Ch.176176. Deus Ex Machina

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“…”

“…”

Whenever these two are put together, it seems a suffocating silence always emerges.

Faynol thought this as she alternately looked at Sullivan and Elnore, who were silently glaring at each other.

They had gathered because there was something important to discuss, but she still couldn’t get used to this rigid atmosphere.

Nevertheless, she was a genius magician counted among the best on the continent. Even in this uncomfortable atmosphere, she would somehow complete what she was asked to do.

“…The preparations are complete.”

Faynol said this as she stepped back from the barrier she had created.

In the center lay Yuria with her eyes closed, in a deep unconscious state.

She hadn’t opened her eyes even once since losing consciousness with Darwood after the first trial.

Sullivan silently examined her before turning his head toward Elnore, who stood behind him.

“…As I explained before, what you need to do is simple. If you’re ready, just step onto the transmission circle in the center of this barrier.”

“I understand it’s easy to comprehend, not that it’s easy to accomplish, Lord Chancellor.”

Sullivan gave a bitter smile at Elnore’s flat response.

She was certainly right.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have mentioned the life-threatening danger when he first called for her.

“Are you certain you understand the risks I explained earlier, Lady Tristan?”

“No.”

“…”

Sullivan clamped his mouth shut at her bold answer.

“To be honest, I let half of what you told me go in one ear and out the other. It was all too absurd.”

“…”

“There are only a few things I need to know anyway, right?”

Elnore continued with a sigh.

“Darwood is in danger, and it’s a difficult task that could cost me my life, but you still need my help. Isn’t that enough?”

“…”

She was right, but there were still things that needed to be clearly emphasized.

“…You shouldn’t take this lightly, Lady Tristan.”

Sullivan continued with a sigh.

“This is a mental world constructed by the White Demon. It’s a place normal mortals of the material world wouldn’t even dare approach. Inside there, the White Demon wields power equivalent to that of a god.”

That’s certainly true.

Faynol inwardly agreed with a bitter smile.

The White Demon was the most powerful among all demons when it came to the ‘mental’ domain.

Its representative power was the ability to control others’ minds.

And what they were asking Elnore to do was to ‘forcibly insert’ herself into such a space to retrieve Darwood.

It was a plan no sane person would even conceive, but it was established because neither the woman asking nor the woman agreeing was entirely sane.

“…I’m asking you because with your vessel, you have a very high chance of holding your own in there against even the most powerful king of Pandemonium. Other vessels absolutely won’t work.”

Elnore’s expression slightly furrowed at those words.

Demon. King of Pandemonium.

Both the mysterious linguist before and Chancellor Sullivan had repeatedly told her that such a being resided within her body.

And that her mother was involved in it too.

And as far as Elnore knew, there was only one person who knew the truth about all of this.

The person who seemed to be entangled in everything related to this.

‘…The Grand Duke of Tristan.’

Gideon Gaelstard La Tristan.

Her father.

The next time they met, she would definitely need to find out what all of this meant.

As she was lost in these thoughts, another statement flew at her from the front.

“Anyway, what I’m saying is that you need to be extremely cautious. Even if you share the same demonic nature, jurisdictions differ, so even you can’t be guaranteed safety—”

As Sullivan was continuing, Yuria’s body suddenly twitched.

Compared to her complete stillness until now, it was such a violent movement that everyone present flinched and stared at her.

Then—

-!

-!!

As if to prove the movement wasn’t random, the barrier Faynol had created began to shake violently.

Enough to bring expressions of bewilderment to the faces of the three people in the room.

“…Faynol. What is this?”

At the Chancellor’s question, Faynol hurriedly checked the barrier.

Then she answered in a serious voice.

“…Something major seems to be happening inside.”

“What do you mean by ‘major’?”

“I’m not sure what it is, but whoever created the mental world is extremely angry. At this rate…”

Faynol trailed off, her expression suggesting she couldn’t bring herself to say what came next.

“…The mental world will become completely distorted. Darwood Campbell’s soul could be permanently destroyed.”

