323. Pre-Meal
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“Oh-“
Eliya exclaims briefly, poking Mobius’s cheek absentmindedly.
Considering this guy’s original personality, if she had done something like this before, he would have immediately tried to cut off her wrist. However, Mobius, frozen stiff, shows no reaction.
It’s probably a reaction that came out after getting properly beaten by Dowd just a moment ago.
“Is he alive?”
At Eliya’s question, Astrid, standing next to her and silently observing, lets out a heated sigh.
Unlike the steel machine usually used as a ‘substitute’ for the body, this time, it’s a body made of flesh and blood.
Stroking the long hair that falls down to the waist, Astrid slowly scans around Mobius.
“…Fascinating. The personality is alive, but the body is completely stiff.”
Having said that, Astrid, holding something like a scanner in her hand, slowly scans around Mobius.
“The personality is alive?”
“The mind is alive. But there’s no control over the body.”
It’s a situation that’s hard to categorize as either mental transformation or personality modification.
However, it’s a situation where an overwhelming amount of information disrupting the ‘senses’ has been forcibly injected, causing a complete ‘malfunction.’
“It’s unbelievable. How did he manage this?”
With only his singular mind, Mobius could precisely control the numerous facilities in this massive facility.
Using such an audacious technique as pushing an absurd amount of information into the target to immobilize them?
“I don’t know how he combined magic and magic, but… it’s truly impressive. When it comes to ‘dealing with’ demons, there has never been a case like this in the entire world. No matter how you think about it, it’s strange.”
“What do you mean? Why is that strange?”
“There is no being in any other dimension that can ‘force’ such actions on demons. Even the angels in the underworld can’t do that.”
So.
It’s as if the demons have voluntarily lent their power to this man from the beginning.
To express it more overtly and directly, it’s like they’re saying, ‘You’re okay,’ as they generously pour their power.
Tracing the origins of the demons that exist beyond the timeline, it converges into a bizarre conclusion that it’s as if they have been fond of this man ‘from the beginning.’
“It’s like, ‘beyond time,’ those who fell in love with my son are willingly giving up everything.”
Even the yellow demon that recently revealed itself gives off that feeling.
My goodness. Giving up their abilities to come to the past and reveal themselves directly—even in renouncing their powers, there is no devotion greater than this.
“Then, you see, the origin of these demons, in fact-“
Trying to continue that thought, a blunt sentence dropped abruptly from Elyas, who, with clenched fists and a furrowed brow, stared at Astrid from the side.
“It seems like you’re not pleased with something.”
“…Huh? Rather than not being pleased, there’s something I don’t quite understand-“
“You’re more beautiful than you think.”
“Setting aside why that suddenly came up, why are you praising so bluntly?”
“Well, it feels like I need to keep you in check for some reason.”
“…It’s because of your mood.”
“…”
Somehow, there’s a sense of short silence before the answer.
With that thought in mind, Elyas, still wearing a furrowed expression, looked Astrid up and down.
No, I mean.
Really, she’s stunning.
Jet-black hair, teardrop marks beside her eyes, a body drawing fatal curves.
Compared to the women near Dawood, that ‘mature’ atmosphere is undeniably a distinctive feature…
“…”
Suddenly, Elyas looked down at his own chest, then raised his head again to gaze at Astrid’s bosom.
“Damn.”
“What’s…? Why are you suddenly like this…?”
“Damn it, men probably just like big things anyway…!”
…”
Astrid sighed and quietly swept her hair back.
Meanwhile, with just that movement, two bouncing large things caught Elijah’s eye, but this time the statement that came out was something even she couldn’t ignore.
“The fact that he didn’t bother to kill Mobius and created this situation… It seems like there’s still some utility in keeping him alive.”
“Utility?”
“More precisely, not the man himself, but this facility called Matap.”
Creating Mobius in this state, fully controlling the facility, contradicted the notion of controlling Matap entirely.
“Think about it, you’ve done similar things several times before, right?”
…”
Indeed, she had.
