Ch.149149. Invitation (2)

“…Why again, why again, why is this happening again…!”

“…”

Pull yourself together.

That thought automatically came to mind as I watched Atalante muttering and losing her composure before me, but unlike usual, I found it difficult to say those words directly.

Because I too couldn’t understand what on earth was happening right now.

“It’s already a disaster that the Empire’s Chancellor barged into the Academy without a word, but why did you have to get involved with that…!”

“…It’s not like I wanted to get involved.”

I answered in a gloomy voice.

“He came at me even though I was just minding my own business.”

“…What?”

Atalante looked at me as if she had stopped breathing.

She seemed to have thought of a possibility she didn’t want to imagine.

“You’re not saying that he’s also a Demonic Vessel or something, are you?”

“I don’t think so.”

If nothing else, that much is certain.

If he were a Demonic Vessel, he couldn’t have been designated as a ‘good character’ in the first place. That’s systemically impossible.

“…”

But then.

As I’ve said several times, it’s completely impossible to deduce why he’s behaving that way toward me.

What reason could there possibly be to act like that toward someone with whom he has no connection?

“…Anyway. For whatever reason, it’s clear that the Chancellor is now showing great interest in you.”

While I was thinking, Atalante continued in a tense voice.

“You’ve been invited to dinner. Along with the Tristan Dukedom’s daughter.”

“Yes.”

“I’ll prepare your clothes, so please wait quietly in the reception room until I come to escort you.”

Atalante warned me in a stern voice.

For someone who had somehow covered up all the incidents I caused in the Crucible of Struggle, she was reacting unusually strongly, but certainly, the weight of a ‘Grand Chief’ and a ‘Chancellor’ is different.

‘…The head of a republic and the power holder of a centralized state do have different gravitas.’

Comparing them as nations, the Tribal Union and the Empire might be similar, but that’s due to differences in technological levels.

In other words, the Empire has such overwhelming manpower and resources that it can match the almost SF-level technology and numbers of the Tribal Union.

And the Chancellor and Emperor can command all that with just a word.

“This time, if you cause a big incident, I truly won’t be able to protect you. You need to behave. Understand?”

“…”

Anyone would think I’m a madman who causes trouble wherever I go—

‘…Hmm.’

That’s not entirely wrong.

At least looking back at my track record, it’s hard to deny that even as a polite fiction.

Alright. This time I’ll promise Atalante that I’ll just quietly eat dinner and come back—

“There you are, Darwood Campbell!”

Before I could finish that thought.

Someone burst through the door of the president’s office.

It was Faynol. Uncharacteristically urgent.

“…Faynol Leiphec?”

Atalante tilted her head after identifying him.

It would be strange for an ordinary student to barge into the president’s office like this, but Atalante seems to know that this guy belongs to the Inquisition.

Instead of questioning it, she simply asked about his business.

“What brings you here…?”

“That dinner, I’m going too!”

“…”

Atalante began frantically rubbing her face.

And I…

I didn’t particularly feel like stopping him.

Just when I declared I would behave, trouble seemed to be finding me on its own.

●

[I always think this, but unlike you, all the women around you are quite bold.]

“…”

[You know, why don’t you gather them all together and hold something like a Supreme Demon Tournament? Whoever’s strongest gets your first night—]

“…Shut up, please.”

Sir.

I’m not particularly expecting dignity as a holy knight or the image of a respectable mentor from you.

Let’s at least maintain our dignity as humans.

Please.

[Neither you nor I are even human anymore.]

“…”

That’s true.

I sigh and look down at my chest.

That’s where the Seal of Tacheon, which is enthusiastically changing my species, is located.

“I hope I don’t have a seizure later…”

[What seizure?]

“There are two Vessels there.”

Two of them—one containing the strongest demon, and one with the highest fusion rate at present.

If an accident were to happen, it would be an uncontrollable combination.

Thinking this, I look at the building in the distance where dinner preparations are noisily underway.

Elnore and Faynol are probably already waiting in the dining room. I’m scheduled to join them a bit later.

[But why are you joining later?]

“That’s the procedure and protocol, they say.”

I answer with a sigh.

“The main character enters last, apparently.”

[Yes, I know that procedure. But shouldn’t the Chancellor enter last? Why are you last?]

“Well, the Chancellor and I are supposed to enter at the same time.”

[…]

Calivan let out a hollow laugh.

Having worked as a guardian in the imperial palace, he must have quickly understood the hidden meaning.

[…Entering simultaneously is something only couples or spouses do, isn’t it?]

“…That’s right.”

It’s practically like barking at everyone around. This person is my partner, so don’t even think about making a move.

He probably tends to do such things deliberately, especially to show Elnore.

[…Do you spray some kind of pheromone or something? What on earth did you do to make him act like that?]

I just run my hand through my hair silently at those words.

Even though it’s a private event in a secluded building of the Academy, eyes and ears are everywhere.

Rumors will certainly spread. It’s quite possible they’ll be processed into what could be called scandalous content and scattered everywhere.

“…I don’t know either. I’ve never even met that person before.”

[But he seemed to know you, right?]

“What?”

[He gave the impression of having met you several times before. Both in how he spoke and acted.]

I rub my chin thoughtfully at Calivan’s words.

It’s a fair point. He consistently gives off that ‘vibe,’ that’s for sure.

[But you’re certain nothing comes to mind?]

I frown slightly at Calivan’s words.

“…What do you mean?”

