Chapter 272 |
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[Translator – Night]
[Proofreader – Gun]
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After hearing the voice only once, ??? did not appear again.
It was probably thanks to the ’emergency safety device’ announced in the comments.
‘Zero must have prepared for an unforeseen situation.’
From Zero’s memories, I saw how ??? was an existence far beyond the ordinary.
An anomaly beyond human comprehension and interpretation.
It was incomparable to the ‘Dark Impulse,’ and the anxiety was overwhelming.
‘I don’t know why it has been quiet all this time, only to appear now, but…’
I needed to isolate myself from others and the human world.
Upon hearing my story, Izaro immediately urged us to set off for the Namsov family residence.
I left a message for Euphemia and departed right away.
“It’s best to refrain from using the polymorph ability until we reach the Namsov family’s residence.”
Concerned about my vulnerability, Nyhill and Maktania joined as escorts, and we headed north.
Izaro used spatial magic to teleport us about two days away from the Namsov family’s residence.
I heard there were various barriers, making it impossible to teleport directly inside.
Thus, we had to walk for a day.
Now, we were camping with our destination just ahead.
“I want to hurry too, but the Namsov family’s residence isn’t a place you can enter at will. There’s a restriction on entry.”
“Restriction… Does that mean you can’t leave freely either?”
“Forcibly, maybe. But apart from this matter, you’ll need to spend at least a few months with the Namsov family to grow.”
So, one celestial being, two homunculi, and one human sat around the campfire.
Unexpectedly, Nyhill was the first to speak.
Her characteristic calm voice broke the silence.
“Now that we’ve safely arrived at our destination, I will return to the capital.”
I looked at her in surprise.
Nyhill continued, speaking steadily.
“I am convinced that there is nothing I can do to help here as a human. I will return to the capital and collaborate with the Lotus Knights, Instructor Pia, and Professor Kasim to lay a foundation that you can use in the future.”
Her quiet voice paused briefly.
Swoosh—
Nyhill stood up and bowed deeply.
“……?”
“…I’ve never properly expressed my gratitude because I’m not good with words. So, I want to take this opportunity….”
“This opportunity?”
“To say thank you….”
It was only then that I noticed the small piece of paper in her hand.
It was filled with tightly packed writing, crumpled from being handled so much.
Nyhill alternated her gaze between the paper and me, then began to speak again.
Like a child reading their first diary entry, her manner was very awkward.
“Thank you for allowing me to ask questions. Thank you for always being kind. Thank you for detoxifying the poison. Thank you for calling me a companion rather than a tool.”
But none of it felt laughable.
Staring into her earnest black eyes, I was at a loss for words.
Nyhill gradually shed her embarrassed demeanor and continued speaking calmly.
“Before I met you, I was just a ghost floating through time. But thanks to you, I slowly… became a person. I began to desire a better life.”
While her gratitude continued.
Even the usually playful Maktania remained silent and listened.
I barely managed to nod.
“Now, it’s my turn to repay you. I want to give back the support and encouragement you gave me. Thank you and I respect you. From your disciple, Nyhill.”
Nyhill, who had stuttered a bit at the end, stood there with her face turning redder than the campfire, then….
Swoosh—
Disappeared into the darkness.
Crack—
To my surprise, she hadn’t deployed her silencing spell, so her footsteps were clearly audible before quickly fading away.
Soon, only the stillness of the quiet night remained.
“…….”
Maktania, deeply moved, stood up abruptly.
Izaro nodded slowly, looking at me.
“You’ve built a solid relationship.”
…And I.
I couldn’t take my eyes off Nyhill’s receding figure.
Since my identity was exposed in Rosenstark.
I tried my best to appear calm.
I avoided thinking about what I had lost and focused solely on what I needed to do.
But every night, the fear crept in.
Pretending to be a great ‘hero,’ I spoke and acted for a year.
Now that everything was exposed, the thought of what people might think of me was painful.
I feared the criticism and scorn from my loved ones.
