#214

“Athanas. Please, listen to me and don’t get angry.”

“…….”

As Fabio took a step back, Marcello Teres’s telekinesis wrapped around him as if to protect him.

An emotion that was difficult to name boiled up from within.

Fabio was currently risking ‘danger’ to try and have a conversation with him.

“…No matter what you say, I will absolutely not be enraged. I swear it to Loclem.”

“Athanas. Do you still have the pinky finger I gave you?”

“Yes. Do you wish for me to return it?”

As Athanas pulled out a small pouch, Marcello’s bloodlust grew denser.

“No! No. Keep it. Never let it leave your person.”

‘Keep it?’

Possessing a ‘part’ of Fabio prevented other beings from interfering with one’s mind.

Athanas realized what Fabio was wary of.

“You suspect that I have received a revelation from a Watched One.”

“…That is correct. Though I didn’t intend to be so direct about it,” Fabio said in a shrinking voice.

Athanas asked in a calm tone.

“I would like an explanation as to why you came to such a suspicion.”

“Trying to mimic them more cleverly next time?”

“To a person being controlled, telling them that they are currently being controlled is likely because you believe they can break free on their own. I wish to live up to that belief. If the suspicion stems from a misunderstanding, I wish to clear it.”

“Look at that long tongue. I’ve never seen the Heretic Butcher speak so logically while shouting ‘Die Heretic!’ Suspicion plus 500 points.”

Marcello Teres set the consecrated oil flask far aside and stepped in front of Fabio.

Athanas had to remain silent to keep his oath.

“There are two points I found strange. First, Athanas. How are you currently awake? Everything belonging to Order has stopped. The only moving ‘people’ I’ve seen so far were Bishop Andrea, who was a Servant of the Twisted One, and the Watched Ones who serve Mother God. I didn’t witness the latter directly, but I saw their traces….”

‘He certainly has reason to suspect.’

He guessed it was the influence of the ‘starlight’ that had granted him Regression, but he couldn’t explain that to Fabio.

Athanas decided that next time, he should be the one to raise that question first. If he appeared greatly confused, Fabio might still be suspicious, but he wouldn’t be as guarded as he was now.

“And second, Order would have no reason to be interested in a heretic’s nest like this right now. There is something far more important right in front of us. If you truly received the Lord’s revelation….”

Fabio trailed off. However, Athanas could guess the rest.

‘…He thinks I should have gone to the basement of the Main Hall first.’

Because the ‘Record’ that Order so desperately seeks is there.

Athanas reflected bitterly.

‘This was something easily inferable with the information I already had.’

“Fabio, if the revelation I received came from outside of Order BEGIN: unauthorized copy -->unauthorized copyas you say, then this space itself might be a trap.”

“…Are you believing me?”

It would be unnatural for someone who had been immersed in ecstasy just moments ago to suddenly doubt the ‘revelation.’

“No. I cannot fully believe you yet. However, there is no nightmare more terrible than mistaking the whisper of the evil god for the Lord’s Will and committing a sin. Until I can completely rule out that possibility, I will act with caution.”

“A nightmare…. Come to think of it, was the position of the Lord of Nightmares vacant?”

“Shh.”

Fabio placed a finger over his lips, warning Marcello Teres to be quiet. Marcello Teres looked dissatisfied but shut his mouth immediately.

For some reason, that scene grated on Athanas’s nerves.

“Pandemonium. Can you hang the consecrated oil flask over the icon? At a height where it would fall and break the moment the telekinesis is withdrawn.”

“Yes, as you command. My god.”

“Please, stop it!”

“Why? You made me your Vassal, brother. Therefore, you are my god.”

“…Athanas, I will explain this point later.”

Athanas nodded and looked around.

There was still no sign of ‘Nyapoleon’ appearing.

‘Did it feel something was wrong because the birth chamber was destroyed earlier than expected, and so it fled?’

In the previous cycle, Nyapoleon had descended from above.

Perhaps it was still hiding beyond the amniotic membrane, waiting for Athanas to leave.

‘…What if the thought that I shouldn’t tear the amniotic membrane is the trap?’

He had to gather as much information as possible within the disappearing time. Unless Nyapoleon also possessed an absolute variable die, its hiding position would be the same even if Regression was used. If so, he needed to determine the exact location in this cycle, even at the risk of danger.

“Fabio. Could you instruct Marcello Teres to slash the ominous membrane covering that dome with a blade?”

“As I explained before, if the thing inside the amniotic membrane is killed, Bonaparte becomes stronger. Once the umbilical cord is removed, the placenta will wither and fall off on its own, so it’s better to wait until then….”

Squelch.

