Elqueeness [EN]: Chapter 345

Chapter 345

He hadn’t grasped the situation yet. Before I could even warn him, I leaped forward. In that fleeting moment, I saw Lapis, who had been chanting a spell, widen his eyes in surprise.

“Crazy!”

He immediately stopped casting, grabbed me, and rolled us away quickly. *Whizz!* By a hair’s breadth, a jet-black liquid engulfed the spot where we had been. It was a vile solution that completely scorched the floor and left a deep hole. Clicking my tongue, I looked up to see something covering the Archduke’s body, which was lying nearby. His body blurred instantly and disappeared from that spot.

‘Damn it!’

Frustrated, I hurriedly got up and scanned the altar. The black mass that had been almost completely pulled out was gone. The magic had been interrupted, and it had made a run for it. It must have destroyed the magic circle while ‘he’ was escaping.

“Ah, missed it.”

“Is that all you have to say right now!”

Lapis snapped at my muttered words, which were born out of a sense of futility. His glare was so fierce that I flinched a little. I had seen him angry before, but this was the first time I had seen him look so genuinely furious, and I was taken aback.

“Are you crazy? Why did you jump in there?”

“……No, I was trying to save you…….”

“Not that! Why did you try to block it with your body! That’s a power close to an evil god! Don’t you know that even you wouldn’t be safe? If you’re unlucky, you might not just be reverse-summoned, but simply annihilated!”

“Oh, really?”

“Really, Lani? Is that a nonchalant answer to give right now?”

Well, I was a little surprised too. I didn’t realize it would be that powerful. I had a feeling it was incredibly dangerous. I shuddered to think what would have happened if Lapis hadn’t reacted so quickly.

“But I saved you. If I hadn’t stepped in, you wouldn’t have even thought about dodging, would you?”

“That’s not what I’m talking about! It’s your attitude that’s the problem!”

“My attitude?”

“I’ve been wanting to ask you this for a while. Do you perhaps think it’s okay to die?”

“…….”

I couldn’t immediately laugh and ask what he meant because I felt a chill down my spine. Lapis looked dumbfounded, as if he hadn’t expected me to actually lose my words.

“Is life not fun?”

“No, it’s not that…… I’m just flustered. Do I look like that?”

“Yeah. You seem like someone who doesn’t have much attachment to life. Like you’re living for others, not for yourself?”

“It’s not like that……?”

“If it’s not, why do you risk your life so easily?”

“Well, um, how should I put it? I’m a Spirit King, after all. It seems like I can handle most things. And I’d feel guilty if I could do something but didn’t. Plus, I’m less afraid of death. As you know, I have a past life. I’ve died once, and it wasn’t a big deal. And I also know about the next life. So…….”

“So it’s okay to die?”

No, it’s not exactly okay. His eyes sharpened as my words trailed off. I wasn’t sure why he was so angry, but I shrugged sheepishly. I felt a little wronged that I was being scolded even after saving him. Lapis shook his head as if he had read my mind.

“How did I get mixed up with someone like this…….”

“Hey, that’s a bit harsh, isn’t it? You’re the one who asked for a contract, you know?”

“Shut up. I’d rather it was just a contractual relationship.”

I blinked, puzzled by what he meant, and then I soon realized the meaning. If it were just a contractual relationship, it wouldn’t matter, but now it does. In other words, it’s not just a contractual relationship. We’re friends. I grinned, and Lapis’s expression turned even more displeased.

“Is that funny? You’re really going to get burned badly someday because of that personality of yours. Don’t regret it then.”

“Then you can protect me.”

“Now you’re just telling me to boss you around, huh?”

After spitting out those words irritably, he turned his gaze to the altar. It seemed that he had finally started to pay attention to the state of the magic circle after venting his anger.

“Damn it, it’s completely ruined. It can’t be restored.”

“So you don’t know where they went either?”

“Would I know? I told you from the start that it was operating imperfectly. It was pure luck that we were able to get this far.”

“That’s a problem. What do we do now…….”

