NOVEL NEXT Chapter 224
I am captured by Leberced Arpe. I am captured by Leberced Arpe.
The reason I repeat this sentence twice is that no matter how I think about it, I see no way to escape.
“The Holy Sword is embedded.”
The Holy Sword is a significant artifact that plays an important role in the Intermediate Realm. As long as I possess this artifact, my soul is effectively bound to this realm.
Originally, I would have to continuously absorb mana from the Intermediate Realm using an undead body to survive, but now I can survive solely on the power of the Holy Sword provided by Arpe.
In other words, the durability of this physical body purely depends on Arpe.
And—
“Um, Arpe?”
“Don’t speak.”
Arpe is sitting on top of me, gently stroking my face while smiling.
“You don’t need to say anything. Just stay by my side.”
“Besides, you can’t run away right now anyway.”
“If you don’t do this, you’ll try to escape. Don’t lie and say you won’t.”
Damn.
I had already realized I was caught, but coming to that realization again makes me feel a bit crazy.
“Arpe, aren’t you worried about the Empire?”
“After about 500 years, it’s bound to fall apart. What country or dynasty in human history has lasted that long?”
“But still.”
“It’s not really my concern. Though everyone doesn’t know, our family’s bloodline was cut off after being cuckolded a few times.”
“W-what….”
I think I just heard something shocking.
“Is that really true?”
“Yeah. There were cases where the child born was switched with an alternative, or the father of the child was actually a knight instead of the Emperor.”
That’s shocking.
“How can something like that happen in a country where the throne is inherited through the Holy Sword?”
“It’s not blood that’s important, but the Holy Sword. Both the citizens of the Empire and the rulers valued the Holy Sword over bloodline. You know that the condition for becoming the master of the Holy Sword isn’t bloodline.”
That’s a valid point.
As long as you know the activation words for using the Holy Sword, anyone can become its master regardless of whether it has an owner or not.
And that’s what worries me.
I’m afraid Satan might have also acquired the Holy Sword of the Earth.
I’m afraid the Empire might have fallen.
“So, you don’t really care about what happens to the Empire now?”
“Yeah. I might as well change my name too. How about Arbel?”
“…I seriously think you shouldn’t do that. The name Arpe suits you better.”
“I know that too.”
Arpe buried her face in the nape of my neck.
“I’m reminded of old times. 500 years ago, when we were traveling to defeat the Great Demon Lord Bel Phegor, you did this for me too.”
“The actual person we were trying to defeat, the Great Demon Lord, was just a porter who was with us.”
“I thought it was fate. Instead of suffering as a hero being used, I thought it would be better to just destroy this land with the Demon Lord.”
Arpe caressed my cheek.
“It would be even better if I could be with the beloved person.”
“……Are you the same as you were 500 years ago?”
“No, I’m different.”
Arpe held my face.
“I love you even more than 500 years ago.”
Our lips met.
Knowing what kind of body I have, she stayed quiet with her eyes closed for a while, as if kissing my soul.
“…Let me ask one thing. How did you know I’m not ‘Sorceress of Crimson Lotus Bel,’ but ‘Demon Lord Belphegor’?”
Arpe immediately kidnapped me, who had hidden underground in the Empire.
“…I thought you would know I’m Bel and would stab my heart.”
“Now that I know the situation, why would I kill Bel? That poor kid.”
For the first time, a look of ‘pity’ crossed Arpe’s face.
“And I knew from the very beginning.”
“…Really?”
“I knew you weren’t the Sorceress of Crimson Lotus Bel.”
“……Hey.”
I grabbed Arpe’s cheeks.
“As you know me, I can know you too. Where’s the lie in that?”
“It’s not a lie.”
“I’d know even if you opened your eyes wide and lied. Before you had certainty, you thought I was the real Bel, didn’t you?”
Just as Arpe knows me, I know Arpe.
“When did you figure it out? That I’m the Demon Lord?”
“…It was nothing special. I thought you were claiming to be the Sorceress of Crimson Lotus, but then found out that I was left with only one option by elimination.”
“Couldn’t it just be a case of impersonation?”
“Who would know the activation words for the Holy Wind Sword and be capable of releasing the Holy Water Sword to summon the Spirit Device? That doesn’t sound like a mere impersonator.”
“Hmm.”
That’s true.
Though I hadn’t made an appearance until now, if I had been watching and paying attention from afar, it makes sense that I could have been noticed.
The Spirit Celcius of the Water had also recognized me when she met me in person.
Even if Arpe said she was watching from a distance, it wouldn’t mean she wouldn’t figure it out.
