Chapter 82

The library of the cathedral was lined with materials on magic.

Gene, who usually secluded himself in his room, engrossed in his own research, occasionally visited for these materials.

Therefore, it was purely by chance that he saw Eterna in that state.

“Hey, Eterna.”

Gene called out to her as she tried to pass by, ignoring him.

Though there was no obligation for her to stop, Eterna did pause.

“As a fellow mage, I thought you had at least some pride. I never imagined you’d grovel to Satuki and beg for your life—”

Whoosh!

Mid-sentence, a water projectile grazed Gene’s cheek.

“Shut up, die.”

Eterna, in an unusually bad mood, told him this without looking at his face.

“W-wait, Eterna, I get it, I get it. So, it wasn’t your intention…?”

“No one wants to bow to a scum like that.”

“Then why did you do it? For someone else?”

“Right, Gene, you’ll probably never understand.”

Needless to say, she did it because Ink was being held hostage.

If not for that, she would have drowned him on the spot, out of sheer hatred.

“Is that all? I’m leaving then.”

Without waiting for a response, Eterna quickly left.

“Wait!”

Gene called out to her.

“What?”

“Where is Linus? I need to talk to him.”

“…First floor of the castle, west side. He can’t leave without permission, so he’s probably in his room.”

After saying that, Eterna left him for good this time.

◇◇◇

After leaving the cathedral, Gene headed to the place Eterna had mentioned.

Just as he was about to knock on Linus’s door, he realized it had been a long time since he visited someone else’s room.

His research was mostly self-contained, and when he did go out, it was usually just to the cathedral’s library. It must have been since he sold Flam to the slave traders.

“Well, it doesn’t matter.”

He had no regrets.

He clenched his fist again and knocked on the door. A lazy “Hey” came from inside.

“It’s me, Linus.”

Not bothering to state his name was very much like Gene.

“Gene? That’s unusual. Come in.”

Linus knew it was him, so he didn’t bother to improve. Gene entered the room in silence and approached Linus, who was lying on the bed with his hands under his head. Linus sat up to greet him.

“What’s up? You’ve never shown your face before.”

“Were you hoping to see me?”

“No, not really.”

“Thought so. That’s why I didn’t come.”

“So, if you came all the way here, there must be a reason?”

Gene nodded.

He reached into his robe and pulled out two crystals. Linus was shocked when he saw one of them.

“Hey, that’s… an Origin Core, isn’t it!”

The swirling “power” inside was something that had become a trauma for him. Maria, the giant baby, Mother—none of these incidents ended well.

“This was given to me by Maria.”

“You didn’t come to show off, did you?”

“Pfft, I have no taste for such vulgar boasting. It’s a blemish for me. It’s so unpleasant. A little girl offering a favor to a genius like me? Give me a billion years. And it was so poorly made that I modified it to reduce its reception capabilities, like the Chimera’s. Here.”

Saying that, Gene handed the core to Linus.

“What? No, I don’t know what to do with this thing.”

“Just keep it. I don’t need it.”

“I don’t need it either.”

“You have a connection to Maria, don’t you? Maybe just having it will draw her to you.”

“It’s not some charm, you know…”

With a twisted smile, Linus stared at the core in his palm.

Meanwhile, Gene, who had pushed it into his hand, fidgeted and took off his robe. He then lifted his shirt.

“Hey, Gene, what are you doing… Oh my god!?”

“I have this one borrowed from the Chimera, so I don’t need the second one.”

What Linus saw was a core embedded in Gene’s abdomen.

The skin around it was twisted and wrinkled, as if it had been screwed in, and it was completely inside his body.

“D-do you know what that is!?”

“Of course, that’s why it’s like this.”

Gene grinned and gripped the core, pulling it out with a “snap.” A cavity was left in his body, but a few seconds later, it healed as if by Flam’s regeneration.

“It’s removable.”

“No, no, no, I don’t get it. Why did you make something like this!?”

“To stick it up someone’s nose.”

“What the hell!?”

“The Origin’s.”

At first, it seemed like Gene was joking, but his expression was serious.

“What do you mean?”

“What do you think of this war?”

“What, like… which part of the war?”

“The whole series of events. From the farce of the quest to defeat the Demon King to the Second Human-Demon War. Who started it, and for what purpose?”

“Well, it started with the Origin’s proclamation, so isn’t the Origin the mastermind?”

“Right, exactly! All the wars were a farce orchestrated by the Origin to break its seal, and it even involved a genius like me!”

Gene spread his arms and declared it loudly, with a theatrical tone. Linus leaned back in surprise.

“Living in the castle, I hear most of what’s happening in the kingdom. Even without talking to people, I can hear the rumors through magic.”

“So, you’re eavesdropping?”

“Linus, you’re in no position to talk. Anyway, I know. That’s why I can understand the unsatisfactory feelings of the heroes and champions, even after winning.”

“That’s…”

Linus had only fought with Flam and the others against Mother. Even then, he had a vague, uneasy feeling. The missing Maria, and the emptiness of victory if it was all part of Satuki’s plan. Flam and the others must have felt even worse. From the Orga in the underground of Enichide, to Dain, Ink, Necromancy, and the Children—none of these enemies could be completely defeated.

“Because the root hasn’t been severed. The Origin, the main body, is still sealed in the underground of the Demon King’s castle. If humans—no, all life on this planet—want a complete victory, they must destroy it.”

