Chapter 790 – Absence Case Log -14-

000

The next place where Illenu woke up was not inside a cave, nor on the bed in her familiar room, but inside a dark cathedral.

Somewhere, it was similar to the gray cathedral he had seen when he drank Cleon’s blood, but fortunately there was no other version of himself, and unlike that cathedral that had collapsed, the ceiling and windows of this place were all intact.

However, the scene unfolding before my eyes could only be described as foreign.

＂Give up, you idiot…! This body already belongs to me!”

“You’re the one giving up! What right do you, a monster, to keep stealing someone’s body like that? I was originally planning on getting this guy…!”

I saw Arteas and Ijeal fighting desperately to sit on the chair in front of them, holding each other’s heads.

They seemed unable to use their original abilities at all, so they clung to each other and engaged in hand-to-hand combat, trying to tear each other’s bodies apart.

It would have been impossible for Arteas, who was a pure human, to overcome the vampire’s body, so it was a sight that allowed him to immediately understand that this was not reality but a world of spirit.

The two, not giving an inch to each other, soon followed, with Al grabbing Arteas’ waist, tripping her legs and pushing her down, then climbing on top of her and slamming her fist into her face, causing Al’s death. It seemed like it was leaning towards

“I am! I didn’t even want to be king! I didn’t want to become a vessel for a monster like you who only knew about itself for hundreds of years!”

Now Al, letting out all her anger and shaking her fist.

However, Arteas, who had somehow managed to grab hold of her fist, pushed her on top of her and threw her on her back.

She wraps her legs around one of Al’s arms, which is now firmly planted on the ground, not giving her a break, and pulls with all her strength as if trying to break it.

“Then you should have died trapped in that weak body! That power… The traitor who took the power promised to me and ran away! If you hadn’t run away, my sacred kingdom would still be shining brightly!”

“You see your people, including the knights, as nothing more than tools…! In the end, the end you will face will be a disaster caused by such tools!”

“If a tool goes against me, I will just destroy it! Even if it is a person, it is no different! That is the determination a king must have!”

The next moment, Al opened his mouth and snapped his sharp fangs at her leg as she tried to break her own arm.

Her blood spurted out and Arteas screamed in pain, and when she let go of her body, Izual immediately untied her restraints and stood up, kicking Ijeal’s head as if he were kicking a ball.

＂This crazy tyrant!!＂

As she said this, she continued to slam her body down with her feet as if she was trampling on a bug, and Arteas, enduring such pain, stretched out her arm and tried to grab Al’s other leg and throw her down. Br〉

As if he wasn’t going to fall for the same trick she had suffered earlier, Al stepped on Arteas’ hand and laughed bitterly as he blocked another attempt to trip him.

─Ugly.

Ilenu felt that this was the first time that the sight of humans revealing their true natures, throwing away all morality and self-control, and denying each other’s existence while fighting was seen in such an ugly way.

They are stuck together like animals, knowing full well that they can never understand each other’s feelings, so they only try to suppress each other with force and violence.

There are no noble ideas, no great causes, and no firm beliefs.

A dog fight where you try to throw your opponent off a cliff just to survive.

Ilenu felt disgusted at even touching those two people, so he quietly passed by them and tried to sit down on the chair next to them.

However, the ones who naturally interrupted her were Arteas and Ijeal, who were beating each other to death just moments ago.

Al’s fist comes from the side, and Arteas tackles her leg.

Illenu dodged Al’s fist by slightly bending his waist back, and then back tumbled Arteas’ legs, which moved beneath him.

＂＂This is my chair!＂＂

“No, no matter what you think, it’s my body, it’s mine.”

Feeling the fatigue of dealing with children who act recklessly, Illenu stroked his hair.

It seemed like the fight between the two was still going on, but Illenu sighed as she saw the fistfight becoming less intense than before, probably because she thought that if she didn’t keep Illenu in check, she would lose control of her body.

“There really is no such thing as a nuisance. Both. On one side, it is a monster that seeks to live forever by changing the bodies of several descendants. On the other hand, there is a monster who lives as if he were a queen in the back world with the power of a vampire… It would have been better for this world if you fought and destroyed each other in a place where you did not harm others.”

