episode_0195

Pietro walked through a pure white emptiness, devoid of anything.

“This place is…”

Incredibly peaceful.

Like the divine fragrance I glimpsed over the shoulders of those damn interferers that day.

My limbs are light, not at all feeling like an old man’s body, and my mind is perfectly clear.

While I couldn’t be sure exactly what this place was, there was one thing I was certain of.

“I… will meet the Goddess again.”

This place is heaven.

A place that exists beyond death.

A sacred realm where only those who have transcended life can truly exist, a place unreachable by a normal human body.

That’s how heaven has been described throughout history.

“And… I have arrived.”

A space beyond space, a pure white void without any objects or phenomena.

According to the scriptures, I will soon receive the guidance of an angel, reunite with the Goddess, and eternally enjoy the bliss of this heaven.

Kkkkk—

Unknowingly, laughter escaped my lips.

It was only natural, perhaps.

A plan I thought had completely failed had, thanks to the interference, proceeded successfully.

Even during my lifetime, I felt the Goddess’s presence, if only for a brief moment.

And now, it’s time to continue that ecstatic experience forever.

Just thinking about it made me indescribably happy.

Thinking back, it was a long, long journey.

From the time I first learned about the Goddess—

“…Hmm.”

Suddenly, Pietro’s thoughts stopped.

On the verge of reuniting with the Goddess, intoxicated with the satisfaction of victory, I was slowly reliving my memories.

But for some reason, my memories aren’t complete.

That’s when it happened.

「Past reminiscing isn’t a hobby… so I’ll skip it.」

A faint voice, resonating from somewhere, reached not my ears, but my very soul.

Pietro became certain of something new.

This was the voice of an angel, guiding him to eternal heaven.

He spread his arms, looking around for the angel.

“Here, I’m here! I, a faithful believer in light, am right here—”

The next moment—

As if my memory had been abruptly cut off, my voice was severed as if cut with scissors.

‘Wh… What the…’

My bewilderment was brief.

「Next is… the voice. I hate it so much, I don’t even want to hear it, perhaps I should have taken this first.」

Soon, the ‘angel’s’ voice resounded again, explaining the situation unfolding before him.

Pietro opened his mouth, letting out only the sound of wind as he scanned his surroundings.

And soon, the angel revealed itself.

From an objective standpoint, the angel looked angelic.

Pure white garments, beautiful hair, exquisite beauty, and a strong divine aura.

It was the perfect embodiment of an angel.

However, from Pietro’s subjective perspective, it was not an angel but a demon.

Suddenly appearing in my field of vision, exuding an irritating aura of dominance.

Smashing my great plan to meet the Goddess, which spanned decades.

Finally cutting me down with a blade, leaving my body like a corpse in bed.

It was Nari’s appearance, indeed Nari’s very essence, so—

‘Why… Why the hell—!!’

Even with my mouth open wide enough to see my uvula, I couldn’t make a sound.

「Think of the freedom you stole using that [Divine Word]. The first thing I need to cut off from you is your voice.」

Pietro collapsed to the ground, clutching his throat and writhing.

But he couldn’t make a sound, nor could he hear anything.

Confusion, despair, regret, and then anger.

He stood up, beginning to scold Nari, the angel, with a sound like air leaking from a tube.

「…I don’t want to drag this out. It’s unpleasant for me too.」

The angel raised their arm, swiftly drawing a line with their fingertips.

Then Pietro’s vision flipped, sending him tumbling to the ground.

The last thing seen in his tumbling vision was his own body being torn apart.

Precisely, his soul, which he thought would go to heaven.

***

The sorting took a long time.

Just as our bodies break down and absorb food, from the mouth to the stomach, small intestine, and large intestine, each in its place, Pietro’s soul needed to be thoroughly chewed and selectively processed.

Due to the characteristic [One Who Has Deviated from the Natural Order], the surrounding souls are naturally absorbed into my body.

It feels like iron filings clinging to a magnet.

