Ochita Kuroi Yuusha no Densetsu Vol 5 Chapter 1

Chapter 1 - On Eris-

His younger sister was born.

His younger sister named Ferris.

In the beginning, he didn’t know the significance of this.

He understood what the word 'sister' meant.

But what significance it would have towards him—he couldn't know just yet.

“……”

In a dark room, a cradle swayed.

In the cradle, there was an infant.

Incredibly pretty, the child gave off a sweet radiance.

Clear blue eyes just like his.

Beautiful soft, golden hair, even though it hadn’t grown yet.

Smooth white skin, and an innocent, smiling face.

The baby looked this way with that smiling face. What she saw with her eyes, he didn't know.

But she looked this way with clear eyes.

She looked straight ahead.

At that, he—

“……”

Relx Eris narrowed his eyes.

A boy with the same golden hair as the infant and possessing blue eyes. This year, he would turn four—an age difference of four years from his beautiful younger sister.

To that,

“… Four,”

Relx murmured.

Thereupon, his younger sister—Ferris, as if she were responding to his words, made a sound.

To that, he smiled faintly.

“Ah—but you don’t understand.”

“Aaa.”

“……”

“Aaa, uu, aa?”

“What is it? What is it that you want?”

“Aa~ Aaaa~”

Said Ferris. He didn’t know what was enjoyable, listening to that voice—just for a little while, this pleasant feeling. He moved his hand to touch his sister's face. He moved to gently touch that soft, pure white face—

“……”

However, he stopped.

His hand was dirtied with blood. Because he could see bright red, dyed in the darkness. That was why his hand stopped.

“... d.a.m.n it. The blood of the person I killed a while ago—it’s still on me,”

He murmured.

To that, Ferris again—

“Kyakyakya,”

She said happily.

To that, Relx smiled faintly.

“What’s so amusing?”

“Daa?”

“Hmm?”

“Aa~ Uu~ A~”

His sister was frantically saying something. Her smile gone, she frowned, moving both hands, apparently trying to demonstrate something.

At that, Relx was in awe.

From the time he was born until today, he hadn’t seen such emotions come to surface in another living being.

He hadn’t seen this kind of innocence and happiness in another living being.

“……”

At that, he lifted his face.

In the room his sister was in, there was no light, and so it was dark.

But here.

The sword family, as they were called, in the frightening Eris household—day and night, it was always dark.

Power was the name of the monster that had taken hold of this house, the sole darkness that continued to drive them insane.

If one wasn’t strong, they weren’t allowed to live.

If one didn't possess enough power so as to not shame the Eris house's name, they weren’t allowed to live.

That was why, ever since he was old enough to be aware, he had few memories of conversing with his parents.

But he was struck by a wooden sword, cut up by that sword every day.

Only when he was strong was he praised.

Only when he surpa.s.sed his parents' expectations and advanced forward was he praised.

And he had very few memories of conversing with his parents.

No, from the start, humans smiling from the bottom of their hearts—he’d never seen such a sight.

“……”

That was why, this smiling face—

Ferris’s smiling face was a very strange thing to see.

Innocently, his younger sister smiled happily.

His sister who, in spite of this house's darkness, didn’t see that darkness and smiled.

He didn’t know what was so funny as he looked at his sister, who was going “a-a-to” and swinging her hands around.

“……”

For some reason, just a little, he smiled dimly.

Upon that, he heard a voice from behind him.

“… Again, you’re here. You love Ferris?”

Relx turned around towards that voice.

He looked up at the man who entered the room and stood tall. Relx looked up at him.

Unsurprisingly, it was someone with the same golden hair and blue eyes. An incredibly well-featured face.

His father.

The present head of the Eris family.

His father—

“In the future, that girl will likely become your wife. It can’t be helped that she’s on your mind…”

He said that kind of thing.

His sister was to become his wife.

And that, despite the fact that Relx was only four years old, he understood such a strange thing.

In the Eris house’s archive, he read about the dangerous deed about producing a child with one of the same blood as you.

However, it kept the Eris family continuing forever.

The sword family, as they were called, were renowned for their swordsmans.h.i.+p skills, and so as not to dilute their blood, they married their relatives—and continued produce children with the same face, the same ability.

His parents were also brother and sister.

Apparently his parents' parents had been parent and child.

And Relx too—his little sister Ferris would likely become his wife, as his parents said when she was born three months ago.

His father approached Ferris and touched her cheek.

As he did, again his sister went kyakyakya and smiled happily.

However, his father looked down at his sister’s face with cold blue eyes.

“… But she needs to restrict her emotions. She might not survive.”

He said that kind of thing.