No sooner had he spoken than the membrane split, pouring out liquid.

A sticky substance with a slightly sweet scent covered the three of them.

Athanas reflexively added a suggestion to himself.

‘If I lose consciousness or am controlled by another in this state, use Regression immediately.’

“Ugh, I don’t think it’s poison….”

Fabio rubbed his face to wipe it off and looked into the air.

“…Nothing was added to my Status Conditions either. But it might become a problem later, so let’s go out and wash it off right now.”

“…….”

“Pandemonium?”

The sword hanging in the air began to spin.

Before Fabio could say a word, the sword began slashing wildly at the bulging part of the membrane.

The thing inside fell out with a wet thud.

“Wait, Pandemonium! Sto— mmpf!”

Fabio’s mouth flew open as he clawed frantically at his own face.

His red tongue could be seen twitching, pressed down by something invisible. Marcello Teres had used a Psychokinetic Tether like a gag to block Fabio’s mouth.

Fabio looked at Pandemonium with an expression of disbelief.

“…A bath is all well and good, but we should check what’s up there first. The Heretic Butcher said it was suspicious. Oh, brother. Don’t touch my face. You already scratched it. How upsetting.”

“What is the meaning of this?”

“Huh? What do you mean? I’m diligently cooperating with the Heretic Butcher, aren’t I?”

Athanas aimed his crossbow at Pandemonium.

“Wow, this is fucking absurd. You leave me alone when I’m picking a fight, but you attack me when I’m being obedient? I’m telling you, everyone who believes in Order is trash.”

“Release the telekinesis on Fabio.”

“I don’t want to.”

“…Are you being controlled?”

“Me?”

Pandemonium smiled, twisting the corner of his mouth.

“Actually, you’ve been fucking grating since a while ago, you know? Can a guy really turn his back in front of someone attacking with murderous intent? Seriously? What if you die? From what I can see, you’re not that sturdy. How can you show your back, not knowing what I might do?”

Pandemonium grabbed the sword with his own hand.

Cold sweat ran down Athanas’s spine.

“In my experience, those kinds of people are one of two things. Either they’re so perfectly dominated that their survival instinct doesn’t trigger, or they have extra lives and aren’t afraid of dying….”

The bolt loaded in the crossbow carried a Blessing that would immediately neutralize the target. One hit, and even this creature would lose consciousness.

‘But a monster like that would probably dodge it with his eyes closed.’

“At first, I thought your fanatic mode was fully switched on because you were babbling about Order giving a revelation or whatever, but the more I look, the more reason you have left for a fanatic. Then unauthorized copyour site" style="display:none;" aria-label="visit our site">visit our siteI have no choice but to suspect the latter, right? But what if the extra lives belong to the Heretic Butcher?”

The crossbow takes time to reload. Athanas assessed the types of weapons he had.

‘First, I’ll cut the string tying the consecrated flask….’

“Regression. Right?”

“…….”

“Looking at you, it seems you’re more than ready to throw away this cycle. Haven’t you already thoroughly messed things up? So why aren’t you using it yet?”

Athanas felt a sense of dissonance.

‘…Why is he revealing to me that he’s aware of Regression?’

Did he think Fabio had hidden Regression from him alone?

No, even so, they could have just asked quietly using their own method of communication.

If Regression were used, ‘Pandemonium’ would forget everything he had just realized.

I wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.

Knowing that, why….

“Correct. Since it’s ruined anyway, you’re thinking you should check why it failed, right? Because the final cycle must be flawless and perfect?”

“……!!”

Fabio’s eyes suddenly widened, and he began clawing at his neck.

Athanas stopped thinking and pulled the trigger of the crossbow.

Immediately after, when he gripped and swung his most familiar weapon, the sword.

“Unfortunately, perfectionism is the worst combination with Regression.”

O, bla. Ob la. Obl, la….

Unpleasant noise filled his head.

The sword sliced through the air.

Athanas felt his neck.

It was gone.

The reliquary.

“Fuck, why did you put the holy water inside the reliquary? You startled me.”

Thump.

A heavy object fell to the floor.

A rattling sound of breathing.

He thought it was a swollen lump of flesh. But at one end, something like a human upper body was attached.

‘Regression….’

He had to use it.

But he couldn’t take his eyes off the sight before him.

Why?

Why isn’t time turning back?

He had set several layers of suggestions specifically for this situation.

“Why? Because you’re currently asleep.”

Marcello Teres chuckled.

“You know how it is in dreams—suddenly you can’t do things that are perfectly natural? You try to run down an alley to escape, but the more you stretch your legs, the more your body staggers, and even if you swing your fist, it doesn’t reach…. It’s something like that.”

“…A dream?”