Chapter 142

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Anna thought today was truly the happiest day of her life.

It was one of the happiest days she could count in her short life so far.

Today, she had big brother all to herself, who always cared for everyone.

She had come out to the city with her admired big sister Lucia on the weekend.

Her injured arm had fully healed, so it didn’t bother her anymore.

Her heart was soaring with excitement. Everything was fascinating. The statues decorating the square. The beautiful fountains shooting high into the sky. The sidewalks adorned with various trees and flowers. The sweet vanilla ice cream. There was even a memorial hall underground. 

It was hard to believe such a massive place existed beneath the ground. It felt like she had stepped into a magical world. Though she worried it might suddenly collapse, Anna was mesmerized by the underground world.

It seemed like just a few days ago, things had been tough.

Well, it was hard to remember clearly.

She knew she had been in an accident with her school friends during the cherry blossom festival, but only vague, fragmented memories remained.

‘Big sister Lucia was really cool…’

She had tripped while running in a hurry and scraped her knee.

She had lost her friends and was left alone, not knowing what to do.

When she felt lost, scared, and helpless, a pretty big sister had reached out her hand.

‘Are you okay? Can you get up?’

She had gently helped her up.

Then, she took care of her until she was safe.

All the way to the shelter outside the park… wait? Did they go to the shelter?

She had also defeated some monsters… Wait, what kind of monsters were they…?

Hmm, I don’t know.

I can’t remember.

Anna brushed it off casually.

That wasn’t what mattered.

Big sister had saved her, and she was safe.

That was all she needed to remember.

That’s why I like big sister Lucia.

I have to like her.

Wait? Why do I have to like her? Because she saved me? Is that it? Yeah, that’s it. She helped me, so it’s only natural to like her. Right? Of course, right?

Her mind felt foggy, as if covered in mist.

But Anna didn’t think much of it.

It felt like she shouldn’t doubt it.

There was nothing wrong with her memories.

Not a single thing.

Everything was undoubtedly true.

‘Hehe, I really like big sister Lucia. I hope she and big brother get married.’

Then we could become family.

Anna was aware that she owed Lucia a great debt. She had saved her life. It was the heaviest and most precious debt one could owe to another. So, she had to repay her. She had to give back as much as she had received.

Big sister Lucia likes big brother Carlos.

Yes, that must be it.

There’s no misunderstanding. It’s the truth. It has to be.

From the depths of her heart, a voice whispered that it was true.

‘I’ll help.’

That’s why she brought her here.

It felt like she absolutely had to do it.

She had asked Carlos to meet here.

She had insisted that it had to be this place.

Today.

At this location.

She absolutely had to bring big sister Lucia.

Anna didn’t harbor even the slightest doubt about this.

The sun rises and sets.

Rain falls from the sky.

Clouds are white.

Birds and butterflies flap their wings.

Water is transparent.

It was as ‘obvious’ as those things.

‘I’ve brought big sister Lucia… now what should I do?’

Anna retraced the ‘obvious thing she had to do today’.

Something she absolutely had to do, something she couldn’t not do.

What would happen if she couldn’t do it?

She didn’t know. She didn’t need to think about it. She just had to do it.

Frowning slightly, she looked around.

There were many people in the memorial hall.

Adults and children.

Men and women.

She quickly scanned their faces, searching for someone.

“Ah.”

It didn’t take long for Anna to find the person she was looking for.

She clenched her small hand and smiled brightly.

Good. She could help big sister Lucia again.

“Big sister.”

Anna turned her head to the left.

There was big sister Lucia.

On the opposite side, to the right, was big brother Carlos.

But right now, she didn’t need big brother Carlos.

She had to separate them somehow.

“I need to go to the bathroom.”

◈

The bathroom.

Where would the bathroom be in the memorial hall?

Holding Anna’s hand, I wandered around looking for the bathroom.

There must be at least one sign indicating the location of the restrooms for visitors.

If I looked carefully, I’d find it soon enough.

I asked Carlos to wait for us there for a while. 

It wouldn’t have been a problem if he followed, but it was Anna’s earnest request.

Well, it’s a bit awkward for a man to follow a girl to the bathroom, right?

Even if they’re like family, it could still be uncomfortable.

“Big sister, I know where the bathroom is.”

As I was looking around for the bathroom, Anna confidently spoke. Her steps were steady, as if she wasn’t lying. She led me through the crowd without getting lost.

“Over there! It’s over there!”

