Chapter 718 – Diora’s Memories -2-
000
Calming down the frightened Diora, Dian and Mananan explained their identities to them.
At first, she was very shaken by the intimidation of the old people and their serious mood, but as she listened to their stories, she gradually began to have doubts about them.
What was your suspicion? Of course, the suspicion was that they were old people suffering from dementia.
After listening to her story from beginning to end, Diora, who was sitting in her chair, crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes, and asked the two people a question.
“So… You two are members of a secret organization called Babel. Is that Babel trying to prevent future events through prophecy?”
＂Hmm.＂
When Dian nodded her head in agreement with her words, Diora silenced her for a moment.
After that, she asked the two people again with an expression of disbelief.
“And, the prophecy also contains a story about me, so does it mean that I will not only become a member of that organization called Babel, but also become a knight of the kingdom?”
“That’s right. It may be unclear whether you are exactly the woman in the prophecy, but there is no doubt that she is most likely you.”
This time, when Mananan answers like that, Diora sighs heavily and looks around her.
Then, she immediately picked up Dian’s staff that was standing right next to her and swung it at Mananan.
Whick! And when she hears the sound passing through her light air, Mananan catches it with one hand.
“See! I’m just an ordinary girl who worked as a maid in the royal castle! “I can’t use a sword, let alone magic, so how can I become a knight?”
When Mananan released her hand from holding her staff, she neatly returned it to its original position.
“The kingdom’s knights are superhuman. It is said that one can become a knight after training under another knight for more than ten years and achieving meritorious deeds worthy of being recognized as a knight.”
＂I understand well.＂
＂Well, because it was inside the royal castle…＂
Diora grumbles and goes to sit down where she was sitting before, and Dian starts talking.
“I can understand why you don’t believe it. A story like this… You can’t think you’re doing it in your right mind.”
“Yes, it’s true. And things like that Princess Amelia is going to be in danger, that she’s a magic swordsman who can connect the stars… How am I supposed to believe such conspiracy theories?”
At Diora’s words, Mananan and Dian looked at each other, and Dian let out a sigh.
“When you and I first met… Do you remember what happened a month ago?”
“Yes, I remember. If you were a person who liked conspiracy theories like this, you wouldn’t have followed me.”
“At that time, I told you your name even though I had never been introduced to you.”
When Dian said that, Diora silenced her mouth for a moment and tilted her head.
＂… Did you do that? ＂
“I guess I don’t remember.”
When Dian speaks with an expression of disappointment, Mananan clicks her tongue and says something to Dian.
“Is that the only evidence you have to present, Dian?”
“It’s noisy. I’ve tried to keep her out of this as much as possible. In her book of prophecy, it is written about her meeting with her, and there is no way I can tell you what will happen based on it.”
Looking at the two people bickering like children, Diora sighs once again.
However, Mananan continued to talk to her as if he had not given up.
“But Miss Diora. If you could possibly obtain the power to protect Princess Amelia, what would you do?”
“So, what are you protecting Amelia from? He is imprisoned in the Tower of Incarceration… It is the most heavily guarded place on this continent. If it’s a place where you can’t go outside or go in, then conversely, it’s safe, right?”
Diora rested her chin and spoke while avoiding Mananan’s gaze.
“No, that’s not true.”
However, Mananan continued as if telling Diora to listen to her own story.
＂Inside and outside the royal castle. No, nowhere on this continent is safe. There is a devil in the royal capital, and a crazy machine inside the royal castle is imitating God and taking control of the royal family.”
“… How on earth can you believe something like that?”
＂I will show you the evidence.＂
After Mananan said that, she stood up and spoke to Dian.
＂I will take her and take her for a spin around her royal capital. You are resting here.”
＂Hmm… That might be the fastest, but… I can’t help it.’
“Wait a minute!? “I haven’t told you I’m going yet!?”
Diora raises her voice as if to resist the two old men who are telling her story in her own way, but Mananan responds to her like this.
“It’s okay to treat everything that happened today as nonsense and forget about it. Because that too is your will. But… If you are going to plant Princess Amelia, you must know about her enemies. After that, it won’t be too late to decide what to do.”
In response to Mananan’s words, which were confident that their words were true, Diora hesitated as if she was speechless.
However, she soon answered by scratching her head as if she had no choice.
“All right! You can just go, if you go! But if something dangerous happens, I’ll run away right away!”
─ In the end, Diora, unable to let go of things related to Amelia as things that had nothing to do with her, left the hospital to follow Mananan and take a peek into the darkness of this continent.
