Chapter 89

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Translator: penny

Chapter: 89

Chapter Title: Soul Entity

-----------------------------------------------------------------

(89) Soul Entity

Jade looked down at the Buffalord's head pierced by an arrow and asked,
"Saph and Ruby?"

Merald replied curtly.
"In the cabin."

Wanting to confirm the rest with his own eyes, Jade didn't ask further and ran to the cabin. Seeing the cabin with one wall collapsed, he felt his heart sink.

A few steps away from the crumbled wall, in the grassy patch, were Ruby and Saph.

Ruby, who should have been lying in bed, was sitting up, and beside her lay Saph, covered in blood.

Jade knelt on one knee next to Saph.
"Saph?"

Even when called, Saph did not open her eyes.

Ruby said quietly,
"She's sleeping, so be quiet. She's better than she looks."

"Better than she looks? What does that mean?"

"There's a lot of blood, but the wounds aren't bad. Her clothes are torn, but the skin underneath should be torn too—look. It's all smooth and pristine."

Ruby lifted Saph's torn clothes as she spoke.

A black scar was visible on her thigh.
"This is where a blade was stuck. I pulled it out to give first aid, and now only this scab remains."

Ruby pointed to the leaves wrapped around Jade's right arm and asked,
"What about yours?"

"It's cracked."

"How?"

"Recoil from the Light of Annihilation."

"Does that crack bones too?"

"Maybe it ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠cracked when I fell from the recoil. Things happened so fast I can't remember exactly when I got hurt."

"From something like that? If you were in Saph's state, you'd have broken every bone in your body!"

"Agreed."

Sage, who had followed behind, spoke briefly with Merald before running straight toward the three of them.

Jade stepped aside for her.

Sage immediately checked Saph's condition. Then, brushing back her hair, she said,
"This is truly astonishing."

Blood had dried on her forehead, but the wound was almost gone.
"This is definitely her blood. The wound should be huge, but it's already scabbing over."

Sage nodded several times as she checked the other wounds.
"The bruises are fading at a visible speed. Ruby, did you do this?"

Sage asked.

Ruby snapped back,
"I don't know how."

"Then Saph did it herself?"

"Saph said she can't heal herself. Maybe it's just natural recovery?"

"Who in the world has natural healing this fast?"

Sage marveled, then belatedly looked at Ruby in surprise.
"And how are you up already? By my calculations, you should ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠be out for at least three days, maybe a week. How?"

Ruby replied nonchalantly,
"Natural healing faster than anyone in the world."

As Sage stared blankly, Ruby shrugged and added,
"Actually, some poison lingers. I still feel dizzy."

"What happened?"

When ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Jade asked, Ruby briefly explained the recent events.

The Buffalord's intrusion.

Saph's protective spell to block it.

And Ruby waking up.

Jade nodded and stood.
"Please look after Saph, Sage."

"What are you going to do?"

"Deal with the Buffalord."

Sage gave an ambiguous smile and nodded.
"Don't do anything rash in anger?"

Jade didn't answer and went to where Merald was.
"Will you leave it to me?"

At Jade's request, Merald stepped back a pace from the Buffalord's head.

Jade looked down at the arrow-pierced head and said,
"You won't tell the truth willingly, but I'll ask anyway. What is the name of the lord you serve, Antebas'?"

The Buffalord glared with black eyes and spat back,
"The lord of hell I serve is your father. The one who birthed you!"

"I figured you'd say something like that."

Jade gripped his book lightly with his splinted right hand.
"Merald, from now on, I'm going to force a confession out of this guy. He can only speak the truth, but the time is short. So we need to get the key info fast."

"Does the magic of annihilation make that possible?"

"Only against demons."

"How does it work?"

"You'll see."

Jade read the capture verse for Antebas. Light began from the book and moved to his left hand.

Jade spoke without yet touching it.
"Oh, one more thing."

"What?"

Merald watched the scene calmly and asked.

Jade warned,
"There might be unexpected developments."

"What kind?"

"By definition, unexpected—so handle it as you see fit. Whether it happens to me or you, it's your judgment."

Merald shrugged.
"Got it."

As Jade brought the light closer, the Buffalord's eyes widened and it screamed.
"Wait, what is that? It's not the Light of Annihilation!"

"You know it well. I thought about some painful revenge for what you did to Saph, but nothing is more humiliating for a demon than forcing the truth out."

"Don't! Damn you! I curse you, may you burn in hellfire!"

