31
Chapter 31
About three days had passed since I killed Leonard and Retavis. On the first day, the retainers didn't think much of it and brushed off their absence, but by the second day, the atmosphere of the house began to change.
This was because Leonard and Retavis were scheduled to leave for a training trip to the Demon Beast Forest in a few days. Of course, Leonard and Retavis had already crossed the River of Three Crossings together.
By my hand! By the hand of this little brat, who is only nine years old! Hehehe!
Phew, as expected of me. The cleanup was neat; I'm truly amazing.
By the third day, the house felt like a funeral home. Being out of contact for three whole days was an issue—maybe for a common family, but not for the eldest and second sons of the Lucifer Family, the most powerful family in the Demon Realm.
Following my orders, my aunt went to file a missing person report today. Once the Demon Realm Police launch a full-scale search, it won't be long before Leonard's corpse is found.
I have plenty of time. Since the mask I left there will handle everything, I have nothing to do.
In a great mood, I opened my drawer and pulled out an item. An old book that looked like it would puff out dust if shaken.
Flip.
The cover of the book read [Flower that Eats Time].
Evans' Book, written by the Time Traveler Evans, which I had received from King at the Southern Grand Duke's Mansion. I should read it in my spare time.
With that mindset, I turned the first page.
"......Hmm?"
In the place where a normal book would have an [Author's Note] or a [List of Contributors], there was a single, random drawing sitting there.
A round clock of a very antique design occupied the first page. A single drawing took up the entire page.
"Ha, this Evans guy. He sure knows how to waste money. Then again, since he's a Time Traveler, I guess money isn't an issue."
Flip.
Turning another page, another drawing appeared. It was a sunflower with its bud wide open, looking to the left as if trying to devour the clock from the previous page.
It was clearly a black-and-white drawing, yet strangely, a peculiar floral scent wafted from it. The pungent aroma brushing the tip of my nose made me feel strangely uneasy.
Huh? What is this baseless drawing that thinks it can sway me? I mean, it's quite an insolent painting.
That's why I like it. To think it could actually affect me. Artistically, it's a pass.
They say a good painting is one that stirs the heart of the viewer. This is something King and I discussed regarding art in my previous life, and this drawing is somewhat similar to that. It's eerie and chilling. Sunflowers usually symbolize peace and unchanging love, but this one seems to show a creepy obsession.
Flip.
Turning the next page, text finally appeared. This was the first writing I'd seen since the large title on the cover, and perhaps because I was already intrigued by the drawings, I felt a natural sense of anticipation.
[The Flower that Eats Time blooms for a very long time. For it monopolizes the time that billions of lives should share.]
[The Flower that Eats Time withers in an instant. For it has overeaten alone for far too long.]
[Have you realized? The flower mentioned here refers to gods. Not the 'Lord' who created the world and leads the likes of the Holy Church, but the 'gods' as a race dwelling in the Heavenly Realm above. That slothful race, living off the faith of countless beings, survives for a very long time, but the moment that faith bursts due to a single event, they vanish helplessly.]
Wait, hold on.
Now that I look at it, this book is quite blasphemous. I wonder if I should keep reading.
...Actually, I love it. A blasphemous book. It knows exactly how to hit my taste.
[There are truly many gods in this world. This is because the number and types of gods people believe in are overflowing. Occasionally, I wonder if gods are merely business ventures for humans. Looking at the amount of money churches and temples rake in each year, I can't help but think so.]
[Enough with the rambling that has nothing to do with the point of this book; I now wish to speak deeply about 'time.' To you reading this, do you know of the god who controls time? Cronos, the God of Time. He governs, manages, and rules the time of this world. If you have questions about the laws of time, you need only go to Cronos's temple and ask for an oracle.]
[That is what I did. To be precise, I developed these doubts after meeting a Hero who claimed to have 'regressed.' Until then, I believed I was a 'Regressor' myself, but that Hero told me I was not.]
[I was curious about the basis for that statement. Since we both returned to the past, I asked why it was regression for him and not for me. The Hero said he didn't know and told me to ask Cronos. So, I went to the temple of Cronos.]
[When I asked Cronos, he answered immediately, contrary to the typical laziness of the god race. He explained that winding back time and returning to the past along with the world is regression, whereas moving between past and future with one's physical body, as I do, is time travel. At that moment, I realized I was a time traveler.]
[I want to share this. Winding back time is regression. However, no one except the party involved can remember a regression. Perhaps the world is still turning back now. It is just that we fail to notice.]
[The Empire's founder went to the past to prevent a ruined future, met his younger self there, saved the continent, and established the empire. This is a case of time travel. We must clearly distinguish between regression and time travel.]
[What is the use of distinguishing them? I don't know either. Ah, though it is a good way to waste time. For someone wasting their life reading a book as utterly useless as this, it would be a very efficient use of time.]
[Ah, but still. One never knows.]
[Perhaps someone for whom this distinction is crucial, like a Regressor, is reading my book right now.]
Uh, that Regressor is right here.
I already knew the famous fact that the Empire's founder saved the continent after meeting his future self... but a regressed Hero? Southern Duke King said something similar, didn't he?
Could that regressed Hero be the same person? If it was the Hero from two generations ago, he should be dead, but hearing the word Regressor twice makes me curious. I'm not certain they are the same person yet, though.
[As a side note, there is no such thing as a coincidence in regression. This is because all things in the world follow the law of causality. Therefore, winding back time requires a corresponding price. Much like how those who wish for healing through holy power offer donations to a priest.]
[What that price is varies from person to person. Since I am not a Regressor, I know nothing, but one thing is certain: it must be something that can move the heart of Cronos, the God of Time.]
