Ch.213213. Conquest (3)

●

Regardless of whether Elia’s self-esteem was shattered, the situation continued to unfold in real time.

Within the radiance, particles began to gather, forming the shape of a person.

Six pairs of wings. A halo floating above the head. Hair flowing down to the ankles. A form-fitting white garment.

It was such a stereotypical angelic appearance that anyone would recognize it as the classic image of an angel.

“…Huh?”

Elia, who had been sniffling, involuntarily uttered those words the moment she saw the figure.

Wait, this.

Somehow, the appearance…

‘…It looks a bit like me?’

It wasn’t just self-consciousness—even to her own eyes, it seemed like if she aged a few years and grew her hair long and flowing, she would look exactly like this.

As she stared at the figure with a peculiar expression, the Lightbearer, who had kept its eyes closed since appearing within the radiance, slowly opened them.

That gaze soon met Elia’s.

“…”

Elia unconsciously broke into a cold sweat.

No. Looking at that gaze, she could tell for certain.

This was an entirely different being from herself.

It was some overwhelming “something” that made her feel like an ant in comparison. She could feel that pressure.

[So you’re the one who awakened me.]

“…Y-yes, that’s…”

At the crystalline voice that sounded like marbles rolling on a tray, Elia barely managed to speak with a strangled voice.

What should I say? An angel is speaking to me…!

[I thoroughly enjoyed watching such a cute little thing squirm in embarrassment~]

“…”

[All the previous heroes were such boring fellows that it was irritating, but this time…]

The Lightbearer looked Elia up and down, as if “appraising” her.

Its gaze seemed to linger a bit longer on her chest, waist, and other areas like her hips.

[…I’m fortunate in many ways~]

At the satisfied tone of the Lightbearer whose eyes curved like crescent moons, Elia unconsciously took a step back.

Despite clearly having wings, a halo, and all the characteristics of an angel—and even looking strangely similar to herself—

When it spoke just now, it gave off the vibe of a creepy sexual harasser.

Lightbearer?

This thing?

‘Are you kidding me?’

As Elia involuntarily thought this while looking at the grinning Lightbearer, it raised both hands above its waist and looked around.

[Well, we can introduce ourselves properly later…]

Then.

[…For now, it seems there are some things that need to be ‘cleaned up’?]

Its eyes flashed sharply.

Regardless of the atmosphere it was giving off.

This was the Lightbearer.

The being standing at the pinnacle of all angels in the Otherworld.

If demons have the King of Pandemonium, the Lightbearer could be called the ruler of the Otherworld.

[Let me flex a little.]

And the scene that unfolded with those words starkly demonstrated that such a title was not bestowed lightly.

In fact, contrary to what it said, it was clear to anyone watching that it wasn’t even exerting much effort.

It merely lightly clenched its fist in place.

But.

“…Good heavens.”

Archbishop Luminol muttered those words like a groan.

-!

-!!

-!!!!!!!!!

With just the radiance emitted from that clenched fist, all the dimensional gates in the vicinity shattered simultaneously.

All the Pandemonium creatures nearby were instantly crushed to dust.

The ground, which had been stained with sulfurous soot, was instantly “purified.”

It was said that while a demon’s unleashed power could transform its surroundings to resemble Pandemonium, an angel possessed the power to purify such things by its mere existence.

However.

All beings from the Otherworld have limited influence when interfering with the material world.

Yet, even with such massive restrictions, this level of power!

‘…A being that has reached a status capable of matching demons across all dimensions.’

Archbishop Luminol trembled as he reflected that such a title was not given without reason.

And to put it another way,

In the current situation with multiple Demonic Vessels, there would be few people unaffected by such a being.

“…Ugh, ah.”

Yuria, who had barely spoken a word until now, hugged herself upon seeing this sight.

Tension, fear, discomfort, hostility, hatred.

This flood of negative emotions all mixed together was an experience she had never felt in her life.

Serath, Riru, and everyone else seemed to experience similar feelings, staggering with confused expressions.

Their gestures clearly showed they couldn’t properly understand why such feelings suddenly came over them.

And among them.

There was one human who felt the most intense emotions.

“…How unpleasant.”

Elnore said with narrowed eyes.

Just seeing its appearance caused a throbbing headache and a feeling of venom gushing from near her heart.

The energy pouring from inside her body was difficult to control.

Her entire body was screaming. To go over there and tear that damned being to pieces. To erase its very existence from the world.

Mortal enemies.

The feeling that they couldn’t exist under the same sky violently stained her brain the moment she saw the Lightbearer.

[…Seems like there are a lot of angry kids here?]

The Lightbearer looked around and chuckled.

[As always, those Pandemonium folks are just dying to get at us whenever they see us. It’s terrifying, really.]

“…”

Well.

Even as it said that, it seemed to be eyeing the vessels around it like it wanted to devour them.

But before Elia could point this out,

Faynol’s body suddenly and violently bent within the pillar of fire.

It looked like he was clutching his head and burying it between his legs.

As if mourning something.

As if sobbing with his head buried in his knees.

“That’s…!”

