Chapter 48: 《Homunculus》 – (3)
(I)
“Pfft.”
I couldn’t help but burst into laughter at the word “bastard child.”
It wasn’t a forced laugh—when was the last time I had let out such a genuine laugh? I couldn’t even remember.
“Bastard child? How absurd.”
Lilianel Greenfield fell in love with the bastard child of Vellius Varius.
If one were to summarize the plot of a trashy drama in a single sentence, it would probably read like that.
“Come to think of it….”
…Right on cue, a memory flashes through my mind.
It wasn’t long ago, so the memory remains vividly clear.
“The second hero is the bastard child of the first hero.”
“All heroes of every generation share the same traits—ashen hair and blue eyes.”
“That’s right. In the Yasa….”
Back when I was released from the seal, I went straight to the library in the great city of Ermaile.
Among the ancient records of the Yasa, it was explicitly stated that the second hero was the illegitimate child of the first.
Additionally, the tattered book recounted that every generation of heroes shared a common appearance—ashen hair and blue eyes.
“Bastard child, homunculi, identical features….”
…My mind begins to spin rapidly.
If this scene were drawn as a comic, a lightbulb would probably be flashing above my head.
“Could it be…?”
Not long after, a hypothesis begins to take shape.
Lilianel fell in love with the bastard child of Vellius Varius.
To grant that child immortality, she went as far as mastering the Soul Transfer Spell, eliminating anyone who opposed her, including Varius himself and Tenma.
The bastard child of Varius, also the second hero, used the Soul Transfer Spell to continuously transfer their soul into homunculi—bodies identical in appearance with ashen hair and blue eyes—and has been living ever since, from a thousand years ago to the present.
“….”
…If that were true, it would explain everything.
The sudden death of Varius, who, despite his old age, was still in good health—suspected to be an assassination according to the records of sorcerers.
The unexpected destruction of Tenma by the allied kingdom of Avilia.
The contents of the Yasa—all of it made sense.
Though I couldn’t confirm it as 100% accurate, it was the best conclusion I could draw based on all the information I had gathered.
“How amusing, Lilianel.”
I bite my crimson lips lightly, letting out a faint chuckle. However, that chuckle soon morphs into a muttered curse.
“How ridiculously amusing, Lilianel.”
What on earth could have happened? What kind of relationship did Varius and Lilianel had for her to fall for his bastard child?
And what does that make Sophie and me, who were sacrificed for a love that lasted less than fifty years?
What does that make me, who spent a thousand years chained and rotting in that godforsaken void because of the fleeting emotions of the first hero and an elf?
“…Sophie.”
…For the first time in a long while, I recall the face of the beautiful and kind-hearted Princess Sophie Avilia, my only friend.
Clenching both fists tightly, I resolve myself.
For her unjust death, for the thousand years I was discarded in vain, I will not stop this journey.
Even if it means destroying the Avilia Kingdom—or the entire continent—I will ensure their sins are paid in full.
“…Hey, cactus.”
“Keugh!”
I raise the foot I had momentarily set down and stomp on the head of the cactus monster.
Then, in a particularly irritated tone, I ask it a question.
“So, who is the mother of that bastard child? Who did that damn Varius cheat with this time?”
Who did that wretched hero fall for to sire a bastard child?
Was it a foreign princess? Or perhaps someone from his hero party?
-“I’m sorry, I don’t know that much….”
“….”
-“The memories I absorbed from the leader of Tenma, ‘Wangho,’ who was involved with Avilia’s hero and elf—what I’ve told you is all there is….”
“Sigh….”
I let out a deep sigh at the cactus’s timid response.
Well, it’s not like Varius would brag about something like cheating.
In fact, the information I’d already obtained was so detailed that I wondered if I should even know this much.
“Hey, are you about to die?”
…I cross my arms and sharply ask the cactus.
In response, the monster lets out an evil-sounding chuckle.
“How could I die? As long as there’s sunlight, I can regenerate a hundred or even a thousand times.”
“Oh, is that so? Perfect.”
Even though I had already dismembered it, sparing only its head, it was still alive.
Truly, its tenacity was fitting for a plant-type monster.
“So, you can see the memories of the humans you consume? Any human?”
-“Yes, not just their memories but their voices too….”
“Good!”
I nod in satisfaction, my voice brimming with approval.
