20. Home of Mercy (1)
“… Please explain.”
Hearing that Kati could grow, Ian decided to listen.
As soon as his words fell, even Galatea came inside.
In her arms, the baby looked around with bright eyes as if everything in the world was strange.
Horns as small as fingernails were growing on the baby’s head, and the pupils were horizontally long like Galatea’s.
Looking at the baby, Ian felt a complicated feeling.
“First of all, it’s in order to say thank you for your willingness to help.”
“I heard enough greetings from my husband. What does it mean to be able to grow Kati more than that?”
“that… .”
Galatea saw Malion once.
The two exchanged words through their eyes.
“I know you know about the plan to train demon soldiers.”
At that mention, Ian briefly glanced at Kati.
Kati was quietly listening to the conversation.
Ian just nodded without saying a word.
“My husband and I were managers of a branch where the project was carried out.”
“… … .”
Ian’s eyebrows slightly twisted as he listened calmly.
Galatea and Malion suddenly became nervous.
“therefore?”
“To be called a soldier, you must have that kind of strength. In that laboratory, we also proceeded to amplify the power of brainwashed demons.”
“And you guys can do it?”
“Yes… .”
Malion also realized what kind of conversation Galatea and Kati had had.
“That doesn’t sound like a very good way… .”
Malion quickly explained.
“You don’t have to worry about that part. Forcing demons was all about willpower and brainwashing, and when it comes to power, you improved your skills only with pure methods… Oh, sorry… .”
The more I heard the story, the more Ian’s expression didn’t look very nice.
Originally, the impression that was far from being beautiful was distorted, and it was to the point of being threatening.
Ian also understands why Malion is so aggressive.
Without this place, it is difficult for them to live properly in a society or group.
“What about Katie? Are you okay?”
“This is what I asked for.”
“ha… . okay.”
Tapping the desk, he took out a sugar bar and bit into it.
“priority. I should definitely hear about your identities.”
“Yes.”
It was up to Galatea to explain.
before she came here.
He recounted the stories he had told the rest of Ian’s party.
*
“Now, wait a minute! Never heard of anything like this! Aside from Kati-sama, who the hell are you to know this… ?”
To Helena’s question, Galatea answered while avoiding everyone’s eyes.
“… I was one of the administrators of that brainwashing scheme that went on in many places.”
Kati also briefly frowned at the completely unexpected remark.
Even the people who didn’t show hostility thought that Galatea wasn’t just an ordinary, kind devil.
Galatea smiled bitterly at the familiar response.
Although it was a reaction that I had only seen from demons, not humans.
She said as she hugged the child deeper.
“I don’t know if it will be a defense. My husband and I ran away after completely destroying the branch we were managing. They also rescued the demons there.”
It seemed that she had a story.
The party decided to listen to her story more.
“Didn’t you say you were the manager…? ?”
“Yes. It was. Brainwashing and experimenting with demons, I, the same demon, helped. But, I didn’t do it because I wanted to.”
The laboratory decided to use the same mage to control the test subject.
That target was Galatea.
It was because she was the strongest in the laboratory, and at least she was a demon who could communicate with humans.
“I was threatened that if I refused, they would destroy all the test subjects and kill me too.”
Galatea spoke calmly as if it were someone else’s business.
Because he knew that the reason could not defend his sins.
“therefore… . I digested the role that was like a traitor. I didn’t want to, it was horrible and unpleasant every moment, but I still thought it was better than dying… .”
I was arrogant.
Galatea added in an inaudible voice.
“My husband was one of the researchers there. He was also the chief researcher who observed and recorded Mine up close.”
She looked down at the child for a moment and then stopped.
“Funny, only the person who studied the demon closest to me knew the mind of the demon. After all, I realized that demons are creatures that feel and think just like humans. One day he asked. to help yourself.”
Galatea’s hand caressed the baby slowly.
It was a lucky moment that the baby didn’t know the language yet.
It is too early to realize the harshness of the world.
