“Don’t let anyone in but me.”
“As you command, my lord.”
Thud thud.
Yerina, emerging from the interrogation room, bit her lip while tugging her hat down.
Even now, recalling what happened inside the interrogation room made her head spin.
‘That Great Demon… What on earth did it bring…?’
Investigation results revealed that the one who had approached the White Magic Tower and annihilated the Undead Legion was a third party, not the Great Demon.
So far, the only thing known about this individual was that they commanded the Great Demon.
Despite the long interrogation, the information gathered was pitifully small.
It wasn’t because the Great Demon was uncooperative.
In fact, the Great Demon was overly cooperative.
It wanted to live and spilled everything without even being asked.
It seemed trapped within a sword, unable to escape.
The problem was, no one, including Yerina, could hear it.
No, to be precise, they could hear it, but they couldn’t remember it.
Whenever the Great Demon provided detailed explanations about that unknown individual, all information would vanish completely.
She had employed every possible means to extract information.
She tried communicating through writing instead of speaking.
She attempted to relay messages through codes.
She even tried to dig up the truth by asking questions that only allowed yes or no answers, like playing twenty questions.
But the outcomes were all failures.
The last method had at least come closest to revealing the individual’s identity, yet the core information was still unattainable.
What species it belonged to, what its name was, what its purpose was…
Nothing about its essence could be known.
‘But if this is information, then it’s information.’
Yet those attempts didn’t render themselves meaningless.
She had obtained the most valuable information.
‘The information that it can’t be recognized,’ was all she had.
Why is it that the Great Demon can recognize others, whereas Yerina and others of the human race cannot?
Could it be that only demons can recognize them? But that wasn’t it either.
Up until now, the nameless one, who had thought to be brainwashed by the enemy, could clearly perceive it.
The Great Demon and the nameless one.
The commonality between them surely holds a clue to the individual’s identity.
‘Speaking of which… Rex too…’
There was something peculiar about Rex, the high warrior.
At a certain moment, he suddenly disappeared, only to return about a minute later, forgetting everything that had happened.
This was unprecedented.
If memories were lost, everyone present should have lost their memories as well.
The fact that only Rex lost them raises questions.
The answer was simple.
Rex must have laid eyes on something he shouldn’t have while he was elsewhere.
And one more thing.
The fact that Rex ‘alone’ lost his memory indicates that that world is independent of the current world.
In other words.
Rex had visited another dimension during the span of his memory loss.
‘No matter how I look at it…’
It was filled with limited information.
But evidence was piling up one by one.
Doubts were transforming into certainty.
Controlling the Great Demon.
Holding the Mana Stone of Yoo Jin, who vanished from the current world.
Possessing the ability to transition to another world.
An entity that erases records as the law of the world intervenes…
No matter how much I think about it, it converges into one.
Just as she was about to utter that name, Yerina’s lips trembled.
An unknown whirlwind of emotions engulfed her, sending chills down her spine.
“Draken…”
Who else could it be?
A being with such overwhelming power?
Aside from Draken, who encompasses a world within its being, there’s no other entity that could fit this bill.
Her chest tightened, and her vision blurred.
Had Draken successfully descended into the current world?
That existence which Yoo Jin had warned about and feared?
If that were the case, should the current world not have been completely shattered by now, with the divine protector gone?
If Draken were not letting it happen intentionally, it was safe to conclude that the main body had not descended yet.
It might just be a mere fragment, or even something unworthy of being called a fragment, that had succeeded in descending…
Although it wasn’t yet a calamity of catastrophic proportions, it was undoubtedly a serious threat.
Even if the four Great Demons rampaged, it would only pose a national-level threat.
Now, with even a single avatar of Draken causing the global alliance to tremble, the situation was dire.
‘That guy’s aim is probably the descent of the main body.’
We must prevent Draken’s main body from descending at all costs…!
With that resolve, Yerina’s fist clenched tightly.
However, how does one confront an entity that cannot even be recognized, and if momentarily recognized, wipes the memory clean?
