Ch.134134. Decision

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Yuria’s starlight circlet, which she always wore, radiated light around her.

Normally, when something like this appears, demons and Disconnectors should calm down, but right now, fierce white energy is raging around her, ignoring such things.

Thanks to the Disconnector’s curse mixed with the White Demon’s demonic energy, it’s now breaking through everything, including the starlight circlet.

‘…It was about time it exceeded the suppression power.’

If that could normally suppress demons, I wouldn’t have been split in half by Yuria last time.

But.

< System Log >

[ The event related to ‘Yuria’s’ ‘second fragment’ will soon be released! ]

With such a message appearing, it’s obvious that the demon’s power is growing stronger. To the point where even starlight can’t suppress it.

The reason I brought her here is because there’s something I can only ‘experiment’ with in such a situation.

And if I can successfully achieve the results.

Strengthening the homunculus sisters. Gaining advantages for the main scenario continuing in Chapter 4. Incidentally, improving these people’s mood.

And above all.

A clue to unlock the ‘happy ending’.

I can obtain all of it.

‘…Taming a demon, huh.’

I smile bitterly as I reflect on the phrase I thought of earlier.

Though I said it grandly, doing such a thing in the literal sense is impossible.

What I’m doing here is just trying to obtain even a small ‘clue’ for that.

Though it’s extremely dangerous.

< System Message >

[ ‘White Demon’ detects the presence of beings related to ‘Lightbearer’. ]

[ The subject becomes enraged to the point of losing reason. ]

[ Target ‘Yuria’s’ corruption level exceeds 150%! ]

[ A rampage will definitely occur soon. Take action immediately! ]

I sigh as I read the windows appearing before my eyes.

I knew this would happen from the moment I brought this one here.

Unlike when I encountered the Fallen Angel in my mental space before, the angel gentlemen here are people who work directly under the orders of the Lightbearer.

From the perspective of a demon who is entangled in a tremendous grudge with that side in the story, just feeling that presence would make one’s eyes roll back.

Normally, if the corruption level reached this point, I’d be sweating profusely, but.

‘…It’s still low.’

In the current situation, it’s rather ‘too low’.

There’s a need to raise it a bit more.

“Holy Maiden.”

“…Y-Yes?!”

I calmly give instructions to Lucien, who turns to me in complete bewilderment.

“You know the sanctification work you always do for Yuria. Please do it right here, right now.”

“…By myself?! Yuria in that state?!”

Lucien exclaimed with a horrified expression, looking at Yuria.

Like a truly captured beast, she’s constantly twisting her body, trying to charge toward the angels, having lost her reason.

She must have realized that if I hadn’t grabbed her leash and pulled her away just now, she would have been split in half, caught in their path.

“It’s okay.”

Saying that, I also prepare.

In one hand, Lucien’s leash, in the other, Yuria’s leash.

Setting it up so I can freely change positions, I continue speaking.

“It’s not something for the Holy Maiden to do alone.”

“…Bringing a bomb out of nowhere, the way you talk is just-! You fucking bastard, I’ll deal with you later-!”

Following that, the archangel who had previously transferred holy protection to me spread his wings wide with such a scream.

For an angel, it’s a kind of ‘combat stance’.

“Ar-Archangel, what on earth is that?”

“A demon fragment, you bastard! Instead of talking, quickly get on it! If that explodes here, we all die!”

“No, but all our work is done, what the hell is this about?!”

The surroundings become bustling in an instant.

Well, from their perspective, they were all resting after finishing work when suddenly someone like an enemy commander-in-chief appeared. It would be strange if they didn’t show a convulsive reaction.

“Hey, miss! Looks like you’ve got some capacity, so I’m just going to throw it at you! If that thing explodes here, we all die, so try to soothe it as best you can!”

“…Uh, um… what does that mean?!”

“No time to explain, going right now!”

With those words, holy power from the angels began pouring into Lucien’s entire body.

Since they’re in the Otherworld, they can’t have a big impact on this side, but at least they can ‘help’ the Holy Maiden.

The efficiency would be tremendously reduced compared to the original amount since it’s being indirectly transmitted across dimensions, but.

If the sender is an ‘angel’ and the number is this much, that can be covered to some extent.

Holy power poured in at a level that would cause the body to rupture if not for a homunculus, but that person has stats focused on holy power at the cost of all sorts of ‘side effects’.

Just looking at Lucien’s entire body emitting sacred light shows that.

“…Eek! I don’t really understand what’s going on right now…!”

