Chapter 94
I never intended to kill him from the start.
I had no plans to steal the child of the Divine Beast, nor did I intend to ally with the Goddess Church.
My longtime companion, Aintern.
He was a pure-hearted Hero who always wore a bright smile.
When I heard that he had fallen in love with Frikkanrisk, I was surprised, but it was more out of curiosity.
Yes, at first, it was definitely a pure emotion.
I wanted to meet the being at the peak of love for Familiars and Monsters face-to-face.
So, despite his reluctance, I forced my way in and finally succeeded in stepping into the home of him and the Divine Beast.
The moment I saw her for the first time.
I was overwhelmed.
I never knew there could be a Monster so close to perfection in this world.
Aintern’s exuberance was no exaggeration.
She coldly glared at me, trying to push me away, but even that felt enchanting.
When I returned alone to Dortmund, I recalled her.
Captivated by the sensation of joy, a feeling I had only experienced once before, I spent a day, a week, and several weeks thinking only of her.
This feeling was similar to when I first saw Archbishop Glashalabolas.
A being at par with all kinds of monsters combined.
Winter Bearer of the Twelve Divine Beasts, Frikkanrisk.
‘What if I could put her into a Chimera’s body? Wouldn’t that make her even closer to perfection?’
I had such thoughts, but I decided against it.
No matter how greedy I felt, I couldn’t kill the wife of my companion to use as material.
As my impure thoughts about Frikkanrisk grew stronger, I dove deeper into Chimera research, slowly beginning to forget.
However, five years later.
– Take care, Craine. Thank you for everything during this time.
Aintern, who had declared his retirement, came to return his weapon to the Church after completing his term.
For the past few years, he had taken on the duty of guarding the village near their residence, and that term was now coming to an end.
When I held his outstretched hand, intense emotions began to sway within me.
The embers that I thought had gone out reignited with that fragile breeze and began to blaze.
While there was a twinge of regret that I might never see him again, that was a very small part.
What filled most of my space, overflowing, was.
‘Will I never see the Divine Beast again…?’
It drove me almost to madness.
Just imagining it brought a pain that felt like my body was burning away.
That’s why I clung to him as I said those words.
It had already begun then.
It was from that moment.
No, actually, it was long before that.
I decided to proceed with the twisted thoughts I had been imagining.
⎯Aintern, let’s have a drink for the last time.
That was the first and last proposal I made to him.
Aintern showed a flustered reaction, but his good nature won out, and he eventually agreed.
The fact that it was the last time and the harsh banquet order he had once given helped to lure him in.
Throughout the drinking, he seemed happy.
He didn’t boast, but anyone could easily see how relaxed his expression was as he chuckled away.
Watching him, a surge of unexpected anger began to rise within me.
He is happy.
Having a Divine Beast as a wife and cradling her child.
How possessive and ungenerous can one be?
Thinking back, it began to look like he wasn’t good-natured but quite the opposite. He was the epitome of greed.
Such a greedy person deserves punishment.
In the moment he briefly stepped away, I poured poison into his cup.
It was a potent paralytic poison that would take effect after several hours.
Seeing him drink it down happily brought me a sense of relief.
…Haha.
To tell the truth, this wasn’t an impromptu plan.
I had contacted the Goddess Church separately and introduced Ami long ago. The deal had been made previously as well.
From the moment I saw Frikkanrisk, the plan had already been in motion.
I didn’t care if it was lowly or vulgar.
I was sincere about the monster.
I wouldn’t touch the mother.
It would be a bit too shameful to say it was out of conscience; I had my sights on an easier target.
‘Doesn’t she have a child?’
As days passed with Aintern not returning, Ami was allowed to start destroying nearby villages, which made Frikkanrisk uneasy.
I provided Ami with information about six villages and various details about Dortmund in exchange for this negotiation. Even if the massacre continued, there were suitable targets, so it was fine.
After all, all witnesses would turn into Altife, and when the investigation took place later, I could distort the information.
I had the experience and ability for such things here in Dortmund.
As the village Aintern had been protecting began to burn, Frikkanrisk emerged. To her, Ami tossed a head.
Naturally, it was Aintern’s head.
Witnessing her husband’s death, she screamed, and an avalanche rocked the snowy mountains, with fierce winds whisking about.
It was also a signal.
I headed toward her and Aintern’s residence.
The cabin was just as it had been five years ago.
I had no worries that they might have moved. Aintern was supposed to protect the village, so it wouldn’t have been easy to relocate.
…Well, I had been spending time snooping around the village anyway.
As I opened the door, there was a boy who looked about ten years old.
He had grown rapidly in just five years.
Being a Divine Beast, one couldn’t think of him coming of age at a normal human pace.
I took him with me.
I used somewhat rough methods, but he was going to be a material anyway. A few scrapes were no issue at all.
At the time, I was quite excited with various thoughts on what to do next.
I guess I returned with a fluttering heart.
I thought to myself.
…Is this okay?
I’m sure Aintern, who returned to the snowy mountains to be assassinated by Ami, wouldn’t have any complaints either.
If he were to express discontent after flashing such a happy expression, then that would be truly lowly.
If you’re going to complain after putting on such a happy face, you really must be a low-class person.
Yeah, no doubt about it.
……
But then, a problem arose.
The child of Frikkanrisk didn’t possess the power of the Twelve Divine Beasts.
At first, I thought she might be hiding her power, but nope.
I knew that the power of the Divine Beasts is passed down through inheritance, but I never expected it to be transmitted ‘not at all’ like this.
