༺ Restoration ༻
“But, what in the world is this?”
These were the first words that Eleanor, who had just regained her senses after a while, spoke.
Although she was still a little flustered, she looked around with a more composed demeanor than before.
The surroundings were still frozen in time. The grey colored world showed no signs of resuming its flow of time.
“I have a feeling that…somehow, this phenomenon has a ‘connection’ with me.”
Eleanor raised her hand and lightly touched the grey aura that was clustered around her.
“Do you happen to know what this is, Dowd?”
She clasped and unclasped her fists, moving the grey aura back and forth.
“…Who knows?”
I could only give her that vague answer.
“It seems like something you shouldn’t delve too deep into, though.”
“…? Delve too deep?”
“It’s just a feeling of mine. Also, Eleanor, please promise me you won’t try to look into it too deeply.”
“If you say so… I won’t… It doesn’t seem to be of harm to me at this very moment anyway.”
Although the promise was practically forced upon her, it only prompted a tilt of Eleanor’s head before she accepted it easily.
She herself could probably never imagine that the unidentifiable power she possessed was actually a ‘Devil’, even in her wildest dreams.
‘…The existence of Devils, of itself, is the most closely guarded secret, after all.’
Those who knew about the mechanisms of the current Devil’s Fragments and Vessels were far and few between.
The handful of people who knew about my ‘constitution’, which made me unconditionally loved by Devils, were probably the only ones who knew. And excluding them, there was only….
[The Heretic Inquisition?]
Yep. Exactly.
I couldn’t help but let out a bitter laugh when I heard Caliban’s voice from inside the amulet. After all, the chill contained in his voice was abnormal.
The enmity this person had against that group was likely to be immense.
After all, if only that group was just a little… ‘normal’, he and his fellow Guardians would have survived during the Crimson Night Incident.
‘Anyway…’
At this very moment, revealing the truth of their existence to a Devil’s Vessel would be the worst gambit.
It wasn’t for no reason that I had not been honest with them so far.
‘…The Main Scenario would start to go awry.’
You see, their reactions were quite a sight when they found out that they were ‘Vessels’.
Then again, there was no way that telling them the fact that they carried the literal enemy of mankind within their body would have a positive influence on their mental state.
Considering that a Devil’s Vessel going berserk is dependent on their own mental state, such action was essentially suicide.
Moreover, each and every one of these Devil’s Vessels possessed an enormous weight on the scenario.
The true value of their importance was highly likely to be revealed in the upcoming events; For the Blue Devil, imbued within Riru, it would be during the highlight of this chapter, ‘Great Duel’, and for the White Devil, imbued within Yuria, it would be during the ‘Holy Land Invasion’ of Chapter 6.
If these people were made aware of this truth, causing the entire scenario to be completely derailed, there was no doubt that it would never be a good thing from my perspective.
Moreover, if the subject in question was the Grey Devil, the key axis that the entire game passed through, there was no good reason to precisely explain that existence to Eleanor.
She would find out some time soon anyway. Chapter 5 of the scenario was set against the backdrop of Eleanor acquiring the third and last Fragment, so at that point, there was no way she herself did not know what was in her.
At least until then, it was right for me to just quietly hold my tongue.
“…I think I can get used to it very quickly.”
While I was having a plethora of thoughts, Eleanor was moving the Grey Demonic Aura that was spread around her, manipulating it to create complex shapes in the air.
It was a proficiency at the level that, if someone were to see it, they would think she had been training for a long time.
System Message
[ Hidden Stat of target ‘Eleanor’ has been unlocked! ]
[ From now on, the target can manipulate ‘Grey Demonic Aura’! ]
This… was understandable.
She had fulfilled the conditions to some extent.
After all, she was a Vessel that had consumed two Fragments and had even gone berserk once, so it was a no-brainer that a Devil’s power would be somewhat unlocked.
‘Am I… Supposed to be happy about this?’
Honestly, even in the future, if I got involved with other Devils and made even the slightest mistake, there was a very high chance that they would explode like what had just happened. However, even considering that, Eleanor was one of my strongest allies.
Even more so if she could use the Grey Devil’s Aura.
“Then, can you do something with that?”
It would be good to test that power first.
I requested as such to Eleanor, who continued to manipulate the Grey Demonic Aura.
“Do what?”
“…Something that could sort this out.”
With that, I looked around.
The obliterated Forge of Struggle, that was completely divided in half due to Eleanor going berserk, caught my eye.
‘…It’s still the key background for Chapter 3, you know?’
In its current state, it would be impossible to proceed with the scenario or anything, for that matter.
Just now, I realized once again how influential the actions of this person were.
To turn one of the most famous buildings on the continent into this sorry state in just a few seconds…
“…Sort it out, you say…”
Eleanor cocked her head.
“I’ll give it a try… I have a feeling that there’s something I can do about it.”
Subsequently, Eleanor slowly closed her eyes. She took a deep breath and manipulated the Demonic Aura.
