Ch.146146. Salvation

“Elise…? You succeeded already?”

“No… It’s too thick…”

Elise’s dejected voice.

And judging by that expression.

“What happened? What’s it like inside…?”

“A thick wall-like darkness…? Something like that was inside… surrounding Vinay.”

“That seems to be what’s sealing the soul. If it’s solid… there’s a high possibility it was created from the outside. Still, there should have been a gap…?”

The Queen answered while looking at Elise.

Black darkness.

Solid.

“…Have you tried breaking it?”

“No matter how much I knocked, it didn’t even get scratched. Really… really… how could someone do that to a person…”

“…Could I go in together with you, Your Majesty?”

“…It’s not impossible, but. It would be better if we went in one at a time. To keep watch from the outside…”

“But it is possible, right…? I’d rather try attacking from both sides.”

“Yes… both of you come this way.”

How serious must it be, for her to come out looking so pale?

So, to check.

Going in together would be the fastest way.

And while we’re at it, if we can solve the problem before coming out.

I hold the Queen’s hand and enter Vinay’s mind.

When I close my eyes and open them again, I see a pure white space.

In that pure white space.

I thought there was no one there, but.

“Blanc!”

“Elise. You came first.”

“Yes. This way.”

Saying she came first, she takes my hand and leads me toward a large sphere.

She said it was large.

But it’s not that big.

About the size of an ordinary house.

Maybe the size of a studio apartment?

“…This is the seal, right?”

“Look at this.”

Elise asks me while frantically punching the wall.

“How are we supposed to break through this? It’s too solid. Isn’t this going too far?”

“…Wait.”

Just hitting it like that with fists…

It won’t break easily.

I should analyze it calmly first.

First, let’s be calm.

I can see how flustered Elise must have been when she first entered.

Even with brainwashing. When you don’t even know how to handle it.

If she was just thrown in here.

Then of course she would be confused.

With such a seamless sphere.

How to deal with it.

How would she know with her young body.

Of course… she’s probably lived longer than me.

And, she might be smarter than me too.

But. What’s at stake is her most precious and important Vinay.

So it’s understandable.

Yes.

I slowly place my hand next to Elise, who is pounding away.

There’s a warm feeling, and something that resonates.

Thump- Thump-

The feeling of something colliding periodically.

The feeling of a heart pulsing.

Is this what’s blocking Vinay’s soul?

Is this what’s blocking Vinay’s memories?

Wanting to know more details, I put my ear against it.

Thump, thump.

Thump- Thump.

And then, a sound like rumbling-

…

This is.

Inside… Vinay.

Vinay is trying to get out.

She’s using all her strength to try to get out.

Then, I should also give it my all…

I wonder if I can use my magic power in this space.

In a soul space. My magic power…

Hmm…?

The circulation of magic power flows smoothly…?

I try transforming while I’m at it.

And I even summon my weapon.

“…Blanc?”

“Why… does this work…? Isn’t this… Vinay’s mental world? Then… shouldn’t my body normally be reconstructed and…?”

“…Maybe in Vinay’s subconscious, you are… that form?”

At Elise’s words, I try drawing out more magic power just in case.

As expected… the new awakened form that I’ve never shown Vinay doesn’t appear.

“I think you’re right. In Vinay’s consciousness, subconscious… this is how I appear?”

“…Don’t tell me, the reason I couldn’t break this sphere.”

“Perhaps… Vinay thought you were a weak child. A child she needed to protect.”

Elise sighed and looked at me with a tearful expression, but.

There’s nothing I can do about it.

What am I supposed to do about how Vinay thinks of Elise?

Well…

It’s not like there’s absolutely nothing I can do.

As long as this sphere is blocking Vinay.

As long as Vinay thinks I’m strong.

I’m actually curious how strong she thinks I am.

But it seems it won’t break just by hitting it normally with fists.

“Alright… where should we start attacking?”

“…You have your sword, right?”

I showed her my rapier.

“I do. This is how I appear in Vinay’s thoughts, it seems.”

“…Even if this is Vinay’s mental world. This sphere was essentially created by the doctor. We need to consider that. Understand?”

“I know that. But… would it be stronger than my power?”

…In this form.

If Vinay’s image of me.

Is the same as my image of Vinay.

Then a mere sphere like this.

I raise my rapier and attack the sphere.

Infusing it with magic, deeper and deeper.

I thrust the sharpened blade with a stab.

And then.

The blade enters without resistance.

“Huh…?”

Rather, the lack of resistance is so surprising.

“W-what is this…! So easily…?”

“T-this is strange… the feeling. Ugh…”

“Huh? Quickly, try to cut it…! Hurry…!”

