a bitter smile, unsure what to do. As he did, a red-haired, crude-looking woman about the same age as he appeared from inside the house. Welcome back, Gadio. Yeah, Im back Celena1. Their exchange look like nothing but that of a married couple, yet seeing that Hallom is not his child could mean that Celena is not, in fact, his wife. Dont you think its about time you let her call you papa already? No way. I couldnt ever apologize enough to Souma if that happens. Not just Souma but Thea too, dont you think? Seriously, there should be a limit of your sense of duty. lets talk about that later. We have a guest at the moment. My oh my exclaimed the woman, surprised with a face that says Ive done it now as she finally noticed Flamm. Sorry for letting you hear such embarrassing exchange. Ah, are you Flamm-chan, perhaps? Gadio talks about you a lot, like how you are so talented. Flamm blushed in embarrassment, never thinking that someone she didnt know would know her well, though she does feel that being called so talented might have been too far. All the time during their travels, Flamms statuses stayed at flat zeroes and she was unable to use Cavalier Arts at all. It wouldnt be fun to talk here, right? Come on in. Should we lead her to the guestroom, Gadio? This is going to be a long talk, so Id like just the two of us to talk a bit. Can the two of you go somewhere else? Oh, so that kind of talk, huh. Okaay~! Huuh? Just when I thought I could play with papa Gadio picked up the pouting Hallom and handed her to Celena. A 7-year-old child should be rather hefty, yet the couple handled her as if she was weightless. Celenas exposed arm appear to be riddled with scars, perhaps a hint that she isor wasan adventurer, which could explain her relationship with Gadio being fellow adventurers. Okay, okay, papa will play with you later, so for now lets play with mama, okaay? Im tired of playing with mamaa! I wanna play with papaa! Hallom said, innocently saying something mean as she struggled about on top of Celenas shoulder, something that didnt even flinch the woman as the two continued heading further into the mansion. Flamm who was left outor rather, who couldnt follow their conversation to begin withsaw the two off, stunned as she saw their backs grow smaller with distance. Lets go, Flamm. Y-Yes! Gadio proceeded into the mansion without even explaining anything, and Flamm, whose pace greatly differs from the big man ran lightly to catch up to him. Several expensive-looking paintings decorate the guestrooms walls while an extravagant chandelier hangs down from the ceiling. The sofa was extremely fluffy, with Flamms rear sunk way deeper into the seat more than shed expected, causing her to gasp in surprise. It is by all means a luxury good, but rather than thinking that it was too fancy, she thought that it would definitely suit the Gadio shes seeing now. My original plan was to just hand over the equipment and be done with it. Gadio sighed as he sat down opposite of Flamm. Equipment? The storehouse of this mansion contains the equipment we collected. Some of them are cursed, so I thought you might find them useful. Youre giving them to me!? Dont think too much of it. Theres no way for us to use cursed equipment anyways. Thank you so much! I shall gladly take you up on your offer. Normally, adventurers throw away cursed equipment, though some that houses a strong curse, which are truly rare, would be sold and circulated in the market as a luxury good. Flamm too browsed the stores lined up in the Central Districts main road to look for such cursed equipment sometimes, yet she was still unable to find something that she could be satisfied with, and its not like she could easily find a pile of corpses like the one she found in that facility, so Flamm couldnt be thankful enough for Gadios suggestion. Still, thats for later. Havent you been wondering about that child and the woman you saw? Well, of course. He was living alone with Celena, who was not his significant other, as well as with Hallom, who doesnt seem to be Gadios daughter. Thinking about how complex their relationships are could be enough to cause the young girls brain to short circuit. Simply speaking, Celena is my best friendSoumas wife, and Hallom is their daughterbut six years ago, Souma lost his life to a monster. That sentence returned Flamms train of thought to working order as she understood the premise of their story. Judging by how Hallom seemed to be 6 years old, it is likely that she had never seen or remembered her real fathers face, and instead she has viewed Gadio as a father figure for as long as she could remember. That was why she called him papa, and it is likely that Celena too That Souma you mentioned, is he strong as well? Yeah, hes even stronger than I am. He spearheaded our group like a leader and fought bravely. This armor and greatsword is actually a memento from him. That explained why he kept refusing to wear Legendary itemsyet it wasnt a beautiful story such as wanting to carry on Soumas feelings, and instead, it was a symbol of sin that he could not bear to forget. You were in a team? Used to. There was me, Souma, Celena, Thea, Jane and Lowe. Three of us were S-ranked, and the other three was A-ranked. We believed that no matter where we go, no one could defeat uswe were conceited. No, there was no way that it was conceit. The three S-ranked was a menace, and the three others were A-ranked. Without a doubt, it was the strongest team the Empire could have. There are no other adventurers that could match that team. This mansion is what remained of that time. We built this place for the six of us to live together, but back in the days we would laugh at how its too big and how much it costs. You must have been great friends if you decided to live together. Thats right. Just being with them was fun. At that time I just got together with Thea as well, so that time was really the peak of my happiness. Gadio said, his eyes vacant as he stared at the well-polished table that reflected his face. Got togetheryou got married? It was pretty rushed though. I bet I really didnt want to lose to Souma back in the days. Thoughjust after I said that I will protect her all my lifeshe died. Gadio spat his words in self-deprecation. Six years ago, we took a subjugation quest to take down a large dragon in the southwestern part of the kingdom. We said its probably just another dragon so it would be easy. Lets quickly get it over with and get back home, laughing away as we did. Celena was waiting back here for her childbirth after allbut what we encountered wasnt just another dragon. Theres a vortex on its face. A vortex on its face could only mean one thing. Thatsno way Same with that Nect boy we fought some days ago, right? Thinking back to it, it mustve been another one of the churchs research. His voice sounds less agitated, but theres still a hint of anger in his voice. He must have thought that it was nothing but a mutated monster, but now that he learns that it was something crafted by the church, he finally found something to project his anger to. We started off by getting swallowed in an ambush and took great damage from it. In an instant, Jane and Lowe were killed. Souma put up a great fight, but he was still minced in his armor, right in front of my eye. Lastly, Thea protected me, and her heart was gouged out because of itand just like that, I alone survived. That regret remained gnawing at his heart for six years and counting, something that Gadio would surely shoulder for the rest of his life. Even if someone were to tell him it wasnt his fault, he alone would still find himself unforgivable. I barely escaped with my life, and I was welcomed back by the people saying I was a coward, and who could blame them? I really am a coward. I abandoned my team, my best friend, and my wife. Im nothing but a coward! Gadio audibly grits his teeth and clenched his fist tightly. His veins appeared on the back of his hands as his arms trembled greatly. Even for a bit of recompense, he went back to reclaim the bodies and give them a proper burial, but whats left there was nothing but Soumas armor and sword. He then proceeds to focus on sharpening up his swordsmanship afterwards, but the void in his heart remains. Sitting in front of the man, Flamm said nothing. She had known nothing about Gadio except for the bits she knew very recently, it was obvious that she could not find the right words for him. As she kept searching, what she found was No matter what happened in the past, Gadio-san is still a hero to me. Youre no coward. Her words were harmless yet pointless. Flamm felt irritated at her own self for not being to come up with something decent, yet it seemed that her feelings were properly conveyed to Gadio. The mans expression wavered, and he managed to regain his composure, even if its just a bit. seems like Ive lost myself. My bad. Youre really kind, you know. No, Im I do have plans to talk about this to Eterna too, but I just happen to end up talking about this to you earlier. Also, theres something Ive got to tell you about the churchs research. You mean what you told me the other day wasnt everything? I read every single bit of information I found and crammed it into my head, so I thought I needed some time to figure out how all of the information was connected otherwise I wont be able to explain it well. Unfortunately for him, he didnt have enough time at that time. The guards at the cathedral wasnt easy to sneak by, so it was no exaggeration that he snuck in with his life on the line. Though for him, even if he were to be found, he should be able to shrug off whatever resistance the church knights would throw at him. However, if that were to be the case, he would be barred from entering the capital again, and Gadio would truly prefer to avoid that. Therefore, quickly and carefully, abandoning pointless thinking, he focused on absorbing every bit of information written in the records. Origin cores are spheres that contain the power of the Creator God Origin. The church established three primary research teams to find out a way to use these cores. Three teams, huh. The first one is the Spiral Children, right? Yeah. The church administrative abbreviates it as just Children. The other two is called Necromancy and Chimaera. Just hearing their names gave me the shivers. Hearing the incomplete information was enough to send a malicious chill up the girls back. I couldnt get detailed information like the research subject and the location of the research facilities, but we can make conjectures from these pieces. First, the Necromancy team deals with research of infusing the cores into a corpse and resurrecting them into an army of the dead. The first thing that appeared in Flamms mind was the research facility she found when exploring the depths of Enichidae with Sarah, where she found a trap in the form of a dead body with a vortex on its face, and it truly left her wondering if that blasphemous tool that uses a dead body as a medium could make countless more. The second group, the Chimaera, combine multiple living beings, searching for a suitable vessel for the core. They would use that result to further improvise the core, aiming to create cores that would be suitable with human body. I wonder which group created the monster that attacked your team. The dragon might have been dead and controlled, or the dragon might be a creature made by mashing together several different monsters. The two explanation are both very possible. The ones who researched with monsters is the Chimaera. Im pretty sure that dragon is something they cooked up as well. In short, the Chimaera is the one group responsible of operating outside the capital six years ago. The research facility around Enichidae seemed to have been abandoned roughly 10 years ago, so it is likely that the Chimaera team was its user. Its also highly likely that the vortex-faced ogre was one of their creations. UmGadio-san, do youwant exact revenge against the church? Id be lying if I say I dont. Abandoning my friends was a sin I have to bear, but its not that I dont hate that monster that killed them all. Currently, they dont know if the monster that attacked Gadio and his friends are still alive as there is quite the possibility that it might have been disposed already, but the research team Chimera that was behind it all is still proceeding with its activities. How about you, Flamm? Do you think revenge is pointless? In response, the girl shook her head. She imagined if Milkit, her family in her hometown or her precious friends were to be killed. The girl surely would try to kill whoever is behind everything for revenge, just like what she did to Dains underlings in Enichidae or Dain himself. I know its imprudent for me to say this, butI think its promising. Compared to the vague sense of justice or sense of purpose, living for a clear purpose can truly bring out someones strength. Right, then you can truly exact your revenge with full power. What are you planning to do if I were to say yes there? Im sure there wont be a huge change with me, but Id more-or-less put it into consideration. At least Im trying to not show my resentment in front of you. As he said, this will not be a huge change for him. However, a slight change in combat can mean a difference between life and death. With a light push on the back by Flamm, Gadio had gained a newfound strength. It might have been an exaggeration, but it was definitely no mistake. Finishing their conversation in the guest room, Gadio guided Flamm to another room. Their destination is the warehouse Gadio talked about earlier, where he kept his spare equipment. Flamm walked alongside him, her reflection shown on the surface of the shining, polished floor. Paintings are still lined up decorating the wall, while the windows were so well polished that one would have to touch them to notice its there. Several art pieces such as vases, pots, and bust statues were also lined up at regular intervals along the hallway, and even the doors to each room was so gorgeous that Flamm would mistake it as another work of art on the line. Just looking would bring Flamm to sigh. Shes sure that the price of even one vase would be enough to buy her a new house. Were going down. Following what he said, the two descended a set of stairs. Seems like the basement is in the mansions basement, and it would also seem that even his basement was also completely and perfectly furbished. The closer they get to the bottom, the darker it gets, and at the end, it was so dark that it was nigh impossible to see anything at all. Gadio flicked a switched on the wall, which then faintly lights up the room, allowing the two to see it in its entirety. Several wooden torsos were lined up, wrapped in various types of clothes and armor. From dresses to robes, leather armors to plate armor, it contains a lot of equipment of various design and size. Not only that, the shelves too were filled with helmets and tiaras, gauntlets and leg guards, and even boots, brooches and rings to select. From one-handed swords to two-handed, lances, hammers, maces, canes and bows among others; any type of weapons were available, lined up and hung on the wall one after another. As Scan casually scanned through the equipment, she was shocked to find out that each and every one of the were Legendary or Epic in rarity. She was surprised beyond when she saw the vases. Everything in this room would amount to something way more expensive than the entire mansion. Thisthis is awesome Were supposed to dispose the ones we dont use, but memories kind of become an obstacle to that and we cant really throw them away. There are hints that some of the equipment in the room has been used before. Perhaps his friend and even his wifes equipment was somewhere in this room as well. However, what Flamm was seeking is not in this room. It seems that the cursed equipment are all collected beyond the door at the end of this room. Opening the room, the stench of iron crept through the air and assaulted the girls nose. Its the smell of blood. There must be a pile of cursed equipment in this small room. Items similar to the steel gauntlet hanging on her waist, the cursed equipment that wont ever be clean of blood no matter how many times she tried to wash them off. It seems that she would need to dive in and search the equipment from the pile of metal scraps no one would normally touch. Lowe had the hobby of collecting these, Im sure its full of weird equipment everywhere. He mustve been a very weird person.: The others used to always tell him to dispose it, but I never thought that it would be useful in this way. Said Gadio, reminiscing. The mansion is dyed with memories that are so blissful that its suffocating. Flamm reached out to the pile of equipment and she started scanning them one by one; from one that was stained by blood, another that the stain resembled a human face, and yet another that caused her to hear strange voices the moment she touched it. She pulled a wry face, but she realized that the work she had to do this time is something that was still way easier than having to search for equipment from a mountain of corpses. CH 29 Flamm continues to stare at the equipment lined up one by one, muttering not that onenot that one, scanning the equipment she picked up as she kept thrusting her hand into the pile of scrap metals that had unbelievably disturbing aura around them. See anything you like? asked Gadio calmly, looking at the girl from behind. It sure is an A-ranker collection. Its nothing but strong equipment across the board. And it apparently works against you huh. I thought that an Epic equipment should do. I mean look, this is what a cursed equipment should look like. Flamm raised a helmet and showed it to Gadio as an example. The helmet made out of jet-black metal had several parts turned purple, and its form is even turned thorny. Because of how this helmet is turned into a weird shape, the field of vision of the wearer is going to be stupidly limited. Maybe its a feature of the curse itself though the girl said, opening and closing the face guard of the helmet as she did. True, I understand that people have likes and dislikes about something that covers your face like that. If you have something that allows you to detect the presence of your opponents, then its downside will be a bit more negligible though said the girl, clasping open and close the helmets face guard. Im not that high level yet though. If she can improve her Intuition stat, perhaps the girl could have been as good as how Gadio described she could be, and thus she needs to find an equipment that harbors a stronger curse. At the very least, the helmet shes holding right now is not it. Thinking that she doesnt need the black helmet, she put it aside, which elicits a trembling, resentful reaction from the helmet in the form of a vibration. Calmly ignoring the response, the girl continued to seek for the equipment she wished for. Hmmthis is the girl muttered, pulling out a leather-made loop. The item looks like a belt, but it was too short to be wrapped around her waist; at best it could only probably be circled around her arm or leg. Unlike other equipment, however, it doesnt seem like this item is covered in bloodstain or any other mysterious stains. Still unsure of how to use the item, Flamm cast Scan on the equipment. Leather Garter of Unsightly Obsession Rarity: Legendary Intelligence -131 Intuition -456 Its name aside, it seems like the accessory that was meant to be wrapped around ones leg gave a disproportionately huge stat boost for its size. Flamm put the leather gauntlet to a separate place and continued to search for another piece of equipment. As it was well known, the deeper you dig, the greater the treasure you may find. It might sound like a weird saying in this context, but true to the saying, the deeper she dug, the more usable equipment Flamm finds. Finding more and more Epic-quality items as she did, Flamm couldnt help but to smile, while Gadio who was looking over the girl digging through a mountain of cursed equipment looked at her bewildered. Eventually, including the leather garter she found earlier, she collected three equipment in total. Leather Belt of Agonizing Scream Rarity: Epic Endurance -363 Agility -212 Intuition -749 Removes Poison Resistance Inflicts Pain Amplification Despite its seemingly exaggerated name, it looked like nothing more than a double prong leather belt with a deep color. Perhaps blood and such had seeped into the leather which caused its uncanny color, but since it doesnt particularly stink a certain way, Flamm didnt think too much about it. Judging by its width and length, its purpose is more decorative than to be something to keep ones pants in place. Since its rarity is Epic, she should be able to materialize and remove it at will, but it seems that she will be able to wear it normally thanks to its normal appearance, though shell have to start thinking about it if she end up hearing mysterious death screams out of nowhere. Are you sure about that? The item had Pain Amplification enchantment to it asked Gadio, concerned over the girl who was nonchalantly wrapping the belt around her waist. There were no immediate effects on the girls body, but the enchantment should have affected her body in some way. Flamm abruptly sent a strong punch towards the stone floor. Her punch carried such power that the dull sound of her fist slamming on the floor could be heard clearly by Gadio and turned the girls knuckles blazing red, which was quickly healed by the girls regenerative power. The girl repeatedly opened and closed her hands before replying; Its got inversed and the pain got dulled instead. Gadio furrowed his brows after witnessing the girls unhesitant act of self-harm. So it numbs your sense of pain, huh. Doesnt mean you should get reckless because it doesnt hurt though. So he said, but Gadio still felt worried. He witnessed how the girl fights when the two battled against Dains underlings, when the girl tends to recklessly charge into the thick of the fight. Understandably so since her Inverse magic would require her to physically touch the target. That method of fighting is something that can bring fear upon her adversaries. Ones flesh and blood are not expendable, which would cause a normal person to think twice about getting hurt and losing something unnecessarily, but Flamm is someone who thinks and could do otherwise. This method of combat is truly something only the girl can dobut its also because of that, the girl tends get injuries more than she needed. Now that she obtained something that abates the suffering of pain, Gadio could only hope that it doesnt feed into Flamms habit. Damascus Gauntlets of the Cackling Slaughterer Rarity: Epic Strength -1312 Intelligence -674 Intuition -377 Inflicts Spontaneous Combustion The next item she equipped was a gauntlet that had yet another spiky design. The tips of her fingers are covered by black metals that seemed dangerously sharp. Just like the Soul Eater, perhaps cursed items are dyed jet black because it feed on peoples hatred. Now that Flamm is wearing the new Epic-quality gauntlets, its time to say goodbye to her bloodstained Steel Gauntlets. It carried some memories with it since it was a pair of gauntlets she obtained just around the time she first met Milkit, but thinking about it again, it is weird that she felt an attachment towards a bloodstained gauntlet in the first place. Just as she pondered about what to do with her replaced equipment, Gadio suggested; you dont need that cursed equipment anymore, right? Just leave it there somewhere, so Flamm took his advice and put her old armguard amidst the pile of rusty equipment as she gave the armguard a thanks for everything. Focusing on her hands, Flamm turned her brand-new gauntlet into particles which turned into a blue seal engraved onto the back of her hand. The seal engraved on top of the Soul Eaters red seal made it look like an intricate pattern. Just in case, Flamm also decided to stow away her belt, which disappears into particles and became a seal engraved right under her bellybutton, though since there wasnt any problems with how it looks, there wasnt a need to stow it in the first place. Lowering her shirt, the girl decided to materialize the belt once again. In total, Flamm has 5 items equipped on her, and as a result, Flamms total status are as follows: Strength: 1,922 Intelligence: 1,262 Endurance: 1,587 Agility: 1,167 Intuition: 1,723 Totaling 7,661, shes about as strong as a mid-tier A-ranked adventurer, and thats excluding her Inverse power, her regenerative power and her Cavalier Arts. The girl is truly incomparable to the time when she was sold away as a slave by Jean. Flamm too felt that her body grew lighter, her mana flows in her body, and her five senses are keener than its ever been. Okay, umcan I take the three I put on? Sure, do as you like with it. Not that I can use it anyways. Cursed Equipment tends to fluctuate greater than normal equipment, so itll be a lot more useful if someone can find a practical use for it. I guess the compensation is pretty huge on its own. The more someone trains, the more someone fights, the stronger they become and the higher their stats become, but that rule doesnt apply for Flamm. On one hand, one can say that Flamm had the advantage of being able to equip cursed equipment, but if shes not wearing one, she wont be able to fight even an F-ranked monster. I wish the Inverse power would work in the way that Id be able to get stronger by just lazing around. The world isnt that kind. How I wish it is. Pretty sure no one would complain about it anyways. Gadio exhaled at Flamms remark, before muttering languidly, Tell me about it. Exiting the basement room, the two climbed back the staircase they came from, and as they emerged on ground level, a little something came dashing to Gadios chest. Papa, play with me! It was Hallom, whose selfishness gauge is completely filled out. Pattering from the far side of the hallway, her mother Celena approached the three. Hallom, you cant just leave mama alone while we play hide-and-seek! Thats too cruel! I guess youre still you for being so easily deceived, Celena. UghI cant help it now, can I? Is there any parent who could refuse the wavering puppy eyes of their daughter!? said Celena, raising her voice in an attempt of hiding her embarrassment. Come on, papa~ We can play now, right? Your errand with that person is now over right? Thats true, but youre being rude to our guest, Hallom. Gadio tried to pet the little girls head gently to get her to cheer up, but it doesnt seem to bear any fruits, while Flamm started to feel bad for causing discord between the threes family time. Sorry about this, Flamm. Ah, dont mind it. Thats just how much Hallom-chan really loves you. Of course, Gadio had felt a bit of reservation in honestly expressing his joy. Gadio does not dislike having Hallom around. If Hallom is not his best friends daughter and his heart has not been stolen by an existence he referred as Theaperhaps he could still consider the option of having Celena as his wife. Alright then, Ill excuse myself since it seems like I might intrude upon your family time. Huuh? Are you going home already, onee-chan? Flamm blinked her eyes repeatedly as she heard Halloms unexpected response. Since the little girl hasnt paid any specific attention towards her, Flamm thought the girl never had any interest in her in the first place, but Lets play together, onee-chan! Come on, Hallom, dont trouble her like that! Forgive her for saying something weird, Flamm-chan. NoI dont mind. Am I not going to be a bother? Of course not. If anything, Id be glad if you can hang out with her for a bit. Now that even Gadio asked her, theres no way she could refuse now, so in the end, with Hallom dragging her by her hand, the two spent hours playing together in the little girls room. She refused the familys invitation for dinner and exited the mansion by then, and the curtain of darkness had already fallen upon the capital. Its likely that Milkit was waiting for Flamms return at home, so Flamm hastened her pace towards the west district, not wanting to miss dinnertime. Oh my, is that Flamm-san that I see? However, as she did, someone called out to her. The man who did as the two passed by each other was Reach whom Flamm had never seen in a long while. Wearing a black vest on top of his white Y-shirt, he had quite a rough style with him. Judging by the fact that he wasnt escorted by his guards and his hands were empty, it was likely that the man was simply out on a casual walk. Since you came from that side of the city, I assume you were visiting Gadio-sans mansion, no? Well, yeahwait, did I ever tell you Im friends with Gadio-san? Ive heard that you started living together with Eterna Lynnbow. I didnt think that the person accepting my request for gathering herbs were Flamm Apricot the Hero, but after this far, Id be blind to not notice. Id say youre a cheeky one for keeping it a secret, Flamm-san said Reach jokingly. Please dont call me a Hero. I was barely of any help when I was in the team. I dont know what happened, but you deserve to be called a Hero for what you did to save my wife. Aah, speaking of which, how is your wifes condition? The last time she met Reach was during the time she got back from Enichidae after successfully gathering the herb he requested her to. The medicine was administered ages ago, so the result should show anytime soon. Shes currently recovering thanks to you. Its just like magic. Hahaha, I wonder if its fine for us to laugh at this joke. I couldnt help but to bite my lip when I first hear it, even though I knew that we need the medicine precisely because magic couldnt heal her. Though its not that Reachs wife understand the situation, Reach made sure that she wouldnt tell anyone about her method of recovery. It might partly be because the woman naturally had a good head between her shoulders or it was because she was Reachs wife that she gained that wisdom, but there are little to no chance that she would expose their secret. Oh, Reach-san, what a coincidence to meet you here. As the two were chatting, another woman came and greeted Reach. Her outfit cannot be described by anything other than flashy, donning a fur-decorated red coat that also had corsages filled with large flowers stuck to it. Her nails glows in seven different colors and her fingers were decorated by gold rings sporting huge jewels, while her opal hair is a mix of blond, pink and blue. Are you out on a walk as well, Satyllus-san? Reach said, smiling to the woman as he looked over at the burly man escorting the lady as well. Unlike the smile he showed Flamm when he talked to her, his current smile is nothing but a business smile. With her thick makeup and intense perfume, the woman seemed to follow a certain pattern to the point that Flamm, who was not born and raised in the capital, had heard of her before. Satyllus Francoise. Owning several branches of businesses, she is naturally Reachs rival in business, though perhaps because their businesses deal with different things, the relationship between the two is not that hostile since at least the two were still able to pull up a business smile as they meet and have a small talk with each other. Yes, I thought it would be good as a change of pace. Still, it is not a bad little walk since I get to meet you. By the way, is that slave one of yours, perhaps? The womans cold-hearted stare, that which looks down on slaves, turned towards Flamm. Flamm herself was used to being looked down upon but being used to it doesnt mean she stops being pissed about it. Just when her stare starts to turn into a glare, Reach jumped in between them. Belay the thought. The girl is a truly excellent adventurer, Satyllus-san. Ara? Shes completely unarmed though? Do you know any sort of quests she can take with that getup? We cant know her true strength just by looking at her outward appearance and the numbers. At the very least, I have complete trust in this girl. Not knowing why he would say that much about her, Flamm fidgeted, shifting her footing and changing her posture as an awkward feeling overcame her. Even though she knew it was nothing but lip service, she couldnt help but to feel uneasy. Hmm, muttered the woman. She looked closely at Flamm from the tip of her toes to the top of her head, perhaps curious as of why a man on Reachs caliber would say that much about a girl. However, her gaze suddenly stopped just as she observed the girl, and with a quiet hm?, she furrowed her brows as she turned perplexed, likely that she had just used Scan on her and checked her status. All she must have seen were flat zeroes. well, if Reach-san says that much, Im sure this girl is someone excellent. Yes, shes someone truly reliable. Since she doesnt belong to you and her face isnt that bad, I thought she can be used in some way, but seems like I have to give up. used? Flamm asked, tilting her head, confused about what Satyllus is talking about and what sort of use shes referring to. That one sentence explained Flamm that shes the type of person whose sense of humanity was so warped that Flamm intuitively thought that it would be better for her not to get too close to the woman. Aah, how I wish a cute slave will come falling from the skyReach-san, be sure to let me know if you come across any cute slaves, okay? Im sorry, but I have a principle not to own any slaves. Is that so? What a waste. Theres no tool as convenient as a slave, you know? Ah, thats right, let us go to the market together once. You might be surprised how much youll be enjoying yourself there. Saying with a bewitching laugh, the woman turned around and walked away. Until she disappeared from her sight, her domineering cackle still echoed around the street. Confirming her disappearance, Flamm stiffly dropped her shoulders and heaved a massive sigh. Thats Satyllus Francoise, huhI guess well have a tendency of coming across someone like that in the East District. As you might have seen, shes a vixen with a truly awful hobby. Flamm was taken aback by the mans sudden statement, covered in poison. II didnt expect you could say something like that, Reach-san. Even I cant turn a blind eye upon it, you see. Her outward appearance is a manager of clothing and bookstores, but I also know shes involved in darker dealings. Perhaps detailing how much he abhors the woman, the man completely abandoned his efforts of making a business smile. Cant you directly prosecute her if you know that much? I did look her up before, and I did manage to compile enough evidence to prosecute her, but since I know of her business management, I also know that her connections with the church is solid, which is probably why she can hide her dark dealings in plain sight. If I play my cards wrong, I might be the one whos going to be erased. Flamm couldnt help but to completely agree with the man. She knew that the church would probably even murder the CEO of the Mancathy firm if they need to. You seem to know a lot about the church. Since the previous generation we had disputes regarding medicinal herbs. Even now if we bring up the subject of medicinal herbs, we still will clash against each other. The churchs misdeeds go over just the issue with their research. Even if it would risk the livelihood of the people, their own conveniences are top priority. If only there is no institution such as the church, more people should be able to earn better, and more people should be able to attain greater happinessand the people who thinks that way should not be limited by that one man alone, but the fact that no one can publicly declare that completely illustrates the influence the church had. Thats why I had to turn a blind eye to Satyllus awful hobby. In fact, I heard that she was in contact with a certain twisted slave trader recently and she could manage to purchase some slaves illegally. Flamm sighed. Why didnt she go through the legal ones? Slavery itself was legal. One that went through proper procedures to become slaves can be traded in sexual slavery through institutions approved by the kingdom. She said that normal slaves are comprised of people who already gave up hope, so their reactions are uninteresting. She also disliked the fact that normal slaves are subjects to their own set of rights, and its a major inconvenience for someone whose hobby is to torture people. Torture To be exact, she said that she had the desire to break anything thats beautiful, Reach said, delving into further details. Perhaps he didnt come through that information by coincidence and instead he got that information from actively investigating the woman. Though I heard that this slave trader she was dealing with got killed just some months prior. Traders or owners getting killed by their slaves is not an unusual story, but I heard the scene of the crime is so gruesome, with the room filled with corpses and everything. Its not that the information is disclosed publicly though, since hes an illegal trader after all. Flamm could recall the scene of an illegal merchant trader and countless corpses. As a matter of fact, she personally knows the culprit who killed the merchant; it was herself. It seems like those guys are fumbling around to look for a way to collect slaves illegally, butwait, you seem troubled, Flamm-san. Is there any problem? Reach asked, looking at the girls face worriedly. However, the girl had a bigger problem than to pay attention to what Reach had said. Illegal slaves, torture, the desire to break anything beautiful, and finallythe dead slave trader. The puzzle pieces clicked together, and Flamm came towards a single answer. That womanSatyllus was Milkits former master and the person responsible for injecting poison into Milkits body. Flamm glared at the corner Satyllus disappeared into, taking a deep breath to withstand the impulse of simply running after her and chopping her up to pieces, as failure in doing so would lead to Reach prosecuting her for what she did in the past. Still, even if she regained her senses temporarily, the fact stands; she now knows the person who hurt Milkit, and the feeling she harbors in her heart probably wouldnt disappear until she can do anything about that person. Perhaps it was because Flamm had went through the death of countless people, or perhaps it was because thats just how far she would go in reflection of her strong bond with Milkit; Flamm had no hesitation in her heart. Solemnly, the girl swore. She will kill her. CH 30 Flamm fixed her gaze, cold as ice, towards Satyllus until her figure disappeared, while Reach, being a collateral victim of Flamms overpowering bloodlust, timidly reached for the girls shoulder. UhFlamm-san? Are you okay? The girl felt two taps of a fingertip conveyed through her shoulder and she slowly returned her face forward before giving Reach a smile. Aah, Im sorry, I spaced out a bit. Its okay if thats all it was. It feels like the air around you changed since the last time we met. A lot of things had happened since the last time the girl met Reach, and despite having only met him some days ago, Flamm couldnt help but to think of their encounter as a nostalgic memory. I still wasnt shaken back then. Shaken? Lets say my position in life was still stable. I cant help but to think about how I should live my life from then on, but I feel like recently Im getting closer to an answer said the girl, staring at her palm. What should the girl do so that she and Milkit could live in peace in this world they were living in? She just wanted to live normally, without even wishing for anything special. The girl dislike killing others, and she abhorred having to accumulate painful memories of her body being torn apart. Yet she was forced to do so. In order to rebel against the church that treats human lives as if theyre garbage, Flamm had no choice but to cut through those people like garbage. She would also need to sacrifice and shave every inch of her body or else she wouldnt even be able to lay her finger in opposition against their ringleader, Origin. Flamm clenched her fists. You cant make them disappear just by lamenting, so all I can really do is to take them down by brute force, right? True. Strong people protecting the weak only exists in fiction. Everyone has their own circumstances, and even if their roles were reversed, humans would still repeat the same thing. So as I thought we can only end the problem by cutting the snake by its head said the girl. Once again realizing her own powerlessness, her grip only tightens. I owe you for saving my wifes life. Just say the word and Ill lend you my power, so please dont try to shoulder everything in your lonesome. Please dont worry about it, I know I have friends that support me. I also cant get you involved in this affair, Reach-san. Reach is a mere merchant. There was no reason for him to spill blood by going against the church just for his profit, so Flamm couldnt even think of bringing him into this mess, but Reach said Its too late for it now as he laughed it off. For now I can keep an eye on the church and cooperate with the news agency to search around for some information. The news? You mean the newspaper agency? Several newspaper companies run within the capital. They would straightforwardly publish contents such as the events that occur within the city for adventurers and providing information for the church bulletin. However, they were clear in not trying to go against the church, which is only obvious since the church had a firm grasp on their printing offices. That said, it seemed like Reach knew some news agencies that had some assets untouchable by the church. While were at it, should I introduce you to them? Huh? No, you dont have to go through the hassle Shes just around the corner. Welcy! As Reach called out a name, a woman adorning a flat cap peeked her face out of the nearby corner. The woman who looked just at home in her tight jeans lightly waved her hand at Flamm before jogging her way towards the two. Ill go ahead and introduce her to you. Shes Welcy Mancathy, the journalist I said had been cooperating with us recently. Whats up, Flamm-chan. Flamm largely ignored her chirpy attitude as she offered a handshake as her mind was preoccupied in thinking why the woman was hiding behind the corner as she did earlier, though its likely she had been tailing Reach. Mancathyis she your little sister, Reach-san? Unfortunately. What do you mean, unfortunately!? Reach showed a bitter smile as he whispered this is exactly why. At last, Flamm could relate a bit more with Reach as she finally witnessed Reach speaking in such informal tone. Despite who she is, my little sister was quite an outstanding journalist. It was thanks to her that we got the information about how Satyllus is distributing medicinal herbs around the church. Distribution of medicinal herbs within the church? Arent those supposed to be banned by them? Its their way to make sure that the higher ups can still get better if they got sick with ailments incurable by magic. Still though with the huge amount they circulate, if theres a chance that they might give these illegal drugs to their soldiers to boost their morale, they might have other plans in mind. I think that if we can reveal what theyre up to, we might get a shot at decreasing their strength. Even if that turns out to be a bust, well be able to use this info as a bargaining chip. Reachs words carry a certain amount of wickedness despite his calm tone, perhaps further showing that the way he had been rising in status was because he had been involved in something shady himself. By the way, nii-san, dont you have something to do with the married couple? Hmm? Ah, thats rightActually the married couple from the house you live in had been calling for me. Are theyasking you to return the house? Oh no, not really. That house had belonged to you for a long time now. If anything, Im actually surprised that theyre still alive. I know its rude for me to say, but theyre already at such old ages. The talk concerned Flamm quite a bit since it involves the previous owner of the house shes living in, but she couldnt possibly stop the man from going through his business more than she already is. With that said, my apologies but I have to call it a day. Welcy, give her your business card. Sure, sure, ere ya go. Theres been a lot of things going on around Satyllus recently yknow? So if you happen to find something nasty, be sure to drop by our office said Welcy, procuring a palm-sized card. Flamm thought nothing and accepted the card casually, only to realize that there was nothing written on it. Witnessing the girl tilting her head in confusion, Welcy flashed a smile and cast a spell. Burn Projection! As she did, small letters containing the company name, its address, and the sentence Print Journalist along with the womans full name were scorched onto the paper. Lastly, the remaining empty space was filled by the illustration of the Welcy herself which was so well done it might as well be a picture. This here spell can write letters and burn a visible image. Im Welcy Mancathy, the newspaper reporter who will tear off the truth from this world! Pleasure doing business with ya! Perhaps finishing her introduction with her catchphrase, the girl spoke with a satisfied, smug grin as she walked away with her brother. Flamm was left alone with that one piece of business card, gazing intently at the words printed on the paper under the early evening shroud of darkness. Newspaper reporter, huh Sure enough, not only the sword, but the pen is also putting up a fight against the church, and despite multiple uncertainties around the media itself, having another ally behind her reassured the girl. Stowing the business card into her breast pocket, Flamm once again heads home. Tilting the watering can, Milkit watered the planters that decorated the outside of her house. As soon as she finished watering, the girl crouched as she gazed on the lovely pink flowers whose seeds she received from an older lady around the neighborhood. The kind woman had been interacting with the bandage-covered girl for a while and the two had been exchanging snacks with each other for a while. The plant was nothing but a bud until they started blooming the morning of the previous day, which gave the girl a sense of accomplishment in her heartan emotion she never thought she would be holding before the girl had met Flamm. It wasnt something so exciting nor striking, but the gentle, warm feeling was something that soothed the girl wholesomely. The smell of the days dinner wafts from within the house. Todays menu was a stew of Basilisk meat with mushroom and tomatoes, legume potage with a side of Caesar Salad. As for desserts, she had prepared a citrus fruit called the Tagore, which was a standard cuisine for the capital. The fist-sized fruit looked no different than other citrus fruits, but it was known for its large pulps, strong aroma and how its invigorating smell would spread across the palate once consumed. Additionally, as it wasnt very sour nor too strong, there werent many people who dislike the Tagore fruit. Although, the girl wasnt yet finished with her dinner. The girl thought that she would finish her dinner preparation after she comes home. She thought to herself, its not like I went outside because Im anxiously waiting for her return, but as she realized what shes been thinking, she turned bashful in an instant. Milkit laid her hand on her chest, where a warm feeling, something that didnt exist before her encounter with Flamm, lingers within. Ever since she had been living in that house, the girl had gradually regained her mass. As she did, her master would feel greatly elated by it, so the girl had been continuously going out of her way to eat moreperhaps slightly too much, which is why she decided that she wanted to hold back on it. However, the main issue at hand was something deep beneath her skin; the warm feeling lingering at the bottom of her heart. Perhaps this was the culprit behind it all. The reason for her to go out as she anxiously waited, the reason she made the excuse in the first place, the reason she got embarrassed because of it, and the reason her heart cant quiet down, was probably because of that feeling. Once Flamm taught her that it was the feeling of trust, but Milkit believed that it was something way more. Even if she were to call their relationship as master and slave, the way the girl never held this feeling towards her previous masters made her sure that it was something more than that. So what is it then? As the girl continued spacing out trying to figure out the answer, her cheeks were wrapped in a warm sensation as she heard the words Im back, Milkit. Turning her face up, the girl could see Flamms teeth, exposed by her smile. There was a quagmire of things she was thinking about, but all of them were washed away as the girl prioritized herself in replying welcome back, master as her cheeks slackened. Sorry Im late. Do you have anything I can help with for dinner? All thats left is the finishing touches, if you can help with that. Okaay. Lets get it over with and shut this starved stomach by the worlds most delicious cooking made by the one and only Milkit! The bandaged girl chuckled. I do wonder if I can make your expectations. With such exchange, the two held each others hand and entered the house. The warm atmosphere seemed to have moved with them, as when the two entered the front door and closed it, the stone pavement immediately returned to a cold, inorganic scenery. As no one remained, a large-bodied man passed through the street in front of the house. Gazing upon the building briefly, the man scoffed before stepping away. This is a tale that occurred fifty years ago, when the empire was just beginning their human experimentation. Their initial objective was to create an artificial demon that surpasses humans in lifespan and mana, and their subjects are the lone children left without relatives that they kidnapped from the slums. The children underwent countless surgeries and administered mysterious drugs day by day. Deaths were not uncommon, and those who survived was broken beyond belief with their body and soul transformed into something unhuman. At that time, Eterna was still an immature girl who were barely ten years old. Without her parents, the girl was living within the storm of desire and violence within the slums. She thoroughly distrusts others, which was the only thing that kept her alive. However, she, too, was kidnapped. e211-N was the name bestowed upon her at the facility, something carved and tattooed to her flank that she still has to bear. At that time, she didnt mind being treated as an object, since the name she had before was nothing but an identification code that was given by someone she didnt even know. This time, the letters were only changed into numbers. Then from now on, your name shall be Eterna. However, that man, Gnther Lynnbow and his wife Claudia Lynnbow opted not to call her by mere letters numbers. They gave everyone names and interacted with them kindly, perhaps as a form of atonement from getting the children involved in their human experimentation. Obviously, everyone was being cautious of them at the start, thinking that they were mere hypocrite and that they will resort to violence sooner or later if they let their guard downor at least thats how some wished they were, since some had accepted the fact that there are no kind place for them in this world. However, their expectations were shattered. At the very least, Gnther and Claudia were truly good people, which allowed the children and Eterna to slowly open up their hearts across the three months period of their interaction. At the end, the children would refer the two as dad or mom. Outside of their experimentation time, Eterna and the children were forced to live together in a dormitory that was prepared. They were given plenty to eat, had their own rooms, and when they had some spare time, their supervisors Gnther and Claudia would spend some time with them. Despite the horrific experiments the had to go through, their lives were more fulfilling than the cold, lonely place the slums wasthey were given a moment where they can live as humans for once. Mom! Dad! Look, I made a flower out of magic! Holding her hands aloft, Eterna created large flowers out of thin, stretched membranes of water, creating a fantastical scenery as they reflect the lights that illuminate the room. Gnther and Claudia praised the proud-looking girl, giving her a generous applause as they did. Eternas Mana level was so high that she couldnt even be compared with other children of her age as she demonstrated the high level of control in her arts, and given the notice of her masterfulness, the remaining child alive in that place was down to her and only her. The plan to create an artificial demon has succeeded; they had created someone with superior mana and extended lifespan. The color of her skin stayed human, but Eterna was an existence that can rival demons. However, due to the low success rate and reproducibility, the project was eventually discontinued. Dispose the subjects and link up with the next projectwas the ruthless order Gunther and Claudia received. As if we can do it! Eterna is our child! Shes not blood-related but shes still our family! Confessing their entire order towards Eterna, the two tightly hugged the stunned girl. Eterna should have enough strength to live on her ownshe should be fine alone, right? They made a choiceeven if they were to go against a direct order from the empire, Eterna could still escape their wrath. Thus, one night, the two snuck the girl into a wagon and had her escape the capital. terna? Eterna did not hear anything else about Gnther nor Claudia afterwards. The girl lived inconspicuously, deep in the mountains, further developing her knowledge in her arts of sorcery along with the knowledge of medicinal herbs and anatomy she heard from when she was in the research facility Hey, ternaarening? Fifty years went by, but the girls body didnt grow, still looking like she was in her teens, though since she is someone who is a close imitation of the demons, age is as much as a threat as a running water. Before long, the villages around the base of the mountain would spread rumors about a witch living in the mountain, though Eterna was sure there was no ill will behind it. After all, it was a rumor about a kind witch who gave lost travelers mysterious medicines that somehow purged what ails them. And the person who came as a messenger from the capital was Eterna, you should get up. Its time for dinner. Inks voice finally reached her. Lifting her face that was buried in her desk, the woman absentmindedly looked towards the bed, only to see the figure of Ink, sitting on the bed with an exasperated look. She must have called out to her multiple times now. The girl was still wearing a shirt borrowed from Flamm, which was still a size too big, while her black hair seemed slightly ruffled, perhaps since she was just lying down until just now. Did I fall asleep? Out like a light. You were in a deep sleep just now. Thats a blunder. Also, you said something about mom and dad in your sleep. really Eterna stubbornly expressed her usual interjection before bringing her hand to rub her eyes. Blinking two, three times, her vision cleared, and the woman heaved a sigh. I guess you had parents as well, dont you? asked Ink, innocently curious as she never even saw her parents faces. Im only human, so obviously I have parentsthough I never saw my real parents faces. Huh? Really? Then were the same, arent we? And were both the test subjects for the empires human experimentation. At that confession, even Ink couldnt help but to be surprised. I didnt know Its because I never told anyone. I was experimented on years ago, and this house is the place I lived when I was a test subject. Oh, right, I remembered Flamm saying you were intruding when she first came here though I used to live in this room back then, so I felt so nostalgic I couldnt help myself. Still, being able to hold herself back or otherwise, a crime is a crime, but at the very least, Ink understood that Eterna wasnt intruding just because she wanted to. The impression Ink has about Eterna had been amended from a pretty weird person to a normal weird person. By the way, you said you were experimented on years ago, right? I did. How old are you? Judging by your voice you dont sound that older compared to Flamm. Her question was reasonable. Ink could not see Eternas figure, but even if she did, it would only add to her confusion. Both her figure and her voice felt no older than a girl in her teenage years. I honestly dont know. I dont even know when I was born, so probably60? Granny Eterna! I have feelings you know. Stop it. It would seem like despite her longevity, Eterna still despised being treated like an old lady. The woman dropped her shoulders and heaved a huge sigh, and hearing that response, Ink cackled like a mischievous child. Butif youre that old, then maybe your mom and dad arent here anymore. That was why I took on the quest to take out the demon lord as well. Before we go on that journey, I dropped by the capital and went to the area where they liveIve settled my thoughts then and considered that a visit to their grave. ReallyI bet they were really glad that their daughter grew up really healthy. I hope so. Every time the woman closes her eyes, the memories of Gnther and Claudia never failed to flood her mind, and even more so now that she is living in this house. It was a shame that she could never see them again, buteven she couldnt mourn from the tragedy of her long life. Eterna-san! Dinner is ready! Flamms voice echoed from downstairs. What she said. Ill get going. Ill get you your portion later. Yep, looking forward to it. The little girl sends the woman off with a smile on her face. Ink was still unable to leave the room. Judging by her looks, she seemed to be chipper than ever, but her condition is still far than optimal. Just to be prepared if anything were to happen, Eterna left a floating sphere in the room, something that would inform her if something abnormal happens through another one she brings with her. Finishing her preparation, the woman left the room, only to be greeted by an appetizing smell of tomato stew that shrouded the hallway. With an adorable sound of her stomach rumbling, Eterna descended the stairs with a hand holding her stomach. CH 31 Flamm smacked her lips as she enjoyed the dinner Milkit made. The flavor is held by the girl with the highest praise, while Eterna who was taking advantage of the situation caused Milkits embarrassment to overload. However, the two were merely stating the truth. Because of how delectable they are, the food was gone in a flash. Finishing her dinner, Eterna went ahead and took Inks portion to the second floor, and the two girls left behind started to clean up. Flamm washed the dishes while Milkit wipes them before putting it inside their cupboard, all in perfect coordination. It was an enjoyable, peaceful daily life, one Flamm is truly reluctant to part withhowever, the truth that this reality would not continue for long is something the girl is too painfully aware of. The church would definitely start somethingits even likely that they have already started something. I wish this could go on forever said Milkit, whispering. Understanding that Milkit wishes for the same thing, Flamm couldnt help but to feel elated. The girl smiled as she passed another piece of tableware towards Milkit. Then I have to do my absolute best to make that happen. Ahplease forgive me, that was not my intention Why are you apologizing? I feel the same way as you do, Milkit, so Im just steeling myself again when I said that. I too want to finish fighting the church as soon as possible and live leisurely like this. When could that wish be fulfilled? Just thinking about that question feels like it brought back the pain of facing an impassable obstacle blocking their way, but the girl felt that she can fight anything if she considers the heavenlike everyday they could spend after clearing it. Do you plan to continue living in the capital for a long time, master? Ive grown fond of this house, but I do feel like I need to go back to my hometown at least once to tell everyone there that Im still alive and kicking. Even if the seal on her cheek stays there permanently, she will still look forward to the future, and she will undoubtedly be more forward-facing when that time comes. Just like the happiness she felt when she had the matching figure with Milkit, this development is something she could be proud of as this is the proof of bond between the two. Then I believe I should not go with you when the time comes. Why? BecauseI believe it would be of bad taste to have a slave escorting you Huh? I was planning to introduce you to my parents, you know? Im going to tell them that youre my precious partner. Partner? Milkit has long ignored the fact that she isnt being treated like her masters slave, yet the girl was still unsure if the word partner would be the correct expression to describe their relationship. I could just say that youre my slave, but I think our relationship right now is different from that. I feel like were quite different than just friends, so Thats why you picked partner, is it not? Well it does sound vague. Maybe when I get to introduce you to my parents, I can think of something else to call you. If I am meeting your parentsI should perhaps take off my bandages, right? Putting the tableware in place, Milkit fidgeted as she fiddles with the end of her bandage. Flamm, on the other hand, froze. She didnt even think of whether Milkit should take her bandages off or not. While its true that it is perhaps better to show her face upon meeting her parents, she was hesitant to show Milkits face to other people. If anything, perhaps she doesnt even want to. She felt delighted and satisfied that she was able to monopolize Milkits beauty, and both Milkit and Flamm herself was aware of the meaning behind ritual they enjoyed together every night. This feeling of hers is another form of that possessiveness. In the beginning, Flamm was satisfied if Milkit could get used to her looks and able to walk outside with her head held high. The truth? The situation had grown worse. Perhaps worse is not the correct term. Her feelings onlydeepened, and now, Flamm has no plans to give that right of witnessing Milkits beauty towards others. As she thought further into it, Well, well cross the bridge when we get there she decided to shelf the issue for now; a decision Milkit seemed to have been thankful for as a relieved smile forms on her lips. That is true. We still have time. Thats right. We have plenty of time, hahahaha Milkit responded with a giggle of her own. The two laughed to hide their own internal conflict but being in each others company was enough to cause that heartache to fade away. However, for some reason, Flamm felt that the time they spent together only worsens her insecurity, to the point that it is getting more and more likely that Flamm is going to introduce Milkit to her parents with her bandages still covering her face. The night quietly and quickly passes, and another day dawns