A cunning grin spreads across my face, reminiscent of a schemer plotting their next move.
“You’re coming with me.”
-“…Excuse me?”
“You seem useful, that’s all.”
-“Uh, uh….”
Perhaps not expecting such words, the cactus trembles as if its head is vibrating.
As it hesitates, I press my foot down harder and speak in an even colder tone.
“…What, do you not want to? Or did you actually want to become a skeleton instead?”
-“T-that’s…!!”
No matter how strong its regenerative power, turning it into an undead would render it useless.
My words leave the cactus monster on the verge of tears.
…To be able to retrieve both the memories and voices of its victims—it’s an incredibly rare ability, perhaps even unique in the world of Avalon’s Tower.
Leaving something so valuable behind in the desert was out of the question.
I intended to exploit it for everything it had—whether its past memories or ones it would acquire in the future—until I was fully satisfied.
Moreover, the journey to Nevirthol was still a long way ahead.
Considering the time needed for Isera to integrate with Lilianel and the hero’s party, I had deliberately slowed my pace, but even so, it would take at least another fifteen days.
During that long and monotonous journey, listening to the stories stored in the cactus monster’s memories seemed like the perfect pastime.
So far, I had only heard fragments of the story involving the first hero, Vellius Varius, and Lilianel.
There were still countless tales left to uncover—like the great human-monster war of the “Era of Conflict.”
…I smile and whisper to the cactus monster in the sweetest voice possible.
“Don’t worry. You’ll enjoy this.”
-“…Looking forward to working with you?”
(II)
“Now I can finally breathe….”
Derin, commonly referred to as an “Archmage” by society and an S-rank adventurer, lay sprawled on her bed.
Once a member of the most powerful dungeon-raiding squad, the Red Moon Extermination Squad, she was now savoring the rare sweetness of rest after several exhausting months.
Having barely survived the Immortal Dungeon and traversed through the great city of Ermaile, she finally arrived at the fortress city of Nevirthol.
A place where there was no need to cross paths with the “Progenitor Vampire,” who was akin to a demon, and even if attacked, she felt safer here than anywhere else.
“That was exhausting….”
She sank into the soft bed of the inn.
Though several days had passed since her arrival, she still couldn’t get enough of the warm and cozy blankets and pillows, no matter how much she clung to them.
“Mm….”
Rolling around in the luxurious bed of the inn, Derin began to recall the events that had transpired a few days ago in the Immortal Dungeon and Ermaile.
“…It was horrifying.”
Her comrades from the Red Moon Extermination Squad, killed instantly by chantless magic.
The residents of Ermaile, massacred by the undead.
And the familiar of the Progenitor Vampire, who overwhelmed her with sheer magical power before she could even meet its gaze.
“…Damn it, how the hell are we supposed to win against that?”
Derin let out a sigh, covering her face with both hands.
The memory of her past self, even attempting to stand against such a being, now filled her with terror.
“If it weren’t for that request, I would have run away ages ago….”
She had reluctantly taken up her staff and rushed to the scene because of a plea from Karseron, the lord of Ermaile and her childhood friend.
But in the end, the only thing she could do was escape midway through.
While it might have been shameful as an S-rank adventurer—classified as a critical resource not just for guilds but for the entire kingdom—and while she might have felt guilty for being the one to unseal the vampire, there wasn’t a hint of regret in her heart.
…Because in the end, that choice to flee had saved her life.
And there was nothing in this world more important to her than her own life.
“Karseron….”
Her thoughts naturally drifted to the face of Karseron, whom she had left behind in Ermaile.
The young lord of Ermaile, who had donned armor and rushed out to face the Progenitor Vampire.
…Her childhood friend and closest companion.
What had become of him?
“Sigh….”
A deep sigh escaped Derin’s lips.
While her heart was weighed down with concern for Karseron, there was no way for her to confirm whether he was alive or dead.
The Teleportation Hubs across the nation were shut down, and communication with both Ermaile and the royal capital, now under the vampire’s control, was also severed.
…All Derin could do now was wait for the hero to defeat the vampire.
“A hero, huh….”
She once again pondered over the hero and his party, now the sole hope of the Avilia Kingdom.
The 21st hero, Vellius Grandius, who was said to possess power far surpassing that of S-rank adventurers.
Alongside him was a five-member party to support him.
“Five? Should I say three now…?”