Feelings of shame, disgrace, and guilt surfaced countless times a day.
Above all, the fear that I would never return to my previous relationships was painful.
…But unexpectedly, there were people who stayed by my side.
Nyhill, who promised to return the support and encouragement she received.
The children who formed the Lotus Knights, symbolized by the lotus with the meaning of ‘purity.’
Pia and Kasim, who left their teaching positions to create a force for me.
This was something I had never anticipated.
‘Because I thought humans could never accept a doppelgänger.’
Their presence helped me let go of the anxiety and fear that had filled my heart.
And what began to fill the void left by those negative emotions was a kind of resolve.
‘…There are people waiting for my return.’
It was at that moment that a sense of duty to protect them from the impending great threat took hold.
…At the same time, I found the courage to address a matter I had been contemplating.
“Maktania, I have a favor to ask.”
Maktania opened her eyes wide but replied without hesitation, as if it was no problem at all.
“Of course, my champion.”
She laughed heartily upon hearing my request, but nonetheless promised to fulfill it.
For the first time, I felt at peace as I awaited the morning.
* * *
It would be a little later when the word “Extreme” was boldly engraved in the center of Rosenstark’s central park floor, and children who discovered it would be filled with nostalgia.
We set off with Izaro for the Namsov family’s residence.
As we approached our destination, my expression hardened.
‘Did they live in such a place for hundreds of years?’
Even in early winter, the wind was bone-chillingly cold.
The ground was barren, sparsely dotted with gravel and rocks.
Under a hazy sky, withered shrubs exuded an eerie atmosphere.
It was a particularly harsh land, even for the northern region.
“Where is the barrier?”
“We’ve already passed it. Barret Namsov has granted us entry.”
“…What?”
Just as I tilted my head in confusion.
In the middle of the desolate land.
A gigantic tree stood, strikingly unbalanced.
Unlike the desolate surroundings, the tree appeared strong and majestic, reminiscent of the great forest where Laplace resided.
‘It wasn’t here just a moment ago….’
Despite the season, the branches spread in all directions were adorned with green leaves.
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[Translator – Night]
[Proofreader – Gun]
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But that wasn’t all.
‘Maktania….’
Was gone.
Izaro simply explained.
“As an entity from another realm, she wasn’t granted entry.”
‘How powerful a magician must he be?’
Feeling slightly wary, I surveyed the surroundings and noticed several people busily moving near the tree, catching my attention.
They must be members of the Namsov family.
‘Which one is the head, Barret Namsov?’
As I approached the tree, I scrutinized the faces of the people.
They all seemed to be highly skilled magicians, but none looked like a grand sorcerer who had lived for three hundred years.
They formed two lines as if to create a path toward the tree, and I realized that their gazes towards me were quite significant.
Izaro murmured quietly.
“I told you, your presence would be a salvation to them.”
“…So where is Barret Namsov?”
It was just as I reached the front of the tree.
Crack—
At the sudden sound, I stopped in my tracks.
I looked toward the source of the noise.
Crack—
The thick, wrinkled bark of the tree began to twist, transforming into a shape resembling a human face.
I widened my eyes.
From the center of the tree.
A protruding human face looked at me.
‘No way.’
Barret Namsov spoke.
[Welcome. I am Barret Namsov, a sinner.]
.
.
.
Izaro poked the stiff hero in the side.
“Surprised? I should have warned you.”
“…How could I not be surprised?”
Even as someone who had traveled across the continent and experienced all sorts of things, this was shocking.
‘Magic from the First Age is truly… extraordinary.’
I stared at the face in the center of the tree.
The reason Barret Namsov could possess a lifespan beyond human limits was due to an ancient, unknown magic called “Arborification.”
Barret had sacrificed his human form to gain long life and immense mana.
And with that, he conducted numerous studies and experiments.
Some areas even surpassed the abilities of Izaro, who had received Zero’s essence, making Barret a truly extraordinary grand sorcerer.
