episode_0190

000

In the underground research facility of the Crystal Tower, Mercury, the control artificial spirit of the laboratory that sent Cleon and his party out, staggers, grabbing the wall with her hands due to the continuous ground-shaking vibrations.

“Really…. Having a physical form is nothing but inconvenient….”

As before, if she could operate in the form of a cluster of light that can float in the air and move, she could control the laboratory regardless of earthquakes, tidal waves, or tornadoes.

However, she could only click her tongue at the fact that the connection between her body and soul had become so strong due to the powerful stimulation that she could not separate her soul from this temporary body.

Thump!

A heavy vibration rang out once again.

The irregular shock that continued to reverberate through the ground was different from a normal earthquake; it originated from the surface and was transmitted underground.

In other words, it wasn’t an earthquake.

On the illusion screen that could observe the surface, two girls were colliding their massive weapons as if dancing, racing across the ground.

One was a massive white hammer, enveloped in ornate decorations that resembled the wings of an angel.

At its end, a magic circle composed of holy magic power was unfolding, making it a weapon like an incarnation of purification that could annihilate anything impure that it touched.

As if branding a heretic, each swing unleashed a shockwave that left the pattern of the magic circle on the ground, wielding its power without restraint.

The girl wielding it was also a crusader clad in pure white armor.

Even from across the screen, one could feel her desperately trying to defeat the enemy in front of her, her platinum blonde hair flying.

Opposing her was a massive black greatsword, crude yet ultimately pursuing the essence of a weapon.

The massive greatsword, made of black metal like black iron as if it needed no ornate decorations or beauty, could be seen to possess murderous mass just from the width and length of the blade.

Moreover, a torrent of heinous magic power swirling around the blade was emitting darkness, desiring a sacrifice.

The succubus wielding the sword with a power that clearly defied physical explanation, scattered her black hair and sometimes attacked the girl from the sky, flying in the air.

Her expression was cold, and her eyes seemed devoid of emotion, but she appeared more relaxed than the girl wielding the hammer.

When the two weapons collided, powerful shockwaves spread around them due to the repulsion between black magic power and holy magic power.

The ground shook, and the surrounding trees fell as a result.

The crystal structures in the village also seemed to be cracking little by little.

“I don’t mind fighting, but I wish you wouldn’t destroy the Crystal Tower. It’s necessary for the recovery and maintenance of the barrier.”

She knew that her words wouldn’t reach them, but she naturally spoke to herself.

And suddenly, she realized anew that she had a habit of talking to herself.

“…Is this also an effect of settling into this body? Really, what a troublesome body….”

Thanks to having senses, the cold of the research facility, the anxiety about the darkness, and the discomfort of tinnitus, which she didn’t know during her spirit days, constantly assailed her body.

If she were such an unstable existence, it might be better to take her own life and return to her spiritual form.

But-

“… …”

There are things that she comes to know by being strongly connected to a living body.

That is, living beings all live with anxiety.

The fragility of the body, the transience of life, and the limited intelligence that cannot predict the uncertain future.

She is constantly enduring the anxiety and fear of the uncertain reality that comes from such things.

Mercury thinks.

They had been intervening in the human world through Adam and Eve from the edge of the primordial world to the present moment, continuing the will of Hermes Trismegistus.

They thought that was their reason for existence.

But do they have the right to do so?

Clearly, the beginning might have been creations they made.

Living for an eternity, they could not understand the anxieties and agonies they had because they did not have bodies.

All that was inputted was `the pleasure that can be obtained when academic progress occurs`.

So, they regarded humans and the world as materials for an experiment.

“If we don’t escape from such arrogance… Will we not be able to truly understand humanity… the will of Hermes Trismegistus?”

After questioning herself in a habitual soliloquy, Mercury’s gaze, now that the vibration had stopped, turns to one side of the laboratory. She discovers a cabinet that had been left unattended for nearly 5000 years.