“I was also making a similar plan. During the night, he killed the patrolling personnel, set fire to the laboratory, and tried to escape with only the demons. Thanks to my husband, the head researcher, I had all the information at my fingertips, and we put together a plan and quickly put it into action. No more people dying while experimenting… .”
“The plan worked. It’s a little selfish to you humans, but all humans died and all living demons were rescued. But rescued, it wasn’t rescued. Because everyone wasn’t normal already… .”
“More than anything else, everyone hated me and my husband. Absolutely. Because it was him, the head researcher, and me, the traitor. In the end, the demons formed their own groups and scattered.”
At that point, Galatea looked at Kati.
It was a subject worthy of severe contempt for himself.
However, Kati’s expression was calm.
“… All that was left were my husband and I. I didn’t like him either. But without him, the plan would have been impossible to succeed so perfectly. So I couldn’t hate… .”
Galatea did not say anything after that.
I just pictured the past in my head.
is it atonement? whether it is a responsibility
Malion then ferociously followed Galatea.
Even if she threatens to kill him.
Still, he did not give up, and the two continued their uncomfortable companionship.
Then, by raiding the laboratory of another training plan and rescuing the test subject, they got closer little by little.
It was Malion who had his heart first.
He was direct and active from the beginning.
Even Galatea, who stubbornly refused, couldn’t overcome his sincerity and sincerity.
Because she knew that the distinction between demons and humans was meaningless.
It seems that the name ‘Galatea’ was also given that way.
“Then, it happened like this.”
These were too private to say under these circumstances, so Galatea swallowed them to herself.
She looked at Kati and bowed her head deeply.
“… Sorry. Actually, I should have told you earlier.”
Carty shook her head calmly.
Galatea noticed in Kati’s unwavering eyes that she had a place to lean on.
More at noblemtl com
Just like you have Malion.
“Such a thing… .”
Vivian, Lucia, and Mercy were devastated by the depressing story.
It was hard to suspect Galatea as a bad person any longer.
Helena was saddened, but her head was a mess.
Demons and humans are no different.
If so, what kind of education did you receive at Seonghwagyo? .
“Didn’t I say that the Seonghwagyo was behind all of this?”
Galatea looked at Helena and said.
“It is known that the definition of demon is a human who has become a demon. But, if you think about it, isn’t it strange? Although they have become demons, that means they are essentially human.”
The essence of demons is not a ‘fiend’.
We have to put the weight of ‘humans’ who have become demons.
Galatea pointed out that blind spot.
“It’s okay not to know. I heard it from my husband, and he also found out after a long investigation.”
“Then is Mine a human…? ?”
“yes. To be more precise, it’s not even a demonization.”
“… Yes?”
Galatea saw Helena.
It was a pitiful look.
“A long time ago, they, no, we… . It was a race called ‘Beasts’.”
“… … .”
“And we, who were neither religiously unified nor conformed at all, were branded as ‘humanized humans’ by Seonghwagyo.”
“That word… .”
“The Seonghwa Church manipulated history.”
*
Mine.
No, ‘prisoner’ did not worship the god of Seonghwagyo.
They lived in a society of folk beliefs, each believing in their own god.
Long ago, beastmen lived close to humans.
The folk belief was sometimes transmitted to humans as well.
Seonghwagyo couldn’t leave it unattended, so they drove them out.
Rejecting them as pagans who believed in a ‘demon god’ that did not exist.
Crying out that humans have been corrupted and corrupted by paganism, and that they have become a ‘demons’.
It was a long history of witch hunts.
“… … .”
Galatea slowly unraveled the story she had told the party from beginning to end.
After hearing everything, Ian was silent for quite a while.
‘Because it’s a beast… .’
Ian looked at Galatea’s horn for a moment.
Kati is a special case, but the majority of mines are distinctive enough to stand out.
Certain demons resemble the ‘monsters of the apocalypse wearing human masks’ described in the Bible of Seonghwagyo.
Sometimes, humans cruelly reject certain objects based on their appearance.
He didn’t know that one of them was a demon, but Ian knew of another similar race.
There is a race that was once on the side of humans, but now has turned to demons.
Ian realized as he pondered why he hadn’t known this information before.
