NOVEL NEXT Chapter 241
After sinking the Island of Arpe into the sea.
“Been a while since I was on the Bride Ship. I’m back.”
I returned to the Bride Ship with Lucius while riding the Spirit Device.
“You could have sat in the cockpit directly.”
“No way. That wouldn’t be proper manners. I’m fine here.”
Lucius piloted the Spirit Device himself, while I sat with my backside on its shoulder, feeling the wind.
As soon as the Spirit Device docked in the Bride Ship’s hangar, I dashed straight to the command room.
“Ah! The main body…!”
“Clone! Let’s do it!”
“That?”
“Of course, it’s a given!”
“Fusion!”
Beelzebub, Bel (Satan). Fusion.
I became one with the clone made from Satan’s Magic Core.
While I felt a mix of amusement and pity that Satan had died while I was captured by Arpe, what could I do when faced with a hero?
It’s not like there’s only one hero in the world.
Thinking I’d defeated just one hero, well, claiming I took down three heroes was a foolish thought.
‘Satan was indeed a formidable opponent.’
The unaware Hero of Darkness.
The Hero of Flame, Bearnes.
And the Hero of Earth, the Emperor.
Despite battling three heroes and using three Holy Swords, I ultimately lost to Lucius.
He must have felt some unjust regret.
If only he had the time to gather the power of the three Holy Swords and properly control the Demon God, perhaps he could have beaten Lucius too.
But what could be done about that?
The heroes of the Intermediate Realm are not ones to allow such time.
‘Heroes don’t come one after another to be defeated.’
Back in my day, I fought one hero, and another would jump in to turn it into a 1:2.
Satan was indeed great, but in the end, just a loser.
‘Just watch my steps from within me quietly.’
Later, even if he praised “Oh, Beelzebub,” it would be pointless.
By then, all my plans would be falling into place, and while it’s not what Satan wished for, in the end, his dream would still be realized.
‘Creating the world you wish for isn’t you, Satan. It’s me, Beelzebub.’
It’s regrettable, but I will take Satan’s dream away.
Though we tried to reach the same goal along different paths, ultimately, I would be the one arriving at that destination.
“…Huh.”
Synchronization, complete.
I fully absorbed Satan’s Magic Core as my own.
“Master. That…”
“Yes.”
“…Indeed, when using magic based on the Demon King’s Soul Stone…”
“Don’t worry. The seals on the Demon Kings are solid.”
I had casually mentioned it when I first defeated Beelzebub, but now it’s clear how strong Hero Lucius has become.
“The Demon’s Soul Stone can pose a risk of falling under the demon’s whispers if not careful. But it doesn’t work on me.”
“As expected of you, Master.”
“Right? Hehe. Now then, let’s see the situation on the other side.”
I enlarged the screens that appeared on the panel.
“Everything’s over.”
Scarlet Bel was, as the captain of the Bride Ship, surveying the situation in three locations, and fortunately, the east and west had already concluded, except for where Lucius had come from.
Look.
Those three couples flirting around.
-“Ah, Lucius. Don’t do that…”
“…….”
Though it was a long-awaited video call with my party members, they were wholly absorbed in the clone Lucius had created using the Holy Sword.
“Lucius. What made you think of connecting one clone to each?”
“I got the idea from seeing the clones you create, Master.”
“Good thinking. You should learn from good things. That’s 50 points.”
“Thank you.”
It seems the idea of ’My own Lucius’ has stuck in their hearts like a pinpoint.
Look at their faces; the same, yet enjoying dates in different places.
“It’s a good time.”
“I feel a bit embarrassed. Seeing another me there on a date.”
“That’s not just any date, right? Want me to make popcorn?”
“…I think that would be nice, but it’s complicated.”
Lucius shook his head in disapproval as he watched the three women passionately involved with their clones.
Rosmas is in the forest.
Droniel is at the inn.
Yan is in the confession room at the shrine.
While they’re having an exhibition of flesh in a place hidden from others, I wonder if they know how starkly visible it is through the Bride Ship.
“This place was in chaos…”
“They don’t know any better.”
I get it.
If they had known, they definitely wouldn’t have said they had resolved their side’s incidents and returned immediately to the Bride Ship after resolving the situation.
But since they didn’t know about the southern affairs, they’re enjoying a date after solving the incident.
“The clones must be doing that too, right?”
“Yes?”
No, I didn’t mean with males.
Look.
“Look at her. Sunbathing in a cheeky swimsuit.”
Blue Bel was at the beach, enjoying the sun with sunglasses on.