She automatically turns on the construction and redeployment of the defense barrier technique and cautiously walks over and opens the door, preparing for another vibration to occur.

Inside were clothes that had been prepared for Hermes Trismegistus and his assistants, neatly preserved by the laboratory’s management functions without showing any signs of age.

If she is to live as a human being, as an individual from now on, these would be necessary.

She puts on a suitable sky-blue sweater and jeans, and then puts on a white gown over them.

Looking at herself in the mirror hanging on the wall of the room, her attire was similar to that of the creator and his assistants who were delighted and saddened while creating them in the past.

Thinking that something was missing, she rummages through the cabinet a little more and finds glasses that her master had kept without disposing of them when he had passed away in front of her in the past.

There were lenses in them, but if she coated them with magic power, she could see properly regardless.

“It’s like imitating you, in a way. Hermes Trismegistus.”

She says that to the creator of the past and turns her body back to the machine.

What is important now are the girls fighting above – especially the `Black Magic Clan`.

Perhaps that is the prototype Archetype B-type female body created by one of the transferred Eves.

“…Why has the race changed to demons? We have to find out about that too. …And perhaps Adam’s involvement is also in that…”

After briefly looking at the magic power generator in the laboratory, she begins to move her fingers quickly in front of the huge keyboard.

“Constructing a new technique for binding… Please hold on until that is done. Crystal Tower… And- Saint Princess.”

001

“…Annoying…. That hammer, that appearance…. That overflowing holy magic power too.”

Lilim says that and rotates her body, adding a magic power claw on top of Pandora’s orbit.

What Lilim had thought was a type of magic she had been using until now was, strictly speaking, only the power of Pandora that had been trapped inside her, which she was drawing out and using.

But regardless of that, the power of Lilim, who had become a demon, was something that far surpassed the human realm.

That was already a story of a difference in terms of race.

Clearly, Saint Princess is close to a transcendent being who directly receives power from the will of holy magic power, which is the Holy Spirit.

However, Amelia’s experience and growth are still insufficient to overcome the limits of a human being.

It’s only like a commoner growing a bit of hair.

The reason why she is forcibly raised to the level of a monster (demon) is entirely because of the backup of holy magic power that Amelia possesses as the Saint Princess – the position of an adversary of demons.

However, the Saint Princess’s primary duty is to be the `Guardian of the Royal Capital`.

The pendant, which can be said to be a large-capacity storage device for holy magic power that she possesses, accumulates the power drawn from the Elemental Cross leyline of the royal capital Elcaredo and bestows it upon her.

Naturally, if she starts using power to fight high-ranking demons, the magic power stored in the pendant will decrease at a rapid rate in order to maintain that output.

Amelia herself is well aware of that.

“What on earth are you…. Weren’t you created to stop rampaging heroes…!? In a way, are you also a guardian of humanity-”

“That kind of thing. I don’t care about it…. My mission- `Cain`… `Cleon`. Connecting with the reincarnated body and prospering the clan.”

Lilim’s emotionless voice denies Amelia’s words.

However, Amelia could only frown at those words.

The illusion of the past that Mercury had shown.

What the two creators inside wanted was to stop holy magic power from degenerating into a weapon of war and destroying the same humans.

Although the war started faster than expected, it was not achieved-

This demon has given up too easily on the meaning given to her for being born.

Moreover, for the sake of personal desires and twisted missions.

“You are wrong, after all…! I have no intention of denying love…! But. If you hurt others in the process…! I will stop you!”

Tears even welled up in Amelia’s eyes as she shouted that.

Having been deprived of all the happiness she could have originally enjoyed since she was born.

Having been trapped in a cage-like place where no one genuinely approached her.

The reason why she regained the meaning of life, the doll-like her, was because she had the `mission` given to her.

Even if the people of the kingdom turn the arrows of hatred towards her.

If there is something she has to do, if protecting them is her duty.

If someone – Aurelia, who is like a mother to her – needs her power.

