Flamm pulled her hand forcefully. Despite Milkit’s pained expression, Flamm persisted, apologizing to her and saying “please bear with it” as she lowered her face. After all, being able to confirm her presence next to her was the greatest joy she could have at the moment.
Passing through the crowd, the girls chased after the Satyllus lookalike despite bumping onto other pedestrians and acquiring their resentful gazes.
However, no matter how hard she tried, the woman’s figure could not be found.
“…was it just me…?”
“What happened, Master?” Milkit asked, seeking for the reason behind her master’s forcefulness.
If, only if, that was truly an accidental resemblance, it would only make Milkit anxious. As a matter of fact, she already is, so Flamm judged that it would be best to clear the air from the start.
“I saw someone who looked just like Satyllus, but…”
“N-no…b-but you…yesterday, she was…!”
“Yeah. She should have died.”
Thoroughly and carefully did Flamm ripped the woman apart, limb by limb, organs by organs…piece by piece.
So why? Why is there someone who’s a spitting image of hers walking as if nothing had happened?
“I only saw her for an instant, so there’s a high chance that I saw wrong, but…do you mind if I go to the East District?”
“…At this point, we wouldn’t be able to enjoy a meal in peace, so I think it is for the best.”
The taste of a dish can greatly differ based on the mental status of the one eating them, and since they are planning to enjoy a high-quality meal, it would literally and figuratively leave a bad taste in their mouths to let the seed of concern linger about.
Thus, parting from the hustle and bustle of the Central District, the two head for Satyllus’ abode once more.
In conclusion, the total amount of additional information they gained were zero.
The two gazed at the private guards standing restlessly in front of the mansion’s gate.
Flamm boldly approached the guards and asked, “what happened?”. Obviously, questioning if they have any obligation to answer the question of a slave, the guards initially responded with a confused expression. However, perhaps because the person is inherently nice or he had a great upbringing, he responded:
“I’ll tell you since just about everyone already knew this, but Satyllus-sama had gone missing.”
“Huh!? Satyllus-sama went missing!?” Flamm exclaimed in an overly exaggerated manner.
With that exchange, there was no purpose in talking to the man anymore. Thus, after quickly brushing through common courtesy, the girl left the area, towards a place where the guards’ eyes wouldn’t reach them.
“Was it really just me…?
If Satyllus is still alive, it would serve her no purpose to make her guards spread such news. Knowing that the guards that were constantly stationed around her house acted that way, it should hint that her corpse was still hidden in that secret room known only to the two and the dead.
“Perhaps you might be too exhausted after the recent events, Master.”
“Maybe” she said, though there wasn’t an ounce of conviction in her words.
If it truly was exhaustion that disrupted the girl’s thoughts to that extent, perhaps it is time for her to enjoy her rare day off.
“Sorry to make you go through with my madness. Let’s go to the restaurant this time.”
“Of course!”
For now, there should be nothing ruining their meal to come, so in high spirits, the two made their way to a fancy restaurant facing the hustle and bustle of the Central District.
The greater the price, the more delectable the food should taste. Despite that, there were other problems the two face upon arriving at the restaurant, such as the waiter not willing to show the two to a proper seat deeper in the establishment or another customer tripping their feet with his purely because the two were slaves. That said, after Flamm showed the waiter her wallet, the man quickly changed his attitude for the better, and Flamm was quick to react by stomping on the rude customer’s foot in response anyways, so all in all, it was but trivial problems.
The first thing Milkit does upon carrying the unfamiliar dish into her mouth was to closely examine the taste and the flavors, all the while trying to guess what ingredients and seasonings they use to achieve such feat. Gazing at her passionate companion with a smile on her face, Flamm too began eating something she never tried before.
Being lunch time, there were plenty of other customers that were dressed casually as they were as the establishment provides a more affordable pricing for lunch menus compared to dinner. There were several other customers who, with only their getup, announced boldly and proudly that they are residents of the East District, but at that moment, they were in the minority.
Enjoying their meal, the two forgot all about the sighting of Satyllus’ lookalike that happened earlier.
After lunch, the two exited the store and went around looking at different stores as the sun continues to go down. Flamm asked Milkit which design she liked when it comes to accessories when they visited the street vendors, and while looking for cursed equipment to no avail, they ended up buying a kitchen knife for some reason.
