NOVEL NEXT Chapter 247
The Bride Ship had become quite lively with the clones who had decided to call themselves ‘Belmarins’ instead of the longer name, Belskinnravins Marin.
The messy state of the three girls’ room was also tidied up, and the most serious issue, Lucius’s Room, was swiftly resolved while the three were chased out to the pool.
And now, while the pool needed organizing again, it had been tidied up for the time being.
“Thank you, Liriez.”
“This is no trouble at all.”
Liriez purified the water in the pool using the Holy Sword.
Although the water that Celcius filled was set up to purify itself due to the Bride Ship’s facilities, it couldn’t purify as instantaneously as the Holy Sword.
“Do you want something? I’ll grant any wish.”
“Are clones different from the main body?”
“Huh?”
“I mean, the witch’s clones. Are they entirely different exists?”
“That’s a philosophical question.”
It varies depending on the perspective.
It also differs based on ideology.
Sometimes, clones are regarded as entirely different personalities, like with Lucius.
Other times, they’re considered another part of oneself, like with the party members.
“What does the witch think?”
“The clones are also me. Even if they derive from me, their foundation is distinctly me.”
In my case, I think of all the clones as me.
Only the main body is separate, but the clones are undeniably part of me.
“I understand what you want to say. You want me to get you Belerze, right?”
“Well…”
“Although you see them as two completely different people, to me, Belerze is also me, right? Is that what you’re asking for now?”
“I don’t quite get how that could be the same.”
Liriez shook her head with a complex expression.
“I’ve gotten quite close to Belerze. If you possess memories of the clones—”
“Good job. I didn’t know you were a 34 instead of a 23. And about that bottom thing too.”
“…….”
Liriez’s face turned red.
Fortunately, at that moment, the command room had no one other than me, Liriez, and the clone working as crew members.
“Right, I also received Belerze’s memories. My body has changed, my hair color, my eye color, but I am an extension of Belerze, and at the same time, ‘I’.”
“Now Belerze…”
“That’s also me. It’s true that I fought alongside you against that huge monster, and I do possess those memories. And now, it’s all branched out again.”
I displayed an image on the screen.
“I’m a sort of concept. Similar to ice cream. There are many flavors of ice cream, but what I am is fundamentally ‘ice cream’.
“Then Belerze is…”
“A flavor that you would like among ice creams. Isn’t it? Well, that’s not important.”
I lightly patted Liriez on the shoulder.
“You don’t need to think too complicatedly. You don’t need to see them as separate beings. If the clones kept thinking of the main body as a distinct being…”
I pointed at myself.
“It’s because there’s been an unprecedented situation where the main body has disappeared. Since the main body was kidnapped, the clones had to make judgments based on their circumstances and tendencies. A person’s personality changes according to the situation, after all.”
Just as even the kindest person can become cruel before poverty, humans tend to change their character based on their surroundings.
“Belerze was a clone that exchanged emotions according to your fit. There’s no need to feel too burdened. Even now, in the future, too.”
“Then what about the witch now?”
“Me?”
“That’s right. Should I be satisfied with Belerze?”
“Well, yeah?”
“Lucius—”
“Still, no one can have me yet.”
I stood tall, placing my hand over my chest.
“At the very least, to possess this body, you need to be a hero who has ended the threats of the world and concluded everything.”
With so few benchmarks, it was hard to claim anything, but at the very least, to have this body, one would need to surpass the achievements of Demon Lord Belphegor with ease.
“Unifying the continent or calming all conflicts in this world.”
“…….”
“For me, stopping Lucifer and Zephar comes first, but what happens after that, I don’t really know.”
And also, it’s not something I needed to concern myself with.
“Think comfortably. Just because you might do something socially unacceptable with Belerze doesn’t mean I’d suddenly take her back and erase her.”
“Really?”
“Of course. If that ever were to happen… it would be when I die or disappear from this land, causing all Belmarins to cease to exist.”
“…Huh?”
Liriez’s face turned pale.
“Why? What’s so surprising? If the main body dies, the clones die too. Isn’t that natural?”
“Then if the witch were to die or disappear…?”
“I’m joking.”
Liriez’s expression seemed to plummet to hell and then rise to heaven.
“That won’t happen anymore. The Marines created from Ether had that issue, but the Belmarins created now using the power of the Holy Sword are different.”
“Different specs…?”
“I’ve arranged it so that even if I die, they can survive. As long as the mana is maintained, they should be able to live on.”
