episode_0177

“Take responsibility.”

Lucia said in a drowsy voice.

… I expected it to some extent.

After being confessed to by Helena, I began to realize it little by little, and I became more aware of it while I was still a child.

It’s entirely my responsibility… I feel a bit unfair when I say this, but that doesn’t mean I’m not responsible.

So, I vaguely expected this moment to come.

I didn’t know it would be like this.

I asked jokingly.

“How should I take responsibility?”

“Well. There are many ways. Or should I take responsibility for Ian? That’s a good picture too… .”

Lucia slowly wriggled her lower body and tried to put her leg between my legs.

I was scared and twisted my body.

“Wait! for a moment! I was wrong.”

“If you did something wrong, you should be punished, right?”

“Let’s talk about this first… .”

Lucia grinned and stopped moving.

But he didn’t let go of the wrist he was holding tightly.

“Being stuck is a punishment. It’s good to see you, huh.”

I had no choice but to confess my situation in a state of oppression.

There was a time when I thought fleetingly whether the day would come when I would tell Lucia this.

The day has come when that idea comes true.

After hearing everything, Lucia fell silent with a serious expression on her face.

Holding down my wrist for quite some time.

“… By any chance, Ian almost died this time. Isn’t that also an effect of the curse?”

“Hmm… . Probably not.”

I’m not sure, but if it’s because the time limit is up, there’s no way it would be so lax.

The information provided by system messages is absolute.

So, if you die because of that curse, that too will be absolute and certain.

“Ha… .”

Lucia sighed as if she was disturbed and hugged me again.

“I shouldn’t die… .”

“Isn’t that why you’re doing this? The same goes for raising you all.”

“I’m anxious, what should I do? This time, Kati is going out with us. What if something happens while we’re not there… .”

Lucia’s voice trembled.

I thought I was calm compared to other people, but now I see that I am not at all.

Maybe they were trying hard to make it look like that.

“You are worrying too much. This time, you won’t be as reckless as last time, so don’t worry.”

“Phew… . is it so. When it’s time to worry, it would be better to kill the demon lord quickly.”

Still, Lucia quickly came to her senses because her original personality was not going anywhere.

She raises her head and looks at me quietly.

“Can I ask you something?”

“It seems like a strange question.”

“Do other people know this too?”

Kati, Vivian, Helena.

Even without mentioning it, I knew it was referring to them.

Instead of answering, I just nodded.

“That’s right… . So, rather than taking over everyone, they took a step back… .”

“… What are you asking me to do?”

“Huh? No, I’m talking to myself. Pretend you didn’t hear.”

“… … .”

Only then did Lucia come down from above me.

“The devil. Devil… . Still, there isn’t much left now?”

“It is more important to finish safely than time. Because if you fail, everything becomes meaningless.”

“It will be fine.”

You have to believe that.

All that’s left right now is the Shinigami.

I’m not going to fight, but I need to keep an eye on them.

A lot has changed compared to the Shinigami I originally knew.

And, a journal of the timeline that I saw in passing while I was unconscious.

It’s vague because I wasn’t in my right mind, but I remember the general details.

There was a lot more filtered than last time.

But there were clear clues.

If we combine all the journals we have read before, the true identity of them and the Demon King is probably… .

“So.”

My thoughts were interrupted by Lucia sneaking up on me.

“How will you take responsibility?”

“… Yes?”

“I told you to take responsibility.”

Lucia’s hand leisurely adjusts my collar, then climbs up my shoulder like a snake and wraps around my neck.

Even if you try to push it, it’s so strong that you can’t even push it away.

She tilts her head and looks up with a mischievous smile.

“I’m not the only one responsible. … I wish you would only look at me.”

Certainly, it is as troublesome as the Demon Lord.

I answered with difficulty while avoiding Lucia’s face, which kept trying to get closer.

“That’s… I think about killing the devil first.”

“Heung.”

He slammed his forehead against my chest as if complaining and leaned his weight on it.

Lucia said while being held.

“I will definitely protect you.”

She hugged me on her own, but it felt like I was hugged by her.

Just like when I was younger, those words reminded me of the feeling that this place was safe.

*

That evening, Katy returned.

She wasn’t hurt or looked like she was starving.

However, it gave off a somewhat rough and wild atmosphere.

Dirt and monster blood stains all over the clothes, and even the hair that was roughly tied up.

What on earth happened in the past few days?

Why did the child become so fierce?

Regardless of those questions, Katy, who found me, ran over and jumped into my arms.

It only had a wild atmosphere for a short time.

Kati, who was held by me, returned to her previous self.

“Master.”

Katy rubbed her face in my arms and muttered.

“I missed you. I missed you so much, missed you, felt anxious, and worried… .”

The prickly cat ears occasionally tickled the underside of my chin.

“I’m glad you weren’t hurt.”