The two browsed another clothing store, different from the one they visited in the morning. Flamm bought herself a whilte hotpants, of course after having Milkit try it on which resulted in completely expected embarrassment from her. Flamm was 16, and Milkit was only 14; girls in their heyday of youth, one might say. Therefore, the outdoors activity they went through allows them to forget about the labors in their lives and act appropriately for their age despite their clothing being otherwise.
Having their fill of fun, the two ended the day by purchasing ingredients for dinner before they take their jolly steps home.
As they did, Eterna welcomed them back while simultaneously poking fun at them, asking “how was your date?”. It even affected Ink, who, as she heard Flamm’s footsteps through the door as she climbed to the second floor, asked the same question Eterna did. “Was it fun?” she added. The two had said so much at her, but as a matter of fact, she was having fun, so Flamm let them slide without even a single comeback, and instead, “yeah, I had a blast” she said, without an ounce of irritation in her tone. In response, both Eterna and Ink shared her joy and frankly said “that’s great”.
Flamm then returned to her room and practices refining her Prana and control her mana when she heard the noises from the first floor where Milkit was beginning to cook dinner. She then decided to put her training on hold to go back down to the first floor to help Milkit with her chores.
Lured by the mouthwatering aroma from the cooking as it slowly comes to a finish, Eterna showed up at the dining room. Believing that those who don’t work cannot eat, Eterna was forced to carry the dishes to the dining table before the three begun enjoying their dinner.
After dinner comes the free time. Flamm spent her free time enjoying the sight of Milkit earnestly working on her accessory-making, at times giving her a loving hug from behind before the two moved to the bed to read a book.
Then, it was time for them to take a bath. Fundamentally, the turn to soak themselves in the bathtub goes from Eterna, Flamm and then Milkit. At the moment, Eterna would wipe Ink’s body in her own room, but in due time, surely the two would be able to enter the bath together.
After bath, all that’s left is to tuck themselves in bed. Flamm and Milkit climbed into the same bed, clinging onto each other and enjoying each other’s warmth despite their mutual embarrassment. Before long, their consciousness slips and they entered their slumber, bidding their farewells to their bittersweet reality and into a soothing, happy dream as the night uneventfully passes…for perhaps…the last time.
The next day, Flamm heads out for the guild the first thing in the morning, taking another job to hunt a D-rank monster outside the capital from Iira who still dons her usual detestable attitude. Flamm’s strength should allow her to fight an A-rank monster with ease, though the problem with the capital is that the monster rank around it only went up to B, so for her to advance further to a higher rank, she’d either have to proactively seek for a grand campaign or do whatever detestable violence Dain had undertaken in the past.
However, Flamm’s current goal is not to increase her rank in the guild. With her current job, she should be able to earn enough income to sustain her and her housemate’s lifestyle. Additionally, the girl is not particularly interested in honor nor prestige for she is already satisfied with where she stands.
Her current job aside, Flamm also undertook a request from Eterna to collect medicinal herbs as well as hunting other monsters that had nothing to do with either job.
When she finished her expedition, Flamm returned to the guild by evening, submitting the requested material to Iira who shrugged it off saying “you’re doing so well it’s boring”, before engaging in a two-sided quarrel as she hands off the reward.
“By the way, is Gadio in?”
“The guild master? He went out early today, sayin’ he went to the store he told you about.”
“The store?”
She—did recall that.
Flamm had the chance to meet Gadio recently, with the latter asking “so what do little girls like to eat these days?”, quite an uncharacteristic question, if you ask Flamm, but then she remembered about Hallom. Her response should have been about a confectionery store she’d thoroughly recommended, one that visited with Cyrill once upon a time.
Remembering her smile from that day never fails to bring her heart pain, but at the very least, the memory of that day was as sweet as the cake they had.
She wanted to believe that it was the best recommendation she could give.
“But…that store, huh.”
Taste aside, that place was truly a fancy one, something that is a complete opposite of Gadio’s getup and build.
Though she can also easily imagine a father figure beaming with smile as he buys his daughter a cake.
“Oh by the way, there’s someone waiting for you in the office.”
“Huh? They’re waiting for this long…? Oh, it’s Reach-san.”
“It was the Master and now the CEO of Mancathy firm…your personal connections‘re starting to scare me. How ‘bout you introduce me sometimes.”
“If you’d start working properly, I’ll think about it.”