[If you are a Regressor, or an acquaintance of one, I urge you to ask. Ask what they offered to Cronos to buy time. Also, ask for what purpose they bought that time. If they answer that they came to invest because they lacked money, there is a ten-percent chance they are a parasite, so cut ties quickly. One should not associate with those who lose money on investments in a previous life and then try to invest again.]
A price? I didn't have anything like that? I just died and ended up like this.
I've never even met Cronos, the God of Time. Why would such a high-and-mighty fellow meet me? It's not like I'm a Godslayer like Theseus.
...When I was on the guillotine, the Saint spoke as if she knew I would regress. Could the Saint be connected to Cronos?
A price, a price.
Flip.
From a Regressor's perspective, the content of the book naturally raises questions, but I can't simply dismiss it as nonsense. After all, this is the book of a time traveler.
Though I can't ignore the possibility that Evans wrote these lies as a prank.
Just then, someone banged loudly on the door. Adela's heavy, low voice seeped through the gap in the door.
"Oscar, are you in your room?"
I had lost track of time while reading such an interesting book. I quickly shoved [Flower that Eats Time] into the drawer and replied.
"Noonim, what is it?"
"Hmm... I have some very sad news."
"Sad news? What's that?"
"Before that, may I enter your room? This isn't a light topic to discuss...."
"My room? Just a moment. I have some things to tidy up."
I need to tidy up my facial expression.
If it's something so bleak that Adela would lower her voice like that, it can only be that Leonard's corpse, who fell off Endros' Cliff, has been found. However, right now, I can't stop myself from smiling. It's because smiling has become a habit.
I raised my hand to my face and wiped it downward. It's a good way to change expressions. After all, a facial expression is just a mask made of muscle and flesh; it's easy to change as long as you have a small dressing room.
"All done. Come in."
Click- creak.
"By the way, what is it?"
I ask in a serious tone, unlike my usual self. I do this so as not to irritate Adela.
"...Leonard has been found."
"What? What do you mean by that?"
"A few hours ago, Aunt filed a missing person report for Leonard... and the Demon Realm Police found him at Endros' Cliff."
"What? Really? But why on earth did Hyungnim go to such a dangerous cliff?"
I ask with an innocent look, as if I know nothing, while remaining serious.
Not doubting my acting in the slightest, Adela bit her lower lip painfully and let it tremble slightly.
".........As a corpse."
"...What?"
"Exactly as I said. Leonard was found dead. Whether he fell from the top of the cliff or not, the body was shattered into pieces."
"...!"
"It doesn't seem like an accident caused by a simple mistake. There were signs of a struggle on top of the cliff. Someone likely murdered Leonard intentionally...... Dammit!"
Grit.
Adela stopped mid-sentence. She bit her lip so hard that a streak of bright red blood began to flow.
Her trembling fists give away the volcano-like wrath she harbors. Adela is probably the only demon who would be this shaken by the death of a family member.
Then again, that's probably why she chose to die in my place to save me in my previous life. That is Adela's charm. Her convictions and will that do not break even in the face of death.
Though the desire to corrupt and break those convictions and will is springing up within me, I'll set it aside. No matter how bad a person I am, I'm not that cruel to the older sister who gave her life for me.
The speck of conscience remaining in a corner of my heart suppresses my expanding desire.
"Oscar, listen carefully to what I am about to say."
Suppressing her cooling passion, Adela lowered her gaze and grabbed both of my shoulders. She didn't grip them hard enough to hurt, but there was a sense of restraint that made it difficult to pull away.
What is it? Why is this silly Noona setting such a mood for whatever she wants to say?
"I believe Retavis is behind this."
"......??"
"Leonard and Retavis disappeared together, and Leonard was found dead at the bottom of the cliff. Signs of a fierce battle were discovered at the top."
"You mean Eldest Brother Retavis is the culprit who murdered Second Brother Leonard?"
"Yes. From what I can see, there was some friction between them, and after a fight, Retavis must have pushed Leonard off the cliff. Then, remembering that killing a fellow demon is strictly forbidden in the Demon Realm, he chose to flee."
Oh, that's a very sharp deduction. She reasoned through the situation and clues unlike her usual silly self; she was actually quite clever.
"But Second Brother has the liquefaction ability. How do you explain that? Someone with liquefaction as their unique ability couldn't have died from a mere physical impact like falling off a cliff."
However, it's still not enough.
"Is... is that so? Then... could he have planned the murder from the start and deliberately executed it...?"
"Aw, that makes even less sense. Why would Eldest Brother do such a thing? Is there any reason for him to become a fugitive pursued by the Demon Realm Police?"
"Ah... I guess so. No matter how much Retavis hated Leonard, there's no reason for him to become a runaway...."
"Eldest Brother was the closest to becoming the Head of Family; there's no way he'd kick away bread that was practically rolling into his lap."
It's good that Adela is using her head. It's a law of nature that the more you use your brain, the smarter you get. Since Adela is unlikely to oppose me and is becoming sharper, I have no reason to interfere.
But not right now. I've already burned Retavis's corpse to ash with a cross. I mean, even if I wanted to create a culprit, I can't. Unlike with Leonard.
Thump, thump, thump!
Just then, someone banged violently on the door. At the urgency of the knocking, Adela released my shoulders and spoke.
"What is it?"
"M-Miss! He's caught! They caught the culprit!"
"...What? Caught the culprit? What on earth does that mean? Lea, Lea!"
The maid called Lea delivers the news while gasping for breath.
The news that I planned, prepared, and set up.
"They found it! Near Master Leonard's corpse, they found a mask belonging to Southern Grand Duke King!"
"...!"
Adela hurriedly opened the door and followed the maid out.
"Hehehe."
Left alone, I chuckled to myself.
This is no time to linger. I should hurry to the crime scene, where things must be getting very interesting by now. I don't want to regret missing out on such an enjoyable spectacle.