Chapter 261: Estia’s six sense
Translator: Tseirp
Mr. Bazak activated the Limit Break skill, a skill that can exercise power beyond your own limits, and cornered Cloud, his longstanding enemy, to the verge of killing him.
However, the Limit Break skill was a double-edged sword.
While it would allow one to display power beyond one’s limit, the corresponding recoil would a.s.sault the user once the skill was turned off.
In the past, I used it as well when we fought against the Evil G.o.d but I would have definitely suffered for days if I had not lost consciousness.
Looking at Mr. Bazak, his face was showing an agonized expression.
“It would have been dangerous if I didn’t get the Darkness Spirit to make him sleep.”
I cast Healing Magic on Mr. Bazak before storing him in the Hermit’s Coffin.
“Luciel-sama, what should we do with Cloud’s corpse?”
” … I don’t really want to do it but I guess I should store him in my magic bag.”
“Understood. Then, I’ll make sure there aren’t any demons who are still alive.”
“Thanks.”
By the time I kept Mr. Bazak in the Hermit’s Coffin, Lionel had gathered every demon corpse in a single location.
“Let’s do it then.”
I cast Sanctuary Barrier and the Purification Magic 「Purification」 to purify them.
The demon corpses burnt with pale white flames and disappeared without leaving a single speck of dust.
” … None of the demons retained their own ident.i.ty. Even Cloud lost his own ego. But only Melfina retained herself. I wonder if there is some condition?”
“I believe instead of retaining her sense of self, Melfina was possessed. Or perhaps their memories were fused? We might be able to find out if we have more material. However, the experiment to retain their sense of self was probably not completed yet when they were demonized.”
That was most likely the case. After all, when we were confronted by the demonized Melfina, she called the fake Mr. Bazak by the wrong name Rizak.
Well, even if the materials have been lost, we could try asking the two of them for details when they wake up.
I told Lionel that and turned my gaze toward the ruins of Cloud’s laboratory destroyed by Mr. Bazak.
” … No matter how badly he was driven to the wall, was it wise to do something so dangerous?”
I sensed that Lionel could not understand.
Well, I understood his concerns but even though he was driven to a corner, he probably had a strong impression … that he was a chosen existence because he was reincarnated.
“He most likely did not face any failures and he still managed somehow get by even when he was driven to a corner. (Perhaps he got accustomed to how people would get hurt in this world where a life is easily lost …)”
Lionel seemed like he was thinking about something but perhaps he knew that I intended to go to the laboratory as he led the way.
Cloud’s laboratory did not only have the smell of medicine but also the stench of blood and beast mixed within.
I was fine as I had resistance from drinking Object X but Lionel seemed to be suffering so I gave him a nose plug.
I also thought of using purification but I refrained from doing so after taking into account the possibility of destroying the evidence as well if I didn’t do it properly.
The interior of the laboratory was extremely dim but I was able to see thanks to the Divine Protection from the Darkness Dragon and the Darkness spirit.
Due to that, I was able to judge the size of the interior and the condition but on the flip side, I was in a bind having to see corpses and carca.s.ses which I didn’t wish to see.
There were even children corpses so I started by purifying the children corpses first and prayed for their souls.
After that was done, I surveyed the laboratory and found that it was as wide as the Adventurer’s Guild training grounds.
“It’s quite s.p.a.cious.”
“Probably because they used this place for experiments. But because it has been destroyed to this extent, there are a lot of unidentifiable items. I can only detect Estia’s presence so there probably aren’t any survivors …”
“I see. Let’s go toward Estia for now.”
“Yes.”
When we reached Estia’s side, she was crying while hugging a corpse.
“Estia, that body is?”
” … A friend … who I spent time with when I was under the slave merchant … I ended her life.”
I was shocked when I heard that.
Estia knew that I could convert a demon back to a regular person so I couldn’t believe that she would strike her friend down.
“Why? Why didn’t you wait for us?”
” … She was eating. Humans … that’s why.”
I was once again shocked when I heard those words and I didn’t know what to say to Estia.
That was why I decided to do my utmost best.
I placed my hand on the seated Estia’s shoulder.
“Estia, in order to ease her suffering, I will send her off with purification magic. I will be making a round of the interior so please take your time to say your goodbye.”
After saying that, I was about to turn back with Lionel when Estia grabbed my hand.
“Please purify her so that she can have peace.”
Estia forced a smile even though she was crying.
” … Understood.”
While Estia prayed for her friend to find peace, I placed extra concentration on my chant and the body slowly burnt away with pale while flames.
That was when Estia suddenly exclaimed.
“Eh!? You’re alive? What’s the meaning of this?”
Estia said as she stared at the purifying flames and continued talking until the flames disappeared.
I couldn’t tell if she could see a spirit that was invisible to me or that the spirit spoke to Estia but it seemed like she was having an actual conversation.
Lionel and I stared at each other and we waited for Estia to calm down.
Suddenly, Estia stood up and looked toward the back of the laboratory.
“Ah, Luciel-sama, thank you very much. Mii-chan also thanked you. And according to Mii-chan, Alice Onee-chan is still alive and has locked herself at the back …”
I was once again shocked by the words that came from Estia.
It was not because of her six-sense ability to converse with spirits but her words about Alice.
The female reincarnated individual Alice should have already been dead.
” … Do you wish to save her?”
I don’t know why I said those words but they inadvertently spilled from my mouth.
“Yes.”
Estia just gazed straight at me and nodded.
I had a very bad feeling but Lionel nodded and we headed toward the very back of the laboratory where we felt no magical power or presence.
Author’s note:
Thank you for reading.
