Chapter 123: A New Beginning Part 1

When the spell was lifted and I opened my eyes,

Kult had already been pierced by Dietrich’s sword.

There were no signs of resistance.

It seemed Kult had ultimately placed his trust in Helena and accepted death.

“We did it.”

“Yes, I suppose we did.”

Ariel who was visibly exhausted approached and sat down beside me.

Despite having defeated a long-standing enemy, she didn’t seem particularly happy.

That was likely because she understood why Dietrich, the one who had brought Kult down, looked so depressed.

“Johan.”

“Yes?”

“In his final moments, Kult Hereticus looked… hesitant.”

“Did he?”

I had woken up a moment later than Kult, so I didn’t know the full situation.

By the time I came to my senses, everything was already over.

“What kind of dream did you show him?”

Being the gifted mage she was, Ariel had probably figured out what kind of spell I used just by observing it.

The spell I cast was [Dreaming], a magic that draws the target into a dream.

It could be used to show someone a nightmare, but also as a way to heal a person’s mind.

Ariel seemed to think I used that dream to persuade Kult.

“It wasn’t me. I can’t persuade Kult.”

“Then who did?”

“It was Helena.”

What if I had said the same words to Kult as Helena did?

Would he have accepted them then?

No. It was precisely because the words came from Helena that they carried weight.

Because Helena was the only victim Kult felt guilt toward and also the only family who could share in his ideals—

It was likely that her words were able to reach him.

“What does that mean? Am I the only one who doesn’t get it again?”

“It’s a long story, so I’ll just explain it slowly later.”

“Okay, then I’ll wait.”

Ariel nodded and gave a soft smile.

I had no idea what she was smiling about. All I’d said was that I should share what I knew about the situation.

“You bastard! You piece of trash! You always… you always!”

Dietrich was crying.

It seemed the reality that he had killed his own friend still hadn’t sunk in.

Kult patted the crying Dietrich on the back.

From the looks of it, anyone might have thought it was Dietrich who’d been stabbed, not Kult.

But Kult was dying. Even now, his body was clearly dissolving into light.

“What do you think will happen now?”

Ariel asked, glancing at Dietrich with pity in her eyes.

“Well, I don’t know.”

A lot of things were bound to change.

But whether that change would be for better or worse….that would take time to see.

If there was one thing that would clearly shift—

“Big brother, are you leaving?”

—it would be the relationships between people.

At some point, Helena had stood up and was now speaking to Kult.

Sure enough, with Kult’s death, the artificial heart seemed to have begun working properly.

Still, I hadn’t expected her to open her eyes so quickly.

Was the soul really the only thing that had been missing?

Or perhaps Helena had forced herself to stand after realizing this might be her last chance to say goodbye.

“Helena, I’m sorry.”

“You’ve been saying that a lot lately, big brother.”

“…I suppose I have.”

Helena staggered toward Kult who was slowly dying.

“You used to look at people and think the world was ugly.”

“……”

Kult quietly nodded.

“But I looked at you and thought the world was beautiful.”

Helena placed her hand on Kult’s cheek as he faded into light.

“Thank you, big brother… for showing me a beautiful world.”

“It was only natural.”

Kult held Helena’s hand.

Their hands clasped like in a prayer didn’t tremble in the slightest.

“Because we always want to show only the best to our family.”

Kult truly saw Helena as family.

Though he had approached her initially as a means to gain the backing of a noble house, in the end, they had become a real family.

“From now on, you’ll see the world’s ugliness too. You’ll be exposed to hatred without cause, jealousy, blame… You’ll come to witness the most dreadful sides of the world.”

“Yes.”

“But even so… you’ll be alright, won’t you?”

“Of course. Just as you never forgot the pain of your past, I’ll always remember the happy moments you showed me.”

“…Is that so?”

Kult smiled.

As if to craft his final moment into something perfect, he wore the brightest smile he’d ever shown.

“I hope that one day… you’ll reach the paradise you dream of.”

Kult gave Helena his blessing.

It was the last blessing he would leave in this world.

***

The storm had passed. But surprisingly, the world hadn’t changed all that much.

The fact that I had to return to school immediately was proof enough.

“I told you I’m seriously injured!”

I mean, I got caught in a literal explosion!

“For second and third-year students, that’s considered a minor injury.”

“Why is there even a separate standard?! And it’s not even the start of the semester! There are plenty of beds, can’t I just use one? Please?!”

“No.”

Damn Cradle Hospital!

Maybe I would’ve been better off admitted to an outside hospital.

Look at how strict they are just because it’s free.

In the end, I was kicked out of the hospital.

The only consolation was that they at least tossed me some bandages and medicine, telling me to take care of it myself.

