TL: Zimmings
I looked at the etwal.
âAmethyst?â
Iâve never put anything like this in etwal. Of course Iâve never even seen it.
âThis jewel, I had it?â
I asked Baal, and he answered in a low voice.
[Well.]
Boone, Pur, and Chul-soo were also curious as if they didnât know.
Even Pymon and Storas, who had a lot of resources and information, were unaware of it.
Pymon asked.
âIsnât this Agarethâs death?â
âDeath disappeared not long after Neliard came.â
âItâs the first time I saw it.â
âThe strategist, ahâ¦?â
Why did I release the strategist?
I remember releasing it with my own hands, but I couldnât think of a reason.
My head was pounding. Storas said as I groaned while holding my forehead.
âDonât try to think of it. It might be a new devil.â
âA new devil?â
âSince Agareth died, there must have been a person who became a devil. You might take its power.â
âA power that causes us to lose our memory?â
Pymon shook his head.
âIf you really took the new devil, his power wonât make you lose your memory. It is highly likely that the new devilâs power has been lost from our memory because of a violation of rules.â
âRulesâ¦â
As I murmured, Baal said,
âWe need to follow a set of rules.â
Baal and Pymon explained the pillars in detail.
During the ancient war, pioneers who chose Neliard were also given some of his power, so it was impossible for Serga to completely seal them with the power of God alone.
So the rules were made, as not to wield the powers recklessly.
Pymon said.
âIn ancient times, when war broke out, Neliard had already absorbed a lot of peopleâs faith and exceeded Sergaâs power. At the last minute, Neliard intervened.â
ââ¦â¦.â
âThatâs why the information that the devils under Neliard can give you was limited.â
If you think about it, itâs true.
The God Serga barely had any power until recently.
But what was the reason for them maintaining the rules?
âIt must be because they need to follow the rules in order to maintain the power of Neliard.â
Neliardâs way of maintaining order was probably to lock up a high-level devil like Baal.
For Neliard, who believes in order, he might want to lock up the devils as they were never supposed to be there.
As I was organizing my thoughts, I narrowed my forehead.
âBut something is strange.â
âWhat?â
Baal asked, and I looked at him.
âIâm also a pioneer and have power. But why am I not trapped by the rules?â
âYou can only have your power after you agree to the rules.â
âBut the new devil is bound by the rules.â
Pymon, Baal, and Storas exchanged glances.
âMaybe itâs because the new devil killed Agareth.â
Storas said that.
âWhat?â
âThere are also humans who have been cursed after killing monsters. If a person who is not a devil kills a devil, it is natural to be cursed. If that curse is to be trapped by the rules instead, everything can be explained.â
Pymon nodded and added.
ââ¦Well, there are no devils that have been killed by humans yet, so Iâm not sure.â
I was troubled and touched the amethyst in etwal.
âWho are you?â
Who carries all those risks for me?
Who are you, so kind that my heart feels stuffy?
As the gaze deepened, Storas opened his mouth.
âIf youâre curious about it, how about summoning it?â
âIâve been trying since the first time I saw it, but it doesnât work. It doesnât come out as if itâs locked in something.â
The devils and I looked at etwal with different expressions.
Pymon, who had not spoken for a while, shrugged.
âIsnât that a good thing?â
âHuh?â
âIf Neliard disappears, the rules will also disappear. Weâll see each other again by then. If the rules lose its power, our memories will return.â
âIs that so?â
âWhy do you think you are now aware of amethyst? Neliardâs power has weakened to the point where he cannot maintain the rules, he can only give his energy to lock the new devil.â
I nodded.
âIt might be true.â
I decided to put my worries aside. The urgent thing now was to completely eliminate Neliard from the world.
***
The next day, two places that owned a temple contacted me.
When I heard the news, I rushed to the courtyard.
Johann, who met the emperor and the central tower nobles, said,
âHow are you?â
âThey promised us that they would destroy the temple tomorrow morning.â
As I stumbled, Henry and Isaac hurried to support me.
âKid!â
âLeblaine.â
I sat down while the two of them held me.
âItâs okay. Iâm relieved.â
Isaac smiled and knelt down in front of me.
âSince we conveyed our will to two countries, will reaction come soon?â
âYes! Now the problem is Gahong and Waynes, the Athar Tribe, and Mojas⦠How about them?â
Johann and Henryâs expressions clouded.
âAs expected, theyâre also against it.â
The enemy Mojas would be happy if the empire was to fall.
As Waynes is a country of werebeasts who were persecuted by humans, they wouldnât want to get involved in human affairs.
