Chapter 22
Chapter 22
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 22
Chapter Title: The Eternal Child
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Artisha thudded toward us with heavy steps.
But she stopped about two meters away from us.
She grunted as she dragged over a chair as big as herself and plopped down on it.
Arwen spoke up at her obvious attempt to keep her distance.
"Just join us. Come on over."
"No thanks. Don't act like we're buddies."
"Wow..."
Arwen had probably never been treated like this in her life.
And this peculiar saintess seemed thrilled by it, her eyes sparkling.
Chris said in a soothing tone.
"I'll take care of it, Saintess."
"Don't call me Saintess. And what's so special about 'Chris-nim'?"
"Well, I'm the best-looking guy in our party, aren't I?"
"..."
"Come on, kiddo. No need to be scared. We're the good guys."
Artisha's reaction was even worse than it had been with Arwen.
She didn't say a word.
She glanced briefly at Rennel before turning her gaze to me.
"You're this party's leader, Uncle?"
"Yeah."
"How'd you get here?"
"We walked."
"I mean, how'd you get in alive?"
"This lady here's got some incredible powers. She blessed us with something that blocks authorities."
For a split second, light flickered in Artisha's eyes.
Her pupils were so pitch-black that the gleam felt dazzlingly brilliant.
"So what's that woman do?"
"I'm a saintess."
"Didn't ask you."
"Whoa... hehe."
"Uncle, that lady seems nuts."
I shrugged.
Whether before or after my regression, she only ever wanted to talk to me.
"As you just heard, she's a saintess. Name's Arwen Wagner. The mage over there is Rennel Brighton, and this assassin's..."
"I'm a knight."
"The knight's Chris Kristin. Or maybe Pristine sounds better?"
"Either one's fine..."
"Chris Kristin. I'm Dai-il Magnus, the party leader."
With introductions done, I crossed my arms.
"So, what's your business with us?"
"Not much. Just weird seeing lively humans show up here, so I figured I'd chat."
"What do you do around this territory?"
"Do? Whatever. Doesn't matter."
The light faded from Artisha's eyes.
For some reason, it struck me as terribly sad.
Swoosh.
She propped her feet on the chair and hugged her knees.
"No need to eat or drink here. Folks swallowed by the Demon King's authority stay healthy without any nutrition. No need to work, obviously."
"But everyone's been doing their jobs, more or less. Farmers farming, innkeeper taking guests."
"Their bodies just move on their own. Probably the Demon King tweaking things to keep the territory going."
"The Immortal Demon King? Why bother?"
"If you're asking that, why'd he swallow our territory in the first place? It was a thriving place three hundred years ago, sure, but just another human speck. Overthinking every Demon King scheme gets exhausting, doesn't it?"
She rocked back and forth on the chair as she spoke.
"Got a question for you too, Uncle. You strong?"
The answer came from Rennel.
"Super strong. Star-shattering level."
"Didn't ask you."
"Wow... I may not stand on ceremony much, but you're one rude brat."
"Hey."
"Hey? Hey? Hey?"
"How old you think I am?"
Rennel clamped her mouth shut.
Arwen asked cautiously.
"Just to check... Kamu Territory's been cut off from the continent since..."
"Not a single new baby's been born. Folks tried breeding like crazy the first few decades, but no dice."
"Br-breeding... Wait, why not?"
"Why not ask the Immortal Demon King? Guess he didn't want humans popping out kids."
Now it was Chris's turn.
He hemmed and hawed awkwardly before speaking.
"I-I was raised in a very strict etiquette household, so... I'll ask carefully."
"..."
"Might I inquire as to your age?"
"Pfft."
Artisha laughed.
It was short and small, more like a scoff.
But seeing her laugh made our whole party smile without thinking.
Spotting our expressions, Artisha quickly schooled her face and answered in a flat tone.
"313."
"..."
"Not exact. I was thirteen when the Immortal Demon King took this land, and I stopped aging then. Haven't bothered tracking time in ages."
None of us could say a word.
Artisha had spent over three hundred years in this trapped land, neither aging nor dying.
Her parents, relatives, friends—one by one, they'd all become the Demon King's puppets.
Their bodies were right there beside her, but no conversations, no interactions possible.
The sole person left sane in this forsaken place: Artisha.
How much tedium and loneliness had this 313-year-old child fought alone?
I finally understood why she'd made "that request" to me before my regression.
Then Artisha looked at me.
She spoke with a faintly desperate expression.
"Dunno what 'star-shattering' means, but I get you're strong."
"..."
"I've got a favor to ask."
I answered firmly.
"No."
"Haven't said anything yet?"
"I know what you're gonna say."
"Heh... funny talk. What favor you think it is?"
I stayed silent for a moment, then said it.
"You want me to kill you."