Derin tilted her head in confusion.
Normally, a hero’s party consisted of six members, including the hero.
However, “Sword Maiden” Maiden Alice had been killed by the vampire in the royal capital, and recently, the new recruit Judith Evergrit had been arrested for treason against the hero.
Now, only three companions remained by the hero’s side.
“Can they really manage with just four people…?”
The Progenitor Vampire had effortlessly crushed not only the Red Moon Extermination Squad but also the combined forces of the Ermaile Adventurer’s Guild and the Stormhound Mercenary Corps.
No matter how extraordinary the hero was, it was hard to imagine him securing victory, especially with a diminished party.
Derin couldn’t help but furrow her brows.
“…Never mind.”
But she soon gave up thinking about it and let out another deep sigh.
“They’ll figure it out….”
She was tired of worrying and fretting.
She had gone through so much to escape to Nevirthol; she didn’t want to deal with anything related to the Progenitor Vampire ever again.
All she wanted now was to rest in Nevirthol and wait for the hero to defeat the vampire.
She firmly believed she would never cross paths with the “Progenitor Vampire” again or raise her weapon against that ashen-haired girl.
…At least, that’s what she thought.
Knock, knock.
“Huh?”
…A cautious knock at the door of her inn room startled her.
Derin sat up abruptly from her bed.
“Who could it be…?”
In Nevirthol, she had no family or friends, so there was no one who would visit her privately.
Since her checkout date was still far off, it was unlikely to be the innkeeper.
“Wh-who is it?”
Hastily tidying her messy hair, Derin rushed to the door and flung it open.
What greeted her were two burly city guards clad in full plate armor.
“…Are you S-rank adventurer Derin from Ermaile?”
“That’s me….”
Derin nodded blankly at the guards who abruptly questioned her identity.
At the same time, her mind began racing.
‘W-why are guards here…?’
The only reasons guards would come to an inn like this were either to apprehend a criminal or to detain someone.
But Derin fit neither category.
She had been cooped up in her room for days, quietly minding her own business.
The guards had even confirmed her occupation and name, which meant they had likely checked the information submitted when she used the Teleportation Hub—details like her name, occupation, and a magic sample for identification.
In Nevirthol, that was the only way to verify the existence of “S-rank adventurer Derin.”
“…We’ve come for an urgent matter.”
“…!”
The guard’s voice interrupted Derin’s frantic speculation.
She widened her eyes in surprise and asked, “An urgent matter?”
“Yes, a very urgent matter.”
The guard nodded.
His solid steel helmet clinked softly as his calm, heavy voice echoed from within.
“…The hero, the 21st hero Vellius Grandius, is summoning you, Derin.”
“Th-the hero?!”
At the mention of “the hero,” an involuntary shriek escaped Derin’s lips.
The guard, unfazed, pulled out a document from his chest and handed it to her.
“Here, take this….”
“….”
Derin carefully unfolded the document she was handed.
“This is….”
It was none other than a letter bearing the hero’s seal.
In other words, this was proof that the guards were not impostors but had truly been sent by the hero himself.
“Wh-why would the hero summon me…?”
Realizing the seriousness of the situation, Derin’s expression hardened.
…Why would such a great figure summon someone as insignificant as her?
And why now, at this critical moment, with the battle against the Progenitor Vampire imminent?
Why?
“Cough….”
A nervous cough escaped her lips.
A foreboding feeling crept up from her toes, wrapping around her entire body.
After all, the hero was one of the key figures tied to the Progenitor Vampire.
If he had summoned her, it was unlikely to be for a good reason.
Just when Derin thought things couldn’t get worse, the guard continued, leaving her no time to prepare herself mentally.
“…Relax. You’re not the only one, Derin. A summon has been issued to all S-rank adventurers within Nevirthol.”
“All S-rank adventurers in Nevirthol…?”
The hero was summoning all S-rank adventurers in the city, right before the battle with the Progenitor Vampire.
…It didn’t feel like a good sign.
“Although I don’t know the details, it seems they’re planning to fill the vacancies in the hero’s party by selecting two members from the summoned adventurers.”
“Fill the vacancies…? With S-rank adventurers from Nevirthol?”
“Yes, to ensure smooth combat against the Progenitor Vampire.”
“Ah.”
…And Derin’s foreboding feeling turned out to be true.
—
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