“Yes…!”

As I try to slash downward with the thrust rapier.

“Ugh… something… it’s heavy, I can’t do it well…?”

“That can’t be…! It was pierced so easily?”

“Cutting is difficult…! This is, strange…!”

It takes too much strength.

The resistance is so severe it feels like something is deliberately pulling from above…

I twist the thrust rapier to try to create even a small gap.

And what I see through that gap.

“Vinay!”

“Can you see…? Can you see?”

“There, faintly. The gap is small so I can’t see well. But that’s definitely Vinay! Vinay!”

“What…!? I’ll help too!”

Elise adds her strength to my sword.

And then.

The gap slowly widens.

Through that gap.

A girl sunk in despair came clearly into view.

That girl.

She seems unable to adjust to the suddenly brightened interior.

Squinting her eyes, she examines the hole where the light is coming from.

“Vinay!”

“…Blanc? How… Ah, as expected… now I’m seeing things… Indeed… it’s all over now…”

“Just a little more…! Elise! Put in more strength…!”

“Just tear it!”

“It’s better to get her out!”

“Get her out? Vinay?!”

“…I can even hear Elise’s voice…? Hah… Yes, I had people I could trust… like this. Why did I trust that person… Why didn’t I just let myself die… No… from the beginning…”

“First…! We need to make more cracks! This much is far from enough!”

“Right…!”

“Argh…! Use more strength!”

“Ngh…!”

Infusing more magic power.

And additionally, Elise’s magic power joins in.

The two magic powers mix smoothly without forcibly colliding, making the blade even sharper.

Only then does the gap clearly widen more.

*Crack!*

When a gap large enough to pull Vinay out was created, Elise reached in and pulled Vinay out.

“Kyaaa!?”

“Elise! Vinay!”

Of course, as they had to squeeze through the narrow gap, the two of them tumbled over each other.

But we saved her.

We saved her.

Ah, thank goodness.

“Vinay…”

“…Blanc?”

“Let’s… think about this after we get out of here.”

“…This must be a dream. Yes, this is a dream. There’s no way anyone would come to rescue me from that darkness. Especially… especially… Blanc. Yes, that’s impossible. After making such a fuss about returning to Eden. In that place… after making such a scene. So… so. This must be a dream. Right, Blanc?”

“Vinay… Sigh. I have a lot I want to say to you, you know? But… this isn’t really the place for it, is it?”

“…If this is a dream, you can say anything because it’s just my thoughts. Just… my unconscious hopes blooming…”

“Elise. Let’s… get out first. Vinay… in that state, it won’t be easy to talk. Okay?”

“Right… Vinay. See you outside.”

“…Hah. Back into the darkness…”

* * *

Yes.

After having such a dream, despair will only greet me again.

False hope…

Only makes me suffer more.

Such hope…

It’s better not to have it.

Rather… forever…

“Vinay. Open your eyes.”

“Vinay…? Are you okay…?”

…Another dream?

“What kind of dream is this time… Huh?”

Another dream with Blanc and Elise.

Just as I was thinking how unimaginative I am.

A white girl with cat ears I’ve never seen before…?

And… someone who looks rather mature, that woman.

“Are you awake, Vinay?”

Such people… couldn’t possibly be in my memories…?

Then where from…?

Maybe characters from an animation I saw long ago…

“Vinay… do you still think this is a dream?”

“Eh… surely not…?”

Why… both of them are saying I think it’s a dream when I didn’t even say that…

Or did I…?

But… could people in dreams normally say it’s a dream…?

“Vinay. This isn’t a dream. This is… um, a world where mascots exist? I should say. Next to you… that’s Jibril. And this is the Queen.”

“Blanc. You shouldn’t bombard someone who just woke up with so much information. And… there might still be remnants of the brainwashing. We should check that first.”

“True… since we only took Vinay out without dealing with that black sphere…”

The person called the Queen answers with a smile to Blanc and Elise’s exchange.

“You don’t need to worry about that. It will gradually be erased from her memory. Of course right now… she might be a bit influenced, but it won’t cause problems with her overall personality formation.”

“Ah… is that so…?”

“Yes. Please rest a bit more before you go. You’ll use a lot of magic power when returning.”

“…I have extra magic power for the return.”

Elise said, showing a negative energy battery.

“Ah… so that’s what you used to cross over this time.”

“Well. If you’re going to say it’s similar to what the Demon King’s army used, it would be better not to say it.”

“Pardon…?”

“Never mind. Ask that cat later. It would be more believable coming from her…”

…I still don’t understand.

What happened…?

Not a dream…?