At the same time…
The world was ‘rewound’.
“…!”
‘What the fuck? This is insane.’
My jaws dropped.
Before, during the Purifier Boss Battle where she manifested a Grey Devil’s Fragment, she had once restored the hole in my heart by ‘rewinding time’. It was almost like rewinding a video.
What was happening right now was exactly the same phenomenon.
However, the difference was that this time, her entire field of vision was being rewound, not just one place as it did before.
The shattered dome that was cracked in half was mended. The people who fell out of the building and into the sea because of the aftermath were returned back inside the building. Explosions that had happened here and there, as well as the debris and objects from the building raining down; All of it was returned to its previous state.
Eleanor and I also floated, as we were positioned back to where we were right before this chaos had occurred.
I stood in front of Tatiana, at the place where I requested what I desired, and Eleanor was near the crowd, where she had looked over such a scene.
It only took a few dozen seconds for the Forge of Struggle to cleanly return to its original state, as if nothing had happened.
As the question of whether one person should have such power kept repeating in my mind…
A window appeared before me.
System Message
[ Target ‘Eleanor’ has used ‘Grey Demonic Aura’! ]
[ Fusion rate of the second Fragment has significantly increased! ]
‘…What?’
In horror, I activated Scan on Eleanor.
System Notification
[ Using ‘Scan’. ]
[ Gathering information on the target. ]
[ A 24-hour cooldown applies before reuse is available on the same target. ]
[ Eleanor Elinalise La Tristan ]
< Character Info >
Characteristic: Vessel – Grey Devil
< Status Info >
[ General ]
Strength: S+
Agility: S+
Endurance: S+
Luck: C
Power: A+
[ Special ]
Magic Power: B
Law Power: F
Divine Power: F
Grey Demonic Aura: EX
< Misc. >
Current Fused ‘Devil’s Fragment’ Amount: 2
Stage 2 Fusion Progress: 55%
Corruption Progress: 0%
“Eleanor, stop! Stop!”
“…Mm?”
As I frantically screamed, Eleanor finally opened her eyes. Because our positions had changed from previously, she looked around before finding me.
“…Please promise me just one more thing, Eleanor.”
And as I met those eyes, I urgently spoke.
“What is it?”
“Promise me that you will never, under any circumstances, use this power again, even if you die. Please promise me.”
“…”
Eleanor’s face seemed to say, ‘You literally just told me to do it, so what the fuck are you on about now?’ But for me, it was an urgent matter.
After all, since I had never handled this kind of ability in the original game, I could never have imagined it would actually come with such an effect.
“It seems like you are making me promise many things today particularly.”
Eleanor let out a sigh.
“…Although you might find it unpleasant—”
“I don’t really mind. It feels good to share so many secrets with you.”
“…”
It was fortunate she listened to me so well.
“Then… For now, I’ll remove all of this energy.”
Eleanor let out a sigh as she spoke.
“The stopped time would likely start to flow from that point forward. I have never tried it before, but I think that’s what will happen.”
“…Alright. I will find a way to silence the people here so that nothing about what just happened leaks.”
After all, if people noticed that a single human wielded this much power, I didn’t even want to imagine the aftereffects such a radical action would bring..
Therefore, it would be best to make it so that this situation didn’t happen as much as poss—
“…No, there’s no need for that.”
“What?”
“…?”
“For now, I’l remove all the energy. You’ll understand when you see it.”
Eleanor snapped her fingers.
Following that, at the same time as the complete disappearance of the grey energy…
The world’s time began to flow once again.
“…”
“…”
However…
There were no signs of chaos or pandemonium from anyone or anywhere.
Everything turned quiet.
The expressions of all the people nearby were calm; So calm that it felt like the building had never been shattered in the first place.
“…Why is that bastard just standing there?”
“Oy, did you not hear the Chief Priest asking you for what you wanted? Speak quickly!”
As I remained stunned, angry shouts trickled from the crowd.
“…Everyone, are you okay?”
“…? What is he saying?”
“Is there something to not be fine about…?”
As I spoke in a slightly dazed voice, such responses returned.
And it was only then that it dawned on me.
When Eleanor rewound time, every single person here ‘lost their memory’ about what had just happened.
As if it had never happened.
[…It’s an unbelievable power.]
Within the amulet, Caliban groaned.
[It seems like the entire time axis has been distorted. Except for those with resistance to Devil’s Aura, no one would even know what had just happened.]
…Yeah…
Even in the original game, the Grey Devil’s power only briefly appeared during the Final Boss Battle, so I never imagined it would have this strong of an effect.
‘However…’
Not everyone was susceptible to that effect.
I took a note of everyone around who seemed bewildered.
Tatiana. Riru.
And…
‘…Iliya?’
Why in the world was she part of this entourage?
She wasn’t a Devil’s Vessel nor was she a Devil Worshipper like Tatiana.
