Ch.229Chapter 229. A Being False from the Roots

Vivian Platonis.

The last witch remaining in this world, and the central figure in the Crown Prince’s plan.

And the person I wanted to protect before entering this place.

‘Will you really protect her?’

When I was considering the possibility of encountering her before entering the system, Flan approached me and begged me to give up my obsession with her.

‘…Flan.’

‘You know it too, Master. That she was the one who provided the cause that drew the Demon Lord into the system. Even if that will wasn’t her own, she cannot be free from the responsibility of bringing calamity to the Empire.’

I couldn’t help but waver considerably.

Because what I needed to protect was clear, and I had reasons to return alive.

If I were to prioritize, it would be Irie Haven, who had formed a bond and borne fruit with me.

If Vivian were to stand in the way of that, perhaps I might have to point my blade at her by my own will.

‘And yet… will you not give her up?’

Yet what Flan expressed toward my conflicted self wasn’t resentment but concern.

Perhaps concern that I might cause trouble I couldn’t handle because I couldn’t shake off my feelings for her.

‘…Then one thing.’

And following such concern, an unexpected story.

‘Before we reach the Imperial Palace, I have something to tell you about her, Master.’

‘…About Vivian?’

‘Yes, please listen carefully without being shocked.’

At the time, I couldn’t tell whether it was meant to persuade me or to warn me.

But either way, if it involved Vivian, I had a duty to listen.

‘…His Holiness Pope Martina.’

And so, as I prepared to listen quietly, Flan began to tell me what she knew.

‘She was considered a successful product of experiments led by the Order before she was manipulated by the Demon Tribe in the Holy Land and drove out the vampires.’

‘The Pope, a successful product…?’

‘Yes, Beastmen like Lady Phobia were failures of such experiments. Only after these Beastmen increased their numbers to the point of being defined as a race could they produce a single successful product called His Holiness the Pope.’

I had certainly heard that Beastmen were born under the leadership of some faction, but that was the first time I heard it was the Order.

To think that those who serve God would lead such inhumane experiments…

But what I couldn’t overlook even more was the story about the successful product born at the end of such experiments.

‘As a successful product who awakened only a witch’s power while maintaining human thinking abilities and sensibilities.’

A being who wields a witch’s power with human strength…

I had encountered such a being before.

In fact, the Crown Prince, who was the mastermind behind all this, also wielded abilities like those from another world, and he once said that obtaining that power was followed by many sacrifices.

If those sacrifices were due to experiments led by the Order, then the relationship between the Imperial Family and the Order likely extended to more covert aspects.

‘And…’

Then what connection did this witch Vivian have with such a relationship…

The answer to that question was soon resolved through unexpected words that followed.

‘His Holiness the Pope, for some reason, had the same face as Vivian.’

‘…What?’

‘She was older, but I’m certain. His Holiness the Pope definitely had the same face as Vivian.’

A face identical to Vivian’s except for the age difference.

Could it be that the two are blood-related?

Or is that also somehow related to the experiments?

‘I don’t know the details either. I’ve dealt with many heteromorphic beings, but witches distort even the laws of the world, so the variables to consider are nearly infinite.’

Flan couldn’t provide a detailed answer either, but for her, the factual relationship wasn’t particularly noteworthy.

What mattered immediately was that Vivian had brought danger to the Empire, and that the Pope’s identity had heightened vigilance against Vivian.

‘But the witch race I know are beings who wouldn’t think twice about destroying the world out of mere curiosity. If such a being devoid of humanity moves with a purpose other than research or shows emotional aspects, it’s likely they were born in a different way, like His Holiness the Pope.’

A purpose other than intellectual curiosity, and emotional aspects…

Both applied to the Vivian I knew.

From our first meeting, she showed goodwill toward me and anger at having her research interrupted.

And the reason she was enraged enough to single-handedly wipe out a criminal organization was also for a clear purpose: to meet her mother again.

‘Master, I won’t say anything more about how you should think of her.’

Though I felt a disconnect between that past and Flan’s explanation, Flan didn’t force anything more upon me.

She didn’t express resentment toward my hesitation to choose, nor did she lament the possibility that we might have to fight again.

‘I just want you to know one thing.’

She simply withdrew after giving a concerned warning.

‘That she might be… a being overlaid with secrets even more dangerous than the witches I know.’

Yes, she respected me until the end.

Despite knowing the dangers of a witch, how I should treat the witch I had come to care for.

She chose to entrust everything to me, not even entering the Imperial Palace with me.

****

“Vivi, are you…”

The woman who had been the cause of such conflict was now standing before me.

With her arms stretched out and empty eyes directed at the void, she stood there silently blocking my path along with the vampire in front of me.

“Vivian, can you hear me? Vivi…”

But it’s different from what I initially expected.

I thought I might have to point my spear at her, but why is she staring blankly into space without any reaction to seeing me?

-CRACK!!!

A bursting sound echoed before I could voice all my questions.

With it, a fountain of blood spurted up, and Vivian’s body began to fall lifelessly to the ground.

“…Huh?”

What on earth just happened?

Something dropped in front of me as I stood there dumbfounded, unable to grasp the situation.

A ball-like object filled with scattered threads…

-Drip.