"That's music to my ears. I get to savor revenge."

As Jade spoke, he placed his hand on the Buffalord's head. The contact point glowed golden, and black matter began to gather into a sphere in front of Jade's hand.

It was exactly like when he had faced Krax against the Santa Rimini Monastery.

To confirm the capture verse had worked, Jade asked first,
"Speak the name of the one you serve."

The swirling black orb answered in Antebas's voice.
"Kauking."

"No surprise it's not the real name. Your turn, Merald."

Jade said.

Merald asked without hesitation.
"Where is Kauking?"

Antebas answered without delay.
"Swamp Ruins."

"Next to Toroshimo, as I suspected."

The orb was already losing form and boiling. Stronger resistance than Krax, and Jade was tired from facing the Hell Drake too.

Jade spoke quickly.
"Is there a hellgate in the Swamp Ruins?"

"There is."

"Who owns the hellgate?"

"Kauking."

Jade signaled Merald with his eyes.

Merald followed up immediately.
"How many demon lords rule Elforest?"

"Only Kauking alone. Praise be to him."

Even before it finished, the orb lost all form and howled.

There was a scorching heat unlike with Krax. Then Ruby had held his hand, but now no one could.

The heat was too much; Jade reflexively swung his hand. The black sphere flew toward Merald.

Merald blocked the sphere flying at his face with a dagger.
"Merald! You okay?"

Jade asked in alarm.

"You said handle unexpected situations. If this is what you meant, no warning needed."

Merald sheathed his blade nonchalantly and asked,
"More importantly, what is this? Sticky like black sludge."

"The demon's soul entity."

"So this is normal?"

Merald showed Jade his blade coated in black liquid. The blade was melting.

"That's... first time I've seen it."

At first he thought heat melted the metal, but it was changing shape at a steady rate.
"Looks dangerous. Better toss it."

The blade, originally two spans long, stretched to three, then twisted like a corkscrew.

"Hmm, this was a good blade; can't just throw it because of some gunk..."

Merald watched the changes awkwardly and quietly.

Soon the transformation stopped.

The silver blade now gleamed with black luster.

Merald looked at Jade and asked,
"Care to explain this?"

"I told you, first time seeing it."

Jade pondered, book in hand.
"Probably Antebas's soul entity possessed the object... turning it into a demon blade or something."

Jade extended his hand.
"The annihilation verse for Antebas should erase it. Give it here."

"A demon blade?"

Merald's lip curled oddly.
"Yeah, here..."

As Jade began the annihilation verse, Merald turned away.
"Need to annihilate it? Just get a good sheath."

Merald took the blade and headed to the cabin.
"Merald?"

Jade called, but he didn't respond.

*

The next morning, Saph woke up completely refreshed.

Saph ate breakfast with an appetite that surprised even herself.

Jade, on the other hand, hadn't shaken off yesterday's fatigue. He'd struggled all day, slept poorly at night, and slept late into morning.

Meanwhile, Saph healed Jade's arm and still had energy to help with chores. In that time, Sage made her new clothes. Saph had liked yesterday's outfit, but the Buffalord's attack had ruined it.

"Worried since it's been ages since I made clothes, but it fits well."

Sage said, standing Saph before a mirror.

"It's incredibly light."

Saph said, lifting her arm slightly.
"Similar to what humans call silk, but much lighter. Comfortable too. You seem to like white, so I used undyed cloth. It's sturdy, so you can wash it roughly. For travels, you'll need a couple more; if time allows, pick some up in the elf village."

It was similar to her old clothes, but fit too snugly, revealing her waistline and bust starkly. And it was pants, not a skirt.

"A bit embarrassing. Do elf women wear pants?"

Saph asked.

"If your journey ahead is like walking on carpets, skirts would be fine."

Sage said.

Saph glanced out the window to the backyard, where Merald and Jade were conferring.

Merald pulled up a bucket from the well with one hand and drank from it whole.

'He drinks tea so elegantly, but...'

And sure enough, that well was Merald's exclusive.

"Shame. We were just getting close, and now you're leaving."

Sage said sincerely.
"Me too. So much more I want to hear, learn."

"Opportunity will come again. Take off your top. Need to adjust it. Shoulders seem off. And the wound... let me see."

Sage unwound the bandage around Saph's forehead.
"Amazing as expected. Even with my special herbs, I've never seen recovery this fast."

"My thigh still hurts a lot."

Saph rubbed where the Buffalord's blade had struck.