“…!”

Both Sullivan and Elnore’s eyes widened simultaneously.

“…Then I need to go in right now.”

At Elnore’s words, Faynol hastily added with urgency.

“Wait a moment, Lady Tristan. Entering right now is too unstable. If you go in like this, you will certainly die! I’ll stabilize the barrier as quickly as possible—”

“Doesn’t the probability of Darwood getting hurt increase while you’re stabilizing the barrier?”

“…That’s true, but it’s still better than you definitely dying right now!”

Faynol spoke urgently, but Elnore just shrugged her shoulders and calmly replied.

“Then I’ll bet on the side where I die.”

“…What?”

“That’s better than increasing the chances of that man dying.”

With those words, Elnore jumped straight into the violently fluctuating barrier.

“…”

“…”

That crazy woman.

Sullivan and Faynol thought simultaneously.

●

!!!!!! Warning !!!!!!

[ You have broken your ‘role’! ]

[ A penalty will be applied! ]

[ Your probability of escaping the mental space is significantly reduced! ]

As such messages appeared before my eyes, screams erupted from all directions.

“Your Holiness! Your Holinessss—!”

“Call the physician! A-and activate the security system!”

While the Pope’s head rolled across the floor with a thud, chaos erupted all around with all kinds of screams.

Then armed personnel from throughout the mansion, along with all sorts of attack spells, blessings, hostile homunculi, and…

Et cetera, et cetera.

There’s too much to even identify what’s what.

All I know is that the entire mansion seems to be turning hostile.

“…Butler…sir…?”

I hear Yuria’s voice, looking at me with a dazed expression.

“Look, my lady.”

And turning my head toward her, I smile.

“Do you know what’s even more hellish than being left alone in the world?”

“…What?”

“Being surrounded by people who make you feel alone.”

“…”

Yuria’s eyes widened.

“So.”

I continue with a smirk.

“…I’ll clear away such obstacles for you now.”

Honestly, I wasn’t planning to go this far.

Personally, I dislike everything in here.

Young Yuria, the environment that ‘cultivates’ her like livestock, and the contemptuous attitude of people toward her despite that.

All.

Of.

It.

It reminds me of my ‘past.’

“…”

I take a deep breath and grip the Severance Blade.

Thanks to the copied attributes, the strain on my body feels less than expected.

They asked me to prevent the tragedy that would befall Yuria.

Well, my solution is simple.

If I kill everyone before she does, problem solved.

“You won’t die easily, you damned heretic!”

“Surround them all! We need to capture them alive!”

Capturing alive doesn’t mean showing mercy—it means subduing to kill as painfully as possible.

< System Message >

[ A crisis situation has been detected. ]

[ It is determined to be a direct threat to life. ]

[ Skill: Desperate Situation will be applied at EX rank. ]

< System Message >

[ ‘Tristan-style Swordsmanship’ trait is applied. ]

[ Sword proficiency and power increase! ]

< System Message >

[ ‘Curse of Severance’ is currently in effect! ]

Without a Soul Linker, I can’t replenish my mana, so I can’t use holy skills.

But even with just the skills currently embedded in me, few top-tier fighters could match me in close combat.

And with the Curse of Severance that could behead even the Pope in an instant…

-!

One slash.

With a sweeping arc of my sword, part of the mansion is completely ‘sliced away.’

All the people within range are swept up and turned into pieces of flesh.

Changing the landscape with a single sword swing is normally something only someone of Elnore’s caliber could do, but with the combination of Severance Blade + Desperate Situation + Tristan-style Swordsmanship, I can at least imitate it somewhat.

“M-monster…!”

“What the hell is that…!”

Screams and such words continued to come from all around.

Instead of responding, I cut down all the people around me as if I were slicing meat.

Blood fountains spray everywhere and human body parts fly in all directions—it makes me a bit nauseous, but honestly, I don’t feel much.

This is just a mental world, after all.

Fundamentally, it’s just an illusion created by the White Demon.

However.

There’s clearly someone who is extremely displeased with this.

