Chapter 314
Chapter 314
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 314
Chapter Title: Chapter 7-1. The Sixth Fragment, Requiem
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It was done.
Judah confirmed that she had been subjugated. Yet the flames pouring from her body were still intensely fierce. Before the otherworld collapsed, it seemed she would burn herself up in her own blaze first.
It was hot. And though he was just gritting his teeth and enduring it, it hurt. The effects of various auxiliary spells appeared to have reached their limit, shattering with a popping sound. All that remained now were Altemia's regenerative power and the darkness of Ginnungagap bestowed by Iris.
"Esther Serion. You're just standing there watching—why not control your mana a bit? You'll burn to death at this rate."
Her body had stopped turning into light, so he spoke lightly. But even as Judah called her name directly and commanded her, she shook her head.
"It's already beyond my control. I don't know what power you used, but honestly, this mana is about to incinerate me."
She spoke of her imminent death with a beaming smile, her eyes crinkling in apparent joy. Absurdity washed over him as he stared at her. Through the flames cloaking her like a garment, he could see veins bulging grotesquely near her heart.
There was a reason for her resigned expression. Despite her body looking quite painful, she pretended as if nothing was wrong, which was impressive.
On closer inspection, her condition was a mess. Her tail was severed, and so was her arm. The bulging veins that had started from her chest were spreading throughout her body. Judah furrowed his brow.
"Doesn't it look gross?"
The scales on her thighs and arms merely felt like she was wearing stockings and gloves—nothing repulsive about them. But the veins spreading over her soft-looking breasts toward her abdomen and collarbone were undeniably gruesome.
Was this what happened when mana rampaged inside the body? She seemed to think there was no way to stop it, but fortunately, Judah had a method.
Clank!
Several chains extended out, binding her body without gaps. And the chains began sucking the mana flowing from her body voraciously.
"Hnng!"
Feeling her internal mana being forcibly drawn out somewhere, she let out a groan. The mana that had escaped control and was wreaking havoc inside her poured out through the chains clinging to her body. The overwhelming mana that had felt like it would burst her apart vanished in an instant. A sense of emptiness gradually crept in.
"Ah."
Esther Serion felt sensation returning to her body. The flames emanating from her ceased. And her strength drained away, leaving her unable to stand properly.
Judah watched her quietly, then judged there was no more mana to absorb and released the chains. But she couldn't even maintain her balance and began to collapse. He reached out and caught her. The soft flesh of her side touched his fingertips, and her ample breast pressed against his shoulder.
Yet she showed no emotion about it, simply going limp.
"Rest."
"Is that... okay...?"
"Yes."
Though Judah couldn't see it, she was smiling.
"But I don't want to. I'm afraid that if I close my eyes and wake up, I'll grab that sword again and kill everyone."
With great effort, Esther Serion raised her left hand and pulled Judah's neck into an embrace. The scales on her arm brushed his neck. She clung to him tightly. Desperation radiated from her.
"Then watch. Watch the dream shatter."
Holding her in his arms, Judah walked toward Requiem, which lay chained to the floor. As Esther Serion drew near, Requiem trembled with a high-pitched whine—Keeeeng! But its intensity was far weaker than before.
Her severed arm, which had gripped the sword amid its flames, had long since burned away and was nowhere to be seen, and even the chains were melting.
Judah lowered his stance and reached for the red-hot blade. His hand burned in the flames, but his regenerative power kept restoring it. Plus, with the chains having absorbed so much mana, it wasn't as hot as expected.
"Now, time to wake from the dream."
He seized Requiem. It seemed to deem the now-useless Esther Serion unworthy and accept Judah as its new host without resistance.
A message appeared: [Fragment acquired]. With a thunderous crack, the sky shattered. The world, trapped in the same fate for over a century, could no longer maintain its form.
Everything vanished into light, except those who had entered from outside. Perhaps out of fear, Esther Serion clung tightly to Judah. It felt like her grip might snap his neck, but he didn't tell her to loosen up.
Requiem, gripped in his left hand, was docile for this moment.
"Ah... aaah..."
The sound of Esther Serion sobbing in his arms reached him. With her chin resting on his shoulder, she was likely watching the empire turn to light and flames, fading away.
And then an blinding light of unknown origin filled his vision.
Beeeeee—
Tinnitus rang in his ears. When the sound stopped and the light faded, Judah's group was in the midst of a sandstorm. The dragon-head looked around with a bewildered expression, and Lüsen Ardahan remained frozen mid-punch.
"Ah?"
Arhil and Iris scanned their surroundings without missing a beat, spotting Judah. Lime, exhausted, plopped down on the spot and let out a hollow laugh—haha.