Except for unconsciously absorbing a bit of the souls of the wolf monsters at the Artemis Ruins, Persona was the first time I took someone else’s soul.

Simultaneously absorbing some Magi, not pure Aether, I also gained the skill [Adaptability] to more easily accept various substances.

[Adaptability], simply put, acts as the stomach that absorbs Aether.

It finely breaks down the absorbed soul and assimilates it into effects suitable for me.

Just like there are spoiled foods among edibles, souls also have poisonous and nutritious parts.

In Pietro’s case, everything else is unnecessary, [Divine Word] is the biggest problem.

This magic he developed independently is, after all, a technique that brainwashes people using faith as a medium.

‘I don’t need brainwashing magic…’

This is where [Adaptability] comes in.

In the process of absorbing and decomposing the soul, I can remove the unnecessary parts.

This time, I removed the brainwashing effect of the Divine Word.

Simultaneously, the faith condition underlying the brainwashing disappeared, altering the overall effect.

『Acquiring new skill: [Divine Word]』

[Divine Word]

-Uses Aether to imbue the voice with divine will. The will is transmitted to those who hear that enchanting voice, dramatically enhancing various abilities. The effect varies depending on the will.

In short, it became a buff skill.

I can move people’s hearts with my voice, and I can empower them.

Second Precinct, right in front of the building where Pietro was executed.

I turned my gaze to Aspi, who was staring at me blankly from the side.

“Aspi, will you try a skyward strike for me?”

“Yes? Yes, well… it’s not difficult…”

Chwaak—

She dragged her heels on the dirt ground, assuming a sword stance, and immediately drew her Wind Spirit Sword from its scabbard, unleashing a verdigris sword qi toward the sky.

Shwaak-!

A clean and beautiful strike.

The sword qi, tracing a half-moon shape, tore through the air, quickly turning into a strong wind that flew away.

“Well done. Then…”

Looking at Aspi, I imbued my voice with Aether and will.

『Activating skill, [Divine Word].』

「This time… wield a sword worthy of my loyal knight, without any shame.」

Hwaat-!

Aspi’s eyes changed.

She was surprised by the pure white light flickering around her body.

However, as a knight with excellent senses, she quickly realized what was happening.

Aspi nodded, then resumed the same stance and swung her sword.

The moment she raised the blade above her head to strike down, a strong resistance arose from the tip, as if obstructed by something.

‘This is…!’

It felt like rowing a boat on the sea.

If you put up the oar and row finely, it pushes easily, but when you spread it wide, it doesn’t push easily.

Her greatly strengthened swordsmanship caused the surrounding air to strongly resist.

Of course, it took more strength, but Aspi swung her sword even more forcefully.

The verdigris sword qi, previously a thin crescent, now doubled in size and power, erupted into a huge storm in the sky, dramatically shooting out.

Kuugawaang—!!

Aspi turned to me, her face excited.

“I feel stronger-!!”

“You feel stronger – no, you’re really stronger. It’ll be temporary, though…”

She hopped towards me, so lively and playful, her previous sky-rending strike feeling like a distant memory.

Then she embraced me.

“You’ve grown even stronger…!”

“I think so.”

“Truly… Your Highness always surpasses my expectations…”

I smoothed Aspi’s wind-blown bangs.

And brought my lips to her ear.

「It’s all thanks to you. My beloved… my Aspi.」

『Skill, [Divine Word], activated.』

Uh… wait.

I didn’t intend to use it now.

Being my first skill, my control slipped slightly, and my voice inadvertently conveyed my intentions.

And.

Aspi trembled as she looked at me.

Since we were similar in height, our eyes would usually meet properly.

But for some reason, her body slightly shrank, her gaze looking up at me.

“If… if you say such things…”

“…Yes?”

Clatter-

Aspi’s silver armor made a loud metallic sound as she wrapped her legs around my body and rubbed against me.

“I… I can’t help myself… ♡”

A damp, sticky sensation was felt on my thigh where she was sitting.