002
The two of them walked down the royal road on a chilly night, with a slightly larger coat draped tightly over her body.
The moon overhead was so bright that the streetlights seemed meaningless, allowing people to still wander the streets without caring about the darkness of the night.
If her age was similar to Dian, she would have already been over 70, but Diora was struggling to keep from falling as Mananan walked ahead with her back straight.
＂Hey, you said you were going to take a walk around the royal capital. Where are you going now? If you go further this way, you enter a back alley…!”
“I’m going straight to that back alley. I told you. You must know the darkness of this royal capital.”
＂Ugh!?＂
Diora was embarrassed by Mananan, who spoke as if it was obvious, but she did not stop her steps.
And she was fiddling with the small capsule given to her by Dian, which she kept in her pocket.
[If you ever encounter a dangerous situation, throw this at the enemy.]
While saying this, what Dian handed to Diora was a small, blue capsule in the shape of a sphere.
I didn’t really ask what was inside, but it didn’t look like medicine at first glance, and it felt like there was liquid flowing inside, so I was skeptical about whether it was okay to use.
In a situation where they were constantly worried, the two people followed Mananan through the residential areas of the city and arrived at a dark space where there were no streetlights and the moonlight did not properly enter due to the shadows of the buildings.
Back alley.
A dark part of the royal capital.
Ordinary people do not set foot or get close, and even if they pass through the entrance, they do not look at the scenery beyond the darkness.
This place, where money and violence are higher than the laws of the kingdom, is now ruled by a merchant-turned-nobleman who seems to be bringing him countless profits.
＂Are we’re really going beyond this…?＂
“Okay. From here on, follow me closely.”
At that time, when she thought she heard something like a woman’s scream somewhere beyond the wall, Diora trembled and clung to Mananan’s back.
＂Well, then please slow down your walking speed a little…!＂
＂I guess so. From here on, you have to be careful not to get caught by them.”
By these guys, do you mean gangsters or other dangerous organizations that have spread their influence in these back alleys?
In any case, if Mananan was really careful and proceeded down the complicated alleyway, the two of them would end up in more and more nooks and crannies in the back alleys.
When you look around, all you see are signs with a suspicious glow.
Even Diora was able to predict to some extent what purpose the store was being run for.
Just coming to a place like this gave me goosebumps, but Mananan looked at the signs and spoke while putting on his top hat.
＂It’s almost now.＂
＂Soon… What do you mean?＂
“… You’ll see it soon. The identity of one of the darkness hiding in the royal capital.”
After passing those stores and moving forward to the point where they couldn’t go any further, the two could hear a voice coming from deep in the alley.
“Boo, please… Now that I know the pleasure of doing things with you guys… No more…!”
“Sir, it’s difficult to even say that. First, we are doing business, so you have to pay the fees.”
A man’s voice that seems somewhat urgent and excited, and a woman’s voice that seems to look down on the man.
After killing the assassin, Mananan and Diora quietly hid in the shadows and watched the scene, where a man who looked very tired was talking to a woman with her bloodshot eyes.
The woman was a woman who seemed to embody women’s instinctive beauty, although the clothes she was wearing were so revealing that they barely covered her breasts and local area.
In fact, she was so beautiful that just looking at her made her face turn red and her heart pound, but for some reason, looking at her face made her feel anxious.
Do you feel instinctively that you are a dangerous being?
＂Well, how do you do that… I’ll do anything…! There was nothing left in the house to give to you guys… And my wife left…!”
Diora was distracted by the woman for a moment, but her man’s pitiful words quickly brought her to her senses and she turned around.
＂Hehe… Then, what is that big bag over there?＂
When I peeked my head out in response to the woman’s words, there was definitely a fairly large bag sitting next to the man.
“… I know. You guys… Are demons that eat people… Right?”
However, a man gives a wrong answer to such a woman’s question.
If she hadn’t heard the story of Dian and Mananan earlier, when she heard this, she would have thought pitifully, saying, ‘Is this person crazy about color…’, But without knowing it, she held my breath and watched the scene while covering my mouth.
“… What if you say that?”
＂Well, then… Isn’t there something better than money? For example, people… Or…”
As he said that and opened the bag next to him, the woman opened her eyes wide for a moment and then smiled until her mouth was torn.
“Aha… Hehe… Ahahahaha!!”
The man carefully held what was in the bag in his arms and took it out.
And, he speaks while holding it out as if offering it to a woman.
＂She’s my daughter!! Hey, take this instead of money!! Instead, give me that pleasure once again!!”
When the madman’s voice echoed through the alley behind her, the woman laughed out loud.
