Chapter 218: Alice Subjugation (14)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 218: Alice Subjugation (14)
Alice and I plummeted through the endless void of the eternal prison.
I pulled a portable lamp from my magic pouch and hooked it to my clothes. The light flared to life, cutting through the oppressive gloom and illuminating our descent. Alice clung to me tightly, seemingly finding some small measure of security in my hold.
She looked dazed, like someone stumbling out of a deep, fitful slumber. Her expression was one of pure disbelief, her mind clearly struggling to comprehend how she was still alive.
I scanned our surroundings. In the far distance, a massive object resembling a planet pulsed with a chilling, malevolent aura.
I turned my gaze in another direction, and Alice’s head followed.
Rising out of the gloom was a colossal human head. It was constructed from swirling, oily dark mana; its eyes and mouth were nothing but hollow pits of absolute blackness. The figure actually possessed four distinct faces joined back-to-back, each staring toward a different cardinal direction. It reminded me of the Asura from the Buddhist mythology of my previous life.
These four-faced clusters were stacked one on top of another, forming a pillar that stretched infinitely into the heights above and the depths below. Beyond that terrifying monument, there was only the suffocating, pitch-black void.
“What… is this place?” Alice whispered.
“The belly of a demon.”
Alice’s eyes flickered with realization.
The demon was Om the Eternal, more commonly known as the Abyss. This was his domain.
The Abyss was a creature sealed within Snow White’s pocket watch. Once unleashed, it would consume every living being and every scrap of mana it encountered. After gorging itself, it would enter a period of dormancy for several days, much like a predator entering a food coma after a massive feast.
In the world of ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱, after devouring Ian Fairytale, Snow White, and other powerhouses, the Abyss would mimic the appearance of a starry sky and remain perfectly still.
Without the Luminous Sword, Ian couldn't even touch the Abyss; the demon was simply too powerful. Conversely, possessing the Luminous Sword meant that defeating the monster was actually possible.
“Haa…”
Alice exhaled a shaky breath and activated her telekinesis.
Whoooong—!
Tap.
Our terminal velocity slowed to a crawl. Soon, our boots met a tangible surface formed in midair. It felt as though we were standing on a sheet of crystal-clear glass. Beautiful ripples of light radiated from the points where my feet touched the invisible floor.
“I manifested it with telekinesis,” she explained.
We stood suspended in the heart of a world without a floor.
“Ah…”
Alice’s strength finally failed her. Her legs gave out, and she collapsed where she stood.
I could guess what was going through her mind. The memories of everything that had happened before the Abyss swallowed her were likely rushing back, bringing with them a crushing sense of emptiness. She drew a ragged breath, pulled her knees to her chest, and buried her face in them.
“Are you alright?”
“Yeah…”
The back of Alice’s shirt was shredded, exposing her pale skin where Mephisto’s arm had impaled her earlier. I unfastened my cloak of disguise and draped it over her shoulders. She didn't react as the heavy navy fabric covered her small, trembling back.
I detached the portable lamp from my clothes, set it on the invisible floor, and sat down behind Alice, leaning my back against hers. When I looked down, I saw only the infinite dark.
This was a bottomless, eternal prison. If we did nothing, we would fall forever.
It was a terrifying thought. Staring out into that vast, empty universe, one couldn't help but feel the crushing insignificance of a single human life. However, thanks to the passive effect of [Frozen Soul], that rising tide of dread quickly subsided into a calm stillness.
Silence followed—a heavy, suffocating quiet. The only sounds were the faint rustle of fabric and the rhythm of our breathing.
Eventually, Alice broke the tension.
“Why didn’t I die, Baby?”
It was the question I’d been expecting. From her perspective, her survival was an impossibility. By all rights, she should have been a corpse.
I hesitated for a moment before answering.
“It seems we’re forced to live forever here. Maybe that’s why.”
“I don’t understand… How can you say something like that so casually?”
“Because it’s the truth.”
“Right… I suppose I can’t comprehend what an archwizard like you sees and feels.”
Alice’s voice was hollow. I didn't see the point in being entirely honest about the mechanics of this place, so I let her draw her own conclusions.
As I’d said, the interior of the Abyss was a realm that granted a twisted form of eternal life. It was a prison designed to hold living beings for eons—millions, even billions of years. This was the setting for the bad ending known as 「Eternity」.
Creatures trapped here for ages eventually lost their sense of self. Their souls would be harvested by the Abyss, turning them into the demon’s eternal playthings. This was all part of the transcendental authority of the Abyss.
That was exactly why I knew Alice would survive if we were swallowed. Inflicting a "fatal" wound and turning her into a frozen human had been a calculated move to preserve her. Sending Mephisto away and allowing the Abyss to consume us was the only path forward.
It had worked. Alice was alive and well.