upon them. Flamms consciousness draws closer with the melody of the birds outside, and in her half-asleep stupor, she leaned in to hear the voices coming from the first floor. The sound of kitchen knife striking a cutting board along with the sound of something sizzling on a frying pan echoed throughout the kitchen. The sound of a normal daily life. The sound of peace. The sound of her. Those sounds alone fill Flamms heart with warmth. Thinking back to it, this is the same sort of sounds Flamm heard every time she wakes up in the morning when she was still at her hometown. The sound of her mother cooking breakfast would be followed by her loud yet gentle voice telling her to wake up. However, Milkit is not Flamms mother. Flamm couldnt possibly leave all housework to her alone, so despite her earlier-than-usual awakening, Flamm rose from her bed and rubbed her eyes before sluggishly exiting her bed. Yawning as she descended the stairs, she entered the living room, greeted by a clear voice, calling out to her, good morning. Mmgood morning Flamms feeble greeting was replied with a gentle smile, and Flamm immediately heads for the washroom. She washed her face and quickly tidied her hair before returning to the girls side. I see that you are up early today. Do you have a work to do? Mmno, I just wake up earlier for some reason. You just need these cut, right? Thank you. Ah, Master. Hmmm? Seeing her masters appearance, Milkit noticed a sprouting bed hair on her head, which prompted her to reach out to it. Thanks to the crude effort she made to tidy her hair, she seemed to have cut some corners, so a lot of some other parts were still left messy. The girls finger combed through Flamms hair, making a ticklish sensation similar to if her heads being pet, causing Flamm to stiffen up slightly. Okay, that should be fine. Thankies, I was absentminded, so I just did it roughly. Eterna-san is going to scold you again, you know? I mean I always check myself again before going out so I dont think she shouldve been ticked off, dont you think? No strand in Eternas hair would be disheveled even as she just wakes up, perhaps thanks to her ability to control water, but Flamm couldnt help but to think that its unfair that only Eterna gets to use that skill. I shall go outside and water the flowers after I finish frying the food. Got it. The flowers grow pretty beautifully, dont they. I heard that watering them would be enough, but I am worried if they could bloom well or not. If I can get more confident, perhaps I will try growing them from seeds. Sounds good! Can I pick the seeds with you! Of course! Then lets go shopping together on our next day off. Flamm swiftly prepared an appointment together as the two continued on with their breakfast preparation. It seemed that Milkit spent no time deciding where to go shopping, which was evident in how the corners of her lips slacken as a smile begin to bloom. The sunny-side up eggs finished frying, and as the girl moved served them to plates, she left the kitchen. Milkit then went towards the entrance, picked up a watering can stored in a cabinet and heads out, leaving Flamm inside as the sound of the door opening and closing echoed through the hallway. The girl walked away from the door, approached the planters and crouched down, watering one planter after another. In the meantime, Flamm who was left alone inside proceeded to prepare the salad. She cut up some vegetables and split them to four different plates when she realized that she couldnt hear anything from outside the house. Immediately, she jogged through the living room into the hallway and outside the front door. Milkit? Looking around, she couldnt find her partners figure, and the only thing she could see was the watering can, toppled over as it spills its content. Could she perhaps be gone to draw water? Or is she gone to talk with the neighborhood lady? However, that wasnt the case. Focusing on her senses, she captured a noise. above Two sets of footsteps could be heard from above the roof. One of the sets of footsteps sounds heavy, as if one of the two possible figures were dragging the other as they move. An error of judgment. Flamms own carelessness incited her self-hatred to roar. Knowing that the person aimed for the chance Milkit went out clearly shows that whoever the perpetrator is, they are not an amateur, and it is likely that their target is not Flamm herself, but Milkit. It isnt clear as of whose order the perpetrator is under, but she definitely had to find out if she wants to protect Milkit. She shouldnt be so negligent that she could easily think that it would be safe for her to get out of the house, even if its just to their yard. She regretted that decisionshe regretted it so much that she bit into her lips until they start to bleed. With her anger fueling her legs, she kicked the ground as if to unleash that pent-up rage and flew towards the roof. Landing in a kneeling position, the girl immediately looked around, trying to capture her target. With her expanded field of vision from an elevated view, she immediately found two figures, clad in black, running towards the east. Flamm grits her teeth in annoyance, darting off the edge of the roof as she glares at the two figures in the distance, dancing in the air unhesitatingly. Jumping from houses to houses, the girl gave chase to the figures carrying Milkit away. Scan! she whispered, quietly activating her spell. The one person carrying Milkit was a man with a largue build. His name is Tryte Lancylla, possessing both Strength and Endurance easily exceeding 2,000, and the total amount of his status score is just a little short of 8,000. His partner, which seemed as if hes fooling around as he performed somersaults on his escape, displayed the agility of his dainty body as he did. His name is Demiserico Radius, possessing over 2,500 points in agility, and his heightened Intuition clarifies his specialty as a speed-focused combatant. He, too, had a total status number of just short of 8,000, while his biggest weak point was his Endurance which was the only status that had a three-digit number to it. Long story short, they werent just any ordinary adventurers; they were rank A adventurers, which explained how they could abduct Milkit without so much of a sound or sign. However, unlike before, the current Flamm had the strength to take them both on. The issue she has right now is whether she could close her distance or not. Perching at the corner of a roof, Flamm sent a surge of refined Prana towards her entire legs before making a huge leap, flying over an entire house and cut their distance greatly. What the fuck!? I didnt sign up for this shit, man, you said it was an easy job!! The two men obviously grew anxious seeing the girl with smaller build than them easily surpass their speed. The job they took from Satyllus was simply to kidnap a single slave, and their scan indicated that their pursuer had flat zeroes in her stat block. Theyve heard about the girl called Flamm Apricot before, and they couldnt help but to wonder why the girl was branded as a slave if she really is the Flamm Apricot theyve heard of. On the other hand, if shes not the Flamm Apricot theyve heard of before, who is this girl who could keep up with their speed? Tchso be it. Ill take her on. Get on forward before me, Tryte. Sure. You gotta run away if it gets rough though. Judging by how plentiful the reward is, the two knew that this is not a clean job. In the first place, the request from Satyllus didnt come through the guild, something the adventurers would often refer to a Black Request, and while its true that the reward is handsome, the two was prepared for a great risk for its price. It was their mistake for trusting Satyllus words, saying that it was an easy job despite the possibility of them losing their lives in this predicament. Lets test this girl out for now The man pulled out a pair of daggers from a case on his belt, holding each drenched blade with one hand each. With a short, sharp exhale, he turned around with a twist and threw one before making a leap backwards and throwing the other, sending the two daggers cutting straight through the air like a bullet. Immediately after releasing his two daggers, he proceeded to procure more from his case and threw them at the approaching girl; to her left, to her right, and even above. All for the sake of shaking the girl off from pursuing them. However, the girl didnt even have the slightest intention to get out of harms way. Straightforwardly and recklessly, the girl is intent in keeping on moving straight towards Demiserico. Fuckin moron, youre about to die! Did she not se it? Or is she planning something by not dodging? Regardless of the answer, the man turned away from Flamms direction and continued running. Then, just as the pointed end of the first dagger touched the girls flank, she whispered; Reversal The girl inverted the mans attempt to test her. The dagger instantly changed its direction and quickly began to dart towards Demiserico. The second dagger was a different story. Flamm reached her hand out towards the blade, taking in the hit as the blade penetrates palm with a dull, wet sound. The stinging pain on her right arm shot across her entire body, causing her to flinch in response. Of course, the poison effect is negated completely thanks to her belt that removes her resistance to poison. Is this that Reversal power they were talkin about!? yelled Demiserico, evading the returned dagger that sank itself into a building wall right next to him. Once again, he shot another blade to keep stalling the girl. Flamm lightly twists her body to avoid the incoming blade while simultaneously pulling out the blade stuck to her palm. With her posture off balance, Flamm planted her sole firmly into the next roof before rotating her body to the side, fluttering through the air once more. Using the centrifugal force fully, the girl used her bloodstained hand to toss the knife back towards Demiserico who had just landed on his feet. Her toss was awkward and clumsy, perhaps because she wasnt too proficient in throwing knives to begin with, and therefore it went all over the place with barely enough speed to reach its target, but Demiserico who just landed on his feet couldnt find enough leeway to dodge her counterattack. He procured a gladius from a holster on his lower back, sporting a fifty-centimeter blade that was unfit to be a throwing weapon unlike his knives, and with one swift swing and a ringing noise, he deflected the blade Flamm threw back. However, what Flamm did wasnt in vain; he stopped the man dead on his tracks. The distance between the two had closed up so much that it was nigh impossible for the man to escape her at this point. Preparing himself for a close quarter combat, the man pulled another short sword from another holster and faced Flamm head-on. Then, the man began to speak. I shouldve known most of the people with the strength of A-ranked adventurers, butdidnt think theres an adventurer I havent seen beforeand a young girl at that Of course, his words didnt reach Flamms ears, for the girl was thinking of one and one thing only; that the men who hurt Milkit are UNFORGIVABLE! Flamms arms were clad in jet-black gauntlets, and with her right hand brandishing her Soul Eater emitting an ominous aura, she swung it down recklessly without even a plan. Demiserico barely dodged the strike, and the pointed end of the great sword grazes his chest. He immediately counterattacked and unleashed a cut towards Flamm, cutting the girls thigh along with her shorts before jumping back and taking some distance, held his hands aloft and cast a spell. Shadow Mist! The spell invokes a black mist, robbing the girl of her vision. Unable to find her escape, Flamm found herself taking another throwing knife on her arm. Then she took another on her flank, her cheek, her leg, her shoulder, before taking another in her arm once again, incessantly, from all directions, creating countless shallow wounds on her fair skin. Unable to see her surrounding, her movement gradually dulls with the accumulated damage she took, and it wont be long until the man would deal a fatal blow to her. That, was Demisericos style of fighting. So absurd, Flamm spat, wondering if this fighting style of a thousand cuts is commonplace. Her wounds quickly recover, and she could barely feel any pain, and even this mist issomething her dark blade could take care of. HAAA!! Flamm swung her sword down, fueled with bursting prana she brought forth and created a powerful gale. The Prana Storm quickly dissipates the mist, and Demiserico avoided the strike as he swiftly jumped to a house next to him. Without delay, Flamm who had reacquired her target activated her Cavalier Arts. DONT YOU RUN AWAY FROM MEEEE!! The girl swung her sword horizontally, unleashing her Artsthe Prana Slash, yet once again, Demiserico nimbly avoided the strike like a flying insect. He threw another dagger at the girl, but it was nothing but a futile resistance, as Flamm could easily dodge that attack by slightly tilting her head. Flamm unleashed another strike, diagonally this time, shooting her refined Prana at the man, though the prana fueling this attack is infused with Reverse Magic. Youve gotta be fucking kidding me!? yelled Demiserico, leaping once again with cold sweat drenching his forehead as the Prana Slash robbed him of his footing and flew past him. However, Flamm whispered; Return!1, and the blast of energy that passed through the man turned around and approached Demiserico from his rear. He sensed the murderous aura coming from straight behind him and thus tried to twist his stance to avoid it. However, the energy heartlessly severed his right arm. GGAAAAAAHHH!!! The man screamed in anguish as his body began to bathe in sweat. The figure of a girl holding her dark blade aloft still stood tall in front of him, reflecting in his eyes, and realizing that he had no chance of winning, he began to turn tail and escape. He understood that his chance of being able get out of this engagement alive is at least higher than his chance of winning this battle. Seeing the man scampering away, the girl readied her stance once again. Pointing the edge of her blade towards the mans back, she twists her hands, tightly gripping the handle of her sword towards her back and stretching them like bowstrings. Drawing her breath, she fills her blade with the clearest form of Prana she had ever refined. Jumping from rooftops to rooftops, Demisericos figure grows distant, but Flamms aim was to strike him the moment his body was suspended mid-air, leaving him defenseless. The man who had Milkit in his arms had been long gone from her sight, which means the only way to get to know her location was to squeeze it out from the man she can still see. This means that she could not kill the man, and if she had to stab through him, it had to be a non-lethal shot to the leg. Timing is of the essence. The man is currently running right in the middle of the roof of a stone-built house. His right leg kicks the ground, propelling him forward. Immediately after, it was his right. Left, right, left, right, leftand before long, the muscles in his calf constricts as his toes depart from the roof surface. Now is the time. Flamm opened her eyes wide and exerted strength into her two hands. HAAAA!! She unleashed her Prana Sting, forming into an energy that was sharp and thin, flying like an arrow that pierced straight through Demisericos calf. The open hole made in his flesh was quickly filled with blood, and with his posture crumbling, the man falls to an alley between the houses. Unable to break his fall, the man took the full brunt of the fall damage on his left arm, sending a shattering pain across. With the height he fell from, it was not impossible for him to have broken several bones. However, he clearly understood that he couldnt stop even if he wanted to, for the girl is definitely coming. With his only working leg, he limped his way out of the alley, but even then, he still wouldnt be able to escape. Flamm landed right next to him with a light thud before immediately stomping on his open wound. AckGAAAAAHH!! Demiserico writhed about in anguish while Flamm mercilessly twists her heel in his wound, and the man couldnt help but to cry in agony. Where is Milkit? StoppleaseAAAGH!! Flamm puts more strength into her leg, but because of the pain, the man was unable to answer her question. ANSWER ME! WHERE IS MILKIT!? AGH! AAAAHHHAAAHH!! No matter how she pushed him, the girl still couldnt get an answer out, and if she were to wait as she is, the man is just going to bleed out and die. Dead man tells no tale, and perhaps with that thought in mind, the man is intentionally keeping silent as to not let her get that information. No matter how rotten he is, the man is still an A-rank adventurer, and he seemed to still have the pride of one. However, Flamm couldnt give up now. She picked up Demisericos fallen gladius and put its pointed edge towards the top of his foot. I really dont want to do this but you are PUSHING IT! As a matter of fact, she hated having to do this. She hated pain and inflicting them onto others. She hated suffering and bringing about suffering onto others. She hated getting hurt and hurting others. She hated all of it, and she would have avoided them at all costs if she could. However, she would have to do it if she wanted to save Milkit. Otherwise, the world overflowing with irrationality would not even bat an ear to her wish. Flamm held the short sword aloft, and with intense speed, she dropped the sword, piercing through the mans foot along through his bones. GAAAAAAAHHH!!! However, Flamm still entertains the possibility of the man not saying anything since he managed to keep quiet with his calf thoroughly perforated, so she took a step further and channeled her Inverse mana through the blade. Peel off2. A dry, cracking sound echoed from the mans foot. !? The pain was so intense that the man couldnt even make a voice. The nail on his toe being inversedturned inside out. Where is Milkit? Demiserico frantically shook his head, clearly showing his remaining will to retaliate. In the end, it was nothing more than an ad hoc, so Flamm understood that she hasnt done enough. Seeing no other choice, Flamm reversed yet another of his toenail. Another dry sound, and despite his low gasp of pain, the man is still not interested in giving her an answer. She then goes on to reverse more of the mans toenails, from his middle toe, all the way to his pinky toe, and even as the man twists his back in agony and his teeth clattering in pain and his neck trembling in suffering, the man still did not disclose the information. It was then when Flamm realized that the man had run out of toenails. Perhaps mistakenly thinking that he finally can catch his breather, Demiserico began to regulate his breathing, which irritated Flamm further. With no other choice, Flamm decided that she needs to reverse something else. She grabbed the hilt once again and cast her spell. Break!3 The mans pinky toe immediately begins to twist and turn. GgGAAAAAAAAHHH!! Perhaps this will be enough to change his mind. Flamm put one of her leg on top of the mans abdominal muscle, and the mans scream of agony was interrupted as only a little O-sound leak from his mouth. Where. Is. Milkit? asked the girl, her voice filled with intensity, but yet again, Demiserico slowly shook his head sideways. His tight lips deserve a recognition as an adventure, but that fact is only shaving Flamms patience at the moment. She twists yet another toe, and another, and another one, but he still refuses to say a word, bringing Flamm closer and closer to the peak of her stress. His toenails wont make him speak, and there will still not a whisper even after she twisted his toes, which means her next step would be to twist his entire leg. She really wanted to avoid doing this, but the man had pushed her a step too far. Once again, the girl grips the hilt and poured her mana into it. Get shredded! Crack, sounded the mans bones being cracked and his flesh and blood minced. AAHAAAAAAHHH!!! the man screamed, unable to hold back the pain. Which is to be expected of someone who is currently having his upper leg completely twisted. Even though he had his heels planted firmly on the ground, his toes curled up facing the sky. With the man panting and wheezing, Flamm once again posed her question along with a threat; Where is Milkit? If you still refuse to say anything, Ill make it hurt so bad youll start to beg for death. Demiserico shuddered under the assumption that Flamm could do something even worse. His face is now ruined by the amount of tears and snot, not caring about the embarrassment of it all. Okayokay! Ill tell youblease stop it already! The torture hes subjected to is something that no humans was supposed to endure, and if he were to keep his quiet, theres no telling what hell be subjected to next. Judging by how capable the girl is, it is not out of the question that she is not merely spouting out empty threats and it is likely that he will indeed face a fate worse than death, and so he decided that his pride is just going to be in the way of his survival at this point. Itit was Satyllus! said the man, effeminately. Satyllustold usto take that bandage-clad girl! Is that piece of shit old fart still dissatisfied even after hurting her that much? Flamm cursed in her heart. She had a hunch that the old lady is going to be behind this, but it still doesnt give her a location of where Milkit is being dragged to. She couldnt think that they simply brought her to their estate, since if that was the case, Welcy would have caught wind of that, so the only possible alternative would be that she was taken to another facility or alleyway. Im asking you where youre taking her! Tell me where youre planning to take her! The basement! That womanhas a room in the basement of her mansionfor her sick hobby! Theresa house with green roof due northeastthats no normal houseits another entrance to the basementits got a passagewayconnected to the basement Is it? I can find Milkit if I go there, right? There is no time to waste. As the man saw the girl facing east, he heaved a sigh, thinking that his suffering had come to an end, however GAAAAAAHHH!!! Flamm turned back towards the man, took out the short sword that penetrated his feet and stabbed it on the mans thigh. Immediately afterwards, she pulled the sword out again and threw it away, leaving the man to bleed profusely from his open wound as the sword apparently severed his femoral artery. At this point, the dying man couldnt even muster enough strength to call out for help, and thus he could only writhe about like an insect. If she was to leave him be, it would take a miracle and a nun to prevent him from drawing his last breath in several minutes. Flamm wasnt interested in the man being stuck between his life and death, but if she had to choose, she would opt for the man to die. That was why she gave another stab, but she couldnt care less as to confirm the kill. With the information she obtained from the man, she left the area and heads to the East district on double time. CH 32 As part of an effort to expose Satyllus evil deeds, Welcy had once again been observing the Satyllus mansion since early morning. She rented a three-floor apartment in the neighborhood and spy on the mansion through the window. It goes without saying that she also collected all the findings from news coverage, but she still couldnt find anything new from what shes been doing. She had managed to get some information about some hidden rooms in the mansion from getting close to the servants and inebriating them for information, but the exact location of those rooms was still in the dark. Supporting her elbow on the windowpane, Welcy observed the unchanging scenery languidly, until a loud noise reverberated from above her, causing her shoulders to tremble in shock. Perhaps something fell on the rooftop of her building. Following the impact, light knocking sounds echoed, indicating movement from whatever just landed, and Welcy could do naught but to look at the ceiling in terror. Then, the cause of the noise descended from the rooftop. Her figure flashed briefly in front of the window and the person landed several meters below. In great panic, the girl immediately pounced on the window, opened its lock, and peeked her torso outwards to look straight down. A girl with a small build stood there. Her hair glistened from the sun, and her shirt and short pants sport signs of wear and tear in multiple places. She recalled that figure, yet the expression the girl had betrays all the image she would identify her with. W-What are you doing? asked Welcy timidly towards Flamm who just came crashing from the sky. In response, the girl looked up to the source of the call in a scowl, but as soon as she recognized the person calling her out, her facial rout slackened. Welcy-sanaah, thats right, you appeared at the right time. Mind coming with me? Where? I know where Satyllus hidden room is. We might get the information weve been looking for. Huh!? Of course, Im going! Im going right now! Give me a moment! The girl was someone her elder brother trusts unconditionally, so there was no room in her heart to even doubt her. Welcy flew out of her room after putting her jacket and backpack on before immediately rushing down the staircase, exiting the front door as if the apartment had exploded and stopped right in front of Flamm. The latter flashed a smile in response to her haste, but her eyes showed no sign her being entertained. Feeling a sense of dread creeping up her spine, the girl heads for a direction opposite of the mansion under Flamms guidance. You said you know where the hidden room is, right? Thats right. The entrance of that place lies somewhere else. HuhWhere did you get that infooh wait, I assume you cant disclose that. That said, Welcy was still concerned. The girl had been snooping around for that exact information for ages and came up with nothing, so how could Flamm get that information in what seems to her an instant? However, Flamm flatly answered: I beat that info out of the adventurers Satyllus hired just earlier. You beat the They took Milkitmy partner. Satyllus used to be her owner, so I think she just had some lingering attachment to her. Oh, so thats why that was why she had been seething with anger. Nevertheless, knowing the reason behind that fury didnt help her see Flamm as any less scary than she was. Here it is. Flamm stopped in front of a one-storied residential building with a bright green roof. She tried to pull the door open, but to no ones surprise, it was tightly locked. Is the entrance of the hidden room inside this house? Thats what they said Flamm laid her ears on the door, and from inside, she could hear the echoes of two peoples footsteps. Isnt that just someone living here? Then, just like what shed do when visiting another normal house, she knocked on the door, prompting someone inside to come and answer. The door briskly opens, and the figure of a man in his thirties appeared. He looked smaller than the man who kidnapped Milkit, so the man was not the person Flamm was looking for. Whats going on, little miss? asked the man with a gentle smile. In turn, Flamm glared at the man, leaving Welcy perplexed as she turned to look at the two alternatingly. Did you see a girl being taken in here? Shes a small girl with bandages covering her face. I dont recall anyone like that. Ya lookin for her? Yeah, her and her kidnapper. Abduction, huh. And yer sayin that the kidnapper is round here somewhere? ah, now that ya mentioned it, I did see some shady people round here. Can I ask about that? To Flamms question, the man flashed a hearty grin and said, Yeah, sure. Welcy, on the other hand, couldnt shake the feeling that his smile was faked. As a reporter, she believed that people often put up faces to hide their true thoughts and characters, and she had to be able to look past these masks to fulfill her duty. The mans acting was flawless, but she can see that hes warped on the fundamental level. Itd be bad to talk outside like this. Lets get inside. Of course. Flamm was about to quickly enter the house, but Welcy being unable to stop Flamm before its too late was left with no choice but to follow her in. As they did, the door promptly closed, causing the girl to turn around in panic, spotting a man lying in ambush behind the door. DIE BITCH! With a yell, the man attacked her with a swing of his axe. He was not the only one, however. There was another man hiding in the shade cast by the furniture, and the three men began to attack the two girls with their respective weapons. With a yelp, Welcys reflex was to cover her head and crouch. No matter how strong Flamm is as an adventurer, she couldnt think that she could take care of three armed men at once, so she closed her eyes tightly, believing that she was about to kick the bucket. However, the pain she was expecting didnt come. She couldnt hear the sounds within the house. Neither Flamm nor the mens voices reached her ears. As she fearfully opened her eyes, what greets her was the one of the mens lower half hitting the floorwith nothing else above his waist. The girl shrieked, and when she looked up to Flamm in front of her, the person in question swung her sword lightly to rid its blade of the blood that stained it, and with a motion of returning her sword to its scabbard, the blade dissipates into particles and disappeared. Flamm appeared to have taken care of the three attacking men all at once. Despite them having different injuries, they all end up being cleaved clean in two by the little girl. Choking from the thick stench of blood, Welcy held her mouth with her hand, while the orange-haired girl stretched her hand out to her. Are you okay? D-did you do thatin an instant? Yeah, otherwise well be killed. She had to kill to not be killed; a fair argument from the girl. However, no matter how sound that logic is, just about anyone would tremble before the scene that just unfolded, which led Welcy to hesitate from taking the hand that was stretched out to her. In response of that reaction and the expression painted on Welcys face, even Flamm couldnt help but to feel a bit hurt. Flamm withdrew her hand, and while she hung her head, she continued deeper into the house. Im sorry, Flamm-chan Welcy apologized instantly. Without turning around to look at the girl, Flamm spoke. I still understand the value of someones lifeI know how important they are, how I should cherish it, and how I shouldnt take them lightly. However, she doesnt believe that she could hold all lives as equal, and instead, each persons had their own values to her. But take this for example. If you face a situation where someone put Reach-san or your family in the face of danger, and you had the choice to save them or some stranger whos in the same predicament. What would you do? To Flamm, the two most important lives was her own and Milkits, and with that sense of value in mind, she wouldnt even waste a second to choose. I myself will choose the most important person to me without a doubt, and I wouldnt even hesitate to kill others to make sure of itsay, do you think this is wrong? The topic itself was extremely straightforward. The only difference between the two girls is that one of them lives her daily lives filled with exchanges of human lives, one that she desperately tries to break out of. Thus, to dread that existence of the little girl who continued to fight just to live, was the same as insulting her. Imreally sorry. Dont worry, Im already over it. Come on, we should hurry and look for the entrance of that hidden room. Her remark was made with a cheerful voice, though it was an empty one. It was a great shame for Welcy to allow someone younger than her to bury her pain like this. Thus, with a slap of her cheeks, she gave herself a smack on the back, saying Get it together, me to shake off her fear and stand up. Taking a deep breath fills the girls lungs with the stagnant air. The stench was displeasing and irritating, but the girl noticed that she recalled this smell from somewhere. She was supposed to be watering the plant after making breakfast with Flamm, but she couldnt recall what happened to her afterwards. She remembered that everything went dark, and when she came to, this is the situation she found herself in. Not being able to see anything, she wasnt even sure if shes still unconscious or if shes awake with something blocking her vision. Maser However, still being able to think clearly and having some degree of control of her body convinces her that shes now awake. With that, she tried to grope at whatever was closing her eyes and remove it, and beyond the curtain of darkness and a slight blur wasa bluecarpet? Judging by the sensation she could feel on the left side of her body, she was lying on the floor, on top of what she assumed to be a carpet made of wool. Milkit lays her hands on the floor and slowly begun to rise to a sitting position, but when she looked around to figure out where she is, a gaudy woman appeared in front of her. Good morning, Milkit said the woman, her grin so imposing she bared her gums for all to see. Milkit knew this woman. She was the culprit who poisoned her without her knowledge that led to her face festering and inflamed; her former owner, Satyllus Francoise. Aahh-howwhy!? Fear choked the girl, preventing her from articulating properly. However, speaking the correct words was not her priority; she had to get away from this woman. Nono way she mumbled repeatedly as she dragged herself away. Looking at the poor girls response to her appearance, Satyllus let out an ominous giggle. My oh my, I look away from you for just a while and you start acting like a human again. Im soo happy! I wonder if you found yourself a good master? Between her now ragged breaths, Milkit yelled, Nono! as she crawled to the corner of the room. Satyllus, on the other hand, heaved a sigh of hot passion as she witnessed the girl scurry away like a terrified small animal. The woman then stood up and cornered the little girl, creating no escape routes despite the rooms vastness. Out of desperation, the cornered Milkit began clawing the wallpaper with her nails despite knowing its futility. To her, even a false hope like that was way better than the fear she experienced in the face of Satyllus. Oh you dont have to be so scaredno ones going to save you. Mastermasteerr! My, is your master someone so wonderful that they would go out of their way to look for such an unsightly slave like you? What a strange taste that person has, even though you can get someone a lot better if its for sexual relief. Uuuumas, ter! Satyllus reached out for the girls head, before gripping her hair tightly and brought her face closer. With madness burning in her eyes, the woman said; Isnt that a shamethat you wont meet this master of yours ANYMORE! N-nothats not! Huuuh? Since when did you get ssoo brave to talk back to me, huh? Come on then, tell me! Why are you acting soo high and mighty?! Youre notmy master! SINCE WHEN DID YOU THINK A SLAVE LIKE YOU HAS THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE WHO YOU WANT TO BE YOUR MASTER!? the woman bellowed hysterically, peeling Milkit off the wall by her silvery hair. Satyllus then ripped a strand of the little girls hair and scoffed in a trance. Milkit was dropped to the floor, and once again, she sets out to look for an exit in a panic. However, the room has no doors. All four sides of the room was covered with only walls, denying her freedom no matter where she runs to. Elegantly fluttering her dress, Satyllus heads for a nearby shelf and took a silver knife. AaahhA-AAAH! The knife reflects the light from the chandelier hanging from the ceiling, threatening the little slave girl as Satyllus continued her approach. Seeing the shining blade, the girls eyes begin to water as she once again clawed the wall to no avail. You see, this room is one I specially made; a hidden room behind a hidden room, lying beyond countless traps and camouflages, and the only person who knows about this room is myself. Do you want to know why? Well, its because everyone else who visited this room are all DEAD! Master, master, master The woman cackled. I told you, nobody would come no matter how much you call for them. As a matter of fact, they cant! This is my secret garden, my paradise on earth filled with my dreams! The only ones who are allowed in here are my toys and I only!! Satyllus spreads her arms, spinning as she dances. There is yet another room where Satyllus keeps all of her other slaves. Thats where she spiked their food with poison or apply them directly before breaking them, physically and otherwise, one by one. However, she does not put them out of their misery in the end, for her ultimate pleasure lies in witnessing the destruction of beauty, and the writhing, struggling figures of her victims. Conversely, for those whom she had deeper interests inthe toys whom she wants to destroy more thoroughly, she would bring them to this room. She would then torment them slowly and painfully. Hurting themplaying with them until they die. The cleaning up of the dead will then be the responsibility of the next slave she brings to the room, and all the while they did so, Satyllus would enjoy their despaired expression when they realize that they are next. Ive heard rumors about you, you know? Theres no girl who had her face covered in bandages like you do, Milkit. I also heard that the injuries on your face had been healed as well! Did your master do that for you? What a wwonderful person they arefixing my broken toy so I can just break them again! Thats why Ive been aiming for you for a while, making sure I can get you on my hands, and this timeI will slowly, viciously play with you! You see, you even got your feelings back! Before this, you always had no response no matter what I did to you, so it was sooo boring! Even though you have a pretty face, theres nothing else for me to break! I even paid a good amount to buy youI was sooo sad! Hey, do you feel sorry? Do you? Milkits response was a quick shake of her head. Youve gotten cheeky. Dont you know where you stand? Well, thats what gets me going though! Oh, right, how about you start by showing me your face? Ive got to start by seeing its beauty before I can fully relish in seeing it destroyed! Thats the spiciest detail about this! Come on now, hurry it up! Of course, Milkit is not going to let that happen, for the sight of her face only belongs to her master, Flamm. Thus, the girl curled up close to the wall as if to protect her face. You dont want to show me? Aah, I see. You want to stay faithful to your master, huh? AHAHAHAHA!! Are you saying you have a forbidden love affair with your master!? Whats with those clothes anyways? Did youw maschur gave you that[1]? Thats such a preeetty waitress clothes, so you must find it so practical to use. They must have quite a fetish, dont you think? Theyre giving you that just to fulfill their fetishistic desire! Let me tell you, Milkit, the thing you have between the two of you is not love, you hear? Its just pure, unadulterated, LUST!! N-No! Thats not it! My master is not that kind of person! AHHAHAHAHA! This is soooo funny! Its been a while since my stomach hurts from laughing! Aaahaa!! This is comedy!! HahahI reallyREALLY WANT TO BREAK YOUUU!!! With that yell, Satyllus pounced on Milkit. With the close contact, Milkit could feel the womans rough nasal breathing tickling her pale skin, which made her clatter her teeth in fear and disgust. Lets start with a knife, shall we? Dont worry, Ive prepared whips, and needles. Oh and lets not forget poisons! Lets have some fun, shall we!? ..uuu Lookie here~ This pretty little blade is coming straight at youand when it touches you Hii!!? Seee? That cold sensation is scary riiight? Its terrifying riiight? Come and tremble! I wanted to see that face of yours since foreverrr!! What kind of face will you show me when you finally break? WE SHALL SEE IT TOGETHER!! With an almost inaudible sound, the blade tore through Milkits clothes. Though her skin was untouched, the action hurts her feelings more than it did her physically. Her precious clothes was one that her master bought for her, and combined with the memories it contains, Milkit found it more precious than her own well-being. and this woman is actively trying to ruin it. Next will be your SKIIIRRRRTTT!! Lookie look, your precious clothes are getting torn! Just as she said, the frilly skirt is getting shredded by the second. On and on she goes, tearing up her skirt until her pale thighs and underwear was in plain sight. My oh mysuch a lascivious slit! At this rate your master might forgo saving you and give in to their lust instead! Dont worry though, because ILL KILL YOU BEFORE THEY GET HERE!! Oh wait, wouldnt that be necrophilia then? Mmm, how indecent. Even I cant agree with something like thataah, aaaaAAAHAHAHAHA! UuaahMasterrr! Despite her cry, her voice would stop streaming out the moment the knife was presented in front of her, and that reaction alone made Satyllus cackle beyond belief. Then, the woman grabbed the girls head and violently slammed it on the wall. Enjoying the groan of agony elated her, which was why she did it again. AGHuuGAUHN-nostoBBH! Did you know that telling me to stop makes me want to do it even mooore? Aah, even more than thatyou know that the more someone likes somebody, the more they want to torment them!? said Satyllus, slamming Milkits head against the wall once more with considerably greater strength. Of course, since Satyllus wasnt an adventurer, that strength wasnt enough to blow the girls consciousness away. The girl falls limp on the ground, repeating her cry for help deliriously. Master She believed that her master would definitely come to her rescue. However, if what Satyllus said was true, Milkit knows that her wish would never come true. She knows that there are plenty of people stronger than Flamm, and there are as much barriers her master couldnt overcome because of that. Even thenthe girl still wishes to believe. The girl had thrown away all hope for the world, but that hope alone is something she cannot let go. Sa..veme Goodness me, Milkit. Is a slave like you going to go so far to ask your master to save you? Uuuuhh She knows shes asking for too much, but because her master was someone who gave her too much, she desperately tried to convince herself that she still wanted Flamm to risk her life to save her; something that a slave shouldnt even think of asking her master to do. Satyllus giggled once more. You truly are interesting. Such a great catch only happens once in a whileI must truly take my time breaking you thoroughly! Standing up, Satyllus stomped on Milkits midriff at full strength. HGH! I MIGHT GBFH! JUST ACCIDENTALLY OGH! KILL YOUUUUU!! The dull pain left her breathing ragged, and the feeling of nausea wells up. Her consciousness began to flicker, and her saliva begins flooding out of her mouth. The one thought that passed by her during that moment was the words her master told her just yesterday. Im going to tell them that youre my precious partner. Partner. Not a slave, but an existence that can stay next to her as an equal. Milkit doesnt know for sure what that relationship entails, for she had never spent a time with someone that she had that kind of closeness with. However, if its a relationship of mutual give and takewouldnt that be something she could wish for? Savememasteerrr! Of course, nothing would happen even if she says it again and again. It wasnt a spell, so theres no possible way her voice would have reached her master. At best, it only showed that something had changed in Milkits heart, and to Satyllus who had been looking down at her, her futile cry for help was nothing but a spice for her entertainment. Mmhmhm, fufufu, HAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHA! YOURE STILL ASKING FOR HELP, ARENT YOU!? AAAAAAHHH, YOURE A FAILURE OF A SLAAAAVE! YOURE STILL THINKING FONDLY OF YORU AMSTER NOW, HUUUH!? AHAHAHAHAHA! However, at that moment, her maniacal laugh was interrupted by a sound of explosion. A part of the wall was blown away, kicking up a cloud of dust as it flies to the opposite wall and crumbles on impact. Hahaha Beyond the cloud of dust was a small humanoid figure. Huh? The breached wall left Satyllus stunned. A screeching noise echoed around the room as the small figure appears to have been dragging a large sword across the floor as she approaches. As the dust settles, Satyllus could see the figure of the girl. That instant Youre FlaBHH!! Satyllus face was met with Flamms fist, sending the former flying through the air. Drawing an arc, the force behind the punch left her rotating before slamming her face on the wall. She bounced off the wall and fall lifelessly on the ground. MILKIIIITTT!!! Immediately, Flamm rushed over to her dear Milkit, circling her arms around the girl. Im so sorryIt hurts, isnt it? It was hard for you, isnt it? I bet yo were scared! IIm sorry I wasnt careful enough! Tears soon began to stream down her face, flooding down all the way to Milkits shoulders. Masteerrr!! You did nothing wrong master! It was me thatuuughaaahII dont knowbutjust becauseyoure here nowitsuuhhh!! She wanted to let her know, that Flamm coming for her was more than enough, but even if she wanted to say that to her directly, but the strong grip of her masters arm, the softness of her body and its warmth, and the sweet smell that never failed to bring her the sense of securityall of those sensation envelops her so good that she couldnt put her thoughts to words. Yougamefor bemastermaster! Milkitt! It was the same case for Flamm, whose head was in shambles at that time. The fact that Milkit was still alive squeezes her heart strongly to the point that she couldnt say anything but her name. Woah, is this the letter exchanged with the church? And this is the hand-written receiptright? The churchs stamp is here soyeah, its a wrap for them. Welcy, who nonchalantly came into the room after Flamm, immediately begun to rummage the desk for any damning evidences, and damning evidence she found, outlining Satyllus exchanges with the Church behind closed doors. Even one sheet of paper in that desk was enough to send Satyllus to jail and destroy her entire business. She was about to ask Flamm about what she should do, but she was startled by the girls figure, already holding her sword ready with one hand. The expression on her face wasnt one of joyful reunion she showed earlier, and instead it had turned into the expression of pure, cold-blooded hatred. Howdid you get through I broke through them all. Flamm didnt face all of the traps laid beyond the dummy house and even those that follows head-on. Using the power of her Prana combined with the Inverse skill of hers to the full extent, she had managed to break them all. There shouldhave been2 A-ranked adventurersand a B-ranked adventurer aswell! I killed them all. Satyllus eyes widened in fear. She had the look of someone who could kill one, so she couldnt have been lying. Passing through the hidden corridor, she had to face a spearman, whom she subjugated quickly and killed with her Inverse magic. Now, there is no one Satyllus could hide behind. Of course, youre going to die as well. W-Wait! If you kill me, there will be conseque But then, the woman cut her own words as she came to a realization. The existence of this room is top secret; so much so that the only person who knows of its existence is Satyllus herself. Even worse, the fact that Flamm had broken through her guards and traps means that she had left plenty of breadcrumbs in her path. The girl smiled, and even after figuring out what she was thinking, she began to laugh. Compared to this room, I didnt really ransack the rooms that came before this, so if I put things back to its place, nobody would suspect a thing. Ammo, money! Ill give you however much you want! Asas long as you let me off! Huh. Then Ill take however much is worth the suffering you put Milkit through. How much will that be? F-Five thousandgold coinsor ten thouKHA!? Without a delay, Flamm grabbed onto the womans collar and brought her face closer. You think you can buy that with money? Your life wouldnt be enough to pay for it, DO YOU UNDERSTAND!? Aaahp-pleaseI still, dont want to die! Flamm reached her hand towards the trembling womans ear. With a whisper, she muttered Reversal, and the womans ear was forcibly torn upside down and falls to the floor in pieces. A shrill scream reverberated across the room. Falling limply, the woman held her bleeding ear, panting roughly like a dehydrated dog. Welcy-san, did you get what you need? Yeahwell, some of them, at least said Welcy, having collected Satyllus case-like personal belongings that happened to be scattered across the desk and holding them with both arms. The servants of Satyllus house would get suspicious if they stayed for too long, and with this much collected, Welcy couldnt ask for more. Then, can you return to the room outside with Milkit? Uhsure? Are you not coming with us, master? asked Milkit worriedly. However, Flamm showed her a gentle smile in response. I just thought that Ill be troubled if you see what Im doing, Milkit. That one sentence was enough to make Satyllus freeze. I dont want you to hate me, so no matter what happens, I will never hate you, master! Ahahayou wont believe how happy that makes me said Flamm, blushing while scratching her cheek. Well, its not going to be pretty, so can you go with Welcy-san for now? understood Of course, Flamm understands Milkits sentiment of not wanting to be separated from her because of what happened. However, what Flamm was about to do is something that would make professional torture look like a childs play. Thats how much pain she wanted Satyllus to experience on the journey to her death, and its something Flamm would obviously want Milkit not to see. Thus, while Welcy guided Milkit out of the room, Flamm sent her off with a smile. That smile instantly disappeared the moment Milkits figure faded in the distance. She picked up the knife lying on the floor and looked down on Satyllus who was in turn looking up to her with a frightened expression. How the table has turned. She had tormented Milkit in the same position just minutes ago, but now, she was in her shoes. no, the situation is not the same. Unlike Milkit, there was no one that could save her. AAHAAAAAAAHHH!!! HYIIUGHGAAAAAAHH!! M-MY ARMSMY AAAAARMS!! Thus, all she had to cling onto was NO, NOT MY FACESTOKHHAAAAAGAHH, HHH, HHH, its stillNOAAAAAAHHH!!? The pain beyond what Milkit had suffered, IMIM GONNA DIENO, I DONT WANT TOWHAAAAAAHHH, CHANGEMY BODYBANO, NO AAAAAAAHHHH!!! And fear, STOPJUUGHJUSTugggillmeuughAAAAAAAHHH!!! GillmMEEEEE!!! All delivered by Flamms own two hands. Even Milkit and Welcy, who was waiting quite a distance outside the room, could still hear the echoes. The sound of flesh churningblood splatteringand bones grindingThe echoes of ripping and tearing was so jumbled up, they couldnt imagine whats being broken at all, and Satyllus bellowing didnt help them at all. So uhMilkit-chan, was it? Yes. Does Flamm-chanalways do that? No, usually shes a very kind mastersince even though I look like this, she treasures me the most Milkit remarked, blushing as she put laid her hand on her cheek. Sigh, she treasures you, huh In short, one wouldnt want to get on her bad side. Soon, the sounds from within the room stopped, indicating the end of it all. Surprisingly, the Flamm who came out of the room hadnt a single drop of blood on her person. Once again, she rushed over to Milkit and hugged her tightly. In response, Milkit narrowed her eyes, ecstatically nestling herself closer to her master and rubbing her cheeks on her body. I feel like I get why nii-san trusts herbut at the same time, I dont get it whispered Welcy, sighing as she witnessed the intimate exchange of the two. CH 33 A revolving door closed and its lock set with a click. Blending in with the walls around it, it should be nigh impossible to spot this hidden pathway. Even if someone happened to stumble upon it, there should be no possible way to unlock it, since Flamm had made sure to destroy the dial to disable the lock that was located behind a bookshelf. It was a miracle that allowed her in, so she made sure she doesnt have to go through it a second time. With that door sealed, Flamm made the conflict she had with Satyllus, along with the latters body, nonexistent. With Milkit held tightly on her arms and Welcy on her side, Flamm stepped over the dead adventurers body and exited the house. Outside, Welcy groaned as she stretched her body while taking a lungful of fresh air. I know the air around the capital isnt the freshest, but its leagues better than that stuffy room For the girl who isnt used to being around corpses, anywhere but that room is indubitably a better place to be. Perhaps swept along by the girls vigor, Flamm also took a deep breath, her expression clear of the murderous aura that overflowed just minutes earlier. Now bathing in her masters usual, kind face, the simple fact eased Milkits heart even better than having escaped her shackles. The three trudged through a road less traveled, heading for Reachs mansion to start, led by Welcy who knows the East District like its the back of her hand, and before long, they entered said mansion through the back door, managing not to be spotted by anyone. The back door was connected to the owners kitchen. The three soon saw a man dressed as the chef eyeing them, but with a smile and a wave of Welcys hand, the chef tilted his head briefly before continuing his work. Exiting the kitchen to the corridor, it was obvious that Reach, who was there through more luck than judgment, would be surprised when his little sister suddenly appeared along with Flamm holding a bandaged girl on her arms. But if hes surprised by just their appearance, then hes surely on for a treat. From the information about Satyllus hidden chamber and dossiers within, all the way to the confession of her killing; all was laid bare to the man who was too shocked to even pick up his jaw from the floor. His first question was directed towards Flamm: an explanation of why she killed Satyllus, and the man can only sigh with his head on his hands after Flamm told him about Milkit, who was abducted and was a hairs breadth away from being killed. I really didnt expect her hobby to be thatatrocious. It seems that despite his suspicions, he did not expect the woman to be involved in senseless murders as wellor rather, he could have, but he just refuses to think that way. Afterwards, he appeared to be in conflict about his position regarding Flamms sin of killing Satyllus, but the moment he heard about how no one is bound to find the womans body, he showed a glimpse of relief. This, however, was not something Flamm couldve thought about with how emotional she was. It was not that she doesnt reflect on it. On the contrary, she did spare a thought on restraining herself in the future, butthe moment a finger was laid on Milkit, composure can go to hell for all she cares. In the end, she decided not to dwell upon spilled milk. Either way, we have solid evidence of Satyllus wrongdoings. I think as long as we can expose this information properly, it shouldnt disadvantage us in any ways, but If Satyllus is declared missing and they write an article based on the dossiers extracted from the womans chamber to admonish the church, there is a chance that Welcys newspaper company would come under fire. Even if theres no evidence that they killed Satyllus, their public image is still going to be somewhat ruined. Thus, the first step to truly corner the church is to discredit them and cut off their support from the masses, and carelessly exposing about a murdered merchant would probably backfire on them instead. Fortunately, included in the dossiers are details about how Satyllus would abuse, torture and finally murder her slaves in that room. All they need now is the right timing to disclose that information to the public, and it is definitely not when there are chances that they might be linked to Satyllus death. That was Welcys idea, one that her older brother agreed to. What followed was a rather difficult conversation between the two that Flamm couldnt wrap her head around. Thus, she decided to leave the handling of the dossiers to the professionals and asked to be allowed some rest with Milkit. Respecting her wish, Reach casually allowed Flamm to use one of his guest rooms. The servant who responded to Reachs summons prepared them a soft bed for her to lay on. Please master, I am not injured, you dont need to do this much for me However, Flamm shook her head in response to Milkits tough fa?ade. The sun has yet to reach its apex, clearly indicating the event had unfolded quickly, but the girl believed that the built up fatigue shouldnt be shrugged off. It doesnt matter if youre uninjured, I want you to rest, just for an hour or two if you want. I mean, I need a break myself she said, lowering Milkit to the edge of the bed as she pet the girl by her forehead. Now that Flamm said she needs a break herself, theres no way Milkit can go against it. It appears that Flamm is getting used to convincing Milkit to do something, which is a merit shes glad about, although it brings about a point of concern all the while. Resigning herself, Milkit closed her eyes, and before 5 minutes even passed, her breathing slowed to a sleeping pace. So you are tired said Flamm, brushing the angels sleeping cheek gently. Before long, the girl followed suit and lays down on the bed, falling asleep almost immediately herself. In the end, the two slept like a rock for three straight hours, and it was past noon when the two finally leaves Reachs abode Predicting Eternas dissatisfaction, Flamm gingerly opened the front door to her house, and true to her thoughts, the moment it opened, a displeased Eterna showed up, leaning on the wall of the corridor, her eyes met with Flamms who were just peeking through the crack of the door. Seeing the two in good health, Eterna lets out a soft sigh before approaching the girl with her index finger trained at Flamms forehead. Ow, Flamm yelped, arching back despite the lack of pain. The burden put behind that index finger was more emotional than physical one after all, since she knows too well about the reason behind the womans anger. The two of you were gone the moment I woke upyou had me worried sick Eterna said, pouting her lips. Flamm felt that Eterna was more worried than angry, but she too understood too well that worrying about someone is tougher than being angry at them. Suddenly, Eterna approached Flamm by her neck and began sniffing around. you smell like blood. While Flamm and Milkit did have some time to rest, they did not have time to cleanse themselves. They did manage to avoid staining their clothes with blood, but having stayed in a room full of them, it was unavoidable for its stench to have permeated into their clothes. If anyone had a decent sense of smell, they would definitely notice the smell of rust wafting about the girls. SorryMilkit was kidnapped, so I had to go and take her back. And why the casual tone about the clearly serious incident? I think its a serious incident too. But look, we got back safely, didnt we? Towards her masters casual attitude, Milkit lowered her head awkwardly, while Eterna simply sighed. I assume the church is behind this? Eternas target of suspicion is straightforward, if her suspicion is correct, it is hard to say that they are in the clear already. She can even imagine that there will be some sort of counterattack by the next day. The church isnt behind this, for once. The culprit is that woman named Satyllus. She was Milkits master before. Thenah well, since youre both uninjured, I wont say anything. But next time, I want you to count on me too. It should be better than having to chase after her on your own. Back then, Flamm was too focused on wanting to catch the one who nabbed Milkit as soon as possible, since she felt that if she wasted even a second and let them get away, she wont have the chance to save Milkit anymore. Add to the fact that Eterna was asleep during the kidnapping, and waking her up would undoubtedly waste precious seconds. However, having Eterna join the pursuit might have been the better choice. It seems that Flamm still underestimates how skillful Eterna can be with her Water Magic. Ill keep that in mind. Thus, Flamm answered honestly. Good, Eterna replied, smiling as if satisfied. By the way, I tried making lunch. Want some? A faint aroma could be traced to the living room, causing Flamms stomach to growl. She never saw Eterna cook before, but theres bound to be wisdom with ageperhaps. Therefore, the two girls on the entrance nodded. That afternoon, despite what had happened in the morning, Flamm and Milkit spent their time in the bedroom. Since Eterna has to look after Ink as well, none of the people in the house can take a step outside. They made dinner with whatever is left in their kitchen. There werent much, which was why they planned to go shopping, but even the plainest food can be made delicious with Milkits skills. Eternas handmade lunch wasnt bad, but Flamm believed that Milkits is still superior. Of course, she wisely didnt disclose that opinion of hers, but even Eterna silently voiced her defeat during dinner. Surprisingly, Milkit puffed her chest in pride, perhaps overwhelmed by the emotions that she had proven to be superior than one often praised as a hero. Flamm suggested about getting in the bath together with Milkit, but as expected, she was too embarrassed to agree. In reality, she was truly conflicted, refusing after knowing that shes gotten her masters verbal consent. In the end, she was unable to steel herself into getting in the bath with her master due to her unease that she stayed sitting in the changing room the whole time. Finally, it was bedtime. The two was dressed similarly, though with a different shade of their sleepwear. As they finished taking off MIlkits bandages, the two head for their respective beds. However, Hey, Milkit? Flamm whispered, inviting Milkit to her bed. IIts a single bed, masterthat would be too cramped if both of us were to We just need to snuggle close then, no? Despite that, Flamm still raised her blanket to urge Milkit to enter her bed. Flamm seemed to be pushier than usual. On the outside, she seemed to be her usual person, but deep down, she was truly terrified. Terrified if Milkit were to be stolen away again in her sleep. The short incident in the morning proved that someone dear to her can be gone in an instant, and consequently, the resulting paranoia is enough to keep her awake. She need to hold Milkit in her arms to convince herself that it wont happen. Umis itreally okay? If anything, Im the one asking you here Isee Milkit still couldnt help but to look apologetic. T-then, please excuse me. The girl climbed onto Flamms bed and stuck herself close to her master. The moment she snuggled close, she immediately feels her masters body warmth flowing to her, as if shes holding her whole body close. The overflowing embarrassment and joy waged war within Milkit. Her sense of shame, however, proved to be stronger as she cant even get herself to see her masters eyes. Come closer. Ah It appears that Flamm doesnt feel like they are close enough, so she hugged the girl closer. Its beginning to develop into a situation where the two would have difficulties falling asleep, but the two shared a sense of ease in each others arms. Just like Flamm, Milkits heart still bears the trauma of being kidnapped. A single punch was all they needed to send her consciousness flying, and the next time she opened her eyes, her previous master she thought of never seeing again appeared before her. Her bone-chilling smile may appear in her dreams, and no one can say til when. Just recalling the experience sends chills down her spine, and without the warmth Flamm shares with her, she would be left with only her tears. UmMaster? Yees? Flamms tone was softer than their blanket. When Milkit was at the mercy of her previous owner, she hoped Flamm would save her. She wished for her master to save her. In the end, Flamm did save herhowever, that moment, she came to realize that their master-servant relationship had been twisted. To begin with, Flamm didnt consider Milkit to be her slave. It was Milkits own situation that declared so. She had never been in a relationship outside that of a master and servant, so when she realized that her relationship with Flamm had developed outside of her scope of understanding, she doesnt know how to approach it. All she knows that she lacks the knowledge and instead still clung onto the relationship she knows about. That was the only way she can force herself communicating with others after all. However, now that all signs point otherwise, she searched for an answer regarding her current distance with the one she refers as her master, and shes willing to take the first step to figure it out. Umifif you dont mind, she said shyly, her words slurred by the tension she felt welling up, Can wesleep in the same bedfrom tomorrow on too? However, she managed to say the important bits clearly and confidently. That was not a request for her owner. Instead, it was a request to someone equal. A selfishness she can only ask to her partner. In response, Flamm inched her face closer to Milkits until their foreheads touched. Then, a smile. I was about to ask you the same thing. Flamm does not lie to Milkit. Even if its considered flattery, the girl would always respond to her sincerely. Hence, her words echoed deep into Milkits heart. She finally felt joy. The happiness of knowing that her special someone yearns for the same thing as she does. How about we go out to buy some clothes tomorrow? To make up for today? That too, but I think I might need some change of clothes as well. Is there any place you want to go to? Lets seeI wanted to eat something nice. Eat something nice, huh? Then about we splurge a bit and go to a high class restaurant? But please dont go overboardif its too high class I might not be able to reproduce it at home. Ohh, so thats what you meant. Yes, I wish to improve my skills so that you prefer to eat my dishes instead of other restaurants. Well, sorry to say, but that ship had long sailed. Thus, the two cuddled close together as they speak about their plans for the next day, unfortunately getting them way too excited that they slept an hour later than their usual time. Though it is important to note that good times such as these are a treasure that cant be bought with all the time of sleep. The next day dawned, and the glaringly obvious restless mood between the two came to be noticed by Eterna. With a crunch accompanying her teeth sinking into the sausage in her breakfast, she chewed on the delicacy before swallowing them and spitting out a single sentence. Youre going on a date today? And that one sentence was enough to discharge the soup Flamm was drinking back out the way it came in as well as the channel it wasnt supposed to go through. Milkit, on the other hand, panicked after seeing Flamm choke and stroked her back with one hand and a cup of water on the other. Draining the cup immediately and wheezing afterwards, Flamm glared at Eterna. N-no! Youre not convincing me otherwise. Eterna had buried the thought previously, but at this point she just has to say it. Im just planning to buy the clothes for the one ruined yesterday. Im planning to go somewhere else too though. Thats what we call a da Shopping! Its called shopping! Why are you calling it a date if Im going out with Milkit in the first place? Tell her, Milkit. Yes, master and I are going out to shop. Thats what they said, but Eternayeah, I think its a date responded with disappointment in her tone. The two, however, still believed otherwise. They are no friends, and at best they are mere partners. It was that vague relationship, and the two are fine with it. If they were to describe their relationships, it would be closer to that of a family, but the twos connection is slightly but clearly more heated than that. I dont get it. With an exasperated sigh, Eterna gazed upon the paper-thin difference between relationship the two is involved in. Flamm and Milkit went out to the town. Their first destination was the clothier where they obtained Milkits waitress outfit. That clothier was one that specialized in Milkits type of dress, so it is unavoidable that they would visit the same place again. Either because the owner remembered the two or because they paid well, the staffs did not give them the stink eye like the first time they visited. It eased them to be able to shop in peace, but they cant be sure if they could honestly be happy about it. Hand in hand, the two looked around the store together, talking about things that catches their eyes and trying them out. Aah, its nice to see you in a different outfit sometimes. I think it might look a bit plain. Rather than plain, I guess it looks morenormal? Honestly though, any clothes you put on suddenly turns cute, so youre kind of unfair, you know? I would not say any. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder after all. The first dress Milkit tried on was a beige dress with a thick white apron on top of it. A rather simple one amongst the choices available. The headdress she puts on serves more as a tool to prevent hair from getting in the way instead of being an accessory, and it only comes in one color. However, the set thats built upon its functionality more than style showed a sense of personality with the sense of life it brings out. Is this really okay? asked Milkit, anxious after seeing her master glancing about. You know, usually youre dressed up so pretty that Im worried itll attract people, butwith this dress on, Im feeling somewhat at ease. Hearing her masters impression, Milkit once again turned towards the mirror. She pinched the hem of her skirt, adjusted her headdress and checked herself again. I dont quite understand, but can I assume this will be your first choice? Yep, lets go with that! The two decided to keep the dress. Milkit then closed the curtain to begin trying the next dress. Speaking of which, you really like frilly dresses dont you? I think they are cute. Then did you not like the previous one? If Im allowed to be honest, I believe a more ornate one would be nicebut my thought changed after what you said, master. While they conversed, Milkit had finished changing. She opened the curtainor so she thought of doing, but instead she peeked her head out and looked towards Flamm. Her cheeks were dyed red, or rather, Flamm noticed that she was red all the way down to her neck. Isis this the one you chose, master? Yep, judging by that outerwear, it should be the one I chose. Just like you said, I picked the cute one with lots of frills, butis there something wrong? No, wellump-please look. The curtain flips open slowly, unveiling the girls full figure. Ooh The moment she laid her eyes on the girl, Flamms jaw dropped and her voice flowed out. The upper garments were, well, just as she expected; a cute, frilly dress. The problem is whats lower. The skirt wastoo short. It was barely enough to hide her underwear, revealing Milkits bountiful thighs that had regained its volume. With her face the color of ripe tomatoes, she desperately tried to pull the hem of her skirt down in embarrassment as she fidgeted her legs. In front of the embarrassed girl, Flamm can feel her heart throbbing. S-sorryI, I didnt think the skirt would be that short. Is thatso? IfIf master likes it, thenI can wear themo-only if its within the house What greeted her was a juicy suggestion. However, the moment she nodded her head frantically, Flamm felt that something important has left her, so she attempted to endure. N-no, ddont force yourself! We can go look at other choices! Understood. Milkit closed the curtain, relieved, and seeing that expression, Flamm was glad that she could endure the temptation. Several minutes later, the curtain opened to reveal another set of dress, though instead of a waitress uniform, it was a snow white one piece dress. This is your choice as well, master? Yeah Flamm wasenchanted. In the first place, she thought of Milkit as the embodiment of purity, thus the white dress suits will suit her nicely. However, the clothes looked so good on her that she was awestruck. You look like a princess. That is too far, master. Theres no princess that will be wrapped in bandages like me. Truly, her fascination can only be attributed to Flamms affection. However, it is no understatement that if she were to walk around town with that dress, she will without a doubt attract the gazers of passersby. Youre reallybeautiful Flamm whispered instinctively. It was so good that she uncharacteristically wished to frame this scenery and immortalize it. II shall go change. Her masters passionate gaze seemed to be too much for the girl, forcing Milkit to retreat behind the curtain once more, changing back to the clothes she put on when she arrived. What should we do? Shall we look for some more? I think the usual waitress outfit should do, but it was cheap, wasnt it? Yes, compared to the others Milkit responded after checking the price tags. As an additional note, the most expensive one is somehow the one with less clothes; the second, miniskirt waitress outfit. Then thatll do. Maybe Id want two other sets. Are you not going to buy some, master? I dont think theres anything for me in this store. I too would like to see another side of you, master. really? Then how about you choose one you think would suit me? Is that okay? With Flamms consent, the girl began looking around in excitement. It was rare to see Milkit in such a high spirit. How excited is she in looking at me wearing other outfits? Somewhat worried about the type of outfit Milkit will bring her, Flamm patiently waited. Before long, Milkit showed up with one set of clothing and urged her into the dressing room without even allowing her to check the outfit out. Milkit eagerly waited for her master with a huge smile on her face. On the other side of the curtain, Milkit could hear her masters bewildered voice, but in the end, Flamm still ended up wearing it. Finally, the curtain rises, and the figure of Milkits master is now wrapped in her favorite type of clothes: a cute, frilly waitress outfit. Waaah! Milkit moaned in admiration as her hands held her cheeks. On the other hand, Flamm cast her gaze downwards as she held the hem of her outerwear, a position opposite of what the two is used to. She did not expect that a simple act of putting on a waitress outfit would put her in such embarrassment. It doesntsuit meright? Nonsense! You are adorable, master! Flamms opinion was shot down fervently. Not being used to being called adorable, Flamms already reddened face turned even deeper crimson, assaulted by the instinct to quickly toss herself behind the curtain. However, she held herself back, for she is giving her all for Milkit. A-am I wearing it properly? Yes, yes you are! I think it feels nice to wear this to take care of chores. That cap looks marvelous on you. Umyoure different than usualMilkit. Ah At her masters interjection, the girl froze. M-my apologies. I got too carried away Obviously, the chance to see the master she loves wearing the type of clothes she loves doesnt happen often. Actually, Flamm would perhaps wear anything Milkit asked her to, but theres little to no chance that Milkit would be able to put her thoughts into words, which means until Flamm herself says that you can dress me up any way you like!, this situation will probably never happen again. Ill go change Flamm said, before closing the curtain vigorously and just as quickly changed back to her usual, easy-to-move-in shirt and short pants. Finally, wrapping her tool belt around her waist, the girl looked at the mirror and sighed; Im really more comfortable in this. After all, shes can be more mobile, and she can also adopt her natural posture with her current outfit. However, seeing Milkit be that elated over an outfit made her consider wearing that outfit from time to time. After the girl exited the dressing room, she picked two other sets for Milkit and bought them. Of course, it sets her back quite a bit, but its not something her adventurer job cant take care of. They still have some extra money to spend, so as scheduled, the two exited the store to head for a high class restaurant. The main street of the Central District is flooded with people as it usually is, so Flamm walked a step in front of Milkit to shield her from the hustle and bustle, even more so since their destination is the opposite most of the peoples. I still cannot believe there are this much people living in the capital. Its not just the residents. Tourists and merchants often pass through this street. See, theres a wagon passing right in the center. Those often create some congestion, so it can feel more crowded than it actually is. There were even talks about creating a road exclusively for wagons, but with all the issues happening surrounding the capital, the plan didnt come to fruition. There were talks about infrastructure, repairs on some facilities, and the preservation of public safety, indicating that the more developed the capital is, the more problems it has to solve. With how many people settling into the capital, the dissatisfaction of the masses also grow aplenty. It was also one of the reasons why the incident with Ink and her monstrous eyeballs has been rumored to be the work of the church. However, it stays a rumor since the general populace has no real basis for the information regarding the churchs human experiments. As a matter of fact, that rumor is factual. Behind the veil of peace shrouding the capital, the number of victims that fell to the hands of the church grows larger. Are you okay with the crowd, Milkit? Im okay. Good. Then Ill try to push forward a bit. Dont let go of my hand, okay? Yes! Flamm then slipped forward into a narrower street. As she did, she looked around, searching for the way through when a faint, familiar smell enters her nose. She instantly reacted and turned her gaze upwind. There, she saw her. Wrapped in a red fur coat on top of a gaudy, corsage-decorated dress, her seven-colored nails and her multitudes of rings adorned with great jewels, her eccentric hair colored opal with a mix of blond, pink and blueand her unforgettable thick layer of makeup. Wwhy? She saw her. In the crowd, the woman in her sight walked as if nothing had happened. Master? Milkit worriedly peeked at her master, who had suddenly stood still. However, her voice failed to reach her master. SatyllusI killed you just yesterday! With her bare hands, on top of that. She even felt her anguished scream shook her to her bones, right in front of her. However, why? Why is she still walking amongst the living? And whydid she just disappear? As questions flood her brain, the girl could do naught but to stand still, as if time itself had stopped. CH 34 Flamm pulled her hand forcefully. Despite Milkits pained expression, Flamm persisted, apologizing to her and saying please bear with it as she lowered her face. After all, being able to confirm her presence next to her was the greatest joy she could have at the moment. Passing through the crowd, the girls chased after the Satyllus lookalike despite bumping onto other pedestrians and acquiring their resentful gazes. However, no matter how hard she tried, the womans figure could not be found. was it just me? What happened, Master? Milkit asked, seeking for the reason behind her masters forcefulness. If, only if, that was truly an accidental resemblance, it would only make Milkit anxious. As a matter of fact, she already is, so Flamm judged that it would be best to clear the air from the start. I saw someone who looked just like Satyllus, but N-nob-but youyesterday, she was! Yeah. She should have died. Thoroughly and carefully did Flamm ripped the woman apart, limb by limb, organs by organspiece by piece. So why? Why is there someone whos a spitting image of hers walking as if nothing had happened? I only saw her for an instant, so theres a high chance that I saw wrong, butdo you mind if I go to the East District? At this point, we wouldnt be able to enjoy a meal in peace, so I think it is for the best. The taste of a dish can greatly differ based on the mental status of the one eating them, and since they are planning to enjoy a high-quality meal, it would literally and figuratively leave a bad taste in their mouths to let the seed of concern linger about. Thus, parting from the hustle and bustle of the Central District, the two head for Satyllus abode once more. In conclusion, the total amount of additional information they gained were zero. The two gazed at the private guards standing restlessly in front of the mansions gate. Flamm boldly approached the guards and asked, what happened?. Obviously, questioning if they have any obligation to answer the question of a slave, the guards initially responded with a confused expression. However, perhaps because the person is inherently nice or he had a great upbringing, he responded: Ill tell you since just about everyone already knew this, but Satyllus-sama had gone missing. Huh!? Satyllus-sama went missing!? Flamm exclaimed in an overly exaggerated manner. With that exchange, there was no purpose in talking to the man anymore. Thus, after quickly brushing through common courtesy, the girl left the area, towards a place where the guards eyes wouldnt reach them. Was it really just me? If Satyllus is still alive, it would serve her no purpose to make her guards spread such news. Knowing that the guards that were constantly stationed around her house acted that way, it should hint that her corpse was still hidden in that secret room known only to the two and the dead. Perhaps you might be too exhausted after the recent events, Master. Maybe she said, though there wasnt an ounce of conviction in her words. If it truly was exhaustion that disrupted the girls thoughts to that extent, perhaps it is time for her to enjoy her rare day off. Sorry to make you go through with my madness. Lets go to the restaurant this time. Of course! For now, there should be nothing ruining their meal to come, so in high spirits, the two made their way to a fancy restaurant facing the hustle and bustle of the Central District. The greater the price, the more delectable the food should taste. Despite that, there were other problems the two face upon arriving at the restaurant, such as the waiter not willing to show the two to a proper seat deeper in the establishment or another customer tripping their feet with his purely because the two were slaves. That said, after Flamm showed the waiter her wallet, the man quickly changed his attitude for the better, and Flamm was quick to react by stomping on the rude customers foot in response anyways, so all in all, it was but trivial problems. The first thing Milkit does upon carrying the unfamiliar dish into her mouth was to closely examine the taste and the flavors, all the while trying to guess what ingredients and seasonings they use to achieve such feat. Gazing at her passionate companion with a smile on her face, Flamm too began eating something she never tried before. Being lunch time, there were plenty of other customers that were dressed casually as they were as the establishment provides a more affordable pricing for lunch menus compared to dinner. There were several other customers who, with only their getup, announced boldly and proudly that they are residents of the East District, but at that moment, they were in the minority. Enjoying their meal, the two forgot all about the sighting of Satyllus lookalike that happened earlier. After lunch, the two exited the store and went around looking at different stores as the sun continues to go down. Flamm asked Milkit which design she liked when it comes to accessories when they visited the street vendors, and while looking for cursed equipment to no avail, they ended up buying a kitchen knife for some reason. The two browsed another clothing store, different from the one they visited in the morning. Flamm bought herself a whilte hotpants, of course after having Milkit try it on which resulted in completely expected embarrassment from her. Flamm was 16, and Milkit was only 14; girls in their heyday of youth, one might say. Therefore, the outdoors activity they went through allows them to forget about the labors in their lives and act appropriately for their age despite their clothing being otherwise. Having their fill of fun, the two ended the day by purchasing ingredients for dinner before they take their jolly steps home. As they did, Eterna welcomed them back while simultaneously poking fun at them, asking how was your date?. It even affected Ink, who, as she heard Flamms footsteps through the door as she climbed to the second floor, asked the same question Eterna did. Was it fun? she added. The two had said so much at her, but as a matter of fact, she was having fun, so Flamm let them slide without even a single comeback, and instead, yeah, I had a blast she said, without an ounce of irritation in her tone. In response, both Eterna and Ink shared her joy and frankly said thats great. Flamm then returned to her room and practices refining her Prana and control her mana when she heard the noises from the first floor where Milkit was beginning to cook dinner. She then decided to put her training on hold to go back down to the first floor to help Milkit with her chores. Lured by the mouthwatering aroma from the cooking as it slowly comes to a finish, Eterna showed up at the dining room. Believing that those who dont work cannot eat, Eterna was forced to carry the dishes to the dining table before the three begun enjoying their dinner. After dinner comes the free time. Flamm spent her free time enjoying the sight of Milkit earnestly working on her accessory-making, at times giving her a loving hug from behind before the two moved to the bed to read a book. Then, it was time for them to take a bath. Fundamentally, the turn to soak themselves in the bathtub goes from Eterna, Flamm and then Milkit. At the moment, Eterna would wipe Inks body in her own room, but in due time, surely the two would be able to enter the bath together. After bath, all thats left is to tuck themselves in bed. Flamm and Milkit climbed into the same bed, clinging onto each other and enjoying each others warmth despite their mutual embarrassment. Before long, their consciousness slips and they entered their slumber, bidding their farewells to their bittersweet reality and into a soothing, happy dream as the night uneventfully passesfor perhapsthe last time. The next day, Flamm heads out for the guild the first thing in the morning, taking another job to hunt a D-rank monster outside the capital from Iira who still dons her usual detestable attitude. Flamms strength should allow her to fight an A-rank monster with ease, though the problem with the capital is that the monster rank around it only went up to B, so for her to advance further to a higher rank, shed either have to proactively seek for a grand campaign or do whatever detestable violence Dain had undertaken in the past. However, Flamms current goal is not to increase her rank in the guild. With her current job, she should be able to earn enough income to sustain her and her housemates lifestyle. Additionally, the girl is not particularly interested in honor nor prestige for she is already satisfied with where she stands. Her current job aside, Flamm also undertook a request from Eterna to collect medicinal herbs as well as hunting other monsters that had nothing to do with either job. When she finished her expedition, Flamm returned to the guild by evening, submitting the requested material to Iira who shrugged it off saying youre doing so well its boring, before engaging in a two-sided quarrel as she hands off the reward. By the way, is Gadio in? The guild master? He went out early today, sayin he went to the store he told you about. The store? Shedid recall that. Flamm had the chance to meet Gadio recently, with the latter asking so what do little girls like to eat these days?, quite an uncharacteristic question, if you ask Flamm, but then she remembered about Hallom. Her response should have been about a confectionery store shed thoroughly recommended, one that visited with Cyrill once upon a time. Remembering her smile from that day never fails to bring her heart pain, but at the very least, the memory of that day was as sweet as the cake they had. She wanted to believe that it was the best recommendation she could give. Butthat store, huh. Taste aside, that place was truly a fancy one, something that is a complete opposite of Gadios getup and build. Though she can also easily imagine a father figure beaming with smile as he buys his daughter a cake. Oh by the way, theres someone waiting for you in the office. Huh? Theyre waiting for this long? Oh, its Reach-san. It was the Master and now the CEO of Mancathy firmyour personal connectionsre starting to scare me. How bout you introduce me sometimes. If youd start working properly, Ill think about it. You sure love to talk mad shit, huh. Sides, I do plan on living properly. Leaving the abusive Iira alone, Flamm went to the office to meet Reach, supporting both elbows on the table as if thinking deeply about something. Flamm quipped a greeting, shocking the man as he appeared to have not noticed the girls arrival to the guild. Aah, Flamm-sanso youve come. Looks like I made you wait while youre busy. Dont worry, it was my decision to wait. Therestheres something I have got to confirm with you. Seeing Reach acting off, Flamm lowered herself to sit down across him with her guard up. After several times stammering and hesitating, he confirmed that no ones eavesdropping and whispered. Did youdid you really kill Satyllus? Flamms breath got stuck in her throat. Why would he, who seemed eternally busy, spare some time to wait for her? And why was he trying to confirm the news of Satyllus death? It has to be a coincidence. She must have seen wrong, and she must know more to ensure the answer is solid. Is she not dead? Yesshe was reported as missing, but it appears that last night she returned to her mansion. I just talked to her this morning. No way! Flamm held her head. She had exhaustively spent her efforts making sure she is thoroughly and inescapably dead. Theres no way someone can be immortal like that. She even took the extra effort to ensure that her heart had stopped beating. Was she just a body double? No, if she was, then she shouldnt be able to enter and exit that room. Then, perhaps, was the Satyllus Reach was talking to the body double? How was she when she talked to you, Reach-san? Theres something out of place for sure. The first time she saw me she looked like she doesnt know me. No matter how under the weather she was, she shouldnt have acted like that, butafter that, she immediately remembers, and the conversation that happened after that feels just like the usual Satyllus. Reallythen shes the real Satyllus then Judging by your reactions, the one you dispatched was the real one as well. Without a doubt, and I thoroughly dispatched her. Theres no way she shouldve come back alive after that. Then, if what Reach said is true, then the Satyllus he encountered this morning could well be the real person as well. To begin with, theres no body double that should look exactly the same as the original, and even if theres a way to do so, there should be no conceivable way to deceive Reachs eyes. A dead personreviving Theres but one explanation, or rather, organization that can do that, and as one might have guessed, it is the church. They did research on resurrecting dead people to do their bidding with the implantation of a coreor so she heard. Forget about doing the churchs bidding for once and consider how Satyllus looks indistinguishable from when she was alive after her resurrection. That was what the girl thought most terrifying about the whole ordeal. You look like youve got an answer for it all. Thats But Flamm hesitated. Reach has yet to delve far into the rabbit hole that is the churchs human experimentation program. Hes still within range of turning back and live his somewhat peaceful life. Hence, Flamm couldnt say it. It wasnt something she should disclose. Within the church, the pope is followed by what they called the Five Cardinalsor rather, they are the five heads of the organization. One of them is called Slovanak Saty, the person Satyllus made the contract with. H-huh. Slovanak is the person the church entrusted in dealing with illegal goods such as drugs. Then we have Satuuki, the one who rallied the Church Knights; Tarch who is in charge of the priests and the nuns, and Toizzo, pope Fedros right-hand man. Finally, we have Formo, the one in charge of the core of the church, the research department. Reach was not merely showing off his knowledge. Formo was constantly out on a business trip, hence we concluded that he has multiple established research facilities outside the capital. We have yet to grasp what the research is about, but we have established monitoring of them. We have hypothesized that he is carrying out inhumane researches, but although we are convinced he is, we have no evidence. Are you telling me that youve known far too much for me to not share with you what I know? I am glad you are quick on the uptake. Flamm sighed are you sure? The church is killing people as if its nobodys business. If I open my mouth, you might be putting Welcy-san on the chopping block. It is exactly because of it that I need to know. If we have special interest, I wouldnt even think of putting my foot into this. The less people are involved the better, but the church doesnt have the word mercy in their vocabulary, and as days goes by, more innocent people will be swallowed dead by their research. Thus, if people like Reach were to begin digging for information, they will be targeted in the matter of when instead of if. Then, perhaps it would be better to have him cooperate sooner than later. The reason Satyllus was resurrectedwas perhaps the act of a research department they call Necromancy. So its a team of research in bringing back the dead? Are they capable of doing that? It was natural for Reach to doubt her words. It was a hard pill to swallow, even for Flamm who had faced the results head-on. However, thinking back to when she manipulated Inks life when she replaced her heart, technically, even Flamm was able to. That was her conclusion. However, the resurrected being should end up being something different from when they were alive. Flamm continued and explained to Reach about the Origin Core that the church uses; the core that will be embedded into monsters and humans alike, turning it into an abomination with mystifying powers. She also detailed that the transformed, mangled corpses that had their limbs multiplied were also the victim of the same core. Finally, she told him about the power called Origin, how it had conscience, and how it is aiming for her life Thisthis had gone far beyond my expectation Reach said at the end of Flamms exposition, bringing his hands to cover his face, perhaps an attempt to collect his thoughts. The girl opposite of him chose to wait for him to do so quietly. the church should have been trying to cover up their research, butwhy are they allowing Satyllus to walk under the sun? Either theyre desperate or that her walking under the sun is also part of their experiment. Then they wouldnt have picked someone high profile like Satyllus. Maybe theyre doing it to shake and lure the person who killed hermaybe theyre trying to intimidate you, Flamm-san. That sly method of intimidation proves to be terrifyingly effective. However, since the previous day when Flamm visited Satyllus mansion, there hasnt been any noticeable actions made by the church. If it is to be a trap, the opportunity had slipped them by. For the life of me I cannot read what the church is planning. Yes. Perhaps what I can say for sure, is that we should not recklessly approach Satyllus. Even after this exchange of information, they still have no idea what the resurrected woman is planning. Thus, Reach excused himself to proceed with his business and left them adjourning the meeting. He just went and did something uncharacteristic. He reminisced the time when he would line up in front of a store to buy something Thea had loved. That was the last time he felt the embarrassment of buying a present for someone. I hope Celena and Hallom would be happy with it Gadio made his way home with a box of cake in his hand. He, too, had realized that he cannot keep on shouldering the memory of Thea and Soumas death. The two had wished for Gadio for happiness in their stead, but the greater obstacle was Gadios own conviction. He still believed that he was but a cowarda coward that had left behind and abandoned his loved one and his best friend. As long as that self-condemnation remains in his heart, he will have difficulties moving on forward. However, he wanted to at least answer to Celena and Halloms expectations. That weight is now nestled in that cake sitting in the box. The man stood in front of the gate, uncharacteristically heaving a sigh as he did. Passing through the gate, he went for the entrance, and just as he was about to open the door, it opened from the inside only to see the pale face of Celena, trying to catch her breath. G-Gadio-san, youre finally back!! Yeah. I thought of buying Hallom a cake. T-thank youbut this isnt the time! It was uncommon for Celena to be in such a panic. Perhaps something had happened to the little girl. Celena tugged on his arm, aiming to bring him somewhere, but with a slight noise escaping her mouth, the woman stopped dead in his tracks. Gadio followed the womans gaze, but then it was his turn to stand shock-still. Welcome backoh wait, it should be the other way around, right? Standing in comparison to Gadios memory, the woman said with a cheery voice; Im back, Ga-kun. Her radiant smile overlaps with the one in his memories. The woman who lost her life after he left her behindthe woman he would trade the world for. Her facedidnt just overlap with his memories. They were the exact same one. TThea? Theres no way he would mistake that face. After all, there was no way he would forget her face. Butthat was why he was perplexed. Why? Its not possible Of course! Its me, as you live and breathe! Its your partner slash wife, Thea Luscat! Theres no way Forget overjoyed, Gadios mind short-circuited. He saw her die with his very eyes, but Theaas she lived and breathed, was standing there. That abnormal sight was too difficult for him to accept. Even his body, tempered in decades of adventuring was sending him warnings, telling him to not take even a step forward, but at the same time, the great deal of joy was clashing in his mind, freezing time completely. The cake in his hand falls, and before he knows it, he was holding Thea in his arms, tightly as if to make up for lost time. CH 35 "You''re in pain, Gadio-kun." Thea, embraced by his thick arms, said with a smile. "...... Thea." Gadio called her name with all his heart. "You don''t have to sound so lonely, I''m right here." She, too, replied in a voice full of love for him, and put her arms around his back. "Thea ......." "Heh heh, to get such a passionate hug from the shy Gadio-kun, it''s a reviving experience, isn''t it?" He was sure he could feel it in his arms. As if it were a dream. Ah, then again, it might have been better if it had been a dream. However, this was reality, this nightmarish, happy reality. " But I think it''s about to ...... get a little, seriously painful. ...... I give up!" Bofu bofu1, Thea patted Gadio on the back. She then loosens her arm and grabs him by the shoulders and looks him squarely in the face. "I didn''t know what you meant when you said six years, but when I saw your unpleasant face, I understood." "Thea, you havent changed." With these these words, his hand approached her slightly reddened cheeks. His fingertips were trembling. It was as if he was touching a sand goddess statue that was about to crumble. No matter how many times he checked, he could not believe it. But there she is. Thea, who was supposed to be dead, is right in front of him. "And your warmth hasn''t changed, has it?" Thea laid her palm on the large hand that touched her cheek. Her eyes narrowed, as if she, too, could see that Gadio was right in front of her. The two silently feel each other''s presence. The atmosphere created a world of their own, inaccessible to others. Celena watched them from a distance with a complicated expression on her face. This lasted for a while and then, reluctantly, Thea slowly pulled her hand away. "I have a lot to tell you, so let''s go inside." She turned around and asked Celena a question. "How''s my room?" "Well, umm, its exactly how it was, with some cleaning up." "I see. Thanks, Celena. Well, why don''t we talk in my room?" Gadio walked into the house by Thea''s hand. The only thing Celena could do was to send them off. Her head''s understanding has not caught up with reality. She doesn''t even know about the church experiment, and she can''t even guess why. So, alone and left behind, she just had to stand there. In a certain region, there was a cluster of trees that bore very beautiful fruit. However, the fruit are poisonous, and if you eat them, your body will be poisoned little by little. Everyone living in the area knew this, and naturally, they did not let anybody eat them without being warned by first. However, one man living in the area ate a berry the size of his fingertip out of curiosity. He became obsessed and continued to eat it every day until he vomited up blood and died. Why was he unable to refrain from consuming them, even though the people around him stopped him along the way? Simple. Because the berries had a very luscious taste. Because he was captivated by them. That''s the only reason. For that reason alone, the man willingly continued to take the poison into his body and died. Gadio remembered the story that Lowe had told him. At the time, he had laughed it off, saying that the man was a fool. "Muu~ he was a wild man after all, Gadio-kun" Thea''s room in the mansion. She was sitting on his lap on the sofa, touching his face. He had always used this position when he was pampering her. However, it wasn''t long before she died, about a year ago, that they had become so close. "Though I like the thin and fresh Gadio-kun of the past, the Gadio-kun of today is just as nice as the Gadio-kun of today. He has become a man who is worthy of protecting and has become an adult. That''s my husband!" "...... Is that so?" "Yeah, exactly. The most important thing to remember is that you can''t be too modest about it." She said this and leaned against his thick breastplate. Gadio naturally put his arm around her back. It was a kind of habit. He was always putting his arms around her back and holding her close. "For me, it''s only been a month, but it''s already been six years." "The house hasn''t changed, has it?" "The rooms and the like were surprisingly unchanged, however, the royal capital''s streets and the people who lived there have all been changed. Celena and also Hallom ....... was it? I never thought that Souma''s child would grow up to be that big." Thea said sadly. The six years of blank space can no longer be filled in any way. Seeing her like this, Gadio gradually lowered his guard. She has feelings, she has warmth. If this is not Thea, then what is there to believe? The only thing that worried me was that I couldn''t feel her heartbeat. "And I''ve been ...... changed, too, haven''t I?" "You said I came back to life. What happened?" Gadio really did not want to hear it. If it was just a dream, it would be fine if it ended happily ever after, Gadio began to really think so as he held her in his arms. However, in reality, that was not the case. The fact that something impossible was happening, and that it was the handiwork of the church, is undeniable. There was no way to avoid questioning her, and may even have to kill her with his own hands. "I don''t really understand it either, but I heard that an Origin core was implanted in my dead body." -- Origin core. That name had come up, though he had expected it. Gadio clenched his fists and said in a hushed voice. "I knew it was so......." "By the way you talk, Gadio-kun, you do know about origin cores, so I''ll skip the explanation. Anyway, I was able to control and weaken that mysterious power and adjust my body so that I didn''t turn into a monster, so I finally got permission to go out." The fact that this was said from Thea''s own mouth was quite surprising to Gadio. If it was a trap set by the church, they would have concealed something inconvenient. No, on the contrary, is she trying to catch him off guard by openly revealing false information? Not being able to read her intentions - Gadio''s brow wrinkles. Thea stared at it, then reached out her index finger, touched it, and fiddled with the wrinkle. "I wish you could smile more now that we''ve met again" "Not so fast, the Origin Core is a dangerous thing. The monster that destroyed our team was also a monster enhanced by the core." "The doctor told me that too. He said that at that time the control was still too weak. I don''t agree with him, but now that I''m back, I can''t say anything about it." "Who''s the doctor?" "The man in charge of the Necromancy team. His name is Dafiz Sharmath, I think. He is a tall, skinny man with glasses and always wears a white coat." Ask one and you will get ten back. Why didn''t she hide it? At this rate, she could have told me where the institute was if I had asked her. "Your face shows confusion. The doctor said I don''t have to hide anything from you. "I don''t understand. What the hell are these ...... church people doing bringing you back from the dead and taking the trouble to see me for what purpose?" Gadio was distraught. Even in the face of him, Thea looked calm, smiling broadly as she spun her words. "I don''t know about the other research teams, but at least the purpose of Necromancy is to bring the dead back to life, that''s all. If someone is grieving over the death of a loved one, I want to save that person. Really, I think that''s all there is to it." Thea didn''t seem to be lying. At least, it seemed that way to Gadio, who knew her before she died. The Origin Core certainly has the power to perform miracles that mankind has given up on until now, if only it could be controlled. If the result of that is Thea, who is now in front of him-- "............ No, I still can''t believe it." Gadio said and shook his head. Seeing him like that, Thea looked sad, but quickly returned to smiling. "The doctor also said it would be difficult to get you to accept it right away. It''s true, not only for you, Gadio-kun, but for Celena as well. It''s not good to come back after being dead for six years, is it?" "Sorry ...... I''d be happy too if I could." But that was not possible. It''s not possible when the church is clearly involved. "Don''t apologize to me. But you''ll see me again, right?" "Again?Are you going away?" "My body still needs some fine-tuning. If I''m not careful, the origin might take over my body. So I have to go back to the institute in a couple of hours." "I see ......" It''s too bad, Gadio thought. No matter how hard he tried to convince himself that it was a trap set by the church, the woman in front of him was indeed his dead wife, Thea. He could not hold back his delight. "I love you because you look so sad here. I hear that one of these days, when I''m done adjusting, I''ll be able to live with you properly, so please be patient until then." If the time would really come - how happy he would be. "Until that time comes, can we just stick together like this?" "I won''t refuse you that much." "Fufu, Gadio-kun, you''re as sweet as ever." A peaceful, dreamlike time passed. The anxiety swirling in Gadio''s chest had not yet disappeared. However, it was certainly fading away each time he felt her warmth. It was dangerous. However, everything he gained in return for the risk was too great. The more immersed he got, the harder it became for Gadio to get out of the luscious swamp. Yet, there was an atmosphere of steady progress in that direction, and not only Hallom, but even Celena was beginning to have expectations, or rather, a sense of certainty. Even if it was not possible right away, she was sure that she would be able to marry Gadio in a year ...... or even two years. "I''m not going to be able to do that now that the real wife has come back." "Real?Were you a fake, Mom?" "......!" Hallom''s words, which were not malicious, pierced Celena. That was a poor choice of words, it can''t be expressed in terms of real or fake. Even Celena''s thoughts should have been true. But this was the second time, the 2nd time. It was just a compromise between two people who healed each other''s wounds. "If she''s there, won''t she become my mother?If so, I don''t want her!" "Hey, Hallom, don''t say that." "You know, she scares me!I''m sure you''re much nicer than she is!" "Ah, I can''t get mad at you if you say that!" Celena said as she squatted down and patted Hallom''s head. "Thea is a good girl, I''m sure she would be happy to talk to you." "I don''t think she will." "Don''t assume before you do it, that people are ......" "It''s different Mom, it''s not that I''m afraid of her because I hate her." Hallom looked more frightened than disgusted. Celena, sensing something disturbing, listened to her words without dismissing them. "She looks empty." Celena tilted her head at the abstract word. "Empty?" "She''s smiling but not smiling, She looks happy but not happy at all." "Huh?I''m sorry Hallom, could you please tell me so your mom can understand?" "I can''t ...... tell you, I don''t know. But that''s how I feel." 2 A child''s feeling is something that adults cannot understand. It could simply be that she is not compatible with Thea - but if you actually talk to her, you''ll miss her properly. Because no matter where she went, it was always Thea who was missed by children, and Celena, who used to be much gruffer than she is now, was the one who frightened children. She didn''t think much of Hallom''s words, but patted her head again. "For now, do you want to eat the cake Gadio bought for us?" She smiled at her. She was still looking anxious, but she couldn''t resist her appetite, and she shook her head. Two hours later, a carriage arrived in front of Gadio''s mansion. Thea said goodbye to Gadio and Celena, told them, "I''ll be back soon", and returned to the institute. After seeing the carriage off until it is out of sight, the two walk toward the entrance. There was no conversation of any kind between them. The night goes on, leaving an awkward feeling in the air. Flamm returned home from the guild and sat around the dinner table with Mirkit and Eterna. "Is there something you, perhaps, don''t like in there?" Milkit asked fearfully. She took a pinch of the food and popped it into her mouth as if to make up for it. "No, not particularly" She answered vaguely. Eterna was like this throughout the dinner, even after the meal was over. While Flamm and Mirkit were cleaning up, Eterna looked blankly up into the air and thought about something, then stood up and went upstairs. The two remaining in the living room looked at each other and tilted their heads at the same time. This mystery was solved while Eterna was taking a bath. Flamm had just gone upstairs and was about to enter her room. Perhaps noticing her footsteps, Ink spoke to him from inside the room. "Hey, Flamm, who was that person?" "That person?" "Around mid-afternoon, I think, someone who sounded like a grandpa and a grandma should have been here. ...... Oh, by the way, Milkit was taking a nap after finishing her chores." No wonder she didn''t say anything. Surely she would have hung out the futon today, and the warmth of it would have put her to sleep. When she imagined that scene, Flamm''s cheeks relaxed. However, it doesn''t matter now. But aside from that, she curious about the visitor. "Hey, Ink, was that person Eterna-san who was answering the door?" "That''s supposed to be her. Oh, I wonder why she doesn''t talk to Flamm." "I guess she thought it was nothing serious and she didn''t need to tell us." "But they were talking for a long time." The two of them knew to the fact that Eterna was acting strangely. Flamm asked her straightforwardly as she came out of the bath. But all he got in return were vague words that didn''t make sense. She also blatantly averted her eyes. However, even if she found out that she was deceiving she, he would never know the truth unless she told him. Flamm had no choice but to give up. If she went to bed and woke up, she might be back to normal. Perhaps it was this naive hope that made Flamm give up so easily. However, the situation did not improve with the passage of time. Speaking of changes, since that day, Eterna has been going out more and more often. That is all. CH 36 Slight note before the chap: we have no clue if kuro has actually dropped this or not, they only translate a chap every few months tho so may as well pick this up. If they haven''t dropped this, well oops sry "We were sure of a bright future when we grew up, and we were sure that we would be able to work on our own. But then, just before we were about to get married, the incident occurred." The smile disappears from Dafiz''s face. The memory of those days were still vividly etched in his brain, unforgettable. Susie* was a grade-A adventurer. Another adventurer, jealous of her, trapped her, roughed her up, and then killed her. When he returned to the town, her corpse was in such a terrible state that ...... he collapsed on the spot and wept for three days and three nights, clinging on to the corpse. Even when decomposition began sometime along the way, and a strange smell enveloped the area, he had still refused to leave. He was buried in so much grief during that time that even that smell he thought, was sweet since it came from her. He spent the next few months grieving. He was in the depths of despair, living his life as if it had died with Susie''s corpse, but later it was the Origin Church that gave him hope. He gradually became absorbed in religion, and before he knew it, he was involved in the study of the origin core. As a new recruit, he had worked hard to try and take his mind off of Susie, working day and night, always feeling on the cusp of discovering something within him. That effort paid off. As he studied there, he found that he had the power to bring the souls back from the underworld. He realized that with this power, he could bring his love back to life. He wrote a paper and submitted it to the Cardinal, and to his surprise, it was accepted as one of the major projects, along the Spiral Children, for the future of the Church. And so his team was born, around the field of Necromancy. From the launch of the team to the present, there were many hardships. However, after more than a decade of research, they were finally at the day which Dafiz had longed for all this time. "Our goal is to completely revive the dead, not to be transformed by the influence of the Origin, but to regain their original human personalities and lives." It sounded strange for him to say this, since he was so absorbed in Originism, but he really didn''t care about the convenience of God or the church. He simply wanted to revive Susie. To do so, he not only had to revive the dead, but also had to devise a means to regenerate their decomposing body. This specific part of the research is a private affair. "I am sorry to the researchers that it took me longer than necessary to complete it because I was so concerned about Susie''s resuscitation," he thought. However, when he saw Susie sitting next to him and the smiles of her daughter ???? Rukou, who was sitting on her lap, he felt from the bottom of my heart that he was glad he did it. "The resuscitation of Mrs. Claudia and Mr. Kinder 1 is necessary for the completion of our research. Even if we revived them, it would be meaningless if their personalities were taken over by Origin. To suppress this, we needed the knowledge of the two of you who have been involved in human experimentation. Therefore, let me hereby make it clear that it was never our intention to undermine the departed relatives/friends of the heroes." "Then ...... why did you also revive Gadio''s wife?" Eterna asked in a somber tone. Although she and Thea had never met, she knew her from her adventures with Gadio and the rest of the hero party. If he had no intention of confining Gadio, then what on earth was he doing implanting the origin core in Thea? "Originally, Thea''s body was stored in the Spiral''s laboratory. Since she was an S-rank adventurer, they likely thought that she might have a use one day. But one day I happened to learn about Gadio''s past. When I heard about it, I simply couldn''t believe it was anything but my problem. After all, since I had the resources to do it, ignorance is just as bad as guilt." Dafiz was a very strange man. He did not conceal the fact that he was from the church or that he was involved in necromancy, and he simply appeared in front of Eterna in an unassuming manner. His status was also ordinary, with no signs of having taken in an origin core, and physically he was really just an ordinary person. Moreover, he answered almost all of her questions, it didn''t look like he was lying. No, to begin with - he had a timid, good-natured demeanor that makes it hard to believe that he is involved in human experimentation at the church. And the way he plays with his wife and children, he seemed like the father of a happy family. For that reason, Eterna could not bear any animosity toward him. But what further solidified that resolve was this: "Because I too have experienced the pain of losing my wife." Dafiz''s face turned dark as he recalled this loss. Suzie silently took his hand in hers. Seeing this, Luko reaches out her hand as well, as if to say, "Join me." "The proposal ????? is only a proposal in name. Even if Ms. Eterna does not want to do so, I promise that when the influence of Origin is completely removed, Mr. Kinder and Ms. Claudia will be completely free." "For what purpose? I can''t think of any reason for you to do this." "If my research makes someone happy, what more could I want?" Dafiz said with a smile. Eterna left the hotel and walked back to her house. The sun was already setting and the sky a dark blue. Today, Milkit was cooking a more luxurious meal than usual to celebrate Ink finally being able to leave her room. Yet, Eterna felt self-loathing as she walked around this place without helping out. "I wasn''t a good enough adult for anyone to depend on. No matter how big you sound or how mature you act, if you don''t have substance, it is meaningless." Right now, Eterna is betraying Flamm and indulging in herself, working with the church. But ...... She couldn''t stop, she just couldn''t. Before setting out on her journey to defeat the demon king, Eterna had searched for the whereabouts of Kinder and Claudia. The place she arrived at was in front of a gravestone with only their names inscribed on it. She collapsed and burst into tears. "I''ll never see them again" -- that realization came to her, and the sense of loss that she had left behind fifty years ago enveloped her all at once. "The truth is, I''ve always wanted to see you again. I had hoped to see you, hug you, talk to you a lot, and spend just that little bit more time with you." It was a dream that spilled out from her. You can''t throw away a dream for the sake of a mundane sense of justice. She had found herself in front of her house. Eterna stopped and mumbled something to herself. "...... Sorry, guys." "Are those words for the betrayal I was currently committing, or are they words for the future--or are they words for the future of the world?" She thought to herself. Ink was the first to greet her as she opened the front door and said, "I''m home." She stood up the moment she heard Eterna''s voice and gave her an innocent smile, "Welcome home." Her heart ached. It felt painful enough for her to die. She said, "I told you dinner is ready, let''s eat already.I''m starving." Four days had passed since Eterna had been revealed that she could reunite with those people Ink did not know anything. Flamm and Milkit had no idea what was going on inside her head. None of them had any reason to suspect anything from Eterna after all. She felt nauseous - or rather, she wanted to vomit blood and suffer. But no matter how much she blamed herself in her head, nothing would change. Her experience with the hero''s party, dictated that if something was bothering you, you should reveal it, talk about it, etc, otherwise it would end up hindering your own effectiveness and be bad for all people involved. "It smells so good, I''m getting hungry too." And yet she said nothing. When she went up to the house, she walks past Ink and into the living room where Flamm and Milkit are waiting. "Hey, Eterna,"At that passing moment, Ink called her name. Surpressing her surprise, Eterna stopped and turned around, "What''s up?" "...... oh ...... no, its nothing." She waived it off as such. Even if she couldn''t place her finger on what was wrong, it didn''t mean she didn''t notice how distraught Eterna felt. In particular, she must have noticed the emotional swings in Eterna''s voice, as she had a well-developed sense of hearing, perhaps due to the loss of her sight. Eterna pretended to herself that she doesn''t see it, that she shouldn''t be touched by it. A healthy good will. Eterna trampled on it today, too. Of course, with this guilt there was no way she could understand the taste of the food that Milkit had put so much effort into making. It was the morning after that that Eterna suddenly disappeared without telling anyone. All that was left was a note on the table, found by Milkit, who was the first to get up. "I''ll be back in a couple of days." A brief note like that would not convince Flamm. She ran out of the house and headed for Gadio''s mansion. She thought that he might know something about her, since they had traveled together. However, Gadio had also left home, just like Eterna, and all that was left was a letter, which was more polite than a note. "I''ve gone to catch-up with my wife, who is supposed to be dead." Hearing Celena''s explanation, Flamm was momentarily startled, "Thea just suddenly came back, Gadio had told me that she was dead, but then she came back here as if she had risen from the grave, laughing as if she was never gone. I don''t know exactly where he is, all I heard was that he was going to a facility somewhere.I don''t know where it is." "Dead people coming back from the grave ......? That can''t be go-" "But I think it''s best to leave him alone." "What makes you say that?" "It was definitely Thea. I''ve spent a lot of time with him and Gadio assures me that it was definitely Thea. I''ve been thinking about Thea for six years now, and I''ve been beating myself up about it. But Gadio has finally reunited. It isnt something that someone like you should be interrupting." Despite Celena saying that, even Gadio must have realized that Thea''s resuscitation had something to do with the church and Origin. I believe Eterna was also aware of it, but she didn''t tell anyone close to her about it. It was a sign of guilt. "I don''t think so. If you can be happy to let go, you should be proud of it.