Chapter 52 : Echoes of the Past

“Yuri, do you have any intention of becoming my successor?”

He said he wanted to entrust her with the position of the next commander of the Spirit Masters.

“Successor… you mean, me?”

“You don’t have to answer right away. There’s time, so think about it slowly and give me your answer.”

“…”

The handshake between Violet and Yuri ended like that. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, I returned to my seat.

‘Make Yuri his successor…? What’s his intention?’

His purpose in brainwashing Carne was clearly to kill Yuri. But now he says he wants to make Yuri the commander of the Spirit Masters. I’m confused.

Yuri didn’t say anything about it. The only thing I could tell was that her expression seemed heavier than usual.

[The results are out. Human.]

After a short time, Invidia sent a thought.

‘What was it? What’s in Violet’s body?’

[That.]

At the fact that I had finally found out the truth, I held my breath and waited for Invidia’s answer.

[I don’t know.]

‘…Huh?’

The answer that came back was so absurd that I lost my energy.

[Analysis failed. It was protected by a strong protection spell.]

‘..No, you’re Invidia, aren’t you? Is there a protection spell that even an ancient species can’t break?’

Thinking of Invidia’s appearance when fighting the Spirit Masters, nothing seemed impossible, but—

[I need more power. Only about a tenth of my original power has returned.]

In the end, there was no way to know for now.

After the funeral, the academy gradually tried to return to its former appearance. Although it was impossible to forget the Spirit Masters who had already left, the teams with replaced members gradually adapted to their new formations.

‘..It’s that dream again.’

These days, I’ve been having trouble sleeping every night because of a strange dream. When I open my eyes in the pitch-black darkness, a world where there is only emptiness unfolds.

It was a strange dream where I would wake up after confirming that there was nothing around me and then close my eyes again.

[A dream?]

Invidia, who heard my story, asked back through a thought.

“Yes. It’s driving me crazy.”

I wish someone would appear in the dream, but when I open my eyes, I’m always alone in the empty wilderness.

[Interesting. That is probably a memory of my past.]

“Your past memory?”

[Just as I share all your memories, you may also share mine. However, since it’s a memory that I don’t have, it’s probably the memories of Invidias that awakened long ago.]

He said that the memories I saw in my dreams were the memories of Invidias from a long time ago.

“..No, you’re Invidia. Why aren’t you sharing the memories?”

[We ancient species chose to periodically fall asleep instead of having a short lifespan.]

When an ancient species falls asleep, it replaces all its cells with new ones to restore its worn-out lifespan.

In that process, all memories from the time they were awake are lost.

“Who are you talking to, Saya?”

Because Luna suddenly burst into the room, I was caught talking.

“It was a soliloquy. A soliloquy.”

“..You’re eccentric.”

Luna was the type to readily accept what I said without suspicion. It’s not because she’s naive, but because she feels like she trusts me completely, no matter what I say.

“Saya has always had a lot of secrets.”

“Me?”

Her hand naturally went to the brush.

“Even now. Would you like to sit here for a while?”

It had been a while since the last brushing. Because there had been a lot of bad things happening recently, the brushing time had been greatly reduced, and I had forgotten about it.

Every time her hand touched, my tangled hair was untangled one by one. At first, I made a fuss because it hurt, but at some point, I got used to it.

“Saya, how about growing your hair out?”

It was the words she said when she was about halfway through untangling my hair.

“..I haven’t really thought about that.”

“You cut it all off with scissors even if it’s a little long. Your hair is nice; it’s a waste.”

‘Is that so?’

Since childhood, I’ve kept cutting it because it felt cumbersome when it was long. I didn’t particularly want to look like a woman, and there was no reason to.

“And, tell me whenever you have worries. I’m always on your side, Saya.”

“…Yes.”

I answered like that, but I couldn’t tell her everything. If she knew that Invidia was in my body, it would be difficult to talk to her in any form.

I had a desire for Luna to remain pure forever. As a result, the secrets I was hiding from her were also increasing rapidly.

[That human is a fully grown adult. So, why do you feel like protecting her?]

“..Because she’s like family.”