This was information fabricated even before he was transferred to this world.
So it was impossible to know unless you did a deep investigation.
In the 2nd playthrough, he occasionally fought with the demons, but he never wondered about their identities.
‘The imperial family must have known this… .’
They believed that Ian was a prophet, and that he knew the plan to train demon soldiers, so he would know the fabricated truth.
However, that was outside the realm of Ian’s knowledge.
“Then, Kati doesn’t know her past or identity… Is it because your memory has been erased?”
“Yes… .”
Kati, receiving Ian’s pitiful gaze, immediately intervened.
“I am fine.”
“It’s okay, what… .”
“Because my memory is full of only Master.”
“… … .”
“So, I’m rather good.”
Hearing those words, Ian couldn’t help but recall what happened yesterday.
Ian shook off that memory and put together the information he had just heard.
‘… Anyway, after all, demons are creatures that reproduce and live just like humans. Then, what is the identity of the demon king?’
“… Do you know anything about the Demon King?”
Galatea and Malion looked at each other as if embarrassed, then shook their heads.
It was an expected reaction.
I was just asking because I didn’t know.
“Well, that’s fine. Rather, I would like to hear how Kati can grow further.”
The explanation was up to Galatea.
“How much do you know about demon powers?”
“You mean Black Mana?”
When a human’s mana starts to flow outward, it turns blue.
In the case of Kylie, who has an overwhelming amount of mana storage and output, when she emits mana in a dark place, it looks like a bluish mass of light.
On the other hand, Mine sheds a black fog that seems to be overflowing with darkness.
Ian also knows because he has competed against Mine several times in the second round, and he knows it from seeing Kati.
“you’re right. That’s the biggest difference between demons and humans, and it’s a quality that can never be changed. But Kati… .”
Galatea looked at Kati with a sigh.
As she said, Kati’s mana is not black.
Ian doesn’t know why.
At some point, Kati naturally became like that.
“To put it simply, this child forcibly put an impossible power into his body.”
“… Is that that impossible?”
“Yes. Have you ever seen humans handle black mana?”
“Hmm. Never.”
“I also knew from Kati that demons could use human blue mana.”
Although such experiments have been conducted in previous laboratories, they have all failed.
Galatea didn’t even say that.
“This child left only a very small amount of black mana as needed, and filled the rest with normal blue mana.”
The black mana Kati uses is only enough to help her infiltrate.
Unlike blue mana, which is only destructive, black mana has many uses.
“That’s almost self-inflicted for Mine.”
“… Is that enough?”
When Ian looked at Carty in surprise, Carty smiled slightly so that only Ian could see.
“Why so… .”
“Because the more you use Black Mana, the more you become stained with murderous intent.”
Even before hearing Galatea’s answer, Ian seemed to know the other answer.
While protecting myself, black mana shouldn’t flow out.
I was forced to take a different path.
“… Is that so. Then, what does that have to do with Kati being able to grow?”
“I don’t know how strong this child is now, but I bet he will become much stronger if he can handle even the original black mana in this state.”
“Didn’t you have the urge to kill?”
“It is a problem that can be overcome.”
After saying that, a sticky black aura flowed from Galatea’s body.
Contrary to the warning of murderous impulses, Galatea’s expression was infinitely calm.
“okay. Are you saying you know me well?”
“Yes. When planning… I am trained not to be dragged around by the urge to kill this black mana. But for this child who already has blue mana in his body, that won’t even be a problem.”
A power Kati deliberately suppressed.
I draw it out, fuse it with my existing power, and use it.
It was something I had no choice but to believe in growing up.
“There are different opinions about Mine’s black mana… . There is a strong theory that it is a means of survival for the demons who were ostracized.”
“Hmm… .”
Ian saw Kati.
She just looked at Ian with a calm face as usual.
That alone was enough for Ian to know her heart.
“good. Let’s do well in the future.”
“Thank you… !”
“instead. You’ll have to be careful so there’s nothing wrong with him.”
“Yes! of course!”
Malion jumped up and bowed his back with the momentum of putting his head on the ground.
