Chapter 118
Chapter 118
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 118
Chapter Title: The Saintess's Inner Thoughts Are Heard
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After hearing my companions' words and hurriedly rushing outside the lodging, I couldn't help but feel a strange sense of déjà vu.
"What in the world is going on this time...?"
It was because, similar to when I fought the Chameleon Dragon before, a person with the exact same appearance as Victoria was standing before my eyes.
"Lord Astal, you were here...! Everyone suddenly disappeared, and I've been searching for a long time...!!"
The other Victoria's face flushed with color as soon as she saw me and was about to run toward me, but...
"...Do not come any closer. You fake."
The Victoria by my side immediately drew her hammer and showed a wary posture.
Anyone would be on guard seeing an identical copy of themselves, I suppose.
"A fake?! You're the one who's fake, aren't you? Just like that Chameleon Dragon we saw last time!"
Seeing that, the other Victoria paused her steps for a moment, then glared at the Victoria holding my hand with irritation.
Victoria should currently be in a state where she lost her memory after being attacked by Memoria, so how on earth could she remember such a thing?
"What is a Chameleon Dragon? You're just making up lies to impersonate the real one. Lord Astal, please attack now...."
"...Wait, hold on a moment."
Something kept nagging at me inside, so I stopped Victoria, who was about to draw her hammer and strike the opponent down.
Normally, I could have distinguished the real from the fake with my eye that sees magical power, but right now, I could barely sense any difference between the two.
"You truly are Lord Astal. I knew the one I love would believe me...!"
As if Memoria had created a clone based on the memories she stole, the other Victoria in the distance seemed to remember the past year spent battling the Demon King.
"I don't completely trust you either. It's certain that Memoria stole Victoria's memories."
I couldn't help but frown as I looked at the other Victoria's bright, smiling face.
Memoria might have created bait using Victoria's memories to mess with me.
If not, she might have switched the fake and the real one, seizing a momentary opening when she attacked.
However,
"Even if you are a fake, a trap created by Memoria to devour my memories... I still think I should hear you out...."
Because Victoria was the person who saved me from a miserable life and the lover who fixed my personality that used to intensely loathe monsters and demons.
I slowly approached the other Victoria before me, maintaining my guard.
"You're different from when we faced the Chameleon Dragon. Weren't you the one who tried to kill the enemy without mercy back then?"
"That was then. Right now, there's an actual situation where you lost your memories to Memoria."
Indeed, no inner thoughts could be heard from the Victoria before my eyes.
If it were the me of the past, I would have mercilessly killed or tortured that being of unknown identity to try and retrieve Victoria's memories.
"Only a few months have passed, yet I've become that precious to you in that time... I'm so very happy."
But as the Victoria before me said, she was now an incredibly precious existence to me.
I simply didn't want to see Victoria's face twisted in pain, begging me to spare her life.
"Right. How will you prove you're the real Victoria? You could be a fake made by Memoria."
"...Among my belongings, there should be the posthumous magic you left before. If you check its contents, you'll know."
The other Victoria, sensing my suspicion, slowly raised her arms with her palms open, as if showing she held no malice whatsoever.
"...I already checked that. You prepared a contingency in case your memories were devoured by Memoria, remember."
"Oh my, so you heard all the vulgar talk and perverted remarks meant to embarrass you that were inside it, I see."
"......"
Seeing Victoria's playful smirk, I couldn't help but think it was exactly the same as the image I saw earlier in the posthumous magic.
"Victoria, so how much do you actually remember? The one beside me right now has no memories of the past year."
"Tsk, as soon as I disappeared for a moment, you're already fooling around? You pay no attention to the fish you've already caught, is that it?"
"That's not what I meant...."
"After thoroughly defiling the Saintess, known throughout the world as the most faithful and pure... You truly are an irresponsible playboy, aren't you?"
The other Victoria before my eyes showed no sign of stopping her teasing, even in a situation where she had doubled in number.
If this was like her, then it was indeed very much like her.
Faced with the familiar sensation of meeting the Victoria before she lost her memories, I momentarily let my guard down.