The clue lay with Rex.
In the other dimension Rex transitioned to, recognizing the enemy was possible.
Upon returning to the current world, the laws likely applied, wiping all memories of that place.
If Rex were dragged there by Draken, he would logically have perished and returned.
But Rex returned alive and well.
That means it was more appropriate to view him as having invaded rather than just being dragged.
Then, how?
The most promising method seemed to be through martial arts secrets.
The moment Rex used the Merida-style martial arts secret, he vanished as if being sucked into someplace.
While the precise correlation couldn’t be known, it was certain that the martial arts secret was at least related to that transition.
Yerina looked down at her hands, filled with injuries, and clicked her tongue softly.
“Tsk.”
Martial arts secrets.
A resonance filled with love-hate.
Yerina felt her calm mind stir and felt uneasy, shaking her head to erase the unnecessary thoughts.
‘Ugh. So Rex invaded to the extent where he could recognize the opponent, struggled but was chased away without eliminating the target… Is that it?’
This seemed to hit closest to the mark.
Of course, this was just a hypothesis for now…
But among the hypotheses so far, it was the most persuasive and explained every phenomenon perfectly.
‘It can’t be that the dead Yoo Jin returned and is running amok either.’
Who on earth came up with such nonsense?
Ah. Jill.
Surely Yoo Jin must have been trapped somewhere and, while escaping, sacrificed his own existence to become a body that could not be recognized by anyone and is now struggling to regain that existence…
Imagining Jill excitedly explaining that absurd hypothesis brought a smirk to Yerina’s face.
Unable to tell her to stop with the delusions, she merely nodded along, affirming, “Hmm, that could be possible.”
As hope began to sprout, it felt like Jill was deteriorating even faster.
‘While Jill spews nonsense, Yulia seems to be drowning in alcohol.’
A deep sigh escaped her.
Among the highest ranks of the alliance, Yerina was the only one in a relatively sane state.
Though that was only ‘relatively sane,’ as she was clearly in a precarious situation.
Had it not been for the mental manual that Alicia saved her with, she would have likely lost her grip on sanity long ago.
‘Now that I think about it, that mental manual must have been given by Yoo Jin…’
The mysterious curse caster who had moved alongside Alicia must have been Yoo Jin.
Flap.
Yerina’s well-worn mental manual, exhausted from countless readings over three years, opened up.
While not completely cured yet, it had healed her frenzy.
Yet this was something Yoo Jin had given her…
Despite being so injured, he did this just to be with her…
Ah. Today is especially exhausting.
She had been muttering that the living must keep living and had somehow held on, but now more than ever, she simply wanted to collapse and cry without a care in the world.
As Yerina trembled, her eyes suddenly widened.
“Ah! The pursuit team!!!”
Suddenly remembering the trio that had departed to chase an unidentified enemy.
Gui Ho, Transylvania, and Alicia.
If the identity of the enemy, as Yerina suspected, was Draken or its avatar…
“Alicia is in danger!”
All three were in peril.
…
“Then go ahead and take your own life, Linda.”
[Are you serious, Master?]
“If you’re confirming the order, there’s no need. Take your own life. Destroy all data physically without leaving any trace.”
[… ]
Linda, shut her mouth tight and stared at me without a word.
But that doesn’t mean this place was engulfed in silence.
Dududududu…
An unknown vibration enveloped us.
[It seems there is a bit of an earthquake happening.]
A nonchalant voice.
With triple-layered barriers confusing our senses, I could still read everything happening outside this room.
It seems to particularly obstruct tactile senses since we’re dealing with a Great Mage.
But I’m understanding the situation outside through the vibrations.
‘We’re surrounded.’
As I grasped this, the mansion was ensnared with countless steel bars and spikes.
Before long, the mansion was surrounded like a cactus.
If it continues, spikes would soon burst through the walls.
[I’m sorry, Master. I want to execute your order immediately but I can’t. I’ve made a contract with the alliance. Managing the archive is my duty, and if I self-destruct, the contract will fall apart.]
