Episode 48.5

"Now then. I believe that was a month after you entered into my apprenticeship. You said I'm Erushira the witch, didn't you."

"Yea."

"You said this then. That you noticed my presence the moment you walked through this town's gate, and that I was no human."

"Yea."

"You possess an ability to detect life forms over a wide area, with humans shown as red, animals as green and magic beasts as well as apparitions as blue. You discovered a strong blue dot of light not unlike the boss of a grand dungeon when you arrived at this town, and that was me."

"Yeah. A light which rivals that of a dragon kind."

"I'm sure you have no clue just how much of a shock those words gave me."

"You didn't look like you were at all."

"It was enough to nearly stop my beating heart, you know. Listen now. I am for sure not an ordinary human. I had been turned into an undying human by way of an immortalization art. Yet I am a human. That was the one truth I never even questioned."

"Hold it. You said this at the time. 'Some Revenant-type apparitions are originally humans. I'm one among such cases.' Or something like that."

"You really have a good memory, don't you. That was me trying to be self-deprecating."

"Self-deprecating?"

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"Yep. I wanted you to deny me there. Like, 'No you're no apparition.'"

"But, you couldn't use <Purification> on yourself anymore after turning into an undead. Those words came out of your mouth."

"Yep. That's exactly correct. I could no longer cast <Purification> after becoming an undead. Because the light <Purification> is the light of ruins to undead. But you know. I have a physical body unlike Soul Ogre-type Apparitions such as Hollow Shrieks, White Ice Princess and Dark Spirits. I retain my memory and will unlike Specters-type Apparitions like White Spectres, Cursed Imps, or Carrion King. I have mind and heart. My body is also a living breathing one unlike Specters or Apparitions. Yes, just like humans."

"Humans don't get erased by <Purification> though."

"Are you really branding me an Apparition by fixating on that one point?"

"Dunno if apparition is right or not, but non-human existences can only be Apparitions or Magic Beasts. At least that's how it's deemed by <Life Detection>."

"Alright. Let us put that aside for now. Now then, after finding out about all that from you, I started looking at it from a new angle. That <Life Detection> of yours depicted me in blue color. This implies that there is a fundamental difference which objectively separates humans to animals to magic beasts and apparitions. Objective disparities of their existences."

"Hold it. There's no way to tell that difference without <Life Detection>."

"If those means did not previously exist, as long as you know that those differences exist, you simply develop one such means yourself. Doesn't matter how long it takes. Magic and magic tools capable of replicating your <Life Detection> capability can definitely be made. Dont'cha make light the inquisitive minds of scholars, mages and magic tool engineers."

"There's no mages or magic tool engineers who's aware of that difference."

"You're looking at one now. I was made aware of that. There is just no way for me to ever forget that. So I won't avert my gaze from that truth. There are fundamental differences between magic beasts, apparitions, and humans. And those differences made me be classified into magic beasts and apparitions. I had to investigate that no matter the cost. As that should be a big clue that will get me closer to the truth of life."

"You're one natural born researcher huh."

"I sure am. Just like how you're a natural born adventurer. I kept doing experiment after experiment, posit after posit. Yet, I could never find the answer I seek. But the differences do exist. Your <Life Detection> shows different colors after all. I kept turning over your words in my mind, scrutinizing them over and over again. And then I finally realized an important clue."

"Hou."

"You said this then. 'Lives with a huge amount of mana emits strong lights, and those with a small amount emit weak lights.'"

"Yea. That's what I told you early on."

"I found that odd. You seem to have mixed up mana and life forces. But that was because you were lacking words. And that realization was what prompted me to notice a fundamental tidbit."

"Fundamental tidbit?"

"Indeed. The fact that you are an Otherworlder."

"I am indeed, but what's that got to do with this topic."

"Just listen to me in silence for now. After noticing that tidbit, I went to check on you about how <Life Detection> works once again."

"Ah, that time huh. When was that again. Think it was when I was asking you about <Talisman of Darkness Demon>. That's it. That was when I asked you about Genesiac Grace Gear. Around month one or two this year then."

"It was on 31st of month 1 Continental year 118. A day that should be celebrated by every life-related researchers on this entire continent. This is how you answered my question. Mana is the root of life. All life forms have mana. Even insects no matter how small. Hence, any and all humans must be shown by <Life Detection>."

"That's right. That's a fact."

"Nope."

"What?"

"That might be the rule in the world you came from. But that's not how it works in this world."