“You sure love to talk mad shit, huh. ‘Sides, I do plan on living properly.”
Leaving the abusive Iira alone, Flamm went to the office to meet Reach, supporting both elbows on the table as if thinking deeply about something.
Flamm quipped a greeting, shocking the man as he appeared to have not noticed the girl’s arrival to the guild.
“Aah, Flamm-san…so you’ve come.”
“Looks like I made you wait while you’re busy.”
“Don’t worry, it was my decision to wait. There’s…there’s something I have got to confirm with you.”
Seeing Reach acting off, Flamm lowered herself to sit down across him with her guard up.
After several times stammering and hesitating, he confirmed that no one’s eavesdropping and whispered.
“Did you…did you really kill Satyllus?”
Flamm’s breath got stuck in her throat.
Why would he, who seemed eternally busy, spare some time to wait for her? And why was he trying to confirm the news of Satyllus’ death?
It has to be a coincidence. She must have seen wrong, and she must know more to ensure the answer is solid.
“…Is she not dead?”
“Yes…she was reported as missing, but it appears that last night she returned to her mansion. I just talked to her this morning.”
“No way…!”
Flamm held her head. She had exhaustively spent her efforts making sure she is thoroughly and inescapably dead. There’s no way someone can be immortal like that. She even took the extra effort to ensure that her heart had stopped beating.
Was she just a body double? No, if she was, then she shouldn’t be able to enter and exit that room. Then, perhaps, was the Satyllus Reach was talking to the body double?
“How was she when she talked to you, Reach-san?”
“There’s something out of place for sure. The first time she saw me she looked like she doesn’t know me. No matter how under the weather she was, she shouldn’t have acted like that, but…after that, she immediately remembers, and the conversation that happened after that feels just like the usual Satyllus.”
“Really…then she’s the real Satyllus then…”
“Judging by your reactions, the one you dispatched was the real one as well.”
“Without a doubt, and I thoroughly dispatched her. There’s no way she should’ve come back alive after that.”
Then, if what Reach said is true, then the Satyllus he encountered this morning could well be the real person as well. To begin with, there’s no body double that should look exactly the same as the original, and even if there’s a way to do so, there should be no conceivable way to deceive Reach’s eyes.
“A dead person…reviving…”
There’s but one explanation, or rather, organization that can do that, and as one might have guessed, it is the church. They did research on resurrecting dead people to do their bidding with the implantation of a core…or so she heard.
Forget about doing the church’s bidding for once and consider how Satyllus looks indistinguishable from when she was alive after her resurrection. That was what the girl thought most terrifying about the whole ordeal.
“…You look like you’ve got an answer for it all.”
“That’s…”
But Flamm hesitated. Reach has yet to delve far into the rabbit hole that is the church’s human experimentation program. He’s still within range of turning back and live his somewhat peaceful life. Hence, Flamm couldn’t say it. It wasn’t something she should disclose.
“Within the church, the pope is followed by what they called the Five Cardinals…or rather, they are the five heads of the organization. One of them is called Slovanak Saty, the person Satyllus made the contract with.”
“H-huh.”
“Slovanak is the person the church entrusted in dealing with illegal goods such as drugs. Then we have Satuuki, the one who rallied the Church Knights; Tarch who is in charge of the priests and the nuns, and Toizzo, pope Fedro’s right-hand man. Finally, we have Formo, the one in charge of the “core” of the church, the research department.”
Reach was not merely showing off his knowledge.
“Formo was constantly out on a business trip, hence we concluded that he has multiple established research facilities outside the capital. We have yet to grasp what the research is about, but we have established monitoring of them. We have hypothesized that he is carrying out inhumane researches, but although we are convinced he is, we have no evidence.”
“Are you telling me that you’ve known far too much for me to not share with you what I know?”
“I am glad you are quick on the uptake.”
Flamm sighed “…are you sure? The church is killing people as if it’s nobody’s business. If I open my mouth, you might be putting Welcy-san on the chopping block.”
“It is exactly because of it that I need to know. If we have special interest, I wouldn’t even think of putting my foot into this.”
The less people are involved the better, but the church doesn’t have the word mercy in their vocabulary, and as days goes by, more innocent people will be swallowed dead by their research. Thus, if people like Reach were to begin digging for information, they will be targeted in the matter of when instead of if.
Then, perhaps it would be better to have him cooperate sooner than later.