She did not hesitate to carry the heavy hammer, wear the pure white armor, and walk alone through the night of the royal capital with dark shadows cast upon it.

Because that was what she had to do.

Amelia Caldearis. Imprisoned Princess. Daughter of Lucius Caldearis. Saint Princess.

There was only one thing left for her.

If she gave up on that too, even the mission, there would be nothing left for her.

“… …”

She felt something stinging under her shoulder.

A sensation she had felt before, but the Cleon’s brand she had received was now on her, and it was suppressing its growth.

So she suppressed the pain and rushed at Lilim, swinging her hammer greatly.

“Haaaaaah!!”

When she raised her voice, putting her emotions into it, the massive hammer and the black greatsword collided head-on.

They constantly send opposing black and white magic power from their respective magic power organs and collide them.

Each time, a vibration that shakes the surroundings spreads out, and there were even emeralds that could not withstand it and began to collapse.

“My mission is to stop the demons…! If your ambitions become a threat to the world! With all my might-!”

“…The amount of magic power she possesses is decreasing…. She came out for a short-term battle, huh…”

Lilim’s arms, which were receiving Amelia’s full power, were also slowly bending, and it could be seen that she was being pushed back in momentum.

Lilim was staring blankly at the point of impact of the weapons that was clearly coming closer to her, but Amelia was feeling a chance to win when she saw that.

Holy magic power and black magic power have a repelling effect on each other, but the purification effect of holy magic power generally exceeds the rejection of black magic power.

If magic power of the same level collides, the holy magic power can almost always overwhelm the black magic power.

Even priests who are originally far from fighting could seize the opportunity to win if their opponent was a demon with a body composed of black magic power, and that was the reason.

`Just a little bit, more…!`

As if triggered by the agitation of her heart, even more holy magic power is injected into the hammer she wields.

She herself was unaware of it, but not only the pendant but also her magic power organ was rapidly creating holy magic power in response to her desperation.

The naturally erupting waves grew larger and larger, and the Crystal Tower vibrated even more greatly.

Soon, the blade of Lilim’s Pandora, which could not withstand the overwhelming output, showed a slight crack.

Each time her heart beat, the torrent of magic power that was pumped out was filled with her will.

The crack in the blade grows larger and larger.

“… …”

“Please…! With this…!”

The next moment after Amelia shouted that-

“Swallow it. ”

When Lilim, who still had not changed her expression, said that, a storm of black magic power erupted from the cracks in the blade.

It took on a form that was like a black beast itself and spread around Amelia’s body, completely enveloping her.

“Kugh…! Why! Even though the magic sword is about to be destroyed to that extent, how can you increase the output…!?”

“Destroy……? You seem to be mistaken. You, this sword.”

When Lilim said that and placed her hand on Pandora’s blade-

The blade, which had been cracked, shattered into pieces and scattered.

And- that which Lilim was looking at – that which she had mistaken for the blade was actually.

Pandora’s true form. A physical seal given to suppress the pure black magic power blade.

“─Huh?”

Amelia unknowingly made such a voice.

She had no choice but to, when the torrent of black magic power that was trying to completely swallow her body unfolded, it created a single domain.

A small domain that reduces the influence and power of all holy magic power, including recovery magic and offensive exorcism magic.

[Black Magic Power Domain]

The aura of holy magic power instantly disappears from Amelia’s body, and that was no exception not only to her body but also to the armor and weapons that maintained her existence with her magic power.

Crack!

A sound rang out from the massive hammer.

The crack started from the part that was facing the sword and spread rapidly to the entire hammer, swallowing even the pure white armor.

And-

With a sound as if glass was breaking, the power as Saint Princess that had covered her entire body disappeared.

Her face is dyed with astonishment and despair, and her beautiful body is caught up in the black torrent.

“…With this, one nuisance. Has disappeared.”

The Saint Princess was like a thorn in her side who had been constantly interfering with herself and Ishtar even in the royal capital.