I touched the scar on my cheek from my fight with her and Zenon. It had healed completely, leaving only a faint trace. Even my broken bones had mended. This wasn't just the work of potions; it was the unnatural life force provided by the Abyss itself.
The problem was my mana.
I had burned through a massive amount of energy fighting Zenon, Alice, and Mephisto. Using the Blade of Frost Flowers in my Hunter state was particularly taxing. I’d had a decent reserve left, but the Abyss had siphoned most of it away upon our entry.
Alice was in a similar boat. Fortunately, maintaining a simple platform with telekinesis didn't require much mana for someone of her caliber. Her natural recovery rate was currently outpacing her consumption.
I need to recover my mana, and fast.
For now, that was my only priority.
The Abyss existed on a mystical, transcendental plane far beyond the reach of a standard archwizard. It was a power greater than even the Floating Island—one of the highest-ranking demons, second only to the Evil God.
“…”
In the heavy silence, I could feel the Abyss watching us.
It was likely waiting for my mana to return to its peak. It was patiently anticipating our inevitable duel. To the demon, fighting me in my current weakened state would be "tasteless" and "unworthy." So, it simply observed.
I wasn't sure what it expected from me once I was at full strength, but I was confident I could give it more than it bargained for.
Time stretched on until Alice spoke again.
“In the end… it turned out like this.”
“Hmm?”
“I lost, and you got dragged into this hell with me… It was my fault. I should have been the only one punished. This is just a bad ending for everyone.”
I didn't answer. I wanted her to sit with that guilt for a while; she needed to process it.
“…”
The void fell silent once more.
…Maybe I should do some physical training to pass the time.
*
“Baby.”
“Yeah.”
“Didn’t you find it strange that I call you ‘Baby’?”
“Not really. I didn't think much of it.”
“I see…”
“…Now that you mention it, I am a bit curious. Why do you call me that?”
“It was just a nickname. I didn't think much of it either.”
“Is that so…”
*
“What are you thinking about?”
“Whether my people are okay. Or if they all died because of me.”
“I see.”
“…Aren’t you worried, Baby? There must be so many people worried about you right now.”
“I am worried. But there’s nothing I can do about it at the moment.”
“Yeah, that’s true.”
*
“Baby, why are you waving your hand in the air like that?”
“Do you know what a status window is?”
“Huh…? What’s that?”
“It’s like a window of the mind that shows my current state. Only I can see it.”
“…”
“Don’t look at me like I’m a lunatic… I’m just kidding.”
*
“You know what, Baby?”
“What?”
“I was actually a Queen. I had a kingdom that I ruled. It’s quite far from here, though.”
“Wow, that’s actually impressive.”
“…Your reaction is so flat. What’s with the theatrical tone?”
*
“Alice.”
“Yeah.”
“How do you think you would have lived if the demon hadn't come?”
“Probably… peacefully in my kingdom. I don’t know if I would have met a man I liked, but I think I would have lived a comfortable life.”
“…That’s unfortunate.”
“Don’t say that. I’m someone who has only ever done terrible things to you.”
*
“You have more muscle than I thought, Baby.”
“Well, yeah.”
“But is there any point in working out here?”
“…Huh?”
*
“Your goal was to defeat the Evil God… so you came to the Academy?”
“Something like that. I’m not strong enough to kill it yet.”
“Even someone as strong as you can’t defeat it? And here I was, trying to resurrect the thing…”
“…Remember that guilt.”
“…”
*
“No muscle pain.”
“See? I told you.”
*
“You can’t really feel the passage of time here, can you? I’m not even sleepy.”
“The demon’s power is keeping us awake. It’s been about… two days now.”
“Huh? How do you know?”
“I have a watch.”
“I see…”
*
“I’m curious about something, Baby.”
“What is it?”
“Do you like Dorothy, Luce Eltania, or Kaya Astrea?”
“I like them all.”
“I meant romantically.”
“My answer remains the same.”
“Really…?”
“That’s right.”
“Is the rumor that you’re a playboy actually true…?”
“It’s half true. Psychologically, it’s definitely true.”
“Pfft… A ‘psychological playboy’…”
“What are you laughing at?”
“Nothing, it’s just unexpected. It’s really funny.”
“Is that so… that’s the first time you’ve laughed since we got here.”
“Yeah, it is. Thanks to you.”
*
“It’s quite a romantic setting.”
“Why bring that up all of a sudden?”
“It feels like we’re the only two people left in an isolated world.”
“Do you still think that after looking at those giant, creepy faces?”
“Is the big, strong Baby actually scared?”
*
“Do you think we can get out of here?”
“I don’t know.”
*
“I miss my mom and dad…”
“…What were they like?”
“It’s a boring story. Do you really want to hear it?”
“Yeah. Tell me.”