“You were superior out of those who were born, and the other seven children we killed. We’ll see if Ferris is worthy.”

“Kill?”

“There is no reason to allow the weak to live.”

“………”

“That’s why you should restrict your emotions. No, we have no need for them. Do you understand?”

His father said.

To that, Relx looked at Ferris, who was showing emotions throughout her body, going kyakya and smiling, and expressionlessly—

“… I understand,”

He said, nodding.

At that, his father looked at Ferris, a smile floating to his face. However, it didn’t look like he had any feelings in his expression. He looked at Ferris with no emotions. He was smiling, but it was completely fake. Its inside was hollow with nothing there, Relx knew.

And looking his way with that empty smile, his father spoke.

“… Really, you’re superior. Like me, who was called a genius.”

“No, Father is far beyond my reach.”

“You’re humble. I too, and your sister as well—your wife will also be called one. From henceforth, they will call that of the children of myself and Efiria. Become even stronger.”

At that, Relx nodded slightly.

“I’ll do my best to live up to those expectations.”

“Do so.”

“Yes.”

At that, his father turned his back. He began to leave the room.

Relx watched that back. And then, he wondered. That person, that man—to kill him, how would one do it?

However, to that, his father suddenly spoke.

“That is impossible.”

“……”

“You don’t yet have the power to kill me.”

“……”

“However, to gauge your strength against your superior is important. Surpa.s.s me, and then produce a strong child,”

His father said, before leaving the room.

“……”

To that, Relx said nothing, and instead looked at Ferris once more. He looked down at his sister who might become his wife in the future.

Like usual, his sister was smiling. s.h.i.+ning with innocence, she was smiling.

At that, Relx again smiled faintly. And then, he looked at his hands stained with blood—

“… I should wash these hands. So I can hold you. It’s already late at night. You can fall asleep as I hold you and sing a lullaby,”

He said, before turning around on his heel.

He left the room to go wash his hands.

He washed the blood off his hands with water and took off his blood-stained gi, before replacing it with fresh clothing. And the blood—he confirmed that all of it had been washed off as he looked at himself in the mirror.

At his figure reflected in the mirror.

Golden hair, blue eyes.

A faintly smiling face.

Because he'd seen Ferris's bright smile, he smiled faintly.

However—

“……”

His dim smile was the same empty one of his father’s.

Nothing.

There was no emotion.

It was fake—that faint smile.

And inside, there was darkness and madness.

At that,

“……”

Certainly, he knew that he was like his father, he thought.

An Eris family child.

Same golden hair, same blue eyes, same beauty—however, they were heartless dolls.

His parents said he was superior. They said he was a genius. That they had expectations. With an emotionless face, we have hopes for you.

To that, Relx’s expression bended into a sarcastic smile. But even that feeling was fake. It was different from the inside of Ferris.

Inside of Ferris, there was a light that he understand but knew immediately that he didn't have.

“……”

But he had yet to understand the significance that had towards him.

It hadn't been long since his sister was born.

It confused him.

A voice rang far away.

A voice rang far away.

The voice of a baby’s cry.

The voice of his sister’s cry.

A human’s voice with feelings that shouldn't exist in this house.

To that, Relx looked back.

“… I’m going now, Ferris,”

He murmured.

♦

♦

♦

Three years pa.s.sed.

The ambiguous voice of his smiling younger sister turned into meaningful words.

“Brother!”

The young girl said.

Truly, a beautiful young girl. Long golden hair, clear white skin.

He knew that every time he looked at her, she had something that was different from him.

“Brother! Brother!”

She would always call out whenever she noticed him.

With a s.h.i.+ning laugh, she called him Brother.

To that, Relx turned around, and as he thought, she was smiling. To some kind of joy, she was smiling happily.

But that face was covered in injuries.

Each day, by their father and mother, she was struck and kicked, and so there were bruises all over her body.

So for sure, upon noticing Relx, her face was smiling happily as she followed him. Because only he didn’t hit her, she loved him.

Love—Relx didn’t understand the meaning of such a word; however, he couldn’t say he disliked Ferris.

“Brother!”

Ferris said.

“What is it, Ferris?”

Relx replied.

Upon that, Ferris spoke.

“Um, about that.”

“Yes.”

“Uh, but it’s nothing.”

“Yes.”

“Because Brother is here.”

“Yes.”

“Brother, I said.”

“I see.”

He smiled.

With an empty expression, he smiled. And he stroked Ferris’s head. At that, Ferris laughed with an “ehehe”. She laughed happily. With wounds all over her face, she laughed.

But regarding her smile standing before him, Relx knew.

