30
Chapter 30
My Noonim, Adela.
An Absolute Strong One who ranks among the top ten in this vast Demon Realm, and a pitiful yet upright demon who wouldn't hesitate to give her life for me.
Due to an accident in her childhood, Adela's intelligence declined. Instead, perhaps because she inherited all of our father's talent, her Martial Talent is extraordinary. To the point where she could train by carving her way through the treacherous Demon Beast Forest alone.
Of course, I'll be entering the Demon Beast Forest too, but I'll go knowing exactly where it's dangerous and what lives where. Adela, on the other hand, just plows through everything with sheer physical force. There's no comparison.
There is an age gap of about a thousand years between my sister and me, but that's a trivial detail.
Anyway, my magnificent sister Adela is currently, surprisingly, in a state of complete Defenselessness. To the point where even a weakling like me could attack and she wouldn't be able to block or dodge. Though, unless I use a cross, I couldn't leave a single scratch on her no matter how hard I hit.
"How long has Adela been like this?"
"W-what do you mean by that?"
"I'm asking exactly how many hours ago she entered this state."
"Well... about three, three and a half hours ago...."
"Is that so? There's not much time left then."
Using the mana of Horus's Egg and my Illusion Magic skills, I locked Adela's mind, but this is only temporary. If I could lock it forever without my Qi Meridians and Energy Veins being fully opened, I would have been the Demon King.
And I wouldn't want to do that to my lovely Adela anyway.
"Aunt, please go back now. And act as you normally would. Report Leonard's disappearance in about three days. Since I'm your new Investment Destination, it would be best if you followed my lead."
"I-I understand. I shall be going now."
"Yes, yes, I look forward to working with you."
"......I shall also look forward to it."
"Kekeke-."
Aunt hesitated and regained her composure before leaving the room. I chuckled loudly enough for her to hear, then stood before Adela.
Time remaining... 10 minutes? No, since I just spent some time, it's about 9 minutes.
Good. The show is already over, but a proper sense of tension makes life efficient. Like a child rushing their homework when a check is imminent, or a student frantically opening a textbook after playing until the night before an exam, a time limit pushes me to accelerate.
I pulled the black rosary from my pocket. As I expected, this rosary would not react to Adela.
Though born a demon, she is incredibly kind. She's not a hero who can't stand seeing injustice, but she protects those around her and loves her family. That is the kind of demon Adela is.
Clatter-.
Oh, my predictions never miss. The black rosary merely trembled before Adela; it didn't emit the Hellfire of Purification like it did in front of Retavis. It purred a bit, like a cat hissing, but that was a very minor thing.
Wait, then the reason the cross doesn't react to me is actually because I'm a good person? That my personality is so pure that there's absolutely no repulsion? That makes sense. My heart is actually very, very soft, and my nature is as pure as a Saint's.
Holding the string with two fingers, I raised the cross to the eyes of the vacant Adela. Because I am much shorter than her, I had to put in the effort of straining onto my tiptoes.
Anyway, after presenting the cross, I began to swing it gently from side to side.
"Adela, look at the cross. It's ticking and swinging gently, right? Just ride along with that rhythm."
Hypnosis is a realm of control and suggestion. Much like inviting someone who entered a room to sit in a chair, or suggesting a thirsty friend drink some water while handing it to them, hypnosis is perfected through a proper balance of control and suggestion.
Someone once said that we live in a world of control. That every conversation and non-verbal expression we use in our daily lives is an act of manipulating others.
Hypnosis isn't difficult. Just like a kidnapper tempting a child with a piece of candy, you simply lure the target—whether human or demon—wherever you want them to go.
Swish, swish, swish, swish-.
Consistency is key. I have to ensure Adela fully adapts to the rhythm of the cross. I'll start with the easy parts. Although I used Horus's Egg to induce the hypnotic state, dealing with a powerhouse like Adela requires meticulous attention to every small detail.
Swish, swish, swish, swish-.
"One, two. One, two. Good, the rhythm is perfect right now."
Her clouded eyes followed the cross back and forth. Seeing this, a smirk played on my lips.
Soon, I began to whisper in a smooth, flowing voice, like a chirping sparrow.
"There is a lake. A lake so vast and deep that if you fall in, you can never escape."
Swish, swish, swish, swish-.
"Adela is standing before that lake. She has something in her hand she wants to throw away, and she is wondering if she really should."
Swish, swish, swish, swish-.
"In Adela's grip is a stone. A stone that makes Adela hesitate. Because this is no ordinary stone."
Swish, swish, swish, swish-.
"The stone has the word 'Memory' written on it. It is a stone containing memories from the banquet the night before, up until the events in her younger sibling Oscar's room. Tell me, don't you want to throw it away right now?"
"......."
"Don't... you... want... to... throw... it... away... right... now? Really?"
"......."
Huh, this is getting a bit dangerous. She's not budging. Maybe I should stir her emotions.
"Do you remember?"
Nod-.
"What do you remember? You can tell me, right?"
In response to my question asked in a sweet voice, Adela spoke in a dry, mechanical tone.
"Clearly... Aunt... who was... at the banquet... was... locked... in Oscar's... closet...."
"And then? What happened?"
"The door... disappeared... my head... went blank... my mind... grew hazy... very... strange...."