I heard that the Gahong and Athar Tribe maintained their barriers with the power of the temple. There is no way that such a place can be easily destroyed.
âEven if the dukes go directly, itâs no use, thereâs nothing they can do to convince them.â
I looked out the window.
The darkness that began from the popeâs office was swallowing the capital little by little.
The places swallowed by darkness become nothing as if it had never existed.
I really didnât have time now.
The darkness will come close to Dubblede mansion and we too had to evacuate tomorrow.
âThe speed of being engulfed in darkness is getting faster.â
At this rate, it will not take long for darkness to reach the territory.
Johann raised me up.
âDonât worry too much as weâre working hard.â
ââ¦â¦Yes.â
âRelax. Your complexion is getting worse.â
Johann hugged me and moved me to the room.
After warming up the blanket, he stroked my head.
âItâs okay, Leblaine. Itâll be okay.â
He didnât stop whispering again and again until I closed my eyes. Over and over againâ¦â¦.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
As I listened to the gentle voice, I fell asleep little by little.
***
[⦠⦠ne.]
âWho?â
[Leblaine.]
A sweet voice was constantly heard in my mind.
Surrounded by darkness, I couldnât see who it was
I shone alone in the darkness.
I had become very small. I could see my chubby and short arms.
It seemed that the body wasnât the only thing that got younger. My head is hazy and I canât think well.
[Itâs here. Leblaine, itâs here.]
â⦠⦠Johann? Are you Johann?â
[Leblaine.]
That gentle and strong voice was definitely familiar.
Itâs not Johann. This must be my other brother.
In the midst of the haze, I followed the voice in a hurry.
[Itâs here. Leblaine, itâs here.]
âWait. Donât go away.â
My legs were short, and my brotherâs voice was moving away too quickly.
I was so anxious in the dark that my heart beat violently.
I fell several times and kept running..
A door opened in the distance. A mixture of warmth and light spread out from inside the door.
I was about to jump into the door with a happy face. But then,
âChild.â
Someone stopped me.
As I raised my head, a beautiful man with blonde hair, who seemed to have gold melted in it, was looking at me.
âNot here.â
âItâs here. My brother is calling me from here.â
âYour brothers are behind me.â
The man pointed behind my back. To a place full of darkness.
I shook my head quickly.
âWe canât go there. Iâm so small and fragile, but the darkness is so strong. That darkness will swallow me up.â
âYou can go. Because you are a child who can get through any tough mountain.â
âBut, butâ¦â
Not knowing what to do, he grabbed my shoulder and pointed again. A desperate voice came from behind him.
Leblaine!
Calm down, kid!
Please⦠⦠!!
âOh, theyâre worried about me.â
The man smiled sweetly.
âNow.â
He said, and I grabbed my skirt and turned my back..
âRun right away.â
I started running back into the dark. The voice constantly called me.
[Come back. Come back. Come back. Come back. Come back. Come back. Come back. Come back. Come back.]
At that time, a manâs voice rang in my ear.
âYou must not be deceived by the voice.â
[Come back. Come back. Come back. Come back. Come back. Come back. Come backâ¦!!]
Even when my lungs were squeezed tightly by the shout, the man spoke.
âYouâre doing great. Itâs okay, Leblaine.â
He whispered sweetly and tenderly.
Itâs fine.
Itâll be okay.
You will do well without me.
When I took the last step, he said.
âForget⦠itâs okay⦠yesâ¦â
***
Ah⦠⦠!
I opened my eyes.
In front of me, I could see my brothers who panicked.
Isaac, which had been frozen, hugged me. I gasped as if I was out of breath. Johann and Henryâs expressions behind his back were about to collapse.
âIâ¦â¦.â
Isaac cried and mumbled.
âI thought you were going to disappear. You kept becoming invisible, so⦠I thought you were going to turn around because you were afraid.â
I closed my eyes and gently stroked Isaacâs back.
âIt was Neliard. He called me.â
I couldnât imagine what would have happened had it not been for that man.
âIâm fine. I wonât go away.â
When I said that, Isaac hit my head.
When I covered my head shouting âArgh!â Henry grabbed Isaac by the collar and pushed him.
âDo you want to die?â
âKill him.â
Johann, who hugged me, stared coldly at Isaac.
While being beaten by Henry, Isaac screamed,
âIâm worried about her!â
Only then did laughter burst out around me. I recalled the last shout of a blonde man I heard.
[Donât forget that I am on your side.]
I said to Johann.
âWeâre going.â
âWhat?â
âGahong and Waynes, the Athar Tribe and Mojas.â
My brothers looked at me as if they were asking what I was talking about, so I got out of bed.
There will be someone on my side there too.