Day after day, she went through harsh training and would always cry at the beginning, but as of late, she no longer cried. But she endured the training with a sad expression. He knew that gradually, she would start to lose her smiling face.

But her loss of emotions would be different from his own.

No, from the beginning, he didn’t have any emotions.

Perhaps it was the same for their parents.

Because of the blood of the Eris house, they had great strength.

From the start, Relx didn’t have Ferris’s sort of burbling because of his parents' attacks.

Of course, his parents had gone easy. They based his training off of his age.

But for Ferris, regarding her age and training, there was no such thing.

Her movements were slow, her memory was bad, and every day, she was. .h.i.t by her parents—because she was born a failure, they abused her.

To that, Ferris cried each day. Why is it like this, she cried.

But now, she said nothing.

She didn’t cry anymore.

However, she was. .h.i.t.

She was abused.

And she would only show that smiling face before Relx.

No, if she were to smile before their parents,

“Why does that waste smile frivolously?”

Their parents said and hit her again, and so she stopped smiling in front of them.

And little by little in front of Relx—little by little, her smiling face was disappearing.

“………”

Nevertheless, Ferris’s smiling face was radiant. They had nothing like it.

And Relx was starting to think that perhaps this was something important.

So in order to act kindly, he stroked her head.

To that, Ferris smiled. She smiled happily. A little more than before, the shape of her mouth formed a smile as she went “ehehe~” and laughed.

“………”

And suddenly, with that sound, tears spilled.

To that, Relx asked,

“Why are you crying?”

Ferris shook her head.

“Don’t know.”

“Is training tough?”

“Don’t know.”

“I see.”

“Mm-hmm.”

“… I see,”

He said and nodded.

And he narrowed his eyes.

Looking at the smile on his younger sister’s face as tears spilled, he narrowed his eyes.

Something was changing.

That, he knew.

Something was changing.

That, he knew.

But the thing that was changing wasn’t Ferris.

It was himself.

Inside of him, something was changing.

Ferris was the cause.

Little by little, to Ferris—little by little, he looked at the darkness covering her, and he—

“… Today, do you want to sleep in my room?”

At Relx’s question, she nodded greatly.

She smiled happily.

“Yes!”

She cried.

To that, Relx again kindly stroked her head, and carried her small body.

♦

♦

♦

♦

♦

Five years later.

Relx was twelve years old.

His younger sister was eight years old.

“Brother, are you here?”

She said, entering the room without waiting for a response.

To that, Relx closed the book he was reading and lifted his head.

And over there, a beautiful girl, on the path to adulthood, stood.

With a white gi wrapped around her body, a girl.

But on her face, there was no expression.

Like a doll, her face reflected nothing.

When did she become something like that? He wondered as he tried to remember, but it'd already been too long for him to recall.

But he stared at the core of that face.

He stared at the core of her face.

In there, as he thought, there lurked a light.

“………”

To that, he smiled dimly.

Upon that, Ferris,

“What’s so funny?”

She asked, to which he shrugged his shoulders.

“No, it’s nothing. That aside, what is it? Do you need me for something?”

He said, to which she nodded.

And in a quiet, emotionless voice,

“Our younger sister has been born,”

She said.

To that, Relx’s eyes widened slightly in surprise. But it was an act. A constructed expression. An expression that he made to look more human.

With this false expression, he spoke.

“Iris?”

“Is that her name?”

“That’s what Father said.”

“Father did…”

Ferris muttered in her expressionless state. She disliked their father. She disliked their mother.

It was only natural.

From the time she was born, as she became old enough to understand what was going on, each day she was abused and hit by them. She never came to love them.

But even as she spoke of their father, no expression came to her face.

Staring at that—

“………”

Relx stared at his sister’s broken face; however, as expected, his expression revealed nothing.

Standing up, he spoke.

“Then, let’s go look at our little sister’s face.”

“Mmm,”

She said, nodding.

To that, Relx instinctively smiled. At her innocence towards Iris’s birth and coming specifically to tell him about it, he smiled.

To what extent would their father and mother destroy her, to what extent would the world destroy his little sister, for they would undecidedly destroy her light—despite all that, he found himself smiling.

“………”

Nevertheless, it wouldn't continue for long.

Because the reason she'd been born would soon be no more.

As she was a failure, she wasn’t needed. That was why as soon as a replacement appeared, they would kill her—he understood that from his parents' conversations.

A subst.i.tute—in other words, to be like Relx with his superior genes, a new baby girl.

That is, Iris.

If, today, she’d been born as a male, then it was possible Ferris would’ve been kept alive.

For the sake of giving birth to a child, it was possible she would’ve been kept alive.

But a sister had been born.

