CH 399

“That’s why the Wise Man’s Soul has the ability to perform what I like to call miracles.”

“I can see that just by looking at Fath-san to know that ……”

The wall-slammed Retzel opens his mouth as he walks over to Geiri, brushing off the dust. I can’t help but be confused as I look at Fath-san.

“Master, you’re so cute …….”

“Right? I was so disappointed when Hind took her …… Now that he’s gone, should I hit on her again?”

“Shut up! …… We’ll worry about me later. We need to let Ornob rest, and it’s pitiful to leave Geiri just like that. Let’s give him a proper burial.”

“Fath-sama is right. I’ll carry Dasha-chan in my arms, okay? We have to get Papa, don’t we?”

“Aye!”

Fath-san, who was probably the most confused, calmly gave instructions, and Helena’s mother concurred and told us. Thinking that the matter with Aiatubus isn’t related to Helena, I approached her.

“Helena, you can go upstairs with your mother. We’ll take care of the rest. As for the body–“

“Irumi and I will carry it. I’m still a nurse and a doctor, after all. Lars, I’ll see you later.”

“Doctor, we’ll go back first.”

“Yes, get some rest.”

“Makina, Lars, be careful, okay?”

Helena took Ornob-san by the shoulders and walked away. She walked out of the dungeon with an unusually anxious look on her face, followed by Helena’s mother, Reiss and Irumi. As they go out one after another, Ash looked up at Fath-san and tilted his head.

“Kuoon?”

“Ash, it’s master, you know? Smell her.”

“…… Kuoon♪”

“So you can tell. Hyaaah!?”

Fath-san, who was holding Ash in her arms, raised her voice when she was licked on the cheek. As I looked at the scene, I spoke to the remaining Retzel.

“So, what the hell is the “Wise Man’s Soul”? I have one, but it was created using the Treant’s magical power. As a result of the [appraisal], the owner is me, and the Mini Treant, Sephiro there is …… Oh, no, I can leave that part. And that same Gospel’s Descent member, Sonia, who had the half-witted Wise Man’s Soul.”

“This is the fourth time I’ve seen it in my life. I’ve heard that it’s an external method that sucks up magic power, but I didn’t realize it could also use human life.”

When I and Fath-san each asked a question, Retzel said as he repositioned his glasses.

“I don’t know much about it myself, though? I’ve heard that what happens changes depending on who “uses” it. For example, Fath-san, right? The miracle she performed was one that took a human life to perform.”

“Damn you, how you could let me use such a precious thing. You seem to be a crazy man after all, as Lars said ……”

“Master ……”

“It’s okay, it’s over now, after all. I think it would be in their best interest to make the most of it, don’t you?”

“You look like you need another beating ……! What do you do with people’s lives and feelings!”

“Kuoon!?”

Ash falls out of Fath-san’s arms as she grits her teeth and tries to hit him, and Makina grabs her arms to stop her. I’ll take care of it, Just when I thought of that, something unexpected happens. 

“Don’t talk to me like you know what you’re talking about! The dead don’t come back to life, don’t look back on what’s done! If you feel regret, think about what you can do to repay it! Use what you can! If you don’t, know that you will suffer the same fate as that one!”

“……!”

He pointed to the “Wise Man’s Soul”, and instead of his usual smirk, his face turned into a grim expression, glaring at us in rage. This guy …… Isn’t that all you’re doing, taking it easy? The power of his words is the same as when Tigre-sensei was really angry, and when we gulped, Retzel coughed, smiled again, and his shoulder lowered.

“…… Oops, I’m sorry that I showed something improper. In other words, the “Wise Man’s Soul” can perform miracles for the price of using it. I think it was Geiri’s decision that he couldn’t die until he defeated Pluto.”

“If that’s the case, then it’s possible that there’s a limit to what you can do …… Either way, I don’t think I’d want to use it knowing after knowing what it is.”

“What does it mean that we can free the slaves if we do?”

DIbit-san then asked about what King Afmand had said about emancipation.

“I think it’s the other way around.”

“Other way ……?”

