Chapter 121: That Woman Was Mine From the Very Beginning!
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 121: That Woman Was Mine From the Very Beginning!
Then, the Archdemon’s low voice echoed from close by.
[Do you like that child?]
‘Wh-what?’
Startled, I jerked my head back. The Archdemon’s face was far too close. He smirked at my flustered expression.
[He was originally a child carrying a seed planted by an angel, but I informed you about him in advance because I thought he would be important in changing the future.]
‘Wait, don’t tell me...’
Not long after I possessed this body, I had a dream about Nathaniel.
Immediately after that, I had planned to spirit Nathaniel away. Hearing this now, it was clear that the Archdemon had practically orchestrated the whole thing.
‘Those dreams I had in my original form... were they all shown to me by you?’
[Indeed.]
‘Ha, I knew something was strange.’
No one in this world knew that I had possessed this body—except for the Archdemon standing right in front of me, the one who had snatched my soul when it should have been reincarnated.
Since I’d had dreams in my original body out of the blue, they were essentially signposts the Archdemon had set up to point me in the right direction.
[Once you leave this space, everything will likely be over.]
‘Over? What do you mean?’
[Did I not tell you? There are those who have come to help you.]
‘Oh, but my body right now...’
My joy at the Archdemon’s words was short-lived as my expression turned grave.
He had specifically said "those." That meant Nathaniel wasn't the only one who had come to the temple to rescue me.
It could be others close to me, or perhaps knights sent by Veronica.
However, my body was currently grown up due to the sorcery. If I were to face Nathaniel or the knights in this state, it would be incredibly awkward.
[Before that, you should worry about the price of the sorcery.]
‘The price of the sorcery?’
My eyes widened at the Archdemon’s low murmur.
Come to think of it, he did mention there would be a price for the Body Growth Sorcery. That was why all the demons had been so sensitive and opposed to me using it.
Just what kind of price was it that made the demons react that way?
I asked in a serious voice.
‘What is the price? Am I going to die?’
The Archdemon’s smirk deepened. I felt a surge of anxiety at that mischievous smile.
[Perish the thought. To die from a spell used specifically to avoid death? That would be far too cruel.]
‘Phew, right? Then what is it?’
I asked, finally feeling a sense of relief. I felt like I could endure anything as long as I didn't die. But the Archdemon’s reaction was a bit subtle.
[Yes, you won't die, but... well, I suppose you could say it’s not entirely unrelated.]
‘...What is that supposed to mean?’
The Archdemon was being increasingly vague. I glared at him, my brow furrowed. I couldn't stop my words from coming out harsh.
‘Spit it out already!’
The Archdemon, who had been looking elsewhere, finally turned his gaze back to me. He continued with an uncharacteristically sheepish face.
[I never imagined you would actually go so far as to use that sorcery. Fortunately, you are still unskilled, so your body hasn't fully matured...]
‘Cut the rambling and get to the point.’
[Ahem. You will lose consciousness for as long as the time your body has aged.]
‘Right, lose conscious... wait, what?’
For a moment, I couldn't process his words. Then, his meaning slowly sank in.
I hadn't seen a mirror, but judging by the size of my hands, my magically grown body looked to be in its early to mid-teens—somewhere between thirteen and fifteen. If Claudia’s development was on the faster side, I might be younger; if not, I could be older.
Regardless, it meant I would have to be unconscious for at least eight years from my current age. My jaw dropped.
[You won't die. You will wake up once the time corresponding to your grown age has passed.]
‘What kind of bullshit is that!’
[Haha, calling an Archdemon’s words "bullshit."]
‘What if everyone thinks I’m dead!’
[You’ve only lost consciousness. You’ll still be breathing perfectly fine, so why would they think you’re dead?]
‘Where I come from, we call that being in a vegetative state!’
[It will be fine. Those people will cherish you until the moment you wake.]
‘Well, I suppose that’s true, but...’
If no one else, I knew Veronica would do whatever it took to protect me until I opened my eyes.
Even if she said she had no memories, she was my real mother. Blinking slowly, I eventually had no choice but to accept it.
‘Is there no way to wake up sooner?’
[Not even I can do that. If not for that sorcery, you wouldn't have even been able to summon me in the first place, so do not be so anxious.]
‘Ugh, fine.’
In any case, it was my choice to use the sorcery knowing there was a price. No one had told me the price beforehand, but there was nothing I could do about that now.
[Do not worry. For you, it will only be a brief moment, and when you wake, everything will be better.]
‘Hmm.’
[Have faith in the efforts you have made thus far.]
I found myself gradually agreeing with the Archdemon. It was already decided; nothing would change no matter how much I struggled.
I just had to believe that everything would be better now and go back to sleep.
‘Huh?’
I closed my eyes again, but for some reason, I didn't fall asleep. Furthermore, the pitch-black void before my eyes shifted, revealing a scene I had never witnessed before.
‘Is this a dream? Is the Archdemon doing this?’
I carefully surveyed my surroundings. A devastated field came into view. Countless corpses lay scattered across the plain, looking as though a battle had just ended.
I took in the sight while floating in mid-air. Perhaps because I thought it was a dream, it didn't feel real. Seeing the wounded and the dead made me feel grim and sad, but that was the extent of it.
‘...!’
Then, my eyes widened as I spotted someone. I had seen a familiar face in this unexpected dream. I rushed toward him.
‘Dantalion!’
He was clad in heavy silver armor, the kind a medieval knight would wear on a battlefield, but the armor was soaked in crimson blood, making for a truly chilling sight.
He wasn't wearing a helmet, so his face was clearly visible. Fortunately, there were no visible wounds on his face, though there was a smear of blood on his cheek.
Given that he was standing perfectly fine despite his armor being drenched in blood, it seemed the blood belonged to others, not him.
As the sun set, the orange glow of the twilight illuminated the area. Dantalion’s pale face also appeared orange, looking like a small, flickering candle flame. Seeing him unharmed, I felt a sense of relief.
“Do you admit your crimes?”
“...”
‘...!’
Dantalion wasn't the only one there. The tip of his sword was pointed under the chin of someone slumped on the ground. And that person was also someone I knew very well.
“Crimes? What crimes have I committed?”
It was Cedric. His face, just as blood-stained as Dantalion’s, was still beautiful. However, unlike Dantalion, who was covered in the blood of others, Cedric was covered in wounds.
The scene I was witnessing seemed to be the aftermath of a war. Whether it was a war or a single battle, it had ended with Dantalion as the victor.
I couldn't tell if this was reality or simply a dream showing me what I wanted to see. However, I wanted to believe that this wasn't just a mere dream.
“The crime of conspiring with Quincy to throw the Empire into chaos, both now and in the past. The crime of rebelling against the Emperor. Is it not all clear?”
“Ha.”
At Dantalion’s calm words, Cedric let out a twisted smile. Dantalion, who had been indifferent, frowned at his laughter.
“I was merely trying to take back what was mine.”
“Yours?”
“Yes.”
At that, Dantalion’s frown shifted into a crooked smirk. He looked down at the defeated Cedric with utter contempt. My gaze was no different from his.
“Veronica never belonged to anyone from the start.”
“No, that woman was mine from the very beginning!”
“What a pathetic man.”
Dantalion clicked his tongue at the indignant Cedric. In his agitation, Cedric screamed at the top of his lungs, heedless of whether the blade Dantalion held would pierce his throat or not.
“If not for you, everything could have been mine! That woman, and the power!”
Cedric continued to spew pathetic words. Dantalion’s eyes grew even colder. By now, there wasn't even a trace of the courtesy usually shown to a fellow Sword Master.