(?) I think he had some guilt or insecurity somewhere, so he tried to cover it up with a letter." "Even if that were the case, there is nothing I can do about it. The most important thing to remember is that you can''t take away Thea from Gadio. I''ve seen how well they get along with each other." Celena had no intention of going after someone that was originally and now is a citizen. After exchanging a light farewell, Flamm leaves Gadio''s mansion and walks through the streets of the East District. If Gadio and Eterna were walking around early in the morning, they would stand out whether they wanted to or not. She might as well ask around and gather more information... "Ms. Eterna and Mr. Gadio voluntarily disappeared. Assuming that the cause is the same, I wonder if Eterna also had a close partner who was revived. That''s why she started going out without telling us. ......" "No, before that, I''m curious about what Ink said she heard the old people talk about" Eterna must have been acting strangely since that event, meaning that those two people could be her relatives who were revived by the church. The first step is to identify who those people are. Flamm went straight back to the house and decided to hear from Ink first. She was sitting in a chair with Milkit in the living room of her house, silent with an anxious expression on her face. Their faces lighted up at the sight and sound of Flamm''s footsteps when she returns. "Welcome home, master." "Welcome back. How was it?" Seeing the faces of Milkit and Ink lightened Flamm''s heart. However, the situation was getting worse, not better, and this was no time to be relieved. " Gadio was gone, too." "Oh, no!I can''t believe he left at the same time as Eterna. ......" "Of course I''m going to look for him too. Hey Ink, did Eterna ever tell you about any old friends or family members or ...... anyone like that?" "Why?" Ink tilted her head and her black ponytail swayed softly. She had been a member of the Spiral Children, and there was no need for her to hide anything from them. "They were working on something that can bring dead people back to life." "Are you saying that you followed someone who died and disappeared?" "I think that''s a strong possibility, since it seems that Gadio''s dead wife suddenly appeared in his life." "And Satyllus* must also have been brought back to life by the church for some purpose." Ink, wearing a dowdy shirt, said, shaking her feet, which were not on the floor, "Eterna told me she used to live in this house decades ago." "How many decades......?.... um how old is Eterna?" "I don''t think you should worry too much about her age, because it''s not the first time she''s been indeterminate. The most important thing to remember is that she couldn''t find a house so she stayed here." "Then she wasn''t trespassing for no reason." "I suppose trespassing is still trespassing." "Aside from that, I heard that Eterna, who was being experimented on like me, was being raised by a couple of men and women who took over for her parents." The two were surprised to learn that Eterna had been the subject of human experimentation. And Flamm surmises that her ageless body may be the result of that. Or perhaps the enormous amount of magic power for a human could also be a result of that. "He seems to have been so important to her that she saw him in her dreams, so if he really came back to life, she might follow him." Ink said disinterestedly, but her expression showed his loneliness. She had spent most of her time with Eterna since she came to this house. She must have opened my heart to her in no small measure. To disappear without saying a word to someone like that is not something an adult should do. "Come to think of it, not too long ago, Mr. Rich* told me he met the previous owner of this house ......." "Are you saying that those are Eterna''s parents who are supposed to be dead?" "I think that''s a strong possibility, given the timing. Thanks for the information, Ink. I will go to Mr. Rich''s place and ask him about it. You two will have no one to protect you for now, so make sure to lock up tight and never leave the house," Flamm advised them, and they shook their heads in agreement. Smiling with satisfaction, she left the house and headed back to the East District--and back again. If one were to continue straight down the street, you will reach the East Ward as is, but one could save time by using a shortcut known only to locals. Normally, she does not often use that road, which is not very safe, but Flamm, who was not wasting a single second of her time, unusually took advantage of that alley. It was mid-morning, but there was no sunlight, and the street was covered with shadows and empty of people. While walking down the alley, Flamm suddenly stopped. She turned around, pulled out her Zwei Soul Eater, and swung her sword toward the empty sky. Phong! At first glance, the action seemed pointless, but the jet-black blade was perfectly placed on the neck of the blue-haired boy who suddenly appeared on the spot. "Ah-ha!That''s an incomparable reaction to what I saw the first time I saw you!" Nect* said, contorting the spiral of flesh that covered his entire face, and disappeared from the scene. Zok- Flamm felt a chill behind her. But already, Nect''s cold palm was on her neck. "Let''s join, Connection!" "Reversal!" Buzz! The reversal magic, which was quickly casted, won over against Nect''s "Connection". His entire body was blown away, and he looked at his bloodied right hand and grinned, returning to his human face. Flamm glared at him and thrusted the tip of her sword into his neck. "I see," he says, "that''s certainly a problem. At first, the church said you were not a threat, but now they are wrong. They are afraid of death, just like the heroes, so--" "Cut the chatter, and just tell me what you want. Why don''t you just kill me?" "I don''t feel like it." There is no way that a boy who could not be killed by even Gadio could be overpowered by the strength of Flamm. Nect''s relaxed expression was not an act at all. On top of that, he set up Flamm to the extent that he took such an injury and wasn''t retaliating - no doubt, she was being played. "That kind of understanding is another sign that you have grown up, friend," he said. "Well, that''s tricky, and it''s going to be a while before we can come to a conclusion on this one." "I thought I told you not to waste time talking." "Hah ...... you''re so impatient. I''ve been very busy moving because someone messed up my previous base, you know?I hope you''ll forgive me for this kind of shenanigans. All right, then I''ll be short and concise, as youve requested." Nect, who had given up on rhetoric, suddenly turned serious. Then, in a cold voice, he told her. "I hope you crush Necromancy." The Children and Necromancy were supposed to be projects of the same church. Yet, this boy asked her to destroy it. "What do you mean by ......?" She couldn''t read the intent at all. Their thinking was extremely different from that of ordinary people, and as such she had no idea how to make predictions. Sweat beaded on her palms as she grip the handle. Flamm narrowed her eyes and stared at Nect. CH 37 Seeing Flamm stunned, Nect shut his mouth tight while laughing, as his shoulders shook. "I said that in response to Onee-san''s request. Thanks to that reaction, I decided to talk to you a bit more." "Alright, just tell me why you said that. Necromancy, aren''t they a nakama1 of the same church?" "Nakama....nakama right....... haha, is that how we look. No, that''s definitely how it looks." "Chimera, too?" "That''s right. The Children, Necromancy, Chimera. Think about it for a second, why would the Church go to the trouble of setting up three research teams?" "That is ......." It could''ve been meant as a fallback in case of failure. They could''ve also been cooperating with each other - no wait, Nect said he wanted to "destroy" Necromancy. In other words, they were not friends. "Do they exist to compete?" Flamm said, and Nect nodded his head with his arms folded. Let them engage in friendly competition, aim higher. Maybe only one of the three would eventually be chosen. Selection......What on earth were they going to choose them for? Thirty years ago, the human-demon war, and the deployment of the Heroes. The Church had always wanted the demon''s territory. To increase their military strength -- perhaps to operate the Origin Core as a weapon, Flamm thought. "This is a pretty private feeling, but I think even Mother and the Chimera are thinking the same things." "What things?" "Necromancy is an eyesore." Nect turned his head towards Flamm. His face was expressionless with hardly any inflection in his voice. They must hate Necromancy that much. "In short, it''s a difference in direction. We and the Chimera, well, we don''t get along, but we both seek power. But Necromancy is different, their goal is to bring back the dead. They want to "make people happy", that''s disgusting to keep researching with such a beautiful idea! That might as well be mocking Origin!" His words carried passion. If what he says was true, that the research was really just about resurrecting the dead, then Flamm wouldn''t any reason to stop it. "Currently, Dafiz''s research has been very successful." "Dafiz?" "The good-looking glasses-wearing leader of the Necromancy, my most hated archetype!This guy managed to revive the dead, suppress the effects of the Origin as to make them seem like they''ve never died, and even make children with them." "If that''s how it is....." "Of course not, you really think it would be like that?" With a thin smile, Nect stared at Flamm wide open eyes. She was aware, and he knew that. That''s why Flamm bit her lip while wearing a bitter expression "You know why I just said it that way, right Onee-san?" "...... The Origin Core, I don''t think it can be controlled to that extent" "Yes exactly, a persons brain can''t just override the will of the Origin!To even think that the revived dead are in the same state as when they were alive is suspicious. Even so, Necromancy is highly regarded by the cardinals. If it were possible to raise the dead, it would bring in tons of faith and money, you know? We and Chimera both find it to be an eyesore." Nect said, as if he was trying to vent out his hatred. In other words, both Flamm''s and his purpose were the same. To expose Necromancy''s lies and to ruin their research. As such, Gadio and Eterna would return and theChildren''s position in the church would improve. It seemed like an ideal deal, no one would lose anything. "If so, why didn''t you just do it yourself?" "It would be easy to destroy it. Problem is, we belong to the same church, so we can''t really do that. We had to do it another way." "That way would be through me." Flamm said bluntly. She didn''t like how she was being used. "That''s right. You know, you''re special. Just looking at you makes the core of my chest to shake, making me lose my mind, making me feel as if my personality is being taken!" Nect said with an almost aroused expression while clenching his fist around his chest. His face warped. Not in a figurative or metaphorical sense, but in the sense that it lost its shape like a squishy marble pattern. It was like a vortex of flesh and a human face, fluctuating between the two. "Haaaa...... I mean, well," He took a deep breath, and his face returned to normal. Unlike his previous words, he continued in a calm tone of voice. "The ones with the Origin Core won''t be able to maintain composure while in front of you, Onee-san. Just your presence is like experiencing a love that stirs the emotions." "That example is gross." "Khehehe, sorry, sorry, I got all worked up and said something weird. But it''s true, and it''s a weapon to destroy Necromancy''s falsehoods." Nect wasn''t asking Flamm to attack their research institute. He just-- "Just go there, just being there will be enough to do the job." "Even if I were to take your offer, what good would it do me?" "I''ll tell you where the institute is." That was a very tempting offer. Flamm had planned to look into it on her own. But when she had asked Reach, he didn''t have much information about the research itself, as far as he had told her the other day. The Pope and the Cardinal knew more than Flamm and the others, but it was doubtful whether he could explain where Eterna and the others were, even when asked. If so, it would have to be done on foot - but if done that way, it would have been uncertain when the research institute would be found. Moreover, the only person who could fight the church is Flamm. If Milkit or Ink were to be targeted in the meantime, it would be difficult to defend them. "I doubt it would be a bad proposition for either of us." Nect smiled boldly. It would be a pain to do what he wants, but it would also be bad to let Dafiz do what he wanted. Between bad and awful, she had no choice. "...... Just tell me the laboratory''s location." "Just as I had thought." Nect, smiling like a boy of his age, truthfully told Flamm the institute''s location. However, even though she had obtained some promising information, she didn''t feel better. A bitter feeling spread throughout her chest. After saying what he had to say, Nect disappeared. Flamm, who was left there, sighed heavily alone in the quiet alley and went back the way she came. Flamm returned much sooner than Milkit expected. She greeted her at the door and looked at her grumpy Lord curiously as she said, "Welcome home." "Is there something wrong?" "I know where Eterna-san and Gadio-san are." Flamm said bluntly. "Eh, so soon?That''s great, Master!" And Milkit started jumping up and down. "It''s not great at all. ......" Normally, she would be happy, but she couldn''t be so happy right now. Flamm''s shoulders slumped. If she knew where the two of them were, why was she so down? The mystery only deepened. Seeing her staggering to the living room, Milkit tilted her own head, saying aloud, "Nnn?" "Welcome back, you''re here early, Flamm." "I''m home. I ...... had an unexpected encounter." Flamm responded to Ink in a low tone. She sat down on the chair languidly and plopped onto the table. "Ahaha, have you met someone you hate?" "Yep, I met Nect." "Eh ......!?" "Nect is one of the Spiral Children, isn''t he? Why all of a sudden!" Both Ink and the Milkit who just entered the room were astonished. "The research teams in the church didn''t seem to get along with each other. Have you heard anything about that, Ink?" "I was never part of that kind of talk." Ink pouted. It is because of such treatment that she did such a crazy thing as escaping. "I see. If you don''t know, I guess I don''t know the full details of your situation. Anyway, he told me that if I destroyed Necromancy, he would tell me where the lab was." "So did Master accept?" Milkit sat down next to Flamm and asked her. "I was torn, but I knew I had to take it. Certainly, I don''t want to do what the church wants, but I''m worried about Eterna-san and Gadio-san." "But isn''t it possible that it''s a trap ......?" "I don''t think so. Nect has a tendency to get emotional. I think he got upset when he heard that they invited a hero into the institute one time." Ink''s words were persuasive, since she had lived with Nect for a long time. "Either way, Flamm is going to go, right?" "As long as I recieve it, you know. So, what are you guys going to do while I''m gone--" At that moment, Milkit grabbed the hem of Flamm''s dress. Then she tied her mouth tight and looked at her Master with a sorrowful expression. Flamm gently patted her head and said, "I know you don''t have to tell me. "I''m going to take Milkit with me, but what about you, Ink?Eterna has left us enough medicine to spare, so I think we can ask Reach to keep you safe." There was no need to put Ink in danger. Flamm wanted her to be safe in the royal capital if possible, but - she and Eterna didn''t know each other that well. "I want to go with you too.I might be a liability, but it might be easier to bring Eterna home ..... if I''m there." She was aware that she was a liability. So she was modest, fidgety, and insisted in a small voice. "Nect says it is not a dangerous place. The Sheol village itself is just a church research facility, and from the outside it doesn''t look like anything more than a farming village. Besides, unlike the Children and Chimera, they don''t pursue powerful forces, so no need to worry about being attacked out of the blue." "So then .... I can go too?'' "However, I can''t guarantee your safety. I don''t want to hurt the Ink that I took the trouble to save. "I understand. If I have to, I''ll do my best to run away." Truth is, it wasn''t that simple. The first thing to do was to meet up with Eterna and leave Ink with her to persuade her to come back. After that, she should meet Gadio, talk to him ...... and then what? Nect said that just by being there, Necromancy will collapse, but it wouldn''t be known what exactly would happen until getting there. Would it go out of control and attack everyone like that ogre did sometime ago? Or would something even more horrifying occur? With their fears swelling in their minds, Flamm and the others prepared themselves and headed for the horse-drawn wagon stop. Numerous farming villages were scattered around the royal capital to support its huge population. The population per place was about 1,000 at most, but if all of them were united, their population would far exceed that of the royal capital. The most important route of the kingdom, the kaido2, was laid out in the middle of idyllic countryside. Flamm, Milkit, and Ink were riding on the back of a horse-drawn wagon on their way to Sheol Village. They oftenly passed by other wagons in this area. "To tell the truth, I haven''t been out of King''s Landing very often." Milkit said, sitting on Flamm''s left. By the way, Ink is sitting on her right side. "Then, is this type of scenery new to you?" "Yeah, I was imagining that Master''s hometown might be similar to this." It was certainly a desolate and rural landscape compared to the royal capital. Although, Flamm shook her head with a wry smile. "My hometown is much more remote, so you''d probably be surprised when you see it." "Much more than here, you mean?" "Yep, It''s surrounded by thicker forests, and even meadows, untouched by humans, have taller grass and thicker tree. Isn''t it beautiful like the scenery around the royal capital?" "If that''s the case, I''m interested." "I don''t think it would be interesting to see it. ...... Well, if we ever go there together someday." The wheels rolled and the wind rustled through a patch of greenery. The sounds and sights were relaxing, peaceful, and the atmosphere was so intoxicating that you couldn''t help but engage in carefree conversation. The destination was a church research institute. The royal capital is quite close to Sheol Village. It took three hours to approach the vicinity, and the three of them got off the carriage in the shade of a tree not far from the village. There was no way they could''ve rode directly to the village, no matter how much they wanted to. After a 20-minute walk, the village came into view. In the heart of the village stood a church that looked rather splendid for a farming village. If they had known nothing about it, they would''ve just had the impression that it was a place with many devoted believers. But Flamm, who knows what this place was, was convinced. She was convinced that the church was the center of the research institute. First, she observed the surroundings of Sheol from a distance. The village was surrounded by fences, and there were two church knights at each of the northern and southern entrances. There were several threads hanging from the fence that were clearly suspicious. They were probably enchanted to detect any intruders. She could''ve forced her way in by jumping over, but she would''ve had to leave Milkit and Ink behind. There were wagons coming and going, loaded with food, and there wasn''t any sign of the knights stopping them. It was possible that he was a churchman, but he was dressed as an ordinary farmer, so he was probably watching for any suspicious behavior. If that was the case ...... then maybe, as expected, a normal person would be fine with entering head-on. Well, to expect that -- a lightly dressed girl with the mark of a slave on her cheek and several tattoos of epic equipment on her arms, a girl in a serving outfit with her face wrapped in bandages, and a blind girl with her eyes sewn together. --The three of them have too many visual issues, though. As Flamm sat pondering in the bushes for a moment, Milkit said, "Ah." "What''s up, Milkit?" "Gadio-san is ......." She looked at Gadio, who had a calm expression on his face, and a young woman who was arm in arm with him. Flamm understood immediately that that was Thea. If they could at least inform him of their presence - at that moment, Ink lightly leaned over. The trees nearby swayed. Gadio''s gaze suddenly turned toward Flamm and the others. He stopped, said something to Thea, and walked towards them. "Someone''s footsteps are approaching. ...... Is it my fault?" "What do you mean fault, was it the shadows?" The three of them moved to a place where they were completely out of sight of the knight who was the gatekeeper. When Gadio spotted the girls, he approached them while also paying attention to the knight''s gaze. "Don''t tell me you''ve been following us?" ''Of course I would be furious with you for going to a church facility without telling us." ".......... Sorry." When he apologized so honestly, Flamm felt apologetic on his part. "But how did you guys find out about the facility in Sheol, not even half a day after we left royal capital?" "That''s ...... well, a lot has happened. But, Gadio, you look so relaxed. Are you really ok with the research on bringing back the dead?" "I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do that now. The one who was walking with me just now is my wife, Thea, whom I told you about the other day. Excepting the fact that her heart is now an origin core, she is no different than she was when she was alive. And - that man in charge of this facility, Dafiz, is not a bad guy. At least that''s how I feel." Nect said the same thing. Maybe Dafiz is really a good man. "Do you want to meet?" "With that guy?" "Yes, maybe if we talk him through, he''ll want to talk to Flamm as well." In any case, if that whole village was a research facility, it would''ve been difficult to sneak in. And Flamm herself wasn''t sure what to make of Nect''s words about his research into bringing the dead back to life. It might not have been too late to come to a conclusion after actually talking to Dafiz. "What are you going to do, Master?" Milkit looked worriedly at Flamm, who fell silent. Ink, too, was staring at her as if to say, "I leave the choice to Flamm." "Alright, can I see him?" "Well then, follow me." Gadio said and led the three of them toward Sheol Village. Following his broad back, they passed through the gate, continued in the center of town, and headed for the church in question. Flamm felt like she was being looked at from all directions until she got there, which was very uncomfortable. Gadio knocked on the door of a room in the back of the church. A frail-looking man holding a small child appeared from inside. This man was -- Dafiz Sharmath seemingly. When he first saw Flamm and Ink, he was quite surprised. He had no intention of inviting them, but the dangerous element, Flamm, who he had heard reports about, and the supposedly dead Spiral child suddenly appeared. Nevertheless, he quickly regained his composure and led the three of them into the reception room. Gadio returned to Thea. Flamm was a little apprehensive, though it would''ve been better if these two weren''t here at that moment. After all, she had only come to destroy Necromancy''s research, including his wife, Thea. On the sofa in the parlor, from right to left, Ink, Flamm, and Milkit sat down. Dafiz sat on the sofa in front of him and took the young child in his lap. She was called Rukou[^3], and she was staring at Flamm with her dull eyes, not acting up or making a fuss. "If I''m not mistaken, it was Flamm Apricot-san ...... right? I was surprised, I didn''t expect you to come all the way out here. Where did you hear about Sheol Village? "That''s ......." "Well, I have a pretty good idea. The fact that Ink-san is there means that it was from someone related to the Children, right?They hate me and have interfered with me many times in the past." "If that''s the case, then why did you decide to talk to us? "I was hesitant, but I didn''t feel any hostility. Flamm-san, you are a kind person and both of the people next to you love you. So then, I thought that if we discussed it, surely you guys would understand the idea of Necromancy." Dafiz smiled. Indeed, Gadio was right, he had really beautiful eyes, and he didn''t seem to be lying. He must have been a good man. But that didn''t mean I could accept his research that was using the Origin Core. "Resurrecting people. If it really could be done, I too would think that it were possible. But ...... is it truly possible?" "Seeing our village, what did you think of it Flamm-san?" "What do you mean?" "I mean, things like such as how peaceful it is, how quiet it is, among other things, right? I''m just asking about your first impressions." She remembered the scene before they entered the church. The stares were bothersome, but it couldn''t be helped based on their appearance.. More than that, it seemed to her that there were many people walking around with more than one person. Parents, wives, husbands, children, lovers, friends -- everyone was laughing and enjoying their time together. "A happy village, perhaps." Flamm put into words what she felt. Dafiz nodded in satisfaction. "Yeah, that''s how it appears to be. But half of them are dead people." "Ha-..... Half of them!?" At the same time as Flamm, who was surprised out loud, Milkit and Ink also responded to Dafiz''s words. This meant that, given the size of this village, more than two hundred people had already been resurrected from the dead. "That many people have been brought back to life, overcome the sorrow of death, and found happiness. Well, it may not be perfect yet; however, they speak, feel, eat, defecate, sleep, and dare I say it, have intercourse, just like normal human beings. Even children will be born, in fact, this child - Rukou - was born to my wife after she was brought back. In other words, we are very close to perfection. The time is coming when mankind will no longer have to fear death!" If these people had merely come back to life, Flamm would have denied it, with or without saying so. However since the revived woman had birthed a new life, it was a different story. As she looked at Rukou, Dafiz spoke up as if to add to the conversation. "Certainly Susie''s (my wife''s) heart has been substituted with an Origin Core. However, the inside of Rukou''s body is built different. There are some differences, but she has organs almost identical to those of a normal human being." The possibility came to mind that the child born could be an inhuman creature -- his words immediately squashed any thought that came to Flamm''s mind. After more than a decade of research, it became impossible to find a hole in the logic against Dafiz. He wasn''t a confident man, but when it comes to Necromancy research, he prided himself on perfection. "Flamm-san, you have clashed with the forces of the Origin Core. Thus, you can''t believe my words. I understand that very well. It is indeed a horrifying power, and maybe even something that humans shouldn''t use." Failure was important for experimentation. He, too, had failed many times, and sometimes his life was in danger because of it. Even so, he never gave up. It was his unwavering love for Susie that kept him going. However, it is for this reason, not just man''s wisdom, that we were able to reach the realm of "life". We did not give up because it was impossible, we faced it and overcame it!The achievements that we have built up over these years ...... please believe in us." The act of replacing a human heart with an origin core was done by the Children as well. Their''s was for a living human being, but in the ten years that had passed since then - Ink had been able to grow up as a human being. When her heart was returned to a human one, there hadn''t been any symptoms of after effects so far. In short, this difference between them was whether the body was alive or dead. Even if an origin core were implanted in a dead person, for there to be a possibility to really be in the exact same condition as their life ...... was it possible? It couldn''t be zero, but wasn''t absolute either. "Everyone, why don''t you stay here today? I want you to make the decision. I want you to decide if our research is right or wrong." To sleep in the enemy''s base camp was insane. But on the other hand, letting the enemy sleep in your own pocket was also insane. Their gazes collided as if testing each other''s resolve, and Flamm nodded her head and accepted the offer. If her presence disturbed the dead who bear the Origin Core, then staying here would naturally lead to that result. Rukou''s eyes remained fixed on her face, staring at her without the slightest movement. CH 38 (Upload schedule changed at bottom, enjoy) Flamm was told she was free to explore, and was troubled. Of course, there were some doors in the institute that were off limits, but other than that, there were really no restrictions on any other activities. Why would they suddenly tell us to do whatever we wanted in such a hostile environment? For the time being, she decided to ask Dafiz where Eterna was as planned and went with Ink there. The exterior of the building looked like a church, but once one stepped back from the chapel, one found a laboratory with walls made of an unfamiliar metal-like material. The scenery, which lacked any warmth of wood, was similar to the underground laboratory in the caves near Enichiede. As Flamm walked toward the exit, she felt an inexpressible sense of anxiety, perhaps because the memory of the attack from the deformed ogre remained vivid in her mind. Or was it for a different reason? We were greeted lightly by a female researcher passing by, who was so affable that we could hardly believe she was from a hostile organization. The child standing next to her, about ten years old, was probably her son. He was staring silently at her, but at his mother''s urging, he bowed his head. She parted from them and continued on, and around a corner, to the right, stood another female researcher. She remained silent, staring into Flamm''s face. .......We ignored her The three of them went through the door ahead of them and out of the chapel, which was even more unoccupied. There, they found the main street lined with neatly-paved, brand-new wooden houses. There were houses, stores, and a children''s playground, and that was about as far as she could see, but other facilities were probably out of sight as well. Perhaps due to the large number of young residents, the village seemed lively even for a village of 500 people. It was ironic, however, that a village where half of the residents were dead was much more lively than a village where only the living lived. Currently, most of the revived people are Originists who lost their lives due to attacks by monsters or crimes. Most of the researchers seem to be related to them. In short, they are working here in return for the price of reviving them, although they are paid separately, of course. According to Dafiz, perhaps because of this, the researchers are highly motivated. Certainly, they must be fulfilled to be reunited with someone they thought would never see again, and to see the continuation of a story that should have ended. They must be happy. But-- "...... I don''t really like it here." Flamm still felt uncomfortable. "The air is clean, and it doesn''t seem to be too bad, you know?" "It''s not like that." "I think I know what you''re feeling." "I have no idea. Is this different from the other villages?" "The way they look at you, Master." She was a little surprised to hear Milkit''s words. Yes, the way they looked at me People stared at Flamm for some reason. In the Royal Capitol, people often glared at the markings of slaves. So she thought she was used to the malicious stares of others. But - this unease that stuck to her skin was something else. "Everyone is looking at Master, I feel like there''s no emotion locked in there, it''s ...... creepy." "Are you saying that people like Flamm''s face or something?" "I think you would be able to tell if that was it because you could see the ulterior motives in their eyes, but--" It''s not. The eyes were very inorganic, just as Milkit said. One of them was even talking to their partner without a care in the world while looking at us. Of course, the man walking next to her asked, "Where are you looking?" The woman then laughed and said, "Oh, sorry," and finally glanced one more time at Flamm and turned to him. "They''re all Originists, and they''re all people who have stuck their necks out deep enough to know about the core. Maybe they know about me too." As a dangerous person who can destroy the core. That''s why it attracted so much attention. At least, that''s the hypothesis she came up with. Eterna was in a wooden house about three minutes'' walk from the institute. A magic-sensitive doorbell was mounted next to the front door. At first glance, Sheol Village appears to be a rural, undeveloped village, but closer inspection revealed that advanced technology was being used in many places. It was a disguise, after all, not a perfect reproduction of a village. It was enough if the outside observers did not notice that it was a church facility. Flamm put her hand on the orb and let a small amount of magic flow through it. Then a chime rang inside the house, and footsteps approached us. The door opened and out came Eterna, looking gentler than usual. "Oh, it''s Flamm, Milkit, and Ink." When she saw Flamm and the others, her expression turned shadowy. "Eterna! We''ve come to see you!" Ink said cheerfully. Eterna''s eyelids twitched. "We got here about an hour ago, we''ve already found Mr. Gadio, and we''ve spoken to Mr. Dafiz." "I''ve heard. Shall we go inside?" After thinking about it for a moment, Flamm declined. Flamm decided against it, because he saw a man behind Eterna, staring at Flamm''s face as if to ask her how she was doing. "If my presence disrupts their moment of reunion, I don''t want to disturb them. At least, not yet," she thought to herself. "Ink was very insistent on wanting to see you, so I brought her here." "Did I say that ......?" "Play along. So, please do me a favor. I think it would be safer to have Eterna take care of her than us, and I think Ink would feel safer too." "I''m not convinced!" Aside from the protesting Ink. Eterna had a half-bewildered, half-stern look on her face. But a body slightly smaller than Eterna''s had already snuggled into both of her arms. "Well then, we have business elsewhere." "...... okay." Milkit bowed to Eterna while Flamm left the place with a quick step. "Was there anything you wanted to do?" "No." "Then why ......" "I felt like things would get complicated if I were there, so I decided to leave Eterna''s affairs in Ink''s hands." But, it wasnt as if she was expecting the stares to disappear from around her when she left that house.[^1] She was overthinking things. Once she became aware of them, she felt as if they were all looking at her. And if she happened to look at a passerby''s face and their eyes happened to meet - it would bother her even more. Flamm''s walking speed naturally increased. Then, a ball rolled into her foot from somewhere and hit her. Apparently, a child was playing with it. A woman who looked like a mother apologetically bowed her head. Flamm picked it up, crouched down, and handed it to the approaching boy, about five years old, saying in a gentle voice, "Here you go". "Thank you, onee-chan!" The child thanked Flamm, looking her in the eye. Her cheeks relaxed and her hand naturally reached for his head. As she stroked his soft hair, the boy''s mouth fell half open. "...... ah." The expression disappeared from his face. Then he stared at Flamm''s face. Her brown irises reflected his face, her cheeks drawn back. A normal human being would tremble in one part of his or her body while trying to maintain the same posture, but not this child. Literally, he did not move an inch. It was as if he had been instantly cut off from his daily life and plunged into a swamp of the unusual, a feeling of disgust. Goosebumps broke out on Flamm''s arms. She rushed to remove her hand, and his smile returned. Then, as if nothing had happened, he rushed back to the woman and jumped into her chest. Perhaps she were a living person, she bowed to Flamm as she played with her own child. Flamm, too, bowed lightly, then gingerly pulled Milkit''s hand and left. Parent and child waved at each other until they were out of sight, and once they turned around, the boy''s eyes looked at Flamm with the same impersonal stare he had when he patted her on the head. Eterna took Ink outside the house with her, not too long after introducing Ink to her parents. Then she sat down on a bench in a park that had been built nearby and, unusually, placed Ink on her lap. "What is this?" Even though Ink was smaller than Eterna, Eterna was still quite small. She was a bit displeased at being treated like a child. But she was also a little glad to be able to rely on Eterna. To be honest, it was quite a shock for Ink that Eterna had left without telling her. Even though it was only for a week or so, they had spent almost all their time together. Naturally, she felt affection for Eterna. But her fears that he might have been the only one who felt that way were unfounded. "Ink, I want to hear your voice." Eterna whispered in Ink''s ear. It was so itchy that Ink''s face turned bright red. "Wait, you don''t have to talk in my ear like that," she said. "Just let me hear it." She would not listen. Ink gave up, but did not know what to say when asked to "let me hear your voice". She didn''t even know why Eterna had suggested such a thing in the first place. The only thing that was clear was that her voice was shaking. She could not tell whether it was anxiety, fear, or hesitation, even with her good hearing. She said, "Well, ...... actually, I like this kind of skinship." "I know. I patted your head when your were sleeping, and you looked so happy." "......, is that so?" "yeah." The fact that even she didnt know was suddenly so out of the blue for her, she really didnt know how to respond. "......Gu, no." Her face was hot. Ink could not understand. "How am I supposed to speak hearing that! No, it was Eterna who silenced me!" "...... did I?" "Yes, you did!I can''t talk with that in my ear out of the blue!" Eterna, who was completely unaware of what was going on, was still gaping at Ink when she was swatted down. A girl over fifty years old playing with a ten year old girl. It was a terrible picture. "I''m sorry, Ink," she said. "It is rare that you apologize honestly. If you are sorry, please don''t say anything strange like that again." "No, that''s not what I''m sorry about." "That''s not what you''re sorry about?" "I left on my own and made you feel lonely. I really ...... think I was selfish. So, I''m sorry." That was the thing that she had wanted her to apologize for. But the timing was a mess. Ink sighed, "Huh," she said with a grim look on her face. "It''s okay, it''s my parents. I''m sure I would have done the same if I were in the same position." "Nn......." Eterna put her arms around Ink''s body, hugged her, and buried her face in her neck. "What? Again?" The feeling that suddenly ran into the back of Ink''s head caused her voice to turn inside out. "That''s what ...... your voice was supposed to sound like. Already I looked away for a moment, and it feels like youve grown up." "Eterna,......?" Eterna''s tone suddenly became serious, and Ink was perplexed. "Really thank you, Ink. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea for you to be here, but I''m glad you came." "I''m just along for the ride. Why don''t you tell that to Flamm?" "I''m going to tell her that, of course. . But right now, I felt like saying it to Ink. Thank you so much" "I dont know how I helped, but I hope I helped.Don''t tickle me like that!" Eterna''s breath hit the nape of her neck, causing Ink to writhe each time. But protests would not change her pace. "No, I won''t stop." ''You''re a good old adult, you''re not supposed to do this to a child! "I can smell the sweet goodness of ink." "Eterna looks like a pervert!" Ink struggled to escape from his arms, but Eterna''s strength was stronger than she had expected. Firmly holding on, Eterna smiled mischievously at the sight of Ink, who seemed to be enjoying herself as she flailed about. And then she thought back to herself. "What is it that I really want?" Flamm thought about going to see Gadio as well, but decided against it when she saw him chatting with Thea from afar. She had never seen him with such a happy expression on his face while interacting with others. "There are no drawbacks, the resuscitation is perfect, so this is the right thing to do." Dafiz''s logic was so hole-free that it almost convinced Flamm, who was hostile to the church. Flamm, who had gotten bored and returned to the church anyway, sat down side by side with Milkit in the chapel. Although the church was made of wood to hide the institute, it was a functioning church of the Originreligion. Looking up, he saw a statue of Originon display. It looked like it were memorialized, which made her sick. Or perhaps the Originists actually believed it was good? Or maybe the Origin wasnt good nor evil, but it depended on who was using the power. "If we destroyed this situation, would anyone be happy?" Flamm murmured as she looked up at the statue. There was something uncomfortable about this village. But that alone was no reason to destroy the happiness they had gained. "I don''t know, I''ve never experienced the loss of someone I cared about. But ...... I''m sure that if my master were to disappear and call out to me, I wouldn''t be able to resist the temptation." "I wouldn''t either. So it''s understandable, as long as the power that makes it possible isn''t the origin core." No matter how well-intentioned it is used, there was enough evil in it to ruin it. Flamm is convinced of that. But the people in Sheol, including Dafiz, didn''t think so. From the bottom of their hearts they believed - or was that really the case? If so, there was one thing that puzzled her. "If Mr. Dafiz really believed that his research was perfect from the bottom of his heart, why didnt he invite me here with Eterna and Gadio?" "Isn''t it because you dont have anyone you''ve lost?" Milkit had a point. But as it turned out, that led to the unexpected event of Flamm''s visit. "But then," she said, "there was no need for Dafiz to get them to leave without telling me.They should have said where they were going and why they were going there. Especially if they were confident that they were doing the right thing. Because they knew I was against the church, right?And if they try to kidnap Eterna and Gadio, they would know that I would definitely try to find them." "Are you saying that they were trying to avoid calling the master?" "Maybe. Dafiz also ...... was afraid of me somehow." The stares at Flamm. The most important thing to remember was that the dead were not the same as the living. However, he should have noticed it soon after his study of the dead, and it is even possible that he thought "it might happen". That is why he did not call Flamm. If it was a "human reaction," it would have been fine. But if it was an effect of something outside of human will, then Dafiz''s belief in complete revival was still unfulfilled. "He called the origin corea ''terrifying power''. He knows what the core is." "But the people who came back to life were in almost the same condition as normal human beings. Maybe they really do have complete control over it." "Maybe it''s just that the origin is recreating them based on the information left in their physical bodies?" "Doesn''t that mean they arent really alive?" "I don''t know. If I were to change here and turn into something else that is not me, but a complete reproduction of Flamm Apricot--do you think it would be me?" As she was saying it, Flamm herself was beginning to lose his grasp of it. Of course, there was no way Milkit could understand such vague and conceptual talk. "......I''m not sure." She said in a muffled whisper, pondering. She continued. "Either way, its unsettling" A disgust she couldn''t explain. Flamm nodded in agreement. "Yes, ''I kind of don''t like it but cant point my finger to why''. I think that''s the kind of discomfort I''m feeling. Well, that doesn''t mean that such an ambiguous feeling is a reason to destroy the happiness of the people in this village." "But I don''t think it''s something we should turn away from. Because if something that looks exactly like the master stood next to me, it would be a relief to me, but the master who disappeared would still be ...... gone, wouldn''t they?" Milkit was right, no matter how many times one is resurrected in the same state as before they had passed, even if it is an elaborate "replica" that is more real than the real thing, then it is not a true resurrection. Only the living can be saved, and that is the complacency of the bereaved. The dead, perhaps in the afterlife--well, whether such a thing exists or not--they may be grieving to see their loved ones united with something that looks exactly like them. "That, too, is indeterminate. We don''t know if there is an afterlife, so I think the people who should be rewarded first are the living." "How can we say we''ve been rewarded if we''re not real? it''s hard to put in words." "It is difficult to say that they are not real. In the end, it comes down to what you think and what you want to do." "By the way, what does your master want to do now?" "Hmmm... ......" It may have been risky to speak badly about Origin in the church, however they did get permission to do whatever, although that may have just been a vague guideline. However, she thought it was okay to speak out about such thoughts to Milkit. "I think that Origin wants to expand its power," she said. "I think Origin is trying to expand its power, just like Ink did, and this necromancy research is part of that proliferation." "Are you talking about some kind instinct implanted by the Origin?" "I don''t know if it''s instinct or the will of the origin. You know, that "connection" ability of Nect, doesn''t it seem like it wants to increase?" Rather than increase, it would be more correct to call it assimilation. It is more like assimilation than increase. Nect did not seem to use his ability in such a way, but he could do it if he wanted to. "It''s a sensible idea ...... I kind of get it. But the rest of the ''spinning'' and ''twisting'' is irrelevant, isn''t it?" "Eterna told me that magic-sensitive switches are always spherical, right? Whether Origin uses magic or not, I don''t think we can say that the spiral-shaped, spinning, etc., are irrelevant either." Milkit listened to Flamm with a serious look in her eyes. But she didn''t understand more than half of what he was saying, and she clearly blinked more often. "So you''re saying that rotation also has something to do with the increase, is that correct?" "In a nutshell, yes. And "proliferation"--that is the purpose of the origin. If we assume that, it explains why people revive in the origin core." "What do you mean?" "If the technology to revive people is put to practical use, everyone will use it, right?The more it spreads, the more people will be inhabited by origin cores without any effort. So, for that reason, they are currently reproducing their pre-birth personalities and "mimicking humans" without any effort." And then, when there are enough of them, they will turn their fangs. The human race will be destroyed and the world will belong to Origin. "And so, to conclude, ...... my personal intention is to stop this research. For now, you know. I still don''t trust Origin. It''s just a hypothesis, but I think Origin''s goals and Necromancy''s goals are in line with each other''s interests." However, in the current situation, if she would try to stop them, she would end up turning Gadio and Eterna into enemies. She had to find a "logic" to convince them. They were not so gullible that they could just take action based on Flamm''s uneasiness and discomfort alone. "But it''s a troubling problem," she said, "If only they would quickly turn into a monster and attack us, we would be able to solve the problem by fighting them. However, if that happens, all the people who are dreaming of happiness in this village would be brought back to reality." "I don''t think it would be all bad. I think it will lead them to the right path." "What do you mean?" "If they reveal their true nature as a monster, it is a failure for the origin that wants to increase, isn''t it?" "That''s true, huh?" Flamm nodded. The most important thing to remember was that the origin will want to continue mimicking if at all possible until this technology becomes widespread to the general public. It was still far too early for him to reveal his true identity. It may not be possible to revive a person simply by regenerating the body of a dead person. Something other than the body may have already disappeared somewhere beyond the reach of even Origin at the time it attempted to revive. I see, so Milkit is trying to say that this missing something is something like the so-called "soul" . If the soul exists, then there is a strong possibility that the world of the dead exists. If the dead are observing the living from there, they may be sad to see the living making love to an imposter who just looks like them, so we should destroy them. Milkit nodded deeply at Flamm''s supplementary explanation. That''s amazing, Milkit, I never would have thought of that. It was an interesting guess, and above all, Flamm was glad to see that she had grown up to make a series of rather complicated theories. She even borrowed books from Eterna to read these days, perhaps influenced by that. It was worthwhile to teach her to read and write. No, I don''t think so. It''s just my imagination. But if I ever have to fight the dead, I will feel a little better if I remember what you just said. I can defend my thoughts and say that I am doing the right thing. But it would be best if it didn''t happen. ......Yes, I hope it ends peacefully." After Milkit''s words, the conversation broke off. Flamm knew that reality was not so easy. That''s why she tends to imagine the bad things and then shut down. But there was no way to have a peaceful ending here without anyone''s blood being spilled. The best ending would be where the revival was actually perfect, the will of the origin was completely sealed, and everyone lived happily ever after. Ah, but - no matter how hard I look for it, I can''t find it. All that comes to mind is a landscape painted in red. She exhaled strongly with a "whoosh" to shake off the images that stuck in her brain, and stood up with vigor. "Well," she said. "I''m sure we''ve talked quite a bit. ...... It''s still light outside, isn''t it?" "It looks like we still have some time before dinner." "What are you going to do until then?Do you want to go for another walk outside?" "I think I''ll just rest in my room," she said. "I think walking around with no particular errand to run will only make Master tired." It was true that when people stared at her like that, she would just get tired just walking around. "Well, let''s just relax in the room until dinner time." Flamm and Milkit got up from the bench and went back to their assigned rooms. This was hostile territory, and anywhere where they were exposed to the eyes of others which was unsettling. So the only place Flamm could rest was in the room where she and Milkit spent time alone together. She didnt know if anything would actually happen here,but she had to rest when she could and conserve her strength in case it did. The evening dinner was abruptly canceled. According to the plan, the banquet was to be held in the institute''s conference room, including Gadio and Eterna. Apparently, the reason was that Dafiz had urgent business. So the meal was brought to the rooms and eaten there. The dishes, which were made with vegetables from the surrounding villages, were not bad tasting. Flamm was the first to eat the food, but she did not seem to have any concerns about poisoning. After the meal was over, they were soon shown to the bath. It was a spacious bathroom, but again, it was just the two of them. It was as if they were being taken care of, but they didn''t see anyone on our way to or from the bath, neither of course, in the bath as well. The night went by without much happening, and Flamm and Milkit slept in the same bed. Some time later, late at night. Flamm woke up in the pitch-dark room and sat up. Her mouth was dry and she needed something to moisten it. She crawled out of bed, took a glass from the cabinet in her room, and poured water from the water pitcher on the table. Then she downed the contents in one gulp. The ice in the pitcher had melted away and the water was not very cold, but it was enough to moisten her parched mouth. The feeling of satisfaction was so great that he involuntarily let out a "Phew!" Perhaps in response to the sound, Milkit moaned, "Ummm ......." However, she did not seem to wake up. Relieved, Flamm placed the empty glass on the table and went back to bed. She checked the clock on the shelf and found that the date had not yet changed. She felt as if she had been asleep for a very long time, but it was probably because she had gone to bed too early. After checking the clock, she put her hand on the futon and ...... stopped moving when she suddenly thought she heard something. She was not sure what to expect, but she was sure she would be able to find it. "...... na, ku ...... yi ......." It was not her imagination; she could definitely hear someone talking from somewhere. Flamm rubbed her slightly open eyes and approached the direction of the voice - the entrance to the room. "Is it ......?" "...... should be ...... o......." Then, she heard the voice even more clearly. Moreover, it seemed that someone was having a conversation with someone else, and not just one person. They were annoying at this hour of the night. "Why don''t they at least talk in their own rooms?" she thought. Flamm thought about giving them a warning, but before she did, she put his ear to the door to see what was going on outside. And then-- "Why should I let you live?" "Open the leg muscles and lick it." "Skin it, that''s it." "Box it." "Break the spinal cord and you''re in." "It''s a necessary procedure." "It''s a necessary procedure. "It must not be allowed to escape. "Should we kill it, no? "This has not yet been authorized. "We must connect it. "How will you lead it? "First, we have to make a hole by twisting, then we have to get inside, connect to the brain, and then we have to become one, all of us together." "I want to see what''s inside like a maggot, just once. "Kill this time, connect the next." "Mutilate." "I''m not fit to be connected." "I''d rather bleed.""How does the hole in the cranium open?" "Three, four, five, five, six, seven, eight, eight, eight, nine, nine, nine" "We will not suffer." "Oh, narrow, oh, narrow." "I want a womb." "Scraped off my toes." "We must punish him." "Gee, gee, gee." "I hear sirens." "We must take it from him." "Stitched together with tubes." "Squeak, squeak, squeak, danger." "It''s not enough." "Yes, yes, yes, yes." "You must fulfill..." "It''s late, it''s late for everything." "--It is already late...everyone..." - not just two people, but countless human voices can be heard talking to each other. Moreover, from all directions, perhaps surrounding the door, dozens of people are standing behind this thin board. I''m not sure what to make of this. Flamms body shook with a jerk. A faint sound was heard. Then, as if they had noticed that I was eavesdropping, the talking stopped abruptly. But if one listened carefully, they could hear the breathing of more than one person. They were still there. "Tomorrow," one of them said. One of them said, "Tomorrow." "Tomorrow." Another agrees. "Tomorrow is good." "Tomorrow. Tomorrow." "Tomorrow." "We''ll come to a decision by tomorrow." "Let''s wait for tomorrow." More voices were heard all at once. They spoke and acted as if they were toying with Flamm. Since there were so many of them, they could have attacked us right now, but why put it off? Flamm felt as if she were being took for a fool, and anger rose up within her She had the strength to fight. It was true that she was dealing with a people with cores, but unlike the enemies she had fought in the past, these bodies were ordinary people who were not even adventurers. She should have been able to get through the fight if she had kept a small group of people at all times, taking advantage of the room entrances and narrow corridors. As for Susie, she said she was an A-rank adventurer, so she had some concerns, but if push came to shove, she could just run away and ask Gadio and Eterna for help. If they knew they were dealing with a monster and not a revived human, they would cooperate with her. she put her left hand on the door knob lever. Her eyes were completely clear. She exhaled loudly and opened and closed her right hand to check the movement. Then, she put strength into her hand holding the lever, twisted it, and with a clank!and pushed it open forward at once. As soon as she stepped out into the corridor, she drew her sword and readied it--! "......?" But there was no one in the dark corridor. The dark corridor continued even when I looked around. She tried everything she could to sharpen her senses, looking for footsteps or signs of people, but she could find no sign that anyone had been there. Perhaps it was just her imagination. Tiredness and the still lingering drowsiness must have caused the auditory hallucinations. The voices that she heard were so clear in her ears that she could not help but think that she had heard them. In fact, there was no one in front of the room. Slowly, she closed the door quietly, and this time, she crawled into bed. Then, with Milkit''s face right in front of her, her eyes opened slightly. "Mast......er ......." Milkit called out to Flamm in a muffled whisper. "I''m sorry, did I wake you?" "I am not awake. I''m sleeping ......." She seemed to be in a half-awake state of consciousness - in short, she seemed to be sleeptalking. "It''s nothing, you can go back to sleep." Saying this, Flamm put her hand on Milkit''s cheek. Then she relaxed her cheeks happily and closed her eyes again. ''Nn.......'' And then she immediately fell back asleep. Flamm also tried not to think too much about what had just happened and let go of her consciousness after about five minutes. Then came morning. Flamm was shaken awake by Milkit. She got off the bed and stretched herself out with all her might, shouting, "Mmm! and stretched out with all her might. After a good night''s sleep, the events of last night seemed like a dream. No one had snuck into her room since then, so perhaps it really was just an auditory hallucination. She prepared herself in the washroom provided in the room. It was actually a pretty nice room, with a bathroom and refreshments. Perhaps they sometimes let church dignitaries stay there. About 30 minutes after waking up, it was time for breakfast to be served. They sat and waited patiently. "He''s not coming, is he? "Should I go and ask?" They sat down in their chairs and talked like that. After another 20 minutes passed and no one came, they had no choice but to leave the room. They opened the door and step out into the gray hallway. Flamm turned to her left and saw a tiny little figure at the other end of the long hallway. "Who''s that? ......." It was Rukou, waddling along the wall with unsteady steps. "I wondered if he''s lost track of his mother." "He was one year old. I heard that when they learn to walk, they go to many places out of curiosity." "She''s getting bigger, and it''s not easy for her." The two of them approached Rukou, saying that they were going to go see Dafiz anyway. Then she looked at Flamm''s face and smiled, flapping her hands and saying, "Oh, oh." Then she picked up speed and walked toward Flamm. She smiled and said, "It looks like they''ll come without us." "Then we''ll wait and see." [^2] Flamm crouched down and said, "Come here," waving her hand. Rukou had been walking well until he sprained his right leg and almost fell down. Flamm and Milkit leaned forward and try to help her. But - Rukou didn''t seem to be in any pain and just kept on walking. "Oh ...... what?" ????? Flamm had a question mark over her head. A continuation of last night''s dream? - was she still having visions? Why was Rukou walking around with her legs bent limply and without a care in the world? Furthermore, as she approached Flamm, her left leg bent with a gurgling sound next. Still, she continued to walk, using the side of her foot dexterously. "Gosh, master, this is ......" The distortion worsened the closer she approached. The shin area broke, and the leg snapped together with the knee. Next came the knee, then the thigh, then the hip - and still Rukou, making good use of the grounded surface, approached Flamm. Finally, not only the legs, but the torso, the shape of the head, the fingers, the arms, every possible part of the body, were deformed in a whirling motion. Gurgle, gurgle. Bones in every part of the body were broken, and the sound that should not come from a human body was echoing over and over again. And yet, Rukou was still smiling. "Urau, furau!" Her voice was that of an innocent child. Her neck was broken and her vocal cords were twisted, but only her voice sounded normal, which made it stand out and was even more eerie. The torso was twisted, and the sides of the head were in contact with the thighs. Her toes passed over her head and fluttered around her shoulders. Flamm could no longer even tell how it was moving. Her entire body wriggling like an insect, Rukou slowly nipped at Flamm and the others. The skin everywhere on her body was ripped and blood was spurting out, probably due to her forced bending. The red fluid stuck to the ground after she passed, like the mucus of a mollusk. The smell of iron stung her nose. "Hi ...... hi, ah ......." Milkit clung to her Master. Tears in her eyes, her cheeks drawn back, her body trembling. It was a nightmarish sight, more ghastly than a complete deformity, perhaps because it still retained some part of a human being. Dafiz said. Inside Rukou''s body, he said, she had organs almost like a normal human being. There was no core in it, the heart is beating, the blood is circulating, so it must be human. Ah, but what if this too is a "reproduction" by Origin to deceive the human eye? "Fu, lamu......?" Rukou''s face is distorted and the position of the parts was messed up. Her head was also torn in various places, and blood was spurting out. In particular, the wound on her neck was split open and dripping with more than enough blood to kill someone. Still, she continued to pose as a human child. Her lips formed a squishy crescent shape, as if she had been delighted to find a toy. CH 39 It''s foolish to be ignorant. This world was filled with things that are better off left unknown. Surely this was one of those kinds of things. Even a clown dancing on stage being laughed at by people wouldn''t feel hurt by it if he didn''t know the truth. "What is it, Thea?" As Gadio got up from bed, Thea who was standing at the windowsill asked a question. She was dressed only in a thin sheet, with the lines of her body showing through the tightly stretched fabric. On the other hand, Gadio''s upper half was naked. Obviously his lower half was hidden -- it would be rude to ask what had happened last night. "Um, it''s nothing." Responding like that, Thea stayed in front of the window. Her gaze reflected the church. Gadio looked to his wife like a goddess shining in the morning sun. It was like a dream. Up until Thea had died, we thought we would someday have a child and build a warm family. That is to say now, before Gadio''s eyes was a dream that he had lost. Naturally what he had deeply wanted, Thea wanted it too, these two were tied together. The reaction she had to being touched, the feel of her skin, the warmth of her body, the sound of her voice, the love she had for him, nothing had changed since that time. No -- the further away away he got from the time he lost her, the more this feeling intensified. Hugging her with both arms, he found it was unmistakably Thea. It was unmistakably Thea. Lacking doubt and discomfort, it was truly was the girl from that time unaltered -- if that was the case, why was Gadio feeling overwhelming unease looking at her? "Thea, come over here." "What is it Gadio-kun, do you want to be spoiled?" Thea smiled while turning around. Her sheet shaking as she approached, she sat down on the edge of the bed. As she rested slender fingertips on Gadio''s face, she repeatedly kissed his face, touching his face and neck. Ignorance is truly bliss. Knowledge is restraint, wisdom and freedom are incompatible. Even when he knew this, Gadio hoped it was real. Suddenly Thea''s kisses stopped, and she looked out of the window. "Thea?" "Nnn ..... What''s the matter, Gadio-kun." She responded with an unchanged tone of voice. However, the thing she said was "What''s the matter". There was no special sound. No one passed by outside, and there was no indication of anyone. If that was the case, what was she looking outside in reaction to? "Hey, Thea" Calling out to her again. "What''s the matter?" Again, she responded in the same way while staring outside. Gadio''s right eyelid twitched and quivered. Driven by anxiety, he forcefully turned her around and hugged Thea. She let out a voice of "Kya!?" showing a surprised expression to Gadio. "Come on, Gadio-kun, haven''t you been acting strange since some time ago? Did you have a scary dream?" -- The one who is weird is Thea. Gadio really wanted to say that, but he skillfully stopped his words in his throat from coming out. If he said it, all of this would come to an end. His sparse dots of anxiety would soon connect in a line. Gadio strongly wished in his mind: Please, at least for a little bit longer, don''t answer me. Let me dream of passing time with Thea. Flamm drew her sword against something that was Rukou as she approached. But her hand was trembling. She was once a human being, and a one-year-old baby at that. Flamm had not lost her humanity to the point where she could slash at someone without question. Fortunately, her speed of movement was very slow, so it is easy for her to escape. "Behind you, Master!" Flamm turned around at the sound of Milkit''s voice. There stood three men and women dressed in white. They were standing erect and not showing any signs of attempting to attack her, but they were clearly blocking his escape route. Their gazes were fixed on Flamm, and she felt the same creepiness that she had felt yesterday. She had to kill the three of them or kill Rukou, who had turned strange and disfigured. Her body was now even more warped in the ongoing process, her human body stretched and crushed and bound in an almost circular shape, so much so that it was now doubtful that she was even human to begin with. However, a slight trace of her face remained in her twitching fingers, her drooling mouth, and most of all, in the eyeballs that stared at Flamm. It was this that made it difficult for her to make up her mind. -- Don''t hesistate, there should be only one thing to protect here and now. Flamm told herself. Milkit''s trembling hand gripped her clothes. There was warmth, there was breath, there was a voice -- no matter who the enemy was, there wasn''t anything more important than her life. "Haa......aaaahhhh!" Dotch! A sword swung down and cut Rukou in half. Blood splattered, and a sludgy red and yellow semi-solid substance flowed from within. But her body still did not stop pulsating. It twisted and turned, spurting out blood as if it were being wrung out of a cloth. "Uu ......" Flamm frowned at the sight, the smell, and the unpleasant sensation in her palm. But at the same time, it made her feel a little better. She was now completely convinced that that thing was not human at all. A lump of human-like flesh born of a human-like creature - that was the true identity of the babies in this village. Perhaps Milkit''s prediction was spot on. A body without a soul could never give birth to a new life with a soul. So it must imitate. And the closer they got to Flamm, the stronger Origin''s Will became and so the more the ...... human form broke down and turned into a monster. Flamm, herself ddid not know why the Origin was so obsessed with her. Perhaps it was because of Jean''s selfishness that its plans had gone awry? To get it back on track, it wanted Flamm. She didn''t have any obligation to go along with this creepy, stalker-like obsession. "Let''s go, Milkit." Flamm grabbed Milkit''s hand and started to run. She passed by Rukou and moved forward, but it was the opposite of the exit this way. "Where are you going?" "That way is blocked, and I think I''ll go see Dafiz-san for now." "You think he going to be okay? ......" "I don''t know, but I don''t think he''s been fooling us. Perhaps even Dafiz-san, himself, didn''t know." Flamm and Milkit ran down the hallway. Then a door right next to them suddenly opened and a man appeared from inside. The man reached out his hand to Flamm as he passed in front of him, and his palm touches her arm for a moment. Bam! A dull thud and a heavy thud hit Flamm. "Gah, a......