Diora couldn’t hold back and almost ran out, but Mananan stopped her.
“Please stop, Ms. Diora.”
＂Why…! If this continues, that girl…!”
“I know, but. Didn’t you say it yourself a little while ago? I can’t even use swordsmanship, let alone magic. In that case, rather than leaving now…”
And then, Mananan gets up from her seat.
“It would be better for this old man to go.”
When Mananan appears, men and women turn towards him at the same time.
＂W-what are you!＂
An old man in a suit suddenly appearing in a back alley would naturally be a cause for concern, but unlike the man who was embarrassed, the woman narrowed her eyes and spoke while looking at Mananan.
＂It seems like he has some level of magical power… Hehe, is this a wizard who came to visit after hearing a rumor somewhere? ＂
Mananan did not answer the woman’s question, but took out something of her own from within her arms.
It was only the woman who was confronting her who could tell that it was a magic stone created by carving out something like her jewel.
“Reveal your true appearance and name. Devil from hell.”
As Mananan said that and threw down the magic stone she was holding in her hand, her intense light spewed out in all directions and struck the woman in front of her.
“Ugh…! This is light…!”
When a woman covers part of her face with both her arms, a change occurs in her body.
As if the reflection on the surface of the water was shaking, the illusion overlaid on her body was peeled off.
Her skin turns blue, horns grow on her head and bat-like wings. And then her thin tail appears.
That appearance was a demon that existed in people’s imagination no matter where or how it was viewed – it was in the form of a succubus, a dream demon.
＂… I really am the devil… ＂
As Diora stared at the scene, unable to close her mouth, the man standing next to the devil also sat down on the ground, as if surprised that she was really a devil.
Thanks to this, it seemed like the girl he was holding in her hands would wake up from shock.
“Hehe, I never thought there would still be a human left on this continent who knows this old-fashioned spell. A magic that removes the illusion of the devil…”
Then, the devil lowers his arms and claps as if he has just been punched.
Seeing the white and black of the eyes reversed gave me goosebumps down my spine.
“Did you see it? Miss Diora. This is part of the darkness of the royal capital. There are many demons like her hiding in this royal capital. Until recently, there was a being that hunted such demons.”
＂…＂
The youngest one talks only to Diora, completely ignoring the words of the devil in front of him.
But when the devil saw Mananan, she swung her tail and attacked Mananan.
Mananan then lifted something like her pocket watch and created a shield to protect her own body.
＂Saint Princess… A holy warrior who protects the royal capital with the power of the Holy Spirit.＂
Even Dio knows the legend of Saint Princess.
Any girl living in this royal capital has probably heard that name at least once.
“Hey, do you know her? “She hasn’t been seen lately?”
The demon is surprised that Mananan knows that much, but continues to swing her tail like a whip.
At the same time, black magic was gathering in her hands.
“That’s right, Queen Sariel, whom you served, was a Saint Princess. And when Princess Amelia grows up, she will follow in her mother’s footsteps and become a Saint Princess.”
＂Eh…!＂
Diora is once again dumbfounded by Mananan, who tells a shocking truth.
“Do you understand? The fact that the peace you were enjoying was created on someone’s sacrifice. And… As long as they don’t disappear, that sacrifice will be passed on.”
“Ah… Really! Please feel free to ignore me! This old idiot!”
Finally, the mass of black magic gathered in her hand took the form of her spear and was about to fly towards Mananan.
Diora, who came out from her hiding place, threw the capsule she had received from Dian at the demon and hit it.
Phut! When the liquid from the capsule exploded with a sound and covered her body, the devil looked dumbfounded for a moment and then-
From the surface where the liquid was sprayed, the liquid began to burn the devil’s body.
＂Ugh, ahhh! This is…! Seo, Seongsu…!”
＂As expected, it’s Dian, you’ve prepared the right weapon.＂
Mananan threw her last remaining jewel as she looked at the demon, who was screaming in pain as her body burned, and even the magical power gathered in her hands was dissipating.
“Go back to the world of fire and brimstone where you were born.”
Once again, if you think that a powerful light struck that space, when the light died down, the devil had disappeared from there.
Probably, his body was completely destroyed by the light of strong divine magic, and he was sent to hell.
After looking at the whole scene, Diora collapsed helplessly on the ground and looked at Mananan.
“… Is Amelia really going to have to fight with these guys?”
“That’s right. Because that is her mission.”
＂Why, to that child…＂
What is saddest of all is that, like her predecessor – Sariel, Amelia will continue to fight in secret.
