Chapter 1037 – It Gets Better if You Apply Acupuncture Needles

000

After the light slowly disappears from the magic circle that glowed red due to Lila’s magic.

Lila, who was standing in the center of the magic circle and holding Laplace’s severed head (that strangely shaped rabbit head), let out a small sigh and opened her eyes.

“The memory reading is complete. After life ceased, information began to disappear rapidly, so there are some missing parts…”

As Artis had said, she took the head of the body that Laplace used to appear before them and read the information contained within it using magic.

“Take care of this.”

And, she would casually hand the head she was holding in her hand to the person standing next to her.

“Ugh. If I bury this in the ground, won’t the ground rot?”

Unfortunately, the person closest to Laila was Dry, the youngest daughter of the Half-Ghost Corps, who joined the expedition along with Quartz.

She was gagging as her neck was dripping with blood.

Even for a person with a fairly good stomach, it was still a very difficult task to handle the raw flesh of a rabbit monster without any problems.

However, after hearing that, Laila snorted and spoke as if she was dumbfounded.

“If it had been a head full of venom, my bare hand holding it would have already melted and disappeared.”

“Yeah, that’s true too! Ahaha…”

Perhaps persuaded by Lila’s words, Dry showed her dry smile and moved as if to bury her head in a sunny place.

It was questionable whether there would be such a thing as a ‘sunny place’ within the Sarong Mountain Range, which was almost gray everywhere.

And then, Artis, who was quietly watching the scene, let out her smoke and asked Laila.

“So. How was it? What was in that trash guy’s head?”

Lila’s expression changes at Artis’ question.

Pouting her lower lip slightly, frowning her eyes enough to make a wrinkle between her eyebrows, crossing her arms and picking her words a bit…

“… I’ll leave it to your imagination. If I had to say it, it wasn’t that good.”

Soon, she answered with a look on her face as if she had just tasted the most delicious food in the world.

In response to her reaction, Artis responded by covering her mouth with one hand as if it was as expected.

“Fuhuhu! I knew that. That’s right, because I’m looking into the insides of a crazy guy.”

“Ha.”

Lila didn’t really respond to Attis’s teasing words, but she seemed to respond as she said.

“So… Was it there? Useful information.”

Only then did Artis ask about the information she had originally intended.

Then Layla wiped the blood off her hands, placed her hands on her waist, and answered her.

“Yes. Just like this guy said, there was a route to Jade Dragon Mountain. Although he said it was safe, it still remains a much more dangerous place than walking around the general field…”

What Laplace told them was that there was a safe route to their destination, Jade Dragon Mountain.

Well, there is no such thing as a 100% safe place in the Four Dragon Mountains, so I didn’t know how much I could trust.

As Artis and Laila thought, it was confirmed that Laplace’s route was a ‘relatively’ safe route.

“What’s more, this guy has a bad temper, he’s been thinking about reducing our number of people sometimes.”

When Lila, who was able to uncover Laplace’s plans thanks to reading his mind, said this, Artis asked while lighting a new candle.

“Hey, for example?”

“It’s a relatively safe route, but someone has to make a sacrifice. There’s a trap that you have to step on… Oh, and there’s also a magic circle placed that will fly you to the entrance if you accidentally go in the wrong direction.”

At Lila’s words, the others who were listening next to her just clicked their tongues and shook their heads at the ferocity of the mountain.

“Well, that’s what I thought. This mountain is, so to speak, a huge dungeon with only an open ceiling. Normally, you wouldn’t know what you’d find if you didn’t move forward, so I’m glad I found a way forward by using a ‘shortcut’. Let’s think of it as this.”

“That’s an enviable positive way of thinking…”

Even as Lila said that, she would approach her slowly.

Tap, tap.

When Lila came close, Artis seemed to have a premonition of her approach and tried to back away from her.

“Why, what’s wrong? Are you thinking of showing it to me because it’s too bad for you to see it alone?”

