Chapter 119
Chapter 119
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 119
Chapter Title: Victoria, Her Opponent is Victoria
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Amnesia Victim Victoria felt an increasingly uncomfortable sensation in a corner of her heart as she looked at the other version of herself before her eyes.
With the same face and body as her own, that person was sending a gaze dripping with love toward Astal, obvious to anyone who saw it.
What kind of lost memories could cause a person to change so drastically with just a one-year gap?
"So, why aren't we interrogating that fake to extract information? Isn't it highly likely she's connected to the enemy Memoria?"
She wanted to remove that unpleasant being from her sight immediately. No matter how she thought about it, she was the real one, and that thing was the fake.
"My, are you jealous right now? Didn't my love say that if I get hurt or disappear, you don't know what will happen to your lost memories?"
"I don't care about memories. Memories can simply be remade, and we have the goal of defeating the Demon King."
Victoria truly believed she didn't care what happened to her memories.
The side effects of the Miracle that had tormented her all her life were gone, and she did have some fondness for the man named Astal.
Even though they had been lovers who cherished each other above all else before she lost her memories, the current Victoria couldn't really empathize with that.
"To begin with, it's strange that heroes gathered to defeat the Demon King are wasting time on such trivial pranks."
They should immediately kill the Heavenly King Memoria, defeat all other enemies, and then vanquish the Demon King. That was all.
Originally, this level of sacrifice was natural for Victoria.
For Victoria, who had always used Miracles for others and pushed her body to the limit, putting personal desires or private matters entirely on the back burner was routine.
"Are you perhaps anxious that I might take Astal-sama from you? Given Memoria's personality, there's a high chance she'll come for us again."
"That can't be! To begin with, there's no reason to feel anxious about a fake who exposes herself vulgarly like that!"
Seeing the fake before her eyes mocking her, Victoria felt irritation surge.
The fake wore attire completely unbefitting the name Saint and was deliberately lifting her clothes to seduce Astal.
In contrast to the fake, the current Victoria was covering her body as much as possible with Astal's robe.
"To begin with, I don't need such memories. You're probably just bait created by Memoria anyway."
Victoria couldn't understand why Astal was showing mercy to that fake.
Shouldn't the top priority be to immediately kill or torture it to find Memoria's location and defeat her?
"Victoria, even so, think about how much Astal struggled for you over the past year... Isn't that too harsh?"
At Victoria's words, Anima subtly gave her a warning look. After all, until a few days ago, they had been lovers who adored each other, but overnight she had become a complete stranger.
"That's right. If Astal hadn't liked you from the beginning, this party might have all died long ago."
"Moreover, before being heroes who will defeat the Demon King, we are human beings. Weak beings who need support to survive a year in a foreign land."
The other comrades also seemed to think Victoria's attitude was wrong, expressing negative opinions about simply erasing the memories.
"...Victoria, won't you regret it if you don't recover your memories like this?"
Astal silently looked at Victoria for a moment before calmly speaking.
"The Victoria I know would never say such things."
"...The other members' memories are intact, and I do know how precious Astal-sama is to me."
Seeing Astal's expression, Victoria realized something was wrong and hurriedly corrected her words.
In human relationships, what's important should be the memories shared with that person.
If things continued like this, she thought Astal might abandon her, the real one, rather than that fake before their eyes.
"But even so, aren't you just making assumptions about what kind of person Astal-sama is?"
"......"
"I know how warm and affectionate Astal-sama's feelings are."
Victoria felt something unsettling about that person making such expressions and words so effortlessly with her own face.
Could memories from just one year really have changed her that much? Her attitude exuded leisure and confidence at a glance.
"...Moreover, as I said earlier, Memoria disappeared along with the destruction of her domain. Even if we search for her, she hasn't left a single trace."
"That's exactly why we need to be more careful with that fake. Aren't slimes originally monsters whose basic traits are division and imitation?"
Victoria had disliked the fake clinging close to Astal since earlier.
Even though it was clearly fake to her eyes, the fact that they were keeping such a being around because they couldn't find a way to recover the memories was displeasing.
"That fake could be a medium for Memoria to attack us. I think we should restrain her by tying her hands and feet or something."
"I wouldn't mind if Astal-sama tied me up. After all, we were lovers who often played like that."
At Victoria's words, the fake smiled slyly, extending both arms toward Astal while blushing.
"Please don't make such low-class remarks with my face! No matter what memories you have, there's a time and place for things!"
Victoria couldn't understand that fake's actions. The only difference should be a mere one year, but she hated seeing such lewd behavior.
"Astal-sama, no matter how I think about it, I believe we should immediately find and defeat Memoria...! I simply cannot accept this current situation!"
"No matter how much you say that... Oblivion where Memoria was has been destroyed, and I don't think we can afford greater sacrifices than this."
Astal shook his head at Victoria's words, expressing negative intent. Even though his lover was asking, why was he showing such a passive attitude?
"I already examined the other Victoria with magic, and she came out as an ordinary human."
"That can't be! Of course I'm the real one, and that person is the fake..."
Astal remained silent at Victoria's words. Although it was the amnesiac side whose inner thoughts were being heard.
There was a one-in-a-million chance that the other Victoria might be the real one.
"What about the possibility that Memoria cast magic to deceive your eyes? She's a mage of higher attainment than you."
Hero Kyle asked Astal, just in case. The time to switch with the fake had been too tight for the other Victoria to be the real one.
"That possibility is certainly there. In Memoria's domain, even the ability to see others' magical power didn't work."
"Then wouldn't stripping her clothes confirm it? If she's a slime, we just need to find the core!"
"No, if she kidnapped an ordinary human and superimposed her appearance, that method wouldn't work either."
Astal recalled the humans who had been imprisoned in Oblivion. They had all lost their memories and gone insane, or were displayed like decorations.
Thinking they might hurt an innocent person, Astal was carefully considering the situation when...
"Then, how about I teach you how to love Astal-sama? After that, you can kill me or not, it doesn't matter."
"Victoria...!"
The other Victoria was making an outrageous proposal to herself.
As if her own life meant nothing, her benevolent smile gave a fleeting sensation of looking in a mirror.
"Why on earth should I accept such a strange proposal? There's no need to..."
"Memoria's plan is probably to explore humans—that is, to see which of the two lovers who lost memories of love will choose whom."
Looking at the being she had thought was fake until moments ago, Victoria thought it was a reasonable speculation.
Demons and monsters had twisted aspects to the point where one could say their values were clearly different from humans.
"...Moreover, as repayment to Taryon-sama who taught Astal-sama transformation, wouldn't helping with your love story bring back some memories?"
"What?"
"Exactly as I said. If we combine our strength, the likelihood of Memoria personally appearing to interfere will increase."
The opinion presented by the other Victoria had some merit. There was a high possibility that Memoria had deliberately split her into two like this to cause confusion in the party.
"...Considering she didn't take the other Victoria hostage but deliberately released her like this, we can somewhat predict her movements."
Astal also nodded at the other Victoria's story. He felt there must be some plan Memoria was aiming for.
"Wait, hold on... You're really going to help with our romance? We've been busy lately and haven't had time for just the two of us..."
"I'm in favor. Through this, wouldn't we be able to distinguish the real from the fake? Plus, we might be able to lure Memoria to our side."
Taryon and Anima showed favorable attitudes toward the idea.
Given the obsession with humans and madness they witnessed in Oblivion, it wouldn't be strange for Memoria to devise such a plan.