"That's enough, you can stop talking now, Adela. From here on, we're going to perform a treatment that will make you feel at ease."
"A treatment... that makes me feel at ease...?"
"Yes, it's about removing the sickness in your heart, Adela. You'll feel better once you're cured, right? Just think about that."
Swish, swish, swish, swish-.
One silver lining is that individuals with lower intelligence are more susceptible to hypnosis. Of course, my hypnosis skills are at a level that would make even dragons marvel, but this is something I realized after my first failure when I tried to hypnotize the Emperor of the Empire.
Swish, swish, swish, swish-.
"Adela, how do you feel recalling those memories? Be honest and tell me exactly what emotions you're feeling."
"Uh... afraid... scared... creepy... chilling... that's how it feels...."
"Right? It's very unpleasant, isn't it? Like you're alone, wandering through an endless darkness, feeling completely lost?"
"Mmh...? Now that you mention it... I think... it does..."
"We have to throw away the things we hate. Adela, it's simple. Lift the stone in your hand high. Then, hurl it far into the lake. Then you'll be at peace."
Swish, swish, swish, swish-.
The lake is the Abyss of Memory. Like how we cannot retain memories of our birth, it is an abyss where things cannot be recalled even if one wishes to. There, I bury Adela's recent memories.
Swish, swish, swish, swish-.
Adela emotionlessly raised her arm. Her hand looked as if it were gripping something invisible.
"Imagine you're firing a bow, and pull your arm back. Then, throw it with all your strength. Anywhere into the lake. It's so wide that no matter where you throw it, it'll definitely land in the water."
Swish, swish, swish, swish-.
My arm is starting to hurt. I hurried to speak before my arm muscles gave out.
"Throw it. Throw away Adela's painful memories. Right now."
Whoosh-!
An arm holding nothing sliced through the air. So fiercely that I could feel a cool breeze. It showed just how much Adela had trembled in fear amidst the inexplicable supernatural phenomenon while under the illusion.
"Plop-."
The thrown stone falls into the lake. The stone slowly sinks deep, deep into the water.
"The heart doesn't betray you, Adela. Because it knows your inner self best. You've just done the thing you wanted to do most in this moment."
"Uh...."
Due to buoyancy, the stone doesn't descend quickly. However, it continues to fall endlessly. Until it reaches the bottom.
Swish, swish, swish, swish-.
Oops, time is almost up. When is it going to hit the bottom? Perhaps because Adela has lived for a thousand years, the Abyss of Memory is far too deep.
Swish, swish, swish, swish-.
It seems unlikely that I'll hit the timing perfectly. Keeping my hand swinging the cross, I simply extended my foot to close the open wardrobe door. It was a move that required great flexibility, but for a nine-year-old like me, it was no problem at all.
Swish, swish, swish, swish-.
Based on a rough estimate, there are about 30 seconds left. Once Adela's mind returns to its normal state, the hypnosis will lift immediately. Since the clothes I'm wearing are soaked in Retavis's blood, I have to find a solution somehow.
"......Tup- Right now, the stone has reached the bottom of the lake. The stone will never float back up again."
"...."
There is no answer. I don't have the luxury to worry about it.
I quickly withdrew the cross. The hypnosis was over, and Adela remained in the same blank state as when I first entered the room.
I take off the clothes I was wearing. Fortunately, since the blood dried while returning from Endros' Cliff, a disaster like the floor being soaked in blood didn't happen.
I roughly crumpled the clothes and pushed them deep under the bed. I tucked the gloves in as well. Then, after turning off the room's light, I naturally lifted the duvet and lay in bed. I covered my tired body, which had worked hard tonight, with the fluffy blanket.
And so, 30 seconds passed.
"......Hmm?"
I heard Adela's voice. Unlike before, there was a hint of vitality in that questioning tone.
"Where... am I? Is this Oscar's room...? Ugh, my head...."
Adela stumbles. She placed a hand on her forehead, rewinding her memories. I'm not entirely sure if that's what happened, but that's how the atmosphere seemed through the dim darkness.
"Why... am I here...."
Good, this is the moment. It's my turn to step in.
"N-Noonim? Is that you, Adela Noonim?"
"...Oscar? Are you awake?"
"I just heard your voice... Noonim, what are you doing in my room...?"
I asked, blurring my voice as much as possible, sounding like someone who had just woken up.
I am currently in a half-asleep, dazed state. Realize this completely.
"Oscar, do you happen to know why I was here? Ugh, my head has been splitting for a while now."
"I-I don't know? I haven't been feeling well, so I've been sleeping since evening and only just woke up because I heard your voice...."
"You're sick...? Could it be that the aftermath of your head injury is still lasting? Goodness, this is no time to be bothered by a headache. Wait a moment. I'll bring some medicine for you right away."
"Uh... m-medicine? I'd prefer a spirit medicine over regular medicine...."
"I can't just stand by while my younger sibling is sick. I'll nurse you all night tonight. Oscar, get some rest."
"...Excuse me?"
"Since you were hurt because of my mistake, I will absolutely not stand by. I'll be right back."
After saying that, Adela dashed out of the room. A moment later, she returned carrying an armful of various medicinal ingredients.
Um... Noonim? I spent all night fighting...? I overdid it too much in this nine-year-old body, so I really need to sleep now...?