CHAPTER 247: TRUE DISCIPLE (2)

0% The plan Vermel came up with didn’t differ much overall from what Freyr had been thinking.

“Ask for forgiveness and understanding.”

“Hmm.”

“Except it shouldn’t be just one person but several who are sincere about it.”

“Is it even possible?”

“That’s why we’re doing it.”

A fearsome energy was emanating from Vermel’s eyes as he spoke with certainty.

Clack.

Finishing off her glass, Akasha spoke in a lowered voice.

“We can’t pretend that the Tilette incident never happened. You know that, right?”

“I know.”

“Aether doesn’t change her mind easily once it’s made up.”

A twin knew a twin’s heart best.

Even if it had been her instead of Aether who was betrayed by humans a thousand times, she would’ve finished White Night and planned to destroy the world.

“...Huuh, one more glass.”

Akasha lifted her glass and urged him, and it was soon filled with a clear sound of pouring.

The two of them were currently outside the school.

Because they weren’t allowed to drink alcohol on academy grounds.

However, being a Beast and an elf, it was uncomfortable for them to have a sincere conversation without a drink.

Hence, they sat across from each other at something like a tent bar and opened a bottle of liquor. It was a strong drink with an alcohol content of nearly 40%.

Neither of them could drink, it was thanks to this that they had an easier time exchanging words.

Trickle, clack.

“...So, how many bastards have to beg my sister for this to be resolved?”

Humming, Vermel raised his fingers.

“Three.”

“What?”

Just three people?

“That’s enough.”

“Hmm.”

Akasha momentarily fell into thought.

Three people who would accept her for who she was even after revealing that she was a Beast.

That was easy. Akasha snickered and listed the three figures that popped up.

“So me, Rosemary, and that Youko brat should be enough.”

Freyr passed because she was favored by Jǫrmungandr. Nothing needed to be said about herself, and Rosemary was practically family so she also passed.

“Isn’t it fine with these three?”

“No.”

“Then who?”

“There’s a condition.”

It had to be someone who would believe and accept her even after finding out that she was a Beast.

Freyr made the cut in that regard, but neither Akasha nor Rosemary fit the bill. Because unlike Freyr, they had known that Aether was a Beast since the beginning.

“And the same goes for me.”

Vermel didn’t count as one of the three, either.

“Why?”

“Because I already knew that Aether was a Beast before she became like that.”

Akasha’s expression turned dumbfounded.

“That’s a pretty colorful lie.”

“I’m serious.”

Vermel knew way before meeting Aether that she was part of the Demon Army, hence the reason why he had been cautious of her from the start.

Akasha still quirked her head, her expression showing that she didn’t understand.

“Did you not sense that Aether was different than usual today?”

Vermel changed the subject.

“Mm, yeah. She acted like she was a different soul.”

“She actually was.”

“I thought so.”

“You knew?”

“Of course. Aether and I are twins, so that’s nothing.”

Aha, was that so.

If she knew that much, then that would make the conversation easier.

“Aren’t you curious as to why Aether and I were able to become friends?”

“I have a guess.”

“Okay.”

Now he could reveal most of the situation.

The reason why Vermel and Aether had been able to bond was because there was another personality inside her.

“You might not get it, but Aether’s also from my home country.”

He was the first Korean he had met twenty years of being alone after falling into this world. He was a guy who knew how to recite ‘Our Resolve’, but that was what made it comfortable because it made them feel that much more connected. It was why he couldn’t distance himself from Aether even as he denied the rumors of them dating with all he had.

Vermel continued unloading while he held his aching head.

All sorts of thoughts went through his mind even while feeling languid.

He would still be a stranger even if they defeated the Demon King and returned the world back to what it was.

Would he be happy staying here?

Wasn’t it better to go back to their original world?

“.......”

Akasha responded to what she heard with silence.

The air was awkward for a while.

The conversation didn’t seem like it was going to continue like this.

“...Anyway, that’s why I don’t count. Even if I apologize to ‘Aether’, I’ll only be cussed out.”

The two got back on topic.

Tongue tangled from all the drinks she had, Akasha pulled it together and asked.

“Then who and who?”

“Two are already decided.”

Akasha figured it out without difficulty.

One was Freyr, and the other would be that human girl with shoulder-length hair with whom she had stuck together like best friends. Heerlein was another strong candidate, but she didn’t have the time to get here right away.

“Uh.... then what about the last one?”

“That’s what I’m not sure about.”

Akasha snickered at the absurdity. Perhaps it was the alcohol, but her loose smile didn’t show signs of stopping.

“Guess we’re screwed if we don’t find them.”

Then wasn’t this just a sloppy plan?

Part of her wanted to bash him over the head with the bottle in her hand, but she didn’t; there was no need to get sour while drinking.

“Well, we’ll have to improvise for the last one, I suppose.”

Akasha finished off her remaining glass and got up. Her insides felt like it was turning a bit. Still, the thought of having to go see what Aether was doing had her holding onto her consciousness.

As she was slowly gathering her things, Vermel said in passing.

“There was one person I had my eye on, actually.......”

Akasha halted in her tracks.

**“...Respect her.”

There, she said it.

She had no regrets.

“I heard that she was a Beast, so she’s an enemy, but.... I respect her!”

Yufiel revealed her beliefs.

“Why?”