“Were you worried?”

“Then you won’t do it.”

Kati raised her head while being held in her arms and smiled brightly.

“You’ve grown a lot in the time we haven’t seen each other.”

“You didn’t grow up, you came back.”

Kati’s smile slowly disappeared, and then she became cold.

“… Are you still sleeping with other people?”

“Why do you use the expression ‘sleeping together’? .”

After I grow big again, I don’t sleep with them.

Everyone had a strong look of regret, but I could never do that with this body.

One problem is that since I started sleeping on my own, I haven’t been able to get back to a good night’s sleep.

… But I can’t reveal that.

How can I say this because I am embarrassed?

It’s like asking me to sleep with you.

“Not like this since I came back.”

“Thank goodness.”

Kati nodded seriously.

How fortunate must it be to make such an expression?

“So, were there any results?”

“Yes. It definitely worked.”

A black cloud rose from Kati’s body.

Soon, the body suddenly tilted.

I fell and hugged Katy tightly, but she didn’t hit the floor.

I lay down comfortably with something gently supporting my back.

“Well, what is this.”

When I looked down, it was black mana created by Kati.

That’s what made me fall.

Katy grinned as she sat on top of me.

“You cannot use black mana to use magic, but you can apply it in a variety of ways. This is also one of the things I learned this time.”

“… The application skills are so good.”

Kati leaned her weight comfortably on top of me without coming down.

The tail sticking out from under the skirt grabs my wrist and leads me to stroke its head.

It was so absurd that I burst out laughing.

When I thought about how long Kati, who had been alone for several days, had been waiting for this moment, I felt sorry and proud.

So I just let myself enjoy it.

“I’m glad you’re safe… .”

Came back to Kati.

Now, it’s tomorrow.

***

The night before the operation.

The four members of the first hero party, the fruit hero, and four Kati faced each other.

Vivian, Sylvia.

Helena, Aria.

Lucia, Kylie.

Kati, Beatrice.

“Before I leave tomorrow, I have something important to tell you.”

Sylvia spoke on behalf of the representative.

“This is just an assumption. I think you’ll step in and help us during our fight tomorrow.”

“On what basis?”

Lucia asked.

“None. It’s a hunch. But even if that’s not the case, I thought it would be good to let you know.”

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s a technique called Mana Transfer.”

“Mana transfer?”

“Yes. It’s simple. You pass the mana in your body to the other person.”

Sylvia reached out to Kylie.

Then, something like a blue thread rose from Sylvia’s fingertips and was absorbed into Kylie.

“A lot is lost during the transfer process, but it is better than not doing it for those who need it.”

“… Why do you need this?”

“It may not be necessary, but just in case. Depending on the environment, the people who can be active change slightly. In that case, the mana is transferred to that specific target. You could say it gives you strength. It’s different from healing. It would be accurate to say that the energy available to the target increases.”

“Why is this necessary?”

This was Helena’s question.

Sylvia spoke calmly.

“Because you will have to choose.”

“What… ?”

“When you came to help us. Will you transfer mana to us and fight together, or will you do it with your own strength?”

“… … .”

“I’m not forcing it. It is entirely up to you to decide at that time. That situation may not exist in the first place. However, the difference between having a choice and not having a choice is important. ”

Vivian was uneasy about Sylvia’s confident attitude.

Somehow, it feels like they will hand everything over to them and disappear.

I hope it’s just my imagination.

“I understand.”

Vivian answered first.

Most of what Sylvia said was correct.

Helena, Lucia, and even Kati agreed.

“It’s not that difficult. Perhaps, at your level, you will be able to awaken immediately just by feeling the sensation of transmission from us.”

“Let’s start.”

In that way, Ian Party learned mana transfer from the first warrior Party.

As Sylvia said, it was very easy, so it didn’t take long.

***

The morning of the day of the operation, in front of the 8th Gate.

4 members of the 1st warrior party.

And then, the four people in my party gathered together and stood in different places.

Behind them were many elite warriors to assist them.

Except for a few who guard the border of the eastern no-man’s land, all heroes of Class A or higher were gathered here.

Before going to war.

“I’ll be back!”

“I’ll be back!”

“Don’t go out anywhere and stay calm.”

Vivian, Helena, and Lucia hugged and greeted each other.

“Everyone, please be careful. And don’t worry, I’ll stay calmly here until the Shinigami dies.”

The last one was Kati.

She shared the temperature longer and more intensely than the other three.

“Please stay safe in the place I will return to.”

“… Come back.”

I went back to Kati and stood in front of the portal leading to the front line.

-Buuu… .

With the sound of a long horn, the movement of humanity’s elite group began.

First, they will move to the frontline base, then ride on assault wagons and sweep throughout the north.

In the meantime, the four members of the 1st Hero Party will be stationed in the rear and watch over the Reaper.