With the Archduke gone, there was no way to guess how they would come at us next. Just as I was sighing, I noticed something sparkling beneath the altar. What is this? I went closer to look and saw a white light flickering like it was blinking.

“Lapis.”

“What.”

“There’s something strange here?”

“What?”

I pointed to what I had seen as he approached with a frown, and his expression changed instantly.

*Thump!*

At that moment, a massive tremor shook the ground as if the earth’s axis was tilting. I was about to lose my balance and fall when an intense light shot up from inside the altar. It pierced through the roof in an instant. *Clang!* I thought I heard a shattering sound somewhere. I felt a chill, but at the same time, my body felt a little lighter. So I couldn’t tell if it was a good thing or a bad thing.

“Wh-what is it?”

“……Ah, damn it.”

Lapis cursed beside me, still bewildered by the situation.

“The dimensional barrier is broken. It looks like it’s connected to the Demon Realm.”

“What?”

“Things from the Demon Realm will be randomly crossing over.”

Huh?

So, Arkadon and the Demon Realm are connected? Like that Byton place?

I was gaping in shock when strange things started to happen. The bodies of the unconscious demon worshippers began to twitch, and soon, one by one, they began to transform into black monsters. Their existing flesh split open, and grotesque, writhing shapes emerged from within. It was a sight so repulsive that I couldn’t help but grimace.

“What are those…….”

“It seems they’re being demonized by the energy of the Demon Realm. Did they set something up?”

Lapis’s words brought a scene to mind. Back when I only knew Kanos as Lucarim. I had been chased by a group of demon worshippers not long after meeting him. I had seen people turn into monsters before my very eyes back then too. I remembered exactly what Lucarim had said at the time.

“Demon tree.”

Lapis’s expression hardened as if he had heard my muttered words.

“Kieeek!”

“Kueeeek!”

The demon worshippers, who had completely transformed into demons in the meantime, began to rush toward us. They were even faster than the demons I had encountered before. Of course, I had no intention of meekly succumbing, so I was fully prepared to blow them away. Just as they were about to reach us.

*Whizz! Crackle!*

“Kieeeek!”

“……?”

Suddenly, lightning seemed to explode before my eyes, and the demons melted away on the spot in an instant. It was a fierce attack that didn’t allow a single one to escape. I looked to see if Lapis had done it, but he also had a bewildered expression on his face.

“Things have taken an interesting turn in the meantime.”

I froze at the voice that followed. It was a voice I never expected to hear in a place like this. I turned blankly to see an even more unbelievable sight. The figure of a beautiful and pure male god with radiant golden hair that did not lose its luster even in the darkness.

“……Ellyuen?”

As if responding to my softly muttered words, his lips drew a gentle arc.

“It’s been a while, son.”

* * *

This can’t be happening.

If I had a heart, it might have burst from not being able to endure it. The sight before my eyes was so unreal that I wondered if I was seeing an illusion. As I stared blankly, he opened his arms. Unable to suppress the overwhelming emotions, I immediately ran toward him. His strong arms received me as if it were natural as I clung to him. A pleasant fragrance wafted from his soft embrace. It was a lily scent that resembled him, as if it was soaked with water. When I grabbed his collar, a vivid sensation filled my hand. Only then did it finally hit me.

“It’s really Ellyuen.”

“Yes.”

“I’m not seeing things?”

“You’re stating the obvious.”

Tears welled up in my eyes from the sense of security that filled my chest. I hugged him tighter because I liked the comforting touch, and I heard a soft laugh.

“What happened? Did you perhaps come to see me?”

“Would I have any other reason to come here?”

“I see. You came to see me.”

My heart fluttered, and I couldn’t help but smile. I don’t know how long it’s been since I’ve been this happy. It was like I had finally escaped from a stuffy space and could breathe. He looked at me gently and made a slightly strange expression.

“More than that, it seems your tastes have changed while I haven’t seen you. It suits you in its own way, though.”

“Huh? Tastes?”

“Should I have used a different term? Tell me if you want me to change it.”