“They say that Golden-Eyeds can’t use magic without mana grass, and I heard that it was the same for this Aether person. Yet she rose to the top of thaumaturgy within months of entering Tilette.”

She had been bracing herself when she mentioned it, but wanted to express herself clearly rather than be conscious of other people.

“.......”

As expected.

Professor Asteya’s eyes as she looked at her were disquieting.

“...You just said that you’d create magic that would make Beasts tremble, but now you say that you respect them?”

“Yes.”

“You’re contradicting yourself.”

“Are you not allowed to show respect to the enemy?”

The very fact that she overcame the limits of the Golden-Eyed race and created an Ultimate Magic was something to be admired.

To Yufiel who was suffering from Mana Depletion Syndrome, Aether was a hero.

“Aren’t Beasts the enemy that must be destroyed?”

“I used to think that, but.......”

She began questioning because of Flare, that one study result.

“It’s strange that she made Flare. If Aether had truly infiltrated the Empire to ruin it, was it really necessary to make Flare in front of the people and give it away for free?”

“.......”

“No, I don’t think so.”

Yufiel’s eyes shimmered like ripples in the middle of the ocean.

“...What a thing to say in these tense times.”

“Are you disappointed?”

“I am.”

Her heart sank.

The first day of tutoring, she was already hated by her homeroom teacher.

Yufiel dropped her head.

She had been determined from the moment she revealed her opinion, but nonetheless, there was a bitter taste in her mouth at hearing that she was disappointed.

“...We’re done for today.”

As expected, she was being kicked out.

She got on her bad side for defending Beasts, after all.

Shoulders drooping, Yufiel packed her bag.

The air was desolate. She should be saying thanks for today’s lesson, but it was hard to say something in this kind of ruined atmosphere.

And as she was about to leave with her rock-heavy backpack–

“Yufiel.”

A gentle voice came from behind her.

“Come at 9 p.m. tomorrow, too.”

Her head whipped around at those words.

She thought she saw a flash of gold for a sec.

‘Uh, uh’, Yufiel mumbled hesitantly. In the meanwhile, Professor Asteya came over and opened the lab door slightly.

“You said you were disappointed.......”

“I did.”

“Then why.......”

She was afraid to ask but mustered up the courage; after all, Yufiel was used to asking questions.

“What reason does a teacher need to teach?”

It was that moment.

Something welled up within her.

Yufiel’s eyes widened, and she rolled her lips in.

Her throat was going dry, yet it also felt like it was burning hot.

Not wanting to show what emotion this was, she bowed her head as much as she could.

“Thank you...!”

**Ta-ta-tap!

The sound of shoes was cheerful as they went down the stairs.

They said that footsteps revealed that person’s state, and it was true. When Freyr had gone down, it was completely different from Yufiel.

“Huu.”

After sending her pupil back to the dorms...

Aether slumped onto a chair and lit a cigarette.

Mana grass also had a calming effect. Inhaling the smoke from the cigarette made her feel a bit better. The complicated images in her mind faded like the ocean fog rolling back, only leaving peace.

Yes, peace.

Peace.

Peace, my ass.

“Fuck─!!”

Bang!!

Aether slammed the table, and the impact had the desk splitting along the grains.

But her hand didn’t hurt or anything. There was no bruising, no bleeding. Rather, somewhere else was stinging.

“Why now......!”

She had to pull herself together.

She had to use Yufiel to get to the World Tree.

Steal the Lodestone of Wind, resurrect the Demon King, develop Dark Day while they fought each other.......

Then.......

[What would be left?]

“No, no.”

Nothing needed to be left behind.

She didn’t want to accept fake kindness or favors with hidden daggers.

All she had wanted to see was a nuclear winter.

[That’s already two strikes, friend. One more and you’re out.]

“Shut your mouth.”

[Get ready to switch players.]

“......You.”

–already predicted it, didn’t you.

[No, I didn’t]

Then how?

[That’s the kind of person she is, probably.]

Not all beings would be that nice.

[And neither is everyone evil.]

So they wear a mask accordingly.

Of course, they wouldn’t have to be sincere in that case. But people tended to be wary of each other at first.

Then they slowly became acquainted, and took off the mask they wore in public. They would then occasionally communicate their true feelings, and if that worked, they became very close.

That was what human relationships were. That was how I lived. Though I never took off my mask because I didn’t meet a lot of good people in the other world, unfortunately.

Aether, I, did well enough. It was at least far better than last time.

[......What do you mean?]

“Telling Yufiel to come back tomorrow. That’s how masks work. Pretending to be okay even if you don’t like it, pretending to reject something that you like.”

[.......]

I ran a hand over the cracked desk.

She destroyed it real good, eh.

It was as I was thinking about whether it was possible to fix this by tomorrow or if I would need to buy a new one.

“Aether, hey Aether.”

The smell of alcohol came floating in. Scrunching my nose, I turned to where the smell of liquor was coming from.

Akasha came stumbling in, drunk as hell.

The hell’s up with her.

“Why did you come back so late?”

“Akasha drank.”

“Stop saying weird stuff and go lie down.”

“Hmm, hmm.”

What a mess.

From what I knew, her and I should have the same physique.

This body couldn’t handle more than half a bottle of 10% alcohol, but from the smell, it was a strong liquor of nearly 40%.

“Here, Aether.”

Akasha pulled something from inside her coat.