Even in the Tribal Union, she gained the authority to call upon them when needed by shouldering their burdens.
Though not explicitly stated, she had also incurred a massive debt by blocking off the Empire’s Emperor-related matters before the civil war even began.
In essence, being able to receive support from both the Empire and the Tribal Union simultaneously.
“…What did you accumulate so much power for?”
Her protection, the strongest force in the Empire, had gathered all the powers. But adding Matap to the mix?
Who could possibly be the enemy they had to face?
“There’s only one place left to eliminate with the Erasure Method. Right?”
In response to Astrid’s words, Elijah sighed and answered.
“The Shining Kingdom.”
“Right.”
The ‘enemy’ who had not yet revealed their true intentions, to be more precise, the Law Emperor sitting at the top.
“Do we need to be so vigilant? Looking at the faces of the enemies you’ve defeated so far, they don’t seem like such exceptional opponents.”
It was a valid point.
However, even so.
“…I don’t have a good feeling about this.”
Astrid spoke with a dry voice, expressing such sentiment.
It is not only a matter of intuition, but considering the influence that a man like the Emperor can exert, there are doubts about his actions.
The fact that it has been terrifyingly quiet until now is especially significant.
They should be well aware that Ceras and Uriyah, who were like their trump cards, even attached themselves to this side, not to mention the Holy Maiden.
Not once have they hindered or insulted, or even made a proper “attack”.
As if it didn’t matter even if they did such things.
“Is that so.”
“Why such a flippant response?”
“I’m not trying to ignore it, just…”
Elijah’s gaze quickly shifted and returned.
There, he saw Dowd desperately justifying himself with gestures and expressions, while Elnoir had a cold gaze fixed on him.
Perhaps, judging from the sounds that were reaching him, it was clear that he was raging so vehemently because he had just experienced a “first” with someone else in front of Elnoir without even saying a word to her.
“That person has always been like that.”
Actually, Elnoir’s tolerance towards Dowd is quite lenient. She has a strong tendency to accept and overlook anything as long as it is a “first” for someone.
That’s why she is getting angry because I touched that sensitive spot.
“…Do you think he will survive?”
“…I guess I should stop him if it seems unlikely.”
It’s to the point where Elijah and Astrid are exchanging such words harshly.
“…Come to think of it, it’s strange.”
And naturally, when you see something like that, there is one thought that comes to mind.
Even though someone else stole away her “first experience” altogether, why hasn’t she gotten angry about that yet?
Considering Elnoir’s usual tendency, she probably didn’t forget about that part, and she wouldn’t have let it pass smoothly either.
It’s as if someone intentionally turned their attention away from that aspect.
“Astrid, Professor.”
As Elijah was thinking about that, he suddenly snapped out of it at Dowd’s voice, which could be heard right in front of him.
From Noble mtl dot com
Perhaps it was the aftermath of the reprimand he had just received, but his entire body was covered in cold sweat, and he seemed exhausted.
…
In the midst of such impressions, Astrid’s disappointed voice chimed in.
“…Wouldn’t it be alright to call me ‘Mother’?”
“I’ll call you that as I get used to it. And besides, it seems like a situation where I’ll have to call you that sooner or later.”
“What does that mean?”
As soon as Astrid’s voice reached him, a fleeting expression of surprise passed over Dawood’s face.
It was a face marked with determination and mental fortitude, characteristic of someone who had steeled themselves for the impending chaos.
“Well, you know. We’ve come to a reasonable agreement.”
“What about?”
“Picking a wedding date.”
The heads of the other people who had been scattered around, attending to their own business, turned towards them as if they had been shattered.
Astrid and Eliya’s mouths hung open.
“…”
“…”
“Well, shouldn’t the parents of both families meet first?”
It’s often said that when a bombshell is dropped, the air trembles.
This time was no different.
The air began to tremble.
The only difference was that it wasn’t a metaphorical trembling; the air was actually tearing apart.
I just want the ending to be like everyone else is a returner. Mc has been playing in the hands of others from the beginning, i just hope in the end he is the one in charge.