6 - First, with a Greeting of Nice to Meet You
Kamiira came to check on Ray's condition many times until dawn. Ray lay on the ground, still chained, without any sign of acting violently. The rising and falling of his chest with each breath indicated that Ray was alive. After confirming this several times, Kamiira decided to go closer and check on him. She opened the iron grate door and entered the room.
"Your arms seem to be healed,"
From what she could see, Ray's arms appeared to have returned to their original skin color.
"They're not completely fixed yet."
"Ray-kun!? You were awake?"
Ray, whom she thought was asleep, opened his eyes. Kamiira instinctively tried to rush toward him, but she immediately sensed something off about Ray's atmosphere and stopped moving.
"...Who are you?"
"Ah, found out already? As expected of Kamiira-san."
The other party responded to Kamiira's question with words of affirmation.
"Who are you!?"
"Nice to meet you. I'm Ray."
"Don't joke around! Where is the real Ray-kun!?"
"I'm right here. I'll explain everything properly, so for now, could you just calm down and listen to me? You can tell I have no hostility toward you, right, Kamiira-san?"
"...Fine. I will listen."
Saying so, Kamiira sat down on the spot while keeping her distance. She felt no hostility from the other party. However, she couldn't see any other emotions either. He was not an opponent she could let her guard down around.
"No trust, huh. You don't have to stay that far away."
"There's no way I can trust you until I'm satisfied with the explanation, right? Now, hurry up and speak."
"The treatment is so different. You're kind to Ray, but you're quite cold to me, even though I'm the same Ray."
The other party seemed dissatisfied with Kamiira's attitude.
"Just tell me already!"
Kamiira raised her voice in irritation. She had no idea what was happening. That feeling made her emotions turbulent.
"Alright, alright. Now, even if you say that, where should I start the explanation? First, about myself. Kamiira-san, do you know about multiple personalities?"
"I don't. What do you mean by that?"
"Starting from there, huh. Right. There's no such knowledge in this world. In that case... I'm not an expert, so I can't give a precise explanation, but just listen to the gist of it."
"That's why I'm telling you to explain quickly."
"So cold... Multiple personalities, to put it simply, means that multiple personas—or maybe 'personalities' is easier to understand—exist within a single body."
"...Is such a thing possible?"
The other party's explanation was hard to believe at first glance. The look of doubt on Kamiira's face grew deeper.
"It is. In my world, it was properly recognized. As a disease."
"A disease?"
"It's not a disease that kills you. If anything, it's to protect one's body, no, one's heart."
"Protect the heart..."
"Explaining it within the range of my own understanding, in order to escape from mental pain, one creates a temporary self. A self with a different personality. When things are painful, that personality comes to the surface, and the real one falls asleep in the heart. That way, it prevents the real self's heart from being wounded."
"In other words, are you saying that you are another Ray-kun created by Ray-kun in his heart?"
She understood the explanation of the other party, who was another personality of Ray. She understood, but that didn't mean she believed it.
"Exactly. It helps that your understanding is fast. I would've been in trouble if you'd told me to explain any further."
"But why did Ray-kun create you?"
"Gah, I have to explain that too?"
Ray grimaced openly at Kamiira's question.
"Can't you explain it?"
"...Well, fine. In my original world, I was bullied."
"Because of that?"
Even when told it was bullying, Kamiira couldn't properly understand it. It wasn't that bullying didn't exist in this world, but rather that Kamiira had never been in an environment where it existed.
"I thought you'd say that. But it's actually quite painful. Direct violence, of course, but the indirect kind too. In a sense, the latter was more painful, maybe?"
"Indirect?"
"Like when I went to school in the morning and found a flower placed on my desk."
"Is that bullying?"
"Ah, right. That was a bad example. In the schools of my original world, placing a single flower on a desk is something done for a student who died. Doing that to a living student is the same as telling them to die."
"I see..."
"Then, my desk or the inside of it being full of trash almost every day. There were times I was thrown outside. Other things too. For several months, total silence. I was treated as a person who didn't exist. Far from conversation, they wouldn't even meet my eyes. Even if I was standing there, they'd walk straight into me as if I weren't there, and then..."
"That's enough."