When Ilenu said that as if he was tired, Arteas spoke with the corners of her mouth raising.

“Then let’s join hands, Dhampir girl. First, I’ll kill these dying mosquitoes, and then Jim will sit on that chair. But I’ll let you use your body sometimes too, so don’t worry…!”

“You don’t really think this guy is going to do that, do you? Illenu. Still, I think people will trust me more because they fought me with a sword. If you and I join forces, we can create an organization bigger and more powerful than Initrad…!”

The two people said that it would be advantageous for each other to join hands, but of course, in Illenu’s opinion, both sides were the same, and both knew full well that after defeating the other, the remaining side would betray them.

That’s why Illenu smiled and ran to where the two people were, jumped up, and knocked them both down at the same time with a drop-kick.

“Get out of my body, you damn parasites! This is my body!”

001

While this type of life-and-death struggle was taking place in Illenu’s inner world, Illenu’s body outside was repeatedly rising and sinking in consciousness depending on who took the lead in the inner life struggle.

And, as if responding to her condition, Emma took out her own magical tool that unleashed her subtle magical power.

＂With this… Illenu…?＂

Emma mumbles like that, but her Attis, who hears Emma’s voice, looks down at her.

“Emma! That magic tool… No, a gun! Can you lend that to me?”

＂Uh, yeah…＂

Artis says so to Emma and tries to take her gun from her, but the moment she touches the gun, she snaps, her sparks fly, and she holds her hand in her hand as if to reject Artis.

“It hurts…! … You mean she can’t be used unless she’s Emma…!? Emma, ​​what is that gun saying?”

“… They are telling me to shoot the other two inside Illenu, not Illenu. But for that to happen, I can’t do it the way I am now…”

As Emma said this, she looked alternately at the gun she was holding in her hand and at Illenu.

“I am saying that the curse on my body is preventing me from using my full power.”

Attis, who sensed that Emma’s tone of voice had become a bit more mature, spoke while looking down at her, recalling the story she had heard from her sister.

“Emma, ​​do you remember…?”

“Uh, yes. For some reason, I can only remember… Maybe it’s because Ilenu became like that…”

As she said that and fiddled with her gun, Artis lifted her head and looked at Illenu once more.

＂Ugh…! Aaaaa!!”

And, as if Ilenu’s body was feeling pain from the battle between the egos swirling within her, it spewed out magical energy in all directions, and that magical energy once again turned into a sharp blade and flew towards the walls of the cave or the bodies of standing humans. It was coming in.

In order to protect Artis and Emma from those blades, Bayerlin and Draine were fighting hard to the front, but the increasingly powerful magical blades were breaking down the defenses of those two people little by little.

That’s why Artis took a step forward and shouted to Ilenu.

＂Illenu! It’s Emma! We must break Emma’s curse once and for all! Can you hear me!?”

＂It’s no use! Two huge souls entered the body…! Even if you call her like that, there is no way you can reach her inside!”

As Bayerlin spoke, she told Artis to stand behind her, but not only she, but also her Emma, ​​stepped forward to make her voice heard.

＂Illenu! Please…! Please listen to our voices!”

The moment Emma’s voice echoed in the cave, the wave of magic power in Illenu’s body was momentarily cut off.

＂Eh, Emma…＂

In a trembling voice, Emma’s name came out from Illenu’s mouth.

Even though Illenu’s pupils are shaking, she reaches out her hand in the direction where Emma is, and Dryne, who thinks it is an attack on Emma, ​​stands in her way – but Emma passes by her as if it is okay, and Illenu, and It was to stand squarely.

Then, the power of the vampire who had cursed Emma to steal her time began to flow out from within Illene and gather in her hands.

＂Huh… Ah…!＂

Just by drawing out that kind of power, Illenu was overcome by the feeling that the initiative of her body would be taken away at any moment, and a pain-filled moan came out of Illenu’s mouth.

However, despite this, Illenu exercised his superhuman mental power and shot out black fog from his body.

And the fog enveloped Emma’s body.

Then, Emma’s body began to grow at a rapid pace, as if regaining the time that had been stolen from her within the fog.