“Hah? Do you think I would do something like that, not even you?”

Lila answered as if she was being taken aback by Artis, and then closed her mouth for a moment.

“… Wait a minute, maybe that’s not that bad.”

As Lila’s fingers moved towards her suspiciously, Artis screamed and hid behind Quartz, who was watching the scene next to her.

“Mr. Quartz! Help me!”

Then, Quartz will look back at Artis with her arms crossed and sigh.

“Calm down. I don’t think she’s the kind of person who would do something like that.”

When Quartz said that, Lila also nodded and lowered her voice.

“Yes. I just want you and Mr. Quartz to hear something.”

“… Just us?”

At Lila’s words, Quartz tilted her head as if questioning her, but Artis, who was hiding behind her Quartz, showed his face and looked a little interested.

“Yes. … Do you remember what Laplace said? He said he would stop submitting to ‘Adam’ and join hands with us.”

When Lila said that, Quartz made an expression of ‘Did a returner say that?’, But Artis’ face suddenly changed from the interested one he had seen a moment ago to a cold one, and he nodded hesitantly.

“Isn’t it natural that he said something like that to throw us off guard? … Even if it were true, I think it was more you, Lila, than me that you had no intention of joining hands with him?”

“No. I thought so too… But when I looked into his head, it turned out to be true. It seems like he’s been thinking about escaping from Adam for quite some time.”

To Lila’s words, Quartz responded with ‘Hoo’ as if she was a little more interested this time.

“And, it seems that Laplace was not the only one among the returnees who decided to ‘break up with Adam.'”

As Lila spoke, she put into her mouth the information that had been in Laplace’s mind.

Quite a long time ago, Laplace had discovered through research that Adam had mixed into the human genes a factor that was prone to obeying him.

And he shared that fact with the returnee’s colleagues, but the only response that came back was that it was natural for humans to obey God.

However.

Laplace, who felt from the beginning that there was greater potential in ‘demon beasts’ than in humans, could not help but feel doubts about the qualities that ‘being human’ must have.

This immediately led to distrust and resistance towards Adam.

Of course, being hostile to Adam absolutely does not mean that he is a ‘good man.’

In that case, the story goes that even ‘Astarote’, who one day tried to make a show of force with Adam and bring him down and turn the world into the devil’s, is a good being.

Anyway, Laplace judged that it was impossible to change the direction of the regressor or bring down Adam alone.

Therefore, he thought that it was necessary to create a chimera strong enough to have no problem even if it was hostile to the church, and at the same time, it was necessary to have a force within the returnees that supported him.

And after persistent persuasion and negotiation, he found a collaborator.

In the end, the chimera he created was destroyed by Cleon and his party, and he even lost his own life.

“… That collaborator is inside the returner? What is his identity?”

“Unfortunately, when the brain stopped functioning, some information was lost, this is one of them.”

Lila shook her head.

“But if you use this information well, you might be able to cause internal strife among the returnees. Anyway, you’re planning to stop by on the way to Jade Dragon Mountain, right? It’s the returnees’ base. We have to go and destroy it.”

When Lila says that, Artis responds with silence for a moment while biting down on a cigarette.

It was a fact that could be known without much questioning that the silence was positive.

Instead, Attis expressed his reasoning.

“If Laplace can get cooperation, he wouldn’t necessarily want someone lower than him. In that case, a person of the same ‘executive class’ would be his collaborator.”

“I think so too. … Maxwell is already dead, and the other two…”

“Darwin and Descartes.”

The evolved woman who clashed with Cleon and his group several times, and Fleur’s grandfather.

Of the two, if anyone disobeys Adam…

“Maybe Descartes’ side?”

Artis said that, and Laila didn’t say anything or react.

Because she lacked the materials for her own judgment.

That’s why she asked her instead.

“Why do you think so?”

“… Isn’t that a kind outcome for Fleur? At least, it means that she didn’t sell her soul to Adam, right? Her grandfather cooperated with the returnee for the material benefit of himself and his family. .”