Ray's explanation showed no sign of ending yet, but Kamiira interrupted him midway. She could no longer listen to the insidious nature of the content.
"Ah, okay."
"Ray-kun went through such things, I see."
"There were painful things other than bullying, too. Anyway, it means every day was a day where my heart was being wounded."
"You speak quite calmly. If it's as you say, then you are also Ray-kun, right?"
"If I were wounded by that, there'd be no meaning to my existence. I'm like the wall that protects in those moments."
In situations where such bullying occurred, Ray, the other personality, would come to the surface instead. And the original Ray would shut out all information, as if sleeping. If he didn't have the strength to endure cruel treatment, there would be no meaning to the existence of the other personality Ray. However, even if he was another personality, he was originally the same Ray. In reality, there were several times he couldn't endure it, and he repeated the process of creating yet another personality. In that way, multiple other personalities came to exist within Ray.
"What happens to you normally?"
"I was supposed to be sleeping, but lately, it's been a bit different."
"What do you mean by different?"
"Since coming to this world, maybe. For some reason, I'm just normally here. I'm normally conscious, seeing things just like the real one, hearing the same things, that kind of feeling."
Even though he hadn't come to the surface, two personalities were awake simultaneously within Ray. Ray himself didn't know the cause of this. He just noticed it was so.
"Then, you know about me too, right?"
"I believe I called your name?"
"Right. Now that you mention it, you did. I suppose I was shaken, given the nature of the content. So the real Ray-kun is sleeping now, right?"
"No, he's awake. The reason I'm out now is because he's busy. Ah, the real one is busy."
"...Busy doing what?"
Kamiira couldn't imagine what it meant to be busy while inside one's heart.
"Fighting. Do you need an explanation of the opponent?"
"...I can tell it's related to magic beasts. But beyond that, no."
"I see. By taking in the magical power of the magic beast, it entered... madness, maybe? Another personality similar to me. Though you can't really call it a personality. That thing is just a mass of instinct."
"And he's fighting that. What is that like?"
"I'm just using the expression 'fighting.' I'm forcibly suppressing that noisy instinct, making it small, and finally absorbing it. That's what I'm doing."
"So it's not purification."
The Vampio race could also erase the madness possessed by magic beasts using their own magical power. They expressed that as purification.
"Ah, there was the expression 'purification.' That's it. But in cases where it can't be completely erased, would it be easier to understand if I said I absorb it and dominate it? I dominate it so it doesn't run wild on its own."
"...I think I understand. And also why Ray-kun isn't affected by us."
"Hmm?"
"You were protecting him, right?"
The intense Charm ability possessed by Vampio women. Kamiira thought she had found the reason why Ray showed no reaction to it, but this was a mistake.
"Too bad, that's wrong. The real me is already mentally strong enough. Far from just enough, I'm far stronger than a normal human. The real one just isn't aware of it. I didn't do anything regarding you, Kamiira-san. I said 'nice to meet you' earlier, right? Yesterday was the first time I came to the surface since coming to this world."
"...Was it you who stopped him from attacking Rui?"
"Correct. It was dangerous. I rushed out in a panic. In the background, the real one continued to suppress the magic beast. Because he could concentrate on that, he managed to isolate it, and now he's fighting to completely dominate it."
"Do you think you'll win?"
"Without a doubt. It'll be soon. But it might take a little time to assimilate it after that."
"Assimilate?"
"Absorb it and make it a part of my own personality. You might wonder what it's like to turn instinct into personality, but I'll do it. So, my personality might change a little."
It was different from the purification of the Demon Race. In the first place, Ray's ability did not target tainted magical power, but rather dealt with the personality-like thing that the magical power possessed. He absorbed it and made it his own.
"How much will it change?"
"Hmm. Just a little. I think the black will just get darker."
"Black?"
"Ah, I don't mean that black means evil. I mean that various colors like red, blue, and yellow mixed together and became black."
"Another thing I don't understand."
The talk of the other personality Ray was difficult for Kamiira to understand. She wondered if this was because the opponent was another personality, or if it was because she hadn't had deep conversations with Ray. Kamiira thought it was likely the latter.
"There were other existences similar to me. Other Rays with different personalities."