"Ack."
"......"
The other Victoria hugged me tightly, vigorously rubbing her body against mine here and there.
"Please stay still for a moment. I haven't absorbed Lord Astal's energy for half a day, so I feel like I might collapse..."
She even took a deep breath in my embrace, as if savoring my scent.
"You pervert, what on earth are you doing right now...! Don't you dare do such vulgar acts while wearing my appearance!"
Seeing that, the amnesiac Victoria startled and shouted at me.
It seemed the current Victoria had no shared memories with me and would be awkward with this kind of affectionate expression.
The amnesiac Victoria was similar to how she was when I first saw her in the Holy Kingdom of Aurelium.
"Why are you acting like that? Lord Astal and I had affectionate expressions like this as part of our daily life. Well, I suppose you, being a fake, wouldn't know about such things."
The other Victoria stuck out her tongue slightly, as if to show off.
This one, in complete contrast, was the Victoria whose personality had become playful and free-spirited while battling the Demon King with me.
Who should I judge as the real one? The skilled way she felt my back, searching for muscles, was an all-too-familiar sensation, so...
"...Victoria, I'm asking just in case, but how much do you remember right now?"
Based on the information I'd gathered so far, I couldn't help but ask the other Victoria this.
Both couldn't have the exact same memories. If one was created based on the other's memories, there would surely be gaps.
"Actually, I have no memories at all from before I met Lord Astal. Perhaps, as she said, there's a chance I am a fake."
"......"
The other Victoria made a slightly sad expression, saying she might be a fake.
Normally, it would be human nature to insist you're the real one and call the other fake.
Was it because her selfless, sacrificial personality remained more than anyone else's?
"However, I also think it doesn't really matter to the current me. My life before meeting you was tinged with gloomy, ashen colors, you see."
The other Victoria said this while gently holding both my cheeks. The expression and eyes she showed now were those of a human happier than anything.
I couldn't easily tell the Victoria before me that she was fake.
"...You changed my world and taught me what color the emotion called love possesses."
The other Victoria whispered those words deliberately into my ear and tried to leave a mark by lightly biting my neck.
"Victoria...?"
"You're not a vampire, so why are you trying to bite someone's neck?"
The amnesiac Victoria, perhaps finding that action unpleasant, pulled the other self away from me.
"Oh my, could it be you're jealous? You lost your memories, so you wouldn't even know what kind of man Lord Astal is, right?"
"...I know to some extent. I know he is a mage with very firm muscles, is cute, and has a rather handsome face."
The amnesiac Victoria avoided making proper eye contact with me, trailing off at the end of her sentence.
It was as if she was shy about directly voicing praise about me.
"Ha, that's not Lord Astal's true nature. The greedy eyes that look only at me when we spend the night together... and the ragged breath as he tries to conquer me using that firm, trained body is the real thing...."
The other Victoria snorted while looking between my legs, and I had no choice but to cover her mouth immediately upon seeing that.
"...Let's have a conversation first. I still don't know any memory-restoration magic or the like at all."
Just like with the Chameleon Dragon, simply finding and eliminating the fake wouldn't be a solution.
In the end, I needed to restore Victoria to her original state, so until Memoria was vanquished, I had to keep both safe.
"Lord Astal, that person is definitely fake. There's no way I would use such vulgar vocabulary...!"
Even if the amnesiac Victoria looked at her other self, called her fake, and shouted that she should be killed.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ At that moment, underground at the location of Memoria's domain, Oblivion, one being was watching this entire spectacle.
"A lover who lost the memories of love, and a slime possessing all those memories... I'm so very curious which side you will choose."
Its identity was the slime with an obsessive fixation on humans, the Demon King's Army Four Heavenly Kings member, Memoria.
Memoria found this situation utterly delightful. She believed that no matter which choice Astal made, he couldn't avoid tragedy.
"Whatever choice you make, it will lead down the shortcut to the downfall of the Hero's party."
Memoria sipped wine like a human, enjoying the unfolding situation more than anyone.