༺ Seal (2) ༻
Dowd Campbell getting hurt wasn’t an uncommon sight for Eleanor.
It was only natural, considering that she had faced several life-threatening situations not long after meeting this man.
But, even if that was the case…
His current state was…
“…Dowd?”
It took some time for her to take in and accept the situation.
Her sound mind couldn’t quite discern the exact identity of the ‘lump of flesh’ in front of her.
“…Do…wd?”
A voice of disbelief trickled out of her lips.
Her mind turned blank as her heart raced wildly.
“Apostle. Is this your doing?”
Across from her, such words reached her faint consciousness.
A voice filled with such chilling killing intent that made her skin crawl emanated from the masked woman.
It was as if she was angry about this man being in such a state.
“No. I did leave three Ancient God entities behind, but the likelihood of them inflicting such injuries is—”
“Nonexistent. Yes. I know that, but how could he end up like this?”
“…”
“Tatiana. I entrusted one single thing to you. Why can’t you handle it properly?”
“…I apologize.”
Hearing this conversation made Eleanor realize.
The reason why this man ended up like this was because he was entangled in the incident those bastards had caused.
-…
-…
–…!!!!
An insidious aura churned in her heart.
Everything around her slowed down. No, this wasn’t merely her personal perception; Time actually slowed down.
This was a familiar sensation to her.
The entire world slowed with her at the center, and she felt like she had ‘control’ over all of space.
She inhaled heavily, spinning that aura fiercely.
Without a doubt, she vividly remembered using this energy before to ‘turn back time’.
Of course…
There was a risk that everything nearby could be swept away if she did that.
She might even cause enormous damage to some important facilities in the foreign nation. With her status as one of the major nobles from the Empire, as a consideration, she might end up being publicly denounced by the entire continent.
“…”
But…
She didn’t give a shit about any of that.
Even if other people died, and everyone around them got swept away…
As long as she could save this man…
Even if she had to bear all the consequences herself!
-Therefore, I implore.
At that moment, she heard a voice.
Holding onto her fleeting rationality, she turned her head and saw the man she had been watching intently since earlier; He was holding a ritual tool in his hand speaking such words.
She saw him grasping one of the ornaments attached to his body.
A small bell, obviously a strange item filled with spiritual power.
However, the strength emanating from the bell at the moment…
Was far from that mere level.
-Therefore, I implore.
And then…
Those words resonated and a gentle wave spread out from the bell.
【Merely maintain purity】
All the Demonic Aura emanating from Eleanor vanished in an instant.
But it didn’t end there.
The aura that was always emitting from her heart ‘disappeared’.
As if it never existed in the first place.
“…!”
Her eyes widened in astonishment.
While she might not know exactly what resided within her, she knew that it wasn’t something that could easily be ‘influenced’ by others.
And yet…
Because of the words spoken by this man, all the aura she was about to invoke vanished.
“…”
No.
What she experienced wasn’t exactly something like that.
The aura didn’t disappear due to interference or some kind of suppression.
Instead, it was ‘deleted.’
“You can’t use it, can you Miss?”
As her body froze in shock, Eleanor heard those words.
“How could you bring out such dangerous things? I understand you want to save that guy, but if you unleash something you can’t even control, everyone here will just die, you know?”
Her trembling eyes turned towards the provokingly ear-grating voice.
Cursed Speech 言靈.
A technique where speech itself possessed Special Power that could stir certain phenomena.
Beyond the frozen soil of the far east, in the eastern lands, there were those who wielded all kinds of mysterious powers, different from Magic Power or Divine Power commonly used on the continent.
Sorcery, Daoism, the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons, and the Onmyōjis who handled them.
This man must be part of one such faction.
A sorcerer who could cause all kinds of miraculous phenomena with just his language. The so-called Cursed Speech Users.
She knew of such things, but the ability she was witnessing now was…
“…True Speech?”
Eleanor muttered something that could be called a groan.
She had heard stories about it before.
It was one of the most powerful Sorceries mentioned in the Kojiki of the Empire, which had fought countless battles with Longmen beyond the frozen lands of the east.
Those who had reached the realm of communicating with ‘the laws of the world’ through their words.
Simply put….
They were those who could manipulate reality within limits.
If the conditions for uttering the phrase were met, they could control the entire ‘world’ around them according to their will.
“…”
And if that was really true…
Then this man was one of the most powerful humans on the continent.