"Really?"
"I assimilated the other personalities I created one by one. Because of that, my personality has become quite complex. Since I split from one, I thought it wouldn't change if I returned, but strangely, in my case, it didn't work that way."
"Excuse me?"
"Ah, I got sidetracked. In short, by absorbing the personality that served as the protector, as a result, my mental resistance has become stronger. I don't know if that's a good or bad thing, though."
"Why? Becoming stronger is a good thing."
"My emotional reactions have become very dull. I even feared myself that if this continues, I might lose all my emotions."
"Does that mean...? ...I'm just asking questions, aren't I?"
The more they talked, the more doubts increased. Ray, who had seemed normal, was actually such a mysterious existence. Kamiira was surprised by this, but she also found it acceptable. A person who came from another world couldn't possibly be normal.
"Well, it's awkward for me to say it, but I am an uncommon existence."
"True."
"Um, what was it I wanted to ask?"
"Did your memories return?"
The other personality Ray was talking about the past. Kamiira thought this wasn't something a person who had lost their memories could do.
"Ah, I didn't mention that. They returned when I almost died from the poison. Not everything, though. Especially how I came to this world, I can't remember that at all."
"I see..."
"What I do know is that I committed suicide. The next memory is already inside the forest."
"Suicide... why did you do such a thing?"
"Something a bit shocking happened. However, it wasn't an emotional thing like being pained or sad. Calmly, I thought there was no meaning in continuing to live like this... well, maybe I tried to protect myself by killing my emotions."
"I see. Somehow Ray-kun... well, never mind."
Kamiira realized that Ray in his previous life had experienced a different kind of pain than they had, and she could no longer bear to hear more about his past.
"May I ask something else?"
"What?"
"How did you absorb the magical power of the magic beast?"
Kamiira changed her question from past events to her newest doubt.
"Ah, that. Water touched a place that was completely dried out. I didn't care if it was a bit dirty. For now, I'll just suck it up and moisten myself. That kind of feeling."
"You mean unconsciously?"
"Yeah."
"Can you still do it now?"
"...I feel like I could, but I wonder? If hunger is absolutely necessary, then it's impossible now. It's a bit different, but I feel full."
Even Ray didn't know why he could do it. An uncontrollable urge that welled up had done it on its own.
"Naturally when you're hungry?"
"That might be the case. But I won't know until it actually happens."
"I see."
"Ah, you're worried about your own magical power being sucked away. But in this case, it wasn't just because I hadn't eaten. It was because of the depletion of magical power."
"You mean you ran out of magic?"
"Yep. I recklessly gathered magical power in my fist, but then I just blasted it straight into the magic beast's mouth without thinking. Everything at once. That's why I became empty."
"I see. And then your body automatically reached out for the magical power of the magic beast in front of you. Did you only suck out the magical power?"
If he had only sucked out magical power, it would be a slightly altered Magic Drain. And if it wasn't just that...
"............"
"What's wrong?"
"No, I just thought you were sharp."
"What do you mean?"
"Didn't you ask that knowing the answer?"
"I asked because I wondered if you had also performed blood-sucking."
"Ah, did I dig my own grave?"
Magical power can be absorbed through blood-sucking, not just magic. That is what the meals of the Vampio race are. Whether it was a power similar to Magic Drain or blood-sucking. Kamiira wanted to confirm that, but it seemed it was neither.
"Tell me about it."
"...It wasn't just magical power. I felt something like power transfer too. If you ask me what it is, I don't really know. I just feel it somehow."
"Is that... was it from the magic beast and Rui?"
"That only happened with the magic beast. I thought about that all night. I have two hypotheses. One is that whether power transfers depends on luck. The other is that there are special conditions."
"What are those conditions?"
"The opponent's life. Well, it's just a hypothesis, so I might be wrong."
Since the method of stealing magical power wasn't known, everything was just imagination.
"...I see, it really is something different from Magic Drain."
"Magic Drain. So that kind of magic really exists?"
"Do you know about it?"
"As imaginary knowledge. It's the one that sucks the opponent's magical power, right?"
"That's right. But Magic Drain doesn't have the effect of transferring abilities. Then what could it be?"