Seeing this, Judah looked at Arhil and Iris. Their eyes met, and Arhil sighed in relief, approaching with Iris.
But at that moment, sensing Requiem in Judah's left hand had emerged, it unleashed its stored mana in a burst of flames. The blaze roared upward fiercely.
"Judah!"
Arhil cried out his name like a scream, manifesting holy magic, while Iris drew her scythe and went on guard. They must have judged it dangerous, but Judah felt no particular alarm. He was just startled by the sudden eruption.
"It's fine."
In response to their reactions, Judah casually raised his hand and replied. Like Yakar, Requiem seemed intent on bewitching his mind and seizing his body, as he felt mana crawling up his arm.
'Pathetic.'
These fragments all refused to acknowledge their owners. Protected by the absolute defense of his <Player> trait, Judah ignored Requiem's devouring mana and tossed it into his <Bag>.
Watching Requiem vanish into the <Bag> amid flames, Arhil rushed over ahead of Iris. She tried to hug him but hesitated upon noticing the prior occupant, furrowing her brow. Soon, though, she brightened and spoke to him in a soft voice.
"Thank goodness. Judah, you're back safe and sound."
"Thanks to your worrying, Arhil. Your blessings and holy magic helped a lot. Oh, but sorry—could you treat this woman first?"
As they exited the otherworld, Judah laid the unconscious Esther Serion before her and said. The sandstorm was weakening and would soon dissipate. He wanted to heal her before the sun's heat poured down.
Arhil nodded at Esther Serion's state—severed arm and tail, veins horrifically protruding from her heart and spreading everywhere.
Immediately, abundant holy power flowed into her lying on the sand. Judah summoned Altemia and placed it in her limp hand, using <Rental>.
Altemia's charge had dropped a bit from continuously regenerating his burns in the flames, but plenty remained.
Thanks to slaughtering so many of the empire's Blue Wing Knights and soldiers. Arhil's holy power and the fragment's regeneration synergized excellently, restoring Esther Serion's arm and tail while healing her body.
Judah reverse-summoned the mana-guzzling specter knight and Lüsen Ardahan. Their mana drain like hippos at a watering hole finally stopped, but with his reserves nearly depleted, he recovered once more via Valentine.
Her arm and tail returned to their pre-severance state in mere minutes. The bulging veins had subsided somewhat, but those near her heart still protruded grotesquely.
"Hoo! All done. The veins around her chest... from what I know, they're from mana overload, so they'll settle naturally with time."
Arhil said this and glanced at Judah beside her. About to praise her efforts, she suddenly threw her arms wide and hugged him tight.
A pleasant fragrance wafted. The softness beneath her clothes pressed fully against him. Feeling Arhil's body heat, Judah's heart raced. She wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her face in it.
"Really, thank goodness. Why do you always do such reckless things?"
"Well, that's because... ugh!"
A sudden pain stung his neck. Arhil had parted her lips and nipped him lightly. He frowned down at her, but she showed no sign of letting go.
"...I didn't say that because I wanted excuses."
"Sorry."
Judah chuckled dryly and patted her back. Seeming satisfied with the apology, Arhil pressed her lips firmly to his neck and stayed still for a long while.
She wasn't trying to leave a hickey, was she?
Sure enough, he felt the flesh of his neck being sucked. Something soft tickled—it was probably her tongue.
Judah intuited that Arhil hadn't touched the antidote or Sage Time he'd given her since then. She'd likely kept casting blessings and holy magic nonstop in the otherworld, so her current behavior wasn't surprising.
Then he noticed Iris staring straight at them. Lime watched from behind, whistling. Iris glanced back briefly, then swung the scythe slung over her shoulder.
Slash!
"Hk!"
Lime gasped and dodged sideways. A mark from the scythe's passage remained beside him. He flashed an awkward smile and shut his mouth.
"Arhil. That's enough now."
A smacking sound came as she swallowed.
"No."
"Not here—later."
"......"
Arhil pondered briefly before pulling away from Judah.
"Okay. Later, then."
She flashed a grin. It was anything but innocent—a seductive smile brimming with allure. Touching his neck, it felt sticky. Though invisible to him, a deep hickey remained. His unique regeneration would erase it soon, but its presence even briefly held meaning.
"......"
Iris watched silently before turning her head away sharply. The weakening sandstorm soon vanished completely. Judah's group, at its center, felt the mysterious aura enveloping the area dissipate.
As the wind died and the airborne sand settled, angels could be seen clustered in the distance.
"...Hah."
Judah's brow furrowed.