- !" Her arm bent in an unexpected direction, as if a second joint had formed. Her upper arm bone was completely broken and turned outward, and the pain was so intense that Flamm broke out in cold sweat all over her body. She lost his balance, but she did not stop. "Master, are you all right?" "Th-, this m-much ...... its fine, it will heal!" In fact, her bones had already begun to join together with the regenerative ability. The man kept staring at Flamm''s back with the same emotionless eyes. He should be able to catch up with us now that she has Milkit with her, so why wasn''t he pursuing them - there was one possibility that Flamm could think of. Because there wasn''t a no need to. As she turned the corner, about five men and women stand in front of her. "Master, those people!" The fact that they were inside the institute meant that they were probably related to the revival researchers. They were living together in a residential space in the facility. If one''s own partner, without saying why, reacted to Flamm''s approach and walked out of the room-- "Hey, what''s wrong with you guys, suddenly going outside?" Of course, the other half left in the room would think of it as strange and chase after them. The living man''s hand came out of the room and touched the shoulder of a revived woman. "Oh ...... ah?Whats ......... going....... on...... aga,gia,gyu,...... giaaaaaaahhh!" His outstretched right hand twisted, and more power spread throughout his body. Destroyed as all the blood was squeezed out of him, the man died before he could even comprehend the situation. In a sense, he may be happy. He was able to pass away without realizing that he had been killed by the man he loved. At the sight of this scene, Flamm''s hesitation disappeared. Even if the body was human, even if there was someone who wanted a replica, this was still wrong. "Milkit, follow a little behind me." "Y-yes!" Flamm''s voice was low and sharp. Her mindset shifted to a state where she was fully prepared to engage the enemy. As soon as their hands are separated, Flamm runs low down the corridor and leaped at the woman who had just killed her lover. A black blade was drawn from subspace and sliced through her chest, including her hand, which is extended toward Flamm. A hard click - a hard feeling in her hand. The moment the blade made contact with the abominable crystal embedded in the place where the heart should have been... "Reversal!" Flamm poured magic power from the palm of her hand into the sword and reversed the spiral that was whirling inside. Unable to withstand the negative energy generated, the black translucent crystal cracked and shattered. The woman''s body collapsed, having lost the source of her life. Without looking at her, Flamm sets her sights on her next target. Two men approached. She lightly swiped at the four arms that are extended to cover her and blew them away. Their wounds - they didn''t not close. They didn''t twist into a spiral like the ogre and Rukou, but instead dripped blood as if they were normal human beings. Maybe this was the result of the control Dafiz was talking about. At least, it seemed that his face didn''t become a vortex of flesh like a large intestine stuffed into a pot, as was the case with Children''s. -- so he wasn''t not lying, at least he wasn''t not lying. He believed that he could revive Susie, so he earnestly continued his research. What was more evil than anything else was Origin, who used that belief as a stepping stone to achieve its own ends. "Haaaaah!" Flamm took advantage of the recoil and spun around once. She then poured prana into the men who had lost their arms, and without stopping fired a second blow at them. The arc of the sword cut deeply into their abdomens. Blood poured out of the open wounds and the intestines overflowed. However, they did not show any signs of pain or suffering, only staggering a bit. No longer trying to appear human, they attacked Flamm with only their Origin''s Will exposed. Bam! -A moment later, the upper halves of the men were blown away. The prana poured into the inside of the enemy, not the outside, and exploded - prana (spirit) sword blast. Flamm didn''t know its formal name. It was one of the techniques she had naturally acquired in her daily training - a blow with the highest killing power, if only she could get it right. An Origin Core fell to the floor with a thud, mixed with the scattered contents. Flamm approached it and looked sadly at some of the scattered corpses. Then she shook her head. No time to be sentimental. She applied the tip of her sword and activated the reversal magic, and the core was destroyed. Milkit suddenly clung to her back. "Milkit, it''s dangerous, you should stay away--" "They''re coming from behind me, too." Behind her, expressionless humans walked up to her. They were good-mannered people who weren''t in a hurry, so they were not immediately cornered - but they were trying to crush the two of them by sheer force of numbers. There were even more dead people than they thought, as they noticed more coming from in front of them. The cries coming from the distance were probably those of the researcher who was killed, just like the man who was just killed. "You call yourself God, but don''t you know the difference between God and yourself, Origin?" If you are decieving, deceive. If you are going to kill, do it on a large scale. Flamm was getting tired of the low degree of care it was taking in killing people with its half-hearted, half-hearted acts, using only sneaky, stealthy methods to play with other people''s hearts. Or perhaps the main body was in another place and could not handle power as well as it would like when it tried to interfere at a distance. But it was not happy to resort to such a cowardly move, because it was very human, even for a god. Flamm stared resolutely ahead. Then she lowered the tip of his sword backward and reared it sideways on the spot. Her released prana stood still on the spot. Next, she quickly swung straight down vertically, and the spirit blade formed a cross. Then, using the cross-shaped system as a backbone, the invisible force spread thinly and formed a membrane, floating in front of Flamm in the shape of a shield. Now, even in this state, it could be used for the purpose of preventing attacks from the opponent, but what was needed now was the art of wiping out the puppets swarming ahead. After she confirmed that the living were not in the line of fire, Flamm places the tip of her soul-eater, held in both hands, at the main point of intersection. Then - as she exhaled a "fu-" - she poured in additional prana. It was propulsion. Zgagaaagh! The "wall" of prana filled the corridor with no escape, crushing the floor and walls - and even the bodies of the dead it touched - as it moves forward. The debris engulfed the wall, only increasing its deadly force, and any obstacle that stood in Flamm''s way was reduced to meat and obliterated. Finally, it hit a wall at the end of the road and came to a halt with a huge hole in it. "In the blink of an eye, that number of ......" It was only because this was a small place that we were able to wipe them out. The most important thing to remember was that the best way to get the most out of your money is to be prepared to pay for it. Milkit was admiring her Master, who had grown and became much stronger than when they first met. Flamm immediately pulled Milkit''s hand and started running again. Afterwards, Flamm progressed while crushing the dead that stood in her way, and arrived at Dafiz''s laboratory. It was a different place from the residential room that she lived with Susie and Rukou in. She stowed her soul-eater sword and hurriedly slid her body through the gap in the door and slammed it shut.and closed it with all her might. Then, after locking the door, she breathed a sigh of relief... "Kyaaaah!" Hearing Milkit''s voice, she immediately returned to her nervous state. ''Da, Dafiz-san ...... this ......'' She saw the body of a man lying on the ground. His limbs were broken in several places and pointing in impossible directions. His torso also showed signs of having been subjected to the force of the spiral...... and the blood staining his chest from his mouth suggests that his internal organs had been destroyed and he had died. "...... This guy was Goan Forgan. He was a friend of mine from my school days. And he was a member of the team when it was first launched. He lost his wife to illness in the middle of his research. He was a talented person to begin with, but since then he had devoted himself to research with the sole intention of bringing her back to life, and he had achieved a number of great results. Without him, our research would have been abandoned long ago." He sat in his chair, his back to Flamm and Milkit, and his voice took on a somber tone. "It was just a year ago that his wife was revived. After that, he was happier than I, his friend, had ever seen him. His wife was in her fifth month of pregnancy, and he was going to be a father soon. He looked really, really happy and ...... there was still time, but he was frantically thinking of names for the child, reading books on child rearing because he was worried about raising a child, and going to talk to older people about child rearing--oh, my God. Until today, I guess I never worried about the future at all." Memories of an unnamed researcher. Looking at the corpse, one could almost guess how he died. He must have stopped his wife from leaving the room after Flamm. Then he touched her body, getting twisted and seriously wounded. But he didn''t die, he crawled desperately to this room, as if he had one last word to tell Dafiz. And then he died. The way Dafiz spoke, he was more like a "best friend" than just "friend". His voice was a little trembling, and he didn''t look back at me, probably because he didn''t want me to see his crying face. "He''s dead. I''ve been briefed on it, and I kind of understand what''s going on." Still, Flamm could not tell him that he had cut down Rukou. Shee was the one whose life was threatened. So there was no need for her to feel awkward, but for some reason a sense of guilt nagged at her. "Whose fault do you think it is, Flamm-san?" The question is not one of blaming Flamm. It is a question from the bottom of Dafiz''s heart. "I think it''s Origin''s." Flamm answered without hesitation. She, too, could not blame Dafiz. "You are as kind as I have thought you were. Just as strong as well. I can feel the heart in your words." "No, I am not. I am weak. I am weak. I can only strong because Milkit is next to me. I think you''re the same as me, Dafiz.It was because of Susie''s presence that you were able to continue your research until today, isn''t it?" "Yes, it was. I was weak, frail, and not very good looking. My parents and Susie were the only people who loved the me who was like that. So, it''s just as you said, my strength came from Susie." "So, I think the Origin who took advantage of those pure feelings is the worst." Hearing these words, Dafiz fell silent. Staring at the blank wall, ten seconds passed without him saying anything. Then he let out a deep breath, leaned back in his chair, and looked up to the heavens. "It was late yesterday afternoon when Goan reported the numerical abnormality." "Numerical abnormalities?"" "We perform timed tests on our subjects to gather mental and vital status. The values showed a strange state in which only the mind was in a state of excitement, but there was no change at all in the body." Generally, if there''s an abnormality in one''s mental state, there will be a change in the physical body as well. It is difficult for a living person to create a state in which the mind and body are completely disconnected. "Obviously, the change was caused by the arrival of Flamm-san." "If that''s the case, why didn''t you inform Master or take action yesterday?" Dafiz smiled bitterly at Milkit''s words. "You being here has caused an anomaly in the subject, so please leave. Would you be satisfied if I told you that? It''d be like admitting that our research has failed." "It''s too late." "I know, I know. The consequences came faster than I thought they would. Its funny, what was my confidence until yesterday? Ah, really...... The Children''s members had warned me, but I never thought it would be this much. Fufu, ahahaha, ha...... hah, the time I''ve spent until now, what was any of it for?" "........ To boast about having complete control over it, wouldn''t you have some kind of device to stop it from functioning?" Flamm did not answer, ignoring the flow of the question to him. She didn''t know the answer to his question. She couldn''t speak thoughtlessly, and didn''t have a duty to do so. "Over there you see a door at the back of the room. Go beyond it. There is a device in place to emergency shut down the cores controlled by the Necromancy within Sheol Village." It was a privilege granted to Dafiz, who was in charge. Because he understood the danger of Necromancy, he had to be prepared to stop it at any time in case it gets out of control. But once used, it would take an enormous amount of time to bring the dead back to life again. Flamm did as she was told, and approached the door without hesitation stepping into the room where the device was located. Milkit stopped in front of the room, anxiously placing her hand on her chest while she listened to her Master in the room. "Incredible, so this is ......." Flamm looked around the room and exclaimed in admiration. Translucent crystal wire was strung throughout the room, and even more huge gemstones were embedded in parts of the room. The multicolored crystals shimmered magically as they reflected the light streaming in through the open door. And in the center of the room, there was a crystal ball that looked like an activation device - only the area around it had been destroyed. Nearby, a chair identical to the one in Dafiz''s room was lying on the floor. That guy, had he destroyed it with his own hands? "Nooooo!" At that moment, Milkit''s scream echoed. Flamm looked toward the door and saw Dafiz, who had her pinned under his wings and was laughing with a knife to her neck. His eyes were red and bloodshot, and numerous teardrops were streaming down his cheeks. The expression on his face wasn''t a joyful one -- truthfully it was more of a mixture of complex feelings -- but if I had to guess, I would say it was one of despair. "I''m sorry, Flamm-san, I ...... I''m forced to do this." "Dafiz-san, please let go of Milkit!" "Sure, the Origin is a dangerous force, and we may never be able to fully control it." "Please let go of me!" "But, even if that''s how it is, there''s no way we can abandon our dreams once we have them, is there? "Shit ....... I told you to let go of her!" Flamm pulled out her soul eater with both hands. Dafiz then tightened his arms even more around Milkit''s body and warned her. "Are you sure, you really think I''m gonna kill her?" "You can''t kill her." "No, I can kill her. Even if I can''t kill her for myself, I can do anything for Susie and Rukou." As he said this, the blade of the knife is pressed even harder against Milkit''s neck. She was tragically frightened, "Hi, ah ......." Flamm''s frustration grew. "Rukou didn''t exist, it was just a monster!" "Don''t talk to me like you know me! Rukou is my and Suzy''s lovely daughter, the fruits of our love." "She became a monster..." "I''m sure of it, it was caused by you, wasn''t it? It was indeed me who welcomed you, so if you want to laugh, you can laugh at me. I don''t care how if they make fun of me. But as a matter of fact, if you were gone, all the problems wouldn''t have happened, right? Then I will just keep on trying it, right? Sure, that may be true. For a while, the rampage of the dead would calm down. But so what? The fundamental problem would not be solved. "That''s just delaying the inevitable! Susie won''t come back to life, she won''t have children, and nothing will change that reality!" "What''s the point of reality? Not a single person would choose a miserable life over a blissful dream." "Are you sure you want to do this?" "I don''t care." He seemed to have made up his mind in a bad way. Once he destroyed the controls in that room, he could no longer turn back. Flamm''s flimsy view of life and death, in which she has never lost anyone, didn''t not resonate with him. "If that''s the case, what am I supposed to do? What can I do to make you let go of Milkit?" "....... well" Dafiz smiled a broken smile, then suddenly turned expressionless and told Flamm: "Why don''t you get out of this room and die." His emotionless voice reverberated through the small room. There was a moment of silence. After a pause, it was Milkit who spoke first. "No, you can''t do that! I would rather die than let my Master suffer like that!" She began to struggle and lash out. He warned her quietly with his voice running cold. "Be quiet, or I''ll really stab you." "Go ahead, stab me, but at that point, you''ll be finished, too. As long as you lose the hostage, there is no need for my Master to listen to you!" "Milkit, calm down." "I can''t calm down! Because this man told Master to die!" It was difficult for Flamm to rescue Milkit here and now. But on the other hand, she thought that as long as she met his demands, Milkit''s safety would be assured. Knowing the weight of human life, it was hard to believe that he would kill someone for nothing. Flamm put away her weapon and approached them with her hands raised. Dafiz senses her intentions and retreats to clear the way. "Master ......" "Don''t cry, it''s not like I''m going to die right now. Also, don''t get desperate when I''m gone. If Milkit got hurt, I would die of grief." After Flamm said this, she walked out of the control room, passed by them, and headed for the exit of the room. "You''re sure this is what you want?" There was no answer. But the silence was taken as an affirmation. Outside, the dead people were waiting impatiently for Flamm to come out. Whether they really intended to kill her or hurt her just enough so that she didn''t die and then take her somewhere else, it''s unknown. But the moment she came out, it was inevitable that a battle would start. Injuries would be unavoidable. Flamm stopped at the door and takes a deep breath. At that moment, Dafiz seemed calm at first glance, but in reality he must have been in a state of confusion. Otherwise, he would not have used the brainless method of taking hostages. But as long as the cause, Flamm, was around, his brain would never cool down. In other words, he needed time to cool down without her. Once she went out there, he''d buy himself some time and come back. That''s what Flamm needed to do. The question is whether she will survive until then. If she was going to leave, couldn''t she do it quickly? "Master, you can''t leave after all!" Finally, turning back to Milkit and smiling gently, as if to say, "I''ll be fine," Flamm left the room. At the same time, the gaze of the dead surrounding her pierced her. Arms outstretched. Touch, touch, touch - fingertips touched every part of her body, and the power of the spiral was poured into her. Twisted parts, the feeling of bones breaking that echoed heavily inside her body andthe sound of flesh being stirred came into her ears. "Ga ...... ah, haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" -- But even so, she was going to make it through this. With determination, Flamm howled and drew her large sword, even while enduring the pain so severe fading away her conciousness. CH 40 040 Pushing the limits, and why Arms torn off. Blurred vision. Blood spattering. A body that was immobilized by the power of the spiral that was flowing through it. However, a single right arm was enough to slaughter the copies of Origin in front of him. ----! Flamm''s spirit shook the air around her, though she could not speak due to being crushed to the throat. "Guooooooooooo!" With a silent roar, she swung Zwei Soul Eater with one hand. The power of the sword itself, the added prana, and the shockwave generated, all piled on top of each other, causing the upper half of the dead man''s body to blow up and scatter. "...... haaaaah!" Flamm exhaled heavily as his body finally regenerated and the pain began to ease. The most important thing to remember was that she couldn''t just go out of the room and expect to be in this state. It was good that she came out with a bang, but where should she go from here? Flamm''s goal was not to destroy this research facility, but rather to destroy the necromancy project itself. After all, Origin was not to be trusted. She had to somehow persuade Dafiz to give up his research, while also trying to reduce the power of the church. Or - as a last resort - kill him. "Ah, but I feel that killing a person who is by no means an evil person for my own convenience would mean losing something important as a human being." Besides, as long as Dafiz was alive, he would be able to get information on the Children, the Chimera, and even the upper echelons of the church. After all, what she needs now is time to cool off. Milkit is being held hostage, and even though Flamm is worried about her, there is now way that he would be a murderer. Otherwise, he would never have thought of using the power of Origin for the gentle purpose of raising the dead. He was a warm-hearted adult who could respect the lives of others. That was why - it would be difficult to make him give up his life with his own family. Flamm had to figure out a way to convince him. While she was catching her breath, the enemy was closing in on her again. Flamm glared at them, and once more blasts their body with a great swing, clearing the way. Not that many people must have lived in the facility. In other words, many of the people gathered here were from outside the church - those who had flowed in from the village. She was worried about Gadio, Eterna, and Ink, but now was not the time to be worrying about anyone else. She sprinted through the gap widened by the previous blow, passing between outstretched arms and moving forward, forward, forward. As she continued forward, she came to a crossroads. \She checked left and right, and right was the direction of the exit. Without hesitation, Flamm turned left and headed further into the facility. Her goal was not to escape, but to buy time. She saw two small shadows ahead of her. Dead - or perhaps a baby. Both were crawling, approaching, lumps of flesh that resembled a child too young to stand on its own two feet. Even so, they were still unpleasant opponents. So are the dead. Flamm seemed to be beating them mercilessly at first glance, but her heart was still worn out. No matter how much the body was just being manipulated by Origin, the resistance caused by the flesh ]was still the same as a human being. Besides, unlike Dane''s men, the original owners of the bodies were not Flamm''s enemies. Killing and wounding innocent people - just being aware of it was enough to make her feel like she was losing her mind. But if she didn''t do it, she would be the one who would die. She had to tell herself that many times. With sharp eyes, she looked at the children, who were distorted as they approached, gurgling and making ghastly noises as they approached. Looking closely, she saw that the floor they were touching was squishily contorted. Maybe it was the same with Rukou. They, like the dead, have the power to distort their targets, and they were sent to Flamm with malicious intent. "Hmph!" The raised sword---slammed into the ground with great force, caused the prana to explode. "Uoooooo!" The Prana Spirit Storm exploded, and the babies caught in the storm were blown to pieces. A peculiar odor filled the corridor, and blood and body parts stuck to the floor and walls. But the pieces of flesh were still twisting and moving, as if still alive. The direction they were going changed. Flamm, who had been watching them wriggling eerily - as if turning back the way they came - turned her head forward and saw two women standing there. ''The baby...... woman...... maybe those two are the mothers?'' Maybe the piece of meat is trying to return to its mother. What would happen if they went back? She had left Lukor''s body alone, but Flamm did not know that twisted and wriggling piece of flesh went, or what happened to it afterwards. The only thing that was clear was that it would not be a good thing. Because... the origin plays tricks on you. At one time, it multiplied eye balls and killed people. And now it was playing with our hearts by imitating our love life. It gives the power of the gods, looking down on them from above and saying, "I will make your wish come true." It must be laughing at people who are resigned to momentary happiness, knowing that what awaits them at the end of it all is destruction. So - telling herself that this was the salvation of the souls grieving in the afterlife - she slew the two mothers. Flamm stopped dead in her tracks and turned around. The pieces of flesh that had been shredding on the wall just a moment before fell to the floor, not moving a muscle. Was this the result of the mother''s body having ceased to function? The mother''s life was connected ...... to the body, or perhaps it was a part of the body. It wasn''t a child, it was just a separated piece of meat. ...... In its own way, Origin must have tried to reproduce the phenomenal event of pregnancy that occurs in the human body. The cells were multiplied abnormally in the uterus, and the lump of flesh produced was analyzed for physical information from the mother and father, inherited as features, and then given birth to a human form. Then, they gave birth. In other words - it was not a child, but a kind of tumor sarcoma. If the father was dead and the mother was alive, it is thought that she would have a function similar to the bodily fluid that the father spits out. After all, it was not a person who was born. In order to create new life, both parents must have normal souls. Flamm paused to think, but then she heard the sound of new footsteps. She clicked her tongue and went further in, past the corpses. She then reached a very suspicious looking door at the far end of the institute. It was locked, and furthermore, there were countless chains wrapped around the doorknob. Without hesitation, Flamm broke the chains with her soul eater, smashed through the door, and went down the dark stairs leading to the basement. The door was now open. A knife spilled from Dafiz''s hand. It was just after the sounds of battle had ceased to be heard from outside the room. This meant that Flamm had moved away and there was no longer any need to take hostages. And when he released Milkit, she staggered unsteadily, one hand on the desk and her head in his hands. He was very regretful of what he had done. Milkit glared at him with eyes that showed through the bandages, unusually strong for her. "Do you really think that Master''s death is going to solve your current situation?" In truth, she wanted to go out after Flamm. But even Milkit didn''t want to die in vain, so she suppressed her desire and denounced Dafiz. "I don''t ...... think so," he said. "I understand that it is only a stopgap measure." "Then why are you doing this?" "I have devoted more than ten years to this research!I have recovered my loved ones, I even have a family!If I give up now, I lose everything here - my wife, my children, my life, everything!I can''t just accept ...... that I''m wrong and say, ''Yes, I see!''" Even if it was a trick. Susie came back to life and spent time with him as a lover. He was happy to see her pregnant and spent time studying and preparing himself to be a great father. And the time spent as a family after Rukou was born - all of these are things that Dafiz had actually experienced. "Rukou was ...... no, that... was not a child. It was a real monster." "You met the girl?" "Yes. When we left the room, he came close to us, and then his body started to bend in all sorts of ways. At the end, he didn''t even look human anymore." Dafiz gritted his teeth and clenched his hands on the desk. "I''ve always had a ...... hunch," he said." I always had a feeling that this was really the right thing to do, but that it was going too well, that one day it would suddenly break down." "So why did you continue?" "I told you before," he said. "The bait that was being dangled was too tempting. I couldn''t refuse it. So I told myself that there was nothing wrong, that my work was perfect. If I didn''t have more confidence in myself than I neededto have, I''m was afraid that an unfavorable image would enter my mind''s eye." And so, up until now, he had no problems. At least until Flamm came along. "Mr. Dafiz, do you have any other devices available to stop the core from functioning?" "No. Even if there were, I don''t intend to activate it." "Why not?You know that, don''t you? Your family is nowhere to be found!" "Because in order for me to be me, Ms. Flamm would have to die." Family and research were now his identity. Even if he is confronted with an incorrect argument that he was wrong, abandoning it would be the same as his own death. If he did not cling to them, no matter how ugly the imitation, everything that made up Dafiz''s personality will be destroyed. Milkit was enraged by his antics. Grabbing his clothes with both hands, she glared at him at close range. Dafiz nodded in a sulky manner, averted his gaze, and said in a languid tone, "I don''t like that look, but I''m not going to change my answer." He nodded, averted his gaze, and said somberly, "That kind of a look won''t change my answer. If you were in my shoes, you would do the same." The reverse was also true. If Dafiz were in Milkit''s shoes, he would have called her out in the same way - or even more violently. He understood, which was why he couldn''t be strong with Milkit. "What would you do if Master defeated everyone in this village and survived?" "Unlikely. Unfortunately, unlike Children''s and Chimera, this is not a facility for creating weapons. But, we do have my wife, a grade-A adventurer. Moreover, she is now deeply influenced by Origin and can even handle its power. Flamm cannot win." Flamm and Susie herself had not yet encountered each other. But if Flamm continued to fight, the two will eventually collide. "But Gadio and Eterna are there." "They are from this side of their family????, not on your side." Milkit was frustratingly silent. She wanted to believe in them But they had disappeared without telling Flamm and the others and had visited Sheol Village. They were in touch with the dead and had a gentle expression on their faces that they had never shown in the royal capital. Such was the current Gadio and Eterna - Milkit could not fully trust them. ''Susie won''t be defeated by Ms. Flamm alone. Never." Dafiz declared again. You trust your wife a lot, don''t you? Yes, I love her With a tragic smile, he said. Milkit saw the look on his face, heard the words, and understood. She had been unable to name it for a long time, the feeling she had inside her for Flamm. She had tried naming it many different names, but none of them seemed to fit. She wished to devote myself to her. She trusted her unconditionally. Milkit finally found a name for that feeling - one that finally fit. "If that''s the case, Master will never be defeated by you. She will always defeat you and come back to me." "What makes ...... you so sure?" She had finally found the answer found the asnwer to that question. "If you call your feelings of trust in Susie-san love, then--" Milkit declared proudly and proudly. "I love my master even more than that!" As Flamm descended the stairs, she thought about Milkit, who remained alone in Dafiz''s room. She was convinced that her life was not in danger, but she was still concerned. She wondered if she should go back right away, but there was no way that she could talk to Dafiz so soon. She had no choice but to run for her life, trusting that she was safe. "What is this place ......?" At the bottom of the stairs was a long, dark corridor. On the left and right walls were metal doors that looked very sturdy, and light was leaking in through bay windows with iron bars. There seemed to be another door in the back, but she started Flamm approached and peered into the room. She looked at the room, "It''s ......." She exclaimed. What she saw there was a human figure, its face a whirlpool of flesh, just like the children of the church''s experiments. The room was decorated in the same way as the place where Flamm and her friends were staying, and it was sitting on the couch, incessantly spewing red bodily fluids from the whirlpool and staining the floor. Flamm watched in amazement for a while, and then it noticed the look in her eyes and walked up to the door. She backed away involuntarily, and her back hit the door of another room with a clang. Boo-hoo, boo-hoo.[^1] Flamm heard a faint sound through the wall and turned around to look directly at the whirlpool of flesh that was also staring at her through the bay window at close range. "Eekm!" she exclaimed in a high-pitched voice. "What is this ......, what is this place ......?" At the end of the corridor were a series of similar rooms. Upon closer inspection, a writhing red face was attached to every one of the windows, staring at Flamm. Her lungs shook and she could not breathe properly. Flamm breathed roughly, with her mouth half-open and her shoulders moving up and down. Then she swallowed the saliva that had collected in her mouth with a gulp and a throat movement. "haha ...... haha ...... is it possible that the people who failed to resuscitate ...... are these ones who failed?" Those who had been unable to turn back due to the uncontrollable influence of the Origin. But Dafiz treated even these people as human beings. Although they were forced to stay in the basement, they were given separate rooms to live in comfort. Beep, beep, beep - an alarm rang in Dafiz''s room. He looked at the small crystal shining on his desk and laughed. "What''s that noise?" "Oh, it seems ...... that Ms. Flamm has set foot in that ...... place. If that''s the case, she may not have to fight Susie anymore." "Answer the question, Mr. Dafiz!" Ignoring Milkit, whose voice was hoarse, Dafiz had put his hand on the shiny crystal. Three times, with a pause in between, he poured magic power into the crystal. Then the sound stopped. It was a system to detect intruders to the basement, but it could perform different actions depending on the pattern of the magic power that was poured into the crystal. Once to stop the alarm, Two times, the basement is sealed off foran emergency. Three times to-- Clang! From around Flamm, who was moving deeper into the corridor, came the sound of a lock being opened. And then, as if the doorknobs of all the rooms were twisted violently, the failed reborn came out from inside one after another. The further back they went, the more they lost their human form. Some of them crawled up to her at an odd speed even though they had only one hand, and others moved like spiders, dexterously using their ten or so limbs. In addition - the dead on the ground descended from the staircase that Flamm had just descended from. She swung her sword crosswise on the spot and ejected her prana shield. "With this!" The dead in front of her were supposed to be wiped out. But in fact, only the one in front of her could be killed. The second one had sacrificed its right hand, which had been thrust forward, to stop the full force of the blow. The failures underground were clearly different from those above ground. Indeed, from the standpoint of human resuscitation, they may be failures. However, if we look at them as weapons using the power of Origin, they are by far the best. There were at most 20 of them. But even so, they wre A shudder. Flamm felt the presence of a threat approaching from behind and jumped back to the side. Bash! Immediately after, a high-speed spinning force grazed her left arm and scraped away the flesh. At that speed, it was almost painless. However, it would be quite troublesome if all the enemies used long-range attacks. With her sword at the ready, Flamm first kicked the ground to reduce the deformities that existed in the back of the room. Then they lined up side by side, and yet another dead man rode on top of them to become the second tier, blocking the escape route to the top as well. And at the same time - fists drawn, legs trembling, flesh whirling - they unleashed a spiral barrage. Not at a point, but a surface. A wall of overwhelming destructive force rushed in from in front of her. "Reversal!" She held the soul-eater in front of her and poured in the magic power of reversal. But that was not enough to cover the entire body. "Doggagaaga!" The spirals that hit the sword''s blade made a reverse rotation due to the reversal magic, losing their energy and disappearing. On the other hand, the others mercilessly chipped away at Flamm''s body. Her ears were blown off, her cheeks were shredded, her right finger, which gripped the hilt, was blown to pieces, and her left arm, which could not be protected by the sword, was turned into a honeycomb. Mainly the left half of the body - both the torso and the leg, the damaged parts were gouged out in a nice circular shape, but the wounds were not fatal. Flamm chuckled. The stray bullets should have reduced the number of enemies behind her, or so she thought. And when she turned around, there they were - the dead, ready to take in the power of the spiral they had received and fire their next shot. "No way--!" Flamm''s smile faltered. When she looked at them, they were already about to be released. A similar barrage of bullets struck Flamm, this time from the opposite direction. It would be too late to spread the magic throughout her body now. However, as long as she could protect her head and heart, she would not die immediately. At this point, she was going to throw away her limbs. She didn''t know what would happen after that, but for now, she just had to think about surviving this moment. ZDDDDDDDDDDDDD! Flamm''s body was helplessly being overtaken. Shot through and through, red fragments flew through the air like rags. "Oh ...... gee, gee gee ......!" As one would expect, Flamm''s equipment did reduce the pain by some amount, yet despite that the was struggling to hang on to her conciousness "Uuui, i......o......Mil, ki,......t......ooooooo!" She only thought of her strongly and held on to the connection. "I can''t die, I can''t die, I absolutely can''t die." However, although only the part of the body that had just been imbued with magic power was barely protected - with a thud, Flamm''s body, which was covered with holes all over except for the head, was thrown to the floor. Her heart was protected by "inversion," so her heart was unharmed. However, her limbs were scattered and she was unable to move. Her body was still in a state of shock, but her heart was still intact. She tried to move by twisting her body, but a monster''s hand closed in on her before she could do so. The right half of the body was a bloated, deformed individual - he lifted Flamm and observed the slowly regenerating body. Then it suddenly placed the severed surface of her red left shoulder, dripping with blood, against the whorl of flesh on his face. Gulp. Flamm felt a soft, tepid, sickening sensation against the wound. "Ugh. ...... eggggh ......." A feeling of vomiting rose to the top of his lungs. The monster''s mouth wriggled violently, and something sharp bit into the freshly regenerated flesh. It was chewing. In order to prevent Flamm''s body from regenerating, they ate the healed flesh off the healed part of his body. Another whirlpool of flesh was pressed against her right shoulder, and the other parts of her body were flooded with the monsters one after another. "Gah, ah...... ah, ah...... ha...... hyah, ha...... gi! ......!" They did not kill Flamm. They would not kill her , they would keep her alive while she was unable to move, and - eventually - they would have to deliver her to the main body of Origin, or so they thought. The pain, suffering, and physiological disgust of having one''s flesh eaten away incessantly. As she felt these things, Flamm thought to himself, "How dare they do this to me? How could they eat meat filled with magic power and prana so deliciously? Gopah! As if bursting into a blossom, the bodies of the monsters that had eaten Flamm''s body burst open all at once. She was thrown to the floor by the impact. Amidst the blood pouring down like rain, she crawled desperately moving her two arms, which had finally regenerated. Undeterred, another monster reached for Flamm. She twisted, rolled, and evaded. She regenerated up to her elbows and thighs - moving even faster. Their attacks were at the mercy of their persistence rather than their movement, and did not reach her. When all the arms regenerated, it was now completely Flamm''s pace. It was no longer clear which of them was the monster, but the outstretched hand was swatted away with the sword, the spiral force released grazed a part of her body but missed, and finally, she reached the door at the far end of the corridor. Clinging to it, she opened it and, inwardly relieved that it was unlocked, slid herbody through the crack. Then she quickly closed it. Even after all this frantic work, all she could do was stall for time until her legs regenerated. "Another room I don''t understand ......." I entered the room without checking inside, but what I found on the other side of the door was an unusually large space. It was a round room with a high ceiling and a deep hole in the front. Above the hole was a wire mesh passageway, but it was cut off in the middle. There was no sign of a door anywhere on the walls, so this room must be the deepest part of the basement. When her legs regenerated, Flamm walked up the passage and peered into the hole below. At the bottom of it, she could see, dimly, something moving. Staring intently, she saw that it was a lump of flesh, barely recognizable as part of a human being, with hands, feet, and a face attached. She was no longer surprised by most things. "I see, so anything worse than those failed attempts gets dumped in here." These pathetic corpses were no longer worth giving room to. Even after creating this hell, did Dafiz still not realize that his research was a mistake? "Yeah, but I guess I can understand a little ...... why you''d want to keep going even if you shouldnt. ......" Even myself, in situations where I would normally give up, I can get back up again if I think of Milkit. Sometimes the feelings for others can lead a person in the wrong direction. But at times, it gives you strength beyond the limits of your abilities. GAGGONG! As Flamm peeks down forlornly, the door blew open and the monsters rushed into the room. Flamm, cornered, jumped out of the door himself. As she fell, she muttered to himself, "If that''s the case, I can do it too." If that''s the case, there''s nothing I can''t do. In order to get out of this situation. Believing in possibilities, she exceeded her current limits. "Haaaaaaaaaaaaah!" Gosh--doggahgahgahgahgahgahgahgahgahgahgahgahgahgahgahgahgahgahgah! A large crater was created on the floor where the soul eater struck. The entrance, along with the surrounding walls, was blown away, leaving a large hole. Furthermore, the impact extended to the passageway beyond it, with the floor and walls deeply gouged out. Naturally, the creatures that were within the area had almost completely ceased to function. Some of them were still moving, and their flesh was about to start twisting and hardening, but Flamm quickly cut them down and destroyed their cores. "It depends on the ...... idea, you know. It''s a bit unwieldy, but I feel like if I could get better at using it, I could still do a lot of things with it." Looking at her own palm, she realizes the dexterity of the power of "Reversal". In the meantime, the dead continued to descend to the underground one after another. However, the dead above ground could not hurt Flamm. As long as they are dealt with from a proper distance, they were not much of a threat. As she thought this, a woman with a distinctly different atmosphere from the other dead appeared before her. She was "Ms. Susie, ......." She was an A-rank adventurer, not a straightforward opponent. Even more so when she was powered by the Origin Core. I guess that should be considered a "means of attack" for Susie. Flamm raised her sword high and refined her prana. When she stepped in front of her, she swung it down and released her spirit sword energy. CH 41 -- In the quest for strength, memories of friends and associates will only get in the way. That said, Gadio was not ready to abandon his past. He himself understood that this was his weakness. But at the same time, it was the driving force that made him strong. After that, they put on their clothes and lay shoulder to shoulder on the bed for a while. But still, she didn''t seem to be interested in this place. She kept looking at the church, or rather at the institute, and finally got out of bed, walking aimlessly. She didn''t say anything to Gadio. "Hey, Thea!" He called out to her, but she didn''t answer him anymore. He remembered what had happened six years ago. The scene of the tragedy, where not even a corpse remained. After it ended, Gadio returned to the scene and repeatedly called out to Thea. Hey Thea. What should I do now? Hey Tia. Say something -----. Of course, there was no reply, just like today. The living cannot speak with the dead. This was an absolute truth of this world. If it were Origin, it would be able to go beyond that too, Gadio hoped, but--'' "Fu, I wouldn''t be that naive." The world is not that kind. "The only way to meet you is to go to the same place, but that''s impossible. I thought I knew that much." It was just a monologue now. The only living person in the house was Gadio. "I''m sorry, Thea. I''m not good enough to look you in the face yet. I''m not going to miss you for a long time, though. Maybe I''ll be more relaxed about it than I think, but ...... I''m going to miss you." He slipped out of bed and picked up Souma''s sword, which was propped up against the wall. "I''ll do my part. No, it''s not worthy to be called a part. This is just my personal revenge." Then he approached Thea, who was leaving the house. "I''m going to destroy Chimera. As soon as I''ve done that, I''ll be on my way to you." With trembling hands, he held up the sword that had belonged to his best friend. "So just wait a little longer, ...... Thea." He thrust it into the back of his beloved wife. The precise and incomparable blow pierced only around her heart area without fail. The core was pushed out of her body and fell to the ground. Gadio looked down at his beloved, who was still beautiful even in death, and felt nothing but emptiness. He then lifted Thea''s body and laid her on the bed, touching her cheek. He gently lowered her open eyelids with the palm of his hand, kissed her forehead, and then put on his coat and walked out. "Gadio, you''re late." Eterna stared at him with a glare. "Uuuu, it stinks! My nose is going crazy ......" Ink, held by her arms, was there holding her own shoulders and complaining. Certainly, for someone unaccustomed to it, the smell of these corpses would be unbearable. "I told you, you should have waited inside the house." "What''s this all about?" "What is it? I don''t know, I just came out of the house myself. But I heard screams all over the village, and all the dead were heading for the lab." "So I ...... disposed of them all by myself." The main street of Sheol Village used to be so beautiful and serene. But now, it had become a hellscape with a large number of dead bodies lying around. "Not all of them, there are still many." From the direction Etana pointed with her chin, countless expressionless people were approaching. There was still work to be done, and Gadio shrugged his shoulders in relief. "Eterna, when did you realize?" "You mean the dead don''t come back to life?" "Yeah." "I was convinced when Ink came in. But when it came time to kill them, I couldn''t take the plunge. I was not ready yet." Even so, Eterna had put her own hands on her parents before the mutation occurred. Although she seemed unfazed, she still felt the bitterness in her chest. It was a sensation that would not go away for a while. "That''s just the way it is, Gadio and Eterna are human beings, you know." Ink''s words made them both smile slightly. "By the way, I think Flamm is in the institute. I''m really worried." "I owe her an apology." ''Yeah, so I have to go pick her up. But first -- there are too many of these things, probably more than the amount inside. "Yeah, let''s kick the crap out of them first and then go." Gadio and Eterna headed toward the approaching horde of the dead. With these two heroes, the horde was helplessly and unilaterally defeated. Susie dodged Flamm''s blade of prana by leaping back. She then put Rukou on the floor and picked up a metal tube that had fallen. It had been used as a window''s bars. As she tightened her fist on the tube, it twisted and extended with the force of a spiral, transforming itself into a long, slender, sharp spear. That woman was her prey. Susie tapped the floor twice with the tip, as if to confirm something. Kon, Kon. For a mere stick, the sound was unusually loud. Was it the nature of the material or her skill? In the meantime, Flamm once again fired a prana shaker (spirit sword slash), this time to her side. Hyuoh! But it was easily blocked by Susie''s spear. "I knew she was different from all the others I''ve seen so far" Flamm said, disgusted. Then he scanned and checked the status. -------------------- Suzy Sharmath Attribute: Light gin Strength: 1768 Compensating Strength: 891 e Stamina: meeting Agility: 3861 Calling: 1749 -------------------- Flamm clicked her tongue when she saw the projected text. The numbers were not displayed properly because the will of the origin was in the way. However, thanks to the "control" mentioned by Dafiz, the degree of erosion was low, and it was not completely unreadable. As can be seen, Flamm seemed to have more magical power, but her agility was far superior. Depending on her physical strength figures, she could be considered to be as good as an S-rank. In addition to that, Rukou approached eerily while crawling with that spear arm that easily erased knightly swordsmanship. This was going to be a tough one to win if she didn''t hit her from the start without giving her away. Kon, Kon. Susie held up her spear and shook the ground with the tip of it. Was she trying to provoke her? Flamm''s left eyelid twitched at the sound, and she lunged forward in frustration. She was not induced by the sound; she was calm. And so, when she reached maximum speed, she smashed the ground with her large blade. Whoosh - a storm of prana blew through the air, sending debris rolling up. It blasted the distorted Rukou and slammed her into a wall. "Gyah!" Splat. Crushed, a mass of lifeless flesh that bloomed into a flower of blood. But in the midst of such a wind powerful enough to destroy human flesh, Susie dared to rush forward. Like an arrow, without any slowing down at all, she thrust her spear straight at Flamm''s head. Flamm caught it with the edge of her blade. Giiinnn! The sound of metal clashing against metal rang out. Susie then unleashed an unstoppable barrage of blows that were as swift as rain - quite literally, blindingly fast. She blocked it with his soul-eating sword. However, the attacks, which were skillfully delivered while weaving in and out of the space between them, surely left wounds on Flamm''s body. "..........Guh!" Flamm then boldly released her defense. Zash! The twisted spear thrust deeply into her stomach. Susie tried to pull it out immediately, but Flamm held on to the twisted handle to keep it from escaping. She was stronger than her, so she couldn''t pull it out. Flamm then kicked her in the stomach with the sole of her foot. The spear left her hand, and Susie backed up, clutching her stomach in pain. Flamm immediately slashed at her with an iron rod to the gut. "I got it!" She was sorry for Dafiz, but she had to defeat her and annihilate all the dead to get out of the way. Besides - as long as Susie was alive, it would be difficult to make him give up. Just as she was about to swing down with all her might, with the intention of killing her. "Daa!" A baby''s voice came from Flamm''s feet. She looked down and saw the twisted, deformed form of Rukou trying to cling to her leg. "Why?" -- She thought she had slammed her against the wall a moment ago. Flamm hurried to move away, but it was too late. The outstretched hand of the elliptical Rukou touched Flamm''s left leg. Then her leg was twisted with a gurgle and a dull sound. "Guh, Ah......!" Flamm held on with her right leg so that she would not fall. Then Susie, who had picked up the iron pipe again and created a new spear, approached. Flamm, swinging her left leg as hard as she could sent Rukou flying in an arc and was slammed to the floor. Her body leaning forward, Susie''s thrust approached her. Flamm, who could not avoid it completely, dared not to fight against gravity and toppled her body further, trying to avoid a fatal wound at least. Then, the tip of the ear touched her shoulder--bam! and with a gush of blood, it stabbed her in the neck. "Ha--?" Flamm was stunned. Susie immediately pulled the spear and moved away. Why in the neck? Flamm''s eyes had seen it hit her in the shoulder, but it didn''t look like it was going to hit her in the neck. It didn''t look as if it bent just before. If that is the case, then why am Flamm now bleeding profusely, with a hole in her neck? "Ga.......Bue, Kahyu.......Goho.......Go...bo......" Flamm spits out the iron-smelling bodily fluids that have come up from her mouth. A red puddle was created on the floor. The fishy, iron-like taste in her mouth was disgusting. It further triggered her vomiting sensation, which slowly faded as the wounds on her neck filled in. Before she could finish healing, Susie attacked further. Swinging her sword a little wildly, Flamm intercepted it. She doesn''t expect to hit Susie, it was just a threat, and if she could buy some time, that would be enough. Koon. But just before that, the spear struck the floor and made a sound. Then, the vision bent, and the trajectory of the sword flash was diverted. Susie easily avoided the attack, which was launched in the direction of the day after tomorrow, and thrust the spear toward her heart. What happened? Flamm stomped on the ground so hard that her feet were torn off, and twisted her body forcibly. Thud! The spear pierced her right chest, puncturing her lung. The iron rod is pulled out from her body with a sneak attack. Undeterred by the pain, Flamm, with both feet on the ground, slammed the black blade into Susie''s side. Giiiiinnn! She caught it with her vertical spear. The metal bar twisted by the impact vibrated, and a high-pitched sound echoed around her. The moment she heard it, the strength left her body again, and Flamm''s body swayed unsteadily. "This, what the ...... damn it, aaaaaaaahhh!" Bwooo! Susie now aimed straight between Flamm''s eyes. It was impossible to avoid, she decided, and she dared to let go of her soul eater. She then tried to grab it with her right hand, just before it pierced her brain. She could have grabbed it with her right hand. Surely, she witnessed the moment when its pointed tip settled inside the black basket. But when she clenched his fist, all that was inside it was air. And the stab, which should have been aimed at her head, pierced her shoulder. "Zuuuuuuu...... again!" Flamm''s head was in turmoil. What kinda trick is this? Flamm was frightened, but Susie continued to knock the spear to the side and cut off her left hand, which was thrust forward to protect her face, with the whole basket. Flamm''s gaze naturally followed the part of her hand that had been so easily lost. As she watched it fall to the floor, she recognized Rukou, who was once again on all fours, closing in on her. Why - the first Rukou should have remained slammed against the wall. The second Rukou was still tossed far away ...... not moving an inch ....... In other words, it is the third Rukou that is now reaching for Flamm''s leg. Where the hell are these guys appearing from and why are there more of them - unfortunately, she didn''t have time to think about it. She had to get away from Susie first, or else she would be killed. "Reversal!" Flamm casted a reversal spell on herself and retreated. Susie calculated the trajectory of her flight and launched a follow-up attack, but the attack went nowhere. This was because Flamm''s body did not fall to the ground according to the laws of physics. She landed her foot on the roof and immediately kicked it, landing further away from Susie. This "gravity reversal" was so useful so she used it over and over again. However, it seemed to consume a lot of magic power, and Flamm felt that a large amount of resources were being consumed from her body. It could not be used for a long period of time, and it was necessary for her to find the right place to use it. But at any rate - this gave her some room for thought, even if it was only for a moment. She needed to catch her breath and think of a way to deal with it while she could. Susie had three mysteries. First, where was Rukou coming from? Rukou was not in Flamm''s field of vision. Yet, in the midst of the battle, she suddenly appeared at Flamm''s feet. Why and how? It was not so certain that she could call it a guess, but she could somehow imagine something. But it was the worst possible imagery, one she would not like to think about if she could. But it was bad enough now that she had to keep it in mind as a strong possibility. It was a theory that Susie may be spawning that thing while fighting. That thing was not a human being. It was a lump of flesh in the shape of a human being, created by Origin using the dead bodies to replicate the human reproduction. In other words, if it wanted to, it should be able to give birth without the need for an act with the opposite sex. There was no other conceivable way to suddenly spawn Rukou at her feet in the middle of a battle. Second, that symptom of a sudden loss of equilibrium in the presence of Susie. Even putting the detailed principle aside, there was something suspicious about Susie''s behavior. It was that "sound". The spear she is holding was created on the spot by the power of the spiral. In other words, the technique of making a special sound - that may be the secret of Susie''s spear technique. By making the opponent listen to the sound, it caused an imbalance in the ears. It was a troublesome "technique". Lastly, that phenomenon where the wound appeared in a different place from where the spear pierced. This was the biggest mystery. What could she have done to interfere with Flamm''s vision? Did Origin have such a technique? Spiraling, spinning, twisting, connecting, multiplying - which of these powers did it have? It was unpredictable, of course, and there''s no way Flamm could come up with a way to deal with it. How could she win when she was outclassed even by simple status? Flamm grumbled. Fatigue enveloped her entire body. She was also tired from the battle so far, and a prolonged battle would only put her at a disadvantage. Flamm lifts her heavy sword, readied it, and glared at Susie. Then she tried to rush in to start the second round early. But the sight was so horrifying that she temporarily lost her will to fight and stopped. "Ueee......." A piece of the first Rukou''s flesh that had slammed into the wall clung to Susie''s body and had entered her mouth. When the absorption of the first piece was complete, the second, which had been crushed on the ground, next crawled up her body in a huge mass. Rukou twisted on the spot and became an elongated figure, then entered Susie''s wide-open mouth. "I know you were going to reuse her, but you could have done a little more with her. ......?" Flamm''s complaint did nothing to improve Origin''s bad taste. Susie, who had completed absorbing the energy, immediately ran toward Flamm. Kon. She hit the floor with his ear, then leapt - turning once sideways and slashing quickly. The sound echoed deep into her ears, and her vision shook with a wobble. Flamm stomped on both feet and caught the attack with her sword. At the same time as contact was made, the cursed power in her boots was transmitted to the blade of the sword. The power used was "freezing". The frozen spear changed its weight and frequency. Susie backed away and was about to strike Flamm again when the sound of the spear rang out -- Kan. What echoed was a dry sound. Even though it was heard, Flamm did not feel dizzy like she did a moment ago. "Ha, your prideful spear technique has been broken, hasn''t it". Flamm smiled fearlessly and twisted her body to avoid the thrust. Susie immediately pulled her spear and ran out of range again. "I won''t let you get away ......!" Flamm tried to move forward, but - slyly - Rukou was ejected from between Susie''s legs. Ah, as Flamm thought, every time she is destroyed, she spawns Rukou. Flamm felt the utmost contempt for the "humans" from Origin. Flamm calmly this time, thumping her foot. "Flatten her." A cold, indifferent voice. The floor in front of her flipped over, and Rukou was caught up in it and crushed. She stepped on the inverted floor from above, further crushing the mass of flesh as she moved forward. Susie, who was not yet in a good position, was slashed at. But - S-rank class agility is not just for show. She kicked the ground from her unstable position and dodged the slash while rolling backwards. "Haaaaah!" At the same time, Flamm had also factored that in. As if to make the best of it, she put in the reversal magic, flicked the soul eater to the side, and unleashed a prana slash. This was her own personal knightly swordsmanship-- Cavalier Expansion (anti spirit sword). As expected, Susie did her best to mitigate the damage by holding her spear up to block it. Zashu! Her left arm was blown off and a deep tear was carved on her chest. Even so, she did not change her expression, as if to insist that there was no such thing as pain in her body. However, the "reversal" still remained. It began to take effect a little later. The flesh around the amputation on her left arm began to warp and tear as if it were peeling away from the bone. Similarly, in her abdomen, the wound opened and the contents emerged. Flamm was convinced that she had won, but Susie exhaled, "Koh ......," and put all her strength into her body. Then the reversal stopped there. If it hit, the victory would be decided at that moment, and there was no way that such a convenient attack could exist. Unlike Dain when they fought in the church, Susie still had some energy left in her. The reversal magic that had been slammed into her body could do less damage if she consciously suppressed it from above with even greater force. Flamm had learned one thing, and it was frustration. If she could not beat her with this, she could expect further struggles. Susie''s veins rose to the surface on the back of her hand, and she grasped the spiral spear tightly in her remaining right hand. "...... blanking." Then he muttered in a whisper. Susie''s attribute - light magic - was activated, and she disappeared. "I can''t believe she still had a trick left up her sleeve!" Only Flamm''s eyeballs moved busily in search of the suddenly vanished enemy. She thought about the possibility that she had transferred like Nect, but there was a presence and she could faintly hear footsteps. In other words, she was only made invisible by magic. "Ah I see, so she was manipulating the refraction of light through magic. ......!" Flamm finally arrived at the answer. That was why the actual trajectory of the spear was deviated compared to what he had seen. But if she could master magic so well that she could completely disappear, she should have done so from the beginning. Why did she waste it - perhaps because it consumed a large amount of magic power to maintain the magic. It was the same as Flamm''s gravity reversal. Magic is a limited resource, and it could not be used endlessly. In short, if she continued to run away from her, her magical power would soon run out and Flamm would win. But, would Susie really let her escape so easily? "Bwooo!" Flamm felt the "presence" of a thrust coming from the front and immediately turned her head. A few hairs flew up and blood flowed from his ears. Again, a thrust was made between her eyes. She dodged it just in time, bending her body backward. Next, the left shoulder - this one was unavoidable, it pierced through and was immediately pulled out, causing a jarring pain. Flamm tried to block the next attack with the broad blade of her large sword, but Susie was able to hit precisely where she couldn''t block. She hit her in the leg, cheek, side, and thigh. Legs, cheeks, side of the stomach, thighs - being one-sidedly penetrated, Flamm saw a gap to use the soul eater. But Susie, who had disappeared, flew high and this time moved behind Flamm. She aimed for Flamm''s heart and quickly stabbed it. Flamm''s body shook with intuition and narrowly escaped instant death. She turned around and reared up, but Susie was no longer there. Before she could sense her presence, a spear swung down from the side and sliced off Flamm''s right arm, which held the soul eater. She immediately switched to her left hand and tried to step toward the invisible Susie, but something was clinging to her leg. "No way, this one is invisible too!" Bagi, Miki! The sound of the leg twisting and the contents shattering reverberated through Flamm''s body, conducting through her bones. The pain and the sickening, nauseating sensation made her immediately swing her leg and blow Rukou away. During this sequence of actions, Susie again came up behind her and stabbed Flamm''s body with a devastating blow. Even so, she was able to avoid fatal blows to the heart and brain, perhaps because of her persistence in wanting to live. Flamm, who had withstood the onslaught of the attack, took a guess at Susie''s position and, with no luck, fired a large swing of his sword. It was no use -- "REVERSAL! and she immediately flew straight up on the spot and put her feet on the ceiling. She then ran through, disengaging near the stairs and landing. If she fired a broad attack from the edge of the passageway, she should be able to inflict some damage. With this in mind, she raised her sword1. "TEEeERYAAaaaAAA!" She shouted, slammed down, and created a storm of prana. Sand and gravel flew up, staining the air in the area a dim white. Thanks to that - aside from the damage done - the stream of dust could be used to locate Susie. Flamm again poured prana into her sword and intercepted Susie as she approached. "There!" Fuon! It was supposed to be a powerful blow. However, Flamm''s full force strike came up empty. Susie was not there. Manipulating the refraction of light from the dust stream that was being moved by the object, she played with Flamm''s vision. Then, not from the front, but from diagonally in front of the object, she fired a thrust aimed at its brain. "Ah!" The presence of death approached. Bachu! The sharp tip of the sword pierced Flamm''s eyeball, and just before it reached her brain--it was gripped by Flamm''s gauntlet and stopped. She followed the jolt and let go of the sword, narrowly escaping death. However, she was still in dire condition. The spear was forcefully pushed toward her brain. Flamm desperately pushed it back. Both arms tremble. At that moment, Rukou, newly spawned, touched Flamm''s feet. "Gi........A Aaaaaaaa!" Her legs twisted, but she couldn''t shake them off in the moment. The force of the spiral was slowly moving up her body, reaching her thighs and hips. The lower half of her body lost sensation, and the strength drained from her arms as well. The competition was about to be broken, and Flamm compensated for it with prana. But as long as Rukou was there, it was only a matter of time before she was defeated. A way to overcome the situation - anything was possible, as long as she didn''t die, as long as she could pull Susie off, even if only a little bit. Yes, as long as she didn''t die. A desperate thought, a lackluster way to be served up. Flamm''s breathing trembled with fear. The act of "hurting oneself" was such a terrible thing. Still, it was better than death. She put strength into the hand that gripped the spear and called up the power of the curse that resides in the gauntlet. "....... Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuurn!" In response to her call, the spear was engulfed in flames. Of course, Flamm''s face was also burned - but Susie''s hand was also momentarily drained of power. -- Flamm waited for that moment. Pulling the spear from her face, she retreated and immediately regained her grip on the sword, thrusting it into the now invisible Rukou clinging to her leg. With all the strength she could muster. Then she rolled over and left on all fours - fortunately, there was no follow-up attack from Susie. Seemingly, it was time to replenish its energy. Nothing was visible but the sound of crawling. The poor piece of flesh that was destroyed by Flamm must be wriggling and going into Susie''s mouth. "......If you were a honest adventurer, I bet you''d be hard to beat." It wasn''t possible to get through to her with just words. But Flamm still continued to speak. She smiled and looked triumphant. "But you''re not a human now." Rukou''s absorption ended. Susie''s body was filled with power. "So ...... I still have a chance to win." At the same time - all the power that Flamm had poured into Rukou was also taken in. The magic was released and Susie appeared, probably sensing something was wrong. "Oh ...... Ogooooooooh ......!" She let out a pained cry as she arched her body. She also wiped foam from her mouth and convulsed all over her body. Endure, endure. The prana and magic that she had poured into Rukou should have already exploded inside her body. Even so, her strong body, which had been trained before she was born, shook and trembled in an effort to refuse death. "I wonder why she would strain her own body so much when she is already dead." Flamm quietly stepped toward Susie. She reached forward with her hand holding the soul eater and placed the tip on Susie''s chest. "But its thanks to you that I will be able to return the body to Dafiz-san in a clean state." She am grateful, but of course she didn''t thank her. She buries the blade in the body, and when it hit something solid, she pours her magic power into it. "Inverse it." With a snap - the core that had replaced the heart cracks open, and Susie''s body lost its power. As the corpse fell to its knees and onto the floor, the blade slipped out on its own, sliding slyly. When she was sure the body was completely immobile, she stowed away the soul eater and the basket. "Hah ......." Flamm looked up and exhaled heavily. "This ...... must be the last of it, I guess." As she says this, she looked up at the top of the stairs. There was not any more dead coming down, no indication, no footsteps. The number of dead in the village must have been much higher, but perhaps someone was out there fighting them. "For now, I''ll just say it''s a break. ......" She had to pick up Milkit, but she couldn''t stop until then. The question is, would Dafiz listen to her now? "Good work, Onee-san." She heard a nasty voice. Flamm turned around fearfully and saw a blue-haired boy walking toward her, stomping on the oddly shaped dead man. "Nect...... why are you here!" "Why are you here you ask? It''s only natural that I''d come to see how you are doing, right? It made sense, but the timing was too on point for that. He may have been watching her for a long time, not just to see how she was doing. She could have read that much into it. "Don''t be so alarmed. I''m just -- just here to put the finishing touches on this." Nect said, and smiled with a charming, loathsome smile. CH 42 The basement, where countless human and monster corpses lay. An eerie groan echoed from the disposal room in the back. The doors, walls, and ceilings that had been set up had been destroyed to shreds, and debris was scattered everywhere by the fierce battle. In such a place, Flamm and Nect faced each other. It was true that it was Nect who brought the information to Flamm that there was a research institute in Sheol Village. However, he was also a member of the church. Flamm, still tired from the battle, drew her sword again and readied it. Her shoulders rose and fell and her breathing was somewhat labored. Nect shrugged his shoulders when he saw her like that. "I''m telling you, I have no intention of fighting with you here." "You''re after my life, aren''t you?"" "It''s not your life, it''s the power of that reversal. I don''t know where it came from, but Origin wants it, and that''s why they want to connect your sister." "I know you know a lot with Connection... giving you connections, but I have no idea what you''re talking about." Flamm stared at Nect. He put his hand to his chin and pondered for a moment, "Hmmm." "Well, I guess this is part of the reward, so I''ll tell you a little bit about it and explain it to you." "I have to take back Milkit from Dafiz, so I''m not ...... in a good mood right now." "Well I''m in a good mood so I''ll answer as many questions as you want. But there were more important things on her mind "No, I am going to get Milkit." "Are you worried about Dafiz?The most important thing to remember is that hecan''t is not a murderer. Besides, I''m sure I could even tell you about Origin now. ......" Those were fascinating words for Flamm. If he said it was compensation for crushing necromancy, he might give him the information with no strings attached, as well as Sheol Village''s location. "But--" Above all, Flamm wanted to prioritize joining up with Milkit, who was waiting for her. Her appearance seemed to have lightly offended Nect''s . And if you spoil my mood now, I might just be less inclined to give it to you, huh? The suggestion turned into a threat. Flamm had no room to refuse. "So if you''re going to talk to me, you''re going to have to put away that dangerous sword. You dont need to be so wary, I''m just looking for a chat. If he had wanted to, he could have killed Flamm, who was exhausted, by in an instant. Flamm, while remaining vigilant, stowed away her weapon for the time being. "I''m glad you''re being so honest," he said. "Where would you like to start? "What do you mean by the ...... connection?" Flamm asked in a low voice, perhaps out of nervousness. "What do you mean by that? It''s a connection, a ''click''. Then you become part of the circuit and become one with the origin." Flamm''s inversion was the only power that could destroy the origin core. If it was Origin''s goal to unite her with it, then its goal was not her life, but her ability. "Are you trying to incorporate me so that you won''t be destroyed by my inversion?" "That would be the case." "Then you should have connected when my status was zero ......" Or - was there a reason why they couldn''t? The participants of the journey to defeat the Demon King were chosen by "the oracle of Origin." Flamm had always wondered why she had been chosen - perhaps it was to connect her, to bring in her ability to flip. But why was it necessary to go to the demon tribe''s territory for that? "This is another question, but was the trip to defeat the Demon Lord ...... perhaps a cause to get me somewhere?For example, the location of Origin''s ''main body'' somewhere in the demon territory?" "No comment." "What?" "I will answer most of your questions, but there are a few where I will not. Origin would not allow this one, so no comment." Flamm glared at Nect again, but to little effect. In fact, however, it was probably safe to assume that not being able to answer the question was an equal affirmation. In other words, in order for Origin to connect with Flamm - she herself would have had to go to the Demon Lord''s castle. Aside from the necessity of Cyril and the other members, the only other reason she could think of is that she went out of his way to bring her along, even though she would only slow him down. In other words, physical contact with the origin was essential for the "connection" that Nect was talking about, and yet something like the main body of the origin was sleeping in the Demon King''s castle. "But let''s say, hypothetically speaking, that I do reach the origin..." "Why are you assuming what you just said? I told you I have no comment." "Because it''s just an assumption. I''m just assuming. - Wouldn''t it be too risky to make a direct "connection" when I get to the origin?I''d rather stay as just a country girl than do that." Even if Flamm was useless with zero status, there was no telling what kind of power she would get from some kind of strong cursed equipment. If that should happen to destroy the origin, everything would be ruined. "Maybe, Origin is afraid of me, an entity that could potentially kill it. If that were the case, why did he bother to let me near him?" "Isn''t it because ...... it thinks you can''t handle a power like your''s right now?" He smiled maliciously and said provocatively. "I know you don''t have to tell me, but tell me what''s really going on." When Flamm calmly replied, Nect said, "Damn," and dismissed her with a bored look. She had such a hard time against Susie, she understood that even her Reversal might not have been enough to stop her, so why was the core so hard to beat? "...... yeah, yeah." He suddenly closed his eyes and nodded a few times. He nodded his head several more times, as if he was listening to Origin''s voice - he often continued to do so, then smiled and resumed the conversation. "Origin says I am allowed to explain it to you, too, because it won''t change the future of your connection." "I know it''s for reasons I wont feel good about, but ...... let me hear it quickly." "In the beginning, when Origin recognized the existence of Flamm Apricot, its unified will was affected by fear and the possibility of death, and for the first time since its birth, it disagreed with itself." "I''m not sure I understand this......" If the possibility of death was to be destroyed by Flamm''s reversal, what wasthe "unified will"? "Well, you''re going to have to listen to me." Nect did not explain himself very well, but went on. "They were divided into three opinions: kill, leave, and connect. But in the end, the opinion of the "connection" group, which was the most powerful at that time, was adopted and a plan was developed. The reason for the majority was that once an attribute was born into the world, there was a possiblity that it would be born again hundreds of years later. Like Cyrille Swicca''s attribute of "hero," once dead, they attribute may "recycle" after a few hundred years." "Are you talking about reincarnation or something like that?" "No. They say that the first heroes were strong men, which is very different from today''s heroes, isn''t it?The soul is not reborn, only the power is recycled. Perhaps it would be more apt to call it resistance by the will of the stars." Flamm furrowed her brow. Flamm''s eyebrows furrowed as he heard another word he had never heard before. If Origin was resisting the will of the stars, then are they hostile to it? "The crisis won''t go away once you repel them. So, the Origin came to a very rational conclusion: "Deal with it before she knows how to use her power," he said. But it fell apart. She hated to admit it, but it was thanks to Jean''s selfish outburst. They say there''s a fine line between genius and something else, and that''s exactly what happened. "But something unexpected happened along the way, and that''s why Origin was even more confused." "Maybe? Or that was part of the plan." "But then, was he so upset which was why he started becoming active?" "Well, I can''t deny that he might have overreacted. It has "many things" to consider, you know. Flamm would have liked to hear about the "many things," but he would have just said "no comment" and brushed it off again. "Ah yes, in case you were wondering, the farther they get from this institute, the less influence the Origin has on them, it seems" "Well, all the more reason to stay away from there, then." Some of the dead had already entered the institute, and those near Eterna, Ink, and Gadio may not be safe. Paradise would soon be destroyed. But if only they could have used a little longer time to clear their minds--that''s what Flamm was thinking. "Though it seems that all the dead in Sheol Village had already gone berserk by the time I saw them." Nect laughted at Flamm mockingly. Immediately after, he looked at her and lifted the corner of his mouth with a smirk. Apparently, he meant to harass her. Flamm bit her teeth in frustration. "Ha-ha-ha!Intuitive people are really easy to deal with. Hey sister, how does it feel to be played with by a kid much younger than you?" "Can I go now that you''re done talking to ......?" "I''m satisfied. I''m satisfied. I''m going to do my job now." "Oh, and, you know, to you and that slave of yours, this time... I''m not going to touch you all directly, but I''m going to give you some advice. You might get caught in the middle of this, so I suggest you get the hell out of there." "What are you talking about?" Flamm turned around and asked, but Nect was not there. The actual "connection" seems to have transferred Susie''s corpse and also the body to someplace else. "That reminds, that man...." If Susie''s body was being transported away, then there may have been one more possibility... She didn''t know why Susie''s body was transported. But the word "involved" also suggested another possibility. The church would not want information about research using the same origin core to leak out, even though they were hostile to each other. For that reason, the evidence may be destroyed. Judging from Nect''s words, they would use a method that would involve this entire facility. "I can''t die in a place like this after having survived all this time!" She ran up the stairs as fast as she could and headed straight for Dafiz''s room. The dialogue between Dafiz and Milkit ended on a parallel track. They remained in the room in silence, each waiting for each other, trusting that their partners would win. "......What''s with this place, it''s so pungent when it''s in the air." Then Nect suddenly appeared. --The two people stayed in the room and waited for each other, believing that their partners would win. "Susie!" Dafiz clung to her body, which was thrown down roughly on the floor. "Dafiz, your proud wife was defeated and turned into such a figure." Nect looked down at him coldly and said agitatedly. But the words did not reach him. "I think a dirtier corpse would have made more of an impact, but I guess Flamm was too reserved. Oh, I''m so disappointed." "Oh, are you ......?" Milkit looked at him with frightened eyes, her hands shaking. Then NEct''s sadistic blood began to excite. "Oh, what a tease she is!" And then he reached out to her, as if he wanted to connect one of his arms to her, but he stopped just before he could. "Are you related to Flamm, by any chance?" "Do you know the master?!" Milkit responded bitingly. Hearing this, Nect''s shoulders slumped in disappointment. "Ah,...... I said I wouldn''t touch her, I want to bully her, but it''s not good to break a promise, is it?" "...... bully?Promise?" "The other day," he said, "Never mind, it''s Dafiz who has business with me, not the bandaged girl." He said, but he was still unfulfilled, and looked at her often - sighing, he finally gave up. Then he approached Dafiz again. He puts his hand on his shoulder as he hugged Suzy''s corpse, then brought his face close to his and spoke to him. "You know why I''m here, don''t you?" "No matter how much you are a member of Children''s, if you mess with ...... Necromancy''s facilities, you''ll jeopardize the very position of the project itself." "Sure, don''t destroy it...but-- But--" The face of Nect was distorted. The young but well-defined face twists, was dyed red, and turned into a whirlpool of flesh. "Oh, you ...... can''t be serious." Milkit''s voice trembled at the sight of him. She finally realized that he was one of the children Flamm had mentioned, Nect. "--I wasn''t told not to trample on you." Gurgle Nect made an eerie sound, staining the collar of his red shirt with the blood that had flowed out. Then he clenched his fist as if tearing his shoulder off. "Connection" He then used his power on Dafiz. Then, his body immediately sank with a thud. He was beginning to assimilate the corpse of Susie, whom he had been holding in his arms. "Oh,...... this,...... is the,connection,...... ah,Susie,......." There was no pain. Strangely, Dafiz was not afraid. To die while embracing the corpse of my wife... T????h?????e????? ???b???e????s?????t???? ?????w???a????y??? ???t????o???? ?????d???i???e???? ???i?????s???? ????w?????h????i????l????e???? ????b????e????i?????n????g???? ????e???m????b?????r???a????c????e???d????? ????b????y???? ???t???h?????e???? ???c???o???r?????p????s?????e???? ???o????f????? ???m???y??? ???b????e???l????o????v?????e???d????? ????w????i?????f????e????.????? "The best way to die is to die in the arms of the dead body of your beloved wife.Ha-ha-ha-ha!" Nekuto spreads his palms and laughs, as if drunk with himself. Seeing the bizarre scene, Milkit backed away. Then the laughter stopped, and the writhing face of flesh turned toward her, shaking with blood. "Now, there, girl. Soon your master will come for you." "How did you know about ...... Master?" "I met her a while ago, and I gave her a warning. So, I hope you can escape safely." Saying this, Nect held out his right arm in front of him. He held his right arm out in front of him, palm facing up, and gripped it tightly, while at the same time declaring in a loud voice: "Let''s all go down together!" "All will be crushed, Connection!" Go...... go....... The entire building shook, and low, heavy sounds enveloped Milkit from all directions. "Well, see you then." Nect said, and disappeared from the laboratory. Left alone, Milkit, eyes watering, mouth half-open, looked around. Gogo ...... paki ...... gogogo ....... The unstoppable vibrations and heavy bass, plus the sound of something cracking that was heard. A clang...... and pieces fell from the ceiling and rolled across the floor. Milkit reacted to the sound and reflexively looked at the wall near the ceiling. Then she discovered a number of cracks. Besides, the ceiling seemed to be out of alignment-- "Why ...... eh?The ceiling is getting closer to ......?" Milkit was right. In other words, Nect was trying to connect the floor and ceiling of the entire institute and crush all the people, equipment, and materials inside. Realizing this, she rushed to the door of the room and tried to get out by twisting the knob. But it would not open. The distortion of the wall had also distorted the door, causing it to get stuck. "Kkk...... hh, ugh!" Milkit desperately tried to open the door with her weight while twisting her hand with a clatter. But it didn''t even budge a smidge. A she moved away from the door, she made a last-ditch body slam. "Please, please please!" She repeated this over and over again, but no matter what she did, it wouldn''t open. Meanwhile, the ceiling got closer and the distortion of the wall and door gets worse. "I''m going to die in a place like this!" Even she had no intention of dying in such a place. But despite all her efforts.. The powerless Milkit alone would not get out of this place. Her shoulders ached, and it was physically impossible for her to repeat the physical assaults any longer. It was then that she heard a voice from behind her. "Mil......t......s." "Dafiz_......san?" These were the words of Dafiz, who had become almost one with the corpse and was a sight to behold. Milkit approached him, frightened, and listened to his voice. ''"In... my ... coat pockets" "White coat pockets ......." She stuck her hand in there and a small key came out. When she showed it to him, Dafiz spun yet another word. "At... the desk.... drawer" "In the desk drawer?Dafiz, what''s going on?Mr. Dafiz!" "I''m ...... sorry ............ I''m not ......... ...to ...... be ......." Finally, he died, leaving behind an apology to whomever he had addressed it to. Their assimilation continued, eerily moving and intertwined. Milkit wept a mixture of fear and sadness, letting the drops soak into her bandage. Ha, ha, ha, ha--" Flamm''s clothes, tattered and full of holes from repeated battles, fluttered in the wind. Flamm, out of breath, finally arrived at Dafiz''s room. She guessed that the building was about to be crushed and that it was Nect''s work, nine times out of ten. The ceiling was now two meters high. She checked to make sure there was no banging on the door, and immediately used her sword to cut it askew. The entire wall was cut in half and the board fell to the floor, revealing a lump of unidentifiable flesh inside and Milkit sitting on the floor, holding some kind of material. She found Flamm and ran to him, shouting, "Master!" she cried and ran to her. Flamm also approached Milkit and hugged her. "Milkit ...... I''m glad you''re safe." "But Mr. Dafiz ......" Flamm guessed from those words that the piece of meat was Dafiz and Susie combined into one. The ceiling was slowly warping The ceiling is now 1.8 meters high. Flamm, holding Milkit''s body with both arms, ran towards the exit at once. With a gogo-go-go-...... sound, the floor and ceiling came closer together and the walls crumpled. Flamm climbed over the many fallen bodies and moved her feet forward, careful not to slip on the blood. "Ha, ha, ha!" "Master ......." . She was obviously exhausted. "Milkit! I''d rather die with you than abandon you!" She knew that such an answer would come back to her without even having to ask. But she knew she was slowing him down. She said through her ego that she wanted to follow Flamm, and now here she was... "Milkit, I know you''re thinking ...... something ...... bad right now." "No, I''m not." "Okay, I''ll tell you what I''m thinking.I can ...... do this ...... because Milkit is there for me, you know!If I was alone, I would have died ...... long ago, you know!" Out of breath, Flamm desperately conveyed those words to her. 1.6 meters I had to bend down to get to her. "I am so grateful for your life!I can''t thank you enough!" "I can''t ...... do anything for you!" "I cant do everything!I can do the housework and all that, but I cant do it all myself!I''m missing a lot of ...... things!" 1.5 meters. Flamm''s head hit the ceiling. "I''m ...... sorry, I''m sorry, I''m ...... sorry, I''m really sorry." 1.4 meters. That''s almost as high as she could run with Milkit in her arms. And - there is still a distance to the chapel, the entrance to the institute. 1.3 meters. Flamm lowered her to the floor. "This ...... haha, haha ...... won''t make it, I don''t think." "...... yes."" Milkit, as expected, had no choice but to agree to this. Even if Flamm had been in perfect condition, she probably would not have been able to reach it. In order to get a bit of legwork done, she now carried Milkit on her back and proceeded to lower herself to the ground. Even so, she was going much faster than if she had gone forward without Milkit alone. She was a little bigger than me, but she was dependable and warm. She felt sorry for herself that she was always being carried on her back. But Milkit, who had no special strength, could only support her in areas other than fighting. "I''m sorry. I should have come to pick you up ...... earlier, even if I had to force my way through Nect." Flamm murmured. That''s absurd. If Nect had been in a bad mood at that time, Flamm probably would have died without seeing Milkit. Still, when death is right in front of you, you can''t help but regret it. 1.2 meters "Um, Master?" "Hmm?" "I''ve been thinking about something since the day we met." "What have you been ...... thinking about since that first day?" "I have always only been treated as a slave. But Master is different. Master and slave cannot express it, something else--" Goooh! As Milkit was speaking, a gust of wind blew in the corridor through which they were proceeding. A few moments later, they were found. Gooooooo--goggahgahgahgahgahgahgahgahgahgahgahgahgahgahgahgahgahgahgahgahgahgahgahgah! Without any lingering sadness, the ceiling, which was about to crush the building, was blown away with a ferocious sound. The force of the blast was so great that the peeling debris, which was as big as a person''s head, was immediately shattered into sand. And strangely enough, Flamm and Milkit were not harmed at all. Not a single cut was made, except for a strong wind. Flamm hugged Milkit protectively. In this state, they watched, stunned, the supernatural phenomena that had suddenly engulfed them. By the time the wind stopped, the ceiling - or rather, most of the building - had been destroyed, and the light of sunset fell on the girls. In addition, the conversation that was in progress had been completely blown from their mind. "Wow,......,......, as expected of Mr. Gadio, he destroyed everything with one blow. I''m still not good enough." "Eterna and Ink are here too." Milkit said when he saw the figure walking their way. Originally, she would have stood up and rushed to them, but now that she had lost all strength, Flamm can not even do that. Their two fingers touched each other. They intertwined, and when they hold hands deeply, they touch each other shoulder to shoulder. The distance between their bodies shrinks even more. When they got too close and bumped head to head, they looked at each other, shook their shoulders, and laughed. CH 43 Flamm and her group left Sheol Village with the dozens of surviving Originists. Soon, Nect would inform the church that the village had been destroyed. When that happened, church knights or something like that would come in droves, erase any trace of them, and - there was a possibility that even the survivors would be dealt with. No matter how much they were Originists, they could not leave such people alone. They acted with this in mind. Thea''s body was wrapped in Eterna''s water magic so that it would not be damaged, and was transported to the royal capital by the guild. Kinder and Claudia''s bodies did not need to be retrieved because she had blown them up without leaving any trace. The group was headed for Meer, the nearest town to the guild. It was a large town with a population of about 2,000, and it may have been possible to protect the survivors there. Gadio, on the other hand, had split off from Flamm and the others and had headed for the royal capital by himself. In his hand, he held the documents entrusted to Milkit by Dafiz. The Church would quickly try to cover up the incident. They needed to ask Welcy to make it all public before they could get their hands on it. A march with survivors would take a long time, but alone he could return to the royal capital faster than a carriage. It was late afternoon when he handed the material to Welcy and finished explaining the situation. The article would then be transcribed, printed, and distributed in the royal capital at night - and the next morning, the people of the royal capital would know everything that had happened in Sheol Village. In the evening, Gadio returned to his home. Walking through the gate and onto the cobblestones leading to the mansion, he found a woman sitting in front of the front door. It was Celena. She noticed Gadio''s footsteps and looked up, with a smile on her face. But her lips were trembling. Her eyes were moist with tears, and the words she had prepared were not coming out properly. So she had no choice but to greet him in a conventional way. "......Welcome back." This was much more piercing to Gadio''s heart than the words he had thought of. However, blaming it on guilt and not rewarding Celena for her good health would be nothing more than complacency. If he really felt bad, he should tell her the words she wanted to hear. No matter how much it results in blaming himself, that was the greatest punishment of all. "I''m home, Celena." When she heard Gadio''s words, she stood up. Then, as if approaching with unsteady steps, she buried her face in his chest. His arms embraced her back. Feeling each other''s body heat, Gadio had a somewhat tormented expression on his face. The next morning, Flamm and four others returned to the royal capital late. As they walked side by side along the main street of the central district, they noticed a different atmosphere from the usual noisy one. The newspapers distributed by Welch''s Press were in the hands of people passing by, and they were talking about it. The operation seemed to have worked. Then - it seemed that the church would immediately issue a statement in rebuttal, but they had their reasons for not being able to do so. A number of documents were recovered from Satyllus''s hidden room. Documents stamped with the Church''s seal, entrusted to Milkit by Dafiz. Furthermore, there was the testimony of an Originist who had escaped from Sheol Village. These three pieces of evidence were the key to the article''s persuasive power. Some people who originally distrusted the Originists instigated a protest that surrounded the church. In addition, an assault on a priest occurred, resulting in a clash between church knights and participants, and many people were injured. As time passed, the situation grew increasingly tense. The higher ups were forced to react - and as a result, two days after the article was published, Cardinal Satouki Ranagarki made a statement in the chapel of the cathedral in the North Ward, shortly after noon. He acknowledged the existence of Necromancy and human experimentation on corpses that had been conducted by the Church, pledged that it would not happen again, and apologized profusely. He also revealed that he had already disposed of Fermo Fimio, who was responsible for this, and Slovanak Seity, who had illegally purchased drugs from Satyllus. The punishment was ten years in prison in addition to deprivation of the cardinal''s position. The heavier punishment than they had imagined caused the protesters to sigh. But Satouki''s speech did not end there. He also stated that the incident was caused by "hubris" within the church. For the same reason, he promised to reduce the fees for medical services provided by priests and nuns, a symbol of such conceit. A few people slammed this as a performance to avoid criticism. Others questioned why the statement was not made by Pope Fedro Maximus or the rumored next Pope, Toizzo Truccio. For the majority of people, however, the incident that took place in a rural town such as Sheol Village was of no concern. The participants'' voices had somehow shifted from complaints about the incident to complaints about the Church. They received an apology from the Church, the disposition of the cardinal, and a reduction in the cost of medical care. They were satisfied with their victory, and the turmoil came to an end for the time being. Flamm and her friends gathered at Reach''s mansion and sat on the sofa in the drawing room, waiting for Welcy to return from the cathedral. When she told them about Satouki''s statement, they all looked thoughtful. Ink, however, was tilting her head next to Eterna, as if she didn''t quite understand. Among them, Reach in particular seemed surprised at the disposition of the two cardinals. "What in the world was Satouki thinking when he put two cardinals under imprisonment ......?" "Besides the unimaginable punishment, Necromancy is an experiment on the dead, so they are trying to minimize the damage to the Church''s image by giving the impression that they are not experimenting on living people." Eterna calmly analyzed the situation, but Reach, perhaps out of impatience, quickly rebutted. "But the cardinal is the most senior official of the church, and if two of them are missing, the organization cannot avoid a decline in its functionality. I can''t help but think that there was some other purpose." Maybe it''s a factional war, since there seems to have been some conflict among the cardinals?" Welcy stood and looked at her notebook. "Reach, is Satouki Lanagarki the head of the Church''s knighthood?" "Yes, that''s right. He is rumored to have strong ties to the kingdom''s military." Reach answered Flamm''s question with an additional explanation. Satouki has strong ties to the military and is often referred to as an "un-churchman". He is a realist, for better or worse. He has an ideology that does not fit in with a religious organization that worships Origin, but that is why he is indispensable to the church. I wonder if he is the one who decided on the content of this statement. "I don''t know, I can''t say for sure...... but it''s possible." After a pause, Reach continued speaking. "Pope Fedoro and Cardinal Toizzo are the ones who created the current constitution of the Church, and it is unlike them to readily admit the existence of Necromancy. Also, the one remaining cardinal, Cardinal Tarci, oversees the medical field. That means he wouldn''t want to do anything like rate reductions." "So, by process of elimination, Satouki''s initiative was the one to go through." Gaddio nodded. "Does that mean that this Satouki guy kicked out his rivals so that he could become Pope?" Milkit remarked in a hushed voice. It was Welcy, not Reach, who answered. "I think that''s very likely - the speech he gave would have increased his presence." "But with Toizzo remaining, it would be difficult for Satouki to become pope under the current circumstances." "I wonder, then, if he''s thinking of kicking the rest of the cardinals out of office, too. But, you know what else is bothering me?" Welcy looked at a page in her notebook and traced a name on it with his finger. "The woman who was present at the speech. The others were all familiar faces, but she was the only one I couldn''t find anything on." "What was her name?" Reach asked. "Echidna Ipeira." Eterna responded to the name with a twitch of her hand. She glanced at Gadio''s face. He was staring into the void with murderous eyes. "Echidna ...... leader of Chimera ......." In a hushed voice, Gadio said. In other words - the enemy of Thea and the others. "Chimera is, as I recall, the one that was mentioned in the documents brought to us by Sheol Village, right? "Yeah, it''s a research project to implant a core into the body of a monster and use it as a powerful weapon." "The other is a connection with Satuki. It was Satouki, of all people, who expelled Fahmo, who had been taking care of her." Without Fahmo, the remaining Children and even the Chimera would be in a bad position in the church. They may resent him, but they would never feel indebted to him. Moreover, the fact that Echidna was present at the speech means that she had the trust of Satouki as well. "Weapons ......Maybe Satouki is trying to get his revenge." Reach remarked, all eyes focused on him. Flamm tilted her head, asking: "Revenge?" "Yes, he inherited his current position and ground from his father. I''ve heard that his father had something to do with the start of the human-demon war. "You mean he is using the chimera to seek revenge against the demon tribe?" "This is just hypothetical, but in order to do so, he''d need to be as powerful as the Pope." This is -- the human desire. At the very least, Flamm felt that Satouki''s movements were not the same as the Origin''s will. "Well, there have been some shady moves, but the two cardinals have been disposed of and the Church''s credibility has been damaged, so I think we can be honestly happy about that." Flamm and her team''s actions were able to undermine the Church. Necromancy had disappeared, and with Fahmo gone, Children are less likely to move. That was a certain fact. "So, I have arranged a sumptuous dinner for you all today, if you would like to join us." "Can I join you, onii-san?" "Of course you can." "Yes! Welcy threw her hands up in the air, jubilant. "Of course, I''ll be the host." "Uwaan!" But she was instantly pushed down, her hands still up in the air and only her face was tear-stained. Flamm and the others chuckled as her cheerfulness softened the atmosphere. Of course, there was no reason for them to decline. They all enjoyed the party and stayed up late into the night. However, Gadio occasionally showed a gloomy expression, but ...... they could not do anything but leave it alone. As it grew late into the night, Flamm and the others returned home. Finally, the Necromancy case was over, and their shoulders could relax. After getting ready for bed, they went to their respective rooms, where Ink sat on the edge of the bed and was hugged by Eterna from behind for some reason. And for some reason, Eterna was sniffing Ink''s scent. "...... Eterna, what are you doing?" "I''m smelling you." "I''m asking you what the purpose of this is!" "It''s become a habit." "I knew you were a pervert ah!" Even though she said that, Ink didn''t resist. It was because her body understands that it was useless to try. Eterna, in spite of her appearance, had quite strong arms. Although she said, "Compared to Flamm, its nothing", there was a world of difference between Flamm and Ink(a frail civilian). "I wonder if it is just me who feels that Eterna is getting closer to her after the incident in Sheol." "I don''t think it''s just your imagination, I''m actually getting closer." "She''s aware of it. ......" "It''s because I''m lonely." Kinder and Claudia had been back. The time spent with the two may have been a fake. But it was not "impossible" if a complete recreation of their personalities had succeeded. If Eterna had not left them and continued to live in the village, what would have happened? If Eterna had visited them before they died? It was impossible to do anything but speculate. But it was all a lie, and too well done to be dismissed as such. "For all that, they were relentless." There was no trace of the bodies. Ink had heard only the sounds, but Eterna, of her own volition, had obliterated them before Kinder and Claudia could begin their rampage. "Ink was there. She reminded me of the voices and smells of living people. And maybe ...... a visit to the grave would have been nice." "What do you mean?" "At that point I had said goodbye to my father and mother. There was closure." So she could accept death as death. "But you were still lonely. You''re trying to fill that loneliness with me, aren''t you?" "That''s how it happens." As she said this, Eterna lay down on the bed with Ink rolled in. "Wa- wait a minute, aren''t you being too pushy!" The two found themselves in a frontal embrace. "You spoiled fifty year old!" Ink poked the witch with an index finger on her forehead, who was looking straight ahead with a clear face. It was hard to tell which of them was older than the other. But Eterna was still proud of herself. "I''m not fifty, I''m sixty." "That''s even worse!" When she made such a remark, Eterna laughed happily, and Ink laughed, too. As long as they talked, she didn''t have to remember. As long as she was smiling, she could forget about the pain. At least until the scars healed. The days when Eterna was spoiled by the younger girl seemed to continue for a while. Flamm touched Milkit''s slightly flushed cheek as if to check the feeling of the bandage as it fell on the bed. Then she laid a soft, warm palm on top of that cheek, and they sat down on the bed and looked at each other for a long time as usual. "By the way, Milkit, didn''t you say something to me when we were running away in Sheol?" Flamm asked, suddenly remembering. "Ah, that? I''ve always wondered what I should call my relationship with the master." "Not partners?" "I''m glad to hear that too, but I was wondering if you could be more specific." Flamm, who had been satisfied with the status quo, only realized it when she was told. Indeed, the word "partner" may have been rather abstract. "So, I finally found the answer to that question when I was talking with Dafiz after Master was gone." "I was curious about that too, can you tell me?" "Yes......" Milkit put her hands on her chest. Naturally, Flamm''s hands left her body and she sank into the futon to support her own body. A gaze directed straight at her. The beauty of Milkit''s eyes had not changed since they had first met. However, her silver hair had regained its luster, her skin had improved in color, and her body had become much more feminine and rounded. Looking at her in all, she had become much prettier than she had been back then, and Flamm couldn''t help but admire her. Milkit''s peach-colored lips opened and she spoke. "I love you Master." She declared with a big smile, and Flamm''s thoughts come to a complete halt. "I love you." What love is, l o v e. (tl note: it says love in japanese then love in english - how tf am i supposed to translate that Meep: suki dayo ) "L o v e as in -- not just a partner a partner, but a marital partner--" "W, wwww, wa, wa!" "Wa?" "Wait, wait, wait, Milkit!Wait, wait, it''s too sudden, my brain can''t keep up!" Flamm''s face had turned bright red. Still, she plunged her face into the pillow to do something about her overheating head. A sweet scent, not her own, tickled her nostrils. It was Milkit''s pillow. Her body temperature rose even higher, and her beating heart pumped hot blood throughout her body. "Fuhyaan!" Flamm, who made a strange noise, immediately looked up and this time plunged her face into the futon. Milkit wasn''t able to hide her bewilderment at the Lord, who suddenly began to move like a broken toy. "Um, did I ...... say something strange?" "It, it''s not that it''s strange, but I was surprised when you suddenly said l- l- love." "Surprised, huh? I think love is the most appropriate word to describe my feelings towards you, Master." With her face buried in the covers, she turned her gaze only to Milkit. She was so unashamed that Flamm felt stupid for being flustered all alone. "...... hm?" Flamm noticed. She wondered if Milkit''s definition of "love" was not be the same as the romantic kind. "Hey, Milkit, if by any chance ......?" "Y- Yeah?" "Your I love you is different from wanting to be my girlfriend or something like that, right?" "G- gg- ggggg- girlfriend!?" This time was Milkit''s turn to turn red. Her cheeks were dyed like strawberries. She was even flushed around the ears and collarbones. "H- How did you come to that conclusion?" "No, after all "I love you" is a word that is usually used in such situations."1 "No its not!?No...... come to think of it, it is...... that way, isn''t it......" Her voice gradually toned down. In line with this, Milkit''s body tilted to the side - and she lied down as it is. Then she covered her face with her hands and froze. "I didn''t mean ...... that, no, it''s not that I don''t like it, I definitely do, ...... but, then, what can I say...? ..." "Well, well, there are many kinds of love, aren''t there? You know, love of family, love of friendship, and so on!In that sense, sure, I''m sure I''m not the only one who loves Milkit. ......" She couldn''t let Milkit be the only one to be embarrassed. Determined to do so, Flamm sat up, placed her tightly clenched fists on her thighs, and with an expression that could not hide her nervousness, she told her. "I love you, alright?" But if asked if that were familial love, Flamm would shake her head. The answer to this question was not the same as friendship, and if so, what kind of love? "......Thank you. But ...... ah really, it''s more embarrassing to be told that." "It''s embarrassing to say too." "I''m sorry to embarrass the master. But I''m troubled. If it were ......, how would I convey these feelings of mine?" She thought she finally had an answer. Milkit still didn''t know any other words to say than "I love you." Flamm approached her on all fours and touched the hand that covered her face. "Master?" Milkit looked between her fingers at the touch. Flamm''s face, which she could see from there, was still red, but she looked much calmer than before. She smiled at Milkit. "I like you, Milkit." She said. Her heart pounded in her chest, but at the same time, she felt a tightening sensation. Yet, it was not painful, but pleasant. "I think "I like you" is fine. "I love you" is too strong, you know?" 2 It wasn''t at all embarrassing, so she felt she could say it without hesitation. Milkit''s face was still bright red, and unlike Flamm, she had not regained her composure. However, in order to return the favor of her Master, she made eye contact and conveyed her thoughts. "Well, then...... I, too, like you Master." Flamm nodded. "Ehehe ......." And then she smiled. They seemed to be communicating with each other, and that made her irresistibly happy. "Fufu ......." So she smiled in the same way and repeated again. "I like you a lot, Master." Flamm hugged her as she said this. The exchange of just those words made her unavoidably happy and happy. It was not familial bonds. It was not friendship. It was a warm and unknown feeling that penetrated deep into her heart. It was like a liquid, yet round like a sphere. It was an irreplaceable treasure that she acquired only after meeting Milkit. It was a seed that grew inside of her with every touch, a seed that would surely blossom into a beautiful flower. Flamm herself still didn''t know the name of this feeling, but she thought that it would be okay to keep it as it is for a while. The next morning, a man visited the guild in the West Ward. Flamm and Gadio were not there yet. Iira, who happened to be an early riser, was elbow deep in boredom at the counter - but his arrival woke her up at once. The tall, slender, green-haired man was a celebrity even she knew well. "Linus Radiance......" Linus visited the guild and smiled at Iira, showing his white teeth. She almost fell over holding her chest, but her role as a receptionist would not allow it. "Hey, I heard that Gadio is in the guild here." "If you mean the master, he hasn''t come out yet." Iira played the cat in the face of a man who was right up her alley. "I knew it, it was too soon. ...... But why did he take on the job of guild master in the West Ward again?" "I think it''s because ...... Flamm Apricot was there." "What? Why is Flamm here?" "I don''t know what''s going on, but she''s got the mark of a slave on her cheek for some reason, and I think she''s gotten himself into some trouble." "...... slave mark?" Linus'' expression turned serious. When Flamm suddenly announced that she was going back to the countryside, she had thought it was strange. But now he finally understood why. He left the counter and headed for the exit without saying a word. "Ara? Is the master okay?" "Just tell him I''m here, I''ve got other business." Linus said and walked out. "That idiot did ...... to her!" He kicked hard enough to dent the stone ground and began to move at a blinding speed. A woman who passed by him fell down just from the shockwave. Linus stopped, reached out his hand to apologize to the person, and this time moved to the roof. He then ran through the high place without any obstacles, like a bird flying around. He was headed, of course, for the room of Jean Intage, who was drinking and working on his research at the royal castle. milkit uses ۤƤ (aishiteru) which is something that you would only say to like your wife while you are on your deathbed or getting married or something? she''s now saying ä (suki) which is the normal word for love.? CH 44 Jean asked himself. "Why should I buy flowers for someone else?" "Why did I, the great man that I am, even buy a new robe for someone else?" "Why did I, a great genius, dress up for someone else?" "Why am I, the great genius, fidgeting in front of the mirror to get my hair done just because a stranger is visiting my room?" "Nervousness is ridiculous." He said this, but walked around his room busily. He might have taken out a book on magical theory from the bookshelf, but put it back just by looking at the cover. He picked up a pen on the desk, observed it without meaning to, and put it back again. He would adjust the place on the chair, stand in front of the mirror again to check his appearance, then sit down and try to calm down for a moment, but then quickly get up and start walking again. "It''s ...... ridiculous." "I thought I was beyond such trival things" Knock-knock. Jean''s movements came to an abrupt halt when he heard a knock on the door. He swallowed hard and his throat gurgled. "Come in" The first syllable of the word rose a bit. To cover it up, he coughed shyly. He then made a determined face and welcomed the visitor to the room. The doorknob turned and the shiny wooden door opened. The person who appeared was not Cyrille, whom he had been waiting for, but Linus. "What is it, Linus? I''m sorry, but if you need me, you can find me later, I have an appointment with someone else right now." Before Jean could finish, Linus'' fist slammed into his cheek. The blow, which was delivered not only with force but also with weight and a twist, shook and distorted Jean''s face violently. Splashes sprayed from his open mouth, his neck twisted, and when it reached its limit, the remaining impact blew his body itself apart. Jean collapsed, hitting the desk from behind. He put his hand to his bruised cheek and glared at Linus. "What the hell was that!" "What the hell are you doing?" Linus grabbed him by the chest this time and brought his face so close to his chest that their foreheads met. "What have you done to Flamm?" Hearing this, Jean snickered. "What the hell did you do to Flamm?" "What the hell did you do?" "What is there to be so frustrated about? You are useless, but but at least you are moral support, and you treated the hero Cyrille in a friendly manner. And yet I went to the trouble of giving her the status she deserved, didn''t I? I should be praised, not abused." "How can you say that after using illegal means?" "Sometimes my thoughts are more correct than the law." There was no trace of remorse in his expression. He seriously believed, from the bottom of his heart, that what he had done was right. That is the kind of man Jean Intage was. He was selfish to the point of greed and self-indulgence, and that is why he was a genius, but he did not understand the hearts of people. "Don''t be a fool!Do you know how hard it is for such a weak girl to live as a slave in this royal city?" "Yes, I know. It''s the price I pay for having lived so leniently protected by others until now." "Youve been living under the thumb of others for so long, you can''t say that!" "What do you mean, ......?"" Jean''s eyebrows twitched. That''s the only thing he couldn''t ignore. He had no idea what he was talking about, because nobody had ever dared question his status. On the other hand, Linus had had to clean up his mess many times in his own experience. How many people without Linus'' follow-up, would have punched Jean in the face? There was a gap in perception between the two of them that was a great river apart. Jean''s anger was not justified - yet it was inevitable that he would be angry as long as he believed in his own righteousness. When and where? Who the hell are you to say that I have been saved by anyone?" "Who the hell are you? You''re only good at causing trouble in your relationships with people!You may be good at magic, you may be smart. But you are fatally--" Linus pounded his chest with his fist and said with a stronger tone. "Unable to see anything but yourself!" That was the root of the problem. Jean wouldn''t understand or try to understand other people''s feelings. If only he could fix that, Jean would truly be a "wise man." Linus'' words were right and true, and no one could argue with them except Jean himself. "Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!" "Whats so funny!" "Look, Linus, I''m a genius. I am the man with the best brain in the world. I am the man who should stand at the top of all people! Am I not the most valuable thinker on the planet? Why should I devote the resources of the most precious brain cells on this planet to someone else!That is the greatest loss! My first priority should be to use this brain for me and me alone, do you understand?" "Do you understand?There''s no one else in the world who can understand how you can be so stuck-up about yourself!" The argument between the two men continued to run parallel and showed no sign of ending. Linus'' words would not make Jean feel sorry for himself. But Linus'' anger would not abate until he heard Jean''s words of remorse. The push and shove continued indefinitely, gradually escalating. Cyrille was on her way to Jean''s room, holding a note that was wedged in her doorstep. "Come to my room today, whatever time you want." Her stomach churned at the sight of such a bullish sentence. To be honest, Cyrille had never been good at dealing with Jean. At first, she had relied on him as someone she could consult with when she felt crushed under the weight of responsibility. If she obeyed him, she didn''t have to think for herself, and it made her feel better. But as a result - she lost Flamm. After that, she hated to even look at Jean''s face. It wasn''t Cyrille herself who had done the terrible thing to Flamm. But she was also the one who caused it. But the thought of putting the blame on ...... others consumed Cyrille''s heart with remorse. Why did she refuse to bear the blame alone, even though she was the one who treated her as such? She was a dear friend, and without her, she would have retired long ago. Why did I - why did I - betray such a Flamm? "I''m sorry, Flamm. ......" Words she had repeated over and over again. The fact that she was so conveniently trying to think that she could be forgiven just by saying them, using them as an excuse, made Cryille hate herself even more. She couldn''t hold back the feelings that welled up in her and crumpled the note that Jean had given her. "Hah. ......." Then he sighed heavily and looked forward. Jean''s room was only a few steps away. She didn''t know what Jean was going to talk about, but she would try to finish quickly and then lock herself in her room to relax. As she was thinking that... "What the hell are you wearing?" She stopped dead in her tracks when she heard a noisy voice coming from inside the room. "What the hell am I wearing, is it so wrong to dress for a special occasion?" "I''ve been thinking for a while now that you''re seriously in love with Cyrille." "Yeah, I am. You have a problem with that?" "I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I''m sorry!How can you say such a thing after you stole Flamm from her? What''s more, that bouquet of flowers on the desk, did you intend to confess your feelings to her today?" "......Yes, that''s right. I''m not sure what to do with it.I''m not sure it''ll work out, but I''m sure its possible." "Of course it''s impossible, you virgin bastard!" "I just couldn''t find a woman worthy of me other than Cyrille!" One is Jean, the other is ...... Linus, she guessed. The other one was Jean, but she couldn''t say for sure because his tone was so different from her usual one. The other one was Linus, the archer on the party. "That woman Maria, she''s got a gut that''s as slimy and stagnant as if her guts were boiled in her own blood!" "What the ......?" "You have no discernment. I think her brain is a full course of scheming, adulterous and devious!She''s a rotten bitch who pretends to treat others but disrespects even this lone genius, Jean Intage!" "You think I don''t know about ......?" "What?" "I know, I know she''s that kind of woman and I''m in love with her. How do you think you''ll be able to date Cyrille with your personality? I''m not like you who sold Flamm off as a slave just because she was inconvenient for you." Cyrille''s mind went blank and she forgot to even breathe. Her eyes widened and she stood there in silence. Jean''s crumpled note fell on the carpeted floor in a bulky mess. The other contents were shocking, but there was one word that shocked her more than anything else. "--Flamm is a ...... slave, now?" All along, she had thought it was her fault that she had gone back to the country. Just because of that, Cryille kept blaming herself to the point of wanting cease living. When she found out that she had not really even returned to her hometown and had been sold as a slave - there was no way she could bear it. Like anemia, the blood quickly drained from her entire body. Finally, she was able to breathe again, but her lungs were shaking and she could not take in oxygen properly. Her strength drained from her body, and she fell to her knees. She hugged herself with both arms, her head bobbing from side to side in small increments. I felt a strange, shuddering sensation in my chest, "That ...... is such a ...... my, my fault, Flamm is ......." Her teeth clicked, and her vision blurred with tears. "Flamm is ...... ah, Flamm is ...... ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah." She was going to kill herself right there and now if she didn''t speak it out loud. It''s not worth living. "Aaahh...... I, I, ah!" The lamentation gradually became louder and louder - and reached Linus and Jean, who had been grappling with each other in the room. They stopped their arm that was about to hit each other, and at the same time, they looked out of the room. Jean," Linus said, "I was just going to tell Cryille. You said earlier that you were going to welcome Cryille, didn''t you?" "Yeah." "Did you mean to say that now?" "That''s what I said." Linus released Jean and hurriedly peeked out the open door. There she saw Cryille, sobbing and broken down. In fact, he was supposed to tell her at a more opportune time. He knew it would be too much of a shock to Cyrille, who was already mentally unstable. Linus slowly walked over to her, "Hey, Cryille, ......, why don''t you come and talk to me for a minute?" Linus slowly walked up to her. "Oh ...... oh ......." Kiril looked up at him in horror and backed away. "What you said earlier was, how do you say, that ...... A lie, what is it?" "I mean, it''s ...... true, but..." "Then, after all, Flamm is a slave ...... because of me. "Don''t blame yourself so much, it''s your fault--" "I''m ...... no longer with anyone. ...... I don''t deserve it. ......" "Please, Cryille, listen to me!" Linus speaks as gently as possible, but desperately. But no matter he could put it, the fact remained. Flamm had become a slave. In no small part, Cryille was responsible for that. That was enough. "Ugh, ugh ...... ahhhhh!" She got up and left him on all fours, and then she got up and went away, screaming. Linus thought about going after her- but I couldn''t find the words to say, and she was already gone from the hallway, running as fast as she could. Linus could only stand there with his head in his hands. Then, Jean came out of the room, looking horrified. "Linus, why was she crying?" Jean asked in his usual tone. Linus clenched his fists and turned toward him, his anger flaring again. That''s what you did! "Me?I don''t understand, why is she saddened by the loss of someone like Flamm?"With all that talent and power, why would she be so turned on by a diminutive being?" "Huh. ......" Linus sighed, his shoulders slumping as he realized that it was no longer worth getting angry about. The only thing that would help him is if he tried to teach Jean some common sense. That is why he is a loner, he has lost the ability to understand others at the cost of being a genius. "I don''t need to tell Jean any more," Linus said. Linus turned his back to Jean after saying these words. Seeing his forlorn appearance, Jean finally reached a possibility. "You don''t mean to tell me that the Great Me... has made a mistake, do you?" The muffled murmur never reached anyone''s ears. With nowhere to go, Cyrille ran through the castle and locked herself in the room she had been given. She jumped into bed, covered herself with the covers, and squeezed her eyes shut so she wouldn''t see anything. If she didn''t pretend that even her existence was not there, her mind would be crushed. ''What I ...... did. It''s my fault, it''s my fault, I, I, I ......!" Still, guilt slipped through the cracks of unconsciousness and struck Cyrille. I wish I would just disappear. I wish I had the power of a hero, the magic to make myself disappear. I wish that from the bottom of my heart. As she mourned, suffered, and sobbed, the saint whispered to her. "I have a good way to release you from that suffering, Cyrille-san." Hearing her voice, she rushed out of the covers and found Maria standing by the bed, smiling gently at her. She hadn''t locked the door, for that matter. "I knocked several times, but there was no answer, only your voice, so I took the liberty of entering. I am sorry." Maria bowed deeply. Cyrille said to herself in her mind that she was a person who did not deserve to be apologized to. "By the way, where is the Core I gave you the other day?" "The Core?Ah, ......, those gems are in the bottom drawer of my desk." "I see you didn''t use it. What a waste. If only you had the power to use it, all of Cyrille''s problems would be solved." Saying this, Maria opened Cyrille''s desk drawer and took out the Core. She stared at the black swirling core with an enraptured expression. "You saw my battle and Jean''s battle in the demon territory, didn''t you? That''s the power this Core has." "So ...... its like that." "If you use this, Cyrille, you will be able to fight like you used to ...... and you won''t have any more worries." Maria approached again and tried to hand the core to Cyrille. But her words gradually became broken. "A- anyway, it''s a great power, so.... Cyrille, you should ...... use it, too. ......" "Maria-san?" Cyrille looked at her anxiously as she staggered back and forth. "Oh, my God. ......?What is this? There''s this ...... thing, there''s supposed to be ......." "Are you okay?Do you want me to call someone with recovery magic?" Maria was originally supposed to be in that role, but if she is not feeling well, she needed to call another priestess. Cyrille got off the bed and touched her body to support her. Bhujuhu. At that time, out of nowhere, a wet sound was heard. "Ba- baka,...... why, I,......." She didn''t hear Cyrille''s words, or she didn''t reply. "Maria-san, Im gonna call for someone to come from--" Unable to wait, Cyrille made a rash decision to leave the room. Bujuu, bechaa- Then she heard a similar sound from behind her. Cyrille turned around and saw blood splattered on the floor. From the location, it could''ve been spit out from Maria''s mouth. This might be more important than she thought - Cyrille''s face turns pale. Buchuu, becha. Buchuu becha. Clearly, she noticed something was wrong. The amount of blood, she wondered if it was possible for a person to spit out such a large amount of blood from their mouth. "Maria-san?" She looked at her face fearfully - through the gap between her covering hands, she could see something red, as if it were covered with her internal organs. "...... Maria, san." Not only her hands, but also the collar of her robe was coated with a large amount of blood, and she continued to eject additional blood. It was not Maria''s gentle, smiling face. It was a writhing, dancing swirl of flesh, reminiscent of the torso of a man with an open abdomen. "This can''t be ........." "Ah, ...... aaah, mo- monster ......, no, Maria-san is ...... !" Even if she was upset about Flamm. Being shown something like this - it caused unbearable fear filled Cyrille and exceeded her capacity. She reached her limit and her emotions exploded like a balloon bursting. "This is ...... no way ....... no way ...... iyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" Her screams echoed through the hallway, as she fled. Without looking aside, Cyrille ran out of the room, through the corridors of the castle, and out into town. Her speed was fast because she was a hero, but in any case, no one was chasing her. Maria, who had turned into a deformed woman, was so bewildered by her situation that she was unable to move on the spot. Katsu, katsu, katsu. The sound of hard heels hitting the floor through the carpet approached the room. And the woman in white - Echidna - looked down at the suffering Maria from the entrance and lifted her lips. "Ara ara, what happened to you, Saintess-sama, that made you look so unsightly? "...... E, chid, na. You ...... that corewhat is it ......!" "It is a high-performance core made by Chimera, which is designed to block the user from the influence of Origin to the utmost limit, and only draws out its power. Normally, there should be no side effects." Echidna brought her face close to the writhing vortex of flesh, and saying it as if she is provoking it. "I think I may have mistakenly given you a core that was adjusted for monsters." "Guh....... so in short. From the beginning, you, were........!" "Fufufufufufufuf, fufufufufu, Ufufufufufufufufu!" The evil woman looked down on the evil woman with a pleasant sneer. Spinning around, fluttering her white robe, and distancing herself from Maria, Echidna spoke the truth. "Origin, faith, omens, unsealing ...... fufufu, that''s below me, that''s disgusting." "What do you mean?" "Its the Originists long-cherished wish, but to be honest, I and Satouki-sama don''t care about it. I would rather destroy them." "I don''t ...... think that such a thing ...... can be allowed!" The purpose of Origin is to end all life on earth except for its own, right? We, good human beings, have no merit to be a part of it, do we? And yet, the king, the pope, some cardinals, and even the saints have been brainwashed." The "omens" from Origin that began fifty years ago were sent out to those who held important positions in the kingdom. The previous king and the previous pope were also influenced by it. However, they whispered it to the current kings and popes ever since they were born. In Maria''s case, however, it was not brainwashing, but her hatred of humans and demons that led her to lend her power to Origin of her own volition. "So, first of all, I will ask you to leave." "So, let''s get the other cardinal to ......!You, and ...... Satouki, are ...... taking over this kingdom in order ...... to ......" "Yes, and to make it stronger, bigger, and happier, a country of humans by humans and for humans but--a monster like you is in my way." Saying this, Echidna snapped her fingers. Then, out of nowhere, a monkey-like monster appears. But it had wings on its back, limbs as thick as an ogre''s, and a human face. "This is a prototype small chimera. Satouki-sama said that she would not experiment on humans, so we can''t make the same one anymore, but it''s quite a good one, you know? It''s are obedient and strong." "Agguu ......!" The small chimera bound Maria''s hands and dragged her away. "Uuu,...... I''m still...... still......!" Maria let out a frustrated cry as she spat out blood from her face. But the Corewas too much for her body, and she was unable to resist. She was then taken away somewhere in her disfigured state, staining the carpet with blood. Echidna, seeing her in such an unbecoming state, continued to laugh, "fufufufu" in a good mood throughout the whole process. After that day, Cyrille and Maria went missing, and Linus stopped showing up at the castle. Jean was locked up in his room by himself and never showed up. Of course, there was no way they could form a party and set out on a journey to defeat the Demon King. In other words, the party of heroes chosen by Origin, the creator god, had completely collapsed. CH 45 When Ink opened her mouth to say "ahhh," Eterna scooped cooked beans on a spoon and put it in her mouth. Chewing them, Ink did not hold back and was satisfied. As long as she was told where the food was and what the menu was, she could basically handle the meal on her own. But sometimes, if the food was difficult to eat or somehow troublesome, she would urge Eterna to feed her. This was a common occurrence, and not an unusual sight during meals in this house. But today, for some reason, Milkit, who was sitting next to Flamm, stopped and looked at those two blankly. "Milkit, you''re staring at them, maybe you''re jealous or something?" "...... Eh?No, no, it''s not like that" "Then why are you staring so hard?" "I just thought they seemed to be having a good time." "They aren''t doing it to have fun." "I know that! I just thought so for some reason." Milkit resumed eating with a slight blush on her cheeks. Flamm honestly didn''t know what "fun" felt like. But a curiosity that came to her without thinking made her move her hand. She picked up a small loaf of bread piled on the table and held it close to Milkit without saying a word. "......?" She tilted her head and her bandages shook. Flamm stared into her eyes. It took her a while to understand the others intention, but when she did, her cheeks turned red again. Flamm, whether she realized it or not, did not react. Milkit had no choice but to put her mouth on a piece of bread and take a small bite, like a little bird nibbling on it. ".......Indeed." Flamm somewhat understood. Milkit swallowed the bread in his mouth and asked. "What''s so interesting about it?" "It sure could be fun." "...... I was a little embarrassed." Not that she felt bad, but still, it didn''t seem like something she would do in the presence of someone else. Eterna had a mindlessly blank expression on her face. Flamm, however, did not care about that, and when she brought the bread closer to her to give her another bite, --- "Flamm, I got your letter." Ink said something like that. She had good hearing and seemed to hear the letter being put in the mailbox outside. "Thanks, Ink. I''ll go take a look after lunch." "Alright, ...... but something might be wrong." "What? Its just a letter, right?" "Sure, that''s true, but I didn''t hear any footsteps. Usually you can hear the mailman running off." Flamm wondered if it was just drowned out by other sounds, but from the look of anxiety on her face, it didn''t seem that way. Having no choice, she got up from her seat, even though she was still eating, and headed to check the mailbox. Leaving the house, she peeked inside a wooden box - nothing was written on it, just a white envelope. "What''s this?" When she looked through the paper bag, which did not even have a sender''s name written on it, it seemed to contain a single letter folded in thirds. She entered the house and returned to the three of them waiting in the living room. "Welcome back Master. What did you find in the mailbox?" "This..." Flamm had a bad feeling about this. A letter from an unknown sender in this situation seemed like something that could disrupt the current brief moment of peace. So she told Ink, who was particularly concerned about its contents, gently, "We''ll open it after dinner." And after the meal - when the cleanup was over - Flamm opened the envelope. She took out a letter from inside and spread it out in the middle of the table. When Flamm, Milkit, and Eterna saw the contents, they could not help but fall silent. "What did it say?" Inks, who could not see, asked anxiously. It was Eterna who answered. On a white piece of paper, in large letters with red ink, she uttered a single sentence. Four more days. Nothing else was written. That was all that was there, really. It could have been a child''s prank. But in the current situation of conflict with the church, there was no one here who could dismiss this as just a prank. The peaceful atmosphere after lunch suddenly faded away, and the air became stagnant. Remembering the incident at Sheol Village, everyone naturally kept their mouths shut. "......Did the church do something again?" Milkit''s voice broke the silence. Eterna continued to express her opinion. "Even if they were, there is no need to tell us about it." "Eterna is right, it''s a strange way to make a threat, isn''t it? I wonder why they are counting down." Eterna and Ink said that. There should''ve been no need for a declaration to launch an attack. Rather, this letter was an attempt to tell Flamm and the others that they are in danger. "But if they are not the enemy, why don''t they just tell us what the fourth day is?" On the other hand, however, Flamm''s words are also a good argument. Why were they withholding details, why was the sender unknown - there was too little information. As it stands, it was an unintelligible and mysterious letter that only served to make Flamm and her friends more anxious. "I''m also curious about the fact that you said you didn''t hear any footsteps, in the meantime, I''ll look into this letter myself." "Please do, Eterna-san. I was just planning to go to the guild, so I''ll talk to Gadio-san about it." Flamm then got up from her chair and began to get ready. Milkit helped her, and within five minutes she was ready to go out. Her task at the guild was to talk to Gadio about the Childrens new base of operations. As they came up to the guild, an unfamiliar blond man was sweeping the street in front of them. As he approached Flamm, he said. "Hello!" (tn note: he uses a super informal word for hello in japanese) He greeted her in a very familiar manner. When Flamm gave him a puzzled greeting, he gave a friendly smile. Then he resumed cleaning with a broom in his hand. Flamm entered the guild, looking in his direction. She quickly approached the counter and spoke to Era, who was unusually diligent in her work there. She asked him, "Hey, Era, who was that guy who was cleaning at the entrance? "You mean Slough-kun?" Flamm inwardly thought, "Wow," at the fact that Ela was referring to him with -kun. (tn note: very familiar honorific) She was a woman who flirted rather blatantly in front of the man of her choice. He had a good-looking face and was the type of guy that Era would bite on. "He''s the new guy, Slough Uradness, eighteen years old. The master hired him because many of the clerks had quit after Dane''s incident." "Wow, I didn''t know Gadio-san was good at that kind of work." Gadio must have interviewed him directly, since he hired him. The way he looked, the way he was built, the way he sat in his chair, made him look very intimidating. "Isn''t it natural? He''s certainly gone a lot, but he''s doing what he''s supposed to do. Thanks to that person, it''s so much easier than before." Before, the guild here in the Western District was without a master. That is why Era and Dane were able to do whatever they wanted, but on the other hand, they had a lot of work to do without a master. At first, Era was not fond of Gadio''s strict discipline, but now she respected him to a certain extent. "Ah, that''s right. Come to think of it, this morning, a man named Linus came here." "Linus-san?" "Yeah, he''s really cool in person up close. I thought it was going to be a nice meeting, but it''s too bad he left so early." Era was entranced as she recalled Linus'' face. The image in her brain was somewhat glorified, but it didn''t matter because there would never be a connection between him and her anyway. "I don''t care about this trip! Why did Linus-san come to the guild?" "That''s all right. He came to see the master, but when he heard about you, he turned around and left. He seemed to have a strong reaction to the word slave mark." "Ah -- ..... I guess they got the message." She knew it would happen eventually, but she didn''t expect it to happen in a place that had nothing to do with Flamm herself. And she didn''t expect Linus to be so upset that his face would change color. Since he had not talked to her much during their travels, she had assumed that she was considered unimportant. To be honest, she was very happy. However, the fact that Linus had found out about it naturally meant that Cyrille and Maria had found out about it as well. "I see, so they got the message. I wonder what Cyrille will think about it......." Flamm put her hand on her chest and murmured. She hoped they would be sad, she thought so from the bottom of her heart. She knew it was convenient and wishful thinking, but she still couldn''t help but wish for it. "You haven''t mentioned it much, but you really are that Flamm Apricot that is a hero, aren''t you?" "That''s the way it''s supposed to be." "Why did you receive the slave stamp? Did the other members not like you?" "...... Yeah, that''s right. One of them hated me so much that he sold me for money." "Uwaa, I feel like I''ve seen the dark side of a hero." "That''s just how humans are. By the way --" Flamm forcefully changed the subject. Even though she''d already made her peace with it, the memory of that time when she was sold to the merchant was not a good one. The first time she met Milkit, but the time he branded her in the plaza, she still felt a tingling sensation just by recalling it. "Is Gadio-san around?" "Master is out, I think he will be back soon. Why don''t you wait for him at the reception desk? It was still a little early for the appointment. Flamm sat down at the reception desk, ordered a glass of fruit juice, and waited for him. Ten minutes later, Gadio, wearing a black coat, entered the guild. When he spotted Flamm, he walked up to her and said. "I''m sorry to keep you waiting. We must leave immediately." "I thought we were going to talk." "Later, there''s something we need to do first." "Is it an errand?" Flamm was having a hard time keeping up with the suddenness of the situation. Gadio explained his purpose simply and clearly so that even she can understand. "We are going to explore the Children''s base." Flamm accompanied Gadio into the underground tunnels that stretched under the royal city. It was still light outside, but it would have been pitch black underground without the fire from the lantern. "I wonder if we''ll be alright with just the two of us." Flamm asked Gadio, who was leading the way, anxiously. "It won''t be a problem, since there''s a good chance it''s already been abandoned." He replied as he stared at the end of the corridor, which was a jet black that seemed to be swallowing him up. According to Dafiz''s documents, the entrance to the Children''s base was at the far end of it. The document entrusted to them contained various information about the church in addition to what Welcy had published in the newspaper. On the day he returned to the capital from Sheol Village, Gadio asked an adventurer he knew to watch this entrance on the east side of the central district. However, four days had passed since then, and no one had entered this underpass. "But as far as Mr. Dafiz knew, this was the newest base of operations." "I suppose that would be the case." "The surveillance began the day we returned from Sheol. If they abandoned their base before that--" "I know exactly what you mean. They''re moving too fast, right?" Flamm nodded. Nect, must have thought he had destroyed the facility, including the documents. It is possible that he was afraid of information leakage from Dafiz and abandoned the base just in case, but as he said. "It was hard to move." The two of them walked further into the city. The basement was slightly damp and smelled musty. If they had not been so particular about the location, they could have continued their research in a better environment. Why Mother insisted on staying in the Royal Capital so long was a mystery in and of itself. "It''s a dead end." A brick wall stood in front of them. Flamm stopped and observed the dimly lit surrounding walls. "It doesn''t look like a turn." "Stay back, we''ll destroy it." Gadio drew the great sword from his back - he couldn''t swing it in the narrow underground passageway - and threw a sharp thrust at the wall. Of course, he put a large amount of prana into the sword to increase its destructive power. Dogoooooong! A roar echoed through the long, narrow passageway. Flamm was not surprised by that. But the hole was so large that she let out an exclamation of admiration. "So it was leading to the back after all" "The ...... atmosphere has changed, hasn''t it? It looks similar to the laboratory we saw in Sheol." Originally, it must have been a sturdy entrance that could have been opened by some kind of mechanism or key. Inside the Children''s laboratory, it was as dark as the underground passage. The light from the lantern alone was not enough to explore the interior. "Should we turn on the lights?" He closed his eyes and sensed the presence of people in the facility, but there seemed to be no other creatures within his range of vision, except for himself and Flamm. "Oh, please do." Hearing the short reply, Flamm rushed to the switch on the wall. She put her hand on the crystal ball embedded in the wall and poured magic power into it. But ...... it didn''t do anything. "I''m sorry, Mr. Gadio, it doesn''t seem to turn on." No ...... way, it shouldnt be broken. The ball should be working fine." Gadio looked up at the ceiling. As he brought the lantern in his hand closer, the situation became even clearer. The ceiling was covered with deep scratches from one end to the other, as if scratched by giant nails. The lamps that had been installed were in the middle of the ceiling, so they seemed to have been destroyed along the way. "What is this ......?" "Did the Spiral Children destroy it as a joke, or ......" "Signs of a battle, huh?" Gadio was silent in response to Flamm''s words, which should be taken as an affirmation. Few people knew of the existence of this facility. The only people who know of the existence of this facility, aside from Flamm and others, are those involved in church research. In such a place, there were clearly scars that could not have been made by ordinary human hands, and what this meant was... "What in the world happened here?" "Maybe we''ll find out as we go on." There were not many rooms in the institute. After passing through the entrance, where the ceiling was scratched, there was a corridor with two rooms on either side of it. There was also another room at the end of it. In other words, including the hall itself, there were a total of six rooms in this laboratory. Flamm and Gadio explored them one by one, starting from the front. "This looks terrible." "It looks like someone has been out of control." Bookshelves were empty, research equipment had been physically demolished. The floor was littered with sharp debris, making it dangerous to even walk around. The four rooms at either end of the corridor were all in this condition, and nothing resembling a clue had fallen out. Finally, they stepped into the room at the far end of the corridor. The double doors are opened by Gadio, walking in front of Flamm. It was a little heavy, perhaps because of the debris in the way, but he pushed it open forcefully with the strength of his arms. The air in the room overflowed into the corridor where the two stood, and the smell of blood was so thick it was almost intoxicating. "This is ......." A large room with several glass cases connected to the equipment. On the wall at the end of the entrance, there it was. The body of a green-haired woman had been slammed into the wall with such force that it had left the dented and distorted wall in a state of crucifixion. The red bodily fluids splattered on the gray wall looked like flowers. There is a large hole in her chest, and her core had been extracted. Her torso was completely crumpled, but her head was less damaged, and she was staring limply at the ground with empty eyes. The head was less damaged than the body, but the empty eyes stared blankly at the ground, making the oddness of the scene all the more striking. "Why is this girl......!" "Do you know her?" Flamm nodded repeatedly. She had only met her once, but the scene with Ink was firmly etched into her memory. I believe her name was Fouwis, one of the ...... Spiral Children! An uninhabited base razed to the ground. The signs of battle. And the body of a dead girl who used to be an enemy. The laboratory had already moved completely to a place unknown to Flamm and her friends. diced: no way more yuri!!! also no way more mystery!!! felt shorter than the previous ones. message me if the new tl notes are too distracting, I suck at translating nuance, but Deepl sucks more than me. Meep: hallo diced told me to write something here even though I only did like a third of this chap CH 46 Linus stood atop the tallest tower in the West Ward, overlooking the city. Not because he liked heights - but because it was the easiest way to find people. From this distance, his eyes could make out the faces of the riffraff in the West Ward, the stuck-up merchants in the East Ward, and the people walking around in the Central Ward, which was crowded like a swarm of insects. "Now, I wonder where she''s gone." What he was looking for, of course, was Cyrille. He found out from the guards that she apparently heard about Flamm and ran out of the castle in a state of shock. Linus also asked Maria''s room to see if she knew where she was going, but she was nowhere to be found. She was probably busy, out at the cathedral or something. "But ...... there''s a nasty wind blowing, what the hell is this?" The sky was gray, and the air was heavy and damp on his cheeks. But that was not all. There was a familiar, unpleasant smell mixed in with the wind. "Blood, but not from a human. It reeks of beast." And judging by the "density," there were more than just one or two of them. But as far as he could see, there seemed to be nothing unusual going on. In other words, a lot of blood was flowing in the shadows where there is no sunlight. A deformed corpse was found, and there was a strange smell around Cardinal Satouki, and the recent events in the Royal Capital have been very suspicious. Cyrille was worrying for LInus. Jean, the cause of the problem, had remained in his room and has not come out, so Linus has no choice but to look for her. He jumped down from there and landed soundlessly on the ground. "Honesty, I have my hands so full with Maria, I can''t afford to get involved in any troublesome matters." Even as he said this, he stepped into the darkness that separated him from the peace and quiet. Meanwhile, Cyrille, who had run away from the castle, was wandering aimlessly around the royal city. She walked around with the hood of her robe pulled up deeply, hiding her face. She didn''t want to be found, she was a Hero after all. If she were to reveal herself, her true identity would be noticed in an instant. So she had no choice but to cover her face like this, and choose a street with as few people as possible while she walked. But she did not know where she was going. It was my fault Flamm became a slave. How can I call myself a hero? Jean is crazy. Maria is a monster. In other words, there is hardly even a party for me to be with. But even if she ran back to her hometown, she would be betraying the people of her village, who were overjoyed that Cyrille had become a hero. No matter how hard she searched, she would never find a place to go. Hence, the only place she felt at ease was an empty, dark, murky corner in an alleyway. It smelled like a ditch, and she still couldn''t stop herself from berating herself, but it was a relief to know that she wouldn''t see anyone. She sat down, hugged her knees, and closed her eyes. Cyrille was so tired that she almost fell asleep. Halfway out of consciousness, she heard someone''s footsteps. A sharpened sensation halfway awakened her body. Cyrille reflexively looked up and saw a young girl standing there, wearing a robe that hid her face just like hers. Her hair and skin, visible through the gaps, were white. And in her hands, she was holding a dirty, human-shaped stuffed animal. Her presence floated as if cut off from the landscape. She was not a normal human being, Cyrille''s intuition told her. He braced himself with alarm and stared at the girl. Then the girl slowly approached Cyrille, pointed to the ground where she was sitting, and said. "Here, I sit." The girl''s pronunciation is distinctive, but she was still hard to understand. "Um, you mean you were using ......?'' The girl nodded. Cyrille wondered if she could sit somewhere else. But then the girl''s cheeks gradually puffed out and her mood began to deteriorate, so she hurriedly gave up her spot. The girl immediately sat down, hugged her knees, and looked relieved. It seems that the "fixed position" is very important to her. For a pursuer, she was too defenseless and showed no signs of hostility. Naturally, Cyrille let her guard down. It was just a negative delusion to think that pursuers were after her when she had run away on her own. It was possible that someone was looking for her, but it was probably not so serious as a pursuer. Cyrille would normally be able to tell that much, but the combination of so many shocking events has made her mind unstable. The ridiculous thoughts were evidence of this. "......" After sitting down, the girl didn''t utter a word. She thought about talking to her, but she couldn''t find any words, so Cyrille also fell silent. "...... you." After a while of silence, the girl spoke. "What''s wrong?" "Why here, not busy?" Her question suddenly got to the heart of the matter. It was true, she didn''t have a place. That''s why she was wandering around like this. "What makes you think that?" She wasnt sure if she was embarrassed that such a young girl could see it or not, or if she was afraid of confronting herself. "You me, look like" "...... you have no place to be either?" The girl nodded her head. "That''s why you''re dressed like that and in such a dirty place. Like me, you''re hiding." Relieved that her friend had been found, she became unintentionally talkative. But the girl shook her head. Cyrille regained her composure as if she had been doused with cold water. No, that''s not it. I''m trying to escape, no. Then ......why?" The girl''s eyes, unlike Cyrille''s, were not dead. They were filled with the fire of a strong will. Staring into her eyes, she felt as if she were being sucked into them, so pure, so beautiful, so powerful. "Mother, I will repay you. I will not disappear. I''m going to carve my living mark here." (T/N: help what does this mean) I will return the favor to my mother. That is how Cyrille received the girl''s words. Even if there was no place for her, even if she could not find a future, she will do what she can. If a little girl had such positive courage, so why did she, the one who was named a hero, run away and dwell in such a place? ''Why do I think only of running away without returning the favor or atoning for my sins?'' ''It was a vicious cycle of asking myself, blaming myself, and then hunting myself down again.'' ''Even though I desperately try to shake it off, this time the memory of Maria''s horrific vortex of flesh that turned into a monster replayed.'' Sweat beaded on her palms and her breathing quickened. All mental escape was blocked, and there was now no choice but to physically leave the capital. But even if she left the Royal Capital, there would be no place to return to. The girl''s determination is wonderful and admirable, and Cyrille recognized she should be the same. But - now she recognizes the existence of an ideal, but does not want to make the effort to reach it. ''I want to keep running away.'' ''I want to go to some world where there is no pain.'' ''I want to disappear.'' ''No, perhaps that would be the right thing to do.'' ''Then I wouldn''t cause anyone any trouble and I would be at ease.'' "Don''t you?" Cyrille bit her lip at the girl''s frank question. When she tilted his head in wonder at her response, the girl followed up by saying, "No, you arent that way" "It can''t be," she said. "I live, but I alone. You dark feeling" "I have. There is, but ...... more than that, I think I''m the worst. So I don''t want to do anything about it." "I blame myself, it''s exhausting. It''s useless. I''m want to do what''s right for the people I care about." She understood this without being told But whether or not she can put it into practice is another matter. She was trapped, and she didn''t have the energy to get up the courage to do so. "Cyrille Sweicka." Cyrille''s heart skipped a beat when her name was suddenly called. She could not recall even hinting at her name, so why? "People might sad you gone." "How do you know my name?" "How could I not know your name?" "....... That''s true, I guess." The first thing to do was to find a way out of the city. "The goal is to make the son of the previous king more human ......" The girl mumbled to herself in a voice so small that Cyrille could not hear her. Then she let out a light breath. "Do you want to see?" Cyrille was about to ask what, but missed the timing as the girl stood up abruptly. The girl looked down at her with unwavering eyes. "We are about to engrave the proof of our life." She seemed to be asking Cyrille to follow her. Why would a girl go to such lengths for someone she just met? ''I don''t know, I don''t know, but for now, I just wanted a guide, no matter what it was. To put it another way, maybe I wanted to "lean on her.'' Even though she knew that the other girl was much younger than she was, she still wanted to lean on her, even after admitting how pathetic she was. Cyrille gritted her teeth in shame, but nodded her head. Then the girl seemed to smile. "Mute." "What?" "I am." "Oh, your name, ......, nice to meet you, Mute." "Yes, Cyrille" After saying this, the two shook hands. The moment their palms touched, Cyrille felt a chill. She felt as if some unusual power was coursing through Mute''s body. But the girl was less than ten years old. Cyrille told herself that she was overthinking things, and left the alley with her. (T/N: mute is such a hard character to translate ufweofw) Flamm and Gadio left the Children''s laboratory and headed for Flamm''s house. Eterna and Ink, who had been waiting for them to return, joined them around the table to exchange ideas. Milkit, unable to join in the conversation, sat next to Flamm, occasionally shuttling between the kitchen and the living room to fetch a cup of tea that had run low. "I see, Fouwis ...... is dead." Ink sadly said. They were not very good friends, but they had spent eight years together. They may have had feelings but they were enemies. Flamm and Gadio, who felt more than a little "happy" at his death, had no words to say to Ink. What kind of child was she? Eterna asked gently. "She was a coward. She played all kinds of tricks on me. When the time came, she would cry and say it was my fault. But in front of Mother, she used to spoil me." If it weren''t for the core - or maybe even if they had a core, they would still be just children when not in combat. Just as Ink gained a heart and became a normal human being, the other spiral children of the Spiral Children, could have had that possibility. Flamm''s heart ached as she imagined what could have been, a future in which they could have been normal children. Ink and the rest of the Spiral Children were different; they were not people she could talk to. Even though she understood that, she couldn''t help but think about it. "She once had a run-in with Nect, but she had the same level of power, one would have to be as strong as an S-rank adventurer to be able to take her on." "If they knew the location of the Children''s base and was strong enough to defeat them, the candidates were pretty limited. It could be the Church Knights, the Royal Army, or--" "Chimera, I suppose." Gadio said in a voice filled with hatred. Milkit''s throat rose and fell as he was hit by the murderous atmosphere. "Why did they start this internal strife? Was it because we ruined necromancy? "It may have something to do with Satouki''s speech. I remember they said that they would not experiment on human subjects. If they were going to continue their research on children, they don''t need to say anything about it." "Are you saying that Chimera was cut off in order to avoid public criticism when it was discovered that they could continue their research without using humans as long as they could use monsters? ''It''s one of the possibilities. But ......" She interrupted Gadio, who was about to say something, and Ink said regretfully. "I think it''s terrible to kill someone for such a reason, after all we''ve been through with the church." "I think so, too. I think Gadio is trying to say the same thing." Gadio nodded in agreement with Eterna''s words. In other words... That''s too light a reason to dismiss him. There must be another reason. A reason big enough to kill all of Children. "The Church is not monolithic, either, and it is natural to assume that there are several factions at odds, just as Satouki purged the two cardinals." "By the way, the cardinal who managed the research--I think his name was Firmo or something like that--was also captured, wasn''t he?" "Ah yes, evidence of Satouki''s growing power within the Church." It was said that Satuki Lanagarchi has strong connections with the Royal Army. Moreover, victory in the Human-Demon War was his father''s long-cherished wish. If he should happen to become pope and seize power - without a doubt, the kingdom would try to start a war. It is clear that Chimera would be more convenient to use as a weapon at that time. Then Children who would be unnecessary and still belong to opposing forces would be-- "Does that mean that factional strife was the real reason why Fouwis was killed?" Ink said in a somber voice. In any case - even if it was a "big reason" for Satouki, it was none of their business. "I know what the church has been doing, and I know what it has been doing. I know what the church has done, and I understand that it is a miracle that I am alive. But to be cut off by the church is ...... something different." She was no longer a member of Spiral Children. Even though she was aware of this, she still can''t help but feel something when she hears such a story. "I''m sorry, I didn''t mean to interrupt." "I don''t mind. Your opinion is important to me." Eterna patted Ink on the head. That alone softened Ink''s expression a little. "Thanks,...... Ah, I''m all right now, just keep talking." Even though she said so, Flamm felt uncomfortable talking any further in front of her. But if she stopped here, Ink would blame herself. Flamm coughed lightly, and then, with a strain in her stomach, she returned to the subject. "Of course I''m concerned about Satouki, but I''m also concerned that Fouwis was the only one found in the lab. There didn''t seem to be any other blood spatter." "I hope it doesn''t hasten the question of where the other three Children and Mother went." "...... I don''t think they''ll all be caught quietly. I think they will try to leave a scar on the church, or the kingdom--somewhere." "Scars.......?" For them, it was Satouki, or Chimera, that they hate. But they knew that they were no match for Chimera in the battle at the institute. It was hard to believe that Satouki herself would allow the Children to get close to her under such circumstances. It would be possible to carry out the attack on the research facility and the assassination itself, but it would probably just be a futile death. If it were a group of the Children only, but with a commander named Mother, she would not do such a foolish thing. If that was the case, her next move would be - Gadio, with a difficult look on his face, predicted the next move the children will make. "Oh, by the way, Gadio-san." At that moment, Flamm remembered that thing and clapped her hands. "We received a strange letter at our house." "A letter? Who is it from?" "The sender is unknown, it just says "four more days." ...... Eterna, may I ask you to bring it to me?" "Okay, hold on." Eterna got up from her seat and went upstairs to her room. "When did it arrive?" "Just about noon today, when Ink noticed the sound." Gadio looked at Ink. She nodded lightly, perhaps feeling his gaze. "But I''m sure there was a letter in the mailbox, but she said he didn''t hear any ...... footsteps." "Is that true?" ''She said she''s sure! She heard them in the mailbox." "Hearing the sound of the mailbox. That''s creepy timing, even for a prank." "I know. So I was wondering if there might be a connection to this case." The timing also subtly coincides with the destruction of the Children''s facility. There was no evidence of a relationship, but Flamm also felt uneasy. Eterna came down and handed Gadio a letter, "Here you go." He spread the paper out on his desk and stared at the letter. "I checked it over and there was no special magic in the contents. But the ink, the paper, and the envelope are all of the highest quality." Ink twitched at the word "ink" when Eterna said it. But as soon as she realized that it was not about her, she turned her head slightly down, her mouth set in a straight line in embarrassment. Eterna smiled at her gesture for a moment, then quickly returned to her serious expression and continued. "An average family wouldn''t use something like this to send out a letter with only four words written all the way down." "Then who sent this out ......?" "Could be a rich person, could be the kingdom, could be the church. It is most likely one of them." None of these people had any reason to take the side of Flamm and her friends. No, if they were rich, it could be Reach or Welcy, but they didn''t have to use letters, they could just tell them in person. Were they cornered and could only communicate by letter? It was not impossible. Flamm decided, for the time being, to go to them tomorrow. However, there was another possibility - one could think that one of the Children sent out the letter, but they were so cornered that they couldn''t afford to use a high-quality paper. Besides, there is no reason to warn their enemies. No matter how much Flamm thought about it, she didn''t have any information that would lead her to identify them. But none of them could rule it out as irrelevant. She was it''s a church-related matter anyway, but they''d have to talk to someone who might have a connection. She was also curious about the Children''s movements. Either way, she would have to walk around the royal capital on her own feet. "I thought I was on the "offensive" this time with Dafiz''s data." Flamm sighed tiredly at being at the mercy of the situation again. Then Milkit, who was sitting next to him, took Flamm''s hand under the table. "I can''t join in the conversation, I can''t help you in the fight." "Still - I want to be of some help." Such feelings of hers were painfully felt. Whether it was on the back foot or on the front foot, what Flamm would do would never change. --No matter what happens, I will definitely protect you. With such determination, she squeezed her hand back. There are countless ruins in the kingdom Remnants of a time when humans and demons joined hands to fight againstOrigin. The royal capital was built as an extension of such ruins. Only during the beginning, the ruins were used as housing. However now, that the city was built over it, not many people are aware of the existence of the underground ruins. The royal castle that exists in the northern district of the royal capital. Of course, the ruins were buried underground as well. We opened a door locked tightly at the back of the first floor and descended a staircase leading to the end of the door. There was a space made of a material clearly different from that of the castle, and there were a number of "cages" lined up in the space. In other words, they were being reused as prisons. "How long do we have to stay here and watch?" "Until Echidna comes calling." It was used as a place to hold people who could not be judged by the law, but were inconvenient for the kingdom and the church. Standing in front of the prison, two soldiers with spears engage in a peevish conversation. "I wish they''d get rid of that "ex-saint" at ......." "You must have some idea, some way to repurpose her." "How is that possible with the way things are at ......?" The soldier then glanced behind the bars. The first thing to look at was Maria, who was lying on the ground, shaking convulsively. Her face was a complete freak, red flesh spread over the entire surface, writhing and sporadically spurting blood. "Ueee......" "You''ve seen her a few times, right?" "I have, but it''s a big shock to me because she used to have such a beautiful face." Maria was trapped by Echidna and then put in this prison. Many would have gotten rid of her right away, but there was no way Echidna would pass up such a perfect material. She was "stored" here with the intention of being used for some kind of "experiment". Two soldiers were deployed just in case, but she originally thought that even that was unnecessary. Maria had already lost her human will and had become a lump of flesh that could only spit out blood. She was also unable to move her body properly, probably because Echidna used the core made for "Chimera" against a human being. The rest of her was to be used in an experiment to satisfy Echidna''s intellectual curiosity without resistance, and then die. --I am......still...... But she was not like other human beings. She was not brainwashed from childhood with omens like the Pope and the King, nor was she implanted with a core and acquired the ability to hear omens. She is one of the few who were chosen by the Origin as an apostle. There was no way they would have let her go without a fight. --They betrayed her to the ...... humans again. ...... Oh, they really don''t learn. ...... The seeming loss of human will was just an act. It took time for the body to adapt to the core modified for monsters, but she had already recovered to the point where it can move. -Even though they could not die until all life was eradicated. Maria''s hatred was in tune with Origin. Although their roots were different, their purpose was the same. There was no need for life in this world. People, demons, and the mass of malice that continues to betray and play with her, should all perish. --Origin-sama ...... I see, next time, if that''s how ...... you want to do it, I''ll.... .... Maria moved in response to the oracle. She rose slowly, unnoticed by the soldiers, and then with a swirling light in her palm: She used her right hand to disperse the particles of light on the spot. Then the particles were launched at high speed and burst where they touched. HUBO-BO-BO-BO, creating countless fist-sized holes in the wall and the soldiers standing on the other side of it. The iron grating was also destroyed, and she got out of the prison without a second thought. At the same time, the two men, their entire bodies covered in holes, fell to the floor with a thud. "Let us begin, then, the second act of the heroic tale" Maria said sadly, and walked out without haste and with a sense of composure. Her escape from prison was an easy success. Although it was never made public - dozens of soldiers who tried to stop her lost their lives in the process. CH 47 (Content warning for this chapter, certainly one of the gory ones) It was a room in a cathedral. Satouki, who was facing the documents lined up on his desk with a pen in his hand, stopped his hand at the same time as a knock sounded in the room. He stood up and opened the door himself. Peering through the crack was Echidna. "Oh, I''m so sorry to bother you." From her voice, it was hard to tell whether she meant it or not. She was so unfathomable that even Satouki sometimes gets chills. "I''ll excuse myself." She entered the room, her blonde hair and white coat swinging. Looking around, her mouth twitched a little in frustration. The room was as spacious as ever. Echidna sat down on the visitor''s couch as she said. "I guess this will do." Satouki also sat down on the sofa across from her. "So, has anything changed in your situation?" At the straightforward question, Echidna put her index finger on her cheek and said, "Hmmm," in a gesture of distress. Her every gesture was mocking. This particular women was something of an anomaly, no way any man would like her. And it was not an act. That was Echidna''s true state. After he had rushed her enough, she made a troubled face deliberately and said, "Maria has run away, I''m afraid." "I see. She''s a very stubborn woman." Satouki did not seem surprised when she heard about the escape. After all she was a hero. "Do we have to catch her?" "No. She''s just an experiment isnt she?" "But if she should ever join with the Children, ......" "Then she will be sacrificed, just like them. It will be interesting either way." "That said she might be a good scapegoat" Her undeterred judgment and insatiable desire to explore - these are the reasons why she had decided to follow Satouki. "The king and the Pope were still captivated by Origin, and the queen was in love with you, so it looks like it''s already decided, doesn''t it, Your Eminence?" "How many times have I told you it''s too soon?" "I wouldn''t be calling you that if I wasnt compliment" "I won''t let my guard down until everything is in place. I will not make the same mistake as my father." "Then, was it a good thing that I cut off the connection with the demon tribe?I think I should have left that one alone." Satouki snickered and kicked her out. "The demons are the enemy for me. They are nothing more and nothing less. I won''t be like Fedoro, who uses the Origin''s servants like a little mouse." "Oh, you are so manly." He was now used to her unintelligible words. Satouki brushed it off lightly, then tightened his expression and declared, "First of all, we have to get the right actors to go up on this stage. I''m sure that Maria will be of great service to us, for that is what we have been sowing for." The next morning, Flamm woke up earlier than Milkit and went outside first thing. When she opened the mailbox, she once again found an envelope already there. "Two days in a row, I guess it''s not a prank," she said. The envelope was made of the same material as yesterday. She opened it on the spot and checked the paper inside, and there it was again: "Three more days". This time, however, there was another sentence. "We walk straight to one marker, no conflict in cutting off branches ......?" "What''s that?" A man asked from behind Flamm as she reads it. "Whoa!" She almost fell forward involuntarily and dropped the letter to the ground. He picked it up and stared intently at the text. "Flamm, are you getting threats?" "Mr. Linus!" "I''m sorry to startle you, but you''ve been so preoccupied I just thought I''d check in on you." "It''s been a long time, but why so early in the morning?" Linus answered Flamm''s simple question with a wry smile. "I just wanted to check if this was really Flamm''s house and happened to run into her. But what really happened to you after Jean kicked you out?" Flamm found it to be a rather long story, and herself wanted to ask Linus some questions. "I don''t want to stand around and talk, so why don''t we go inside first?" Saying so, Flamm put his hand on the front door. "Then feel free to ......, but first." But he stopped right there and then - suddenly - kneeled down on the ground. Not only that, he rubbed his hands and even his forehead against the cobblestones. It was what is called a "praying" position. Flamm could not hide her confusion. "What''s going on?" "I am so sorry!" Linus apologized sincerely. He was ashamed of his own stupidity and regretted it. "Eh?! Linus its not like it was you who''s responsible though." "I can''t put the blame solely on Jean. I also thought that ...... Flamm was a liability somewhere in the back of my mind. I even made an excuse for myself that it would be better for her if she went home." For Flamm, being told this to her face came as something of a shock. But it was an undeniable fact. The fact is that Flamm was a complete loser at the time, with no cursed equipment and completely zero status. "I can''t let you go home before I apologize to you for that." Flamm had never thought about blaming Linus. Of course she resented Jean, but that was because he had clearly done harm to Flamm. She would be lying if she said she didn''t feel bitter. But that is because there was no communication between them. If you speak honestly, such a petty rift can easily disappear. "You remind me of those tall men in my hometown when they interacted with me" she said with a titter. "Is that so?" "Yes, it''s easy to gauge their feelings when you''re as old as Gadio, but when you''re Linus'' or Jean''s age, I can never read intention." Linus was puzzled because he could not read Flamm''s intention. But it was not that difficult. She feels oppressed by men who are taller than her and have a subtle age difference. That''s all there is to it - really, that''s all there is to it. "That''s really all there is to it. You dont have to apologize, or forgive, or even to that level." "Well...... consider my getting down on my knees is just self-satisfaction." "You felt sorry enough to go that far. I''m honestly glad to hear that, though. I forgive you." (T/N: did Linus just forget about the ominous letter he thought was a threat) It took some time before everyone was in the living room. Milkit seemed to have been awakened by the exchange between Flamm and Linus coming from below, and naturally appeared in the living room without having to be awakened. The problem was Eterna and Ink. They did not wake up even when she called to them from outside the door, called to them from near the bed, or shook their bodies. Eventually, Flamm''s persistence won out and she succeeded in waking them up - but even though Linus was there, they were both still in their nightclothes and sleepily rubbing their eyes. "Yo, it''s been a while." He called out, bewildered by Eterna''s so absent-mindedness. "Likewi(zzz)......." She replies in a pouty voice. She seemed so defenseless he couldn''t imagine how far they had made it with this being her attitude every morning, but that was simply one of the quirks of the Eternal Witch. But that was not the only reason for his bewilderment. He is overwhelmed by the strong personality of the girl in the service uniform with her face covered with bandages and the little girl with her eyes sewn together. "What kind of a gathering is this, Flamm?" Linus asked unintentionally, but Flamm was at a loss for an answer. The reason is that, in addition to their appearance, all of them had their own complicated circumstances. "Milkit is my partner. We met when I was sold to a slaver." She started with Milkit, who sat next to her. She bowed politely as Flamm introduced her. "So you mean the girl is a slave too? I suppose I shouldn''t ask ...... what''s under the bandage." "Originally they were sore from poison, but Master helped me to heal them completely." "Then why don''t you just take it off?" "The only one who I''ll let see face is the master who saved me." Milkit was embarrassed. Linus looked at Flamm with narrowed eyes. "Hey ......, what''s the connection between you two?" Flamm looked at Linus and said, "We don''t have the kind of relationship that you suspect, Linus, just that we''ve been supporting each other until today." "You mean like partners?" Flamm did not dare to correct him. "And you, ......, what about you, young lady?" "Ink was my patient, and now she''s my friend. That''s why I live with her." Eterna said before Flamm could explain. Ink was still sleepy, sitting in her chair, eyes closed, cocking her head back and ''paddling the boat''. In short, we''ve been through a lot over here. That way of putting it, it''s a roundabout way of saying we''ve got our own problems. "That''s why I''m here," he said. "In fact, Maria and Kirill have gone missing." "The two of them?" Flamm was astonished. Eterna also listened to the story with a serious expression. "The other day, I tried to find out what was going on from Jean. But ...... this morning, there was some strange activity at the castle." "What happened?" "Dozens of soldiers have gone missing, it seems. The same time, some people saw Maria leaving the castle." "That''s a big deal!" "The traces have been completely covered up and the silence has been stopped. That''s why the information was not leaked to the outside world." "But even so, that''s a crazy ...... thing to ask, but then how did you know about it, Linus?" "There''s a soldier I''m good friends with, and he told me about it." Linus is very open-minded. He likely knew many of the soldiers in the castle. "He went back to investigation before he could tell me the details, though." He is probably already dead somewhere. He had only told Linus what had happened. How many more lives must be sacrificed? "Both the church and the kingdom are all about their own convenience. ......" "Why does the church come up there?" Linus still doesn''t know what the church really is. Should he get involved - Flamm was worried, but he would probably go after Maria. If he did, he would eventually come into contact with the dark side of the church. It might be safer for him to know about it from the start, rather than to move on his own, knowing nothing about it. "The Church has been conducting a series of dangerous experiments using Origin''s power. The number of victims isn''t just one or two." "The Church is that Church, right?It''s not another organization, is it?" "It is definitely what Mr. Linus is imagining--that organization with Pope Fedoro at its head. It''s a long story if I tell you the details." "No matter, let me hear it." "...... understood. I''m sure that Maria''s disappearance is not unrelated." The children''s attack, the two missing persons, and the mysterious countdown. All of them occurred at about the same time. And Maria is a church official, so there was no way she was unrelated. Flamm began to tell Linus about the threats she had encountered pertaining to the Origin. She told him about the deformities she had encountered in the underground of Enichide, her encounter with Ink, and the details of