“Oh, Johan. As expected, looks like you’re being discharged today.”

“…Your Highness, I think there’s some corruption going on in that hospital.”

Otherwise, how could they throw a patient out like this?

“There’s no corruption in the hospital. Everyone there’s a paid worker.”

“That’s the problem. People like that tend to waste medicine and surgical tools for their own purposes or sneak them out for personal use, you know?”

“You’re oddly specific. Almost like someone who’s done that kind of thing before.”

“…On second thought, maybe it’s not corruption after all.”

How much did I spend at the alchemy workshop again?

I can’t remember. If I’ve forgotten, maybe it wasn’t that much.

“But aren’t you curious about what happened afterward? About Dietrich, Helena, and the Hereticus Marquisate? You still don’t know, do you?”

“I trust Your Highness handled it well… but yes, I would like to know.”

“You really are acting different than usual.”

“Huh?”

“I mean, the fact that you personally got involved this time. Seems like you’re the type who takes care of things when it comes to people close to you.”

“That’s only natural for any decent person.”

“Is that so? Then if I ever got caught up in something like this, you’d jump in to help me too, wouldn’t you?”

“No.”

“Didn’t even hesitate… That hurts.”

“I’ve decided not to count my boss as someone close.”

“Your boss, huh… Fair enough.”

Lobelia pulled out a sheet of paper from her coat.

Wait, don’t tell me she carries that around?

That’s the unequal contract I used to get out of my engagement with Ariel.

“Either way, you’re obligated to help me even if it’s by force. So I’ll be counting on you then.”

“……”

“Sir Oracle.”

Lobelia pointed to the last part of the document and gave a sly smile.

Come to think of it, did I actually write that line saying I was the Oracle?

Now that the real Oracle has shown up, it’s nothing more than a bad joke.

“The Hereticus Marquis was found in the marquisate’s underground prison. Even if he did it all for his daughter, he supported the cult. He won’t be escaping punishment.”

“I didn’t even know he was still alive. I thought the cult would’ve taken care of him long ago.”

“He is Helena’s father, after all.”

“……”

Looking back now, the cult really was soft in a lot of ways.

Born with a kind heart, the prophet carried guilt even as he fell into darkness.

Which makes it all the more surprising that he ended up becoming a villain.

“Officially, Helena was declared to have been killed by the cult.”

“Where is she now?”

“She left on a journey with Dietrich. No need to worry.”

“Of course not.”

Dietrich was strong.

Whether it was swordsmanship or special abilities, he lacked nothing.

Moreover, through this recent incident, she had become a stronger person overall, so unless something truly serious happened, there shouldn’t be any problems.

“Still, I’m not sure if the delicate Helena will be alright.”

What worried me was Helena’s health.

She had always been in poor condition, and this time, she had even injured her heart.

An artificial heart had been transplanted, but since it wasn’t her own, I wanted to check on her condition somehow…

Unfortunately, I passed out before I could hold on to the end, so I had no idea how things had unfolded afterward.

The current situation where I had bled out and fainted only to be discharged after just three days felt almost laughable.

“Ah, I see. So you don’t know. Helena is in good health. In fact, she became so healthy that we had to declare her dead.”

“What?”

“Kult is gone. But Kult’s ideals and his dream of creating a paradise took on a new form and were passed on to Helena.”

“I see… right?”

“Helena became the next Prophet.”

“…What?”

“She became a new kind of monster.”

“Wait, what…?”

When I thought about it more carefully, it was actually something that made a strange kind of sense.

Helena had been born with the fate of the sacred relic, but structurally, she wasn’t so different from Kult.

Only the two of them had ever been able to generate divine power on their own.

In that sense, with the original Prophet dead and the sacred relic surviving, it wasn’t strange that the other would take on the Prophet’s path.

A Prophet, huh…

So now, if Helena so much as waved her hand, people like me would be swept away by the hundreds.

“That’s not really the outcome I was hoping for…”

“No matter how you feel, isn’t that a bit pathetic? Johan, being jealous of a child is rather unsightly, don’t you think?”

“I know. I do, but…”

Wasn’t I the one who went through all the trouble and gave the clues that solved everything this time?

I was the one who found Kult’s location.

I was the one who prepared Helena’s artificial heart in advance and arranged for the transplant.

I was also the one who persuaded Dietrich and led him back to Kult.

And I was the one who gave Helena confidence and created the opportunity for her to meet Kult. Wasn’t all of that my doing?

“All I got out of this were injuries and the attention of a terrorist…”

“You were the one who turned down the medal, weren’t you?”