Her sole reason for being alive had been erased.

In that case, Ferris was going to be killed.

In spite of that strong, radiant light she held, she was going to be killed.

“………”

That was necessary, he thought.

Why he thought that, he didn’t know.

But inside of him, to save her, to save, to save—he understood that he was calling out for that.

From the depths of his heart, from the darkness—he understood what he was calling out for.

They entered the room where their mother’s child had been born.

As expected, the room was dark.

There was the sound of the red child crying. But he didn’t look in that child’s direction.

His father said,

“She was born. A girl.”

His mother said,

“Your future wife, Relx.”

Already, their parents’ eyes didn’t reflect Ferris. In their eyes, she wasn’t needed. A failure, a waste—they recognized this existence as unneeded.

That was why they looked at him.

And against the chest, his newly-born younger sister was held.

In that case, this is your future wife.

In the future, she’ll give birth to your child.

This crying red child.

Crying and calling out.

As if in fright from the demons and monsters that lurked in this house, she cried.

To that, Relx murmured,

“Ferris.”

“Nnn?”

“Certainly, our younger sister was born.”

“Yes.”

“As her older sister, protect your little sister,”

He said.

At that, Ferris looked his way. With an expressionless face, lacking in feelings, she looked up at him.

“… Will Brother do the same for me?”

She said.

Lucile didn’t look at her.

“Me, protect?”

He asked.

To that, she nodded.

“Yes.”

“I see.”

“Yes.”

“Then, you do the same. Protect Iris.”

“I understand,”

She said. And she walked straight ahead. In the direction of her younger sister. In the direction of her crying younger sister.

And gently, she moved to touch her younger sister.

However,

“A failure like you shouldn’t touch her with your dirty hand,”

His father said, striking Ferris’s face.

Even Relx couldn’t even follow the hand, as it was too quick.

Ferris’s body was easily sent flying. Cras.h.i.+ng against the wall, she collapsed. She also lost consciousness.

At that, Relx stared.

Firmly, he stared.

He—

“………”

How to protect his sisters, how much would he have to work to obtain that power, he considered as he remained silent, watching his father’s movements.

Thereupon, his father spoke.

“Come closer. Look at your future’s wife’s face.”

But to that, Relx shook his head.

“I’m not interested. Is it all right if I go back to my training?”

At that, his father smiled.

“Yes… that’s fine. Good. Go back.”

“Then, I’ll be going,”

He said, turning on his heel.

And he left the room.

Leaving his two sisters under a monster, he went outside.

But already, there was no time.

It was almost time for his sister to be killed.

Perhaps in about three years. If they judged Iris’s power to exceed that of Ferris’s, Ferris would be killed. If Iris didn’t possess more talent than Ferris, Iris would be killed.

No, they would both be judged as failures, and so it was possible they would both be killed. After all, they still had their mother to give birth to children. His mother was strong. She was strong enough so that Relx still couldn't oppose her.

So, it was fine for her to give birth.

It was fine for his mother to produce children with him and his father.

That was why, without power, Ferris was unneeded to begin with. Iris as well, if she lacked power, would be killed.

For the sake of preventing that—

“… I only need to obtain enough power to kill Mother,”

He murmured.

If their mother died, Ferris and Iris’s worth would appear. Their worth would appear as giving birth to children with the Eris blood.

Then first, it was necessary to obtain enough power to kill their mother.

Against their father, who was called a genius, it was impossible, but if it was their mother—

If it was their mother, then he would have a close shot, he thought.

Little by little, he would be capable of following his mother’s movements.

Little by little, he would be capable of following her shallow depths.

Kill his mother.

Obtain enough power.

That was his objective.

However, that objective immediately disappeared.

After giving birth to Iris, already their mother’s body was unable to bear children again. No, it wasn’t because of Iris. Already having given birth to ten children, it put a heavy burden on the body.

On top of that, Iris did not possess talent. She did not possess more talent than Ferris. Immediately abandoned, it wasn’t even necessary for her to enter the training area.

But she was reserved as a tool to give birth to children.

As their mother could no longer give birth to children, Ferris and Iris were kept alive to ensure that the blood of the Eris house would be succeeded.

Their parents were depressed. With such failures coming from them, they were depressed. If only I could become pregnant with Brother’s child once more, their mother said. I can't believe I gave birth to those two failures who had no talent, their mother said sadly.

Nevertheless, as it was confirmed that Iris had no talent, the expectations were placed on Ferris again.

Ferris, who had no talent, was forced into reckless training, day after day. At this rate, she would go mad and die. Again and again, her bones were broken, she was drenched in her own blood, and yet her task didn’t end.