“……Huh?”

“I don’t mind even if it’s daughter.”

“What on earth are you talking about…….”

Wait, come to think of it, was I…… wearing a dress?

The realization came unexpectedly. I hurriedly looked down and, sure enough, I saw the shimmering water-colored dress. As it shed its form and re-implemented itself, my hair color returned to normal, but I couldn’t change my outfit. Different rules applied to items that were worn separately, so even if I could make them part of my body, I couldn’t transform them at will. To make them disappear, I had to go through the process of removing them by taking them off or disassembling them, but I hadn’t had a chance to do so until now.

“No, Ellyuen. This is…….”

Ellyuen stared at me silently as I tried to explain. I felt a cold sweat at his understanding gaze. I can say with certainty that no moment has ever been as dizzying as this one. And the tragedy that befell me did not end here. Just as I was about to shake my head and say that it wasn’t true, I saw another person standing behind Ellyuen. Dark black hair darker than the night sky and mysterious golden eyes came into view. It was a presence that I could never mistake in any situation, a presence that was as welcome as Ellyuen. At the same time, it was also a presence that I didn’t want to see as much as I did now.

“T, Trowel?”

“Hi, El. Um…….”

Trowel, who had walked forward after I recognized him, was smiling awkwardly. He glanced at me and then nodded with a face that seemed to have made up his mind.

“The clothes suit you well. You look pretty.”

“…….”

Wouldn’t it have been easier on my heart if he had just laughed at me? Just looking at his serious expression, I could feel that he had carefully chosen his words, so I couldn’t get angry. Rather, I felt guilty that I couldn’t live up to his expectations.

“Have you decided to live as a female now? How did you come to that decision?”

“Ah, no! It’s not like I’m wearing this because I like it?”

“Then……?”

“This is just a temporary disguise. There are unavoidable circumstances here! Right, Lapis?”

At this moment, my only hope was that I had an ally. However, the reality that I turned to was not flowing so smoothly. The boy who had been a girl just a moment ago had already returned to his original form. Red hair and red eyes, the figure of a handsome man, and he was wearing ordinary travel clothes. I didn’t know what he had done with the fancy dress he had been wearing, but there was no trace of it left. That traitor! I glared at him with resentment, but he met my gaze with an indifferent expression. I was the one who wore the dress because of him, but his expression showed no sense of responsibility, and my insides boiled. Trowel looked at me with a look of pity.

“It was a disguise. I thought someone had given you a dress as a gift, but you didn’t have a chance to explain, so you had no choice but to wear it.”

“Oh? That’s…….”

“No. You were going to reveal it, but the guy next to you said he didn’t want to wear it alone, so you couldn’t refuse?”

“……Trowel, you’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you.”

“Sorry.”

Only then did Trowel burst into laughter. Once he started, he couldn’t stop easily, and he even ended up squatting down. The problem was that he didn’t look particularly annoying. Well, if at least one person is happy, that’s all that matters. After chuckling, I was changing my clothes when I felt movement next to me. Ellyuen was walking toward the altar.

“Ah…….”

The cold reality that I had been ignoring for a while weighed heavily on my shoulders again. I was glad to have an unexpected reunion, but it wasn’t a situation where I could laugh comfortably. I had missed Karyuan and the Archduke, and the dimensional barrier was broken. Just thinking about this unsettling situation that I had to confess from now on made my throat dry.

“You’ve made quite a mess. Were you trying to catch a sinner?”

“Sinner?”

“That’s what we call those who try to escape the jurisdiction of the Main God. As far as I’m concerned, even that title is too much.”

Ellyuen’s eyes were cold as he looked down at the altar and the soot on the floor. It was when he lightly swept his hand over the altar. “Kiyaaaaak!” A jet-black mass suddenly popped up with a strange noise that seemed to scratch at my ears. A current that stretched out like a hook tried to devour his hand. I was startled and hardened my face, but Ellyuen clenched his fist without any sign of panic. Then, with the sound of electricity crackling, the current that had been attacking him scattered as it was.