Chapter 335

Ｒｅａｄ​ ｏ​ｎ​ ＫａｔＲｅａｄｉｎｇＣａｆｅ

How should one define the ‘soul’?

It’s a concept that blends complex elements like spirit, emotion, thought, and memory… Naturally, it lacks physical form. Because it has no form, it can’t be seen or touched. Everyone has it, yet even they find it difficult to control or interfere with. That’s what the soul was.

Of course, there are always exceptions.

Supernatural abilities are powers based on the mind.

And all supernaturals possess their own mental landscape.

Supernaturals who have reached a high level, often referred to as ‘one close to God’, could observe and even interfere with their mental landscapes.

Furthermore, those who reached the captain level could even train within their mental landscapes. Although training in the mental landscape was more akin to image training, and thus less efficient than reality, it was an unavoidable choice for captains whose abilities were too vast to wield carelessly.

Having conceived a way to overcome the situation, I dove into my mental landscape without hesitation.

To others, it might have looked like I suddenly fainted, but I didn’t even have time to explain. 

Dawn was breaking, and a fragment of the Heavenly God had descended. It was unknown what situation the God of War was in, confronting it. I would rather be indulging in wishful thinking fueled by negative thoughts. However, considering what kind of being the Heavenly God was, the chances were slim.

People learn and grow from failures.

That was true not only for humans but even for gods.

The Four Seasons had reforged Yoo-seong, the ultimate sword, but failed to achieve its goal.

The fundamental reason for choosing the ‘Chosen One’.

Was to subdue the indolent Overlord ‘Bael’.

The Lord of Purgatory.

A Devil God comparable to the ‘Ancient One.’

Yoo-seong and his companions had faced Bael, and after many sacrifices, they had achieved a draw. It truly came at a great cost. 

As a result of the battle, Michael and Alice, who would have lived for hundreds of years, had their lives cut short. 

Even with four heroes appearing in one era, they barely managed to end it at a stalemate. Yoo-seong alone would never have been able to handle Bael.

From the perspective of the Four Seasons, it was a failure.

The sword had failed to fulfill its purpose of creation.

Therefore, the newly reforged sword was the ‘Chosen One’ of this era.

Eugene.

A hero designed to surpass his predecessor in every aspect.

Eugene’s potential clearly exceeded Yoo-seong’s. The difference was evident from the titles they were given. God of War and Heavenly God. The God of War was certainly powerful, but considering how people had revered the heavens since ancient times, the gap was clear.

Astaroth had awakened a portion of that potential, and the result had split day and night.

Could Yoo-seong, past his prime, withstand the Dawn? Yes, maybe he could if he were alone. If Yoo-seong were alone, if he had nothing to bear and nothing to protect. 

But that wasn’t the case. This was a downtown area, and Yoo-seong had much to protect. He was the God of War, the commander of the Celestial Corps, and a hero.

‘The golden veil, as warm as a spring day…’

It was definitely Yoo-seong’s technique.

He must have cast it to block the dawn.

Yoo-seong bore the brunt of the backlash alone.

I hoped he was safe…

Suppressing my anxious heart, I stepped into my mental landscape. The familiar dormitory greeted me. My mental landscape. The place most familiar to me. My sanctuary where I had lived as ‘Lucia’. Standing still, I took a deep breath. At the end of my gaze was the vermilion door. Beyond it was Belial.

It didn’t take long to steel my heart. There wasn’t even time for that luxury. From now on, it was a gamble. Success or failure, it all depended on my hands. I took another deep breath and placed my hand on the doorknob. I opened the door with a jerk. The creaking of the hinges greeted me.

“Hello, Belial. Did you behave yourself while I was gone?”

Flickering lights.

Hardened bloodstains scattered on the floor.

A girl bound by chains was hanging her head low.

There was no movement, no reaction. If she didn’t occasionally twitch, I would have mistaken her for sleeping. I spoke without showing my anxiety.

“You’re not even going to answer me now? Or are you still trapped in a ‘dream’?”

The last time I met her was a while ago.

When Belial attempted her last struggle.

She tried to break my spirit with mental corruption.

There was a minor incident, but fortunately, I overcame it safely and repaid her several times over.

I had imprisoned Belial in the memories of being kidnapped and tortured by Astaroth.

Ehehe, that was really fun back then. The pain never stopped. 

Sawing off arms and legs.
Pressing a drill into the stomach.
Oiling and burning with a match.
Plucking out fingernails one by one and cutting off fingers from the knuckles all the way to the shoulder… 

I really want to experience it again. Should I ask Regina? No, I guess not? Then Frey? Would that not work either?

…No, this isn’t the time to be having such delusions.

“How was it? My memories? Was it painful? Was it enjoyable~?”

Again, there was no answer.

I didn’t wait for an answer and moved my feet.

I stopped in front of Belial and carefully reached out my hand.

I smoothed the hair covering her face and grabbed her cheek.

I slowly lifted her head to make her meet my eyes.

“…”

Unfocused, hazy cherry blossom-colored eyes.

Clear saliva leaked through her lips and flowed down her jawline.

