Chapter 132 : Episode 132. Sword Fiend (5)
Episode 132. Sword Fiend (5)
"......?"
At the words of the Sword Fiend, Ian quickly blinked his eyes.
You've been looking for someone like me all this time...? Why?
As Ian looked at the Sword Fiend with a questioning expression, the Sword Fiend continued speaking.
"I know it's sudden. You must be bewildered. But if you really have the Demon-Infused Constitution..."
The Sword Fiend's lips moved as if to speak, then closed.
"......? Why did you stop mid-sentence?"
"...... There are things I need to ask you first before I can explain things properly."
The pupils inside the goblin mask looked up at Ian.
"I ask you, can you answer my questions?"
"......"
The Sword Fiend's tone was extremely polite.
Ian didn't know why he was acting this way, but it seemed to be a matter of great importance.
Ian nodded for now.
"Understood. As long as it's something I can answer."
"Thank you."
Only then did the Sword Fiend, who had been right up close, step back a few paces.
"First, about your constitution... How do you have the same physique as me?"
"...... Hmm."
Ian hesitated.
He couldn't speak about the Authority of Projection, so he had to word his answer carefully.
Before that, was it really okay to give away this information for free?
As Ian considered this, the Sword Fiend quickly caught on.
"I presume you want a price this time too."
Ian didn't feign innocence.
"Information is like that, isn't it?"
"In that case, let me make you an offer."
"What kind of offer?"
"For each question you answer, I'll give you five commission tokens. I'll throw in a Demon Sword as well. You can pick the one you want."
"...... Oh."
It wasn't a gamble, and yet just for answering a single question, the reward was this generous?
This matter must really be important to the Sword Fiend.
For Ian, who needed strong allies and many weapons, it was too tempting an offer to refuse.
"All right. I should answer sincerely then. Shall I start by explaining how I came to have the Demon-Infused Constitution?"
The Sword Fiend quietly nodded.
Ian organized his thoughts and then replied.
"...... It's a power I gained from an ancient ruin."
He'd avoided giving a direct answer, but it wasn't a lie.
After all, the Authority of Projection was an ability Yuria had obtained from an ancient ruin in his previous life.
"A power gained from an ancient ruin...? Then, was it a runestone? Or some kind of artifact transplanted into one's body? Could it have been a special elixir?"
"...... Hmm. No, it's none of those."
The Sword Fiend's eyes widened.
"None of them? Then what was it?"
"A relic... There was a withered mummy seated atop an altar, clutching a black eyeball in its hand. When I took it, it crumbled to dust, and the power contained in that eyeball entered me. That's how I obtained this constitution."
He'd skipped over a lot, but that, too, was not a lie.
In his previous life, Ian had been the first to discover the Authority of Projection; when he passed the eyeball to Yuria, it crumbled and was absorbed by her.
Much later, after Yuria died in the tragic final war, the authority transferred back to Ian.
In the end, that was how he had become able to project the Demon-Infused Constitution.
"Hmmm."
After hearing Ian's answer, the Sword Fiend stroked his chin as he fell into thought.
"If that's how you obtained the power... it's a bit ambiguous."
"What's ambiguous?"
"What matters is whether this trait can be passed down to later generations."
"Passed down? You mean hereditary?"
"Yes. That's why I was hoping your physique had been inherited from your ancestors. Even receiving it from a spiritual creature or a great spirit would have been fine. But... if it's a power obtained that way, it probably has a low chance of being hereditary. The only surefire test is for you to have a child..."
When the Sword Fiend glanced at Ian, Ian's lips drooped.
"Don't even dream of it. There's no way I'm going to have a child just for such a reason."
"Of course."
The Sword Fiend sighed softly and crossed his arms.
He seemed a bit frustrated.
Ian spoke quietly.
"Does Sir Silence's Demon-Infused Constitution get inherited?"
"Hmm?"
The Sword Fiend blinked, as if the question was unexpected, then replied.
"It does. I inherited my Demon-Infused Constitution from my parents. But don't go telling others needlessly. I'm telling you because the circumstances are special."
"I see. Understood."
So the Sword Fiend's Demon-Infused Constitution was hereditary.
If that's so, then perhaps...
Ian's Demon-Infused Constitution would also be hereditary.
After all, the Authority of Projection, as the name implied, was an ability that perfectly projected a target.
"Sir Silence. If I may ask."
"......?"
"Whether my constitution is hereditary or not—other than having a child, is there any other way to verify it?"
"Hmmm. Well..."
The Sword Fiend thought for a moment, then spoke.
"I can't think of any sure way."
"...... I see. Actually, I have an idea—what do you think?"
"Hmm? An idea?"
The Sword Fiend looked interested.
"What's your idea?"
Ian, sounding a bit embarrassed, continued.
"It's about experimenting with my semen."
"...... What?"
"Well... In a sense, that too is my offspring, and it's living life. If this trait is hereditary, my sperm should also be immune to curses. We can observe it under a microscope and cast curses on it. If the movement slows down or the cells burst under a curse, that means the trait isn't hereditary. But if nothing happens when we cast a curse, wouldn't that suggest a high possibility that the trait is hereditary?"
"Ha, haa..."
The Sword Fiend became rigid, like a stone.
Then he cleared his throat.
"Hrmm! Well... yes, that does... make sense."
Hiding the mouth behind the mask, the Sword Fiend lowered his head.
It was hard to tell if he was holding back embarrassment, or laughter.
Clearing his throat repeatedly, the Sword Fiend continued.
"Hrmm! Hm! The method you suggested isn't bad."
"...... Right?"
"Yes. I'd like to experiment as soon as possible. Will you help?"