“The reason Satyllus was resurrected…was perhaps the act of a research department they call Necromancy.”
“So it’s a team of research in bringing back the dead? Are they capable of doing that?”
It was natural for Reach to doubt her words. It was a hard pill to swallow, even for Flamm who had faced the results head-on. However, thinking back to when she manipulated Ink’s life when she replaced her heart, technically, even Flamm was able to.
That was her conclusion. However, the resurrected being should end up being something different from when they were alive.
Flamm continued and explained to Reach about the Origin Core that the church uses; the core that will be embedded into monsters and humans alike, turning it into an abomination with mystifying powers. She also detailed that the transformed, mangled corpses that had their limbs multiplied were also the victim of the same core. Finally, she told him about the power called “Origin”, how it had conscience, and how it is aiming for her life—
“This…this had gone far beyond my expectation” Reach said at the end of Flamm’s exposition, bringing his hands to cover his face, perhaps an attempt to collect his thoughts. The girl opposite of him chose to wait for him to do so quietly.
“…the church should have been trying to cover up their research, but…why are they allowing Satyllus to walk under the sun?”
“Either they’re desperate or that her walking under the sun is also part of their experiment.”
“Then they wouldn’t have picked someone high profile like Satyllus. Maybe they’re doing it to shake and lure the person who killed her…maybe they’re trying to intimidate you, Flamm-san.”
That sly method of intimidation proves to be terrifyingly effective. However, since the previous day when Flamm visited Satyllus’ mansion, there hasn’t been any noticeable actions made by the church. If it is to be a trap, the opportunity had slipped them by.”
“For the life of me I cannot read what the church is planning.”
“Yes. Perhaps what I can say for sure, is that we should not recklessly approach Satyllus.”
Even after this exchange of information, they still have no idea what the resurrected woman is planning.
Thus, Reach excused himself to proceed with his business and left them adjourning the meeting.
He just went and did something uncharacteristic.
He reminisced the time when he would line up in front of a store to buy something Thea had loved. That was the last time he felt the embarrassment of buying a present for someone.
“I hope Celena and Hallom would be happy with it…”
Gadio made his way home with a box of cake in his hand.
He, too, had realized that he cannot keep on shouldering the memory of Thea and Souma’s death. The two had wished for Gadio for happiness in their stead, but the greater obstacle was Gadio’s own conviction.
He still believed that he was but a coward—a coward that had left behind and abandoned his loved one and his best friend. As long as that self-condemnation remains in his heart, he will have difficulties moving on forward.
However, he wanted to at least answer to Celena and Hallom’s expectations. That weight is now nestled in that cake sitting in the box.
The man stood in front of the gate, uncharacteristically heaving a sigh as he did. Passing through the gate, he went for the entrance, and just as he was about to open the door, it opened from the inside only to see the pale face of Celena, trying to catch her breath.
“G-Gadio-san, you’re finally back!!”
“Yeah. I thought of buying Hallom a cake.”
“T-thank you…but this isn’t the time…!”
It was uncommon for Celena to be in such a panic. Perhaps something had happened to the little girl.
Celena tugged on his arm, aiming to bring him somewhere, but with a slight noise escaping her mouth, the woman stopped dead in his tracks.
Gadio followed the woman’s gaze, but then it was his turn to stand shock-still.
“Welcome back…oh wait, it should be the other way around, right?” Standing in comparison to Gadio’s memory, the woman said with a cheery voice; “I’m back, Ga-kun.”
Her radiant smile overlaps with the one in his memories.
The woman who lost her life after he left her behind…the woman he would trade the world for. Her face…didn’t just overlap with his memories.
They were the exact same one.
“T…Thea?”
There’s no way he would mistake that face. After all, there was no way he would forget her face.
But…that was why he was perplexed.
Why…? It’s not possible…
“Of course! It’s me, as you live and breathe! It’s your partner slash wife, Thea Luscat!”
There’s no way…
Forget overjoyed, Gadio’s mind short-circuited.
He saw her die with his very eyes, but Thea…as she lived and breathed, was standing there. That abnormal sight was too difficult for him to accept. Even his body, tempered in decades of adventuring was sending him warnings, telling him to not take even a step forward, but at the same time, the great deal of joy was clashing in his mind, freezing time completely.
The cake in his hand falls, and before he knows it, he was holding Thea in his arms, tightly as if to make up for lost time.