A monster among monsters that should only be mentioned in legends.
His casual whistle in response to her muttering did not seem to match such an image at all, though.
“You know quite a lot. Is that because you’re a noblewoman?”
“…”
“Then I just don’t understand even more. You’re not even a complete Vessel. You just have two Fragments, yet you’re trying to freely control it? Isn’t that too greedy? Despite everything, that is still a King of Hell, Miss.”
A snickering response followed.
Fragment. Vessel. King of Hell.
These incomprehensible terms continued to flow out.
“Even then, the Tristan Duchy should be quite the illustrious Vessel Household, so it’s a bit absurd that you can’t resist them at all. Did your mother not teach you how to use it?”
His following words though, were far too significant to ignore.
“You bastard, what in the world did you just—!”
Eleanor’s face contorted as she lunged forward, but…
“-…!”
Immediately after, blood spurted from her mouth.
The cause was the green light emitted from the wand Tatiana was holding; It had successfully pierced her stomach.
It was a slow and weak attack, an easy attack for her to dodge normally, but…
At that moment, she had become ‘weaker.’
Her body was sluggish.
Horrifyingly frail.
Let alone holding a sword, she felt like she was a child who had never properly trained with one.
“…A sealed Fragment in a Vessel is no different than an ordinary person.”
Tatiana kicked her in the abdomen while saying those words.
Oxygen forcefully entered her lungs. She tumbled to the ground while choking.
Green rays struck her body several more times; In the arms, legs, and even in the chest.
Curses fired like projectiles pierced her body. In an instant, she was thoroughly mutilated.
“Hasn’t the Prophet continued to tell you? Resistance is futile.”
“…”
Did they deliberately force her to draw out this strength for this purpose?
It seemed they were targeting just that. To be more precise, it felt like a ploy to ‘erase’ this power the moment she used it.
“…Keep your babbling to a minimum, Talker.”
“Oh please. Wasn’t it Boss who callled in such a busy person to join such a childish game? I was looking forward to it because it was the Grey one’s Vessel, but it’s so different from last time.”
Beyond the excruciating pain, she heard their casual conversation.
“That’s why… Whatever. Forget it. What did I even expect from a bastard like you who can’t keep their mouth shut?”
“That’s so harsh. Isn’t she a woman who’s going to be killed soon anyway?”
“…Be quiet.”
The Prophet sighed and turned her head towards Tatiana, who had subdued Eleanor and was bowing her head.
“Kill her and retrieve the Fragments properly. We need to combine it with the last Fragment in the Holy Land.”
“As you command.”
With that response…
Chief Priest Tatiana stood in front of her eyes.
“Nothing personal, Lady Tristan.”
The wand, which had been emitting curses, was now precisely aimed at her head.
“Consider it a sin to be born into a cursed lineage. You became our target because of the karma of your ancestors.”
“What… Are you planning to do with Dowd?”
“…You’re still worried about that man even at this very moment?”
Tatiana spoke with an incredulous voice.
“I can’t tolerate it. You see, I don’t really like watching such unsightly struggles.”
Another curse formed on the wand.
It was a death sentence; an intent to take her life on the spot.
And she could do nothing about it.
Through her fading vision, she saw the Prophet carrying Dowd over her shoulders.
“What do you need that living corpse for? Isn’t he already dead?”
“We just need to find a way to resurrect him.”
“What a morbid habit. Are you planning to bring back the dead and embed a Ban on him? Trying to make a slave?”
“…I’m considering it.”
Such a conversation was heard.
They were planning to do something to Dowd.
They were about to take away her most precious thing…
Right before her eyes.
“…Dowd.”
Just before her breath ceased, Eleanor faintly uttered as she saw Dowd hanging over the Prophet’s shoulder.
“…Do…wd.”
She couldn’t let that happen.
The future where that man would be controlled by the likes of them could never happen.
However, her body wouldn’t obey. Pinned to the wall, she couldn’t even twitch a finger.
As despair engulfed her…
“…Wait a minute. Boss.”
“What.”
“There is something strange about that guy.”
The thing that was engraved on Dowd’s chest…
Began to pulse…
While containing something that harbored a ‘blackness’.
“Prophet!”
Tatiana was the first to sense the danger.
She, who was aiming her wand at Eleanor, hastily sent a curse towards the Prophet.