her research into raising the dead - everything she knew. She also explained to him about the power of reversal that resided in her. She tried to summarize the story fairly well, but it still took over an hour, including the time it took Linus to finish sorting it out in his head. When all was said and done, he wrinkled his brow, stared at the grain of the table, and murmured. "Did the church know ......did Maria-chan know that?" "I think she knew, given her position." "Oh, so that''s why she''s such a ......" The first thing to do is to make sure that you have a good idea of what you''re getting into. The saint must have been in a fairly high position within the church, if not as high as the cardinal. "But I''m not sure about Cyrille. How did he go missing?" "She found out that Flamm was a slave. She couldn''t stand the fact, so she left the castle." "Cyrille ......" Whatever it was then - Flamm could understand now that she was troubled and distressed. When she and Flamm were playing together, Cyrille was just an ordinary sixteen-year-old girl. She probably did not want to be a hero. But the power that resided in her and the expectations of those around her would not allow her to do so. Her heart was breaking, and Jean''s whispers were penetrating through the cracks. The act of looking down on others, the feeling of superiority, must have healed Kirill''s feelings in a makeshift way. But it''s a deleterious drug, and there will always be side effects. That is what slowly drove Cyrille over the edge after Flamm left the party. And when she was told that she had become a slave, it finally broke down. "Then Cyrille''s disappearance had nothing to do with the church." "Most likely. Besides, Cyrille herself is strong and I don''t think her life is in danger. Still, ...... I hope we find her soon, though." Flamm''s face turns sad as she thought about Cyrille, who was probably still suffering. Flamm had certainly been hurt by Cyrille, in the emotional sense. But if Cyrille could be saved by forgiving her, Flamm would gladly put aside all her anger and hatred. Just as Cyrille was supported by Flamm, Flamm was also able to follow Cyrille on her journey that far because of her. "I too must find Maria-chan as soon as possible." "But ...... there was a sighting of Maria, and dozens of soldiers disappeared. Isn''t it possible that Maria-san was a cause of that?" Flamm was reluctant to say, but that possibility, however, was not something that could be ignored. Even Linus understood that. He wanted to hear what she had to say. "I''m not a fan of that idea. But I understand that you, someone that knows this much about the church, would naturally accuse her. But I''m sorry. I want to believe in her, and I want to help her." ...... Is that because you love her?" Milkit, who had been silent until now, spoke up. Linus, as well as Flamm, was surprised and stopped moving for a moment, but soon answered with a gentle smile. "Yes, I love her so much." He asserted without hesitation. Then Milkit said in a small voice, "I see," and her eyes were downcast as if she was pondering something. Flamm smiled at her. In her own way, Milkit must be thinking seriously about her relationship with Flamm. "I''m going to leave now," he said. "Come back when you are in trouble." "Thanks, Eterna. I will come back regularly to share information with you." With that, he got up from his seat and left the house. The three of them saw him off together, leaving the Ink behind, having completely fallen asleep twice. Then - just outside the front door - Linus stopped. "Whoa, long time no see, Gadio." Apparently, Gadio had just visited Flamm''s house. Linus, I didn''t know you were coming this way. That''s convenient. What do you mean? A strange corpse with a twisted body was found in the East District. I would appreciate it if you and Flamm would accompany me to gather information about it. "Mr. Gadio, whats happened!" Flamm looked up from behind Linus and responded to Gadio''s words. "Oh, it''s probably the Spiral Children, the Children of the Spiral. They''re finally on the move." "What does that mean, that it''s another case involving the church?" "Flamm told you? That makes things easy. Yes they belong to the church." Linus had no reason to refuse, as it might lead him to the whereabouts of Maria. Thus, Flamm, Linus, and Gadio were on their way to the East Ward. "Of course they leave me behind..." "Doesn''t that mean they rely on you that much?" "...... I wonder if that''s so." They left Eterna behind. Mostly because they had no idea when or where the spiral children would show up. Someone had to stay behind to ensure the safety of Ink and Milkit. The scene was a deserted street in the East Ward. Although onlookers can still be seen here and there, the body had already been recovered by the soldiers and there was no sign of it. However, the blood soaked into the walls and the ground told of the horrific nature of the incident. "What are we going to do from here?The murderer must have escaped long ago." "First of all, we gather eyewitness information. From the abilities of Nect and Ink, who have experience in combat, we can assume that they cannot use their powers to directly affect the target from a distance." "It is true that both of them seem to activate their abilities only when they touch a person." It''s the same for the eyeballs and also the physical connection. If they had been able to remotely activate them, they might have been able to obtain combat capabilities that surpassed the chimera. "I see. If you certainly can''t kill someone without touching them, there might at least be someone watching the suspicious figure." When Linus was also convinced, the three of them split up to gather testimonies from people in the vicinity. Gadio used his connections with people who lived in the same East Ward. Linus used his own storytelling skills to gather testimonials from people walking down the street. And Flamm - since she didn''t have any such methods, went to a park where she thought there might be people. The park in the East Ward had beautiful playground equipment, colorful flowers blooming in well-maintained flowerbeds, and even a fountain in the center of the park. It was a far cry from the parks in West Ward, which were nothing more than wastelands in the name of parks. People sat on benches and watched their children playing around. Others are just passing through the park on their way for a walk. Others were watering flowers, etc. - about 20 people of various ages and with various purposes were gathered in the park. At least one of them might have seen a suspicious child. "Um, ...... may I ask you a few questions?" Flamm approached a mother sitting on a bench, looking at her child. "......." But there was no answer. She looked only at the child, as if ignoring her, with a gentle, motherly smile on her face. "Excuse me, could you tell me a story ......?" She had not expected to be ignored so spectacularly. It was true that the East Ward tended to have a strong attitude toward slaves. However, even so, there are many ways to avoid being ignored, such as making eye contact with them or refusing to talk to them. The fact that he dared to choose to ignore them, however, made Flamm feel even more depressed. She had no choice but to turn her back on the woman to talk to someone else. Just as she was about to leave, she heard a crushing sound behind her. Flamm stopped and turned around. "eh?" There, she saw a woman attempting to commit suicide by shredding the flesh around her carotid artery and bleeding profusely. She looked at the piece of meat in her palm with an unchanged expression. But in the meantime, the life essence spilled out of her body and stained her clothes and the bench. Eventually, the strength drained from her body, and the woman lay down on the bench, her body limp and weak. Fresh blood still flooded out of her, but she was probably already dead. "This is ......." Starting with the woman''s death, people in the park killed themselves using different methods. A child put her hands around her head and snapped her neck with her own arm strength. A man watching him placed the base of his thumbs on his temples and pressed down as hard as he could, destroying his brain while crushing his skull, and he died. Another man plunged his arm into his abdomen and opened his stomach using only the force of his hand, gleefully displaying his organs and losing his life. Another, while injuring his hand with his ribs, somehow managed to pull out and clasp the heart. Others inserted their arms into their throats and chose to suffocate to death. Still others died by piercing their throats from the inside. In many other ways - as if playing with toys, one after another, senselessly, unreasonably, human lives were played with. If Spiral Children did this, that would make sense. But in the face of the sheer cruelty of the mass suicide show unfolding before her eyes - Flamm was speechless and could only stand there stunned. (T/N: gyze do i put a content warning) CH 48 (T/N: Man I have no idea what these titles mean, I feel like half of them dont relate to the plot at all, anyway enjoy! Also happy new year) ''I thought that if I slept, I could forget the bad things. But when one is truly depressed, not even sleep can bring peace.'' The nightmares came upon Cyrille like a flood. "Congratulations." Cyrille pretended to be pleased. But who would want such a thing? The worse a person''s conduct is, the more they are held in high esteem by those around them. The worse a student''s attitude is, the more the teacher loves him or her. Human beings are like that. It was better not to have expectations. Because no matter how much better you are than others, if you don''t live up to them, the people around you will be cold. "It''s amazing that you were chosen by Origin-sama, Cyrille." For several years, he had been learning how to grow potatoes from his parents. The first thing to do is to make sure that you have a good time. It was fun. "Today, I''m going to use the produce to make sweets and serve them to my parents." They would laugh and say, "Delicious," and pat Kiril''s head. I was happy. "Don''t worry about it, you''ll do your part," my father said happily. My father said happily. Mother nodded. Cyrille forced a smile in order to meet their expectations, and replied. At that time, I wondered if something would have been different if I had cried and said, "I really don''t want to do this." I had such a bad dream. I woke up. The bad reality was spreading. Cyrille, lying on the hard, cold ground, opened her eyes dimly. Although it was morning, it was dark and chilly because she was under the shadow of a building. It was the back of a store on the east side of the central district. They had arrived at the place by looking for a place where no one could see them. Cyrille stared blankly at the gray landscape spread out before him. Observing the tiny insects crawling around desperately seeking food, he murmured, "I envy them. No, it must have its own struggles, but at least it is living for himself." But she can no longer do that. When she tries to act for herself, her rational mind puts a stop to it. She has hurt the people she cares about, betrayed the expectations of others, and run away without atoning for her sins. "Awake?" I heard Mute''s voice. She had woken up earlier and was sitting on the ground, her back against the wall. "......Yeah, I''m up." They had exchanged a few words since she met her yesterday. Mute continued "People, only me. Others, wanting, understanding the truth, impossible." And meeting everyone''s expectations is also impossible. But still - Cyrille was afraid of disappointment. "Kindness, justice, anger, hatred, and all the other ...... words, different. Meaning, the same for me." This world is formed by the self-gratification of all people. Even caring for others is hypocrisy when you get right down to it. It is only possible as "kindness" because the channels of the giver and the receiver coincidentally coincide. "I live for the sake of others. Someday, I will break down." Cyrille was now on that rail. Atonement for her sins and continuous blaming herself are just self-satisfaction, so to speak. Doing so will not heal those who have been hurt because of you. So, do what you want--that is what Mute continues to preach. Still, Cyrille did not change. A chain of guilt wrapped around her sinking emotions and would not allow her to emerge. "I start. Follow me." With these words, Mute got up and started walking toward somewhere. Cyrille, still half-asleep, rubbed her swollen eyes and followed her small back. When I asked what they were going , Mute did not speak. Both of them were still dressed in their dingy robes, hoods deeply pulled over their heads, and walking with their faces hidden. As they approached the East Ward, the number of wealthy people began to increase, and their attire conversely attracted the attention of those around them. As Cyrille''s eyes wandered suspiciously, Mute ran up to a man in his 20s approaching from the front. "Mute?" Cyrille was puzzled and called out to her, but Mute did not stop. She stopped right in front of him and grabbed him by the shoulders. Of course, the man stared at Mute. But she was unmoved, and then - she activated her ability. "Sympathy." There was no special, tangible change. But Cyrille then saw the will disappear from the man''s eyes and a muffled, wet sound. The mute took his hand away from him and started walking again without saying a word, as if he had no more use for him. Cyrille followed her, looking at the man who had stopped moving. After that, Mute entered the park ahead of him, touching people and mumbling "sympathy," which she repeated. "Hey Mute, what are you doing?" But she did not answer. But as she looked at the people who stopped moving as soon as they were touched by Mute, she began to feel a sense of dread, as if perhaps something terrible was happening. Of course, Cyrille doesn''t know what that was. So she had never even imagined that such an ability ????? existed. If she had known, of course, even Cyrille would have tried to stop her. After going around there, she left the park through a different exit from where she had entered. And when she moved to a position where she could check the situation in the park just in time, Mute finally turned toward Cyrille and opened his mouth. The neck of her robe was somehow reddish-black and damp. "I''m ready. I''m ready to begin." "What do you mean, ready?" "Empathy. Connecting consciousness, subalienating it, making it identical. Consciousness, confusion. Ego, loss. From the beginning, origin, pouring. I, dominate." "Identification?Origin?Domination?I''m sorry, let me understand--" "I see. Then I''ll show you." Mute said and pointed toward the park. Cyrille did as she asked and looked in that direction. Then - a man who was taking a walk suddenly started to suck his fist in his mouth. Of course, it would not fit in his mouth. Still forcefully, he pushed it in, cutting the edge of his lips, then swallows it up to his elbow, deforming his face and throat. "...... eh?" Cyrille could not understand what had happened to him. He swallowed his own arm, had trouble breathing, and struggled in agony like a washed up fish. But his arm was not pulled out, and soon he choked and stopped moving. "Dead ......?" The death of a person. Unusual. It was happening right in front of my eyes, without warning. Perhaps because it was so unreal, Cyrille was not yet distraught. However, it was only in the present that the mind could be at ease. The woman next to the dead man suddenly starts hitting her head on the hard ground. Even though her forehead is cut and blood is flowing, even though she heard the sound of something being crushed, she does not stop. Even when her arms lose strength, she frantically rubs her head against the ground. The act continues until she completely exterminates herself. "Oh ...... oh ......" A boy who was walking that close to her starts shredding the flesh of his own arm like bread. He was slurping blood, but does not seem to want to stop. He then grabbed a handful of it and threw it into his mouth. He continued to pluck and chew on several more pieces of meat. "What is ...... happening ......?" The boy''s mother plucked out her own eyeball with her finger and threw it away. The mother of the boy''s mother, who was a woman of the world, had her hand forcibly inserted into the gaping hole to stir up the brain. "Mute ......, don''t tell me you''re making me do that ......?" "Yes, I made him do it." Even Cyrille noticed. And Mute answered immediately. What she had brought us here - what she wanted to show us - was this crazy scene. All over the park, people were destroying their own bodies and losing their lives. What is the point of such an act? "I''ll do what I want to do. I don''t care about other people. I will leave a scar, a proof of my life." "That''s not right. That''s not right!" Cyrille stared at Mute, her voice rising. But her face is hidden by the hood, so she couldn''t see her clearly. "There is nothing wrong, nothing. Nothing is right, nothing is wrong. I am me. I''ll do what I want." "People are dying!You can''t be so selfish!" "I don''t care what other people think. I don''t care how other people see me. I don''t care how selfish I am. There is no reason to stop." She certainly said that. She told him not to live her life for others, but to do what he wanted. But Cyrille still doesn''t think it''s right to kill other people for the sake of it. "Cyrille, you want me to stop. Then kill me." "That''s ......." "You, hero, I can''t win. Cyrille, I kill. I die. Others, live." Mute was right, Cyrille should pull out his sword. Just like that, some of the strangers struggling over there might survive. That''s what a hero would do. But - killing her and pretending to be brave will not save Cyrille. Nothing will change. She would once again be crushed by expectations and lose hope ?????. "Ughhhh ...... ughhhhhhhhhhhhhh ......!" Cyrille moaned, her right arm trembling. The sword would never be held in the palm of that hand. If she did not kill Mute, she would surely feel guilty for abandoning those people. But if she kills Mute, she will be guilty of killing her, and she will lose her anchor and be plunged back into the darkness where there is no light and nothing. Whichever she chooses - it would be hell. The number of victims will increase even while we she was worrying. The only relief is that no screams of despair can be heard. Only the sound of flesh tearing and bones crumbling can be heard from the park. "I can''t ...... kill them, but, oh, but ...... what am I going to do!" Cyrille sobs as she falls to her knees. She stumbles through the muck and gets stuck further in. "I''ll decide, myself. It''s all for me." "But I don''t know what to do about it." Cyrille looked up at Mute as if clinging to her. The face that had been hidden by the hood could be seen clearly from the bottom. Bwuhu. What you see there is not the face of a quiet-looking, pouty girl. It is a misshapen face, as if the face had been gouged out, shaved off, and stuffed with some kind of flesh. Moreover, the face itself is alive and moving. It pulsates, crawls, spirals, twists clockwise, and spits out blood. "It is ......." Cyrille exhales, and then she says no more words. No, not just her voice, she can''t even breathe. Why does Mute - why does she look like Maria, the last person she saw at that time? Who is she, and what is her ability to manipulate people into committing suicide? What kind of beings are these women? What am I getting myself into? "Ah ......" Finally, I regain my voice. But the mixture of red and black nausea-inducing emotions of doubt, fear, confusion, and despair-make it hard to think straight. Meanwhile, Mute, who had turned into a deformity, stared at Cyrille, pulsing a whirlpool of flesh in silence. "Uh oh, ah ah ah ......" In my head, my consciousness, my emotions, swelled in an instant. "Hi, hi,...... ah,ah,ah,......!" I have to say something. Her conduct should be stopped. It is not that such righteousness does not exist. But in the face of overwhelming horror, such petty righteous indignation is meaningless. She shakes her head in denial about what she is denying, backs away, holds her head-- "Aaaaahhhhhh!" Cyrille exclaimed in a burst of emotion. "Aa---!" Then, her screams are suddenly cut off and she lost consciousness. As she looked down at Cyrille, who had collapsed and was lying on the ground, Mute''s face returned to normal. --She heard someone''s voice. Flamm, who had been standing still, reacted with a twitch, slapped herself on both cheeks, pulled herself together, and started to run. There were many bodies lying in the park, and she felt a pang of pain every time she saw one of them. Then, as she exited the park, she saw someone lying on the ground and a girl standing nearby. She has white hair, a reddish-black face swirling around her, and both hands clutching a stuffed animal in the shape of a person. Flamm immediately recognized her as Mute, one of the Spiral Children of the Spiral Children. She filled her legs with prana and accelerates to approach. She was ready to pull out the soul eater at any moment. No need to hesitate. Betrayed by the church, they would slaughter indiscriminately, even if they were children or not, without mercy. But in the process, the hood of the fallen girl shakes in the wind, exposing part of her face. "Ee...... Cyrille-chan!" Flamm shouted unintentionally. Although he could not see her completely, with her golden hair and that face - it was probably her who had collapsed. Why is Cyrille, who had gone missing, with Mute? Regardless of the reason, we must rescue her first. "Flamm, I won''t lose." Mute wriggled a whirlpool of flesh and enters into a fighting stance. Flamm stared at her, too, and put his palm into his hand to pull out the soul eater. "Oops, Mute. That''s not good. It''s too early for a decisive battle." Then, Nect suddenly appears in front of them. Flamm stops dead in her tracks. Mute looked at him in surprise. "Nect, why are you here? "The reason is that he can''t leave his little sister alone when he sees her with a hero and then he sees her doing something reckless." "...... ok." She easily agreed. Flamm, on the other hand, was watching them from a little distance with a pained look on her face. I''m not surprised that Nect is even here.The boy was still cocky and spoke to herin a superior manner. "I''m glad to hear you made it out of Sheol safely, sister." "All thanks to you. What''s with that cocky look on your face" "Well, I can''t deny that it was a taunt." Just after he returned to the royal capital, he was attacked by the chimera. "Satouki probably planned to do so sooner or later, because he has no faith." Nect''s expression was irritated even as he said this. They had a sense of camaraderie between them. He must be a little shocked by the death of Fouis, too. He is sure that he is also shocked by the death of Fouis. "Origin is not so good, isn''t it, that they gave their hearts and were ultimately betrayed and defeated by those without faith?" Flamm said this as a provocation. However, Nect does not move. Rather, he laughs at himself and says, "Ha ha ha." "That may be so." And he affirms it. These words are unbecoming of Nect, who has devoted himself to Origin. He spoke more eloquently, while Flamm was surprised. He said, "Don''t look so surprised. It is not only Satouki who betrayed us and cut us off, but also Origin. We are complete pawns." A wistful smile appeared on his face as he spun his words. No," he said, "it''s been that way from the very beginning. I was born to be a cornerstone. The only reason I have survived this long is because of Mother''s kindness. But that too will end." In truth, I don''t want it to end--I think that''s what he really thinks. That''s why his voice trembled slightly. "So from now on, we will indiscriminately kill the people of the Capital. We will kill them equally, without distinction or discrimination, and leave a proof of our life in this world. It''s rather refreshing. At last, we can fulfill our desire not for the sake of the Origin whose faces we don''t even know, but only for our own sake!Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!" His laughter was empty and somewhat hollow. "I don''t know what your reasons are, but what do you mean ...... Origin abandoned you?Didn''t you live your life for Origin?" "I don''t know.We don''t know either. It just turned out that way, so we want to make it bloom at the end." He did not intend to explain in detail. Flamm gave up on a serious exchange and said in a voice filled with anger, "I don''t understand how that means killing people." "There must be more than one way to do that!" "Hahaha, it''s impossible. Like the chimera, we are "weapons". Like the chimera, we are "weapons" and were raised by Mother for that purpose. Do you know what is the greatest happiness for a weapon?To take another''s life. If we were born to do that, we have to do it or we have no reason to live!" Nect, too, was defeated and emotionally discarded. Necromancy was just an exception, the church''s project is basically to create tools for fighting. The actuality is that they are not an exception, and they are aware of it. "But Ink is still a person, and she''s right there with us!" "I don''t want to be lumped in with the second generation. We are the first generation, we are different." "You''re so obsessed with these incomprehensible categories that you end up dragging other people into it, and if anything, the first generation is worse!" "She will be the only one to survive in the end, so maybe your words are not so wrong." Nect laughed again, self-deprecatingly. Flamm, who was playing along with him, had a strange feeling. The actuality is that there is no discomfort that is transmitted just by talking to them. Rather, there is a sense of anxiety that he might break down at any moment. It is not so much that he can afford it, but rather that he has given up on everything, that everything doesn''t matter anymore, and that he is laughing... "Well," he said. I know I''ve been unintentionally stalling for time with my mouthpiece, but I really can''t die here. It looks like the other heroes are going to be here soon, so I''m going to have to make a run for it." Nect apparently sensed the presence of Linus or Gadio approaching. Mute holds Cyrille up as she lies down. Then Nect puts his left hand on hers and opens his right palm. "Wait, why are you even Cyrille with you!" "Well?Ask Mute about that. As for me personally, I don''t give a damn about her." Mute did not answer anything. Before long, her face had returned to that of a normal girl, but nothing could be read from her expression. I can''t let Cyrille be kidnapped here, even though I''ve just found her. Flamm, knowing the risk, charged at Nect, who was trying to transition, pulled out his soul eater and swung it up. She then slashed at them, but the slash cut through the air. Flamm looks around agilely, clinging to the possibility that they have shifted nearby. But, of course, she cannot find them. He looked up and saw the two of them, "...... got away. But why is Cyrille involved in this?" Flamm''s head was in turmoil. At least Cyrille wasn''t involved in any church-related trouble. Did something happen at the party after Flamm''s departure? If so, then Maria''s disappearance is also-- As she stood there with her sword in her hand, Gadio and Linus arrived a little later. "Flamm, are you all right?" "I''m sorry, Flamm-chan, if I had realized it earlier, I could have covered you with a shot." Linus had noticed the presence of Nect and the others, but had been shifted just before he shot his arrow. Flamm turned to them and opened his mouth with a downcast look on his face. "Cyrille-chan has been kidnapped by ...... Nect and the others." "Why did they do it again?" "Do you mean to say that they were after her?" "No, that doesn''t seem to be the case. I don''t know what they want, but ...... they said that they will continue to kill people." The smell of blood wafted from the park on the wind. Flamm gritted her teeth in frustration as she kept the carnage at the edge of her vision. The park was in terrible shape. Linus had heard about it from Flamm, but the sight was beyond his imagination, and as expected, Linus was feeling a bit overwhelmed. Meanwhile, Gadio was looking toward the park and triggering his "scan" several times. "What are you doing, Gadio?" "Identical name and status?" "Gadio, I think that''s ......." "Yeah, it''s the same thing that happened when I had my run-in with Dane''s guy." About twenty men stood in front of Flamm as he tried to rescue the ink. "I think it was a girl named Mute who did it." "That''s the second one. So we should assume that the other one is working somewhere too." "There are three enemies, I think?" "No, four if you count Mother." "I''m sure there''s a guy dressed up as a woman. I''d be glad to have you, Maria." None of them had considered Jean as an asset from the beginning. "We''ll just have to split up and find out where the enemy is for the time being. I think I will talk to Mr. Leach." He might know something, including about the letter that was sent to us. "If Flamm-chan stays in the East Ward, I might explore the West Ward." "Then I guess I''m the central ward." "Can we just leave the bodies in that ...... park alone? There are no longer any survivors, but can''t we at least mourn them - Flamm thinks so. But Gadio shook his head. "The soldiers will arrive soon, and we should leave it to them. If they suspect us of being the culprits, we will be detained for a long time." "So ...... it is, isn''t it?" Flamm said there was no need for him to be depressed, since it was the enemy who was to blame. Besides, there''s no end to what you can do if you keep worrying about this. ????? You''ll never be able to ...... Gadio''s words sound cold, but even he is not without feeling. The only thing to do is to stop the spiral children as soon as possible, rather than stop to grieve. That is what Flamm and her friends can do now. The three parted on the spot and headed for their respective destinations. Flamm went to the Leach mansion by herself. Even though she had not made an appointment, she was immediately ushered into the drawing room. And even before tea was served, Leach appeared in a flustered state. He sat down on the sofa, but leaned forward and asked. "What happened in the park?" It was as if he was certain that Flamm knew about it. Before she could answer, Leach spoke the following words in an agitated tone: "One of the servants was out there." "One of the servants who was out there has not returned... He probably got caught up in it and lost his life. The army doesn''t seem to know what''s going on yet, and the soldiers seem to be at a loss." It had not been that long since the mass suicide - a remarkable information-gathering ability. Flamm was feeling overwhelmed, but she answered the question firmly. "Someone related to Children''s manipulated people in the park into committing suicide." "Na......, why did they suddenly do that when they were supposed to have been working in secret until now?" "It''s like he''s trying to indiscriminately kill people in the Capital because they were cut off from the church,......." Although it hasn''t been decided yet that that''s the only purpose. "The Church abandoned the Children?Where did you get this information?" "In the documents I brought back from Sheol, the location of the Children''s base was noted. When I went there together with Mr. Gadio, I found signs of a battle and the body of a child left there. There are only a limited number of beings who know about that place and still have enough fighting strength to kill the children." "I see...that means there''s a good chance that the ...... chimera did it. But it''s strange, why would the church go to the trouble of leaving the body there?" "What?Ah, if you ask me." This is a child who has grown up with a core as a heart substitute since childhood. "It''s as if he wanted someone to find it." "Does that mean ...... us?" "It''s a possibility." Why would the Church want to give information to a hostile Flamm? At that moment, she suddenly remembered the letter. She then remembered that letter. "By the way, since yesterday something like this has been arriving at our house." She took out of her pocket a piece of paper marked ''Four more days'' that arrived yesterday. She then held it out in front of Leach. He took it, spread it out in front of him, and looked at it intently. "Four more days. ......" He takes it and unfolds it in front of him and observes intently, "I received another letter today marked ''three days to go.'' I asked Eterna to check it out, and she told me it''s made with high quality paper and ink that most people don''t use." "Yes, indeed, the quality seems high." "Isn''t it used in cathedrals and royal castles?" "Hmmm ......" He stared at the letter from different angles, and then at the words written on it. He also checked the feel and roughness of the paper with his fingers and even sniffed it with his nose. "I see. So, Mr. Flamm thought that this letter, like the corpse, might be information from the chimera." Flamm nodded. "If that is the case, then perhaps we should consider the chimera ...... no, in this case Satouki. He may be trying to force Flamm and her team to deal with the rampaging children in the Capital." "If there are casualties in the Capital, won''t that push the church and the kingdom over the edge?" "Even if that happens, the ones who will be hurt the most will be the current Pope and King." And the only one who would be pleased with the weakening of the power of the pope and king would be Satouki, who is ambitious. In short, he wants to use the lives of the inhabitants of Capital as a springboard for his own further ascent to greater heights. "We don''t want to be a part of this scheme, but if there is no one to stop the children but ourselves, then we have no choice but to do it." "So is this countdown telling us that Children''s is going to make something happen ...... in three days?" "Perhaps it''s a bluff to make us think that and make Flamm and the others impatient." Either way, we can''t let Nect and the others do whatever they want for three or four days. Flamm intends to stop them before this countdown is over. "Welcy will soon start following up on the case, and I''ll tell her to share the information with you." "Thank you, that would be very helpful." "No,......, I, for one, am glad to know what happened in the park ahead of time." I''m not sure how much I''m going to be able to do with this. Flamm sensed his feelings and left Leach''s mansion early. As she stepped out of the gate, she looked up at the sky and exhaled loudly, "Whew! A countdown of three days left." The Children are planning to massacre people in the royal capital. The chimera''s plan to make Flamm and his friends fight against them. Maria is missing, and Cyrille has been kidnapped by Nect and Mute. There are so many things to think about that I can''t wrap my head around it. Even when I stopped to think about it, it was the same thing. I couldn''t think of a place to go - but for now, Flamm started walking away from the scene, trying to get any clues he could. Meanwhile, Gadio was moving along the main street of the central district. This is where the largest number of people come and go in the capital--the most efficient place if the children''s goal is to massacre. Sharpening his senses, he looked for people who were different from the general public and radiated a deadly atmosphere. No one wants to approach him, even though he has an oppressive face and even sharper eyes. Naturally, a subtle space opened up in the crowd, making it easier to walk thanks to the crowd. However, with so many people, it was extremely difficult to find the desired person among them. He proceeded from the north side toward the south gate of the royal city, and when we reached the exact center of the main avenue-- "Kyaaaaaaaaaah!" A woman''s cry was heard from up ahead. All eyes turned in that direction. --A horse-drawn carriage was running out of control. A large, metal cart, a so-called "caravan," was running over and killing people at breakneck speed without a horse in tow for some reason. Parts of people caught in the wheels are blown off, and blood splatters. The main street was enveloped in chaos. People were struggling to get away from the carriages so as not to be caught up in the carnage. A wave of crowds also surged toward Gadio. "Stand back!" Gadio said in a voice filled with spirit. Then, as if scattering spiders, the people around him move away. Taking advantage of this opportunity, he lightly runs, kicks the ground, and jumps on the cart. "Gah!" He pulls out the great sword on his back and thrusts it into the wheel, which was spinning at high speed. The metal wheel is strong, but not strong enough to withstand Gadio''s blow. It crumples, is destroyed, and rolls on the ground. There are only three wheels left, but if even one is broken, the cart will lose its balance and slow down. But strangely enough, the wheels did not stop turning. As if by some kind of invisible power, the cart continues to travel forcibly, scraping the stony ground. Gadio immediately swung his sword at the remaining three wheels. Then it finally stopped - but on the path it had taken, there was a lot of blood and dozens of innocent people were lying on the ground. The commotion continues unabated, and Gadio watches the screaming scene from a slightly higher vantage point, searching for the culprits. But soon, another scream is heard from another place. As one of the main arteries of the royal city, there are more than one or two wagons passing by. This time, several small carts began to run amok and attacked the people. At that moment, Gadio sees a robed, deeply hooded boy entering an alleyway. "That''s the guy." Probably Luke, the last of the Spiral Children, the Spiral Children. He was tempted to go after him, but he had to stop the wagon first to avoid more deaths. He clicked his tongue and jumped high from the top of the cart - swinging his great sword and shooting multiple prana blades at the runaway cart. Then he landed. He immediately entered an alley and tried to chase after it, but when he realized that it was the hero Gadio who saved the ...... day, the people sprang up and surrounded him. The road was blocked and they were unable to move. "Damn ......." Gadio''s words of frustration were drowned out by the clamor, and no one could hear him. CH 49 Linus wandered around the West Ward looking for Spiral Children. However, Maria was always on his mind. He hoped to find her so strongly that it bordered on being "just for the sake of it." As he was walking along a street, a particularly deserted street in the West Ward, he noticed the smell of blood coming from a house right next to him. It looked vacant and unused for a long time. But the smell wafting through the air was new. He reached for the front door. It was unlocked. He forced open the poorly-fitted door and stepped into the dusty interior. The floorboards creaked eerily. It was dark inside, even in the daytime, and if he did not look carefully, he felt as if he might bump into a piece of furniture. Linus stopped and listened carefully. He heard a faint sound, like the shifting of cloth. There are signs of people, and it seems that someone is still lurking here. Is it Cyrille, Maria, or a vagrant? It''s a bad neighborhood, so there''s a good chance it''s someone using an abandoned house as a home. Without expecting too much, he pulled a dagger from my waist and prepared myself to be attacked at any moment. The inside of the house is not so spacious. He continued down the hallway and stopped in front of the room at the end of the hall. He put his hand on the door, paused for a beat, regained his grip on the knife, and slowly pushed it open. The room is darker than the hallway. Linus could see clearly that someone was sitting in the corner of the room. Wearing a rag as a robe and holding her knees, the blonde ???? woman - she looked a lot like the person he was looking for. "Maria, is that you?" "......." There is no reply. However, as if in response to the voice, there is a burbling sound, and the red liquid dripping from her face spreads on the floor. "Oh, hey, you''re hurt!" Linus was worried and tried to run over to her. "Please don''t come!" But she clearly refused. However, because she raised her voice, Linus realized that she was Maria. No matter how much she refused, he could not stop now that he realized that she was the one he had feelings for. Linus approached her, crouched down, and touched her arm that held his knee. "Don''t come, please. ......" If I was about to give up on you here, how could I say I''ve been in love with you." Linus''s gentle voice seeped into her heart. He would not pry open a door that had been closed, but would try to open it from the inside with sweet words. "That''s not fair" "What?" "Linus always ...... is such a coward, teasing me like this. I''m sure you''ve hit on other women like that anyway?" "I''ve been single-minded about Maria since I met her." As it was not a lie, Linus said so with pride. Still, Maria knows what he is talking about. She knows that if he sees her now, he will be disillusioned. "Let''s just see your face for now, with all this blood loss, you must be pretty hurt, right?" Linus thinks that she doesn''t want to show him because she has a scar on her face - that''s what he thinks. But on the other hand, he also wondered why she did not use recovery magic on herself. "No, I''m not injured" "How is that possible with this amount of blood ......?" "No,...... really, this is the kind of thing,??????, Mr. Linus." Then Maria looked up. And what appeared before Linus'' eyes was a swirling mask of flesh. The whole thing was pulsating, glistening and slick with blood, drops dripping from its chin. "How ugly, isn''t it?" With each word, the whirlpool trembled finely, secreting more blood. "I''m like this, but you say you like me?" Her voice trembled. Even though she has given herself up to Origin and given up everything - in front of Linus, her age-appropriate self comes out. That''s what love is; it''s not something you can do anything about by trying to suppress it. That is why I despair. Maria was going to say goodbye and leave this place once she was sure that Linus'' feelings had left him. And this time, she would completely abandon herself as a person and fulfill her role as an apostle of Origin. But he did not move as she expected. Without saying a word - he reached out to his face and touched the place where his cheek used to be. The slimy, sticky blood stains Linus'' hand. "...... eh?" Maria was stunned. Linus said apologetically. "Ah,...... sorry for touching you without your permission. Does it hurt?" I don''t know what he is talking about. Why isn''t he afraid, why isn''t he cursing? Why does he just stand there in front of this monstrous figure and say, "No, look, there''s blood." --Why does he not fear, why does he not curse, why does he say, "No, you see, you''re bleeding, you''re bare? "Why ......?" "What do you mean?" "Please don''t touch me, I''ll get ...... your hands dirty, Mr. Linus." ''I''m not sure if it''s dirty or not, but I don''t care. What could be more important than touching Maria, dirty or not?" He laughs. He defies expectations, transcends, and destroys Maria''s resolve to leave everything behind. He says, "Too bad, I could never hate you, Maria-chan. ...... whether you like it or not." I''m sorry," she said, breaking down Maria''s resolve to leave nothing behind. Of course, Linus would have preferred the original face. Linus was in love with not the outside, but the inside. But that''s why the loss of it doesn''t make the feeling go away. "But ...... what do you say you are going to do?You can no longer undo it by your own will. Even if you fell in love with me like this,......" "You mean you''re worried about what other people think of you? Then, when things settle down, maybe I''ll find a place to live in the countryside where there are no strangers." "You ...... would be throwing away your position and honor if you did that,...... Linus-san!" "So what? If it''s money, I can eat for the rest of my life with the savings I''ve made so far. The other thing you should do is to cultivate a field, do some hunting once in a while, and live in peace.Would that be too boring for Maria?" It was neither a lie nor an ideal, but Linus was seriously prepared to do it. If anything, he had already begun to formulate a plan in his mind. First, he would protect Maria in a safe house in the royal capital. Then, after the battle with the Children, the two of them would leave the capital and go into hiding in a remote area where there would be no fighting. The inconvenient life in the countryside would be difficult until he got used to it, but he is sure that he can enjoy the hardships together with her. "No,......, no, I would never do such a thing. But,...... ah, such a, such a dreamy thing,......." "A dream, huh? A dream, huh? I''m glad to hear Maria say that much, that''s my dream. So, I guess it''s settled then, that we''re in love. Don''t worry, I''m sure we''ll have a happy life together." Maria, was beginning to wonder if she would be able to bear a child with this body. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. No chance "But there''s one thing that''s really troubling me." "What is it?'' Linus scratched his head and said with a wry smile. "Where am I supposed to kiss in this case?" "...... well, that''s ...... something even I don''t know." If she had looked normal, Maria''s face would have been as red as a ripe fruit. Even without a face, he could understand the feelings. In the end, after much deliberation, he took Maria''s hand and kissed the back of it with a pledge. "Let''s go then, princess." Maria''s heart was pounding and her feelings of "love" were swelling to the point that she felt dizzy. Then she took his hand and surrendered herself to a dream of bubbles. After leaving Reach''s house, Flamm made a quick tour of the East Ward and then headed to the Central Ward. Almost no one was out and about in the East Ward, probably because of that morning''s incident. She had encountered Nect and Mute there, and thought it unlikely that they would be still. "The whole thing just seemed strangely noisy ......." Flamm still didn''t know about the incident of the runaway horse-drawn carriage on the main street. She only vaguely noticed that the people passing by all looked somewhat panicked. So she continued on her way and reached the front of the church. "I wonder if Sarah is safe." Flamm stopped, looked at the place where Sarah was born and raised, and suddenly remembered her. She says she is working with Neigass, but is that demon tribe really a trustworthy partner? She seemed to be very fond of Sarah when she saw her for the first time, and it seemed safer than leaving her in the Capital. "It''s awfully quiet over here, unlike other places. ......" As she gazed at the church while thinking, Flamm noticed something unusual. Although not as large as a cathedral, the churches in the central district were quite large. Yet, there was hardly any sign of people on the grounds. "Is everyone out, or is there something going on inside?" If they were out, it means that a large number of people were injured in the royal capital. Either way, there was no doubt that something was wrong. As she was about to head for the chapel, searching for signs of my surroundings - she heard the sound of someone''s footsteps rushing up behind me. "Ha, ha, ha. ...... phew. I finally got to meet someone whose face I recognize. Miss Flamm, I believe?" A man with golden hair spoke to her in a familiar manner. "I''m sure that''s Mr. Slough, isn''t it?" "I''m just calling you Miss Flamm because you''re the guild''s favorite." "Well, then, slow down. By the way, what happened to you running in out of nowhere?" "I''m not sure, but listen..." He grimly told Flamm about what had happened on the main street. A carriage suddenly ran out of control, resulting in numerous casualties. It was Gadio who saved the day. And that he was caught up in the chaos caused by the fleeing people, and was jostled around. Apparently, they escaped from there and finally made it to the church. "The runaway carriage ...... maybe it was Luke who did it." Luke, the last remaining Spiral Children Spiral Children, was a brash-looking boy with golden hair just like Slough. What in the world kind of ability did he use to make the carriage go out of control? It would have been easier to deal with her if she knew, but Slough didn''t seem to have seen that much detail. He was like, "You know the culprit?You''re a hero." "Don''t talk like that, I just have an idea. So, you''re saying that the reason there''s no one in this church is because everyone has gone to treat the wounded?" Maybe not, I''ve seen the nuns running around. But this doesn''t mean I can''t do the errands that IIra asked me to do. ...... haha." Slough unfolded the crumpled note clutched in his hand and sighed as he looked at its contents. Flamm could understand the feeling. "I think she''ll forgive you if I tell her it''s an emergency right now." "But she''d definitely get cranky." ''Wow, that sounds like a possibility ......, so why don''t you follow me to the guild?'' "Really?That would be seriously helpful." The commotion seems to have been settled by Gadio, and it is difficult to gather information in the central district where the chaos continues. Flamm was about to move the location of the investigation to the West Ward while sending Slough. Once the conversation was settled, the two left the church and began walking side by side. Immediately afterwards, they heard a cry of "Watch out! "Whoa!" Flamm felt a deadly force approaching from behind and quickly pushed Slough away. "Huoh!" Something invisible was spinning at high speed as it passed by where he was. "Slough, you might get caught in it, so run away!" "What?What''s happening?" "Just hurry!" Slough, not understanding the situation, sat on the ground and store in amazement. Meanwhile, Luke readied his fist, thrust it forward, and at the same time - released the next bullet. "Rotation!" Flamm interrupts the line of fire and catched it with a jet-black blade drawn from another space. "Gggg......!" Gaghigh, gaga gaga gaga gaga gaga! The air spins around Flamm''s arm as if to cut away the blade. It was a force similar to that of the first deformed ogre he had fought. No - rather, it was identical. Luke''s ability, which he received from Origin, is probably "rotation." He was probably the one who made a horse-drawn carriage run over a person on the main street, as well as the culprit of the twisted corpse found this morning. As for the horse-drawn carriage, it is thought that he made the cart go out of control by spinning the wheels of the cart at a high speed. After a few moments of endurance, the bullets spontaneously disappeared. In the meantime, Slough ran toward the nearest building--the church. "What the heck is that creepy-looking thing!" While running away, he checks Luke''s status on his scan. Luke Furup Attribute: Earth Strength: 3298 Intelligence: 3792 Endurance: 3512 Agility: 3148 Intuition: 4215 His status was one of the reasons why he was always insisting that he was "different" from the first generation. The first generation, Ink, was not well adapted to the Origin Core and was physically similar to a mere human being. The second generation, however, benefited from the Core in terms of physical capabilities. As a result, they were able to acquire a physical body on par with that of an S-rank adventurer. However, since they had received little combat training, they had not mastered martial arts or magic. But even taking this into account, they were more than capable. Slough''s face paled when he saw the numbers. Although he was not an adventurer, he too had some confidence in his ability to handle magic. He was hoping to be able to help out a little bit. "Eh, S-rank ...... impossible, I''m running." The moment he saw the status, his heart broke. Slough looked only ahead and ran as fast as he could to get to the church. "Tsk, you got in my way." Luke glared at Flamm and swore. He was too rough to be eight years old. "Why did you go for Slough!" "What does it matter, he''s going to die anyway--turn around, Rotation." He was not communicating, but he was not denying it either. She guessed it was Slough who was targeted after all. Flamm readied her sword, ready to fire a shot. But it was not her fingertips that Luke turned, but his feet. The circulating air scraped the ground and enabled him to move at high speed in the manner of a wheel. "Fast!?" Luke approachesed Flamm at a speed faster than expected. As soon as he approached, he attached air spinning like a rock drill to both his arms and thrust them out with his right fist. GAGGIN! Flamm counterattacked with her soul-eater, but her hands went numb as if she had struck a solid rock. Then, when she was repelled by the spinning, a left hook struck her hard in the side. "Agh, gaaaah......!" Flamm''s left side was blown off. The spiral of his left arm was stained red as blood curled up. Then he followed up with a straight right to the face, which clashed with Flamm''s sword. Next, another left fist - but it''s was a one-track pattern, and as expected, this one was read. Flamm twisted his body and let go of his great sword. Luke''s attack only grazed her chest and tore her clothes. "Damn it, I missed!" "Your attacks are so repetitive!" As if in retaliation, Flamm''s right fist thrust into Luke''s cheek. The boy sprawled backward. Once they broke the close contact, he was in the greatsword''s line of fire. Flamm followed through with a punch, used her momentum to spin around, and swung the black hunk of metal at Luke''s head. Staggering, he was unable to avoid it with his physical strength alone. "Rotate, Rotation!" He was impatiently exercising his ability, and managed to save the day by spinning the air under his feet at high speed. But Flamm''s offensive continued. "I won''t let you escape!" Quickly, she sliced with a cross and ejected a blade of prana. It was close to Luke''s back as he tried to move away from Flamm, and just before he did so, he made a big leap. Even taking into account his high status, this was an unusual altitude. It was obvious that the spinning air had pushed him high into the sky. Flamm immediately flew up and looked up at him, sword at the ready. Luke, on the other hand, who had gained an advantage in height, gritted his teeth in frustration, bared his canine teeth, and glared at her. Then he clenched his fists and launched a series of arm-wrapped spirals of power toward the ground. ZUGAGAGAGA! It poured down like rain, destroying the well-maintained ground and sending up stone rubble. "It''s a pretty tricky thing to do, coming from so high up, even for God''s power! Flamm ran around to avoid it, but she could find no counterattack against the incessant barrage of air. Then a thought occurred to her. If the opponent was "spinning," then there was no need to even run away in the first place. That is the power of Origin. Clockwise rotation is destructive only when it is in that direction. If that were the case, then reversing the rotation would start the reverse rotation, emitting negative energy instead of positive, and it would disappear. Flamm, who dared to stop, swung his sword in time with the invisible force flying toward him. "Reverse it, reversal!" She invoked the magic of reversal. The power of Luke, which had been so powerful, easily dissipated. ".......What did you do?" He was stunned, but he didn''t learn his lesson and thrust out his fist again. Gooooooooooo! The blow, which was even more powerful than the previous one, cut through the air and came close. "Erase with -- reversal!" This time it was drowned out by Flamm''s bare hands. In short - Luke''s ability to spin things around and Flamm''s ability to reverse them was a terrible match. Luke''s five-energy attack could be canceled by Flamm''s one-energy attack. In other words, no matter how high his status was, as long as he relied on his "spinning" ability, he would not be strong enough to defeat Flamm. Even so, Flamm would have no way to reach this altitude other than by prana flight, or so Luke thought. But even this last hope was easily dashed. Reversing gravity, she kicked the ground and leapt. With her blade in the air and her sword held lower than her waist, she was within a blink of Luke, who was floating in mid-air. "Impossible, you flew!?" He rushed to shoot out a spiral, but it was already too late. "Haaaaaaaaah!" His soul-eater swung up with the intention of cutting off his neck. Luke thrusted his right hand forward in an attempt to pop it off with a rotation of air. ZASH! However, the blade that contained the magic power of reversal cut off his arm, ignoring the power that cloaked it. "Ga- aAAAAAaaah!" Luke''s elbow and beyond were lost, and a burning sensation rushed into his brain. The wound twisted quickly and the bleeding stopped, but the dizziness from the intense pain had not yet subsided. Flamm released her gravity reversal and, while falling, twisted her body to unleash the spirit sword slash Prana Shaker. Luke was distracted by the wound and was slow to react. He leaned his body just in front of it and tried to evade, but just in time, the surface of his shoulder and his ear were blown off, unable to escape. "-guuu......!" Luke swung unsteadily from side to side in mid-air and lost his altitude. It seemed that his injuries had disrupted the control of his abilities. Flamm, who landed safely, ran toward the falling boy. As soon as Luke saw this, he dared to deactivate his ability and speed up his fall, abandoning the game and attempting to escape. However - it was clearly faster for Flamm''s sword to strike him hard. Flamm''s hands tightened their grip on the hilt as she stepped in and tried to take the boy''s life. Luke was prepared for a fatal blow, so he shoved his hands into his pockets, deciding to use that thing Mother gave him. But-- "Uu, UWAAAaaAAAAA!" At the very moment when the game was about to be decided, a scream of a man who looked like Slough echoed from inside the church. Flamm, concentrating, swung her sword without a care. However, her stance was shallow, as if she had been unconsciously influenced. The blow carved a deep wound in the upper left side of his body, but it did not cut off his head. Flamm made a gesture as if to follow up further. "Alright, that little boy is going to get eaten by a third generation .......?" Luke chuckled and said, "Third generation." The third generation - that was the term for the next generation of spiral children, Luke and his spiral children. It was possible that he was bluffing, but it was also true that Slough was in danger. As Flamm hesitated, Luke blinked away in a blink of an eye, moving at high speed through rotation. It was not impossible to follow him, but she would have to abandon Slough. "Aah again, he got away right in front of me again!" Flamm got frustrated and headed for the interior of the church. -- A little bit back in time. After escaping safely into the chapel, Slough sat on a couch at the far end of the room and leaned back. Even though it was a sacred place, it was still quite eerie to be in an empty church. Perhaps it was because he wanted to see Luke, the monster with the visceral face that he had seen earlier. Slough gazed blankly at the ceiling, the altar, and the statue of Origin, but when he felt its eyes looking at him, he exhaled and closed them. From outside, he could hear Flamm and Luke going at it. "Flamm-san, I hope you''ll be okay ......." It was a shameful thing for a man to be protected by a girl so much younger than him. He thought the time had finally come for his self-taught wind attribute magic to come into play, but reality wouldn''t be so lenient. "But that guy ...... was after me, why me? Why was he after me? I''m an ordinary guild clerk, born and raised by an ordinary mother." Nothing came to mind. The only special thing about his life was that he never knew his father''s face. The rest of his life has been normal and uneventful, and he would continue to live a normal life with a modest income. And from now on, as long as he had a reasonable income and lived a normal life, that would be enough. The sounds of the fierce battle continued without interruption. When he closed his eyes, he could hear it quite clearly, as if his senses were allocated to other parts of his vision. Then he noticed that there was another sound mixed in, not from outside, but from the inside -- from the back of the church. "...... fufuu ...... eh ...... kawa ...... ah.... ..." Slough straightened up and stared at the door leading from the chapel to the back of the church. "Is anyone there?" If the nuns were still there, why didn''t they come to see what was going on outside? With all that fighting going on, they should have noticed something unusual. Slough approached the door and nervously reached for the knob. The area beyond this point was off limits to civilians. The door was marked "Employees Only," as they say in stores. But this was an emergency, and surely no one would be offended if he entered without permission. "Excuse me for coming in." Still, Slough said in a whisper and proceeded fearfully, killing the sound of his footsteps. "My ......... good girl ........ yeah. Fufu ........ fufu. ........." "Laughter, huh?" The woman was just laughing, but because of the situation, it was made all the more creepy. Slough, his body shaking with a shudder, moved even closer to the room where the voice was coming from and put his ear to the door. "My child ...... my only ...... so cute, why so cute ......?" Apparently, the person in the room was a mother who was loving her baby. Well, if she had a newborn child, it would not be surprising if she remained in the church. Slough, relieved to have identified the voice, left the room and returned to the chapel. "Ara ...... how ...... you?Mom and ...... the member ......?" Zu-n, zu-n. As Slough walked down the hallway, the floorboards shook as if something huge was moving. ".......me, still ...... oh, so ...... you ...... kill me, you kill me. I don''t ...... want to." Thud, thud, thud. The sound gradually approached. And then, just when it stopped for a moment - boom! and the door that had just been against Slough''s ear was blown open from the inside. The wooden door slammed into the opposite wall with tremendous force and shattered into pieces. Slough, shaken by the violent sound, turned around and saw-- "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! There was the face of a baby, with only its face sticking out of the room. The width of the face alone, however, was over one meter. A thick voice emitted from the half-open mouth, and a large amount of clear mucus spilled out. "U......Uwa, ah......!" Gleaming eyes stared at Slough, an ordinary citizen with no power and no knowledge of what is going on. "Uuuu, Uwaaaaaaaaaa!" Slough, unable to withstand the horror, slumped to the ground and let out a throat-crushing scream.