Sage applied a thick leaf poultice with herbs.
"I don't remember how it healed well. I tried earlier, but as expected, my own Light of Healing doesn't work on myself."

"I'm no light magic expert, so can't explain properly. Just say you're ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠special."

In the backyard, Merald handed Jade the backpack. Jade gratefully shouldered it, only to fall flat on his butt from the weight.

Merald scratched his forehead, pulled out a large stone from the pack. Jade yelled something, but Merald brushed it off.

Saph was very curious about their conversation.
"If only I could use that healing magic on others. My normal healing hurts as much as the wound, but that one didn't. If I could use just that, I could offset some of the burden I cause."

"If that's politeness, drop it. No one thinks you're a burden. But thank Ruby. She watched over you all day yesterday and through the night."

"Ruby did?"

"She said since you protected her when she passed out, she'd do the same. Cute kid. Seems to like flowers too."

"Fl-flowers?"

"Yeah."

Saph could say no more about flowers.

Sage suddenly lowered her voice and said,
"There's a secret to Ruby's immense strength."

"What is it?"

"No angel can wield such physical power. Ruby's using magic."

"But she said she can't use magic."

"She does. How else does she extend and shorten that chain? She can shapeshift too. Uses it unconsciously, so thinks she doesn't."

"What magic?"

Sage whispered as if only for Saph.
"Magic of the Earth."

Saph nodded and whispered back,
"But why whisper?"

"She'd be offended if she heard. Remember for future adventures: as long as her feet touch the ground, nothing on earth beats Ruby."

Ruby suddenly burst open the bedroom door and yelled,
"I heard everything! I don't lose on water or in the sky either!"

"Oh my, sharp ears too. Prove it then."

Sage replied coolly.

Ignoring Ruby, Saph asked,
"Ruby's an angel, so only light magic, right? She can do earth magic too? Not sure what it is."

"Not strictly. Humans can barely learn nature magic, but some do. Angels naturally excel at light but pick up nature magic quickly. Elves can hardly learn light, but not impossible."

Saph lowered her voice further.
"Then... can demons use light magic?"

Sage looked slightly surprised.
"Why ask that?"

As Saph hesitated, Ruby interjected,
"She thinks she's a demon called White Horn. Demons often call her that. The black one yesterday too."

Sage said as if it were absurd.
"Just for one horn? Many races have horns. Not just demons, and not all horned races lack blue hair or fur. Check your scriptures: humans with horns aplenty."

Ruby cut in again.
"I've traveled the world; no such humans."

Sage stared at Ruby a moment, then raised a finger. The window and door shut.

"What are you doing, you old flower!"

Ruby yelled from outside the closed door.

Sage twirled her finger at the ceiling; multicolored dust filled the room.
"Act like that, and even as Sage of the Dark Forest, I'll—" and Ruby's voice cut off abruptly.

"Now, no sound escapes this room. Not even sharp-eared Ruby. Where were we...?"

Sage closed her eyes briefly, then continued.
"Saph, no need to heed demons' words."

That wasn't the answer Saph wanted.

Saph demanded with silence. Sage sighed, hands on hips.
"Fine, fine. If you insist: 'all races' can use light magic. Even demons."

"What's White Horn?"

"An ancient demon. But whether a nameless hell lord, freak born suddenly in the natural world, or just human or elf turned legend... even I don't know. No one does. The demons calling you White Horn probably don't know either."

"Tell me everything you know."

Sage didn't hesitate.
"One day, in some place, this ancient demon appeared, devoured all dragons, disrupting nature's balance. Elves, with thousands of years more history than humans, know it as ancient; humans wouldn't even know it existed."

Sage paused, then amended.
"Your holy books might record it. But probably not by name, nor accurately described. Judging a thousands-year-old ancient demon by just white horn and blue hair? Foolish."

"But one demon outright asked how White Horn had human form. It seemed they meant not my appearance, but something else."

Sage placed a hand on Saph's shoulder.
"How old are you?"

"Eighteen."

"I'd say it makes sense at ten thousand, but no?"

Sage chuckled, lowering her hand.
"Again: White Horn is a forgotten being. Even if you have a horn... even if demons call you that, no need to care."

Sage glanced at the closed window to the backyard.
"What did Jade say about your horn?"

"He doesn't care."

"I've barely spent two days with Jade, but his words are likely sincere. So don't dwell on it. Because if you do, he'll start dwelling too. Get it?"

"Yes, Sage. I'll remember."

Saph bowed deeply in reply.