At the same time as a turquoise wall appeared between the Prophet and Dowd, their bodies were flung in opposite directions.
Meanwhile…
The black aura that had started to spew from his chest quickly spread around in billows.
“Prophet, are you alright?!”
“…”
Though Tatiana cried out such words…
The Prophet’s gaze was blankly fixed on Dowd.
As if…
She couldn’t believe what she was seeing.
“…The Fallen’s Seal?”
The Prophet muttered those words in a daze.
As if…
She was witnessing something that should ‘never happen’.
“…No, why, why did you do such a thing?”
From her voice…
“Why did you go so far for those cursed bitches-!”
Despair could be felt.
“…Fuck. Damn it. Get away from him!”
Following that…
Talker, who had maintained a light-hearted tone until now, shouted at the Prophet with a voice filled with anxiety and simultaneously…
Removed several ornaments that wrapped around his entire body.
It was a contrasting sight to when he had only used one against Eleanor.
-Therefore, I implore.
-Therefore, I implore.
【Merely maintain pu-】
But before he could complete the phrase…
A massive ‘wind’ struck in Talker’s direction.
It was a phenomenon caused by Dowd, who had been kneeling and sitting on the ground, with just a ‘punch’ he threw from his position.
Without any Special Power nor aura included.
Purely physical power had caused the phenomenon.
“What the fu— What is this—!”
While Talker had to backpedal a few steps, unable to complete the sentence due to this…
The black aura that he couldn’t eliminate completely gathered around Dowd’s body.
“…Hey, you’re kidding me.”
Talker let out a sudden uncontrollable laughter as he looked on.
In his mind, he recalled a ‘truth’ he had known.
A law that had not changed throughout the long years he had lived.
There were a total of six entities for Devils.
White, Blue, Red, Brown, Purple, and finally Grey.
If that was the case, then…
What in the world was he looking at right now?
“…”
A bizarre sight, that was the only way he could put it.
His entire body was surrounded by black aura, as if he was wearing full black armor.
This feeling of grotesqueness, eeriness, and discomfort, all mashed and mixed together….
Was undoubtedly…
“…I’ve never heard or seen anything like a ‘Black Devil’, damn it.”
A Devil.
༺ Seal (2) ༻
Dowd Campbell getting hurt wasn’t an uncommon sight for Eleanor.
It was only natural, considering that she had faced several life-threatening situations not long after meeting this man.
But, even if that was the case…
His current state was…
“…Dowd?”
It took some time for her to take in and accept the situation.
Her sound mind couldn’t quite discern the exact identity of the ‘lump of flesh’ in front of her.
“…Do…wd?”
A voice of disbelief trickled out of her lips.
Her mind turned blank as her heart raced wildly.
“Apostle. Is this your doing?”
Across from her, such words reached her faint consciousness.
A voice filled with such chilling killing intent that made her skin crawl emanated from the masked woman.
It was as if she was angry about this man being in such a state.
“No. I did leave three Ancient God entities behind, but the likelihood of them inflicting such injuries is—”
“Nonexistent. Yes. I know that, but how could he end up like this?”
“…”
“Tatiana. I entrusted one single thing to you. Why can’t you handle it properly?”
“…I apologize.”
Hearing this conversation made Eleanor realize.
The reason why this man ended up like this was because he was entangled in the incident those bastards had caused.
-…
-…
–…!!!!
An insidious aura churned in her heart.
Everything around her slowed down. No, this wasn’t merely her personal perception; Time actually slowed down.
This was a familiar sensation to her.
The entire world slowed with her at the center, and she felt like she had ‘control’ over all of space.
She inhaled heavily, spinning that aura fiercely.
Without a doubt, she vividly remembered using this energy before to ‘turn back time’.
Of course…
There was a risk that everything nearby could be swept away if she did that.
She might even cause enormous damage to some important facilities in the foreign nation. With her status as one of the major nobles from the Empire, as a consideration, she might end up being publicly denounced by the entire continent.
“…”
But…
She didn’t give a shit about any of that.
Even if other people died, and everyone around them got swept away…
As long as she could save this man…
Even if she had to bear all the consequences herself!
-Therefore, I implore.
At that moment, she heard a voice.
Holding onto her fleeting rationality, she turned her head and saw the man she had been watching intently since earlier; He was holding a ritual tool in his hand speaking such words.
She saw him grasping one of the ornaments attached to his body.