After walking for a few minutes, Anna pointed with her finger.

Just as she said, there was a restroom sign quite a distance away.

Anna let go of my hand and spoke in a cheerful voice.

“Big sister, wait here for me. I’ll be right back.”

“Are you sure you’ll be okay alone?”

“It’s right in front, so it’s fine.”

With that, she ran off.

I was worried… but well, Anna’s in elementary school, so she’ll be fine.

It wouldn’t be good to force myself to follow if the child doesn’t want me to.

While waiting for Anna, I looked around.

It happened to be the place we had been earlier.

Where the model of the Colossus Typhon was.

I looked up at the model of the Demonic Beast.

Even at less than a tenth of its actual size, it was still enormous.

Whoever thought of displaying this underground was really something.

How did they even move it here? Did they get help from a spatial supernatural?

The upper body was human, but the lower body was a giant snake.

The hand holding the massive scythe had prominent veins.

The black pupils of its reversed eyes. The wide-spread wings were majestic, as if they could cover the sky.

The meticulously crafted model looked like it could come to life at any moment.

The fifth Demonic Beast, said to have shattered mountains, torn the earth, and carved the sky.

The battle between it and the Celestial Corps was said to be on such a massive scale that it was called the Celestial War.

There have been six such Demonic Beasts so far, and more are expected to appear.

‘It’s so huge and imposing… yet ironically, it’s weaker than a Devil.’

Just by its appearance, it seems like the Demonic Beast could crush a Devil with one hand, but the reality was completely different.

The Demonic Beast’s strength was undoubtedly overwhelming, but it was still a step below a Devil.

Even the Colossus of Thunder and Storms before my eyes wouldn’t be able to handle a single Devil.

“Impressive, isn’t it?”

At that moment, someone spoke to me.

At first, I thought they were talking to someone else.

But as I listened to the following words, it seemed they were addressing me.

“Typhon. The fierce lightning. The god of storms.”

It was a child’s voice.

Clear, like the sound of marbles rolling.

It didn’t feel like the first time I’d heard it.

A thin voice that seemed familiar.

I lowered my head to see who the voice belonged to.

And our eyes met.

No, it was an illusion. I couldn’t see the child’s face.

All I could see was a pure white mask.

Yet, I felt as if our gazes had collided.

“What a waste. Among the Demonic Beasts, it was one particularly close to ‘us.’ It’s rare for a Demonic Beast to dare to receive the title of ‘god’.”

Even though the cold snap had long passed.

The child was bundled up in a thick padded jacket.

The clothes were so thick it was hard to tell their gender.

The voice was androgynous, making it difficult to tell if it was a boy or a girl.

“Couldn’t it have killed at least a third of humanity? That’s what I expected when I sent it. But in the end, it didn’t even kill tens of thousands. Was Typhon overestimated, or were you humans just that remarkable?”

A mask as fluffy as a cloud.

The white cloud mask covered the child’s face.

I couldn’t say a word.

The moment I recognized the child with the white cloud mask, my mouth went dry.

Why here, of all places?

Why in this location?

I glanced toward the bathroom.

Anna’s figure was still nowhere to be seen.

I felt a momentary relief, but the danger of being here didn’t change.

I had to get her out somehow…

“Isn’t it surprising? Even though I’ve been stirring things up so busily, humans are still going about their lives calmly. I’ve opened rifts in places with high foot traffic, yet they go about their outdoor activities as if nothing’s wrong. Don’t they think that next time, monsters might rain down on their heads?”

The child with the white cloud mask.

Murmur asked me slyly.

“You’re the same. If you’d been beaten up that badly, shouldn’t you have just stayed holed up at home?”

“Why are you… here?”

“That’s what I want to ask you. Why are you here? Did you come here knowing I’d appear?”

“…That’s impossible.”

“Then it’s a coincidence. You’re really unlucky. Meeting me twice.”

Or was it Astaroth’s prank?

Murmur muttered softly, then clicked their fingers and said.

“So, what are you going to do?”

“What do you mean…?”

“Are you going to cling to my pants again this time? Saying ‘You can’t pass~’ and stubbornly holding on?”

But this time, she didn’t say she will spare me.

Remember that deeply, Lucia.

If you don’t want to die.

Author Note

A/N (Author’s note):
Lucia, it’s a crisis!

Translator Note

T/N (Translator’s note):
Terrible place for kidnapping, Astaroth is so incompetent~ Heh.