The clothes she was wearing probably had to be torn apart because they didn’t fit her size, but the clothes changed just like the maid clothes she usually wears and changed to a size that fit her body.

Taking away her time means taking away her identity.

And, because she got it back, matching clothes appeared on her body as well.

Emma returned to her appearance as a full-fledged adult woman, with her long brown hair.

The next moment, when the fog cleared from her body, the five-year-old Emma was no longer there.

＂Ilenu… Thank you. Until now, I have suffered alone… Even after I was cursed and changed like this, Ilenu put in a lot of effort to return me to my original state… I remember everything.”

And, Emma tells her, speaking kindly to her colleague.

“… So, I’ll save you this time.”

As the ball struck, Emma caught it with both hands and lifted it up, aiming her aim at Irene.

The feeling of holding this gun in her hand for the first time in such a long time made me anxious about whether I would be able to hit it properly-

As she repeated her deep breaths, thanks to the power coming from the pistol, she could see the outlines of non-Illenu beings swirling around inside Illenu’s body.

But then.

＂＂Should I just let it happen like that…!＂＂

The will of Ijeal and Arteas, who were fighting each other to take over Illenu’s body, coincided and momentarily pushed away Illenu’s will and took control of her body.

When the two, who were trying to prevent themselves from disappearing at all costs, tried to run straight at Emma with her gun pointed at them, her aim was lost due to their fast speed.

But-

Izael and Arteas felt that their legs were not moving.

What is hindering your movement?

When she lowered her gaze and looked downward, there, Vedika, who had been weighed down by her own magic, somehow crawled up to her and grabbed hold of her legs.

With her eyes red and bloodshot from her anger, she cried out, holding on to her with all her might.

＂Pay for the sin of using the lives of the people as a tool…! “Your Majesty the Queen!”

＂Kk, let go! Bedika! This is treason!”

“Okay! I will give you a vampire body and a vampire knighthood…!”

As Arteas and Ijeal’s voices rang out alternately, trying to persuade Vedika, Emma took a deep breath as she looked at Ilenu, who was standing there motionless.

＂Give Illenu back…!＂

And then, two gunshots ring out.

＂Bedikaaaaa!!!＂

Arteas, who lets out a voice like a scream.

Grasp! When she thought she heard the sound, the bullet that Emma fired landed slightly below both of Illenu’s shoulders, causing her blood to splash.

But that blood was the blood that contained the will of Al and Arteas, who were eating away at her from within.

They fell to the ground in a shabby appearance and became like ugly slimes writhing on the ground in an attempt to somehow return to Illenu’s body.

But-

Good luck! When you think you hear a voice, Diora’s flame spear sweeps over the blood and evaporates it.

And, he asked while catching Ilenu, who was about to stumble and fall, with one of his arms.

＂… Are you back?＂

“… Of course. Rather…”

Illenu breathed a sigh of relief as she looked at Emma, ​​who had finally returned to her normal self.

＂Curse… I should have lifted it when I could…＂

With such small but natural regrets behind her, she slowly closed her eyes.

＂Hey, Illenu!?＂

When Emma runs to her side in panic as Ileneu leaves her last words, Emma touches her chest as she hears the sound of her breathing.

“Are you okay. I just lost my mind.”

Hearing Diora say that, Emma nods her head and feels relieved.

When Diora and Emma made eye contact, Diora closed her mouth for a moment and then answered with a sad expression.

＂I see… The reason there is no more Emma, ​​the little girl─ ugh! ＂

Pow! A sound was heard, and Diora lost sight of Illenu and fell behind her.

＂… Making sounds that break the mood is what I do best. This is Asteris’ revenge for hitting my head with the capital.”

When Selena, who imposed an iron fist on Diora, shakes off her hand, Schrödinger takes Illenu instead.

─Anyway, the events caused by the ghosts of the past that occurred in Asteris during Cleon’s absence came to an end.

For modern humanity, the Holy Kingdom of Kabalon and Initraddan have lost their leaders and disappeared, which is, in a way, a fortunate outcome.

However, for some- it was the worst ending, losing everything-

Vedika was unable to get up for a while.