As Elia exclaimed with wide eyes, the Lightbearer, who had been staring at the scene, smirked again and responded.

[Ah- that’s what they call unity.]

“…Pardon?”

[Their minds are merging. They’re probably having some really intense communion inside the mental world, between the ‘key’ over there and the vessel.]

“…”

Elia looked up at the Lightbearer with a pale face.

She wondered what it meant by calling Darwood a key, but more importantly, she needed to understand what “intense communion” meant.

[No, not what you’re thinking~? Pervert~]

“…I don’t know what you mean, Lightbearer.”

[Don’t deny it~ It was written all over your face~]

“…”

The way it floated over and poked Elia’s side while speaking smugly was quite detestable.

From the way it awakened seemingly just to humiliate her, to its general personality—it was simply unlikable.

[Well, even so.]

While Elia was mulling over these thoughts, the Lightbearer’s gaze sharpened again.

[…This is something I’ve never seen before.]

“Excuse me?”

[That demon is ‘wavering’ during communion. It’s showing a gap in its emotions.]

In other words.

It could be said that the demon was ‘persuaded.’

The demon that was trying to burn the world for its own purposes had somehow, through conversation with that man inside, partially abandoned its own will.

Just what.

What scene could he have shown.

For a human to persuade a demon through conversation alone, without any violent means?

“…Ah, that reminds me!”

Elia looked at her magitech wristwatch and urgently exclaimed.

Certainly.

Darwood had said he would create a ‘gap’ in Faynol around this time.

Though she didn’t know exactly, it was reasonable to think that Faynol’s sudden violent reaction was the ‘signal.’

“Lightbearer, please lend me your power!”

[…Hmm?]

“The teacher said we need to subdue the magical energy at this time! As the rightful owner of the holy sword, I must seal that demon!”

[Well, that’s not difficult…]

The Lightbearer’s eyes fixed on Darwood, who was also kneeling motionless inside the pillar of fire.

[…Later, I’ll need to look into that man a bit more?]

Without a doubt.

Even within the Otherworld, there would be many who would be interested in such a being.

●

“…”

He scratches his head with a troubled expression.

“Calivan, are you crying?”

[…Shut up.]

A sniffling voice rose from the Soul Linker.

Since there’s no denial, it seems he did cry a little.

In fact, Calivan’s condition is somewhat serious, and the Red Demon doesn’t look particularly composed either.

“…You.”

The Red Demon spoke with a trembling voice.

“After experiencing all this. How can you be so…”

“…Normal?”

“…”

A silent affirmation returned.

He responds with a bitter smile.

“Honestly, I’m not normal.”

Even now, he’s scared.

Afraid that people around him might get hurt. Might suffer.

Might die.

But, still.

“But I can change Faynol enough to make him seem as normal as I appear to be.”

He didn’t show everything.

He just showed fragments, snapshots.

Brothels. Orphanhood. Vagrancy. Survival. Murder. A life of garbage rolling in the mud, selling tomorrow to live today.

And then, salvation.

At the very end, at the last moment.

A life-changing shock stemming from a tiny act of kindness.

If it hadn’t been for that, he wouldn’t have been able to live a decent life either.

And.

He simply showed some of his ‘past’ to this being, with the intention of demonstrating that Faynol, like himself, could ‘change’ in the same way.

“…Now, can you trust me a little?”

And he’s just passing on to Faynol what others once gave to him.

Of course, if he were to dig into this being’s past, it would be full of terrible things. The fact that the red one, who positions itself as this being’s ‘protector,’ erased all of its senses suggests it thought that would be better.

“…”

The being silently looked at him.

It probably won’t trust him completely at once. That’s natural.

But.

The ‘former self’ he just showed this being.

At the very least, it should lend more than enough credibility to his promise to ‘make Faynol happy.’

Because he has gone through exactly the same process.

“…If this child.”

The Red Demon spoke in a somber voice.

“If this child cries again. If this child gets hurt. If you aren’t a sufficient support.”

But the determination embedded in its voice is undoubtedly very firm.

“I will come out again.”

“…”

Really.

These demons are extremely devoted to their vessels.

It’s a characteristic that helps a lot in contemplating their true nature.

Anyway.

“…Don’t worry.”

He responds with a wink.

“I’ll make sure neither you nor this kid can ever escape from me.”

“…”

“As I said earlier, we can get to know each other slowly. Together.”

But by showing his past just now, he’s confident they’ve at least opened their hearts to each other.

The rest is about building a relationship over time.

Including Faynol.

Wow, two flavors in one body.

“…”

The Red Demon glared at him silently.

As mentioned earlier, it’s quite curious how clearly one can perceive what seems like a blush rising to its face, despite its body being completely red.

“…Get lost. You womanizing trash.”

Seeing this, he inwardly chuckles.

‘Calivan.’

[Huh?]

‘Don’t you think it’s kind of cute watching this one?’

Everything it does somehow gives off classic tsundere vibes.

Its appearance is also most to his taste, and it definitely provides motivation to gradually build up affection in the future—

[Has your brain melted?]

“…”

[The demon that killed me, you think it’s… cute?]

“…”

That’s right.

He asked the wrong person.

●