“At first, I thought the Demon Lord was in the body of a dead woman, and I was curious. Then I realized, oh, you’re stuck in a woman’s body right now. But you don’t care about that anyway.”
“You know that too.”
I had mentioned this to Arpe before.
If a human were to enter the body of an ant, they would certainly pay attention to that ant’s body, but whether it’s a male or female wouldn’t matter much.
“But even that isn’t enough. There must be something else, right?”
“…Do you want to know?”
Arpe’s expression became serious.
“I was going to keep quiet since it seems you don’t know, but I think I need to tell you.”
“…What is it? Why so serious? Hmm?”
“Follow me. I have to show you at least this one thing.”
Arpe took me and pointed to the hallway.
“There’s ‘her’ in the basement.”
“…What?”
“You’ll understand when you see.”
Even though I knew that following Arpe might lead to something going quite wrong, I had no choice but to blindly follow her.
Without even thinking it might be a meeting with someone who would change my fate, change everything about me.
*
At that moment, in the Bridge of the Bride Ship.
“Masters, we will now begin the cross-verification.”
Lucius was about to start an investigation into each region based on the documents provided by the Pope.
“Southern coastal area. Western underground maze. Eastern downtown. According to the data the Pope gave us, these three places are unusual points.”
“I anticipated that and prepared the data in advance.”
“As expected of you, Master. You are quick.”
“Because it’s me.”
As soon as he returned to the Bride Ship after obtaining information from the Papal Office, Lucius secured data on those areas.
“First, the southern island. This is an island that sank about ten thousand years ago. It’s a place that sank a very long time ago.”
“Is it an underwater city in a different sense than Belselphia?”
“Yeah. You could say it’s a true underwater city in a way.”
The entire city that sank underground just like that.
I’m not sure how it is after ten thousand years now, but—
“It’s quickest to secure information directly from the Papal Office to check the surrounding sea currents or gather information.”
The Papal Office we are currently staying in is in the south.
Naturally, by heading out to sea from here, we can immediately confirm the position the Pope claims is ‘the most likely point’.
“But Lucius, here’s the thing. The Pope is trying to use us.”
“…….”
“The Pope is a person too. Someone trying to use the hero of the Holy Sword. You don’t get along particularly well with Liriez, do you? So maybe he’s trying to trap you.”
“I understand. If I’m immobilized, four Holy Swords will fall into the Order. There’s a possibility of that being the case. The traitor who kidnapped Master’s body….”
“Could be someone from the Pope’s side as well.”
In other words, there’s a chance this could be a plot orchestrated by the Pope.
“The Sorceress Bel knows information from 500 years ago. She told a lot to Saintess Yan, but in the end, Yan is also from the Diere family—the Order of the Goddess. She won’t be able to actively resist the Order’s evil deeds.”
“Are they attempting to threaten Master using your body to suppress me, the hero?”
“They might be doing that, and after capturing the hostage, they might force you to give up the Holy Swords. Lucius, if you had to give up the Holy Sword to rescue your body—”
“I would give it up.”
The immediate declaration felt like a blade slicing through my words.
“The Holy Sword is merely a tool. I’ve already defeated a Demon Lord. Even if the Holy Sword disappears, you will find another way for me, Master. What I’ve seen so far, you would never abandon me just because I don’t have a Holy Sword.”
That’s not true.
Lucius is valuable as the hero of the Holy Sword; just because he loses the Holy Sword doesn’t mean he—
“I take that back. If I were to dedicate the Holy Sword for your sake and rescue you, then if I used the Holy Sword like that, you would arrange another Holy Sword for me or find another way.”
That’s right.
Regardless of who kidnapped the body, even if the body owes a life debt, if Lucius loses the Holy Sword because of it, it’s only natural that he should be compensated.
“Indeed, Lucius, you know your body well.”
“I’ve been watching it for quite a long time. I can guess roughly what kind of thoughts you have. So.”
Lucius manipulated the panel of the Bride Ship to point at the three places.
“Even if these three places are traps prepared by the Pope, I can just crush them all.”
“Where will we go first?”
“…Master.”
Lucius scanned the four of us on the bridge.
“I want to handle this quickly. So the enemy can’t react. Even if they can react, I want to annihilate them before they can properly prepare. I have the strength, after all.”
“Lucius, what are you thinking?”
“You taught me, Master. What should be used at times like this is precisely what we call a ‘tool.’ That’s right, what did you say about saving things?”
Lucius pointed at the sky.
“I’ll use the output of the four Holy Swords to fly from here to the Sky Island. Then.”
Lucius smiled as he fiddled with the ring on his left hand’s pinky finger.
“I’ll bring the Spirit Device down.”