“Huh? What..?”

Invidia suddenly sent a thought, so I unconsciously answered it.

“Family.. right? We are. When we’re like this.”

“…”

Luna’s expression, hearing my words, seemed complicated for some reason.

“Do you think so, Saya?”

Luna, who stopped brushing, hugged me from behind.

“…Luna?”

Luna hugged me and said nothing.

It would normally be a skinship without hesitation, but today Luna’s attitude feels somehow different.

[Shall I analyze that human’s emotions?]

‘Don’t you dare think about it. If you don’t want to be annihilated.’

[..That’s scary.]

I gave a warning and silenced Invidia, and I stayed still as Luna wanted. Even if such a thing were possible, there’s no reason for her to do such a rude thing.

After a long silence, she spoke to me in my ear.

“..Saya, what would it have been like if you had done something other than being a Spirit Master?”

“Other things, like what?”

“Just, like, farming normally. Or doing business. If you were doing those things, wouldn’t you be living more happily than now?”

I had never thought about a path other than being a Spirit Master. I decided that from the moment I was born here.

“You’re probably tired, Luna. We’ve been busy without a break lately.”

The intensity of Luna’s hug on me became a little stronger. I could feel her breath close by, and I could feel her body temperature directly.

“..How about we stop this now and live together in my mansion.”

“..Huh?”

“Saya, you’ve done a great job. Wouldn’t it be okay to stop doing this dangerous thing now and live happily?”

Luna was serious.

“There, you won’t have to fight, and every day will be fun. I’ll introduce you to Aris too. She’s a girl who’s working as a maid; I’m sure you’ll get along well with her. And…”

“Luna, that’s not possible.”

In a firm voice, I expressed my refusal to Luna.

“There’s still a lot to do. I can’t quit being a Spirit Master.”

“…That’s right. It is.”

Hearing my words, Luna gradually loosened the strength of her arms holding me. I could feel her hair, which was touching my face, slowly moving away.

“..I’m sorry.”

At my apology, she answered with a smile.

“Don’t be sorry. I was the one who was being strangely stubborn.”

Perhaps Luna wanted a more normal life.

It feels like my existence has drawn Luna into a dangerous world, so I always feel guilty towards her.

“The brushing is done. Shall we eat something together for the first time in a while?”

“Okay.”

As usual on weekends, I spent a normal, happy time with Luna. With a naive expression like when we were young.

While I was filling my stomach and taking a pleasant nap, Invidia asked.

[Why did you refuse?]

‘What?’

[According to the analysis, you said something contrary to your feelings.]

‘You can’t always live as your emotions lead you. Acting according to your emotions is a privilege of childhood.”

[Back and forth.. humans live so tiredly.]

Invidia, who was looking outside through the window in my room, made me a request.

[Human, let me go outside for a while. I have something I want to experiment with.]

‘..That’s good. It will help with digestion.’

It was rare for him to ask for something, so I readily agreed.

I quietly closed the door so that Luna wouldn’t wake up and came out to the school grounds. Students in light clothes were strolling around.

Invidia was walking beside me, transformed into Daengdaengi’s form, so as not to arouse the suspicion of the students.

‘What do you want to do here?’

[I need to recover my strength. I’m in such a weakened state right now that I don’t have the power to identify the identity of a human named Violet.]

‘Recover strength?’

[The method is simple. Kill another Spirit Master’s Osteon and feed me the soul stone.]

‘….’

Swishh.

Without saying anything, I drew my sword and swung it at Invidia. Startled by the attack, Invidia quickly dodged the sword.

[What are you doing, human..! I almost died!]

‘I should have killed you from the beginning. Does it make sense to take another Spirit Master’s Osteon? That’s beyond grounds for disciplinary action; it’s grounds for execution..?’

[I don’t understand. Even if the Osteon dies, the Spirit Master doesn’t die.]

It seems like it will take a long time to understand him. Or, it might be impossible at all..

‘Anyway, it’s not allowed. Harming other Spirit Masters is prohibited.’

Invidia, lost in thought, suddenly started heading somewhere.

‘Hey, where are you going?’