And Lucien, receiving such energy, immediately closed her eyes tightly and began the sanctification work.

“You said you were just coming to cheer us up, but the scale is too big right now—!!”

“…”

I have nothing to say to the scream filled with resentment.

Well, that was the original purpose, but.

I end up doing things like this because there are quite a few things that need to be done concurrently. Please understand.

But contrary to such screams, complex and advanced holy blessings unfold one after another, befitting the title of Holy Maiden.

As she usually does, she covers Yuria’s entire body and erases the curses accumulated there one by one.

Normally, it wouldn’t have made a dent in the combination of curses and demonic energy that even starlight couldn’t suppress, but now, having received holy power from the angels, she seems to be managing somewhat. The energies rising from Yuria’s body are gradually weakening.

“Oh, is it working, is it working!”

“Keep it up! Just a little more and…!”

The surrounding angels also responded and cheered like that, but.

In stark contrast, Yuria clutches her head and lets out a terrible scream.

Simultaneously, the holy power surrounding Yuria is shaken off at once, and the demonic energy and curse emanating from her body become worse than before.

As if ‘rebelling’ against the holy power even more.

“…It, it’s really not working at all…!”

“No. You did well.”

Saying that, I adjust the leashes. I instantly send Lucien’s body flying far away while pulling Yuria’s body toward me.

With Lucien screaming as her body flies far away, the distance between Yuria and me suddenly closes.

“…St-Stop, Darwood-! Stop, stop-!”

Lucien screamed with a pale face.

Probably a reaction coming from remembering what happened to me last time I did something like this,

Of course, I was split in half once, but this time is different.

Now there are angels around, and Lucien who has received energy from them. The situation is different from before.

That’s why I brought that person as a safety measure.

And, above all.

The state of the one trying to ‘cut’ me is completely different.

Yuria, who has already lost her reason, spots me and grips the sword hilt, but.

In an instant, her pupils shake.

She must have remembered trying to split me in half in a similar situation before.

Despite the corruption level exceeding the critical point, the painful memory embedded in her mind instinctively stops her movement.

And that’s enough.

“…Hup!”

I grab her neck, slam her to the ground, and forcibly turn her gaze.

I absolutely must not let the Fallen Angel’s insignia on my chest enter her ‘field of vision’.

If I showed her something with both the Grey Demon and Blue Demon’s presence at once, her corruption level would shoot through the roof. That can’t happen.

What I want is just the right level.

< System Message >

[ Target ‘Yuria’s’ corruption level exceeds 300%! ]

[ The subject is on the verge of rampage! ]

Good. That’s the ideal level.

If it had exceeded 500% like Elnore before and gone straight to rampage, there would have been no answer, but this is just the ‘verge’ level.

Normally, whether it’s 300% or 500%, once corruption is confirmed, I should just recite that they’re dead, but.

Right now, it makes a very significant difference.

< System Message >

[ ‘Fallen Angel’s Insignia’ responds to the energy of ‘White Demon’! ]

A message that always appears when facing demonic energy appeared before my eyes.

Normally it would end here, but I recently unlocked the second stage of this after dying and coming back to life.

So, assuming my thinking is correct.

There’s something I can do.

< System Message >

[ Checking the stage of the insignia. ]

[ Stage 2 confirmed. ]

[ With the privilege of ·̶̛͈̪͚̹̺͖͉̪̇̎̃̏̃̎̚͡ͅ ̷̥͉̞͎̯̥̫̳̻͆͊̉̀̾͘͞·̴̵̢̢̥̱̝̘̟͎̯̥̟͖̞͊͐͌̿̎̋̔̈́̃̕̚͘͜͟͝͞͞·̶̛͈̪͚̹̺͖͉̪̇̎̃̏̃̎̚͡ͅ ̷̥͉̞͎̯̥̫̳̻͆͊̉̀̾͘͞·̴̵̢̢̥̱̝̘̟͎̯̥̟͖̞͊͐͌̿̎̋̔̈́̃̕̚͘͜͟͝͞͞, you gain control over the target! ]

[ Would you like to ‘subdue’ the target? ][ Y/N ]

That’s right.

I smile inwardly as I see such messages scrolling down.

Without hesitation, I touch Y.

Simultaneously,

< System Message >

[ Suppressing the subject’s demonic energy! ]

[ The subject’s corruption level is rapidly decreasing! ]

[ ‘White Demon’s’ demonic energy is charged into the ‘Fallen Angel’s Insignia’! ]

[ 33% of the energy required for ‘mutation’ is charged! ]

With such messages, all the white demonic energy that was rising around is ‘absorbed’ into my chest.