And each day, she was losing the emotions within her. The light inside of her was fading.

Relx looked to the side.

Though nothing was there, he looked to the side.

Obtaining enough power to kill his mother no longer had any meaning.

He had to surpa.s.s his father.

He had to surpa.s.s his father, who moved in a way that humans shouldn't be able to.

That was impossible.

After all, his father truly wasn’t human.

He’d known that since he was a child. He couldn’t see his movements. He couldn’t feel his killing intent. No, he couldn’t feel his life either.

Even in the Eris house where monsters dwelled, his mother had the presence of a human.

Though Relx too was praised by his parents for his superiority, he couldn’t surpa.s.s the bounds of a human.

But his father was abnormal.

His father’s movements were abnormal.

He couldn’t follow those movements with his eyes. He couldn’t sense his presence. As if drifting between lies and truth, his father could disappear and reappear.

Countless times.

Even though countless times, he’d tried to attack his father, it was like stabbing into a cloud—the difference between them was clear.

He was reaching his destination.

There wasn’t any time.

There was no longer any time.

Once Ferris had her first menstruation, their father would likely force her on the path of giving birth to children.

At that moment, what face would Ferris make? Relx imagined that it would be one of darkness.

He imagined that the light within her would disappear as she felt that darkness.

That strong radiant light would disappear.

“……”

This was a place of darkness, but nevertheless, while thinking about how that light that was tied to the humans' world would disappear—

He swung his sword.

Towards his father, he swung his sword.

He moved to pierce his father’s chest, but in the next moment, his father was standing at his side.

“Over here,”

He said.

In response to that, Relx looked in his father’s direction. He threw his sword at him.

Become faster, faster, faster, faster than before. To surpa.s.s the human limits, to become even faster, faster, faster—he swung his sword.

For the sake of killing the monster that dwelled in the darkness, he threw it with all his strength.

“……”

However, the sword didn’t hit his father.

His father easily grabbed that sword with his hand.

And staring at the sword,

“… That was fast,”

He said.

Relx stared at his father.

“However, it didn’t hit Father.”

“That’s correct. Don’t tell me this is your limit.”

“It is not.”

“Yes. But you pa.s.s. With this power, you may advance forward without going mad. You’re ready to open the Eris house’s door,”

He said that kind of thing.

To that, Relx tilted his head.

“The Eris house’s door? What do you mean?”

His father didn’t respond to the question. Instead, he only told him to follow him. He brought Relx along to the inside of the Eris house’s dojo hall.

He couldn't grasp the miracle behind the structure of that place. Each time he looked, it changed.

The number of doors.

The number of walls.

The number of corridors—it always changed, it seemed.

It was possible that in reality, it didn’t change, but as he travelled deeper and deeper, there was a strange sensation of something making contact and then slipping away.

Relx asked,

“Where are we headed?”

His father replied,

“Inside.”

“What’s there?”

“Darkness,”

His father said.

Darkness.

Darkness.

Darkness.

“……”

At that, Relx narrowed his eyes.

Even though, from the moment he’d been born into this house, there’d been darkness, he said there was further darkness.

Here was an even greater darkness.

This place was overflowing with an even greater and more insane darkness.

“What is this darkness?”

Relx asked. As expected, his father showed no emotions and answered in a flat tone,

“The reason behind the Eris house’s existence. However, that’s enough questions. You will come to understand.”

“Is that so?”

“It is.”

“In that case, I’ll stop asking questions.”

Silently, he followed behind his father.

His father opened a door.

He searched through the deep darkness.

The density of the insanity increased, enough to make him choke. To his surprise, liquid streamed from his eyes. Tears were overflowing. He didn’t know the reason why. He didn’t know why he was crying.

He lifted a finger to his tears.

And then he realized that they weren’t tears, but blood.

His eyes were br.i.m.m.i.n.g with blood.

His consciousness being sharply detached, he felt pain all over his body. Enough pain to make one scream. Everything before his eyes distorted, as his entire body was wracked with pain.

And his body—his heart called out.

This place was bad.

Humans weren’t meant to be in this place.

Turn back.

Turn back.

Turn back.

His entire body called out.

A door opened.

And again, the darkness thickened.

A door opened.

And again, the insanity thickened.

And then, his father stopped. He looked over his shoulder. Looking at Relx who had blood streaming from his eyes,

“—Can you withstand it?”

He asked.

At that, Relx tilted his head.

“What do you mean?”

He replied.

A smile arose in his father’s face.

“No. If you can remain calm, that’s enough. After all, we’ve already reached our destination,”

He said.

At those words, Relx looked at his father’s back. And over there, as expected, there was a door.

