Chapter 438: Possession(2)
Chapter 438: Possession(2)
Anyone who raises a cat knows that even if they seem prickly on the outside, they go absolutely crazy for the things they love.
This isn't just limited to small, cute house cats; it applies to the entire feline family.
There are stories of people releasing a lion they raised since it was a cub, only for that lion to come charging at them with joy when they reunited years later. Or tigers that bite their owner's arm in a tantrum because it hurt when their cavities were pulled with pliers.
Felines might look sharp and fierce, but they truly adore what they like. It’s just that they’re terrifying when they’re actually angry.
In particular, everyone knows about 'catnip,' which all felines don't just like—they treat it like a drug. One whiff and they’re rolling around on the floor, completely loopy as if they’re high.
Another "drug" for them is Churu, but since that’s a processed snack, catnip is the only pure, natural option.
"And you're saying World Tree leaves are plants that contain pure nature, so the symptoms are even worse? Not just for feline beastkin, but for the entire beastkin race?"
"Yeah. In the first place, cigars and tobacco were invented by us beastkin. Usually, a shaman smokes and then performs their spells in that state."
"Ah, I've read about that in books. So it was the beastkin who made cigars out of World Tree leaves too?"
"That's right. King Hik, the founder, asked Albenheim for them to celebrate the founding of the kingdom. Some say he even went down on one knee just to get a single leaf."
Leona, her nose stuffed with tissues, offered the explanation in a cute, nasal voice.
She had been rolling around the floor in a daze the moment she entered the room, but she had regained her senses now.
World Tree leaf cigars usually provide beneficial effects, including increased concentration, but for beastkin, those effects are amplified. Their minds become so clear they turn transparent, making it impossible to think straight, and their five senses are heightened to an overwhelming degree.
Given that the entire room was filled with the scent of the cigar, it was only natural that she’d lost her head.
"Are you really okay?"
"My body is burning up, but it's bearable. I don't know if I can hold out until tonight, though..."
The problem was that Leona was currently in estrus. Being a mixed-blood, she could endure it to some extent, but there was a clear limit. Even now, she was twisting her thighs as if suppressing an urge, her face flushed deep red.
The World Tree leaves had triggered her instincts, but ironically, they also boosted her concentration, leaving her walking a precarious tightrope.
Beastkin are beings where instinct often overrides reason. Though she said she was fine, there was no telling when she might snap, so I couldn't let my guard down.
[Ahem. My apologies. If I had known, I would have opened the windows beforehand.]
Clark seemed to realize his mistake, coughing awkwardly. Since he was a skeleton, smoking the cigar didn't have much of an effect on him. That was likely why he had been puffing away without a second thought, leading to this disaster. I wasn't sure how he could even taste or smell it, but I decided to let that slide.
Ariel was in a similar boat. She hadn't noticed because she possessed an innate purification ability.
"N-no, it's fine. Isaac will take care of everything once night falls anyway. Right?"
"Huh? What?"
I hadn't heard her because I was lost in thought for a moment. I wasn't pretending; I genuinely missed it.
"Answer me quickly. Before I just pounce on you."
However, Leona seemed to think I was playing dumb, as she growled with a smile. Her eyes were smiling, but her mouth looked ready to bite at any second. It was a reaction that highlighted her cynical side, which I hadn't seen in a while.
It meant she was reaching her limit. Feeling that something might actually happen if I kept acting oblivious, I nodded quickly.
"O-of course. I promised, after all."
"Good. Haa..."
Unable to breathe through her nose, Leona let out a deep sigh. She probably wanted to rip those tissues out right now, but she couldn't. We didn't know if the room was fully ventilated yet, and even a tiny bit of stimulation would set her off. It was a frustrating but necessary measure.
Above all, the hardest part was likely her body, which was heated to the melting point. She probably wanted to vent it all out somewhere, but she couldn't.
"Big sister. Is your body hot? Do you want Ariel to hold your hand?"
Ariel, who had been watching from the side, asked Leona with sparkling eyes. She expressed her loveliness to the fullest as she held out her tiny hand.
Leona gave a small smirk, her heart clearly warmed by the gesture. Even though she was struggling, she couldn't refuse a child's pure request.
"Will you hold it for me? I think that would make me feel a bit better."
"Okay. Ariel has healing hands, so you'll be fine."
That’s what I told her before, and now she’s using it herself. It seemed Ariel had interpreted the "healing touch" I taught her in a slightly different way.
Leona then took Ariel's tiny hand. Whether it actually worked or not, her expression seemed to ease slightly.