[There was someone else before who gave off a similar vibe. Someone who acted familiar with you despite barely having crossed paths.]

“…”

I think I know what he’s talking about.

He’s clearly referring to a certain gloomy woman who always wears a mask.

[But you’ve been giving off the impression that you know something about her too. About her identity.]

“…It’s just speculation on my part.”

However.

If the person I’m guessing is really the Luminary…

More precisely.

If that person will truly ‘become’ the Luminary later…

Then it’s possible the Chancellor knows me too.

[…What are you saying?]

I mean he might have met not me, but Darwood Campbell from a ‘different timeline.’

The Grey Demon says it whenever he sees me. The Luminary too. Even the Blue Demon.

They’ve been consistently saying things that make it not difficult to get the feeling that the ‘Darwood Campbell’ they met was ‘not the first time’ for them.

If there’s a possibility with the Chancellor, it’s probably something like that.

[…What are you talking about? I thought you were so sickly in your past that you couldn’t meet anyone?]

“If not the past, then the future.”

[What?]

“For demons, the laws of space and time aren’t absolute, Calivan.”

The Blue Demon proved this once. For demons, the timeline flows differently than for others.

It’s convincing since he has shown behavior several times as if he knows the ‘future.’

[…So.]

Calivan said in an incredulous voice.

[Are you saying the Chancellor came from the future or something?]

“…Technically speaking, that’s correct, but rather.”

I narrow my eyes as I answer.

“Something might be ‘repeating’ itself.”

[Repeating? What?]

“The world.”

[…?]

Though there was a silence from the Soul Linker as if asking what nonsense I was talking about, I can’t find a better explanation than this.

At least, the ‘truth’ of this world that I’ve hypothesized so far is best summarized that way.

“Well, I haven’t figured it out for certain either. For now, you can just understand it as something coming from the future.”

[…Somehow I feel annoyed that it seems like you’re teaching me something?]

Teaching, what?

For now, I’m just vaguely sensing things too.

The fact that phenomena are occurring that couldn’t possibly happen based on my experience and memory suggests problems caused by a distorted timeline.

However.

“But one thing is certain.”

I know what ‘entity’ is causing these phenomena.

There’s one monstrous being right around me whose very existence twists space and time.

[…The Grey Demon.]

“Yes.”

Whether something comes from the future, the world repeats, or whatever else happens.

It’s all connected to that being.

In this world, only that being has the power to cause such phenomena anyway.

“…”

Well.

Then the key question becomes ‘why’ it did such a thing.

What on earth happens in the future that makes demons go crazy when they see me now, and makes the Grey Demon twist the entire timeline?

Centered around ‘me,’ what on earth happens later?

‘…I don’t know.’

There are too few clues at present.

For now, I should focus on the immediate problem.

“…But the Chancellor issue remains.”

Even within such a hypothesis, a problem still arises.

At least all the beings within that hypothesis are ultimately connected to ‘demons’ in some way.

The Luminary is the leader of demon worshippers. The Grey Demon and Blue Demon are demons themselves.

Then, the Chancellor.

What connection does he have to be included in such phenomena?

As I was deeply absorbed in contemplation on this subject, suddenly another voice tickled my ear.

“Here you are.”

“Ah, President. I was waiting so long I thought my neck would—”

As I was saying that and trying to get up, I froze in place.

The one who opened the reception room door wasn’t Atalante.

Upon meeting those golden eyes, I instinctively stood up as if struck by lightning.

“…Chancellor?”

“I’ve come to get you, Darwood Campbell.”

“…Your Excellency, for something like this, sending a servant would be sufficient—”

“How could I?”

The Chancellor smiled gently, then promptly approached and grabbed my arm.

He naturally linked our arms together like hooks. He pressed us together completely, with even our armpits touching.

“I’m here to welcome you, Darwood.”

“…Chancellor.”

One thing is certain.

If I enter the hall like this, Elnore will go berserk immediately. It’s a direct path to game over.

“Even so, this seems too excessive for my status. Perhaps keeping some distance would—”

“…You want me to let go?”

However.

As soon as I realized the temperature in Sullivan’s voice had dropped sharply, cold sweat ran down my spine.

Ah, I said the wrong thing. That feeling naturally spread.

“Again, you want me to stay away from you?”

“…”

Following that, a sentence that made me forget the chill running down my spine pounded in my head.

‘…Again?’

This person.

What does he mean by that?

And.

As soon as I met those eyes.

I intuitively realized.

What the ‘connection’ between this person and demons is.

< System Message >

[ ‘The Seal of Tacheon’ is reacting slightly! ]

[ It’s responding to target =Removed object=! ]

Being this close, the ‘energy’ swirling in those eyes is undoubtedly an atmosphere I recognize.

This person is a ‘Vessel.’

However.

It’s a completely different form from the Demonic Vessels I’ve encountered so far.

[What are you saying?]

‘…He’s a Vessel, but.’

I tell Calivan with cold sweat, who asks in an incredulous voice.

‘There’s no demon fragment.’

[…What?]

‘There’s no fragment, only the power remains. As if…’

I can’t finish the sentence.

However, Calivan completes it for me.

[…As if he himself is the demon?]

“…”

Exactly, that’s the feeling.

What on earth?

As I looked at the Chancellor with cold sweat from that feeling.

“Well then.”

Sullivan smiled brightly.

“Shall we go in?”

The Chancellor said that with his golden eyes drawing beautiful curves.

It was a beautiful smile.

Almost like a demon’s temptation.

●