“I guess so…”

Although there were parts of her opinion that she agreed with, Lila only expressed doubts because she thought that wasn’t the whole story.

“… Aha. So you’re only talking to me and Mr. Quartz.”

And in response to Lila’s response, Artis nodded her head as if she understood.

“What does it mean?”

Quartz reacted as if she didn’t know, and Artis looked behind her and explained to her.

“Lila does not want to give Fleur such false hope. What we have just talked about is entirely ‘the realm of speculation.’ Whether this is true or not is a direct question considering the possibility that Laplace even manipulated her memories. It’s something you won’t know until you go and check.”

“…”

Lila folded her arms in silence at Artis’ explanation.

The feeling of having all her thoughts explained to her was not very pleasant.

“Fleur likes her grandfather. She knows very well that he is not a good man, but there is still family affection, right? Her parents passed away early, and the one who cared for Fleur and raised her was definitely her grandfather. So… I had no choice but to imprison him in the mansion, but I always said that I wanted him to leave the returner.”

“… It’s about the bond and affection of blood and flesh.”

Artis nods at Quartz’s words.

“So, if we tell her this, Fleur will definitely be ‘hoping’. Maybe if her grandfather hadn’t obeyed ‘Adam’… Wouldn’t it make sense, at least a little? Wouldn’t she be able to persuade her? .”

“… However, all of that is just our guess. People despair the most when they have hope and then have it taken away.”

Laila concludes Attis’ words like this.

“… Indeed. I understand the meaning.”

“More than that, Mr. Quartz noticed Lila’s ‘kind’ intentions later than I did. Is it, after all, the effect of rejuvenation? I wonder if her thoughts have become closer to those of a younger person.”

If it were the previous Quartz, he would have been able to understand Lila’s intentions first with those kind and all-seeing eyes and explain them to Artis.

Hearing Artis’ words, Quartz let out a short ‘Hmm’ and sighed.

“… Maybe that’s true. Because the effects of the church’s experiments remain in this body. Changes to the body and erosion of the soul. Returning both to their original state may be close to impossible.”

“… Is that okay?”

Lila asked Quartz, but Quartz nodded her head.

“No problem. My body has returned to its prime and my mind is sharp. It can be said that there will be no problem in carrying out the mission.”

“No, I don’t mean that.”

Lila let out a small sigh, as if it was difficult to explain.

“Anyway… Attis.”

“Huh?”

As Lila calls her own, Artis makes eye contact with her.

“It’s Guirong Mountain.”

“What… ─Ah.”

It seemed like Artis was trying to explain what Lila meant by one short word, but then she nodded as if she understood.

“The returnee’s mansion is now in ‘Gwiryongsan Mountain.'”

“What does it mean now?”

Quartz points out parts of what Lila said that bother her.

“I should say that it is something that those cautious people might think. The Returner’s Mansion seems to be moving periodically. The method was not even in Laplace’s memory, but…”

Lila clicked her tongue as she said that.

“However, there was no information left about ‘where’ Gwiryong Mountain was and ‘how’ to get there. The information was lost due to brain damage…”

“You mean, you didn’t know from the beginning. Okay. Just knowing that you are on a certain mountain is a big gain. The best thing is to join Cleon before you reach Guirong Mountain…”

“I guess it will come on its own.”

When Lila responded to Artis’ words, Quartz let out a ‘cough’ and started coughing.

Then, Artis and Lila were looking at the quartz at the same time.

“No, hmm. You answered too lightly. Uh, umm… I guess that’s a sign of your trust…”

“Ah… Yes, that’s right. That’s the feeling.”

Lila responded that way to Quartz’s words, but Artis thought quietly.

‘I think I said it without thinking…’

─, The same goes for everyone except Quartz.

001

When I opened my eyes, I saw a high, blue sky.

… Correction, only half of the sky was visible.

What blocked Cleon’s eyes was a large hill surrounded by Galatea’s black clothes.