"Sure. But... you'll give me five more commission tokens and another Demon Sword, right?"
"Yes. Understood. Anything else you need help with?"
"Wha—! What help!? Just stay here. I'll go and come back..."
"......"
Ian visited the restroom, while the Sword Fiend borrowed a microscope from the alchemy workshop.
About an hour later.
All the experiments were finished.
"...... Amazing."
The Sword Fiend exclaimed purely in admiration.
"It's perfectly immune to curses. Even when I cast a curse of slowing, the movement didn't slow at all."
"...... Is that so."
"With this... it's highly likely your Demon-Infused Constitution is also hereditary."
"So. Why is that important?"
"Ah, that is..."
― Hesitates.
The Sword Fiend seemed a bit flustered.
"I-I can't tell you right now. But..."
"But?"
"You... you asked me earlier to join your order, didn't you?"
"Yes, that's right."
"That request... I think I can accept it now."
"...... What!?"
Hold on. Earlier you refused so firmly, saying you were too busy and disliked communal life.
But now, just because the Demon-Infused Constitution might be hereditary, you'll join the order?
What is going on in this person's mind!?
"I have no idea what you're thinking, sir Silence."
"...... Well, I'll tell you someday. For now, I can't. So, what's your answer? Can I join your order?"
"Of course."
The Sword Fiend was someone that every organization and nation in the world would be desperate to have.
And now he was offering to join the order himself.
This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity Ian could not afford to miss.
"I promise the best treatment and every benefit you desire."
"That's good. I was worried you might have changed your mind. I'm glad."
"......"
Ian wanted to ask the Sword Fiend why he had changed his mind so suddenly, but refrained from doing so.
Whatever it was, the Sword Fiend had said he would explain someday.
'Well, he did say he'd tell me eventually.'
For now, just recruiting the Sword Fiend into the order was more than enough.
Besides, he had also obtained the Ghost Sword Quiennio, his main objective.
The journey back to Sunshine Castle felt lighter than ever.
* * *
That night.
Ian had left long ago, and the Sword Fiend was left alone in the annex.
Inside the main bedroom where the Sword Fiend slept.
"......"
The Sword Fiend sat in front of the makeup table with a mirror, lighting a favorite scented candle.
Then—
― Click!
He carefully removed the goblin mask he had worn all day.
― Swish......
The face concealed behind the mask—
Had features completely unsuited to the title of 'Sword Fiend'.
Clear, radiant skin; round, sparkling eyes; chubby, cute cheeks.
If anything matched the nickname, it was the flickering crimson eyes like will-o'-the-wisps and the alluring, decadent shadow in those eyes.
The true identity of the one called Sword Fiend was a petite woman.
"......"
Silence took off the thick robe draped over her body and removed her high-heeled shoes.
With just that, her height shrank by nearly a third.
"Haaa... haaa..."
Sitting cross-legged on the chair, Silence savored the scent of the candle to her heart's content.
Then she began to review the happenings of the day.
'... Have I finally found it...?'
A seed that could revive her clan.
After the elves of Juan with the Demon-Infused's power were massacred by demonic humans...
As the only survivor of her clan, Silence had spent nearly 200 years searching for someone with the Demon-Infused Constitution like her.
Because of the mission entrusted to her in her father's dying words—the clan chief who saved her at the cost of his own life.
'Father entrusted me with everything.'
The wrath of the clan, the future of the clan, the mission of the clan.
Ever since the day everyone was slaughtered, all those dreams became Silence's burden to bear.
To avenge her clan upon the demonic humans, and to ensure the clan's revival by passing on the Demon-Infused Constitution's bloodline.
'But for two hundred years... I've achieved none of it.'
She hadn't taken her revenge.
Because she lacked the necessary strength and talent.
Silence's aura had stopped growing seventy years ago.
Late-Mid-Stage Grandmaster. That was her limit.
That's why she had become obsessed with collecting Demon Swords.
It was her only way to augment her strength for revenge.
'I haven't even passed on the Demon-Infused Constitution's blood.'
An elf can only become pregnant a very limited number of times in a lifetime.
At most, depending on constitution, four times. At fewest, only once.
After that, they become infertile for life.
Though granted lifespans ten times longer than humans, their reproductive ability lagged far behind.
Thus, they had no choice but to be exceedingly careful in choosing a mate to carry on the bloodline.
If Silence bore a child with an ordinary man, there was only a 50% chance the child would inherit the Demon-Infused Constitution.
And the number of chances Silence could bear children in her whole life was just once, or at most four times.
If fortune failed her even once, the Demon-Infused Constitution's blood could be lost forever.
'But... but if... Ian Greysel is a man who can pass on the Demon-Infused Constitution's blood...?'
She could achieve everything needed.
If she borrowed Ian's brilliant power, she could exact vengeance upon the demonic humans.
If she could bear a child from Ian who inherited the Demon-Infused Constitution's power, she could surely pass on the Demon-Infused Constitution's bloodline.
'I'll have to keep watching. By his side.'
She couldn't be certain yet that Ian was a suitable match for her.
But the possibility was clear.
For 200 years, she'd wandered the continent with no hope, and now, at last, she saw a light, a path forward.
'Time flows slowly for elves, after all.'
If, someday, Ian found someone he loved and had a child, Silence would watch to see whether the child inherited the Demon-Infused Constitution's power.
And if the Demon-Infused Constitution power was indeed inherited from Ian...
"............."
Silence's cheeks flushed red.
'... I'll think about that when the time comes.'
That night, for some reason, Silence found it especially hard to fall asleep.
-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=
God damn it, no. No! No! No!
Also, it's weird how Ian was able to produce his "seed" quickly.
He must have some pent up stress...
【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】