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174
Inside the massive vortex created by the condensed power of wraiths, Arpel, who had fallen into its center, had somehow taken on human form. His eyes then dispassionately surveyed the surroundings.
“…”
Just as there’s a saying about the eye of a typhoon, the inside of the vortex was eerily calm. Of course, the aura of wraiths had become that much thicker… Arpel clenched his fist experimentally and tilted his head.
He felt nothing. Unlike before, when just getting closer made his heart constrict, his breath catch, and his head feel like it was splitting. The cause of the change was obvious.
<Aren’t you nervous?>
“…Well. I don’t have any particular thoughts. Just… I want to go back quickly.”
<That guy is strange, but you’re quite peculiar too. Consistent, so consistent.>
The Demon God’s voice whined around in his head. It was unclear whether it was grumbling or reproach. Arpel tilted his head.
<It’s going to hurt.>
“I know.”
<I’m telling you, it’s really going to hurt a lot?>
“I know.”
<You might want to die.>
“No.”
That won’t happen.
A few more words were added. He answered most of them lightly, but not the last one. He shook his head firmly, not content with just cutting it off decisively. As if the assumption the Demon God had made was a future that must not exist.
“If I die, Rohan will be left alone. And…”
Arpel slowly closed his eyes. He vividly recalled what he had heard from Rohan just before entering this place.
‘If Arpel dies…’
‘…Rohan?’
‘I’ll follow and die too.’
The voice calmly talking about death. Though it was just for a moment, Arpel felt Rohan’s clear sincerity. At the same time, the worst future was painted in his mind.
Him dying, and a despairing Rohan taking his own life. It was an ending that should never come true, unpleasant even to imagine. Arpel bit his lip hard.
So he must not die. Arpel didn’t want to leave even a sliver of possibility for Rohan’s death.
<…Right. What can I say to you two. Just live your whole lives clinging to each other.>
“Thank you.”
<…>
The Demon God fell silent. Arpel somehow felt like he was getting annoyed. Why? He had even properly thanked him for his well-wishes.
Though he couldn’t understand why, it wasn’t bad. The gloomy mood caused by the terrible imagination had been lifted by the conversation with the Demon God. For Arpel, it was something to be grateful for.
<Soon, I’ll remove the protective barrier I put around you. From then on, all the power will rush at you. Everything that has dyed this land, what’s buried under the ground, the huge vortex trapping you, all of it. You’ll probably feel pain hundreds of times worse than before.>
“That’s fine.”
<Anyway… Don’t try to resist that power. You need to accept as much power as possible. That’s how the ‘descent’ will begin.>
Arpel nodded and held his breath. As the Demon God had said, he thought the protection remaining on him might disappear soon. Unexpectedly, the Demon God didn’t immediately withdraw his power. Arpel’s eyes showed a puzzled light.
“Why…”
<If I…>
It was before he could express his doubt. The Demon God continued the conversation he thought had ended. A small voice, different from before, like a whisper, rang in his mind.
<If I had paid a little more attention to you, this wouldn’t have happened.>
“…”
<I regret it. At that time, I thought the decision I made couldn’t be wrong. To be honest, I still think it wasn’t wrong. If I had chosen you then, I would have been asleep for a very long time. I wouldn’t have been able to bless Rohan or interfere with the descent like this. But…>
“…”
<I have lingering feelings. Wondering if I could have made a slightly better choice.>
Regret, and lingering feelings. Some might say these expressions don’t suit an omnipotent god at all, but Arpel didn’t think so. Why? He moved his lips.
Arpel was a Demon Sword that had inherited part of a god’s power. Even in human form, his essence remained unchanged. Because of this, he was also the closest being to a god. A being that could understand a god better than anyone else.
“It’s alright. I’ve never resented you, not even once.”
Arpel recited calmly. In fact, it was a contradictory statement. He was someone who couldn’t feel emotions for anyone other than Rohan. This was true even if the other party was a god. How could he feel resentment towards someone who couldn’t even evoke emotions in him?
But Arpel was certain. Even if he had been able to feel emotions from the beginning, he wouldn’t have resented the Demon God. He might have even felt sympathy.
Moreover…
“Thank you. For allowing me to meet Rohan.”
A hundred out of a hundred would be grateful, wouldn’t they? If the Demon God had chosen Arpel on that day 30 years ago, he wouldn’t have fallen into the state of being the Salvation Church’s experimental subject. He wouldn’t have been handed over to the imperial palace, caught the Emperor’s eye, or been abandoned in front of Rohan’s house.