But this door was different. Made of rusted iron, it was a large, dark grey door. On that door, blood-like red patterns were written. Many patterns were written. But he couldn’t read them.

Relx didn’t know what they were saying.

But just by looking, he could understand one thing.

He understood that, even though he was on this side, past this door was something terrible.

Staring at the door, Relx asked,

“What’s past this door?”

His father answered,

“The demon.”

“The demon?”

“That’s right. The demon. Ryner Eris Reed, who holds the broken Hero to his chest and cries while sleeping,”

His father said.

As expected, he didn’t understand the meaning of those words right now.

However, Ryner Eris Reed—for some reason, those words resounded within him. His blood called out.

Relx asked,

“… We’re meant to protect this door?”

His father nodded.

“The Eris house was born to protect the weak hero—that is what has been said.”

“The weak hero?”

“This country’s king.”

“The king?”

“Those who may become this country's king and possess the blood of the hero come here. They come here to test themselves against the hero's power. To protect the hero’s blood is our duty,”

He said.

As expected, Relx didn’t understand the meaning of those words; however, he did know that for generations, the Eris House was hailed as a distinguished family that acted as guards for the king. That was why they were called the sword clan.

But,

“That… Roland’s foolish king is the hero?”

Relx asked, to which his father smiled.

“Haha, before, he was sane for a while. He couldn’t withstand the darkness and went mad.”

“He went mad.”

“But that’s fine. This is your—this is your duty.”

“My duty?”

“For a little while, you will stay here. You will surpa.s.s being a human. Because the people of the Eris house have a strong resistance to the darkness—if you are superior, you won’t go mad. If you can absorb the darkness and your true character emerges, you will be granted the same power as me,”

He said only that before walking away.

To his back,

“……”

As expected, Relx didn’t know what to say.

It seemed his unknown purpose was this place that was supposedly the function of the Eris house.

To protect the demon beyond that door, the Eris House.

He looked up at the iron door. He touched that door. Like a living being, it pulsed.

But that was it.

The door didn’t open.

The door didn’t open.

From the door that didn’t open, there was a voice.

< again, you’ve="" come. ="">>

A voice resounded in his head.

Directly into his body, a voice resounded.

In his blood, a voice resounded.

To that, Relx replied,

“But this is the first time I’ve come.”

< again, my="" descendants="" have="" come="" here. ="">>

“… Ah, I see now. Then, I’m descended from your blood?”

< that’s correct. ="">>

“What are you?”

< eris.>>

“Eris. Eris, is it? Then, tell me something.”

< what is="" it? ="">>

“What must I do to end things here?”

< end things? ="">>

“That’s right.”

< what meaning="" does="" that="" have? ="">>

“It has all the meaning to me. Tell me a way to end this farce…”

However, interrupting him, the demon spoke.

< for the="" sake="" of="" saving="" your="" younger="" sister? ="">>

“……”

< for the="" sake="" of="" saving="" your="" beloved="" sister,="" you="" wish="" to="" end="" things? ="">>

As if looking entirely through him, the demon spoke cheerfully.

To that, Relx nodded.

“That’s right. For the sake of saving my sister…”

The demon interrupted him and spoke.

< but you="" don’t="" need="" to="" worry="" about="" that. ="">>

“Is that so?”

< it is. ="">>

“Why?”

To Relx’s question, the demon laughed. It laughed happily.

And it spoke.

< because you’ll="" go="" mad="" here,="" you="" won’t="" have="" to="" worry="" about="" that.="" and="" you’ll="" be="" able="" to="" calmly="" sleep="" with="" your="" sister.="" you’ll="" continue="" the="" line="" of="" descendants.="" you="" won’t="" hold="" any="" doubts="" or="" hesitation.="" your="" father="" and="" mother="" as="" well,="" in="" the="" beginning,="" tried="" to="" resist…="" but="" this="" is="" the="" result.="" and="" aren’t="" they="" blessed?="" after="" receiving="" my="" power,="" you’re="" blessed.="" as="" a="" tool="" with="" no="" role,="" you="" would="" be="" sad. ="">>

The demon said.

< now, discard="" your="" consciousness. ="">>

The demon said.

< stop thinking="" about="" trivial="" matters. ="">>

The demon said.

