Chapter 213
Chapter 213
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 213
Chapter Title: Strategy (3)
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Regardless of whether Eliya Chrisanax's self-esteem was shattered or not, the situation was progressing in real time.
Particles gathered within the radiance, beginning to shape a human form.
Six pairs of wings. A halo floating above the head. Hair cascading down to the ankles. White clothes clinging tightly to the body.
It was the epitome of a stereotypical angel, so typical that anyone would recognize it as such.
"...Huh?"
Eliya, who had been sniffling, unwittingly let those words slip out upon seeing it.
No, this...
Somehow, it looked...
'...A bit like me?'
It wasn't self-obsession; even she could see that if her chest grew a few sizes larger over the years and she let her hair grow long and flowing, she'd end up looking just like that.
As she stared with a strange expression, the seraph—who had kept its eyes closed even after fully manifesting from the radiance—slowly opened them.
Its gaze soon met Eliya's.
"..."
Eliya broke out in a cold sweat without realizing it.
No. That gaze made it clear.
This was an entirely different being from her.
An overwhelmingly vast 'something' that made her feel like an ant. That kind of pressure emanated from it.
[So you're the one? Who woke me.]
"...Y-Yes, um..."
At the voice like jade beads rolling on a tray, Eliya barely managed to open her mouth, her throat tight as if strangled.
What should she say? The angel had spoken to her...!
[Cute kid, blushing so hard you're trembling. Delicious~]
"..."
[The previous heroes were all such boring guys, it was frustrating, but this time...]
The seraph scanned Eliya up and down, as if appraising her.
Its gaze lingered a bit longer on her chest, waist, and hips.
[...You're a relief in many ways~]
Eliya unwittingly stepped back at the seraph's satisfied tone, its eyes curving like a crescent moon.
It had all the features of an angel—wings, halo, everything. And it looked eerily similar to her.
But the vibe it gave off just now was that of a creepy sexual harasser oozing from every pore.
Seraph?
This?
'You're kidding?'
As Eliya stared at the smirking seraph with that thought crossing her mind, it placed both hands on its waist and looked around.
[Well, we can do introductions slowly later...]
And then.
[...For now, it looks like there's some 'trash' to clear out?]
Its eyes sharpened.
Anyway, whatever aura it exuded.
This was a seraph.
The pinnacle of all angels in the Backside Realm.
If demons had the Pandemonium King, the seraph was the ruler of the Backside Realm.
[Shall I put in a little effort?]
The spectacle that unfolded with those words starkly demonstrated that such a title was no empty honor.
In fact, it was clear to anyone that it wasn't even using its full power.
It had merely clenched its fist lightly in place.
But.
"...My god."
Archbishop Luminol murmured it like a groan.
-! -!! -!!!!!!!!!
Just the radiance bursting from that clenched fist shattered every dimensional gate in the vicinity simultaneously.
All Pandemonium lifeforms nearby were crushed and pulverized in an instant.
The land, stained black with sulfurous soot, was 'purified' in a single moment.
She had heard that while a demon's unleashed power could warp the surroundings into something like Pandemonium just by existing, angels possessed the power to purify such things merely by their presence.
But.
All beings in the Backside Realm had limited influence on the material world.
And yet, even under such immense constraints, this level of power!
'...The only being in all dimensions that can stand toe-to-toe with demons.'
Archbishop Luminol shuddered, ruminating on why it bore such a title.
And, put another way.
In the current situation, with multiple 'demon vessels' present, few people would be unaffected by such a being.
"...Ugh, ah."
Yuria Grayhauncher—who had barely spoken until now—hugged her own body upon seeing it.
Tension, fear, disgust, hostility, hatred.
This torrent of negative emotions, all mixed together, was something she had never experienced in her life.
Seraph too, Liru too—all of them staggered with confused expressions, seemingly undergoing similar feelings.
Their body language clearly showed they didn't even properly understand why this sensation had suddenly struck.
And among them.
The one feeling the most intense emotion was there.
"...Disgusting."
Elnor narrowed her eyes and replied.
The moment she laid eyes on it, venom surged from near her heart, pounding in her head.
It was hard to control the energy pouring out from within her body.
Her entire body screamed. Go over there right now and tear that damned thing apart. Erase its very existence from the world.
An enmity as bitter as one's own flesh and blood.
The feeling that they couldn't live under the same sky flooded her brain violently the instant she saw the seraph.
[So many angry kids?]
The seraph looked around and let out a chuckle.
[Those Pandemonium types always lose their minds at the sight of us. Scary as hell.]
"..."
Yeah, right.
Even as it said that, it was glaring at the surrounding vessels like it wanted to devour them.
But before Eliya could point it out, Paynol's body in the pillar of fire suddenly hunched over violently.