“It doesn’t matter. I own you. No matter the penalty or responsibility, I’ll bear it all. Don’t worry, just self-destruct.”
[Master… This might be a bit disrespectful, but I get told I lack understanding often, right? I’m saying right now that I don’t want to die.]
Linda wore a pitying expression, filled with apparent discontent.
This was not mere imitation of feelings.
These were genuine emotions.
But this… I can’t believe it’s truly Linda’s.
The emotions in Linda’s circuits aren’t hers at all.
Every line spoken like a dry monologue, becomes laden with feelings that Linda couldn’t possibly experience.
Not just a simple urge to survive, but also anger, regret, longing, and…
Loneliness?
Is this truly Linda?
I can’t trust it.
“It’s too bothersome to even deceive me, huh? I’ll ask you just once. What is your true identity?”
[… ]
“Understood.”
Refusal of an answer.
Then, all that remains is open conflict.
With a flick of my will, I drew forth my formless sword, and the nameless one’s eyes widened in astonishment.
It seems the blocking of senses and Linda’s earnest acting left it completely confused about the situation.
“Wh-what are you doing right now?”
“Get your head straight. This isn’t Linda. It’s something wearing Linda’s shell. Spikes are targeting your neck, glabella, heart, lower abdomen, and thighs from all directions, so be cautious.”
“Ugh?!”
[How about we part ways peacefully without fighting? I don’t have my core circuit here anyway. There’s no possible way for you to achieve your goals by fighting. You’ll likely end up injured or losing a companion… Are you really going to start this meaningless and damaging fight?]
“…”
With a bright smile, Linda cast a fresh threat.
My expression momentarily scrunched up, but I quickly realized that it was mere bluster.
Does she think a fight would be meaningless and damaging to me?
Then why is she suggesting peace to me?
If she wants to avoid fighting, it’s because she fears suffering greater losses.
Moreover, and most importantly, she misunderstands my purpose.
If it were Linda, she’d have figured it out long ago.
“I think there’s a misunderstanding. I’m not taking risks just to break you.”
[Then…?]
“I’m taking risks to protect my people.”
“Sir! The magic circle is prepared!”
“…. We’re ready too.”
In that moment, the nameless one and Mi Jeong shouted out, and I further sharpened the sword aura gathering in my hand.
Yet, no matter how much I reinforce it, a formless will cannot become as solid as a real sword.
Was I foolish?
Was leaving the magic sword a mistake?
No. No.
With the magic sword, I couldn’t do this.
“Dakia-style. And Merida-style secrets…”
Boom boom boom!
As spikes shot through the walls and windows, my will scattered the sword aura in all directions.
This was the combined prowess of two styles.
“Tian Luo Blood Armor!”
The thick scattering of sword aura spread out as if similar to Iron Blood Storm Slash, but the form it took was not a net with nowhere to escape, but rather a shield.
It’s the armor that has resolved to crush and spill blood on everything in the path.
[Ah… In the end, this-]
The moment it made contact with the armor, the clockwork machine was shattered to pieces.
Spikes and steel bars that had been reaching towards the nameless one and Mi Jeong crumpled and bounced off upon touching the blood armor.
BANG BANG BANG!
After the armor that pulverizes all it touches passed through, my mansion was now in a state where it was unrecognizable.
The archive that resembled the World Tree had its pillars collapse, unable to withstand the weight, leading to a catastrophic collapse.
“You still don’t know me well enough. No matter what percentage chance I have of dying…”
From the start, my decision had been made.
There was no chance of reversal.
I was just curious about what proposal Linda would offer.
“I never planned on letting my women be put in danger.”
The fact that the alliance entrusted the archives with records meant that the information on heroines was also compiled here.
Before they became endangered, destroying this place was already a confirmed plan.
If that being would have shown some wisdom, it could have at least staged an act of self-destruction.
What a lack of effort. Such a lack of effort.