“That’s like…”
“Creating a single human. Well, calling it divine power wouldn’t be strange. The power of the Holy Sword is basically the same as divine power, right? Just a slight magical infusion can lead to the birth of a new life.”
“…It’s a complex issue.”
Liriez nodded heavily.
“I see. Then I sincerely thank you for your kindness, witch, and I will return to my room.”
“Okay. I’ll send you out as soon as Belerze’s adjustments are finished, so don’t worry too much.”
“Yes.”
Perhaps realizing that delving deeper would give her a headache, Liriez bowed and left the command room.
“…….”
A moment of silence.
Then, right after Liriez just entered her room…
“Wow, this is crazy. Everyone stop what you’re doing and concentrate.”
I called the other Belmarins in the command room.
“Belerze really caused quite a ruckus. What’s wrong with her? Why’s she so fixated?”
“Isn’t the bigger issue that you’re lying?”
“What lying? I’ve never lied.”
Clone is the main body.
The main body is the clone.
The perception might change based on who’s accepting it.
I’ve received Belerze’s memories, and the current Belerze is a being that descends from the previous clones.
“You didn’t speak the truth, did you?”
“There wasn’t a need to tell the truth. Belerze accepting Liriez’s tendencies was simply because ‘she’s easier to handle’.”
That’s how heroes are.
The easiest way to handle a hero with the power of the Holy Sword is always to manipulate their emotions.
In other words, through love.
Just as I did with Leberced Arpe, Belerze adopted the same method.
Not as a porter for the hero party, but as the hero’s one and only partner witch.
“Making a choice like Liriez and Cicero Cross might have been the worst decision.”
“No, I would’ve made the same choice if I were in Belerze’s situation. Look, if we just send Belerze away, Liriez will remain on our side.”
As the clones said, Belerze just made the best choice at the time.
It’s only that as the situation unfolded, her choice led to the worst outcome now.
“Two people, Lucius and Liriez. Is that what’s causing this chaos?”
Only one ‘main body’ can be the master of a hero.
However, there are two heroes.
There can’t be two heroes in a single party, and I’m barely tying this precarious alliance together using the loophole of main body and clone.
“If Liriez herself manages to set aside her desire for the main body, it seems fine, but if she truly covets the main body, things could get more complicated.”
“Ugh. Hey. If you have a mouth, say something.”
Rustle.
“Say something? Sure, I’ll say it.”
A Belmarin who had been cleaning in the corner of the command room stepped forward to the center.
“I’ve sacrificed this one body to recruit Cicero Cross and a hero; if you want me to speak, I’ll speak. Hmph.”
Her white hair turned purple in an instant, and she stood in the exact center of the command room with her eyes closed.
“I have no guilt. If there’s a sin, it’s only the sin of being so good that Liriez fell for me.”
“I’ll give you that.”
The characteristics of Beelzebub being involved is a secondary issue.
Had she stayed close to the main body, she might have had similar tendencies to mine, but as she distanced herself from the main body, the tendencies of Beelzebub became revealed, almost creating an independent self known as ‘Belerze’.
She became the witch meant for Liriez.
…Is that a bad thing?
“Is it wrong that I made Liriez fall for me, used Liriez’s tendencies, and sparked this mess?”
“If I’m being too captivating, then if there’s any fault, it’s with the witch who ensnared even the female hero.”
“I agree.”
Clap, clap, clap.
Everyone applauded.
Ultimately, the fundamental cause of this issue is none other than me, who caused Liriez to be enamored.
“Phew. My popularity…”
Just like with Arpe, and Liriez too, being a beloved figure to the hero every time really has its hardships.
“Alright. I hereby declare a sentence on Belerze.”
Bang, bang, bang.
“From now on….”
*
A little while later.
Liriez wandered around in the mess hall quietly and entered the lounge.
And from behind, someone covered her eyes with a hand.
Only one person would play such a prank.
“M-Master…?”
“Shh.”
Belerze, sporting an asymmetrical short haircut, pressed her finger over Liriez’s lips.
“What did you tell me to call you when it’s just the two of us?”
“…Elze.”
“Good. You did well, my lovely hero.”
“Ah….”
A gasp escaped Liriez’s lips.
“Were you feeling anxious? With all the other clones increasing?”
“N-No, that’s not it.”
“Were you worried that the main body felt a bit distant? How cute, our Liriez.”
“A-Ah…!”
The sensation of her lips brushing against Liriez’s ear was more vivid and realistic than any witch before.
“I’m a flavor specially crafted for you. So…”
Lick.
“Shall we have a taste of each other?”