Ch.244Three Monstrosities (2)
by fnovelpia
Elimul.
Llewellyn remembered that name. He was the male of the heterozygous twin shapeshifters that the Empress had once reclaimed.
He had lost his sister, or perhaps his older sister. The god’s reckless assault had shattered her head.
A blow that could kill even a homunculus. Perhaps an ambush specifically targeting a homunculus.
The God of Vengeance actively utilized means to kill the “Father” for revenge, and because of that, Elise died.
Although shapeshifters had excellent regenerative abilities, they didn’t possess the kind of regeneration that transcended life like the Blood Clan.
Nor were they monsters like necromancers for whom death didn’t exist.
In reality, despite having the most monstrous appearance, shapeshifters were the most “human-like” race among the three clans.
What they possessed was simply superhuman strength and regenerative abilities obtained through body transformation. It was difficult to consider them beyond the realm of life.
As Llewellyn pondered this, he could understand the “Father’s” intention.
He must have tried to overcome death in the most common-sense way that adhered to the rules.
The result must have been disappointing. Knowing this, Llewellyn quietly followed Elimul with an uncomfortable expression.
Clearly, shapeshifters were a human-like race, and the Empress should be too.
Llewellyn could sense the Empress’s handiwork in Elimul’s complete gender transformation.
It was like Lorian’s prosthetic arm. That prosthetic managed by Ortemilia and created by the Empress.
He felt a similar style and philosophy. A feeling that made him somehow uncomfortable inside.
Llewellyn was newly reminded that the Empress was a monster.
“…It seems like you have something you want to ask.”
Elimul observed Llewellyn’s expression and asked subtly.
“I do indeed.”
But the person, no, the monstrosity who should be asked was someone else.
At least, that’s what Llewellyn thought.
“You can ask me. This was… my will.”
An unexpected statement. But Llewellyn doubted Elimul’s words rather than taking them at face value.
From Llewellyn’s limited knowledge, in the society before his possession, there was a popular term called gaslighting.
It was a form of brainwashing that clouded others’ judgment through words and made them doubt their own judgment.
Llewellyn suspected that Elimul had been subjected to this. The Empress was skilled at such things.
Hadn’t she done the same to Llewellyn?
It was a reasonable suspicion. However.
“Elise was always autonomous. Making her own judgments and actions… I felt comfortable being led by such a sister.”
“That’s…”
“I know. It’s not a healthy habit. But… that’s what I wanted.”
Though he didn’t understand how this led to the choice of becoming Elise, Llewellyn disliked Elimul’s words.
He was disturbed from the start by the identical voice and appearance to his sister. Even though they were strangers, and at most had spent less than a week together.
Perhaps because Elimul was engraved in Llewellyn’s mourning? Llewellyn didn’t hide his displeasure, and even Lorian, who had been in a good mood until just now, watched Llewellyn cautiously.
“That’s not logical. Is that really your own thought?”
“The Empress did lend me the idea, but I was the one who agreed.”
Elimul laughed quietly.
Llewellyn looked at Elimul and then raised his head.
The interior of the building resembling the Pantheon was similar to the Pantheon but decorated in a slightly distorted way.
There were taxidermies of all kinds of creatures.
They were realistic taxidermies that looked as if they might come alive at any moment. It occurred to him that they might actually be living things somehow solidified.
The Empress was certainly capable of such things. Llewellyn walked while wondering if perhaps he had come here to be “taxidermied by the Empress,” and Elimul, leading the way, said:
“I wanted to become like Elise.”
“The Empress is insane.”
He didn’t deny it. Anyone asked to choose the most deranged leader among the three clans would choose the Empress.
Similarly, Llewellyn couldn’t deny what someone “wanted.”
It was a change that had emerged after obtaining divinity.
So Llewellyn abandoned even trying to persuade or condemn Elimul and just walked.
There were many things to do anyway, regardless. The problem was that he had become reluctant.
Llewellyn had entered the Empress’s residence to truly make this madwoman an ally.
*
“My, I didn’t expect you to come so early.”
The Empress spoke casually, and Llewellyn frowned immediately upon hearing her words.
“Cut the crap. You knew I was coming, and that I would come.”
“Aren’t you jumping to conclusions? I really might not have known.”
Llewellyn didn’t respond, and the Empress smiled, raising the corners of her mouth.
Her veil remained impenetrable, but her curved lips and eyes were clearly visible. Strange, but how much wasn’t strange anymore?
Llewellyn knew that his very existence was an overwhelming mystery.
So instead of asking an old question, he said:
“You know why I came, don’t you?”
The Empress didn’t answer. As if answering wasn’t even necessary, she crossed her legs on the high seat.
Her long legs rustled inside the flowing dress. Her sharp eyes, proclaiming to anyone who saw her that she was a dangerous woman, tilted with boredom.
“I’d like to hear it directly, my grandson.”
She treated Llewellyn as her grandson, even though she didn’t truly think of him that way.
Her entire demeanor gave off that impression.
No sincerity, just a cauldron of chaos incarnate.
The most deranged person among the three leaders of the three clans, and one who didn’t even try to hide it.