“Do it in moderation.”
“Ahaha… .”
When Malion and Galatea laughed, the baby in Galatea’s arms also laughed.
The laughing baby looked at Ian’s hand and began reaching out to him.
“yes? why?”
“Awww-.”
“You want to go to him?”
“… nonsense.”
“cadet!”
“… … .”
Galatea glanced up at Ian.
“Would you like to hug me?”
“It’s not like leaving a newborn baby to someone else.”
“If it weren’t for you, I might not have been able to give birth. Living in the future… .”
“Grunt… .”
“cadet! cadet!”
Ian had no choice but to hand over the baby.
It was as careful as receiving broken glass.
Galatea and Malion looked at him as if he was restless.
“Are you afraid of the baby?”
“I don’t know how to treat a child… .”
It was true that it was scary.
too small and fragile
To the point where I thought I would die if I misregulated my power even a little bit.
“cadet!”
The baby was actually not Ian, but he had seen the ring of subordination Ian was wearing.
A ring with two twinkling white snakes intertwined.
“Go, be quiet… .”
Ian was in a hurry not knowing how to handle the baby, and Kati sneaked up to help.
“like this.”
Kati led Ian’s hand to support the child’s hips and back, and the baby leaned against Ian’s arms.
“You can do this.”
“Uh, uh… .”
The baby was delighted to play with the ring.
Looking at Kati and Ian standing side by side, Galatea somehow felt like she was seeing Malion and her old self.
roles will be reversed.
Because Malion clung to himself.
Galatea’s gaze shifted to Kati’s left hand.
A black ring shone softly on her ring finger.
A ring that looks exactly like Ian’s, only in a different color.
Galatea realized right away.
‘Why did that child work so hard? That man.’
It was because of Ian that Kati kept the blue mana in her body even while cutting my soul.
For a long time, it was Galatea who used her colleagues terribly and measured and figured out their strength.
She could feel Katie’s power.
‘I thought it was weak at first, but… It’s because Black Mana is weak, it’s not that this child is weak. The blue mana that has been forged to this extent… .’
Galatea read ‘obsession’ in Kati’s aura.
Desperate, tenacious enough to even make you think it’s poisonous.
It was just the karma of the time that was constantly piled up to protect someone.
I was afraid that he would feel burdened, so I used the time he wasn’t looking to build up.
*
Ian’s party had no choice but to separate Galatea and Malion in the middle.
It was because Mercy did not want her destination, the Elven Forest, to be known.
Without being able to do anything, the two of them had to spend some time in a forest where there were few predators and people were rare.
Unlike the normal Malion, Galatea was a pretty strong demon, so I was able to feel at ease.
Katie’s training was also decided to go to the elven forest first.
Heading to the elven forest, Ian was thinking of those he had left behind.
‘Should I get a piece of land… .’
I wanted to make sure that I was responsible for accepting them as part of the group.
But it wasn’t easy to carry the two of them around.
Unlike Kati, Galatea’s characteristics stand out too much.
‘I’d rather leave it on my land… . I think it’ll be better.’
In the past, the emperor had once refused an offer of land along with a title of nobility.
He would be going around after dealing with dungeons and being dispatched to the frontlines anyway, saying what kind of need is the land?
‘But soon after the warp portal is invented, I’ll be able to move around in my land.’
It was a matter to be seriously considered.
On the way, Ian announced that Kati would be with them as a warrior, and the party readily accepted.
The common sense of Mine they knew had already been broken.
Instead, Kati’s skills were far superior to the other three, so cooperation would come a long way later.
In the meantime, Ian arrived at the forest Mercy told him about.
“Hmm. I mean it’s here I just don’t know.”
“Hehe. Follow me well.”
Mercy led the way through the forest.
Lucia, who followed, said.
“Do you feel like an adventurer rather than a warrior?”
“Isn’t that what it used to be?”
Lucia seemed quite amused by this situation.
On the other hand, Vivian and Helena only followed with serious expressions.
From the past few days, the two of them have often been quietly serious.
‘Do you have any concerns… .’