"Up we go."
Apparently, just holding hands wasn't enough, as Ariel climbed onto Leona's lap. Then, she leaned against Leona, using her chest as a cushion. While not quite on Cecile's level, it was surely comfortable enough.
"How is it? Better now?"
"...Actually, yeah. It's strange."
"It's because Ariel has healing hands."
While Ariel smiled brightly, Leona looked genuinely surprised. Her flushed face had cooled down in an instant. The cold sweat remained, but that would likely fade too, and more importantly, her eyes were clearer than before. Was it because Ariel was an angel?
Regardless, Leona's condition was definitely much better. It looked like we could proceed with our conversation normally.
"Are you really okay?"
"Uh... yeah. For some reason, I feel much better."
"I told you, Ariel has healing hands."
Leona answered my question with a dazed expression, while Ariel puffed out her chest proudly. I gave a small smile at Ariel's adorable reaction before looking forward. Clark was waiting patiently with his arms crossed.
It looked like it was time to get down to business.
"Now that Leona is feeling better, let's get into the details. Is that okay?"
Clark nodded at my question. At the same time, his gaze shifted toward Leona. Leona, who had been hugging Ariel like a precious doll, cleared her throat the moment she felt Clark's gaze. After a light cough, she looked him straight in the eye with her clear, golden pupils.
"First of all, Mr. Clark, you said you would protect Isaac even after the funeral, right?"
[Indeed.]
"Is the funeral absolutely necessary? Honestly, if Isaac just spins a bit of a tale... no, wait."
Leona quickly shook her head as her usual blunt way of speaking slipped out. She really must have felt more relaxed.
"If Isaac just words things carefully, everyone will accept your presence, Mr. Clark. Above all, you even stopped the Demon Worshippers' summoning ritual, didn't you? If that story gets out, you'll be treated as a hero."
She started with persuasion. Leona clearly felt it was a waste for Clark to disappear like this and wanted to postpone it. She argued that shamanism itself was already a way of defying the natural order, so staying like this might actually be better.
The world might get a bit noisy, but given his achievements and the fact that he had a sturdy shield like me, there was nothing to lose.
[Your words have merit. However, that is not what I desire.]
"Why is that?"
[Shamanism is a power that helps one defy the natural order. Yet, that does not mean the touch of the gods is absent from the process. That is the part that concerns me most.]
But Clark's thoughts were different. As he said, even with shamanism, it didn't mean the gods couldn't interfere entirely. Even now, wasn't he maintaining his reason perfectly despite being a skeleton? The offering was incredibly high-quality, but there was definitely something more to it.
Furthermore, he had told me before: it's good to think of the gods as reliable friends, but do not follow them blindly. It was a different kind of warning than one given to a fanatic; he was advising that even gods are not perfect.
I didn't think the gods were using me for some scheme, but I already understood the meaning behind his words.
"......The gods interfere? In shamanism?"
[Yes. Shamanism, too, was ultimately created by the gods. I do not know why they created such a power, but there must be a reason they allow it to persist.]
"Do you not believe in the gods, Mr. Clark?"
[It is not that I do not believe; rather, I keep my distance. They are, at least from our perspective, benevolent gods.]
From our perspective. In other words, they might not be "good" gods from someone else's point of view. If they were truly good gods to everyone, the Demon Worshippers wouldn't be causing such a ruckus. They were very human-like gods, which meant they likely possessed human flaws as well.
[They might not have been able to stop my resurrection through shamanism, but I could have been interfered with without even knowing it. I have seen too many truths with my own eyes. Even now, there are many parts of my memory that feel... unsettling.]
"......For example?"
[The problem is that I do not know. I have no memory of them.]
Clark shrugged and gave a nonchalant answer. I felt the wind go out of my sails, but I couldn't blame him. The expedition to the Grey Desert would happen soon enough, and the truths would trickle out one by one.
However, the fact that the Holy Nation 'Savior' was the one in charge of the expedition weighed on my mind. This was information I had heard from Lina. For the Holy Nation, this was an opportunity to reclaim their wavering faith at any cost.
The fact that the origin of demons was human was an undeniable truth. But what if there was a truth even greater than that? It made sense that Clark remembered only that specific fact and nothing else. The problem was that even that was uncertain.
[How the Kingdom of Gerios, once a powerful hegemon, collapsed so helplessly; by what means it rose to power in the first place; and finally, how humans were turned into demons. There are many suspicious elements. I know for a fact that various records exist there.]