[Please excuse my unsettling appearance. It was unavoidable to take full responsibility.]
I was somewhat impressed.
To transform oneself into such a monstrous form in an attempt to rectify the sins of the past.
This was certainly in stark contrast to his father, Platooz Namsov, who summoned demons into this world and then cowardly committed suicide.
‘…An incredibly strong sense of guilt and responsibility.’
Barret seemed to guess what I was thinking and smiled.
Crack—
The sound of the bark twisting was loud.
[Yes, if it were ordinary guilt, no matter how strong, it would have faded over time.]
“…….”
[But this is a kind of guilt that cannot fade.]
I slowly nodded.
Indeed, Platooz’s sin was too deep.
During the hundreds of years Barret had lived, he must have witnessed countless tragedies.
Tragedies that wouldn’t have occurred if there were no demons….
I wondered what he thought as he watched those events unfold.
Every time a new tragedy unfolded, his guilt must have weighed heavily on him.
[I have heard a brief account from Izaro. I dare say that I might be able to help you.]
I currently faced two major issues.
The first was identifying and resolving the cause of ???’s sudden emergence.
The second was personal growth.
Barret claimed he could help solve both.
[My father left a great deal of material on doppelgänger. He was heavily involved in their antics.]
“Heavily involved in their antics?”
[My father wanted to open the ‘Gate’ for his own greed. And the more hostile the doppelgänger appeared to humans, the more advantageous it was for him. It allowed him to suppress the opposition.]
I nodded, recalling a scene from Zero’s memory.
Zero had suspected that Platooz had deliberately ruined his game and revealed his identity to humans to provoke ???.
That suspicion was now being confirmed.
[As a result, all records of ???’s actions remained with the Namsov family. And decades ago, I began reconstructing these records into a ‘fantasy’ indistinguishable from reality, which I have completed.]
“…You’ve been working on creating such a fantasy for decades? Why?”
[More precisely, from the moment I became aware of your existence. You, a doppelgänger homunculus, can replicate depending on how well you understand your opponent.]
I grasped the meaning behind Barret’s words and sighed.
“So, you’re telling me to understand ??? now.”
As I finished speaking, I glanced at Izaro, who stood a few steps away, observing silently, leaving the conversation to them.
[That’s right. To defeat the Demon King, you cannot exclude ???. Understanding him means gaining the essence of the tens of thousands that have seeped into you due to his influence. You could become several times stronger than you are now.]
…It was undeniable.
At present, the only way to ensure significant growth before the Demon King’s return was this.
I recalled the comments from the battle with Yol.
…replicates…
…replicates…
…replicates…
….
There were so many essences that reading the entire list was impossible.
Among them were likely the essences of powerful figures who made their mark in the First Age.
I asked again.
“Then what do you plan to do about ???’s consciousness? As you said, experiencing your ‘fantasy’ could strengthen his consciousness and it might overwhelm me.”
The hollow eyes of the tree-human scanned the me thoroughly.
A silence that wasn’t short.
Crack—
Barret spoke again.
[You needn’t worry about that. His consciousness hasn’t actually transferred to you. To be precise, what you have is not ???’s consciousness but merely a fragment.]
“…A fragment?”
[It might even help you understand him… perhaps it could be the key to realizing the true Polymorph.]
“The true Polymorph?”
His words made me tilt my head in confusion.
[It’s faster to experience it once than to hear about it a hundred times.]
Crack—
It was a mysterious and slightly eerie sight.
Several layers of the thick bark of the ancient tree peeled off in sequence.
It looked as if the tree was opening its mouth.
A large hole formed in an instant.
Light shone inside, but the depths remained dark, making it impossible to see what lay within.
Barret’s voice echoed from within.
[Are you ready to experience and understand ????]
…Then I nodded.
I had a sense that it would be a very long and arduous journey.
[TL/N: Very excited to know how strong he will be.]
[PR/N: Time for a time skip?]
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[Translator – Night]
[Proofreader – Gun]
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