At this rate, she’s just some above-average monster.
After all that trouble, and it amounts to this…!
There are three ways to solve this.
Kill her, the current Frikkanrisk.
Cut off her horn that contains her power.
Or make her undergo “inheritance.”
The problem is, if Frikkanrisk feels her life is in danger and activates the inheritance, that power will multiply several times for five days…
To resolve this, I proposed a second deal to Ami.
Looks like I’m getting my hands dirty again.
This time, I even had to implant a Divine Bug into her body.
Ah.
Why does God keep trying to corrupt those who are purely passionate about scholarship!
Is this the trial and test?
This is so tough.
*
On the night Frikkanrisk flew through Dortmund in the form of a dragon.
Three days had passed since then.
Craine couldn’t adapt to the urgent situation, fidgeting in his designated space in the church’s basement.
It was flowing completely differently from his original plan.
Contact with Ami had been cut off.
That massive mana energy he saw that night, the one that fled during the fight, seems to belong to Ami.
Most likely, the other character was Helion.
“That damn idiot! That useless monster!”
⎯Kick! Thud!
Craine kicks or stomps on the boy who is curled up on the floor.
⎯Crack.
The boy sports two horns that look like they’d be cold to the touch.
His body is covered in wounds and bruises, and his vacant eyes contain nothing, like a creature that feels no pain.
He’s curled up quietly, seemingly having lost the will to resist.
“Damn you, Altife!”
After venting some frustration, Craine wiped blood splatters off his shoes.
He tried to observe the situation a bit longer but couldn’t hold back any longer.
He planned to go outside now.
Having finished preparations, he locked the door to the basement, which felt like a prison. The lifeless boy, the son of Frikkanrisk, remained still.
Though he was alive, he looked hardly different from being dead.
Without bothering to spare a glance, he moved on.
Exiting the church, he quickened his pace.
His steps were almost equivalent to a run.
Ignoring the changes around him, he resumed his interrupted thoughts.
Ami.
After treating me like garbage, she ended up defeated by Helion and fled with her tail between her legs.
Knowing her personality, she probably won’t just back down, but she’s likely forgotten everything related to Frikkanrisk.
No matter how much she acts human, she’s still just an Altife.
‘No. Forget about that guy. There’s something else that needs attention.’
“Break the non-aggression pact with Frikkanrisk, who mercilessly slaughtered people! Break it!”
“Subjugate Frikkanrisk and soothe the souls of those who have departed! Soothe them!”
People flock to the square like clouds, protesting. What they are shouting for is the common goal of breaking the pact with Frikkanrisk and subjugating her.
Breaking the contract forged with Frikkanrisk and hunting her down.
That night, when Frikkanrisk awakened the city from its slumber.
All the citizens saw the dragon soaring over the city as it returned to the snowy mountains, and of course, it became the talk of the town.
The identity of the dragon was Frikkanrisk.
Recently infamous for massacring people and destroying villages, she was a Divine Beast.
Though it was surprising that she had been hiding in Dortmund, what truly angered them wasn’t that fact.
A man who had spoken before everyone came to mind.
⎯ Frikkanrisk and that Schugenharz Troa Vargan have made a ‘Contract’. This signifies a non-aggression pact, meaning she will no longer continue her killings.
A genius of Familiar Magic who had his eyes on her since the day he entered Academia as a mentor and failed.
Schugenharz Troa Vargan.
He was the one who drove Frikkanrisk out of this city, coming here as Helion’s mentee.
On the first day, Vargan had proclaimed to the enraged citizens.
He chose to negotiate instead of hunting down Frikkanrisk.
…It’s insane. Who does he think he is?
Who said he could go around making decisions like that!
She must die.
Only then can her offspring inherit her power—what’s with this negotiation nonsense!
There are countless absurdities.
Vargan claims he made a ‘Contract’ with her.
Frikkanrisk left her child behind and retreated peacefully.
And there’s the Church that showed no reaction at all.
The Church has the power to influence matters, so they immediately went to confront, but the petition to hunt her down was rejected. It seemed they hadn’t even bothered to read it.
If he, who has a foothold in Dortmund, is treated this way, it’s certainly the influence of Helion at play.
…That bastard. Not a single thing about him I like.
So, Craine was currently on his way to meet Vargan.
To face him directly and uncover the truth hidden beneath the surface of his polished lies.
If he suspected Vargan wouldn’t open up willingly, he was fully prepared to use his Familiar.
Vargan’s claims were undoubtedly all false.
Frikkanrisk would never have just backed down, and to say he made a ‘Contract’ that he didn’t even make with Aintern is absurd!
After all, that punk has nothing to do with him anymore.
If they were mentors and mentees, he might have been a bit kinder, but he didn’t hesitate to kick him to the curb.
Even if he was with Helion’s team, it didn’t matter.
If he said he was here to check the facts for the Church, who could stop him?
Craine acted with what he deemed reasonable logic.
The one being criticized in this city isn’t Craine, the instigator of the incident; it’s Vargan.
Whatever intentions and ideals he holds are unknown.
But all the arrows of blame are pointed at him; at least justice and public sentiment don’t favor him.
Bang bang⎯!
Arriving at the lodging where Vargan was staying.
Craine knocked fiercely on the door, barely hiding his fury.
“It’s been a while.”
The sly face of that guy appeared.
Is it really okay for someone whose reputation is being dragged through the mud in a big city to look so calm and composed? That thought crossed his mind.
“Yeah. It has been a while, Vargan.”
That cocky little brat.
I will delve into your lies and turn them into the foundation of my research.
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