Chapter 399

Episode 399: One person (5)

[A weak person cannot even choose the method of death. Well, I don’t think you would choose death at any moment.]

The human let out a twisted laugh at the court jester who came for the first time in a while and said something like that.

“Then you can become stronger.”

The voice that was no longer blurred signaled the true starting point.

“By any means necessary.”

* * *

“...I have heard of it. “It was definitely the Marcata disaster.”

“I know very well. But what you learned and the actual cause may be slightly different. “I actually scaled down a few pieces for the wizards working at the Magic Tower at the time.”

“yes...?”

The Archmage chuckled while hearing the Inquisitor’s embarrassed voice. The explanation isn’t over yet.

“The study of the merciless Sakpung was to explore the devil itself and find a more effective countermeasure. It is a field where there are many people who want to learn and many people who are looking for it. However, since it is difficult to produce results, not much investment is collected...”

“Ah, so.”

“It’s meant to fight against the devil, but the investment money isn’t there?”

“To be exact, the amount going out is greater than the investment amount raised.”

As the city was located on the front line, there was no shortage of demons. However, such research usually requires a living demon.

Request fee for capturing a demon alive. Maintenance fee for confining a captured demon. Cost of purchasing materials and tools used for the research itself. It was truly a hippopotamus eating money.

“How much we fought because of that back then. I always had to struggle with money because I spent all the money I made through research. Well, we had no choice but to lose in the end, even if it was because of the situation on the front line that would change the results of Sakpung’s exploration.”

“....”

“Still, I would have been very happy if it had continued like that...”

“...Archmage.”

Hearing the Inquisitor’s call, the Archmage complained quietly.

“There’s a joke like this among wizards who study demons. “A place where a devil stays for a long time will turn into a devil world, so be careful not to become a devil in that devil world... It’s just a joke.”

This is a maxim that everyone knows, but not everyone keeps. The Archmage smiled faintly again at that fact.

Everyone wiggled their fingers at the expression on his face that made him laugh because he couldn’t cry.

“...he forgot what he said and ended up reaching for the taboo.”

“...Did Archmage know that fact?”

“If you really didn’t know anything, it would be a lie that no one would believe. “I don’t want to make that excuse either.”

There was a feeling. Yes, the ominous signs were definitely real.

“At first, I was skeptical, but later I didn’t want to believe it, so I turned away from it. Or perhaps he believed that everything was settled with one argument. “Foolishly.”

One day when opposition was expressed in subtle language. The day when evidence that I could not ignore came out. They raised their voices, they were hurt, and they put a false sense of peace in each other’s eyes.

It was hypocrisy and self-deception.

“I really like him...”

Because we were old friends, we thought of each other as companions who would walk together for the rest of our lives. Because each of us does not have the courage to lose love through pointless suspicion and honest confession.

“...It’s unfortunate. “The silence that was thought to be the best at the time ended up being the worst choice, and the turning away that was thought to be an effort ended up being on the sidelines.”

How good it would have been if she had had the wisdom to realize that back then. Although she regrets and reminisces every time, the reality she is given in the end is like this.

“By the time he fully acknowledged that he was still dabbling in taboo, it was already too late. “Because he was trying to do something to prove his research.”

“Could it be that...?”

“His research failed. “The runaway magic circle was causing a storm of demonic energy and corrupting the surrounding land.”

[#$@#$%^$.]

And when all the treatment was over, Asmodeus kissed her forehead and went out. Her fingertips trembled and then immediately collapsed.

“...Mephistopheles.”

Also, she pursed her lips and called someone’s name.

“What must humans do to become as strong as the devil?”

[well. What do you think?]

The court jester revealed himself from behind the curtain, as if he had been in this room from the beginning. It could not have been there since the corps commander was there, so it was clear that he had used some unusual technology to get there.

“Can I become a devil too?”

[I guess I got the answer right.]

“Then how do I become a devil?”

The woman lifted her fully healed upper body. Grumbling. Her hair, cut at different lengths, hung around her face like a spider web. Maybe it was a veil worn to commemorate the dead.

“What should I do to gain enough strength to kill them all?”

The man who had lost his face and name held a blade forged with hatred and fury.

[You...]

Wow, you have to be that temperamental to get angry.

As I was expressing such admiration with a pure heart, the clown took a pose contemplating something. He was stroking his lower jaw (bone?) with his hand and supporting the elbow of that arm with his other hand.

[...I mean the devil. Like humans, you can accumulate strength over a long period of time, but it is also possible to increase your strength by eating others.]

After thinking for a while, the clown waved his palm and said. The voice was soothing, like the devil’s whisper, but dry, like the advice of a wise man.

[You can eat the heart of the person you killed to absorb the demonic energy it has accumulated, and by eating its head, you can steal its soul and name... and take away everything the opponent has accumulated.] “

Really?”

[However, this method carries risks. The soul and name you consumed may try to take your body. After all, you are a human, right? With your insignificant soul, there is a high probability that only your body will be robbed.]

“Then what should we do then? “If there’s no way to become stronger, I—!”

[Do you really want to kill everything?]

“Don’t take the obvious!”

[Even if you forget yourself and even forget the original reason, even if you are no longer the same as your past self. Still?]

And at the end of the clown’s question, the woman answered mockingly in an unwavering tone.

“When I fell here, I was no longer able to live as myself, so why can’t I just throw away something like that?”

That is the word that best expresses her personality and the sentence that most easily describes the person she is.

“I don’t need anything else. “If only I could take revenge on those bastards who put me in this hell...!”

Can we say that is evil? No, it would not be possible to simply classify the nature of evil as good or evil. If the result of the action is good, it will be called tenacity, but if it is bad, it will only be called poison.

[If... you. Would you mind changing your bet with me a little?]

However, as someone who knew the outcome, it just left a bitter taste in my mouth. If it had only been revenge, I could have sympathized with her life, but... she has come too far now.

“Let’s change it?”

[Adding a deadline to an existing contract. And that period of time... A human life is usually 100 years, so I think half of that, 50 years, would be good. Now, what do you think?]

“...Ha, by then I will be old and my physical strength will have dropped by half?”

[Oh dear one. Do you think the corps commander will let you grow old? He never gives up on someone he has decided to love. Even if you don’t want to, you will live forever. At least until you fall in love with him. So the only thing you need to worry about is whether or not you can overcome it.]

“Oh really? That’s it then. Let’s do it.”

I ended up closing my eyes as I watched the contract being renewed. Even when I closed it, I could still see the scene in front of me, but it felt roughly like that.

[Additional conditions are met. Please...I hope you take everything from me.]

I had a gut feeling that the end was slowly approaching.