Perhaps he might not have met Rohan at all. Even if they had luckily met, could they have built the same relationship as now? No. The reason Arpel could take human form and face him was due to the soul from his past life that had mixed in during the experiments.
In the end, the story came back to the starting point. Because the Demon God made that choice, his current self could exist. It was quite a philosophical thought, but Arpel believed it without doubt.
<…Right. You were that kind of guy.>
It was a little while later when the Demon God continued speaking. Faint laughter was interspersed between his continued words. He even seemed somewhat dejected for some reason.
<I should stop the idle talk. Close your eyes.>
“Yes.”
<Pick up a cloth or something and bite down on it. You might break your teeth from clenching them too hard.>
“…?”
Arpel skillfully dealt with the Demon God’s sudden change of topic. It was something he had experienced once or twice every time he talked with him in the past. But he couldn’t just let the next words slide.
He was a sword. An unbreakable Demon Sword that inherited divine power.
But breaking teeth? He tilted his head. He was doubtful, but it sounded plausible. Arpel drew up some shadows and pulled out a cloth from within, not knowing when he had put it there.
Just as he was about to put it in his mouth, the Demon God shouted.
<Are you really going to do that?!>
“But…”
<Ha! The Demon Sword is my masterpiece. And that includes you! How could such a sword break from just clenching teeth!>
“…Is that so.”
<Stop talking. Just close your eyes, quickly!>
He urges to close eyes again after trying to deceive first. However, Arpel simply closed his eyes obediently without pointing out this fact. There was nothing strange about it. The Demon God had always been like this.
<Take a deep breath. A long one.>
“Yes.”
<Next, exhale slowly.>
“…”
<Now I’m really going to remove it. So… I wish you good luck. I hope you achieve the result you want.>
He nodded imperceptibly. That was enough. Surviving in some form and returning to Rohan’s side. That was the ending Arpel desired.
***
The Demon God’s power that had been protecting his body disappeared without a trace.
“…!”
The world turned dark blue. He could feel it even with his eyes tightly shut. At the same time, his ears were deafened by the screams of wraiths coming from all directions. It was an incredibly bizarre change.
But that was just for a moment. The dark blue world and the deafened ears remained, but Arpel could no longer focus on those changes. It was because the ominous energy pouring into his entire body, someone’s voice urging him to crave life, had taken away his consciousness.
“Ugh…!”
His body was dyed with the power of wraiths. He barely held back the urge to scream, curl up and roll on the ground, writhe in pain. The desperate will not to let Rohan hear or see this stopped Arpel.
Ridiculously, at that moment Arpel understood the Demon God’s words. That he might want to die.
It was literal. Arpel was vulnerable to pain. It was a paradoxical statement. As a Demon Sword, he originally couldn’t feel pain.
It felt like his head was about to split. His whole body felt torn, as if sharp stones were rolling through his blood vessels. It felt like each piece of flesh was being ripped apart. It was a terrible pain.
Don’t. Don’t. Stop it.
Arpel shouted inwardly.
Desires that were his but not his kept urging him on.
Crave life. Tear apart and kill everything around you. Offer their blood to me. And… accept me. An alien voice kept piercing his ears.
Yet Arpel couldn’t firmly reject it. No, it would be more accurate to say he didn’t reject it.
‘Don’t try to resist that power.’
Even as pain overwhelmed him to the point his mind went blank, he clearly remembered the Demon God’s admonition. He had to endure. He had to gather more, more power. Only then could he return to Rohan’s side.
“Ah…”
Arpel, who had been staggering, quietly sighed. The hand covering his face trembled.
Rohan. He slowly repeated that name.
“Rohan.”
Once more.
“Rohan…”
Again.
<Ro, han…>
He grasped his throat. The sound coming from his throat gradually changed. Like the whispers that kept piercing his mind.
He hugged himself with both arms. No. No. He can’t go on like this. He gritted his teeth. He curled up as much as possible and endured.
Don’t be seduced. You mustn’t listen to its words. A clear voice occasionally rang in his mind. He clutched his head with one hand.
<…Rohan. Rohan. Ro, han?>
It hurt. It hurt so much he felt like he would die. He might forget his name at this rate. Goosebumps rose all over his body. He didn’t want to forget.
<Ro…>
Ah. What was it? He didn’t want to think anymore. Arpel panted. Tears of unknown reason fell drop by drop down his cheeks.
<End it…>
He muttered. He didn’t know what he was saying it to, but he spoke it anyway. As if it was the only lifeline left by his side.
At that moment.
<Ah.>
Arpel exclaimed. An undeniable presence hovered above his head. He slowly raised his head to look up at the sky.
Stars were falling.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
