Chapter 50: The Fourth Demon of the Gem (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 50: The Fourth Demon of the Gem (2)
[It seems this human has completely lost his sense of self.]
“What?”
Startled by Dollens’ words, I looked back at Nathaniel.
There was nothing restraining him now. Dollens should have completely destroyed the physical restraints and the mental spells that had held him fast.
“Didn’t you say you removed all the spells?” I asked, wondering if Dollens had made a mistake.
Dollens recoiled as if offended by the very suggestion.
[I would never make such a stupid mistake!]
“Then you’re saying he still hasn’t come to his senses even though the spells are gone?”
[It appears so. Perhaps he has already lost his entire ego due to the prolonged exposure to spells and brainwashing...]
“Then is there no way to bring him back?”
[Hmm, that is outside my area of expertise, so I cannot say for sure.]
“Ugh.”
Come to think of it, Nathaniel was a child who had been brainwashed and forcibly injected with excessive divine power at the temple for a long time. Even if the spells were broken, it wouldn't be easy for him to live as he once did.
I had expected him to regain at least some of his sanity, but to think he couldn't even hold a conversation... This was unexpected.
“Phew, what should I do?”
“....”
I peered closely at Nathaniel, whose eyes were half-open.
His eyes weren't as pure white as his prematurely blanched hair. There was a hint of darkness in them, a pale gray color that contrasted with his snowy locks. At the moment, they looked even darker because they were out of focus. I swallowed a sigh and stood up.
[Why not have that guy do it?]
“That guy?”
I tilted my head, not understanding Dollens’ suggestion.
Dollens continued in a casual tone.
[I mean Ilnes. Mental spells are his domain.]
“Ilnes?”
It suddenly occurred to me that I had a demon of the gem I’d obtained from Marquis Blair before coming to the mansion.
I quickly reached into my pocket and pulled out the translucent gem. It was the fourth demon of the gem, and the second black gem: Onyx. The demon’s name was Ilnes.
“Alright.”
According to Dollens, Ilnes might be able to fix Nathaniel. Having made up my mind, I carefully pressed my lips to the black gem.
“Ilnes?”
But the gem remained silent. Remembering what had happened with Bibi, I waited for a moment with furrowed brows, but there was still no reaction.
“What’s wrong with him?”
[Hmm, it seems he’s in a very deep sleep. Besides, he’s always been slow to respond.]
“Ah.”
The words of Desmond and Bibi came to mind. They hadn't had anything good to say about Ilnes either. Bibi had even remarked that it was a miracle Ilnes even existed.
“It’ll be a problem if he doesn't wake up, though.”
Worried, I gripped the gem tightly. Surprisingly, once demons were released from their seals, their physical gems became their weakness, making them vulnerable to physical impact.
“He’s still not waking up...”
Ilnes was a stubborn one. No matter how hard I squeezed the gem, he didn't even mutter a word.
I was struggling with it, tapping the gem repeatedly, when it happened.
[Yawn... what is it? You’ve been annoying me for a while now...]
“....”
A lethargic voice drifted into my mind. The tone was incredibly slow and sounded thoroughly bothered.
I frowned and asked, “Are you Ilnes?”
[Mmm, yeah...]
“Now that you’re awake, make a contract with—”
[....]
“Ilnes?”
Is he sleeping again?
The responses vanished after only a few words. Dumbfounded, I stared down at Ilnes before slamming the gem against the floor.
“Hey! Wake up!”
[Ow, that hurts.]
“Oh, so you can feel pain?”
My voice rose in a momentary flash of anger. Then, remembering I had to be careful even in this secluded spot, I managed to calm myself down.
“Phew. Get a grip.”
[Alright, alright...] Ilnes grumbled in response. At least it seemed we could hold a conversation now.
The demons all have different personalities, but I’ve never seen one like this.
Desmond, Bibi, and even Dollens had their quirks, but none were as strange as Ilnes. I tried to hide my bewilderment as I continued.
“You’re going to make a contract with me, right?”
[Ah, that sounds like a hassle...]
“....”