A small bell, obviously a strange item filled with spiritual power.
However, the strength emanating from the bell at the moment…
Was far from that mere level.
-Therefore, I implore.
And then…
Those words resonated and a gentle wave spread out from the bell.
【Merely maintain purity】
All the Demonic Aura emanating from Eleanor vanished in an instant.
But it didn’t end there.
The aura that was always emitting from her heart ‘disappeared’.
As if it never existed in the first place.
“…!”
Her eyes widened in astonishment.
While she might not know exactly what resided within her, she knew that it wasn’t something that could easily be ‘influenced’ by others.
And yet…
Because of the words spoken by this man, all the aura she was about to invoke vanished.
“…”
No.
What she experienced wasn’t exactly something like that.
The aura didn’t disappear due to interference or some kind of suppression.
Instead, it was ‘deleted.’
“You can’t use it, can you Miss?”
As her body froze in shock, Eleanor heard those words.
“How could you bring out such dangerous things? I understand you want to save that guy, but if you unleash something you can’t even control, everyone here will just die, you know?”
Her trembling eyes turned towards the provokingly ear-grating voice.
Cursed Speech 言靈.
A technique where speech itself possessed Special Power that could stir certain phenomena.
Beyond the frozen soil of the far east, in the eastern lands, there were those who wielded all kinds of mysterious powers, different from Magic Power or Divine Power commonly used on the continent.
Sorcery, Daoism, the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons, and the Onmyōjis who handled them.
This man must be part of one such faction.
A sorcerer who could cause all kinds of miraculous phenomena with just his language. The so-called Cursed Speech Users.
She knew of such things, but the ability she was witnessing now was…
“…True Speech?”
Eleanor muttered something that could be called a groan.
She had heard stories about it before.
It was one of the most powerful Sorceries mentioned in the Kojiki of the Empire, which had fought countless battles with Longmen beyond the frozen lands of the east.
Those who had reached the realm of communicating with ‘the laws of the world’ through their words.
Simply put….
They were those who could manipulate reality within limits.
If the conditions for uttering the phrase were met, they could control the entire ‘world’ around them according to their will.
“…”
And if that was really true…
Then this man was one of the most powerful humans on the continent.
A monster among monsters that should only be mentioned in legends.
His casual whistle in response to her muttering did not seem to match such an image at all, though.
“You know quite a lot. Is that because you’re a noblewoman?”
“…”
“Then I just don’t understand even more. You’re not even a complete Vessel. You just have two Fragments, yet you’re trying to freely control it? Isn’t that too greedy? Despite everything, that is still a King of Hell, Miss.”
A snickering response followed.
Fragment. Vessel. King of Hell.
These incomprehensible terms continued to flow out.
“Even then, the Tristan Duchy should be quite the illustrious Vessel Household, so it’s a bit absurd that you can’t resist them at all. Did your mother not teach you how to use it?”
His following words though, were far too significant to ignore.
“You bastard, what in the world did you just—!”
Eleanor’s face contorted as she lunged forward, but…
“-…!”
Immediately after, blood spurted from her mouth.
The cause was the green light emitted from the wand Tatiana was holding; It had successfully pierced her stomach.
It was a slow and weak attack, an easy attack for her to dodge normally, but…
At that moment, she had become ‘weaker.’
Her body was sluggish.
Horrifyingly frail.
Let alone holding a sword, she felt like she was a child who had never properly trained with one.
“…A sealed Fragment in a Vessel is no different than an ordinary person.”
Tatiana kicked her in the abdomen while saying those words.
Oxygen forcefully entered her lungs. She tumbled to the ground while choking.
Green rays struck her body several more times; In the arms, legs, and even in the chest.
Curses fired like projectiles pierced her body. In an instant, she was thoroughly mutilated.
“Hasn’t the Prophet continued to tell you? Resistance is futile.”
“…”
Did they deliberately force her to draw out this strength for this purpose?
It seemed they were targeting just that. To be more precise, it felt like a ploy to ‘erase’ this power the moment she used it.
“…Keep your babbling to a minimum, Talker.”
“Oh please. Wasn’t it Boss who callled in such a busy person to join such a childish game? I was looking forward to it because it was the Grey one’s Vessel, but it’s so different from last time.”
Beyond the excruciating pain, she heard their casual conversation.