Flamm pulled her hand forcefully. Despite Milkit’s pained expression, Flamm persisted, apologizing to her and saying “please bear with it” as she lowered her face. After all, being able to confirm her presence next to her was the greatest joy she could have at the moment.
Passing through the crowd, the girls chased after the Satyllus lookalike despite bumping onto other pedestrians and acquiring their resentful gazes.
However, no matter how hard she tried, the woman’s figure could not be found.
“…was it just me…?”
“What happened, Master?” Milkit asked, seeking for the reason behind her master’s forcefulness.
If, only if, that was truly an accidental resemblance, it would only make Milkit anxious. As a matter of fact, she already is, so Flamm judged that it would be best to clear the air from the start.
“I saw someone who looked just like Satyllus, but…”
“N-no…b-but you…yesterday, she was…!”
“Yeah. She should have died.”
Thoroughly and carefully did Flamm ripped the woman apart, limb by limb, organs by organs…piece by piece.
So why? Why is there someone who’s a spitting image of hers walking as if nothing had happened?
“I only saw her for an instant, so there’s a high chance that I saw wrong, but…do you mind if I go to the East District?”
“…At this point, we wouldn’t be able to enjoy a meal in peace, so I think it is for the best.”
The taste of a dish can greatly differ based on the mental status of the one eating them, and since they are planning to enjoy a high-quality meal, it would literally and figuratively leave a bad taste in their mouths to let the seed of concern linger about.
Thus, parting from the hustle and bustle of the Central District, the two head for Satyllus’ abode once more.
In conclusion, the total amount of additional information they gained were zero.
The two gazed at the private guards standing restlessly in front of the mansion’s gate.
Flamm boldly approached the guards and asked, “what happened?”. Obviously, questioning if they have any obligation to answer the question of a slave, the guards initially responded with a confused expression. However, perhaps because the person is inherently nice or he had a great upbringing, he responded:
“I’ll tell you since just about everyone already knew this, but Satyllus-sama had gone missing.”
“Huh!? Satyllus-sama went missing!?” Flamm exclaimed in an overly exaggerated manner.
With that exchange, there was no purpose in talking to the man anymore. Thus, after quickly brushing through common courtesy, the girl left the area, towards a place where the guards’ eyes wouldn’t reach them.
“Was it really just me…?
If Satyllus is still alive, it would serve her no purpose to make her guards spread such news. Knowing that the guards that were constantly stationed around her house acted that way, it should hint that her corpse was still hidden in that secret room known only to the two and the dead.
“Perhaps you might be too exhausted after the recent events, Master.”
“Maybe” she said, though there wasn’t an ounce of conviction in her words.
If it truly was exhaustion that disrupted the girl’s thoughts to that extent, perhaps it is time for her to enjoy her rare day off.
“Sorry to make you go through with my madness. Let’s go to the restaurant this time.”
“Of course!”
For now, there should be nothing ruining their meal to come, so in high spirits, the two made their way to a fancy restaurant facing the hustle and bustle of the Central District.
The greater the price, the more delectable the food should taste. Despite that, there were other problems the two face upon arriving at the restaurant, such as the waiter not willing to show the two to a proper seat deeper in the establishment or another customer tripping their feet with his purely because the two were slaves. That said, after Flamm showed the waiter her wallet, the man quickly changed his attitude for the better, and Flamm was quick to react by stomping on the rude customer’s foot in response anyways, so all in all, it was but trivial problems.
The first thing Milkit does upon carrying the unfamiliar dish into her mouth was to closely examine the taste and the flavors, all the while trying to guess what ingredients and seasonings they use to achieve such feat. Gazing at her passionate companion with a smile on her face, Flamm too began eating something she never tried before.
Being lunch time, there were plenty of other customers that were dressed casually as they were as the establishment provides a more affordable pricing for lunch menus compared to dinner. There were several other customers who, with only their getup, announced boldly and proudly that they are residents of the East District, but at that moment, they were in the minority.
Enjoying their meal, the two forgot all about the sighting of Satyllus’ lookalike that happened earlier.
After lunch, the two exited the store and went around looking at different stores as the sun continues to go down. Flamm asked Milkit which design she liked when it comes to accessories when they visited the street vendors, and while looking for cursed equipment to no avail, they ended up buying a kitchen knife for some reason.