“Yes, the “Wise Man’s soul” is not dead yet. Perhaps he will use it to suck the life out of the slaves. Then you will be freed from slavery.”

“Uhh ……”

Makina frowns at Retzel, who says happily, and we fall silent. Since I don’t know how to use it, I’m not sure if what Retzel is saying is true or not. Either way, we won’t be able to use the “Wise Man’s Soul”.

When we were silent, Basleigh-sensei, who was with Sephiro and Aiatsubus, opened her mouth to no one in particular.

“I see you’re awake.”

“W-Where …….”

“I’ve just finished my talk, so I suppose it’s convenient. Now, Aiatsubus, we have to decide what to do with you, but what are you going to do?”

“Retzel ……! You betrayed Apollos-sama, didn’t you? Kuku, stupid man …… Do you really think you can survive against that man? Come on, kill me if you have to!”

“I’m thinking about it!? Now, it’s easy to go along with your provocation, but if I do that, Apollos will know that you’re dead, won’t he?”

“……”

“I’ll take mute as an affirmative, but there you have it. I’m sorry, Lars-kun, but can you leave Aiatsubus alive?”

“……”

I frowned, “Don’t ask me such a difficult question”.

If Aiatsubus isn’t human, there’s no reason to keep her alive after she’s collected so much instability by letting so many people fight each other.

…… I mean, if you’re not human, then killing you is a bit of a struggle, to be honest. I know there’s a punishment for sin, but–

“…… What’s the downside? When Aiatsubus is dead and the Founder Apollos knows of her death, what happens to us?”

“Rather than Lars-kun and the others, they will probably attack the Reflexion Kingdom. I don’t know why, but Apollos has a big grudge against the Reflexion. So he’s been planning to use the Gospel’s Descent to seize each territory and bring it down from within.”

“So, you’re the one who instigated Brao to take Gust territory, huh.”

He nodded his head, his mouth twisting even more at my words. That explains why both Oriola and Glasco were involved in the Gospel’s Descent.

“I’m sure they know we’re in the Reflexion Kingdom, but they won’t know that we defeated her, right?”

“Who knows. If a Chief Priest is defeated while they are in the way, you may think that it is faster to attack them before reducing their strength. He’s been doing it in a roundabout way because of his unnecessary pride, but I think he’s about to run out of patience. If that happens, it’s not good for them to know that Aiatsubus has been killed.”

“Well, isn’t it fine? As long as we can control the black haze, she is no different from a mere human being, and it seems that as long as Sephiro-kun is here, we can hold her down.”

“!”

“Kuh …….”

I’m sure you’d like to kill her, but Sephiro responds to Basleigh-sensei words by raising his hand. Aiatsubus is disappointed that she wasn’t killed.

“Kuku …… I guess it’s decided? In the meantime, the right hand is unsightly, so let’s stitch it up. And ……”

“……!? Uaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh ……!?”

Retzel takes a syringe out of his pocket, sticks it into Aiatsubus, and injects the liquid inside, and the light goes out of Aiatsubus’ eyes and they become empty.

“Hmm, It’s a drug that only works on humans, but …… it worked, didn’t it? This is a drug that blurs your consciousness, but I didn’t think it would work. It seems that the Chief Priests still has some secret?”

“……”

“Mmm …… what a horrible medicine ……”

Fath-san shuddered, and we frowned at Aiatsubus, which stood up in a daze. Retzel doesn’t seem to mind, he just says it to us. 

“Let’s go back, then. I’m in the mood for an evening meal, hahahahahaha! Oh, I feel so good!”

Laughing, he leaves the underground basement, and we follow him, thinking he’s a strange guy.

The castle was still in a flurry of activity, but after taking the evening meal that King Afmand had prepared for us, we said we would take care of the rest and went to the room we were assigned to rest.

With the members being Me, Makina, Fath-san, Aiatsubus, and Sephiro. We all went to sleep, as if we were in no danger, as if Aiatsubus had seriously emptied her head.

And then–

Next time, episode 400!

Thank you for reading!

[Afterword Theater]