Making such a person a true ally, ending the cold war, and subjugating the three clans were all difficult tasks, but.
Subjugating the Empress was not easy either.
Nor could he enchant all the shapeshifters excluding the Empress to make them allies. What Llewellyn and the Court Count commonly desired was an alliance, not crazed followers.
He chose his words carefully before speaking.
“I came to recruit you…”
He stopped mid-sentence. Llewellyn thought that he was merely doing what the Court Count wanted, in the way he wanted.
“No, I came to take everything from you.”
He said it before he realized it.
Only after saying it did he think “oops,” but he didn’t know how to take back words already spoken.
He didn’t know how to rewind time or manipulate others’ memories.
So Llewellyn relied on the intuition and inspiration that had suddenly come to him.
“The shapeshifters you’ve raised and maintained for me until now. The techniques you’ve gathered and cultivated, the resources you’ve collected in preparation.”
The Empress’s gaze shone with interest, and Llewellyn, meeting that gaze, thought.
The Empress has a hedonistic side.
She’s a being who acts on what pleases her and what she feels like doing.
What she always desires is greater pleasure and indulgence. She pursued only pure, undiluted fun.
Where does the purest fun, which drugs, sex, and fighting cannot provide, come from?
The answer would differ for each person, but it was clear that the Empress believed it came from unexpectedness.
Events unfolding in unexpected ways, the appearance of unforeseen characters, the rise of beings no one anticipated.
And situations becoming even more chaotic would be to her taste.
Llewellyn was confident about that much.
So he spoke with certainty:
“I’ve come to take it all.”
The Empress smiled broadly, the corners of her mouth stretching almost to her ears, already revealing her mood.
“Why should I give you everything?”
“Looking at Elimul, I realized. You were bored, weren’t you?”
Elimul flinched and froze at those words. He bit his lip as if unable to accept the fact that he had been modified out of boredom, but.
It was true. Llewellyn knew the Empress. She hadn’t made Elimul identical to Elise out of pity for him or for some purpose.
She had done it to alleviate her boredom.
So what Llewellyn needed to do was obvious.
“Did you expect this?”
“No. Not at all.”
“You won’t be able to predict what comes next either.”
Llewellyn guaranteed, and that confidence was deeply imbued with Llewellyn’s strengths.
The fact that he was impulsive in everything yet had considerable drive.
His quick wit and intuition, and the reflexes that led to decent results despite relying on momentary inspiration.
The Empress smiled with interest, then.
Abruptly, she swung something as if shooting it from behind the shadows.
Her seated position didn’t change. Not a single posture shifted.
Something just shot out from the darkness. At overwhelming speed.
What approached, as if distorting space, was a tail.
But it wasn’t just a tail. It was a javelin, a siege hammer, a meteor capable of annihilating a being and more.
Llewellyn knew it was aimed at his head.
Was she trying to split his head open, calling him insolent? After a moment’s thought, Llewellyn realized that wasn’t it.
This was a test. Llewellyn exhaled a long breath in the slowing world as soon as he realized.
‘What should I do?’
‘Proof.’
The Court Count was the same. He wanted Llewellyn to prove he could unite and lead the three clans.
Then, in a similar context, he could understand what the Empress wanted.
Strength that could withstand without being crushed by the results while providing her with unprecedented, unexpected entertainment.
That was what he needed to prove to her. So Llewellyn moved his lips in the slowed world.
“Miracle—”
Thump!
The heartbeat spreads outward. It passes by Lorian, and Elimul who was bewildered further back.
The pulse, emitted in all directions, brushes past even the Empress, and returns like an echo after hitting the walls.
Finally, it sinks into Llewellyn, reaching the memories and mourning residing within him.
In Llewellyn’s memory, the great magician who gave her body to divinity and later had her head severed appears.
The first Structuralist magician and the first contractor.
The witch, Renia.
Llewellyn finished his words while recalling her face.
“—Transformation.”
Llewellyn is a possessor.
He was a veteran of Grim Darker, a gamer who had played all professions in Grim Darker.
He could think of ways to respond to any situation.
All that remained was the means. Llewellyn’s eyes flashed blue for an instant.
He extends his hand. Along the extended hand, divinity mimicking magical power draws a line segment.
The technique is the same as when drawing Llewellyn’s sword, Starswarm.
He draws a line segment. The first line is sufficient.
The rest is created by magical power, by divinity. Llewellyn’s eyes moved at the speed of light, following the blueprint he had drawn, divinity mimicking magical power.
What is finally created is one massive pillar. A mysterious structure glowing blue with a transparent interior.
Something that seems too fragile to block the Empress’s tail.
However.
Kaaaaaaaang!
The Empress’s tail is deflected.
The power she shot disappears as if it were nothing, and the Empress sat blankly, unable to show any reaction, seemingly bewildered.
Kwararararara!
Only the collapsing magical structure scattered brilliant fragments.
Amidst the scattering fragments of divinity, Llewellyn spoke:
“I told you.”
With an extremely triumphant smile.
“You wouldn’t be able to predict it.”
In the place where the miracle had cleared, the Empress smiled broadly, raising the corners of her mouth.
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