“So, what should we do?”
Without showing any concern, Noah asked calmly, smirking as if he already knew everything.
“Leave it to me. Open it──”
“──〝Lost Eden, the Paradise Lost〟──”
…Huh?
As the servants chanted in unison, they manipulated the space with something resembling a key. A pitch-black void spread open, only to be concealed by a “black vortex” as if covering it… but.
“We failed.”
“Giving up so quickly?!”
What’s going on here?! And isn’t “Lost Eden, the Paradise Lost” my personal subspace? Why does Noah and the others have the key to it?!
“Our plan was to invade from our side and seize the opponent’s personal subspace, but it seems our master’s power is more formidable than we anticipated, and it’s resisting.”
“Oww…”
Calm down, my inner Western. So, the old man’s ally turned out to be stronger than expected?
Currently, the “black vortex” is being eroded by “Lost Eden, the Paradise Lost,” sparking fiercely as it resists.
I’d like to say, “Can’t we do something about it?” but Noah, though quick at his job, fundamentally doesn’t care about anything but me, so he’s quick to give up.
“Then, should we maintain the current situation?”
“It should hold for a few hours.”
Noah opens the pocket watch I had given him, which had been embezzled by the person he’d entrusted it to, and states the facts plainly.
In that case, it’s unclear whether Rick or Noel can escape. What should we do?
“Then, why not just go in and destroy it?”
“Destroying it would be easier.”
“Let’s do it, let’s do it~”
Nia, Tina, and Fanny say this with devilish grins.
Well, I guess that’s the only option.
(…Haven’t these guys’ personalities deteriorated since they were in the demon world?)
(…Don’t say it.)
It’s not necessarily because of the vessels I prepared!
“Lucia!”
“Eurushia, what are you planning to do?”
As I was preparing to charge into the “black vortex” with my servants, two boys came running. They were…
“Noel, brother Ludrick, please guide everyone to safety. It’s dangerous here. If this continues, the entire area might be swallowed.”
“What are you planning to do?!”
Huh? Why are you mad at me?
“Are you planning to jump into danger alone again?”
“…………”
Oh, that’s it. Humans are complicated—things aren’t okay just because the results are good.
“This time, ‘him’ here will help too, so it’s fine, okay?”
I point to the black cat Rinne perched on my shoulder. Rinne looks at Rick and Noel with disinterest and snorts through his nose. …What’s with that? He’s being a bit immature toward humans.
Rick, though intimidated by Rinne’s overwhelming presence, glares back and directs his gaze at me.
“So, there is danger? Can we really trust that thing?”
“Lucia… If you’re in danger, I’ll… we’ll come with you.”
Noel says this, and Rick nods firmly.
“──Ugh!”
“What is this?!”
As they try to step toward us, they stop in their tracks, unable to move forward.
Ah, I see. This “black vortex” seems to be filled with “malice,” and while demons might manage, humans with little malice, like these two, have their souls instinctively refuse to move forward. Most demons, who fight like beasts by instinct, probably couldn’t handle it either.
“Something like this──”
“Don’t, Noel. If you attack it now, it’ll suck in the surroundings and cause even greater damage.”
Right now, it’s like a fish that’s accidentally bitten the hook while surfacing. If we recklessly disrupt the balance between the two subspaces, the entire space might escape, and we’d lose it.
I can’t help but think, “This is a pain,” and as I force a faint smile, Noel stops his sword.
“I’ll have to rely on you again…”
“Again, we’ll have to depend on her…”
“…………”
No, it’s not such a grand reason.
“It’s fine. It’ll take some time, but I’ll come back.”
If we keep talking, I might start rambling, so I give them an ambiguous smile, turn my back to the two who are radiating a sense of tragedy, and step into the “black vortex.”
Good, I’ve managed to deceive them.
But at that moment, I didn’t notice.
That there was someone in this battlefield with “malice” toward me.
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT gadgetizedpanda.net
To offer the souls of others in this place──
That was the “contract” he… Geass had chosen.
[──Very well. I accept it.──]
From the “Evil God,” he received “knowledge” and “secret arts” usable in this world, and as a mere infant, he used magic to kill for the first time.
[──Hahaha, that’s good. But it’s not enough. Offer more souls. Only then will your wish be granted.──]
And so, the man who had lived an ordinary life, now burdened with the many “sins” he would commit, abandoned his original name and called himself “Oath Geass” to fulfill his wish.
From then on, the infant Geass summoned low-level demons, using them to survive and grow.
After his contract with the “Evil God,” numbers began to appear in the corner of his vision.
The number was 【９９９】… and it decreased by one each day. Feeling an ominous premonition, the infant Geass could do nothing but watch as nearly three years passed.
With each passing day, the decreasing number filled him with indescribable anxiety.
Finally able to venture outside on his own, Geass saw the number had dropped to two digits and shouted at the sky.
“Answer me, ‘Evil God’! What is this number?!”
He had called out several times before. But the “Evil God,” perhaps capricious, had never responded. Yet, perhaps sensing Geass’ desperation, the “Evil God’s” voice echoed for the first time in nearly three years.
[──…It seems the souls haven’t been gathered yet. Why have you called me?──]
“Answer me, ‘Evil God’! What is this number? Why is it decreasing?!”
The “Evil God” laughed mockingly at Geass’ plea.
[──It’s simple. When that number reaches 【０００】, your wife will no longer be your wife.──]
“…What… are you saying?”
The “Evil God” showed Geass a vision of the “other world” directly in his mind.
In that vision was the figure of Geass’ childhood friend, now his wife. In the nearly three years since Geass had been reborn into this world, his childhood friend had grown into a woman, her fragile appearance only enhancing her beauty.
“…Oh…”
Tears streamed down the still-young Geass’ face.
She had been doing well. Even after Geass’ death, she hadn’t returned to her family, choosing instead to live alone in the small apartment they had shared.
How much had she grieved? How much had she struggled? Seeing his wife, now thinner than before, Geass felt a pang of sorrow and renewed his determination to return to her as soon as possible.
But…
“…What… is that guy doing?”
A man approached her, speaking to her. She smiled back, as if they were acquainted, and the man handed her a bouquet, as if confessing his love.
She looked confused… but even as she seemed troubled, a faint smile appeared at the corner of her lips, and Geass was shocked.
[──That number decreases by one each day. When it reaches 【０００】, that woman will overcome your death and walk toward new happiness… Kukuku, isn’t that a touching story?──]
“Don’t… mess with me!!”
The number in the corner of his vision was 【０５９】… meaning, in two months, Geass’ wife would belong to another man.
[──Why are you angry? Return to this world and celebrate her new happiness. After all, returning to that woman was your “wish,” wasn’t it?──]
“…That’s not… what I…”
Then why had he killed others to survive?…
All the sins he had committed were for the sake of returning to his childhood friend, his wife, and living as her husband again.
The number of souls the “Evil God” demanded in exchange for opening the gate to the other world was enormous. It was impossible to gather that many in just two months.
In his despair, the “Evil God” whispered in his ear.
[──Then, gather souls and pour them into that “number.” If you do, time will turn back.──]
In his despair, Geass had no choice but to cling to that glimmer of hope.
Using the power of souls to turn back time, he would surely reclaim his wife.
Even if that light… was a moth’s flame luring a pitiful insect…
That day, Geass, for the first time, attacked a human village of his own will, wiped it out, and with tears of blood, increased the number in the corner of his vision to 【０６３】.
And so began Geass’ days of suffering, and fifty years passed…
TLNOTE:
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