No, it’s not a ball.

It’s a person’s head.

The head of the woman who was standing next to that vampire just moments ago…

“Vi.”

“Vivian…?”

The head of the person I wanted to protect.

It rolled to my feet after being severed by that vampire’s claws.

“Ahahahahahaha~!!”

Amidst the confusion stirring in my mind, laughter rang out.

The vampire, who had abandoned the decapitated body and approached me, began to smile with narrow eyes as if mocking me.

“My, seeing your shock, it seems you were quite close to her~ Perhaps you even had feelings for her? For a doll that only looks human?”

What is she talking about, a doll?

Vivian is just Vivian.

Regardless of whether she’s a witch or human, she’s a woman who, despite possessing extraordinary power, never used that power against me.

So I thought we could get along, that she could live like a human with me…

“Ah~ Does your heart ache? Are you in pain because you lost someone precious?”

How can this abominable vampire smile so cheerfully after taking away such a precious being?

“But don’t worry. If you accept this as a trial and endure the pain to move forward, you can become stronger than you are now.”

A trial? Is she referring to Vivian’s death?

After causing it with her own hands, is she spouting nonsense about me enduring it and moving on?

“My lord also wishes for you to grow. After all, you are to become the protagonist who will lead a new era after escaping this place…”

-BOOM!!!

A throwing spear, launched in uncontrollable emotion, pierced through her body and exploded.

Her body scattered and turned to ash from the impact… no, she merely transformed her body into mist and fled.

Like other vampires, she hid her body to mock and deceive me.

“Come out… now!”

Yes, her goal must be to block me here.

So I must kill her.

I must avenge Vivian.

“I said come out right now!!! You bitch!!!”

“Hahahahaha! Ahahahahahaha!!”

“AAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!”

Mockery echoing through the banquet hall.

Weapons thrown in all directions exploded along with my wailing, but the stake in my heart only drove deeper.

Because even if I succeeded in revenge here, Vivian is already dead.

Vivian will never return to me again.

“Why, just…”

Why does this world take away precious beings from me in this way?

No matter how much I struggle, it’s the same. These things keep happening, and in the end, I’m forced to abandon everything and run away.

Does this mean Irie will leave my side in this way too?

Is there truly a happy ending that I desire ahead?

“Why only me…!!!”

“Get a grip, you fool.”

At that moment, with a sharp sound, my rampage was stopped.

Following that, someone grabbed and pulled my stinging cheek, glaring at me and beginning to threaten.

“How dare you lose your mind after coming this far! Have you forgotten that we’re in the middle of enemy territory!?”

Annabelle Britannia.

A projection derived from me and my only companion who supports me.

“I don’t know what that woman who died at the hands of that damned vampire meant to you, but you came here for a different reason, didn’t you? Are you trying to ruin everything by losing your mind and going berserk after coming all this way!?”

“But, Vivian…”

“If you lose your cool here, what becomes of that child who followed you here trusting you and is now in trouble!?”

Her hand swung with rage.

As she turned my head to look behind, I saw Garam collapsed, having fallen victim to the vampire’s deception.

The child I risked my life to save…

A child who might become another victim if I lose my composure, lying unconscious not far from me.

“If you understand, then get a grip. It’s not just that vampire we need to deal with right now.”

Annabelle lightly hit the back of my head and returned to my body after I finally regained my senses.

Though her voice still showed signs of scolding, the composure I barely managed to maintain wouldn’t have been possible without her.

“…Thank you, Annabelle.”

-Don’t thank me for something like this. Fool.

Annabelle returned my sincere gratitude by controlling her power.

As she said, this is the middle of enemy territory, and in the darkness spread all around, I could sense the presence of not only vampires but many others.

The number is in the dozens… a situation where I cannot afford to lose my composure as it would be difficult to handle alone.

No matter that Vivian was beheaded before my eyes, I have people to protect right now more than someone who is already dead.

-Thud, thud.

As I tightened the reins of tension and controlled my power, footsteps were heard.

I immediately prepared to point my spear at the enemies who began to emerge one by one from the darkness.

“…Huh?”

But it was never swung at the opponent.

It’s a natural result.

Because something that shouldn’t be happening was unfolding right before my eyes…

“Vi…”

Yes, it’s impossible.

She clearly died with her head cut off in front of me.

Her corpse is still lying on the ground.

“Vivi… an?”

But how is someone who looks exactly like her standing before me right now, directing empty eyes toward me?

-Thud, thud.

No, it’s not just one.

At this moment, others emerging from the darkness as well.

All of them had the same face and body as Vivian, directing empty gazes toward me.

What is this? Am I dreaming?

“My, why such an expression?”

At that moment, a faint voice came from within the darkness.

Along with it, the vampire who revealed herself by deactivating her mist form began to playfully laugh and place her hand on Vivian’s body in front of her.

“Aren’t you pleased? With projections identical to the one who died before you overflowing here?”

“What… are you…”

Projections? What are you talking about?

Are all of these Vivian’s projections? Then the Vivian who just died… where is the original?

If all of these are projections, then the Vivian I knew…

‘His Holiness the Pope, for some reason, had the same face as Vivian.’

The one I wanted to protect.

What difference is there between her and those I’m facing now?