[Sigh, I guess I have no choice.]
Ilnes let out a long sigh, not even bothering to hide his true feelings. He seemed genuinely annoyed. Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't want to cling to someone who disliked me this much, but the situation was urgent.
Pointing my finger forward, I spoke to Ilnes.
“We’ll do the contract in a bit. Fix him first.”
[Hmm?]
A faint gray smoke drifted toward where I was pointing. While other demons also moved like that when they left their gems or bodies, Ilnes’s movement was exceptionally slow.
[What’s with this guy? He’s not normal.]
“Exactly. He lost his sense of self after being subjected to brainwashing spells for a long time.”
[Hmm.]
“Dollens said you could fix him. Is that true?”
Ilnes floated around Nathaniel, seemingly lost in thought. After a moment of examining him, Ilnes spoke again.
[Well, I can make him snap out of it.]
“Is that true?”
[Yeah.]
“How?”
[By eating.]
“...What?”
Eat? He’s going to eat?
I stared at Ilnes with bewildered eyes. But Ilnes, who had answered indifferently, didn't seem inclined to explain further.
Did he mean he was going to eat Nathaniel’s body? What kind of crazy demon was this?
Dollens scolded him on my behalf.
[Ilnes, if you put it like that, the Master will misunderstand.]
[Ah, is that so?]
[Tsk, tsk. Always leaving out the subject and speaking only for your own convenience.]
Clicking his tongue, Dollens spoke to me instead of Ilnes.
[To put it simply, Ilnes’s ability is absorption. And he can also spread what he has absorbed.]
“Absorption?”
[Especially in cases like this involving spells—and since this human has been injected with excessive divine power—it should be effective if he eats them together.]
“Wait, is it okay for you guys to eat divine power?”
I asked in surprise, knowing full well how powerless Desmond and Bibi had been inside the temple. But then again, Dollens had moved around just fine inside the temple.
Sure enough, Dollens replied with a voice full of pride.
[Hmph. Those weak red gems might have trouble, but we are perfectly fine.]
“Ho, I see.”
[In particular, this fellow Ilnes has a vile appetite; he enjoys absorbing divine power and turning it into his own strength.]
“I-I see. That’s good then.”
To think he found the opposing divine power delicious—Ilnes really was something else.
As I nodded with a slightly pale face, Ilnes asked in a strangely excited tone.
[So, can I eat it?]
“Uh, yeah.”
Ilnes seemed strangely more energetic than before. While he had been nothing but annoyed right after waking up, the prospect of eating spells and divine power seemed to excite him.
[Mmm, it tastes like I’d die if I ate too much. Delicious.]
“....”
He even muttered a critique of the flavor as he consumed the divine power. Knowing how much Desmond and Bibi had suffered because of it made this seem even more bizarre.
Is this really okay? I felt uneasy as I watched the white haze slowly being drawn out of Nathaniel’s body.
[Burp. That’s the best I’ve eaten in a long time.]
“Are you finished?”
[No, if I eat it all, I’ll die too.]
“I-I see.”
I guess divine power is still his opposite after all. Then, in human terms, didn't he just enjoy eating poison?
“....”
I was momentarily speechless as I watched the satisfied Ilnes, then I shook my head. Regardless, the most important thing right now was for Nathaniel to regain consciousness.
“Then will he wake up now?”
[I wouldn't know.]
“....”
[Look at the way this fellow speaks to his Master. Just wait a moment. He will wake up soon.]
Dollens scolded the blunt Ilnes and spoke in his stead. I nodded and waited. If this took too long, we might be caught by Veronica.
As I waited anxiously, Nathaniel’s half-closed eyes finally opened wide.
“Oh?”
“....”
Has he come to his senses?
As I watched with expectant eyes, Nathaniel’s lips finally moved slowly.
“...My.”
“Yes?”
“...My?”
“What did you say?”
I couldn't hear his voice clearly. I frowned and leaned in closer, and then Nathaniel’s voice finally reached my ears.
“...My angel?”
“Huh?”
What is he talking about now?
I stared at Nathaniel with bewildered eyes.