༺ Incarnation (1) ༻
For now, I needed to sort out the things that I had to do.
There were barely twenty hours left. Within that time span, I had to prepare the means to withstand a boss battle on the level of Eleanor in her berserk state.
“…”
When only looking at the proposition, it seemed overwhelmingly daunting.
Like, how was I even supposed to achieve that?
‘…I should start with what I can do.’
What I had to do was to deal with the urgent issues, one at a time.
It reminded me of the time when I was facing Valkasus.
Panicking or succumbing to fear wouldn’t help.
My countless experiences proved that.
[…Well, I don’t know about that.]
As I was lost in such thoughts, from inside Soul Linker, Caliban smirked.
[It doesn’t seem like this particular problem can be so simply explained with just that.]
“Excuse me?”
[I know that you’ve had nerves of steel since long before, but even considering that, your current state is undeniably strange.]
His words continued.
[No matter how thick someone’s nerves are, at the very least, their survival instincts would be triggered when they feel a threat to their own life.]
Not to mention that this particular someone had their plans foiled when he wasn’t even halfway done. Normally, when one was in this kind of situation, some kind of ‘reaction’ should have occurred.
Caliban fell into a brief moment of silence.
[Just look at the guy sleeping in the room next to me. Back when you faced the Boy King, you were completely different from now.]
“…What are you trying to say?”
Usually, Caliban would only give me his cooperation when it was necessary. Most of the time, he’d only mock me gleefully while acting like a bystander. However, there were times when he got into his serious mode.
Those times were either when my life was in danger…
Or when I was swept up by something related to ‘Devils.’
[You… Hasn’t something about you changed?]
A chilling voice trickled out.
[I’m talking about what’s engraved on your chest.]
I looked down at the Fallen’s Seal engraved on my chest.
If I were to check the system window, the following message would greet me.
System Log
[ Stage 1 Restriction of ‘The Fallen’s Seal’ is released. ]
[ Your attribute will gradually change from ‘human’ to ‘·̶̛͈̪͚̹̺͖͉̪̇̎̃̏̃̎̚͡ͅ ̷̥͉̞͎̯̥̫̳̻͆͊̉̀̾͘͞·̴̵̢̢̥̱̝̘̟͎̯̥̟͖̞͊͐͌̿̎̋̔̈́̃̕̚͘͜͟͝͞͞·̶̛͈̪͚̹̺͖͉̪̇̎̃̏̃̎̚͡ͅ ̷̥͉̞͎̯̥̫̳̻͆͊̉̀̾͘͞·̴̵̢̢̥̱̝̘̟͎̯̥̟͖̞͊͐͌̿̎̋̔̈́̃̕̚͘͜͟͝͞͞’. ]
[ The more intimate relationships you form with ‘Devils’, the faster the attribute change will occur. ]
Certainly…
I had been forming very close relationships with Devils recently.
As Caliban said, there was no doubt that the point in time when something would begin to change had already passed.
“…”
I briefly fell silent after hearing his voice half mixed with disgust.
He was someone who had died alongside his comrades after being deployed to take care of a Red Devil’s Vessel who was in her berserk state. There was no way he had any positive feelings left for such things.
[Things that involve Devils never end well. At the very least, I wish you specifically do not get entangled with them.]
Caliban continued with a stiff voice.
[After all, if you get involved, there is a high probability that Iliya will get tangled up in it too.]
“Iliya and I do not have that special of a relationship, Caliban.”
[For now.]
“…”
[From the perspective of her big brother, I can tell just by observing next to you. As long as she is already caught in your evil hands, there is no chance for her to escape. If you don’t push her away blatantly, she won’t be able to come to her senses even till the end…]
Caliban fell silent for a moment and then chuckled bitterly.
[And you don’t have any intention to let her go, do you?]
“…It isn’t what you think.”
[Whether romantic feelings are involved or not, you intend to keep Iliya by your side until the very end, right? Even though I may not know things in details, such as the deep memories you have hidden away, I’m still able to feel the intentions and emotions that you brought to your mind.]
“…”
[Honestly, I don’t care how many people attach themselves to you. You seem like someone who is worth at least that much. But still, sooner or later, you have to decide. Make Iliya your legal wi—]
“I’m busy right now, so can you spare this nonsense for later?”
‘What the fuck are you on about? She’s your own sister, you know?’
“…Anyway, we’re going to meet someone you hate with a burning passion.”
There were obviously several reasons why I shunned the human called Faenol.
One, the fact that she was the Final Boss of Chapter 4. Two, the fact that she was a Devil’s Vessel.
And, three, the most important reason of them all.
The fact that she held a ticking time bomb both for me and Caliban.
It was especially the case for Caliban.
“Caliban, promise me one thing.”
[What is it.]
“Never, ever, do something foolish. Understood?”
[…I don’t know what this is about, but I understand. How surprising that you’re the one warning me of something like that.]
As I listened to Caliban’s words, I stopped in front of Faenol’s accommodations that I hurriedly walked to.
System Log
[! Warning !]
[ Important target. Contacting in advance may cause changes in the scenario. ]
[ Upon contact with the target, the benefit, ‘Heretic Inquisition – Special Interaction’, received from clearing ‘Boss: Boy King’ will be unlocked immediately! ]
[ ‘Skill: Fatal Charm’ cannot be applied to the target! ]
“…”
Although I had seen this message before, now that I was actually about to meet her in person, I felt a little bit pressured.
It was even more so when I recalled what had happened when messages about ‘Scenario Changes’ had popped up in the past.