‘… ‘We’re almost to the devil.’

The first warrior party walked confidently first without even looking back.

After that, the fruits and Kati also disappeared into the portal.

“Let’s go.”

Mercy slightly guided her arm.

A video mirror was prepared in the command room at the 8th gateway.

Some show the eight elite members individually, while others show them from the perspective of those supporting them from the rear.

I have to watch and wait along with everyone else.

“Okay, let’s go.”

I moved to the command room with Mercy.

As expected from the operational headquarters, eight video mirrors were attached to the front wall like screens.

Each was reflecting the eight people who had just departed.

I sat down at a round table.

The atmosphere inside the command center was quiet and solemn.

The command center at other gateways will be similar to this one.

I calmed my nervous mind and looked at the screen.

***

Sylvia monitored the Reaper at the southern entrance.

As reported in advance, the Shinigami crouched in a fixed spot and did not move.

What is it?

I’m curious, but I can’t stimulate it, so I just think about it to myself.

Reports from the Fruit Heroes and Kati were occasionally heard through the earring-shaped video mirror.

For this operation, miniaturized imaging mirrors were distributed to fruits and catties so that they could be used as accessories.

Therefore, it was possible for the eight key players in this operation to communicate in real time.

-Lucia, entering the border area at the northwest end. I’m going south.

-Check Kati, northeastern border. Go down and sort it out.

Kati and Lucia’s strategy is to approach the northern limit alone and then move south to organize things.

Conversely, in the south, Vivian and Helena move north and clean up the area.

‘It seems like everything is being sorted out smoothly.

Several hours have already passed since the operation was carried out.

It is a night when the moon shines.

That god of death had not moved from his spot for several hours.

Doesn’t the monster react to dying from afar?

‘I’m glad… .’

With the naked eye, you can even see the walls of the Demon King’s Castle beyond that Death God.

‘Is there a devil over there? The person who cursed Ian… .’

Sylvia spoke to the earring-shaped burn mirror.

“No abnormalities in the south.”

The other three responded one after another.

-There is nothing wrong with the west.

Beatrice.

-There is nothing wrong with the east.

Kylie.

-Nothing more than the north.

aria.

The report was that everything was fine.

In this way, the first hero party regularly reported that there was no problem at regular intervals.

The fruit warriors are also listening.

Meanwhile, Vivian’s voice rang through my earrings.

-This is Vivian. I discovered a dungeon in the northwest direction of the Demon King’s Castle and am planning to attack it after clearing the surrounding area. Estimated grade A.

A grade dungeon.

Typically, it takes several days to conquer.

For Sylvia, it would take less than half a day, and for Vivian now, it would take less than half that.

Sylvia also saw for herself the ‘Arche’ that Vivian had mastered.

‘… ‘Can that also be called magic?’

When Sylvia saw the logic and operation, she thought she had seen the god of magic, even if only for a moment.

This is not an exaggeration, as it is the ability to manipulate all sources in the world at will.

‘You can do without me.’

Vivian is more than capable of replacing herself.

It was lonely and disappointing, but I accepted it.

Silvia, bored with waiting, scribbled words on the floor with her finger.

There is a rear support unit that came along, but they are waiting far away just in case.

I was bored alone.

It’s dark because there’s no lighting for fear of the Shinigami’s reaction.

‘this… not… .’

Write the name down without thinking.

I wrote my nickname next to it.

‘Sylvi… .’

Then, I drew a large heart that trapped the two, and then wiped it away with the wind.

‘what are you doing… .’

It was so absurd that I burst out laughing.

Ian must be at Gate 8.

Will I be safe?

Wait, you’re probably watching right now?

Did he even see what he just did?

‘No, it was dark so you probably couldn’t see it… !’

Sylvia looked around for no reason, writing random things on the floor and erasing them repeatedly.

As if that’s how he originally played.

The ice man next to him looked down pitifully at himself.

Just then, Vivian’s voice woke me up from my embarrassed mind.

-Dungeon raid completed. Confirm that the portal is closed.

‘It’s fast… .’

That moment when you are amazed that it is much faster than expected.

-… Check for movement in the north.

-West, the Reaper has moved.

-The East Reaper also stood up.

Sylvia also suddenly raised her head.

The Shinigami, who had been crouching still, stood up.

As seen from a distance, it is small even when standing up.

Similar to yourself.

He wears a deep black robe, so his facial expression is hard to see.

The Shinigami was looking somewhere far away.

Sylvia also quickly reported.

“Moved south.”

The Shinigami took steps as if he wanted to move.

Sylvia quickly ran to stop the reaper.

“South, Sylvia. Let’s rush in.”

As if overlapping with her voice, several people’s voices came through the video mirror worn as earrings.

-North, Arya. I will stop you.

-West, Beatrice. I’ll intervene.

-East, Kylie. Battle begins.