[There might be another way. Follow me, human.]

‘..I don’t know who’s the master here.’

The place I arrived at following him was a forest near the school where Sarkas inhabited.

“What are you going to do here? Are you going to eat fruit?”

[No. What I was looking for is this.]

He raised his front paw and jumped into the bushes. It seems he was aiming for a rabbit Sarkas in the bushes, and the Sarkas immediately jumped out and ran away.

[..Damn, why is it so fast.]

“..Are you really Invidia?”

Seeing Invidia, who was once called a monster of the end, unable to catch a single rabbit Sarkas, I tried hard to hold back the laughter that was about to leak out.

‘Let’s help a little.’

I aimed the loaded crossbow in one hand and pierced the Sarkas’s body with a bloodstone arrow.

“Kieeeek!”

Since I had been doing it like eating since the past, I easily brought down the rabbit Sarkas.

[Nice weapon. Anyway, bon appétit.]

‘Bon appétit, what..’

Invidia, who approached the rabbit Sarkas that was still alive and trembling, opened its huge jaws wide and swallowed the rabbit Sarkas whole.

‘…!’

After showing an action like chewing food, it quickly finished it off.

[It’s not even a snack. I need to eat at least a thousand.]

“Is that, okay? Even so, they’re the same kind..”

[Same kind?]

Invidia, as if he had heard a ridiculous sound, scratched his head with his hind leg.

[Is there a rule that you can’t eat the same species? They’re just nourishment. Besides, I’m not a Sarkas now; I’m just another creature mixed half and half with an Osteon.]

“..That’s true.”

It was a little uncomfortable, but since the person involved said it was okay, I decided not to worry about it. From my point of view, it’s much better to feed Sarkas than to feed Osteons.

[Now, human. About 999 left.]

“What? That many?”

[Of course. That kind of quality is not enough even for a thousand. So hurry up and run hard to bring offerings.]

‘It’s strangely rude to talk..’

I don’t like his attitude a bit, but in the end, it’s something that benefits me, so I decided to help him.

Rabbit Sarkas were so numerous that they were stepped on, so it was easy to find them, but the problem was the supply of bloodstone arrows.

Because Invidia absorbed the Sarkas with the bloodstones, there were no bloodstones left to put in the arrows, and eventually, I had no choice but to catch them with a dagger.

After tearing apart the two Sarkas that rushed in front of me with a dagger, I asked him.

“..How many are left now?”

[About 750 left. But, I’m getting tired of eating the same thing. Are there any raccoons?]

Seeing him lying down so peacefully, I naturally got angry.

“You, if you don’t help later, you’ll be annihilated by my hand..”

[..Wait. I feel something around here.]

Invidia, who was calmly scratching his head, suddenly lowered his posture and started sniffing.

Following the smell, he arrived at a deeply connected cave in the wall.

[Found it.]

‘Was there a cave in a place like this?’

It was a fairly large cave, enough for two people to enter. The inside of the cave was quite deep, so it was hard to see properly because it was dark inside.

[I feel it. Two, no, three big powers are inside.]

He raised his head and began to take in a lot of air into his mouth. When his mouth swelled up like a balloon, he said to me with a thought.

[Cover your ears. It’ll be a bit noisy.]

‘What are you going to..’

Kiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii-!

With a tearing screech, a deafening cry burst from Invidia’s mouth. It was transmitted deep into the cave, causing the inside of the cave to vibrate violently.

I was in pain from the vivid sound that was transmitted even after covering my ears, and I said to him.

“What the hell are you doing…!?”

[I compressed the sound that Sarkas hate and shot it. There will be a reaction soon.]

As he said, soon, the sound of huge footsteps began to be heard from inside the cave.

Appearing with an angry roar were three huge Sarkas.

‘That, that’s a Master Sarkas..?’

It was the large rabbit Sarkas that I had fought when I was 16 years old. And there were three of them.

They led their heavy bodies and ran out of the cave.

“Kieeeeeeeek-!”

[That’s not a bad offering.]

‘…..Ha..’

The ones I wanted to kill were not them, but Invidia.