“I should start from when I was young. I haven’t seen them since we were separated as children.”
*
“You don’t have to pretend everything is okay. The people of your kingdom, your subordinates… they’re all very worried about you.”
“Hee, you’re right… If only I wasn’t so weak, none of this would have happened. I’ve only ever caused you harm…”
“Honestly, I’m not sure if your kingdom still stands. It might be irresponsible of me to say, but I think… it might be okay.”
“Thank you for comforting me. Even though I’m your enemy.”
“We’re not enemies anymore.”
“…Yeah.”
*
“Waaaaaah!!”
“Waaaaaah!!”
“Waaaaaah!!”
“Waaaaaah!!”
*
“Can I ask you something?”
“You don’t need permission for that.”
“Really?”
“What do you want to know?”
“Did you really like me?”
“…Let me correct myself. If you’re going to ask that kind of question, ask for permission first.”
*
“Baby.”
“What?”
“This might sound strange, but… thank you for being by my side.”
“…Is that so?”
*
Swoosh.
I swiped the status window away with a flick of my finger.
While waiting for my mana to recover, Alice and I had shared many stories we’d kept buried inside. I memorized everything she told me, vowing never to forget even the smallest detail. We had started from different origins only to meet at a crossroads called tragedy.
Fortunately, I now had the chance to overturn that tragedy.
“So…”
My mana was full, and my condition was perfect. Now, I had to defeat the Abyss before it began its next feeding cycle.
Kaya, Luce, Dorothy, White… I was worried about them. I wanted to see them again.
I stood up and walked to the edge of the invisible platform Alice had created.
“Baby?”
“Get ready. We’re leaving.”
“What do you mean…?”
I turned my head back to look at her and pointed a single finger toward the void above. My voice was calm and steady.
“I’m going to hunt this demon.”
Alice’s face went as rigid as stone.
“What…?”
You were serious when you said you were going to hunt this thing?
She was bewildered, but she quickly composed herself. She knew Isaac wasn't the type to joke about such matters.
After casting [Frost Barrier] on Alice—a protective spell designed to neutralize the collateral effects of his own ice magic—Isaac turned toward the massive pillar of human heads.
He gathered his mana. The ethereal, chilling aura of [Ice Sovereign] rose from him, flowing like a surging river. Isaac focused his mind. He intended to unleash the greatest concentrated firepower he had ever mustered in a single burst.
Screeeeech—!
The human heads all turned in unison, staring at Isaac with their hollow, abyssal eyes. The Abyss sensed his killing intent. Isaac simply stared back, his gaze cold and unwavering.
[ Kuhahahaha!! ]
Suddenly, the heads began to laugh grotesquely. The ear-splitting, discordant sound made Alice flinch and cover her ears.
The hollow mouth of the face directly in front of Isaac spat out a black orb. It hovered in the air before expanding into the shape of a giant. The giant’s pitch-black body was encircled by mystical rings of purple mana, casting an alien halo that defined its massive form.
It was draped in ornaments made from the body parts of humans, animals, magic beasts, and demons—the remains of those devoured by the Abyss who had lost their souls. The number was beyond counting.
Those turned into ornaments still felt vivid, eternal pain. The sight of countless heads forming the giant’s necklace, weeping and drooling, only added to the creature's terrifying presence.
The pitch-black giant spoke, its voice deep, profound, and masculine.
[ I have been waiting, Ice King. ]
“You have my gratitude.”
Compared to the colossal giant, Isaac looked tiny, yet he merely shrugged his shoulders and responded with total composure. The two beings had understood each other’s intentions without a single word.
Alice couldn't wrap her head around the situation. “What in the world…?”
“He was waiting for me,” Isaac explained.
When the Abyss had first devoured Isaac, it had been delighted by the taste of his mana; it had never tasted anything so exquisite. However, the Isaac it had swallowed had suddenly evolved to an indiscernible level.
The Abyss had greedily decided to wait for Isaac’s mana to fully restore, anticipating a heavenly feast. Moreover, Isaac was a warrior of immense power. The Abyss, possessing a competitive spirit, relished the idea of facing such a formidable foe.
It only needed to wait a brief moment—a mere blink of an eye compared to the eons the Abyss had existed. So, the demon chose to wait, and Isaac had understood that silent pact.
“Let’s get this over with.”
Isaac finished stretching. It was time to live up to the Abyss’s expectations.
Kooooong—!!
Above them, an enormous iron gate of immeasurable proportions manifested. Alice stared at the gate in disbelief. It felt alien, as if it didn't belong to this world, and it was accompanied by a staggering pressure of ice mana.
Why did that appear…? What is that?
One thing was certain: Isaac was the one who had summoned it.
Isaac slowly raised his right arm. Then, in a soft, calm murmur, he spoke.
“—A life full of hardship.”