The moment I saw it, I realized the general truth.

“Oh, you’ve broken through.”

She seemed to have escaped from the repeating memories…

But her mind couldn’t withstand the accumulated pain (pleasure).

A hell of endless climax, so to speak.

Well, she’s a devil god, so she probably doesn’t have any resistance to that sort of thing, and after being exposed to endless pleasure, she eventually…

“Scary… Lucille’s body…”

Even a devil god couldn’t withstand it, and her mind collapsed.

A proud warrior had become a living doll.

But it was the best result for me. No, the best possible outcome.

I felt sorry for Belial, but I couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief.

“Thanks to you, things have become more convenient.”

A being born from a Devil God possessing a human is a Devil-human.

The body is human, but what is contained inside is a devil god.

Human but Devil God. Devil God but human.

That is why it is Devil and Human.

Usually, the human is absorbed by the Devil God, so there are no particular anomalies. The Devil God takes the initiative. The human is merely deprived of their body. However, as seen in the cases of Astaroth and Yui, humans are not helpless.

During the Great Catastrophe five years ago, Yui was on equal footing with Astaroth. If not, Eugene would have died long ago. 

With the determination to protect her brother, Yui competed with Astaroth for dominance, and thanks to that effort, Eugene was able to survive safely. 

After saving Eugene, her will weakened, and she was absorbed by Astaroth… It’s amazing that a young supernatural who hadn’t even awakened was temporarily on equal footing with a devil god. As expected, she is a descendant of Yoo-seong and Iris.

Yui, possessed by a devil god, was not immediately deprived of her body, and she protected Eugene with Astaroth’s power.

That means that if a human takes the initiative, they can use the power of a devil god.

This would be absolutely impossible under normal circumstances. The difference in physique between humans and devil gods was too overwhelming. But I wasn’t ordinary. 

Belial, with her broken soul, and the inherited body of a Blessed Saintess, as well as the arrangements she had prepared. Thanks to that, I was able to seal Belial and protect her body and soul.

‘Because Belial is sealed, her power as a devil god is also sealed. So I haven’t been able to use the power of a devil god at all, but…’

If I release Belial’s seal.

And fight her for dominance again.

If I can subdue Belial.

…I can become ‘Devil-Human, Lucia.’

I can use the power of the devil god Belial.

‘I was planning to coax and cajole her into giving me her power, since she would have been completely taken over by Lucille’s body by now…’

I didn’t expect her ego to collapse completely.

I’m glad I could save time thanks to it.

I felt a little sorry, but in a way, it was her own fault.

Belial coveted my body and tried to take everything from me.

She just ended up having everything taken away from me in return.

Yes, this is just retribution.

If you try to take someone else’s, you should be prepared to have your own taken away as well.

‘There’s no time. Let’s start right away.’

I gripped the chains tightly.

Lucille’s arrangement to seal Belial.

It was a mess of remnants, but its sturdiness remained unchanged.

I released the chains that had done their job one by one. The chains that touched my hand disappeared into dust. It’s not completely gone. Anyway, it’s like Lucille’s legacy. I’ll leave it in a corner of my mental landscape. I might need to use it again.

As the chains all disappeared, a blood-soaked school uniform was revealed. Belial’s entire body was covered in blood, I wondered how much she had struggled. 

Dried blood clots had dyed the school uniform a dark red. The seals were all released. Now all that remained was to synchronize with Belial. 

Since she had no consciousness anyway, there would be no resistance. I put my hand on Belial’s shoulder to proceed quickly. Just as I was about to bend down and kiss her forehead…

“?!”

Something snatched my hand.

There was no need to think about who it was.

This is my mental landscape.

There’s only me and Belial here.

If a change occurs here, the culprit is limited to two people.

If I’m not the cause, there’s only one conclusion.

“Belial…!”

I desperately called her name. 

I was fooled. It was a trap!? She was pretending to be mentally broken to create an opening! Yes, there’s no way a devil god, of all people, would retire so easily. 

I was too impatient and didn’t think it through… No, no. It’s okay. Belial has no energy left anyway. She’s used it all up. Now that it’s come to this, I’ll proceed as originally planned. 

Persuade her with words, make a deal, or subdue her with force. None of them will be easy, but I have to do it.

“…”

Belial’s lips, which had snatched my hands, were moving.

Her eyes were still unfocused. Her hazy pupils trembled.

A voice flowed from the gap in her moving lips.

It was hard to hear. It was a cracked, dry voice.

“…wanted to…”

“Belial…?”

Something was wrong.

Unable to shake off the unknown sense of unease, I stared at Belial.

She, who had been groaning like a baby, suddenly twitched the corners of her lips.

The lips that drew a curve were definitely close to a smile.

“…wanted to see…you…”

“What?”

“Jin…”

“Yes?”

…Why is that name suddenly coming out?

Author Note

A/N (Author’s note):
Today’s author’s note, is also end of service.

Ugh.

Translator Note

T/N (Translator’s note):
A from mentally down to mentally ill.

Let’s call it Stockholm Syndrome? Maybe not.