Chapter 106
Chapter 106
Episode 106
There was no need to even borrow Lucia's eyes. The place where Eleanor and Lustitia were was literally swarming with monsters like a colony of ants.
As expected, the two of them had walked right into the enemy's trap as if it were a matter of course.
To have entered knowing it was a trap was a testament to their confidence that they could somehow manage.
It also meant that Lustitia's judgment had deteriorated that much.
In the first place, wasn't she a crazy person who could perform city-level detection just a few days ago?
While tailing the two of them, I was able to figure out the identity of the curse that Lustitia was under.
“A curse of sleeplessness……. Lucia, how long do you think you could last without sleeping?”
“I’m trained, so I can go a week without any problem. But in the Hero's case, she must have already passed a month.”
Well, it was no wonder her judgment was deteriorating and her behavior patterns had become simplified.
Even if you can't sleep, sleepiness comes. She was basically dreaming while awake right now.
“Besides, not sleeping also affects one's duties. Unless it's the worst-case scenario, we also try to force ourselves to sleep when we can.”
She would have a headache, and her internal organs would not be normal due to the lack of rest.
On top of that, her mood would be quite hazy.
It was a simple but terrifying curse.
“Prince Oz.”
Lucia, breaking out in a cold sweat, looked back and forth between me and Eleanor's group.
There was no need to tell her that the situation was not good.
Lucia must have known that.
The meaning of that call was to ask what to do from now on.
Because it must have felt to her eyes as if there was no way out.
“Well, what else is there to do but intervene in this situation?”
“But if we do that, Eleanor will suspect you. No matter what, you won't be able to explain this intervention as a coincidence.”
“How about saying I was worried and followed her?”
“You know that Noah is simple, but not an idiot.”
“That's true. Even though she looks like that, her grades were higher than mine.”
“That's because Prince Oz didn't take the tests seriously, isn't it?”
That was my full strength, though.
“Anyway, intervening directly in this place right now is the same as admitting that you've been following Noah all this time.”
“I suppose so.”
Lucia drew her pistol and began to be on her guard.
One by one, 'outer beings' had started to gather on our side as well.
It seemed Delayed had confirmed my betrayal just from our earlier conversation. What a petty bastard.
Even so, not as many monsters had gathered as on Eleanor's side.
It seemed the purpose was to send a warning rather than to deal with me.
Advanced Magic
[Hellfire]
I burned one of the approaching monsters to a crisp.
In terms of level, they were probably foes I could handle with just intermediate magic.
But because of the unique regeneration ability of the 'outer beings,' I couldn't kill them unless I turned them to ash like this.
“Hoo……”
Because I could see the souls they had swallowed, the sounds of burning and the screams overlapped, making me feel quite unpleasant.
Eleanor must have felt this way too. Because she too would be able to see their essence with the power of the key.
It forced you to understand even things you didn't want to. That was the drawback of the [Key of Understanding].
That you couldn't look away.
“Lucia, how long can you hold out on your own?”
“……If the standard is surviving or escaping, not defeating them, I could probably last all day.”
“Right, then that's a relief. Then I'll leave this side to you.”
Lucia had a bitter expression, but she put on a brave face as if to respect my choice. If not, there was no way she would have given such an answer.
No matter how weak the 'outer beings' themselves were, how could she last all day?
“Prince Oz.”
“Hmm?”
As I was deploying [Pinaka] to break through the monsters, Lucia hesitantly spoke to me.
It was as if she was hesitating about whether to say this or not.
“……I don't know what you talked about with the monster earlier, but I'll be trusting you, so do your best.”
“……”
It seemed she had caught on that I still hadn't shaken it off.
Well, it was no wonder.
Because until just a moment ago, I had been pondering Delayed's words about having met four times.
As far as I knew, Oz would have had no opportunity to meet Delayed.
It was a matter of course. Because the point at which I was possessed was before the sky broke.
If there had been an opportunity for the two of them to meet…….