While I was thinking about what to do with the two of them.
The forest was cut off and a cliff appeared.
Beneath the far-out cliff was the wide sea.
“… Is this right?”
“Yes. wait and see.”
Looking around, Mercy stood in front of the biggest tree in the area.
She touched her tongue with her index finger, and smeared her saliva on the wood.
‘… What is it?’
I wondered if an unknown ritual was going on, but the space at the end of the cliff stretching toward the sea was distorted.
Cracks that started at the dot quickly widened to become blue ovals.
Ian immediately recognized what it was.
‘… A warp portal?’
On the other hand, Vivian and Helena, who had only seen similar things in dungeons, were on alert.
Lucia, not knowing, tilted her head and asked.
“What is that?”
“It is the passage leading to the Elven Forest. Come on, let’s go.”
“Where are you going… .”
“Eight!”
Instead of answering, Mercy ran to the cliff and threw herself into the blue oval.
“Mercy?!”
The surprised party followed, but Mercy was gone.
“Huh? Where did you go?”
“… They moved through the portal.”
“Neh?”
“Is this even possible for humans?”
Most people who know portals will think of dungeons.
And the dungeon portal cannot be used by humans.
So, the reaction of the party was natural.
‘I thought there was already a usable portal on the elf side… .’
Ian himself knows the warp portal in this world.
And maybe just a few members of the imperial family who heard it, and Iris, who is working hard to invent it.
Ian believed that.
‘If I get help from the elves, would it be possible to speed up the invention of the warp portal… ?’
Besides, it’s a warp portal that only appears when certain conditions are met.
If this was a type of sorcery, it must have been so great that it was difficult to measure.
Continuing his thoughts, Ian took the lead.
“Let us go too.”
“Yes Yes!”
When I stepped into the portal, a flash I hadn’t seen in a very long time filled my vision.
The whole son-in-law was dyed blue, and then gradually turned white.
When I open my eyes, it seems like they are closed.
A brief moment when the sensation fades, as if it floats after being wrapped.
When he woke up again, Ian was standing in a field surrounded by tall trees.
In the green field, scattered colorful wild flowers were also blooming.
A landscape as if flowers were freely drawn on green paper.
Among them, right in front of Ian, Mercy greeted with a smile.
“Welcome to my hometown, Ian.”
“It is the honor of the family, Princess.”
It was a field bathed in the warm sun.
Subsequently, the party also arrived at Ian’s side one after another.
“Eh?!”
“Ahh!”
“Five… ?”
Vivian, Helena and Lucia.
And Kati arrived quietly and just looked down at her hand.
“Can I just trust the princess’ guidance now?”
“Um, no. maybe soon… .”
“human?”
Suddenly, a strange voice was heard.
As I turned my head toward the epicenter, a small fairy flew into the air.
She stepped up in front of Lucia and tilted her head.
“human?”
“hello?”
Lucia smiled calmly and said hello.
“Human!”
The fairy was taken aback by the greeting.
Then the elves among the grass flew up all at once.
“Human!”
“Are humans here?”
“How are humans here?”
Their gaze soon reached Mercy.
“… Princess!”
Mercy laughed awkwardly.
“I thought I would come out to meet you soon… .”
“It’s a princess!”
“The princess is here!”
“But why are you alone? Without the Ranger coming out first?”
At Mercy’s question, the elves were perplexed in their own way.
at that time.
[Memory Correction]
Old memories flooded into Ian’s head.
‘Aren’t elves a bit strange these days?’
‘Is it just weird? I couldn’t see it at all… .’
‘What are you both talking about? Elves are a very unknown race, so isn’t it natural?’
‘No, no, it’s true. Even the elves I knew suddenly disappeared without a word. I’m not a kid like that.’
‘I heard that something happened… .’
… … .
After confirming his memory, Ian looked around the elven forest again.
Elves in trouble.
According to Mercy’s words, the ‘Rangers’ who should have come to greet them first are absent.
‘What’s wrong.’
One of the hesitant elves summoned courage and shouted.
“They’re blocking the dungeon!”