Ep 142. This ot Be Mere ce. (1)

  ‘What was that just now?’

  There’s o know.

  ‘…What was I doing just now?’

  There’s o know.

  ‘…No. It’s not that there’s o know. I don’t want to know.’

  What difference does it make? There is no reason for a moo know such things.

  ‘…’

  This is only natural. You lived as your instincts pleased, and now your time has e. All manaspawns are destio perish to greater beings. The only purpose your life may serve is that of which I’ve assigo you.

  ‘Per…haps.’

  …

  …

  …

  - ‘Is that…’

  …

  …

  …

  - ‘…Is that what you really think?’

  ? ? ?

  Fragments of starlight scattered about as Serenis’ spell faded away. Thousands of prismatia scraps melted into the snowy floors of Chell.

  Soon, a bck figure would likewise fall unto its floors with a resounding thud.

  In the ensuing silenot a single soul dared to move.

  If anything, most weren’t even sure whose side they should be standing oweeanding dragonlord, or the fallen bck figure.

  Instead, the first to move was the fallen figure himself.

  “…Ugh.”

  Karas rapidly shook his head, as well as dust off the snow and dirt that coated his suit. A soft groan escaped his beak before he would rise to his feet, sing the area around in foreboding silence.

  That is, until Light couldn’t bear to remain silent any longer.

  “…Professor? Are you okay?”

  “…”

  The half reflexively took a step forward. Years of built-up trust had prevailed over her doubts as Light began to approach Karas.

  However, Serenis’ arm would soon block the half’s passage. Even when Light would look up to the dragonlord with a mix of curiosity and worry, Serenis’ eyes remained fixed on the feathered figure ahead of them.

  When her eyes locked with Karas’ unfiving gaze, Serenis made a small push backwards, urging the cat half to back off a step further.

  “Serenis? What’s wrong? The professor’s-“

  “That isn’t Karas.”

  “…What?”

  The dragonlord’s annou was quickly followed with every pair of eyes turning towards the feathered figure. But as if used to the attention, Karas’ posture noticeably rexed as he waved away at the staring crowd.

  “Haha. How are you even telling the difference? You truly are an enigma, dragonlord.”

  “…”

  “Well…so much for deception.”

  Serenis wore a heavy frown as she listeo Karas. Unlike before, she could now hear a faint yer of demeaning, uling ughter mixed into the professor’s tone.

  Karas’ eyes would curve in amusement, seemingly overjoyed by the disfort welling up within her.

  “How ironic that you would be the oo facilitate my return. Does this mean I’ve been fiven for killing your son and his brood?”

  “…”

  Instead of answering the possessed academic, Serenis turned her gaze to meet Light’s.

  For over a minute, no words were spoken. Not even Raizel dared to make a single noise, allowing the situation at hand to fully sink in for the half.

  And when Light’s incredulous gaze drifted over to her professor, she was answered with a sarcastic wave and an eerie smile.

  “Light, was it? A toug name for a mere stray.”

  Whether Light’s ears eveered the casual insult remained a mystery.

  After all, she merely stood still, as if frozen in pce.

  “…Hmph.”

  Unamused by the tinued silence, Karas’ attention then shifted over towards Aymeia, The former deity stood amidst a handful of Chell’s warriors, studying the feathered figure with visible unease.

  As he had tless times in the past, the feathered figure beed her over to his side.

  “Aymeia. I trust ynize who I am now.”

  Several times Aymeia opened her mouth to speak. Several times she’d close it back with nary a word spoken.

  The monster beamed an amused grin at the sight, although his head was shaking in disappoi.

  “Hm…disappointing, though I do suppose iurmoil is still a signifit improvement over ht hostility. It seems you really have regained yourself, at least in part.”

  “…Felicir?”

  “That’s right.”

  Even after speaking her old mentor’s he turmoil in Aymeia’s eyes refused to disappear.

  She instead looked to the dragonlord – as if Serenis would know what to do in her pce.

  But the feathered figure merely s the sight, stretg out his hand to oncea gain be Aymeia to his side.

  “Aymeia. That woman is her your mother nor friend – I’m sure she’s said so herself. She is but an enemy of our kind.”