“A medal from the Empire, of all things…”

“That kind of comment could be easily misunderstood, Johan. Watch your mouth. It’s only because we’re in the Cradle right now that you can get away with saying that. Say it outside, and you might actually die.”

“Sorry.”

But honestly, am I really wrong?

It’s not like I should be proud of wearing a leash. What use do I have for a medal from the Empire? Getting on the Emperor’s good side doesn’t exactly benefit me.

Shouldn’t there be more? Something material, or maybe some actual growth?

If I ask myself whether I was rewarded for all the effort I put in… no matter how I think about it, the answer is no.

All I did was get beaten down and trampled on, and now I’m reaping the seeds I sowed. That’s it.

“Hmph. Still, seeing that kind of honest desire… I must admit, it makes this all feel a little more worthwhile.”

“……?”

Wait, is that your thing?

An imperial member who takes pleasure in others’ pain and ugliness…

You’re a textbook villain.

“Don’t look at me like that. When I said it felt worthwhile, I meant that I was about to give you a gift. That’s all.”

“Oh, is that so? It’s not something like an official recommendation to the Imperial government, right?”

“No. And don’t worry, I didn’t prepare it myself. It’s something Helena left for you while you were unconscious. Here, take it.”

With those words, Lobelia placed something in my hand.

It was a ring, set with a blue gem that resembled Helena’s and Kult’s eyes.

It looked familiar somehow.

Ah! Now that I’m seeing it up close, it’s the same type of artifact as the Sun God’s necklace.

Wait, or is it a little different?

Something about the design… and compared to what I saw in the game, it feels off somehow.

“That item is something Helena personally blessed. She said the blessing in that ring would protect you at least once if you’re ever in danger.”

“Wow… I mean, this is a bit much.”

Still, it was clearly something valuable, so I accepted it.

So basically, this thing will block at least one assassination attempt, right?

Considering how much attention I’ve been attracting lately, this is perfect timing.

“You really are always honest about your desires. It’s quite refreshing.”

“Is that really something refreshing?”

“Better than those who pretend otherwise, isn’t it?”

“Hmm…”

Is that so?

Well, honesty was a virtue. I guess you could say it’s part of my charm.

I am a charming man, after all.

“Ah, but Your Highness?”

“Hmm? Do you have another question?”

“Didn’t you say earlier that Helena became the Prophet?”

“I did.”

“Then wouldn’t it have been even better if she had healed me?”

“Are you saying we should go around announcing the emergence of a second Prophet just to patch you up?”

“Are you saying I’m not worth it?”

Do you have any idea how much I did!?

I get that the situation is sensitive, but still, saying it like that kind of hurts.

“From the looks of it, it’s just a minor injury…”

Damn this place. Sometimes I wonder if I’m the one with the distorted sense of normal here.

Was I… actually only mildly hurt?

“Well then, take care.”

Lobelia gave me a pat on the back and walked away.

It hurts like hell. My back still hasn’t healed. How is this the way you treat someone with “minor” injuries?

No, seriously, am I the one who’s wrong here?

“Ugh, I don’t even know anymore.”

Still, the storm has finally passed.

I’ve reaped what I sowed, so now I should be able to just breathe and rest for a while.

All this trouble from one slip of the tongue… I really need to watch what I say from now on.

***

Chief Librarian of the Lemegeton.

Tillis was staring at the librarian who had turned against her.

“Thank you.”

No, to be precise, it would be more accurate to say she was staring at what used to be a librarian.

All the librarians who had received a portion of a demon’s power from her were nothing more than crazy villains.

“Lately, the harvests have been pretty good.”

Tillis often made a show of weakness in front of the librarians.

So they’d be free to rebel at any time, to let their greed fester until they bared their teeth at her in the name of desire.

That was her usual work.

To create chains of hatred, and in the end, lead them to make contracts with demons.

The librarians were just the ones she put a bit more effort into for that purpose.

“With this, that makes seventy books.”

Tillis placed a newly acquired Lemegeton book into her private library. It was taken just moments ago after killing the librarian.

A complete collection of seventy books of demons.

Tillis who was now able to command seventy demons smiled gently.

“Ah…”

And then suddenly,

Her eyes landed on a book tucked into a corner of the library.

Her cheerful, satisfied expression froze for a moment.

Swish.

Without a word, Tillis pulled the book from the shelf.

And then, she confirmed the name of something she had been avoiding for a long time.

[Fundamentals of Science and Problem Solving]

“Ugh… I hate this.”

In reality, she had taken it to heart when Johan called her an airhead.

Tillis looked out the window.

“…Still, I can’t let it end with him looking down on me like that.”

With that, Tillis quietly turned her gaze toward the direction of the Cradle.