CH 57.1

Chaos in Ostland (3)

I couldn’t make it in time. No matter how hard I try, there are things I can’t do. But this was too much. I lost a friend I had made, the person I was going to make happy memories with in the future.

What came up was anger. I hate it, why did she have to die? If you told me that it’s how the world goes around, there’s nothing I could say. There are countless people dying every day, mercilessly. Maybe I’m not the only one who should be angry. I am not the only one who is sad and in pain. Still… I just can’t forgive them.

Is there nothing I can do? Is there nothing I can do to help her? I am willing to do anything, no matter how ruthless the means.

Strangely, I didn’t cry. But I couldn’t control the anger that overwhelmed my grief. My clenched fists were bleeding. There were my first friends. We had promised to go shopping together tomorrow. If I had noticed what was wrong earlier, she might not have died. But that’s in the past. Even if I mobilized all my magic power, I can’t turn back time. Magic might be able to do it. But I don’t think I could do it even if there were 100 of me.

What should I do? Something should have come to mind at a time like this. I usually invent things. Something should come out of this critical situation… but nothing came to my mind. There was nothing I could do.

“How could this…”

Anon collapsed beside me. She was crying. Of course. Unlike me, they hadn’t known each other only for a few months. They have known each other since birth, and their connection was far deeper than mine.

—I give you this—

I suddenly heard a voice. And a raging headache. It was information. A vast amount of information, details of the human body… information on a genetic level, and a forbidden magic that could bring back the dead.

I don’t know of any magic like this. It is not the kind of magic a magician could know. I can’t create what I don’t know. Why? I don’t even know where I learned it. But if I use this magic correctly, she may be saved. I can do what is necessary for that.

“Reject the world and create a new reason, Illusory Boundary. I refuse the separation of the soul. Bind thine soul, body.”

“Huh?”

The world changed. I created my fantasy world where things like clocks float here and there and bear dolls walk around playing musical instruments. This place has become my domain. Now, the souls of the people in this place will never be detached. That is the rule of this world. I will at least try to save the people who are here, as well.

“Deploy magic crest, activate holy shrouds.”

Next, a tattoo-like object appeared on my body. This was an external magic circuit. The magic I am about to perform is difficult, even with holy shrouds and magic crests. Without delicate work, the information of the soul will be damaged. If the soul is damaged beyond repair, it can no longer be touched. It is a super-dense body of information. Even I could understand that there was nothing I could do if damaged.

And then, the first holy shroud in a long time. I’ve been steadily working on these for a while. The burden of large-scale magic deployment is totally different without them. This time, I will use about 1,000 shrouds in a big way. The holy shrouds will be placed along the Illusory Boundary that surrounded the auditorium.

“Please.”

—I’m not very enthusiastic about this, but let’s do it. Don’t cry if it fails, okay?—

“Today is the day I succeed. Spirit magic equipment deployment.”

One more thing. This is a spirit-made magic equipment creation spell that I had been practicing in secret, so my Mother wouldn’t find out.”

What is spirit magic? The answer is simple. It’s the difference in the power to interfere with the world. Other than that, there is no difference. The power used by spirits can interfere with the world far more than humans can. So I searched for a way to be in a similar state, even if only temporarily, and as a result I arrived at a temporary fusion with a spirit. This was not in included in my knowledge. I had never succeeded in this because it was too difficult. Originally, the spirit and I are two different beings, and we repel each other. I could not accept the spirit in me. But if I succeeded, the success rate of this magic would rise to a stable level. The Spirit of Light controls life. Her power is desperately needed. I cannot fail even by one chance.

The Spirit of Light entered my chest… when I charged into Alicia’s chest before, I was bounced back, but now… yes, now I’m concentrating.

And then there was an intense pain that shook my soul.

It felt like I was rewriting my own existence. It’s not like there was no price to pay to become what can be called a half-spirit. If I merely fail, we will be forced to separate and pass out, but if I fail to control it when we are in sync, my ego could be erased. Since the spirit’s soul is originally higher in rank than mine, there is danger of my soul being shattered. I don’t know what will happen because we have never succeeded, but according to the spirits, I can borrow their power to use even more powerful magic.

“Alice, what are you doing!!”

“Be quiet for a little. I’m going to blow up if I don’t concentrate.”

I started to synchronize my soul with the spirit’s, and transformed it little by little. As much as possible, I will transform my soul to closely resembles a spirit’s, while leaving my ego intact.