  “…”

  “Nor am I your enemy. I am but a mentor who yearned for your return.”

  There was no way to tell if the possessed academic’s benigle words were out of actual siy. But whether it was siy or deceit, his words were clearly taking a notable toll on Aymeia’s sce.

  The dragonlord’s phrase certainly didn’t help clear her mind.

  “Do as you wish. I ot dictate who you should be.”

  “But…you’re…”

  “I am not your mother. Your memories of being my child are but those stolen from my dead son.”

  “…”

  ‘The son that likely perished in your mentor’s hands, no less.’

  Serenis had no iion of winning Aymeia over in any regard. If anything, having Aymeia side with Felicir would make the situation at hand much simpler to deal with.

  And while the two versed, Karas – or Felicir, rather – began to examine his own, newfound physique. He’d been in temporary trol of Karas’ body before, but there had never been a time where the Reaper was pletely free of the monster’s influence.

  Soon, he’d beam to himself. His eyes regaiheir eerie glint.

  Unlike before, an air ance radiated from the possessed academic as he interrupted the dragonlord’s versation.

  “Should you really be so rexed, dragonlord? If I were you, I’d be more worried about my return.”

  “…”

  Serenis squinted her eyes at the Reaper’s mog tone.

  “Should I? Of you, who’s lost body and divinity both?”

  “It’s true I no longer possess my divinity, yes. But I do possess a body – as you clearly see. One far more capable than the previous.”

  “...You truly believe you’re capable of surpassing me in that body?”

  “Ha! I wouldn’t go that far now, especially with two of your stro kin standing at your side. However…”

  As Felicir held his cwed hand away, a dense air of blue wafted outwards from within his palm.

  “…Given the enviro, I do believe this body is capable of a number of iing things.”

  A demeaning chuckle followed as the feathered figure scattered thick, intangible waves of blue about the surrounding area.

  Many stood in pce, uo uand what he was doing – including Serenis herself.

  ‘Mana?’

  Felicir was scattering pure mana into the open – that much, she could pinly see.

  The reason, Felicir would soon expin himself as he turowards Light.

  “You were the sver’s student, yes? Let this be a lesson to you.”

  Thud!

  When the earth lightly rumbled from the ringing thud, Chell’s inhabitants immediately looked around, suddenly alert of their surroundings. Even Ilias and Raizel sed the area to spot the source of the sudden tremor.

  But as if expeg the impact, Felicir didn’t even so much as flinch. He instead gave a mog shrug.

  “Monsters are her living, nor dead – they simply ‘are,’ borne of mana found in nature.”

  While the Reaper’s expnation tinued, several additional tremors followed the first.

  Soon, a looming shadow stood before Chell’s wooden walls, apanied by several more of equally t sizes.

  “Hence, monsters are not drawn tur prey; as they are borne of mana, their sustenance depends on mana. The very reasoend to be hostile towards humans is because human bodies offer mana of highest trations pared to other animals…but evehere’s nothing quite like pure, ued mana that draws them in.”

  Serenis’ eyes hastily darted between Felicir, and the army of shadows that were rapidly approag.

  The ohat had been responsible for the tremors weren’t the only monsters surrounding Chell – hundreds of mana clusters were beginning to surround the viity, each cluster undoubtedly belonging to yet another monster. In mere mihe settlement ractically uheir siege.

  Finally, Serenis returned her attention to the possessed academic, gring at him with doubtful eyes.

  “…That’s impossible. A living being ot wield ued mana. They’re bound to their individual affinities.”

  “Normally, yes. But haven’t I just told you, dragonlord?”

  Following suit, a rge roar echoed throughout Chell’s viities. Giant, ape-like creatures tore down Chell’s wooden walls with ease, each t above the inhabitants at several times their heights; their crimson eyes were hungrily staring down upohered octs.

  And from another side, enraged animals of all sorts began bashing and g against the wooden barricade. Those that were lucky enough to find the broken rear entrance were entering with ance whatsoever.

  As fellow monsters swarmed into the rural settlement, Felicir’s grin only widened further.

  “A monster is her living, nor dead. They simply are.”

  Praybird