As a result, no one would recognize her sacrifice and she would be persecuted simply because she was a blood relative of a traitor.
Mananan used the magic tool to erase her memory on the man who was sitting on the ground and returned to where her Diora was and gave her hand.
“Now, what should we do now?”
Diora looked at Mananan’s hand for a moment, wanting an answer from her.
He grabbed her hand and stood up from her seat.
002
Babel’s headquarters arrived, led by Dian and Mananan.
Today, as a result of accepting Mananan’s offer, she has reached the end of her three-month experiment to gain the power to become a knight.
What is in front of her in her gown is a large coffin-shaped object.
And around it, it was seen that it was connected to various machines through various hoses.
The name of the machine is – from what I heard previously, it is ‘Multiple Factor Injection-Legion’.
It has a complicated name, but to put it simply, it is a machine that has the ability to inject humans with ‘factors’ that can be said to be the source of power possessed by other living creatures.
So far, what we have learned through several experiments is that – if you inject human beings with factors from other living organisms, side effects will inevitably occur.
For example, something like becoming violent and unable to control oneself, or becoming too soft-hearted and unable to fight.
Dian spoke.
“I think the side effect that Legion causes is not simply that it imparts the characteristics of that factor to humans. The changes in the subjects’ psychology that appear afterward make the original tendencies of the being even stronger.”
If a person was violent from the beginning, he or she becomes even more violent.
If you are someone who was originally weak, you are even weaker.
Depending on the purpose for which you underwent this experiment, it is fortunate that the subsequent results are predictable.
“… Then what will happen to me, teacher? In the eyes of you two, what kind of person am I?”
“… Your principle of action is centered on protecting Princess Amelia. In that case… After being strengthened, you may become someone who is truly infatuated with Amelia.”
Well, if that’s the case, it’s no big deal.
For some reason, I could imagine it a little, and Diora burst out laughing.
“But- more than this old man’s story. Imagine yourself as what you want to be.”
“Are you who you want to be?”
Diora tilts her head once again at Dian’s words.
“Okay. You probably have your ideal image. So that you can become that kind of yourself, approach yourself with the mindset of taking a step forward. If you do that, you will definitely be closer to yourself when you go outside again.”
“… Is that really true? Otherwise, I’ll be a little resentful☆”
When I said that, thinking of Queen Sariel somewhere, Dian nodded her head.
Mananan added from next to her while looking at Diora.
“The factor you will be injected with is the dragon’s factor. It is our Babel treasure that can only be used once. So, if you fail-“
“… Don’t worry. Because I won’t fail. When I wake up again, I will come back as Princess Amelia’s lover.”
She wishes she could save her like she was saved by her mother.
With that in mind, she slowly walked into the Legion.
After a while, as the coffin door closes and her vision becomes dark, her magical power is injected towards Legion at the same time as a voice is heard from outside.
And the next moment-
Excited.
＂Ugh, ah! Ahhh!!! ──!!＂
A great deal of pain came over her whole body.
The feeling of her body being completely torn apart and rebuilt from the inside was so intense that not even her tears could flow.
However, having to endure this pain, Diora never wanted to lose her mind and added pain to her pain by biting her lower lip.
Thankfully, her blood was leaking from her lower lip, but she didn’t care.
Thump, pound, pound, pound.
A heartbeat that is loud and fast enough to pound.
Diora thought while feeling such pain.
There were so many suffering children in this world, including my past self and Amelia.
If I can become someone who can protect those people—
Next moment.
Light surrounds the entire laboratory, including Legion.
The time when the machines that were generating a large magical reaction and emitting smoke overheated and stopped.
When the Legion door opened, Diora stumbled but walked out.
In a situation where little seemed to have changed on the outside, Diane and a female employee from Babel approached her and placed an additional coat on her body.
This is to avoid getting hypothermia due to the sweat flowing from your entire body.
Dian asked Diora, who was breathing rapidly.
＂… What is it like? “Do you think something has changed?”
The moment Diora answered ‘yes’ while nodding her head with difficulty.
Good luck!
A small flame spewed from her mouth and set some of Diane’s remaining hair on fire.
＂… Uh… It’s become even cooler☆＂
In an unexpected situation, Diora made a V shape with one of her hands and placed it next to her eye, but Dian gently touched the side of her head and she smiled.
“The experiment was a success.”
004
Cleon, who heard the whole story, quietly nodded.
＂Then your usual speaking style was an imitation of Queen Sariel…＂
＂Hmm~ I wonder if you can see it like that☆＂
＂Then you look at young girls and scold them…?＂
＂Hmm~ I guess that’s my taste☆＂