95. Merrilline, Awakening!
95. Merrilline, Awakening!
I couldn't grasp the specifics, but one thing was clear — Jang and Marcus already knew each other.
After that, with his hostility defused, Marcus exchanged a few more words with Jang before issuing orders to the soldiers standing guard at the checkpoint.
"Let them through."
"Are you certain, sir? The identity verification hasn't—"
"I'll take responsibility. Open the gates."
At his repeated command, the soldiers saluted and opened the way.
Identity checks were mandatory in a zone under strict imperial jurisdiction, yet the soldiers obeyed Marcus's order without the slightest hesitation.
That alone spoke volumes about how long Legion Commander Marcus Cradle had spent accumulating trust within the military.
"Heh heh, much obliged. Thanks to an old comrade, I get to skip all the troublesome formalities."
Jang expressed his relief and gratitude over his connection with Marcus.
But the expression on Marcus's face, the one who had extended the favor, was far from pleased.
"...Don't get the wrong idea, Jang Cleo."
His voice was sharp.
He used his full name, not just his given name, and there was none of the warmth you would expect from someone reuniting with an acquaintance after a long separation.
The same went for the gaze he fixed on him.
"You bastard..."
It was unmistakably animosity, but of a completely different kind from the standard hostility shown toward a suspicious figure.
If his earlier glare had been aimed at an entity whose identity he didn't know, this current animosity was unmistakably directed at a 'distrusted subject'.
"Ever since that day, you're the only one who did nothing. Unlike me or the others, you didn't fight to protect anyone, nor did you build up your strength to prepare for the dangers ahead. Am I wrong?"
"...I explained my honest circumstances, but I see you remain unconvinced."
"It would be strange to trust a man who boasted about carrying on her will, yet did nothing but stand on the sidelines for half a century."
As he spoke, Marcus Cradle swung his ferocious glare toward me.
I flinched for a second, thinking his hostility had switched targets. But then Marilyn smoothly stepped in front of me, blocking his line of sight.
"...Marilyn?"
"Calm down."
I had barely sensed trouble before Airi grabbed her hand.
Marilyn shot her a cold glare, but Airi merely spoke quietly, her voice firm.
"It's fine, Marilyn. As long as you stay still, there won't be any problems."
As a prophet, she could likely guess what was about to unfold right before her eyes.
Indeed, Marcus merely glanced at me briefly before resuming his conversation with Jang without a second thought.
"Is he the 'successor to her' you mentioned?"
"Yes, he's only just reached the starting line. He chose this place as a training ground for that purpose. Could you guide my friend here to a spot where he can warm up a little?"
"...I'll assign a soldier to guide him to the training grounds. You, follow me for a moment."
"Right, we have plenty to catch up on, so let's talk about this and that."
After pausing the conversation, Jang approached me.
Even standing face-to-face with someone as significant as an Imperial Legion Commander, he showed not a single flicker of intimidation.
"In that case, I'll go share a few words with my old friend. You go on ahead and begin your training."
"By myself?"
"No need to worry. That young lady over there already knows exactly what I intend to do."
Having said that, Jang glanced briefly at Airi.
Meeting his gaze, Airi nodded and immediately began stepping farther into the garrison zone.
"...Leave the rest to me."
There was a palpable sense of trust in the look the two exchanged.
***
Why Jang had entrusted Airi with handling his absence — it didn't take me long to figure out the reason.
After all, as a prophet, Airi had the ability to faintly perceive the past of anyone she faced.
On top of that, since she could see a few seconds into the future, picking out a suitable spot on the training grounds without the escort soldier's help would be easy for her.
"It's currently break time, so no one will come in here for a while. Before diving into full-scale training, this is the perfect place to freely test your new power."
After entering the empty training ground, Airi strode unhesitatingly to its very center.
Seeing her bold movements, it looked like she was ready to take on the role of training instructor. But as someone completely in the dark about the situation, I couldn't help but have a string of questions right away.
"What do you mean, 'new power'?"
"Ah, now that I think of it, I'm late in explaining it to you, Hyosung."
Airi turned to glance at me.
Her gaze landed on the armor I was wearing, the item that, along with Philoi, was effectively responsible for my entire combat capability.
Naturally, without any special instructions, I would have to assume I'd be wearing it for training.
"Hyosung, first, could you try channeling your magic power into that armor?"
"Magic power?"
"Rather than explaining, you'll grasp it more concretely by feeling it with your body."
"Ah, okay. Well then..."
Whatever the case, Airi was now in charge of my training in Jang's place.
For now, I decided to go along without complaint. I prepared to draw upon my magical power through the armor, just as I did in actual combat.
The method wasn't especially difficult.
Since I lacked the ability to handle mana directly, the armor would draw it in on my behalf if I simply willed it.
-Wooong.
In response to that will, heat haze gradually shimmered around the armor.
Seeing that, Airi realized the mana was being drawn to me and turned to address Marilyn, who had been watching from the side.
"Then next, Marilyn, the performance..."
"Hehe, leave it to me~"
As if she had been waiting, Marilyn raised the lute in her hands.
Watching her natural response, I couldn't help but feel a moment of puzzlement.
Jang was supposed to be in charge of this training session, and Airi was just standing in as his proxy, I thought. Yet Marilyn, whose relationship with Airi was terrible, was playing along so cooperatively.
Had Jang arranged this with her beforehand as well?