Head clutched, buried between its legs.
As if mourning something.
Like sobbing with its face buried in its knees.
"That's...!"
Eliya's eyes widened as she blurted it out, and the seraph, who had been staring intently, smirked again and responded.
[Ah, that. Unification.]
"...What?"
[Mental merger. Probably having some deep~ communion with the 'key' and vessel in the mental world.]
"..."
Eliya looked up at the seraph with a paling face.
Calling Dawood the 'key'—what was that about? But more importantly, what did it mean by 'deep communion'?
[No, not the kind you're thinking~ Pervert~]
"...I don't know what you mean, Seraph."
[Don't deny it~ It was all over your face~]
"..."
Floating down lightly and poking Eliya's side with a sly grin—it was infuriatingly cheeky.
From the way it awakened by trying to embarrass her, she suspected that was its intent. Its personality itself was loathsome.
[Well, anyway.]
As Eliya mulled over her impressions, the seraph's gaze sharpened again.
[...This is a first.]
"Yes?"
[That demon's shaken during communion. It showed an emotional gap.]
In other words.
It could be called 'convinced.'
The demon that sought to burn the world for its own purposes had half-abandoned its will after conversing with that man inside.
What on earth.
What scene had he shown.
To convince a demon through mere conversation, without any violent means.
"...Ah, right!"
Eliya glanced at her magic engineering wristwatch and urgently spoke up.
Indeed.
Dawood had said he'd create an 'opening' for Paynol around this time.
She didn't know exactly how, but it was reasonable to think Paynol's sudden intense reaction was the 'signal.'
"Seraph! Lend me your power!"
[...Hmm?]
"Teacher said to suppress the demonic energy right now! As the Holy Sword's master, I must seal that demon!"
[Well, that's not hard...]
The seraph's eyes locked onto Dawood, who knelt motionless inside the pillar of fire.
[...I'll have to look into that man a bit later.]
Undoubtedly.
Even in the Backside Realm, plenty would be interested in such a being.
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"..."
I scratched my head awkwardly.
"Kaliban, are you crying?"
[...Shut up.]
A sniffling voice came from the Soul Linker.
No denial, so it must be crying a little.
Frankly, Kaliban's state was a bit serious, but the Red Demon didn't look all that fine either.
"...You."
The red demon spoke in a trembling voice.
"After going through all this, how are you so..."
"...Unfazed?"
"..."
Silent affirmation returned.
I gave a wry smile and replied.
"I'm not unfazed, honestly."
I'm still scared now.
Scared of seeing the people around me get hurt. Scared of seeing something gruesome.
Scared of dying.
But even so. "Even so, I can live looking somewhat unfazed, like you. I can change Paynol."
I didn't show everything.
Just fragmentary images, all of them.
Brothel. Orphan. Vagrant. Survival. Murder. A life selling tomorrow's trash rolling in the muck to buy today.
And then, salvation.
Right at the very end.
A tiny act of kindness that shockingly changed a life.
Without that, I wouldn't have lived a normal life either.
And.
I showed him my 'past' to convey that Paynol could 'change' like me too.
That's all.
"...Can you trust me now?"
And I'm just passing on to Paynol what I received from others.
Of course, digging into this guy's past would reveal a ton of awful crap. The red one claiming a 'guardian' role had probably erased this guy's senses because it thought that was better.
"..."
It stared at me silently.
It probably couldn't trust me all at once. Natural.
But.
The 'old me' I just showed it.
Would at least lend overwhelming credibility to my vow to 'make Paynol happy.'
Because I've gone through exactly the same process.
"...This child."
The red demon said in a hoarse voice.
"If it cries again. If it gets hurt. If you're not a solid enough support."
But the conviction clinging to its voice was rock-solid.
"I'll come back out anytime."
"..."
Man.
Demons are so devoted to their vessels.
It's a trait that helps a lot in pondering their true nature.
Anyway.
"...Don't worry."
I winked in response.
"I'll make sure neither you nor her can ever escape me."
"..."
"Like I said earlier, we can get to know each other slowly from now on."
Still, by showing my past just now, I'm confident we've opened our hearts a bit.
All that's left is building time with this one and getting closer.
Paynol included.
Wow, two flavors in one body.
"..."
The red demon glared at me silently.
As I said before, strangely.
Even though its whole body is bright red, I can clearly sense a blush on its face.
"...Go die. You flirtatious trash."
I chuckled inwardly at the sight.
'Kaliban.'
[What?]
'Isn't this one kinda cute?'
Every little thing it does gives off classic tsundere vibes.
Looks right up my alley too, and it's great motivation to steadily build affection from now on—
[Has your brain melted?]
"..."
[Cute? The demon that killed me?]
"..."
Right.
Wrong person to ask.
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