The two browsed another clothing store, different from the one they visited in the morning. Flamm bought herself a whilte hotpants, of course after having Milkit try it on which resulted in completely expected embarrassment from her. Flamm was 16, and Milkit was only 14; girls in their heyday of youth, one might say. Therefore, the outdoors activity they went through allows them to forget about the labors in their lives and act appropriately for their age despite their clothing being otherwise.
Having their fill of fun, the two ended the day by purchasing ingredients for dinner before they take their jolly steps home.
As they did, Eterna welcomed them back while simultaneously poking fun at them, asking “how was your date?”. It even affected Ink, who, as she heard Flamm’s footsteps through the door as she climbed to the second floor, asked the same question Eterna did. “Was it fun?” she added. The two had said so much at her, but as a matter of fact, she was having fun, so Flamm let them slide without even a single comeback, and instead, “yeah, I had a blast” she said, without an ounce of irritation in her tone. In response, both Eterna and Ink shared her joy and frankly said “that’s great”.
Flamm then returned to her room and practices refining her Prana and control her mana when she heard the noises from the first floor where Milkit was beginning to cook dinner. She then decided to put her training on hold to go back down to the first floor to help Milkit with her chores.
Lured by the mouthwatering aroma from the cooking as it slowly comes to a finish, Eterna showed up at the dining room. Believing that those who don’t work cannot eat, Eterna was forced to carry the dishes to the dining table before the three begun enjoying their dinner.
After dinner comes the free time. Flamm spent her free time enjoying the sight of Milkit earnestly working on her accessory-making, at times giving her a loving hug from behind before the two moved to the bed to read a book.
Then, it was time for them to take a bath. Fundamentally, the turn to soak themselves in the bathtub goes from Eterna, Flamm and then Milkit. At the moment, Eterna would wipe Ink’s body in her own room, but in due time, surely the two would be able to enter the bath together.
After bath, all that’s left is to tuck themselves in bed. Flamm and Milkit climbed into the same bed, clinging onto each other and enjoying each other’s warmth despite their mutual embarrassment. Before long, their consciousness slips and they entered their slumber, bidding their farewells to their bittersweet reality and into a soothing, happy dream as the night uneventfully passes…for perhaps…the last time.
The next day, Flamm heads out for the guild the first thing in the morning, taking another job to hunt a D-rank monster outside the capital from Iira who still dons her usual detestable attitude. Flamm’s strength should allow her to fight an A-rank monster with ease, though the problem with the capital is that the monster rank around it only went up to B, so for her to advance further to a higher rank, she’d either have to proactively seek for a grand campaign or do whatever detestable violence Dain had undertaken in the past.
However, Flamm’s current goal is not to increase her rank in the guild. With her current job, she should be able to earn enough income to sustain her and her housemate’s lifestyle. Additionally, the girl is not particularly interested in honor nor prestige for she is already satisfied with where she stands.
Her current job aside, Flamm also undertook a request from Eterna to collect medicinal herbs as well as hunting other monsters that had nothing to do with either job.
When she finished her expedition, Flamm returned to the guild by evening, submitting the requested material to Iira who shrugged it off saying “you’re doing so well it’s boring”, before engaging in a two-sided quarrel as she hands off the reward.
“By the way, is Gadio in?”
“The guild master? He went out early today, sayin’ he went to the store he told you about.”
“The store?”
She—did recall that.
Flamm had the chance to meet Gadio recently, with the latter asking “so what do little girls like to eat these days?”, quite an uncharacteristic question, if you ask Flamm, but then she remembered about Hallom. Her response should have been about a confectionery store she’d thoroughly recommended, one that visited with Cyrill once upon a time.
Remembering her smile from that day never fails to bring her heart pain, but at the very least, the memory of that day was as sweet as the cake they had.
She wanted to believe that it was the best recommendation she could give.
“But…that store, huh.”
Taste aside, that place was truly a fancy one, something that is a complete opposite of Gadio’s getup and build.
Though she can also easily imagine a father figure beaming with smile as he buys his daughter a cake.
“Oh by the way, there’s someone waiting for you in the office.”
“Huh? They’re waiting for this long…? Oh, it’s Reach-san.”
“It was the Master and now the CEO of Mancathy firm…your personal connections‘re starting to scare me. How ‘bout you introduce me sometimes.”
“If you’d start working properly, I’ll think about it.”