Whether those around her bent over as they passed by or not, she was soaking in her victory without a care for others’ gazes.
“If I had smashed one of Asydia’s organizations, I’d feel justified doing that too. I’d do the same.”
“Ha… But using my body like that, openly in front of everyone…!”
“Now it’s not even my body, so it doesn’t matter.”
“…Is that how it is?”
“That’s how it is. If it was a clone made from this body, I’d be angry, but what happens with that body is none of my concern.”
Wearing a swimsuit made of Asydia’s body without care?
I’d go tell Lucius to take the Bride Ship and throw her out.
“The bodies of the already made clones are distinctly different from mine. Look at that. It’s not excessively large like this.”
“Yes, that’s true.”
“What do they call that? Um, I heard it passingly from Belselphia. Infinite Body?”
“…….”
Lucius completely closed his eyes.
Though it belongs to his daughter, it certainly inherited much from his mother’s body.
‘Besides the genes, she’s really been taking care of herself well.’
It might not explode in size like Blue Bel’s chest, but it’s a size that a man could easily hold if he tried hard enough, though slightly lacking.
Both her waistline and hips, she really does embody ‘Half a Goddess.’
That’s a fact as well.
‘I feel like I understand why Zephar fell for Asydia.’
Just like I pursued the Sorceress of Crimson Lotus Bel, Zephar might have fallen for Asydia too.
“Oh, right.”
I should have said this beforehand.
“The leader of Asydia, Zephar, is ultimately aiming for this body.”
“…….”
“He plans to forcefully take this body, impregnate it, and use it as a vessel to awaken the Demon King.”
The relationships and facts are different, but what use is such a thing against Zephar?
“So you need to keep a close watch on this. I’m counting on you, Lucius.”
“Of course.”
Lucius clenched his fist tightly, showing his determination.
“Alright. I’ll get the popcorn.”
I quickly left the captain’s room, used the kitchen equipment to make popcorn, and returned to the command room with some sparkling water through bubble magic.
“Let’s watch in a relaxed manner.”
I sat in the command room’s seat, munching on popcorn with Lucius as we observed his clones hard at work.
“Indeed, the three clones of the hero are different from other heroes. They’re doing well as taught. Ah, it really feels rewarding to teach.”
“Uh, Master.”
“What is it?”
“What do you think about Liriez Cesarcross?”
“Um….”
Lucius asked with extreme caution.
“Liriez.”
I pretended not to pay it any mind.
Right now, Liriez was also working hard in a skin-colored exhibition.
“An excellent hero. It seems she has also defeated Asydia over there.”
“But isn’t she doing that right now?”
“I’m not someone with biases in that regard.”
My clones engaging in a skin-colored exhibition.
Of course, Borabel leads, and Liriez’s face looked no different from the other three party members who shared love with Lucius’s clone.
“It’s dangerous.”
It’s indeed dangerous.
“My clones have caused quite the mess.”
And rightly so; the actions taken by the other clones to easily pull Liriez to our side were unexpectedly aggressive, using human emotions.
Moreover, it was a mix of mental and physical bonding.
“Retrieving Borabel from Liriez would be quite a problem, right?”
“If we recover Belerze, things might get tricky.”
“Indeed, it would be problematic. The clones must be retrieved.”
In order to recover Beelzebub’s Magic Core, I absolutely must become one with Belerze.
‘They’ve already diverged significantly.’
Clones really are terrifying.
If the experiences of the clones stack up in ways that are different from my own, the clone’s ego or judgment might deviate from my own self.
Especially since they were made by separating the Magic Core, it’s likely to be very steep; it’s definitely not just moderate.
“It seems Belerze can now be seen as a fully independent ego.”
“What should we do? If we try to retrieve Belerze, Liriez may be dissatisfied.”
“In that case, we can just make a new clone.”
“Yes?”
Lucius’s expression became peculiar.
“As you know, clones are created based on the remaining Magic Core of the Demon King… that is, the ‘Soul Stone,’ right?”
“That’s right.”
“And that’s why you treated the clones as if battling a different Demon King rather than me.”
“Yes. The clone was made from a Soul Stone of the Demon King different from you, so I’ve continually thought and reflected on it. A different Demon King from you.”
“……Precisely.”
It’s a bit strange.
I feel uneasy, but Lucius nonchalantly drank the sparkling water while scanning the command room’s screen.
“Let’s set the Bride Ship to self-drive and move leisurely. Oh, by the way, Lucius, I have a question.”
“What is it?”
“……It’s just a question.”
I merely want to ask what a young person living in this era desires.
“What would a happy married life look like?”