< isn’t it="" tedious?="" isn’t="" everything="" tedious?="" that’s="" why="" you="" don’t="" smile.="" even="" if="" you="" were="" to="" smile,="" it="" could="" only="" be="" hollow="" on="" that="" face.="" of="" course.="" after="" all,="" i="" made="" it="" that="" way.="" after="" all,="" even="" if="" you="" don't="" understand="" the="" meaning="" behind="" your="" life,="" i="" made="" you="" into="" disgusting="" puppets.="" but="" for="" the="" first="" time,="" i'll="" give="" you="" the="" feeling="" of="" happiness.="" i'll="" give="" you="" true="" feelings="" in="" your="" life.="" that’s="" why="" you’re="" here.="" so="" that="" i="" can="" a.s.sign="" you="" your="" role.="" so="" that="" you="" can="" become="" one="" with="" me.="" so="" that="" you="" can="" receive="" my="" power.="" and="" you’ll="" go="" mad,="" mad,="" mad,="" and="" think="" nothing="" of="" this="" world… ="">>

Relx tried to a step back. However, his body wouldn’t move. The door behind him closed. With a loud sound, it closed.

And the demon laughed.

Ahaha, it laughed.

Saying that there was no escape, it laughed.

Being born as a puppet, you were brought here, it said and laughed.

Now, go mad.

Become the same as this darkness.

Become the same as this world.

Become the same as this stage, where everyone dances foolishly—

< ahaha. >>

The demon laughed.

< ahahahahahahaha. >>

The demon laughed.

< ahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha— >>

The demon’s mad laughter descended.

It descended from the air.

And there was no escape. Endlessly and endlessly, it meddled with his nerves, forcing him to listen to this mad laughter as it continued inside his head.

Something inside of him was changing.

It felt like the remnants of what made him human were being destroyed.

At that, I see, he thought.

This was the secret of his father’s strength, he thought.

As he thought, he wasn’t a person.

He wasn’t human.

They were all puppets used by the demon.

That was why, when he looked in the mirror, it wasn’t a human’s face that was reflected.

Why he was alive, why he stood in this place—he could barely think with this darkness crawling through his mind.

But finally, he understood the reason why.

Invaded by the demon here, he lived up until this day because he was born for this demon.

And as he lost awareness, he would sleep with Ferris. Unconcerned and without emotions, he would sleep with his younger sister in order to produce the next era of the Eris house’s blood.

His beautiful, smiling sister.

He would dirty and break his cute, crying sister, and yet he would feel nothing.

To that,

“… I don’t want to,”

Relx said in a shaking voice.

The demon spoke.

< that feeling="" is="" false. ="">>

“Be quiet.”

< you don’t="" feel="" anything. ="">>

“Be quiet.”

< even if="" we="" a.s.sume... ="">>

Be quiet, he wanted to say, but his mouth wouldn’t open. Entirely, before his eyes, the demon’s thoughts travelled through him. Through his entire body. Into his heart, the demon’s thoughts travelled.

And the demon said,

< even if="" we="" a.s.sume="" you="" have="" a="" heart,="" why="" would="" you="" say="" such="" things? ="">>

Before his eyes, the door opened.

The iron door opened.

And through the crack, a finger appeared. A long, pretty finger pushed through.

However, something was wrapped around that finger. He didn’t know what it was. Looking at it, he didn’t know.

But something was wrapped around it.

Then the finger stopped pus.h.i.+ng at the door.

And—

< what is="" this… ="">>

The demon said. It moved to tear at what was wrapped around the finger; however, its movements were restrained. The demon stopped moving.

< … who? ="">>

It asked such a thing.

To whom that was directed, he didn’t know.

But from behind Relx, a frivolous, kind male voice called out.

“A human.”

To that, the demon said,

< a human="" wouldn’t="" be="" able="" to="" enter="" this="" place. ="">>

“My, my, is that so? Then I guess I’m not human. How troubling. But to not be human without being aware of that makes me uneasy…”

The demon interrupted and spoke.

< be quiet,="" human. ="">>

At that, the man laughed.

Fufufu, he laughed.

And,

“As a chatterbox demon who wouldn't be quiet even when Relx-kun cried out for you to, you're being rather self-absorbed.”

< … humans="" are… ="">>

However, interrupting those words, the man spoke.

“Just now, weren’t your movements sealed by a human’s power? Ah, how unseemly. How does a strong demon feel about that kind of human? Annoyed? Or angry…”

< i’ll kill="" you! ="">>

The demon shouted.

It shouted loudly.

But to that, the man laughed.

“You still haven’t woken up. It’s not time. That’s why you can’t leave.”

< you filthy… ="">>

“Having been broken in half, you don’t have your original power. Are your memories unclear? What can you do? What can you attain? After losing your other half—your Lonely [Ryner] half—you don’t even know what you can do, do you?”

< …… >>

“You understand why Ryner disappeared, don’t you? Why your other half, your important half, whom the hero is to devour, has left you—you understand, right?”

