Chapter 134
Chapter 134
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 134
Chapter Title: The Inner Thoughts of the Saint Are Heard
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I watched the testament magic gradually shift from blue to gold, barely managing to calm my anxious heart.
Even I had to admit it was a gamble with a low chance of success. In the composition of a human being, memory is not a concept to be taken lightly.
There was once an elderly mage whose mind had gone, who no longer recognized family or children; people called him senile and scorned or scolded him. He ended up considering them enemies and burned down an entire village.
"Lord Astal... Are you really sure about this?"
"It'll be fine. No matter what anyone says, she's Victoria Everhart, isn't she?"
I hid my trembling hands behind my back, trying not to worry my other companions.
First of all, if the fake began storing all her memories in the testament magic for Victoria's sake, there was a high probability she would forget why she was doing this.
And second, we had to be able to save the fake Victoria, who would have become an ordinary green slime, from the explosion.
It was on these two premises, and a miracle as thin as a thread that would fail without perfect timing, that I had staked everything.
"...Later, when we defeat the Demon King Ergothum, let's put her name in a storybook."
"At least from now on, she'll be called by her own real name, not 'the fake.' That's a good idea, Anima."
As if trying to shake off their worries, my companions were discussing how to remember the fake Victoria's decision by talking about the future.
Even I, who had succeeded in dozens, hundreds of miraculous feats so far, was terrified that Victoria's memories might vanish.
"I wish there were a human who could truly love a green slime..."
"...There was a human who loved a woman whose entire body was half-transformed into flowers, so if we search the world, there must be one somewhere, right?"
Victoria noticed my change in demeanor and placed her hand over mine on the testament magic, giving a faint smile.
A warm feeling spread, and I realized my worries had been pointless.
Right, I'm not alone anymore. The situation was very different from when I first created this testament magic.
I was no longer the gloomy, solitary genius researching magic to save people alone in a corner room of the Blue Magic Tower, nor was I a human easily arrogant for being called the continent's strongest mage.
"Right, I just have to do my best."
From my place, I always did my best to save everyone, that was all.
I smiled back at Victoria as if in response.
"You always will."
The answer that came from Victoria, who had lost her memories, was a rather unexpected statement.
She hadn't even properly transferred memories from the testament magic yet, so how could she utter such words so easily?
"Don't tell me you..."
"I haven't regained my memories yet, but I have a good eye for judging people."
Victoria gently rubbed my hand, which had become rough and blistered from prolonged battles, as she spoke.
"Ah, this person must have lived foolishly and naively like this all along. A person without a hint of greed, who only sacrificed for others..."
"Are you teasing me now? Or are you trying to act somewhat like your old self?"
I couldn't help but laugh at Victoria's remark, a laugh that felt out of place in the atmosphere.
Putting it another way, wasn't she just calling me an easy-to-use pushover?
"No, you seem similar yet different. I also lived a life of devotion to others... but unlike someone, I'm a woman with many desires."
As she said this, Victoria was looking up at me from below. It had been a while since I'd seen her, who is quite tall, send such a gaze.
It reminded me of a cat craving affection, and for a moment, the image of her confronting the fake Victoria flashed through my mind.
"...So, you're going to monopolize me this time too, huh? Even without a year's worth of memories?"
Unable to hold back a snort, I looked at Victoria with a raised corner of my mouth.
Even without memories, a person doesn't change.
"Yes, because no matter what anyone says, I am the real Victoria Everhart. I'm sorry to the fake one... but I have not the slightest intention of allowing any concubines."
"Whether I've lost my memories or not, the wonderful side you've shown is something I want to monopolize all for myself." Victoria's inner thoughts revealed a mixture of shyness and affection.
It made me think that perhaps this was proof that the trajectory of a person's life is the past, and we live in the present.
"So, when will she come out? It seems like five minutes have already passed..."
Victoria referred to the fake as 'that child,' no longer drawing a line as if she were the real one.
It seemed that by handing over all her memories to Victoria, there was no longer any need to distinguish between fake and real.
"She'll probably come out soon. Even for me, slowing down or reversing the time of a living creature, not just a simple concept like memory, is difficult."
I nodded, looking at the testament magic now completely dyed gold.
The magic I cast on the testament was merely a slight gamble to ensure the records weren't damaged.
Magic that reverses time is called 'Inverse Heaven' and is considered taboo among mages.
"Then what's this? Five minutes have passed, but no explosion has occurred."
"I created another small, separate world. I applied a similar principle with Ideia..."
I separated the space of the testament magic from the original world and made time flow differently only within it.
That way, without interfering with the providence of the original world, I thought the testament would be preserved intact even hundreds of years after my death.
"You're completely insane! That's almost on par with the power of a god like Lord Odin!"
"It's still very incomplete. In the end, the limit is only slowing a creature's time within a limited space... That's why Ideia chose a method that borrows power from other companions besides me."
Victoria cursed me for being insane, but if I were to return to the continent and present this theory related to magic towers, it would be either branded as heresy or something so great it could change the world.
From the start, mixing a completely different concept of power into magic like Ideia, and untangling countless magic circles like a skein to create new magic...
In a way, Memoria's desperate desire to obtain my memories or abilities was the most rational judgment.
"Still, you'll really leave your name in history at this rate."
"...I just hope I'm not later remembered as the guy who raped the Saint."
I was already worried about how to explain my relationship with Victoria to people later.
According to the precepts set by the Heavenly God Lumina, she wasn't supposed to share love with a man. It would be hard to make them understand that we had become lovers.
"Isn't there a particular need to worry about that? If you live a long, long life with me and have many children, people's misunderstandings will naturally subside."
"......"
Looking at Victoria, who smacked her lips slightly, I tried to pretend not to know her sinister inner thoughts.
I don't know how a person can remain so consistent even after losing a year's worth of memories.
The only difference from the past was that I no longer ran from my feelings or hesitated, but acted honestly.
"...It seems the time is up now. Could you put a little distance between us?"
"Understood. Please be careful."
I spoke in a calm tone, looking at the testament magic that had begun to tremble slightly.
The fake Victoria must have succeeded in transferring all her memories to the testament magic.
The intangible green slime substance that began to seep from the testament magic was turning red and emitting light as if about to burst.
"Right, you did your best too. Seeing you've completely returned to being a slime..."
I couldn't hide my bitter expression as I looked at the letters engraved on the green slime's body.
I must hand over all my memories. So the real Victoria isn't burdened as much as possible. A sentence filled with the fake Victoria's resolve.
She had carved wounds directly onto her body like this so that even if she forgot who she was, there would be no problem.
She must have transferred her memory of human language last.
"...Rest well now. I'll make sure you find someone else who will like you, so you won't have to live bound by Victoria's memories anymore."
I erected a mana barrier in front of the fake Victoria, who was about to explode, and bid my final farewell.
If not for her help, I would have succumbed to Memoria's threats or schemes and never gotten the real Victoria back.
Tick, tick, tick! Puh-ver-ber-ung!
As if looking directly at a great sun, my vision turned pure white, and a deafening noise filled my ears.
Now, not even a trace remained of who was once the fake Victoria, leaving only green slime substance scattered on the floor.
"...Anima, can you help me? I'm going to try summoning a familiar using these fragments as a medium."
I asked Anima, known among the companions as a Spirit Mage, for help.
"With luck, we might be able to capture her soul before it's sent to the underworld."