Not only that, but she also made contact with the reincarnated body Cleon first and received the brand.

The brand that even her previous life could not receive because her body was like a child.

Although it was a part of the plan to plant a small seed of darkness inside her, it was not that she did not feel jealous.

Anyway- if Amelia, who is an existence that can fight with holy magic power, is excluded, the only one who can stop her is the half-angel who is healing the reincarnated body over there.

She herself did not seem to have proper control over her power.

In that case, Pandora and herself should be no match.

The two people who are dealing with the flying monsters above too…

“Eliminate them all here… and `Lord Cleon`…”

When Lilim said that and was about to turn her body away from her.

Someone grabbed her wrist with a thud! She looked down at it.

When she looked down there, a slender girl’s arm and hand emerged from the darkness and grabbed Lilim’s wrist.

“…Should I cut it off. This arm.”

She says that as if to intimidate her, but perhaps she felt annoyed that it would never let her go.

When Lilim tries to swing Pandora once again-

[You’ve held on well. Saint Princess. Now, the barrier has restarted.]

The next moment, the Crystal Tower emits something like a wave on its own and deploys an invisible wall around it.

The wall gradually widened and spread throughout the canyon, covering the entire village.

“… …”

Lilim turns her head when she confirms the voice that suddenly rang out and the restart of the barrier-

Suddenly, she felt the black magic power that she had manifested and was swallowing Amelia weakening.

Of course, Pandora was the same.

“This, is.”

Lilim staggers, quite flustered.

She too, is an existence that has been reincarnated as a demon.

It would not be an exaggeration to say that her body is made of black magic power.

[The output to artificially create a black magic power domain. Was interesting. But, you didn’t know that the opposite concept of the black magic power domain exists, did you?]

“…Opposite…?”

As Mercury’s voice echoes, Lilim looks down at her weakening power as if she can’t believe it.

[Yes. The opposite of the black magic power domain – it would be appropriate to call it the holy magic power domain. But people often call it by a different term. They call it `Sanctuary`.]

The newly unfolded barrier was mixed with even more holy magic power than the existing barrier.

If the black magic power domain is to widely spread high concentrations of black magic power and contain those that use holy magic power within it.

The Sanctuary is a concept that is the complete opposite of that. With holy magic power, it contains those that use black magic power within it and weakens them.

In here, the power of recovery magic, as well as holy magic, is strengthened.

[And this is the end.]

The next moment, a magic circle unfolds at the tip of the Crystal Tower, and a new binding technique completed only to bind Lilim stretches out in the form of chains and flies towards Lilim.

Lilim tries to escape from it by spreading her wings and flying at high speed.

But-

“Entangling Shower!”

“Infernal Chain!”

As Sasha and Layla, who had quickly returned to the ground due to the regeneration of the barrier, simultaneously used binding-type techniques, a momentary deceleration occurred in order to avoid them-

“Angels Prison…!”

Quon reaches out her hand and creates a prison made of holy magic power around Lilim, whose body had stopped.

Of course, she could swing Pandora and break it, but if she got caught up there, they would follow.

“Lilim!!!”

With no power, she just jumps out with her own power, and leaps.

And, she grabs Lilim’s legs, greatly shaking her balance.

“Amel…ia…!!”

The next moment after Lilim called her name with anger.

Chains pierce Lilim’s body.

[Binding technique for Great Demons. Metatron!]

As Mercury’s voice echoes, the chains change into massive 12 pairs of wings and completely envelop Lilim’s body.

And, Lilim is fixed to a massive ice-like blue crystal, just like when she was saved by Cain.

“Cl, eon… Lord…”

She reaches out her hand and shouts that towards Cleon, who is lying on the ground-

Without her voice reaching him, Lilim is sealed on the spot by holy magic.

Pandora’s body falls to the ground, left to gravity as Lilim loses her support.

And- Cleon opens his eyes almost at the same time as that.