< you… what="" in="" the="" world="" are="" you="" talking="" about… ="">>

“I tore it apart and stole it away. And I broke it. Your precious Ryner is no longer here. So that it can never be restored, I tore it to shreds and killed it.”

At those words, the demon’s voice lowered and became sharp. However, he understood that that voice was mixed in with panic. In a voice that threatened to overpower Relx, he understood that there was fear mixed in with it.

The demon spoke.

< what’s the="" meaning="" of="" this? ="">>

“What’s the meaning of what?”

< if ryner="" has="" been="" killed,="" then="" this="" world… ="">>

“It’ll break.”

< then why="" did="" you="" do="" it?="" you’re="" human,="" aren’t="" you? ="">>

“That’s right.”

< the ones="" who="" would="" be="" most="" troubled="" by="" the="" world="" breaking="" would="" be="" humans,="" wouldn’t="" it? ="">>

“That’s right, I guess.”

< then why="" did="" you="" do="" it? ="">>

“Well, why, I wonder.”

< you b.a.s.t.a.r.d…="" you’re="" not="" human. ="">>

“I’m human.”

< be quiet,="" monster…="" who="" in="" the="" world="" are="" you…? ="">>

The demon said.

Then from one step behind Relx, someone emerged.

A man with a stooped back.

Golden hair, sleepy blue eyes.

Perhaps he was a n.o.ble. In this country, golden hair was prominent in the n.o.bility’s blood. He was also well-dressed.

Giving off a listless air, dressed in a black suit, and holding what appeared to be a leather briefcase.

The man spoke.

“Nevertheless, I’m human. Though I gave up the world as a sacrifice, though I gave up my wife as a sacrifice—nevertheless, I’m a foolish human who wants to save his child. It’s frightening, isn’t it? Not understanding what it is that I’m thinking—is it frightening? Of course it is. Because I’ve gone mad. Ahaha. Now, what will I do? A mad scholar came to break the demon~. You had better run away, you know? You should call out ‘kyaa’ and run away? But you won't move. That’s right. Come to think of it, I put restraining magic on you. Then, what to do? If you can’t escape, then what to do? Cry out? Beg for someone to save you? If you beg, though, I have something to say. Right now, in your self-important manner, you said that you created these puppets for the sake of using humans. Before, you told Relx-kun that. Your feelings of fear are false. So let’s say that you were born for the sake of being used by me. That’s why feelings are unnecessary. Fear is unnecessary. You are…”

As he said that, he lifted his finger, with light forming at his fingertip while he started drawing in the air.

With one look, one could tell that he was using Roland magic.

As he drew his magic circle, one could see that it was Roland magic.

But Relx hadn’t seen something like that. In the books of the Eris house, he hadn’t read about the form of Roland’s magic.

He drew it unbelievably quickly; however, a part of another magic circle, with a complex structure, spread out.

Nevertheless, the man didn’t stop. Rapidly drumming with his leg, creating a tempo—rapidly, rapidly, he enlarged his magic circle.

And the man continued.

“You’ll end here.”

< don’t be="" ridi… ="">>

“Ahahaha, it’s already over. I stole away Ryner and broke it. And so, your power is no longer needed in this world—”

The demon’s arm swung around. And for the sake of escaping, it pulled at the door.

The door closed.

The heavy iron door closed.

The man stared.

“… It escaped, huh?”

He opened the briefcase in his hand. From inside the briefcase, a large number of papers spilled over and clung to the door. Countless and countless papers clung to the door. All of the cracks in the door were buried in white.

And staring at that, the man spoke.

“Incidentally, about half of what I said was a lie. If you’d been serious, I would’ve died. But you naively ran away. It’s my victory,”

He said, smiling.

However, the demon didn’t reply.

The demon didn’t respond.

The man smiled.

“You can hear my voice, can’t you? But it seems that we can’t hear yours. That's good, considering what a chatterbox you are. Having buried the gap into the other world, you can’t return anymore. Ryner has died—that is a fact. Again, your power is only enough to go there for a short while. If you hadn’t escaped in fear, it would’ve been your victory. If you’d killed me, then it would’ve been your victory—but you’re afraid. Of a human. You’re afraid of a human. If you’re defeated here, you’ll remain here for the rest of eternity, Then, when the door opens—”

The man looked his way.

Relx lifted his head at that.

His body moved. As the man sealed the demon, his body’s freedom returned. After confirming that he again had control over his movements, he looked at the man before him.

Then the man spoke.

With sleepy eyes and a face that lacked ambition, the monster spoke.

Looking down at Relx,

“Then, the next time that door opens, it'll truly be over. After all, I intend to teach this child a way to devour you,”

That man said that kind of thing.