Before the crack in the sky formed.
It would have been when Oz was able to connect with the outside world for some reason.
Yes, in a sense, the invasion of this world by those monsters might have been our fault.
“Lucia.”
“Uh? U-uh, yeah……”
Lucia answered hesitantly, as if she were embarrassed to have encouraged me. What a consistent one she was.
Is encouraging me that awkward?
“I hope a day will come when I can tell you everything too.”
“……I don't really want to hear it. You're planning on making me listen to something I shouldn't again, aren't you?”
“Hahaha! What a funny thought.”
But I had troubled Lucia like that a lot in the past.
I hadn't expected such a reaction, but……. I thought it was possible.
Yes, all things were possible.
“Instead of worrying for no reason, shall we solve the problem at hand for now?”
Whether it was my fault, or Oz's fault.
Let's start by solving it now.
Because anything was possible. Because there could be things I hadn't thought of.
It wouldn't be bad to take it a little easy on this matter.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Eleanor and Lustitia were swinging their swords, surrounded by numerous monsters.
“Haa……. Haa……”
Delayed was right. Eleanor's powers of harmony and severance showed weakness against a large number of opponents.
That was because her power resided in her sword.
Unless she could release a sword wave or something, Eleanor's limit was to defeat one monster at a time, no matter how many there were.
'Sister Lusti…….'
To make matters worse, Lustitia was already half-gone mentally.
The fatigue she had not been able to resolve until now was clouding her mental state, driving her into a state of unconsciousness.
She was now just slaughtering the surrounding monsters as if she were a killing machine.
'I should have forced us to go back earlier…….'
Eleanor thought that she should have pushed through when the thought occurred to her.
She shouldn't have been swayed by persuasion.
Lustitia was not in a state to make normal judgments.
It would be one thing for others, but Eleanor shouldn't have been ignorant of that.
It was because of the lingering attachment in her heart. If not for that, there was no way she would have made such a judgment even while looking at Lustitia's current state.
“Because of…… you……”
“Why……? You…… abandoned us and ran away…… alone?”
“Keuk……”
The monsters spat out words of blame as if they had seen right through Eleanor's heart.
Eleanor's power was largely dependent on her mental strength.
And Delayed, through several battles, had grasped the source of the power that Eleanor possessed. It would be foolish not to use it.
“Ugh……”
Eleanor felt isolated.
Surrounded by numerous monsters, she couldn't tell front from back.
To make matters worse, Lustitia was just cutting down the monsters that approached her.
Eleanor was already out of her mind. She was alone now.
“No……”
Eleanor sank to the ground.
Even though numerous monsters were swarming around her, she could not lift her sword.
She was just endlessly afraid.
The sense of isolation, as if she would disappear, was eroding her.
“It's okay, it'll be okay……”
The [Key of Understanding] had a self-protection ability to protect its master.
It was a power that moved for its master as if it had a personality.
Harmony and severance, understanding and contempt.
Her power, in order to protect her, began to cut her off from the world. Began to sever her.
At this very moment, the memory of her was about to be temporarily erased from people's minds.
It was trying to refuse comprehension.
“Kireuk……?”
Even though she was right in front of them, she became endlessly hazy. The monsters, which moved only by instinct, had reached a level where they could not see Eleanor's form.
If time passed like this, Delayed too would forget Eleanor's existence. If that happened, she would be able to escape safely.
However…….
“I am here……. I am a person who definitely exists……. So everyone, please…….”
It was impossible to know if that was really for her benefit.
She did not want to disappear.
She did not want to experience that fear and sorrow of being forgotten by someone ever again. She was scared.
“Look at me. Sister Lusti, Decentura, Baekyang, Lucia, Master……. Please……. I’m here. I’m here……”
She began to curl up her body.
Like a child afraid of lightning.
She was sinking endlessly.
But at that moment.
“Noah.”
“……”
A voice that should not have been heard.
“Eleanor von Chrysos.”
A name that should not have been called.