-Tiriring~♬
Just as those doubts surfaced, the strings of the lute in Marilyn's hands were plucked, and a clear melody began to resonate.
That steadily rising exhilaration was definitely the work of her performance. But just as I was about to get swept up in that signature pure melody...
-Wooong!!
Suddenly, I felt the armor's magic power swelling abnormally, completely independent of my will.
What the hell? I didn't try to increase the output any further than this...
"Urgh...!!"
No, it wasn't an illusion.
The armor, which had been fairly light and easy to move in, now felt two, then three times heavier...
Soon, the weight was increasing to the point where I couldn't move my body at all.
"What on earth..."
"It's not that the armor has gotten heavier. This phenomenon is happening because the armor's inherent instinct is suppressing your will, Hyosung."
Airi replied to my question with a detached attitude.
As if she had expected my reaction to this extent, her subsequent explanation held not a hint of hesitation.
"The armor's instinct? What do you mean by that?"
"It's the result of me working on the armor to a certain degree to enhance its performance. You've probably noticed the significant increase in its magic power, yes?"
It was true — my freedom had been suppressed ever since Marilyn's performance began, but in exchange, the magical output had also increased.
As if that was the core of this training, Airi's voice started taking on a serious tone as she explained.
"However, even if the amount of magic power has been boosted, the conditions to control it are far from easy... From now on, Hyosung, you must resist the power of the armor, whose instincts are being stimulated by Marilyn's playing, and make its output entirely your own."
"The performance stimulates its instincts? Did the armor somehow develop an ego?"
"It's not a high-dimensional concept like an Ego Weapon. It's simply that every demon has an inherent desire that forms the basis of their magic power. Since that desire remained even after being processed into equipment, it became possible to stimulate its instincts."
So it was different from an Ego Weapon, but a sufficient instinct had formed within it to boost the armor's own magical output.
After hearing that, I could perceive what sounded like a voice coming from the armor at this very moment.
-Both...ersome...
A low, bassy voice that drained the listener's strength.
Yeah, it was a memorable voice.
It was unmistakably the voice of the 'Demon of Sloth' whose remains had become the material for this armor.
-What a... drag...
Even though only its corpse remained, that desire still lingered in the armor, exerting its will.
The magic power that grew stronger the more I was drawn into that will bore down on my body heavier and heavier, swelling in lockstep with the clarity of its muttering.
-Moving is... bothersome... I just wanna... lie down...
...But damn, this bastard is still the same even when he's nothing but a corpse.
I was wondering why it was so goddamn hard to move. Could the root of this guy's entire instinct just be being a lazy piece of shit?
"I've only just finished the improvements and tested them directly for the first time now, but I can foresee any future risks, so there's no need to worry too much. Why don't you try moving as a test?"
"Ah, yes. I'll give it a try..."
Taking a deep breath, I gripped the training spear and immediately prepared to swing it at a dummy.
Alright, let's not overthink this.
Airi had been kind enough to enhance my armor, and the armor itself hadn't actually gotten heavier.
It was just that the armor's own desire was suppressing my movements.
Since I could somehow endure it by mustering my mental strength, this training was more of a battle of willpower than physical strength.
-Wanna lie doooowwwwn...
But right now, with its will growing stronger through Marilyn's performance, I could feel the guy's laziness intensifying far beyond my ability to resist.
At first, it was just cumbersome to move. Now, it felt like the sheer momentum was about to crush my body flat...
Damn. Just how much does this bastard hate moving?
-Creeeak, crunch!
Even just trying to move my body while ignoring that force sent grating, grinding sensations through my joints.
The mana emitted by the armor had stiffened even its own joint sections, so forcible movement demanded considerable strength.
If I had been prepared from the start, it might have been different. But having started with my posture already badly broken, there was no way I could muster any momentum easily.
"Marilyn... this is hard to endure. Could you please stop the performance for a moment?"
So, let me catch my breath a bit first, regain my composure, and then try for real.
I thought this and urgently pleaded for her to stop playing.
-Tiring, tiring~
But despite my words, Marilyn continued her performance, repeatedly amplifying the emotions.
No, she wasn't just continuing — she was gradually picking up the tempo.
"Marilyn. Hold on, stop playing... Ugh!!"
Was she so focused on playing that she didn't hear me?
No, her gaze as she performed was fixed directly on me.
And the faint smile playing on her lips even made it look like she was enjoying my suffering.
"...Heh heh."
Yeah, it was no illusion.
That much was obvious just from recalling the unique playfulness she had always shown me up until now.
-Tiririring~ Tiing~♬
By the time I realized that and tried to voice my desperation, it was already too late.
As my perceived weight multiplied more than tenfold under that merry tune, my body, unable to endure it, slammed flat onto the ground with a loud thud!
"Marilyn, why in the world..."
"I'm sorry, Hyosung. I do want to cooperate with you, but the thing is, seeing you struggle like this... it just makes me feel excited without even realizing it, you know?"
Yet, far from stopping her performance, she poured even more force into the fingers she had on the lute, as if riding the momentum.
Having closed the distance between us in that state, she soon directed her strangely glowing eyes at me and began murmuring sweetly.
"So I was thinking, just a little, the tiniest bit more, maybe I'll speed up the tempo..."
"Please, don't give up and struggle to the very end, okay? Hehe~♡"
As if witnessing my pained figure had triggered something.
As if something dormant deep inside her had just opened its eyes.