Artisha's eyes wavered.
Artisha stayed quiet for a while before speaking.
"Dunno how you knew... but reasons don't matter. Just kill me already."
"Wanna join our party?"
"What kinda nonsense is that? You listening?"
"Stick with us, and we'll take down the Immortal Demon King eventually."
"So what? Think I want revenge?"
"You don't?"
"Too old and worn out to care about that."
The party's lips twitched.
They were barely holding back laughs.
Artisha spotted it and said,
"Go ahead and laugh if you want."
"Ahaha!"
"S-Saintess, we really can't laugh. She's way older than us."
"Good thing you laughed first. Now mine won't stand out, right?"
"You guys are so annoying..."
Artisha looked displeased, and I found it oddly fascinating.
Before my regression, she hardly ever changed expressions.
Or at least, that's what the party members had told me countless times.
Artisha continued.
"To that saintess or whatever, some kid acting all worldly must seem hilarious, but I'm dead serious."
"Kh. Ahem. Sorry."
"Too late. Damn woman."
"Hehe. Damn woman."
"Crazy."
Artisha turned to me.
"Today, like always, Mom's doing laundry somewhere, Dad's farming, little sis reading her picture book. Repeating the same crap for three hundred years."
"..."
"Talk to 'em all I want, mess with 'em—no reaction. Their eyes don't even register me."
"..."
"My family's already dead. Th-those... aren't my family anymore."
It had been ages since I'd heard the Quad Wrangle's voice.
That it came through as Quad Wrangle meant she still held them dear as family.
Bitterness filled my mouth.
Artisha went on.
"Not family anymore, so no reason for revenge, right? I just..."
She let out a deep sigh, too heavy for her age—or her appearance.
"...want to die."
Damn. Why wasn't that from Quad Wrangle?
She really meant it.
Lost in thought, I didn't react right away.
Mistaking my silence for refusal, perhaps.
Artisha waited a bit, then shook her head.
"Can't kill me? Fine. I'm out."
"Where to?"
"Wherever. You guys get outta this territory fast. Immortal Demon King doesn't welcome outsiders, as you know."
She hopped off the chair like she was jumping down.
Then turned and walked off without a backward glance.
I called after her back.
"We came here from the start to recruit you."
"...!"
"Didn't expect it'd be easy. Change your mind, come back. We'll stick around till then."
Artisha flinched but didn't turn, asking anyway.
"Came to recruit me? You knew I was here?"
"Yeah."
"Knew about me. Me... me."
Surprisingly, her voice trembled with deep emotion.
"How the hell'd you know?"
"Secret. Join the party, and I'll tell you someday."
"...Ha."
Creak. Click.
Artisha shut the door and left.
Rennel asked,
"That kid asked the question I was dying to. Been wondering myself."
"Huh?"
"You said from the start we were looking for someone here. That was her."
"Yeah."
"How'd you know about a person stuck in a place cut off for three hundred years?"
Everyone's eyes turned to me.
I answered nonchalantly.
"You know I'm special, right? Sniffing out Demon Kings, spotting lies."
"This is way beyond that."
"Everyone's got an ace up their sleeve. Just leave it at that."
"Sigh."
"Not hiding it out of malice. Like I told Artisha, once everything's over, I'll spill all my secrets to you guys. Just hold out till then."
I planned to reveal Quad Wrangle—and my regression—after killing the Erosion Demon King.
No need to keep Mother's dying wish then.
Rennel leaned back in her chair.
"Well, I got secrets too... Fine, I'll wait."
"Rennel, seems you've accepted joining us to kill the Erosion Demon King?"
"Don't say it. I'm fine with it, but what about you, Saintess? It's a dangerous party gunning for a Demon God."
"It's Arwen. And I'm thrilled the party's goal is that ambitious. Hehe."
What a weird saintess.
That weird saintess looked at me and said,
"Dai-il's ace is probably that he's the Hero."
"Hero?"
"What the Sloth Demon King mentioned... Feels like something that stands against Demon Kings. Maybe a miracle God sends for humanity."
"Isn't that the saintess?"
"No. I'm definitely no miracle."
"..."
"I've got plenty of secrets myself."
Arwen fiddled with her glove hiding her holy mark, a bitter look on her face.
Recalling that fake mark, I didn't know what to say.
Thankfully, Chris changed the subject at the right moment.
"But why recruit that elder specifically? She's older, sure, but doesn't seem particularly strong."
"You really were raised in a super strict etiquette family, huh."
"Not a warrior, obviously. Doesn't seem like a mage either. Or a priest."
Rennel and Arwen nodded in unison.
I recalled memories from before my regression.
Artisha, who—wanting a quiet place to talk—had put the entire party to sleep with a single gesture.
"You all ever heard of soul mages?"