“Did you forget what we promised?”
Spoke to her.
It was impossible. That person couldn't be here.
She was so unable to understand the current situation that she had even forgotten that she had just been sitting on the ground, calling out the names of everyone she knew.
It was the day of a certain party. The day she had been ridiculously caught and was sulking.
- Instead. If you're near me, I'll be sure to find you and talk to you.
“I am near you.”
A makeshift promise someone had made to reassure her.
- I thought so. So I don’t need a promise to stop you from causing trouble. So just talk to me.
- Alright, I will.
“I’m talking to you like this, Eleanor.”
A promise that was no different from a complaint, one she hadn't thought would be kept.
- ……Even if there are a lot of people. And I’m isolated among them, will you still find me?
- Yes.
“I know you’re there. Because I decided I would find you.”
A promise that was not a vow or a contract, just words and the tips of fingers.
- ……Even if I’m confined in a dark, narrow place, with my eyes and ears covered, unable to speak, and isolated, will you still find me?
- Yes, even if it’s in the middle of a battlefield, I will find you and talk to you.
“This place isn't dark, and you’re not in a situation where you can’t do anything. So Eleanor.”
It was declaring that he had come to keep that vow to the isolated her.
And those words, as if to blow away her doubt-filled worries.
“Lift your head. I will keep watching over you.”
“Master……?”
It began to enter her empty world, which had been no different from a ruin where everything was lost and broken.
“Yes, Eleanor. What are you doing, so unlike yourself? When a stage has been made for you like this.”
“Uh……. Uh huh……?”
Eleanor lifted her head. And she looked at the man who was a little far but clearly visible.
“Why are you here……? No, before that, how do you know my name……?”
“Is that important?”
“O-of course it’s important! Since when did you know……”
“If you think it's important, then solve this stage first.”
“Pardon……?”
Eleanor answered with a dazed voice.
If she could have sorted out this situation, she would have done so long ago.
“Eleanor. Were you the princess of the ruined kingdom of Chrysos?”
“Uh huh…… yes. Did you know……”
“Eleanor von Chrysos.”
“……?”
“I'll ask again.”
Eleanor tilted her head at Oz's words, which cut her off firmly.
“Were you the tragic heroine who just sat down in a world that had become a vacant lot?”
“……”
But through the words he spoke, she was able to deduce the correct answer she should have given.
“No.”
Eleanor answered.
“No!!”
Even louder.
She raised her voice and shouted.
At the same time, the monsters that had not been perceiving her began to perceive her again.
The gazes of those numerous monsters turned toward her. They began to pay attention.
“I am……!”
“Yes, Eleanor, who are you?”
Eleanor gripped her greatsword again.
There was no end if she continued as before.
If she cut them down one by one, her stamina would run out first.
So now.
“The one who swore to thank, understand, and save the many people who have cared for me……!”
Instead of swinging her greatsword, Eleanor plunged it deep into the ground.
[KP Princess of the Ruined Kingdom]
The greatsword made a clear sound as if a key were fitting into the earth as a lock.
“The rightful heir to the Kingdom of Chrysos, Eleanor von Chrysos! That is who I am!”
[KP Pri■cess of ■■]
The tragic heroine who had lost her country and had become endlessly weak, at this very moment.
[KP Comprehender of Souls]
Eleanor von Chrysos
Finally became the protagonist, the royalty with rightful will and power, who could stand on her own two feet.
“Open!”
At the same time, Eleanor was able to understand the power dwelling within her for the first time at this moment.
Yes, it was not just a vague feeling.
[Key of Understanding]
With a clear recognition of the key located within her, she twisted the greatsword.
“Warmth of Kindness───!!”
Click!
A golden light enveloped all the monsters that filled the plain.
And that golden light, as if it understood them, as if it were okay to let go now.
Severed all the connections between those who had wanted to remain human and the people of the Kingdom of Chrysos.
It was the moment the true king of the Kingdom of Chrysos had awakened.