!!! Warning !!!

[ Return to your ‘role’ immediately! ]

[ Return to your ‘role’ immediately! ]

[ Return to your ‘role’ immediately! ]

[ Return to your- ]

The red window appearing before my eyes grows larger and larger.

It’s almost as if it’s screaming at me.

But I ignore it and continue slashing.

I keep cutting. Keep killing. Keep splattering blood everywhere.

And then—

< System Messa-

As a message window tries to appear before my eyes.

[Partner, what are you doing?]

It gets ‘intercepted’ by something.

Then.

‘Everything,’ including me, freezes in place.

As if a transcendent being has intervened.

“…”

I sigh inwardly.

Normally, only the Grey Demon could do something like this, but there’s someone else who can do similar things within ‘a world of their own creation.’

[I told you to stick to your role, didn’t I?]

With those words.

A ‘demon’ emitting an intensely pure white color appeared before my eyes, tearing through space.

It’s the White Demon, taking Yuria’s form.

“…”

Yes.

I was waiting for this.

I knew that causing this much chaos would definitely bring it out.

Its eyes are glowing fiercely. With a cold gaze that makes my heart sink just by meeting it, it approaches me.

It grabs my chin and lifts it up, forcing me to look into its eyes.

[I’ll allow you to speak, so tell me. Why did you ignore the warning?]

At the same time, my mobility slightly returns.

I can barely move my mouth, but I somehow manage to speak.

“It’s frustrating.”

[…What?]

“Why did you impose the ‘role’ restriction in the first place?”

At my words, the White Demon’s face twitched.

“It’s strange. If you wanted to prevent what would happen to Yuria, there was no need for such a constraint. It restricts the range of actions and doesn’t even suit me.”

[…]

“Why did you keep forcing that on me?”

I’m not sure exactly what it’s trying to do.

Its feelings for Yuria must have been genuine. It’s clear that it was trying to have some positive effect on her by creating this mental world and ‘altering’ her past.

However.

Regarding this role aspect—

“You had some other scheme, didn’t you?”

If not.

There was no need to attach such a restriction to me.

There’s only one function that could be expected through such a thing.

That it could naturally ‘fix’ me in the world created by the White Demon.

That it could manipulate me as it pleased.

If I give such a ‘pretext’ to the White Demon, the most obsessive of all demons and the one most intent on binding me, who knows what kind of trouble might follow later.

[…]

The White Demon’s face continued to twitch.

[…I.]

After a long silence, it barely opened its mouth to answer.

It spoke through gritted teeth.

[I just wanted to change you, that’s all.]

“Change what?”

[…The future you’ll face. The past of the vessel I dwell in.]

“…What are you talking about?”

[…]

It remained silent for a long time.

Much longer than before.

Eventually, it tightly closed its eyes and shook its head.

As if trying to shake off memories it didn’t want to recall.

[…Shut up. Anyway, you violated the constraints I placed.]

The White Demon raised its hand in front of me.

[That means I can revoke ownership of your soul without consequences. It wouldn’t even be a violation of the ‘agreement.’]

“…”

…Agreement?

Another incomprehensible statement.

But judging by the atmosphere, there seems to be no opportunity for explanation.

White magical energy began to gather in its hand.

[…Though the method has changed from what I expected.]

I could hear it quietly muttering.

[This time, we can finally be together—]

But before that sentence could finish.

-!

-!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The space.

Crumpled, twisted, shattered.

And was ‘swept away’ all at once.

Only darkness like the abyss I saw when first entering this place surrounds us.

As if someone’s ‘arrival’ had completely destroyed the mental world.

[What…!]

A cry of astonishment escaped from the White Demon’s mouth.

In a mental world based on the mind, control should rightfully belong solely to itself.

That should be the case.

Yet what kind of being could tear it apart so effortlessly and enter?

Startled, it turned around.

“You.”

There.

Was a familiar face.

“[What are you trying to do to Darwood?]”

With those words.

Grey energy began to explode outward in all directions.

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