And the next message is the most important.

The reason I’m doing all this is entirely for this.

Please, appear.

Let what I’ve just done.

Prove that it has the ‘meaning’ I think it does.

< System Message >

[ ‘White Demon’ momentarily submits to you. ]

[ 1 stack of ‘Worship’ is accumulated. ]

[ When all stacks are charged, the target will function as a part of ·̶̛͈̪͚̹̺͖͉̪̇̎̃̏̃̎̚͡ͅ ̷̥͉̞͎̯̥̫̳̻͆͊̉̀̾͘͞·̴̵̢̢̥̱̝̘̟͎̯̥̟͖̞͊͐͌̿̎̋̔̈́̃̕̚͘͜͟͝͞͞·̶̛͈̪͚̹̺͖͉̪̇̎̃̏̃̎̚͡ͅ ̷̥͉̞͎̯̥̫̳̻͆͊̉̀̾͘͞·̴̵̢̢̥̱̝̘̟͎̯̥̟͖̞͊͐͌̿̎̋̔̈́̃̕̚͘͜͟͝͞͞! ]

“…”

Thank goodness.

It worked.

[…It seems you’ve found some important clue, my friend.]

Valkarsus’s voice was heard from the Soul Linker.

[This isn’t like your usual cheerful reaction when something goes well. Is subduing that young lady so important?]

Of course.

It’s important.

This means that I’m becoming a being who can exert ‘dominion’ over demons.

A being that exists nowhere in the original game setting.

“…”

There’s something I’ve been thinking about continuously.

The nature of a soul beloved by evil ones, where exactly that origin comes from.

And how far it can be developed.

This ‘interaction’ I just had with Yuria is like a decisive support for the theory I’m considering.

That I can give them a happy ending.

As I’m thinking that and catching my breath.

“…You, just now.”

The Archangel’s voice was heard from beside me.

“Did you forcibly ‘seal’ a demon fragment that was about to go berserk?”

Unlike the usually noisy atmosphere of these people, it feels subdued, but I could immediately understand why from the surroundings.

All the other angels around were silent with astonished expressions.

With expressions like they had seen something impossible.

“…I can’t do that much. It was only possible because I came fully prepared.”

I smile bitterly as I give such an answer.

It was only possible because I anticipated the situation, made thorough plans, prepared means to control various things, and then precisely intervened at the timing when the ‘exact level’ was reached.

If a fragment were to suddenly go berserk unexpectedly, even with the Fallen Angel’s insignia, it would be impossible. My head would fly off.

To use an analogy, it’s similar to putting a bell on a beast’s neck with safety and medical teams all prepared. It’s dangerous, but not impossible.

Conversely, without preparation, I’d be torn apart and killed by the beast.

“…Honestly, I don’t think it’s that surprising. Even you all could subdue a demon on the verge of rampage if you were in the material world, right?”

“No, what I find incredible right now is the ‘way’ you did it.”

“…”

“Of course we could do it too. If we were in the material world, we would have forcibly beaten that demon with holy power and put it back inside the vessel. But.”

The sentence continued with a voice like a groan.

“Just now, the demonic energy seemed to retreat out of ‘respect’ for your will. Isn’t that right?”

“…”

“As if it recognized you as a ‘superior being’.”

“…”

“The very fact that you said you came prepared sounds like you knew it was possible and came to ‘test’ it.”

I just scratch my head without answering.

Indeed, you have good intuition. The Archangel title isn’t given to just anyone.

“…I knew you would become great when I met you before.”

The sentence continued in a lowered voice.

“What exactly are you turning into?”

“…”

Well. Since the Fallen Angel’s insignia is only at stage 2, I can’t say exactly.

At least.

I can tell you that I’ve taken the first step toward an achievement that no one in history has ever accomplished.

“…I aspire to be a person with a large vessel.”

“What?”

“Large enough to contain all six demons.”

“…Contain?”

“I can’t do it now, but wouldn’t it be possible later?”

“So what does that mean?”

“Well… to be precise.”

In the future, I’ll probably continue to run around sweating profusely whenever someone is about to go berserk.

But at least, after all that hardship, I need to clearly establish what the ‘endpoint’ is for me and the demon vessels.

“I want to live with all six of them.”

“…”

“Is there something like law in Pandemonium? Do they recognize polygamy there?”

“…”

The Archangel stood with his mouth wide open in silence.

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