And she was someone who did not even have the slightest hint of owning that type of ability, unlike the other two.
“…”
I could check back on this later.
Rather than that, I needed to get through this current situation as naturally as possible.
That was the best I could do for now.
“Chief Priest. I shall tell you my request.”
“…”
I called out to the dazed Tatiana.
As if nothing had happened.
“When Riru enters her clan’s district, please give me the right to go to—”
When I was continuing these words, from inside the amulet, Caliban spoke up once again.
[Hey, let me ask one thing.]
‘Hm? What is it?’
[If she can control such tremendous power, why did you so desperately block her from using it earlier?]
‘Ah? That?’
‘Well, if she were to use that power too often, rather than making her overpowered and be able to steamroll everyone, a more terrifying ‘side effect’ would appear instead.’
[…What?]
‘No, really. I’m being serious.’
‘You see, if the second Fragment’s fusion rate increases that quickly—!’
The more the fusion rate increased, the more Eleanor’s dark side, incited by the Fragment, would strengthen.
It meant that it would become incredibly likely that her Corruption Value would see-saw and spazz out depending on her mood.
Considering the shitfest that happened from a single berserk, it was best to avoid causing such cases as much as possible.
“…”
And although I used a temporary shock method to block it…
If she happened to berserk one more time later…
‘At that point, I’ll actually have to marry her…!’
As far as I could think of, if Eleanor went berserk again, that was the sole ‘measure’ to suppress her.
I couldn’t even imagine what kind of newly-wed life was awaiting me after I got caught in her clutches.
[…So, to summarize…]
From the amulet, Caliban suddenly let out a burst of laughter before continuing.
[You told the lady to not use that power because the more she uses it, the more likely it is that you have to marry her?]
“…”
[You know what I’m going to say, right?]
‘No, wait. I get it. I know I’m a fucking trash’
‘Yes, I know it’s pretty shitty of me to be so stubbornly against a marriage after everything I’ve done so far. But still, that’s the one thing that I could never do. Ever.’
‘Even when considering the existence of the other Devils, the moment I was left with that sole choice to prevent Eleanor from killing me would be the moment where I’d turn into a corpse…!’
[I don’t know. I don’t really want to stop you when you’re trying so hard, but…]
Caliban continued with a nonchalant voice.
[Whenever you go out of your way to evade something, it always seems to mean that it will eventually blow up in your face.]
“…”
[It seems like it is already a confirmed future that you will be at the mercy of that lady, so… It’s only a matter of when, right?]
“…”
[Perhaps it’s not too far out in the future?]
‘Please.’
‘Please be quiet.’
“…Yuria?”
With a dubious voice, Lucia gazed at Yuria, who was receiving a lap pillow from her.
Usually when she was in Lucia’s embrace as she was now, Yuria would calmly enjoy the warmth until going out like a light.
After all, this was the routine she always went through after the Sanctification needed to slow down the curse from Severer. This routine didn’t change even after traveling to the Forge of Struggle and sharing a room together.
However, at this moment…
Yuria’s ‘appearance’ was not normal.
“…Big Sis. Did Big Sis not feel that just now?”
“…”
Instead of her usual sleepy eyes, Yuria spoke with a slightly narrowed glare.
“…What?”
“Something…rewound. Just now.”
“…?”
‘What is she saying?’
‘Rewound? What?’
As those thoughts came into Lucia’s mind…
Someone knocked on the door.
Her expression immediately crumpled into a frown.
“…Who is it? I haven’t made any particular appointments, though?”
Even if it was a foreign country, she was still the Saintess; Someone who was treated as a VIP in the Holy Land. It was not normal for someone to abruptly come find her like this without scheduling an appointment.
However, the person outside the door didn’t seem to care about this fact and started speaking.
“You felt that just now as well right?”
A female voice. She had a gentle and well-mannered tone.
And at those words…
Yuria flinched.
Although those words were not spoken to any specific person, it seemed like she was clearly aware that the sentence was directed towards her.
“…I asked, who are—”
Lucia, who saw her sister’s expression, tried to question as such, but the courteous voice from earlier did a complete 180, as more words were spat out.
“You, shut your mouth. If I recall correctly, I did not give permission for an inferior lifeform to speak, right?”
There was a genuine contempt in that voice.
As if it was sickening for her to even trade words with Lucia.
“…”
Utterly stunned, Lucia’s jaws dropped.
‘Wh-What was wrong with this lunatic?’
“Inferior lifeform?! How dare—!”
“I have come to see you. Yuria Greyhounder.”
She once again spoke in a courteous voice while utterly ignoring Lucia.
“I am Faenol Lipek. I am a court mage affiliated with the Heretic Inquisition.”
“…”
As Yuria expressionlessly looked beyond the door…
“…I have an urgent matter that I wish to tell you.”
Her words continued.
Undoubtedly, her words were…
“Regarding the man known as Dowd Campbell.”
Coated with a thick venom.
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