I could see that her soft thighs were lying next to her bed.

“Galatea… Ugh…”

When he tried to get up, Cleon couldn’t get up properly due to the pain felt here and there.

“Oh, you’re awake.”

Looking at Cleon like that, Galatea gently moved her upper body out of the way, and instead, using her arms, she supported his back and raised her upper body.

And then change your position a little so that he can rest his head and back on your chest.

“How are you feeling? The bleeding has stopped, but I think I need a potion or recovery magic to completely heal the wound.”

At Galatea’s words, Cleon tried moving his arms and hands in blurred vision.

The area where the wound was injured… Had gray leaves sticking to it, preventing the blood from flowing out.

“… This?”

“It’s like the herb Yuni made.”

As Galatea said that, Cleon felt his vision becoming clearer and looked around.

Then, neither Uni nor Caliban were visible there.

“Where are you two going?”

“Those herbs alone weren’t enough, so I went to collect some. I’ll be back soon.”

“I see…”

If so, Cleon sighed as if he felt a little relieved.

“You’ve reached the summit… Right?”

“That’s right. I wasn’t able to properly look around you yet because I was giving you some treatment while you were unconscious… But time didn’t pass that much. About 10 minutes? Yuni said that if you replace the leaves you just put on, the pain will almost go away. Just wait a little longer.”

At Galatea’s words, Cleon nodded his head helplessly.

“Guardians… They’re ridiculously strong. Just being able to use magic properly on this mountain is a significant advantage…”

“Ah… I don’t think we can guarantee what will happen if we fight from the front.”

Cleon nodded his head in agreement with Galatea’s words.

“… Well, more than that. You seem to be more concerned about why the guardian has Sasha’s face.”

“…”

Cleon closes his mouth for a moment.

As I said, silence was another expression of positivity.

That’s why Galatea had her nails driven in.

“If you ever have to fight, you shouldn’t hesitate. That way, you will live.”

“… I know.”

“If that’s the case, I’m glad.”

To Cleon’s answer, Galatea responded briefly and then said nothing more.

When comfortable silence flows between two people.

When you think you hear footsteps from a little distance away.

“Tsk! I’m back!”

And, jumping lightly, Uni appeared.

“Ah, Cleon is awake~”

And Caliburn was carefully following behind him.

Both of them were holding in their arms full of grass that looked like the same leaves that Cleon was wearing.

“… Thank you, both of you.”

“No, no. Helping people is natural!”

As Uni responded, she laid down the grass she had brought at her feet and took them from Caliban as well.

“Then, I will treat you right away!”

While saying that, Uni picks up a piece of grass.

Cleon nodded his head and answered Uni.

“Okay… I’ll ask you a favor. But those herbs are herbs I’ve never seen before…”

“Huh? Ah… This isn’t a herb. It’s just an ordinary leaf found around here.”

“… Huh?”

Cleon responds to Uni’s answer by saying, “Then how do you treat it with that…?” It seems like it’s actually having an effect.

I couldn’t help but tilt my head while thinking this.

Next moment.

“Beh…”

Uni put her tongue on one side of the leaf she was holding in her hand and flicked it.

“…”

Then, of course, a lot of viscous saliva will be applied to the leaves, making them sticky.

“Here!”

And when you hand it to Caliban, Caliburn takes it, removes the leaf from Cleon’s body, and puts a new leaf-

He flaps and attaches the object that Yuni had just applied saliva to.

“…”

Cleon couldn’t say anything.

“It seems that the unicorn’s saliva has the effect of healing the area where it is applied. After all, it is a magical beast that can be called holy water.”

And Galatea’s explanation heard from behind.

“Originally, licking it directly is more effective. But you understand why I don’t do that… I don’t have to explain it, right?”

“… Okay…”

Cleon nodded quietly, feeling a little like crying.

From the top of Mt. Chukryong, the sound of ‘clap, clap, clap, clap’ rang out again and again.