Linus frowned at the words, which were unlike Gene, who usually sounded like a hero.

“Did you eat something bad?”

“What are you saying when someone is having a serious conversation?”

“You’re not the type to save the planet, are you?”

“Of course, I’m doing this for myself. But it’s true that I’ve slightly changed my perspective.”

If Gene had changed, it would be like lances falling from the sky tomorrow. Linus thought it was that unlikely.

However, if Gene had been a more honest person, he wouldn’t have lived this way until today.

“Still, scum is scum, and trash is trash. I believe I did the right thing with Flam.”

“You haven’t changed, have you?”

“A person like me doesn’t change easily. I said it, didn’t I? I only changed my thinking a little. Anyway, what I’m trying to say is—”

“Fighting among humans is pointless?”

“No, that’s not the point. What’s important is what happens after.”

“After…?”

After the battle.

Whether a war breaks out or Linus and the others escape, the important thing, according to Gene, is what happens after.

“Considering how you are, you must have already planned your escape, right?”

“Sort of. But as long as there are hostages, there’s nothing I can do.”

“All I can say is, try your best. It’s not my problem.”

“Then why did you ask!?”

Linus, with veins popping on his temples.

But Gene looked indifferent.

“No matter how it progresses, it will lead to the same conclusion. But I wanted to confirm if you have the will to change the process.”

His choice of words was completely incomprehensible to others.

Linus had lost the energy to complain.

“And for that, I’ve prepared another ‘means.’”

Gene then handed Linus another crystal, different from the core.

“What is this? It’s not another core, is it?”

It was red, different from the Origin Core, but magic power swirled inside. Gene leaned close to Linus’s ear and whispered its purpose. Linus’s eyes widened, and he gasped, “Wh-what…?”

“…That’s right.”

“You, you…! What are you giving me!?”

“It might be necessary.”

“This thing… might be necessary?”

Gripping the red crystal, Linus clenched his teeth. The situation where this ball, which sealed Gene’s magic, would be needed was, in other words—

“I’m not giving up, you hear!?”

“That’s fine. But how do you plan to save that selfish, rotten woman?”

“Don’t you dare call Maria that! Not from you!”

Linus, who couldn’t stand Maria being insulted, but felt the deepest sadness because he couldn’t completely deny it. He wouldn’t abandon her, though. It was a weakness of love.

“You can think of it as insurance. I’d be happier if you don’t use it.”

“That’s even more unsettling, and it’s been unsettling since the beginning.”

“That’s a harsh way to put it. But I do think it’s unlike me. Normally, spending effort for others is a waste.”

Gene, with a self-deprecating smile, stood up and headed for the door, as if feeling awkward.

“Wait.”

Linus called out to him.

“What?”

Gene, who had stopped, put his hand on the doorknob and turned his head to listen.

“From the way you talk, you must be predicting some big event soon, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Then, why not stop it beforehand? Of course, we’ll help too!”

No one would follow if he said he was helping Gene, but if he said they were fighting the Origin, even Flam would cooperate.

However, Gene shook his head in refusal.

“It’s pointless to stop it.”

“I don’t know what will happen, but it might be better than nothing!”

“It’s just postponing the problem. Besides, for my wishes to be fulfilled, it’s more convenient for ‘it’ to happen.”

“You’re sacrificing people for your own desires!?”

Linus raised his voice, but then realized it was very much like Gene.

“That’s right. I said I’m doing this for myself. For that, I’ll use scum and trash.”

That was his view of the existence of all life in the world except himself.

“But if you don’t like it, I’ll give you one last topic you might enjoy.”

“What, something I’d like?”

“Before, you invited me for a drink, right? You were the first to invite a noble person like me to a dirty, noisy place like a bar.”

“You ended up refusing, didn’t you?”

“Right, so… if we both survive, I’ll go with you.”

“…What?”

It was unlike Gene to say such a thing.

That’s why—this “if we both survive” felt unusually heavy to Linus. It was as if he was certain that both of them surviving was impossible.

Linus, surprised into silence, saw Gene’s lips curve into a smile.

“…Well, if you don’t want to go, that’s fine too. See you if you survive.”

“Hey, Gene!?”

No matter how much Linus called his name, Gene didn’t stop this time.

The door slammed shut, leaving Linus alone in the room.

“…Damn, what was that all about?”

Covering his face with his left hand, Linus looked down. Through the gaps between his fingers, he saw the two crystals in his right hand. Black and red, forbidden powers swirling inside.

“What am I supposed to do… No, that’s not it. What will happen to us…?”

He couldn’t even imagine what Gene was predicting or what future he was envisioning.

◇◇◇

Even when the sun rose, no sunlight entered the room.

But his internal clock must have gone off, and Flam woke up naturally.

“Mmm…”

He groaned and slowly opened his eyes. The first thing he saw were two unfamiliar men.

“H-Huh!? W-Who are you…?”

One was quite large and had a stern face.

He was silently staring at Flam.

The other was much smaller in comparison and had narrow, friendly eyes.

“Well, you finally woke up. Otillie’s mess is finally over.”

The strange tone and the mention of Otillie gave Flam a bad feeling.

Another pair of crazy people, and there were two of them.

“I’m Werner Apern, the same vice-general as Otillie.”

“…”

“Why don’t you introduce yourself? You big oaf.”

“…Herman.”

“Still as