“That’s why… Whatever. Forget it. What did I even expect from a bastard like you who can’t keep their mouth shut?”
“That’s so harsh. Isn’t she a woman who’s going to be killed soon anyway?”
“…Be quiet.”
The Prophet sighed and turned her head towards Tatiana, who had subdued Eleanor and was bowing her head.
“Kill her and retrieve the Fragments properly. We need to combine it with the last Fragment in the Holy Land.”
“As you command.”
With that response…
Chief Priest Tatiana stood in front of her eyes.
“Nothing personal, Lady Tristan.”
The wand, which had been emitting curses, was now precisely aimed at her head.
“Consider it a sin to be born into a cursed lineage. You became our target because of the karma of your ancestors.”
“What… Are you planning to do with Dowd?”
“…You’re still worried about that man even at this very moment?”
Tatiana spoke with an incredulous voice.
“I can’t tolerate it. You see, I don’t really like watching such unsightly struggles.”
Another curse formed on the wand.
It was a death sentence; an intent to take her life on the spot.
And she could do nothing about it.
Through her fading vision, she saw the Prophet carrying Dowd over her shoulders.
“What do you need that living corpse for? Isn’t he already dead?”
“We just need to find a way to resurrect him.”
“What a morbid habit. Are you planning to bring back the dead and embed a Ban on him? Trying to make a slave?”
“…I’m considering it.”
Such a conversation was heard.
They were planning to do something to Dowd.
They were about to take away her most precious thing…
Right before her eyes.
“…Dowd.”
Just before her breath ceased, Eleanor faintly uttered as she saw Dowd hanging over the Prophet’s shoulder.
“…Do…wd.”
She couldn’t let that happen.
The future where that man would be controlled by the likes of them could never happen.
However, her body wouldn’t obey. Pinned to the wall, she couldn’t even twitch a finger.
As despair engulfed her…
“…Wait a minute. Boss.”
“What.”
“There is something strange about that guy.”
The thing that was engraved on Dowd’s chest…
Began to pulse…
While containing something that harbored a ‘blackness’.
“Prophet!”
Tatiana was the first to sense the danger.
She, who was aiming her wand at Eleanor, hastily sent a curse towards the Prophet.
At the same time as a turquoise wall appeared between the Prophet and Dowd, their bodies were flung in opposite directions.
Meanwhile…
The black aura that had started to spew from his chest quickly spread around in billows.
“Prophet, are you alright?!”
“…”
Though Tatiana cried out such words…
The Prophet’s gaze was blankly fixed on Dowd.
As if…
She couldn’t believe what she was seeing.
“…The Fallen’s Seal?”
The Prophet muttered those words in a daze.
As if…
She was witnessing something that should ‘never happen’.
“…No, why, why did you do such a thing?”
From her voice…
“Why did you go so far for those cursed bitches-!”
Despair could be felt.
“…Fuck. Damn it. Get away from him!”
Following that…
Talker, who had maintained a light-hearted tone until now, shouted at the Prophet with a voice filled with anxiety and simultaneously…
Removed several ornaments that wrapped around his entire body.
It was a contrasting sight to when he had only used one against Eleanor.
-Therefore, I implore.
-Therefore, I implore.
【Merely maintain pu-】
But before he could complete the phrase…
A massive ‘wind’ struck in Talker’s direction.
It was a phenomenon caused by Dowd, who had been kneeling and sitting on the ground, with just a ‘punch’ he threw from his position.
Without any Special Power nor aura included.
Purely physical power had caused the phenomenon.
“What the fu— What is this—!”
While Talker had to backpedal a few steps, unable to complete the sentence due to this…
The black aura that he couldn’t eliminate completely gathered around Dowd’s body.
“…Hey, you’re kidding me.”
Talker let out a sudden uncontrollable laughter as he looked on.
In his mind, he recalled a ‘truth’ he had known.
A law that had not changed throughout the long years he had lived.
There were a total of six entities for Devils.
White, Blue, Red, Brown, Purple, and finally Grey.
If that was the case, then…
What in the world was he looking at right now?
“…”
A bizarre sight, that was the only way he could put it.
His entire body was surrounded by black aura, as if he was wearing full black armor.
This feeling of grotesqueness, eeriness, and discomfort, all mashed and mixed together….
Was undoubtedly…
“…I’ve never heard or seen anything like a ‘Black Devil’, damn it.”
A Devil.