Back when the axis of the world’s ‘flow’ moved from Iliya to me and back when Eleanor fell for me and began to chase after me.
And, if my thoughts were correct…
Just the act of meeting this person would result in something similar to that.
‘…Moreover, there is the added fact that Yuria is involved as well.’
In this room, she and Yuria were doing ‘something’.
I didn’t know what exactly it was, but in the original game, Faenol was… Someone with an incredibly twisted personality.
She was a true psychopath who did not treat people as human beings unless she had acknowledged them.
Depending on how she ‘treated’ Yuria…
Things would probably escalate into a battle.
As I raised my hand to knock on the door…
I could hear Yuria’s voice from inside.
“N-No. I-I don’t want to. S-Still, this, this is-”
“Oh my. Didn’t you ask me for help?”
Following that, I could also hear Faenol’s low and laid-back voice, as if mocking her.
“If you can’t even handle this much, won’t you be discarded by that man?”
Upon hearing that voice, I immediately realized.
This bitch was ‘forcing’ Yuria to do something against her will, using me as an excuse!
With such thoughts, I aggressively opened the door and entered.
And as I did so, inside…
“…I-I’ve never w-worn clothes like this before…”
“Then that’s even more of a reason why you should wear them! To capture Dowd Campbell’s heart, you must first adorn yourself!”
“…”
“Since early times, clothes have been like wings for women! How could he ever feel any charm if you wear such shabby things everyday?!”
Wearing only a set of underwear and holding fluttering women’s clothes in each hand, Yuria was trembling with eyes filled with tears.
Both outfits were highly revealing. There were more places where skin was exposed than covered.
Next to Faenol, whose eyes were flashing in concentration, a pile of similar clothes was stacked like a hill.
“…”
The fuck was this?
As I observed the two with such thoughts…
At long last, Yuria and Faenol simultaneously turned their heads towards me, realizing that I had opened the door and entered.
“…”
“…”
An awkward silence ensued.
During that time, Yuria, with a dazed gaze, glanced down at her own appearance.
A thin bra. White panties with a polka-dot pattern.
Those were the only clothes that she was wearing.
Overall, it was thin and flowing, but her naked body clearly asserted her graceful curves.
And then, her unfocused gaze slowly rose in my direction.
Then…
She realized that I was gawking at her with a vacant stare.
“…”
“…”
Starting from Yuria’s face, her entire body turned bright red.
As I witnessed such a phenomenon, I even thought it was fascinating how tremendous the speed of her flush was.
Yuria’s eyes welled up with tears. Her mouth opened. She took an incredibly deep breath.
[As expected of Dowd.]
“…”
[Wow, I mean. Just opening a door unfolds this kind of situation? Are you actually the protagonist of some third-rate novel?]
Accompanied by Caliban’s voice that was mixed with forced laughter, a window appeared before my eyes.
System Message
[ Effect of Title ‘Playboy’ is displayed! ]
Ah, I see.
So this was why I was told to equip it in advance.
To at least be of some help when making excuses.
“…Wait. There’s a reason for th-”
But, before I could even finish my excuse, Yuria’s shrill scream resonated loudly in the surroundings.
From that encounter, I managed to gain one piece of information.
The fact that Yuria’s specs had risen considerably. I already noticed this when she turned the Sea Serpent into rags with just a few slashes, but now, I knew for sure that it happened. After all, even though Severer was still in its scabbard, she still almost turned me into a pulp with just a few swings.
System Log
[ Successfully continued the battle despite serious injuries! ]
[ Proficiency of ‘Mastery: Iron Man’ increased. ]
Why else would the proficiency of this Mastery increase unless I got absolutely fucked in the ass?
“…”
But still, I survived. That was the important part.
Basically, before I could even properly prepare for the boss battle tomorrow, I had narrowly avoided an unsightly death of my head flying off at the hands of an ally.
“…Hm.”
Instead, I was half minced-meat; Faenol stroked her chin while looking down at such a state of me.
“Are you alive?”
“…Somehow.”
The first thing that caught my eye was the entirely fucked up room due to Yuria going wild while crying and screaming.
After that, she shouted ‘Mr. Dowd, you idiot-!’ or some shit like that before dashing off somewhere.
As I pulled myself together and collapsed in front of the table, Faenol very casually poured a cup of tea.
“It is nice to meet you, Dowd Campbell.”
Faenol smiled brightly as she extended her hand for a handshake.
“…”
After vacantly gazing at that, I soon grabbed her hand.
And at the same time…
[…]
Within Soul Linker, I could vividly feel Caliban’s horror and dismay.
Seeing as we even made physical contact, there was no way he wouldn’t be able to feel that aura.
[…No, No way. You’re kidding me. Don’t fuck with me right now.]
Yeah.
I told you.
[This bitch, I-I, definitely…!]
Killed her.
Faenol, as Caliban said, was a being who had died once.
Caliban and all the Guardians expended their lives to defeat her, after all.
And, although the outward appearance he remembered might be different, this was the exact same being,
The main culprit behind the ‘Crimson Night Incident’ that swept away Iliya’s entire family.
“So…”
Faenol ‘Deathwish’ Lipek.
The Final Boss of Chapter 4.
The first ‘completed’ Vessel in the scenario, who possessed ‘all’ the Fragments of the ‘Red Devil’.
In other words…
“What brings you here to see me?”
Going beyond a Vessel who simply held Devil’s Fragments…
She was the only existence that transcended into an ‘Incarnation’ that harbored a ‘Completed Devil’.
And that very same existence smiled softly towards me.
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