Chapter 39: This time it’s an ally, Part 1

Honestly, Leviathan had no intention of helping Lucia.

Lucia was a child favored by the abhorrent gods, a being destined to become her enemy.

Lucia’s current state, manipulated by a demon and unable to think clearly, was beneficial to Leviathan.

However, it was also… irritating.

The human Kayleen cared about, the human Kayleen was interested in, was being manipulated by a low-level demon?

Lucia’s power was still undeveloped, her divinity dormant, making her weaker than most demons.

Heroes were known for their late bloom, but their unwavering resolve was their defining trait. A hero easily swayed by a demon like Vanity wasn’t worthy of the title.

Vanity’s words were sweet lies, deceptively alluring.

While it should have pleased Leviathan, it didn’t.

How many times had she, had other demons, been thwarted by heroes, by divinity users?

They would rise again and again, their resolve unshaken, even after their bodies and minds were broken.

And now… a hero was falling so easily?

Leviathan, the demon of Envy, couldn’t tolerate this.

She’d vowed to destroy the human realm herself.

This… was an extension of her contract.

She hadn’t received her payment yet, so the contract was still in effect.

“Do not harm the hero or the academy students.”

Then a hero who was no longer a hero… needed to be restored.

It was an irrational thought, but Leviathan, using the contract as a pretext, approached Lucia.

She wasn’t ready to destroy the human realm yet. There were still too many things she wanted to experience.

She hid her true intentions.

“Y-you are…?”

“I’ll be blunt. You’re being deceived by a demon. I know you won’t believe me, but…”

“Th-that’s not possible…! Rin wouldn’t lie to me…”

Lucia’s face paled.

She wanted to believe Leviathan was lying, but she knew, deep down, that it was the truth.

But she didn’t want to believe it.

“Rin? Hmph. That’s not Kayleen. It’s a demon, using sweet words to manipulate you.”

“I… I can’t… listen to this anymore…”

“Wait. Calm—”

And Lucia, unable to bear the words that shook her very core, swung her sword at Leviathan.

Of course, Leviathan didn’t die.

Even if this physical manifestation was destroyed, it would only slightly weaken her true form.

But Leviathan still had much to experience in the human realm, and she still hadn’t received her payment from Kayleen, so she split her mana in half, creating a temporary body.

Using her Authority, she rendered her current body invisible. Lucia, believing the temporary body to be the real Leviathan, struck.

The holy sword severed the mana link, destroying the temporary body.

But venturing out now would expose her current, weakened form to Lucia’s blade, so Leviathan waited until Lucia’s presence vanished before reappearing.

“…Sigh. Humans… never learning, even after being warned…”

She couldn’t help but sigh.

A being of her stature offering advice, only to be attacked with a holy sword…

While she hadn’t died, splitting her mana had reduced her physical form to that of a small child, too young to even enter the academy.

She could regain her original form by consuming food and replenishing her mana, but it was still… annoying.

She wouldn’t have bothered helping if she’d known this would happen.

Annoyed and hungry, she was about to seek out Kayleen’s subordinates for a meal when she saw Ciella and Carmel staring at her, their expressions a mixture of shock and horror.

In Carmel’s hand… Leviathan’s severed, bleeding, temporary body.

Normally, her temporary bodies would simply dissipate, but she’d added a touch of her Authority for realism, resulting in a rather gruesome sight.

“…Another outsider? This is troublesome…”

Being discovered here was problematic… Should she eliminate them too?

“Levi…? No… her… younger sister…?”

“Sister…? No. I’m the original.”

As if demons had siblings.

All demons were born from pure mana, embodying a single concept, not through reproduction.

“Th-then… this is…?”

Carmel held up the severed body.

But the mana construct, no longer connected to Leviathan, began to dissipate.

And soon, nothing remained.

“Huh…? The body…”

“That… was a temporary vessel.”

“Ah…! I… I see… that’s a relief…”

Carmel and Ciella sighed in relief.

While Lucia’s actions had been shocking, and the circumstances suggested demonic influence…

They didn’t want to believe their friend was capable of harming an innocent person.

Seeing their reaction, Leviathan decided to leave.

There was no need to waste her remaining mana and risk further reducing her form if they weren’t suspicious of her.

“Then, if there’s nothing else, I’ll be going.”

She’d been promised a meal made with ingredients from the Empire. She wondered how it would taste.

“E-excuse me…!”

Carmel grabbed her sleeve, stopping her.

Leviathan’s annoyance flared. Losing her power to help Lucia had already soured her mood, and now, another human was hindering her pursuit of happiness.

She’d been remarkably patient.

In the organization’s safe house, at the academy, with Lucia, and even now.

Even the god of Temperance had only tolerated three transgressions before enacting punishment. A demon showing such restraint was unheard of.

Even if it meant being reduced to the form of an infant, she would eliminate these two.

Leviathan channeled mana, preparing to strike Carmel’s hand, but—

“I’ll buy you dinner… if you’ll talk to us…”

“…I’ll listen… to what you have to say…”

Leviathan withdrew her mana.

Such an easily swayed demon.

“Gasp… huff… sob…”

BAM!

Click.

Lucia stumbled into a building, slamming the door shut and leaning against it, gasping for air.

This wasn’t her first kill, but this time… she’d killed someone who might have been innocent.

Leviathan, who seemed to have a connection to Kayleen.

And Carmel and Ciella had witnessed it.

“What… what have I done…”

She might lose her newfound companions.

And Kayleen, who had been so kind to her, might hate her now.

The thought made her tremble, her breath coming in ragged gasps.

“Sob… sob…”

Why had she done that?

She shouldn’t have…

Regret and the fear of impending loss overwhelmed her, tears streaming down her face.

“Lucia. Don’t worry…”

“…Rin…?”

A familiar voice, a voice of comfort.

The entity wearing Kayleen’s form emerged from within the building, her usual bright smile on her face, and gently placed a hand on Lucia’s chin, tilting her head up.

Their eyes met, and she whispered, her voice soothing,

“That person… the one you killed… was an error. An error that shouldn’t exist.”

“An… error…”

“Yes, Lucia. The reason you’ve been suffering… is because of these errors. You’re not at fault.”

“I’m… not at fault…”

Lucia’s gaze was drawn into Kayleen’s red eyes, her mind growing hazy.

“If we eliminate these errors… these obstacles in your path… everything will return to normal. You… and your companions… won’t have to suffer anymore.”

“I-is that… true…?”

“Of course, Lucia.”

Kayleen smiled and pulled a small bead from her bag.

“Now, Lucia. Open your mouth.”

“Wh-what is that…?”

“It’s medicine. It will calm your troubled mind.”

“Ah… I see…”

Lucia opened her mouth, and Kayleen placed the bead, swirling with a sinister black mana, on her tongue, then gently closed Lucia’s lips with a finger.

“Now, Lucia. Swallow.”

“Ah… mmm…”

Gulp.

“Relax. Let go of everything… just relax…”

Lucia’s vision blurred, as if a dark cloud was descending.

“Everything… for Amadeus…”

Ama… deus…?

Repeating Kayleen’s last words, Lucia’s consciousness faded, sinking into a deep, dreamless slumber.