“You sure love to talk mad shit, huh. ‘Sides, I do plan on living properly.”
Leaving the abusive Iira alone, Flamm went to the office to meet Reach, supporting both elbows on the table as if thinking deeply about something.
Flamm quipped a greeting, shocking the man as he appeared to have not noticed the girl’s arrival to the guild.
“Aah, Flamm-san…so you’ve come.”
“Looks like I made you wait while you’re busy.”
“Don’t worry, it was my decision to wait. There’s…there’s something I have got to confirm with you.”
Seeing Reach acting off, Flamm lowered herself to sit down across him with her guard up.
After several times stammering and hesitating, he confirmed that no one’s eavesdropping and whispered.
“Did you…did you really kill Satyllus?”
Flamm’s breath got stuck in her throat.
Why would he, who seemed eternally busy, spare some time to wait for her? And why was he trying to confirm the news of Satyllus’ death?
It has to be a coincidence. She must have seen wrong, and she must know more to ensure the answer is solid.
“…Is she not dead?”
“Yes…she was reported as missing, but it appears that last night she returned to her mansion. I just talked to her this morning.”
“No way…!”
Flamm held her head. She had exhaustively spent her efforts making sure she is thoroughly and inescapably dead. There’s no way someone can be immortal like that. She even took the extra effort to ensure that her heart had stopped beating.
Was she just a body double? No, if she was, then she shouldn’t be able to enter and exit that room. Then, perhaps, was the Satyllus Reach was talking to the body double?
“How was she when she talked to you, Reach-san?”
“There’s something out of place for sure. The first time she saw me she looked like she doesn’t know me. No matter how under the weather she was, she shouldn’t have acted like that, but…after that, she immediately remembers, and the conversation that happened after that feels just like the usual Satyllus.”
“Really…then she’s the real Satyllus then…”
“Judging by your reactions, the one you dispatched was the real one as well.”
“Without a doubt, and I thoroughly dispatched her. There’s no way she should’ve come back alive after that.”
Then, if what Reach said is true, then the Satyllus he encountered this morning could well be the real person as well. To begin with, there’s no body double that should look exactly the same as the original, and even if there’s a way to do so, there should be no conceivable way to deceive Reach’s eyes.
“A dead person…reviving…”
There’s but one explanation, or rather, organization that can do that, and as one might have guessed, it is the church. They did research on resurrecting dead people to do their bidding with the implantation of a core…or so she heard.
Forget about doing the church’s bidding for once and consider how Satyllus looks indistinguishable from when she was alive after her resurrection. That was what the girl thought most terrifying about the whole ordeal.
“…You look like you’ve got an answer for it all.”
“That’s…”
But Flamm hesitated. Reach has yet to delve far into the rabbit hole that is the church’s human experimentation program. He’s still within range of turning back and live his somewhat peaceful life. Hence, Flamm couldn’t say it. It wasn’t something she should disclose.
“Within the church, the pope is followed by what they called the Five Cardinals…or rather, they are the five heads of the organization. One of them is called Slovanak Saty, the person Satyllus made the contract with.”
“H-huh.”
“Slovanak is the person the church entrusted in dealing with illegal goods such as drugs. Then we have Satuuki, the one who rallied the Church Knights; Tarch who is in charge of the priests and the nuns, and Toizzo, pope Fedro’s right-hand man. Finally, we have Formo, the one in charge of the “core” of the church, the research department.”
Reach was not merely showing off his knowledge.
“Formo was constantly out on a business trip, hence we concluded that he has multiple established research facilities outside the capital. We have yet to grasp what the research is about, but we have established monitoring of them. We have hypothesized that he is carrying out inhumane researches, but although we are convinced he is, we have no evidence.”
“Are you telling me that you’ve known far too much for me to not share with you what I know?”
“I am glad you are quick on the uptake.”
Flamm sighed “…are you sure? The church is killing people as if it’s nobody’s business. If I open my mouth, you might be putting Welcy-san on the chopping block.”
“It is exactly because of it that I need to know. If we have special interest, I wouldn’t even think of putting my foot into this.”
The less people are involved the better, but the church doesn’t have the word mercy in their vocabulary, and as days goes by, more innocent people will be swallowed dead by their research. Thus, if people like Reach were to begin digging for information, they will be targeted in the matter of when instead of if.
Then, perhaps it would be better to have him cooperate sooner than later.