"......"
[At any rate, this is why I insist on the funeral. The gods might not use me to harm my grandson, but I cannot be certain. Perhaps they have already made their move.]
Clark stared at me intently. I tilted my head as I listened. It was a strange sense of déjà vu, an ambiguous feeling. I had felt something similar recently. Of course, I hadn't been able to pay it much mind because more pressing matters kept popping up.
I might need to start writing down questions in a notebook before visiting the temple from now on.
"......Are you saying the gods might abandon us?"
Leona asked in a cautious voice, perhaps imagining something ominous after hearing Clark's words. Coming from Clark, who had witnessed so many truths, the idea carried significant weight.
Clark snorted at her question and gave a blunt reply.
[If they were going to abandon us, they would have done so during the Demon War. It is an unchanging fact that the gods cherish us. It is the positive side of transcendent beings dealing with mortals.]
"......"
[Without the World Tree gifted by the gods, this world would have been submerged by the sea long ago. Thanks to the gods, the world is relatively free from plagues, and civilization has flourished. So, do not worry about them abandoning us.]
On the flip side, there were aspects that hindered the progress of civilization. Magic was certainly convenient, but it slowed the development of science; divine power slowed the development of biology. Divine power, in particular, was a double-edged sword. Tiny germs harm our bodies—how long would it take for people to believe that?
If a highly contagious disease, like the smallpox or Black Death of my previous life, were to break out, everything that had been suppressed would explode. The number of people falling ill would far outpace those who could be treated with divine power. Even if a 'Saintess' appeared, it would be impossible to stop a spreading plague. A Saintess is still just one person, after all.
'I should probably tell others about this too.'
Fortunately, the concept of 'hygiene' was well-established here, so no major plagues had broken out. But there are more diseases hidden in the world than people know. A horrific disaster like the medieval Black Death could arrive in this world as well. For the sake of the people, this was something that had to be understood.
"......I understand your thoughts, Mr. Clark. You have no intention of changing your mind."
Leona nodded, recognizing Clark's resolve. Clark gave a silent nod in return. After a moment of thought, she questioned him once more.
"Then, Mr. Clark, you just need to be able to protect Isaac, right?"
[Correct.]
"Fine. There are two ways to do that. One is for Isaac to keep your body and summon you whenever necessary."
"......Isn't that just being a necromancer?"
The description fit a necromancer perfectly. Necromancers were shunned by everyone and known as the mainstay of the Demon Worshippers. Leona didn't try to deny it, offering an awkward smile as she spoke.
"Right. It's literally necromancy. Since the public perception is what it is, it'll be hard to use."
"So it's a last resort."
"Exactly."
"Then what's the other one?"
I'd rather pass on the first option. I didn't want to be misunderstood as a Demon Worshipper for no reason.
"The second is 'Possession.' Mr. Clark would temporarily borrow your body. It's not taking it over, but more like sharing it."
"Possession?"
"Yeah. If you're thinking of the kind the Demon Worshippers used last time, don't worry. That guy was a special case; this is possession in its pure sense."
"Can you explain how it works?"
The 'Possession' Leona described was as follows: First, we would create a large number of 'offerings' linked to Clark's soul. By me consuming those offerings or using shamanism, his soul would be called forth. Naturally, the closer the blood relation, the higher the synchronization of the possession.
However, there were side effects. If the two weren't compatible, the duration could be shortened, or it could put a great strain on the body. Furthermore, since it was more like 'sharing' than a total takeover, things could get clunky if I didn't fully surrender control of my body. The soul might also experience discomfort in minor ways since it wasn't their original body.
"That's why there needs to be absolute trust between the host and the soul. Can you do it?"
"He's the man who slaughtered kings single-handedly. If I don't trust him, I might as well be dead."
[Hahaha. You certainly have a blunt way of putting it.]
I wasn't just saying that; I meant it. Attempting possession would mean a major crisis had arrived, and if I couldn't trust Clark, who could I trust? It would be much better to leave my body entirely to him to escape the danger.
"Alright. Shall we give it a test run? First..."
Pop!
Leona lightly plucked the sprout from Ariel's head as she sat on her lap. That thing was fascinating no matter how many times I saw it. She then looked back and forth between Clark and me, a mischievous grin spreading across her face.
"Shall we start with a test?"
A short while later...
[Ho ho ho. My boy.]
"Yes?"
[You truly are my grandson. You won't have to worry about tonight.]
Clark, having inspected my lower half, gave his assessment in a satisfied voice.