“The reason Satyllus was resurrected…was perhaps the act of a research department they call Necromancy.”
“So it’s a team of research in bringing back the dead? Are they capable of doing that?”
It was natural for Reach to doubt her words. It was a hard pill to swallow, even for Flamm who had faced the results head-on. However, thinking back to when she manipulated Ink’s life when she replaced her heart, technically, even Flamm was able to.
That was her conclusion. However, the resurrected being should end up being something different from when they were alive.
Flamm continued and explained to Reach about the Origin Core that the church uses; the core that will be embedded into monsters and humans alike, turning it into an abomination with mystifying powers. She also detailed that the transformed, mangled corpses that had their limbs multiplied were also the victim of the same core. Finally, she told him about the power called “Origin”, how it had conscience, and how it is aiming for her life—
“This…this had gone far beyond my expectation” Reach said at the end of Flamm’s exposition, bringing his hands to cover his face, perhaps an attempt to collect his thoughts. The girl opposite of him chose to wait for him to do so quietly.
“…the church should have been trying to cover up their research, but…why are they allowing Satyllus to walk under the sun?”
“Either they’re desperate or that her walking under the sun is also part of their experiment.”
“Then they wouldn’t have picked someone high profile like Satyllus. Maybe they’re doing it to shake and lure the person who killed her…maybe they’re trying to intimidate you, Flamm-san.”
That sly method of intimidation proves to be terrifyingly effective. However, since the previous day when Flamm visited Satyllus’ mansion, there hasn’t been any noticeable actions made by the church. If it is to be a trap, the opportunity had slipped them by.”
“For the life of me I cannot read what the church is planning.”
“Yes. Perhaps what I can say for sure, is that we should not recklessly approach Satyllus.”
Even after this exchange of information, they still have no idea what the resurrected woman is planning.
Thus, Reach excused himself to proceed with his business and left them adjourning the meeting.
He just went and did something uncharacteristic.
He reminisced the time when he would line up in front of a store to buy something Thea had loved. That was the last time he felt the embarrassment of buying a present for someone.
“I hope Celena and Hallom would be happy with it…”
Gadio made his way home with a box of cake in his hand.
He, too, had realized that he cannot keep on shouldering the memory of Thea and Souma’s death. The two had wished for Gadio for happiness in their stead, but the greater obstacle was Gadio’s own conviction.
He still believed that he was but a coward—a coward that had left behind and abandoned his loved one and his best friend. As long as that self-condemnation remains in his heart, he will have difficulties moving on forward.
However, he wanted to at least answer to Celena and Hallom’s expectations. That weight is now nestled in that cake sitting in the box.
The man stood in front of the gate, uncharacteristically heaving a sigh as he did. Passing through the gate, he went for the entrance, and just as he was about to open the door, it opened from the inside only to see the pale face of Celena, trying to catch her breath.
“G-Gadio-san, you’re finally back!!”
“Yeah. I thought of buying Hallom a cake.”
“T-thank you…but this isn’t the time…!”
It was uncommon for Celena to be in such a panic. Perhaps something had happened to the little girl.
Celena tugged on his arm, aiming to bring him somewhere, but with a slight noise escaping her mouth, the woman stopped dead in his tracks.
Gadio followed the woman’s gaze, but then it was his turn to stand shock-still.
“Welcome back…oh wait, it should be the other way around, right?” Standing in comparison to Gadio’s memory, the woman said with a cheery voice; “I’m back, Ga-kun.”
Her radiant smile overlaps with the one in his memories.
The woman who lost her life after he left her behind…the woman he would trade the world for. Her face…didn’t just overlap with his memories.
They were the exact same one.
“T…Thea?”
There’s no way he would mistake that face. After all, there was no way he would forget her face.
But…that was why he was perplexed.
Why…? It’s not possible…
“Of course! It’s me, as you live and breathe! It’s your partner slash wife, Thea Luscat!”
There’s no way…
Forget overjoyed, Gadio’s mind short-circuited.
He saw her die with his very eyes, but Thea…as she lived and breathed, was standing there. That abnormal sight was too difficult for him to accept. Even his body, tempered in decades of adventuring was sending him warnings, telling him to not take even a step forward, but at the same time, the great deal of joy was clashing in his mind, freezing time completely.
The cake in his hand falls, and before he knows it, he was holding Thea in his arms, tightly as if to make up for lost time.