"If even you, a member of the Demon Race, don't know, there's no way I'd know."
In the first place, Ray's knowledge came from games, novels, and manga. It was all fiction. Though it was reality in this world.
"True. Yes, I generally understand the situation. Though a few unresolved problems remain."
"Yeah."
"So, what will you do? It must be inconvenient to stay chained, so shall I remove them?"
"Since you're bothering to ask, you already know, right? Until things have completely settled, this is fine. I'm confident I'm okay, but just in case."
"I see. Then, I'll come again. Ah, what about food?"
"As I said a bit earlier. For some reason, my stomach is satisfied."
"I understand."
Leaving the chains as they were, Kamiira left the room. Kamiira wasn't worried about him acting violently due to the magic beast's influence. However, she felt uneasy about something that sucked magical power, which was different from Magic Drain. If that were to become a constant effect, she didn't know what kind of influence it would have on the children, even if she herself was fine. After returning to the dining hall and telling Rui and the other two not to approach Ray for the time being, Kamiira headed to the room at the very back of the cave. A room with no furniture, only withered grass spread across the floor. Kamiira proceeded to the back of the room and pushed aside the withered grass. Then, when she placed her hand on the ground she saw, stairs appeared in the distorted ground. It was a hidden room sealed by magic that only those permitted could enter. She descended the stairs made of hardened earth. There were no treasures. There was only a small bookshelf and a few books kept there. It was rare for the Demon Race, where things were often passed down orally, but those books recorded various legends passed down in the Vampio race since long ago. Among them, the book Kamiira picked up was one that wrote about things like myths and fairy tales. She flipped through the pages and looked at the documents written at the beginning. She stopped at the description of the True Ancestors. The True Ancestors were the ancestors who served as the origin of the Vampio race. Even the Vampio race themselves didn't know how they were born into this world. It was said that the legends had been lost over the long years. The remaining legends were descriptions after the birth of the True Ancestors and their kin. The True Ancestors increased their influence and the number of their clan with their power. However, as the clan grew, the blood of the True Ancestors and their kin thinned, and the Vampio race gradually lost their former power. Even so, their individual power surpassed that of the human race, and they held a position of strength among the Demon Race. Considering that, how immense the power of the True Ancestors must have been. Of course, that was an era where they couldn't have survived otherwise. It wasn't just the Vampio race that was exceptionally strong. Other members of the Demon Race, the Elf race, and even the beings called the Divine race, who are no longer seen in this world, possessed power that those living in the current world could not imagine. In the midst of that, it is ironic that the human race, who were the weakest, now dominate most of the world. The human race had a reproductive capacity and aggressive nature that overwhelmed other races. And because they were weak, they had wisdom; through various ingenuities that seemed cowardly to other races, they gradually stole land from other races and expanded their influence. The Elf race, appalled by the humans who spread across the world no matter how many times they were crushed, withdrew into their own world, the Dwarf race burrowed underground, and the Divine race departed for somewhere. And only the Demon Race ended up competing for influence on the continent with the humans. If the Demon Race had united and fought the humans in the early stages, the situation probably wouldn't be like this now. But the Demon Race didn't do that. The reason for this has not been revealed. Eventually, among the humans, those with special powers called Heroes were born. Because of their existence, which appeared periodically for some reason, the difference in military power between humans and demons gradually shrank, and now they are overwhelmed by the sheer number of humans. And now, it could be said that the Demon Race is heading toward extinction. Kamiira already knew this knowledge without needing to investigate again. What Kamiira wanted to investigate was the power that the True Ancestors were said to have. Ability theft through blood-sucking. That was one of the powers the True Ancestors were said to possess. After hearing Ray's story, this power came to Kamiira's mind.
(As expected, the details aren't written here)
Through the long war with humans and the subsequent persecution, much of the knowledge of the age of gods passed down to the Vampio race had been lost. In particular, much of the knowledge considered important was often destroyed by the Vampio race's own hands, fearing it would leak to the humans. Ability theft through blood-sucking. There is no one among the current Vampio race who possesses this power. At least, Kamiira didn't know of any. She thought about the possibility that Ray was a pureblood of the True Ancestors, but as far as Ray's story went, he hadn't performed blood-sucking. If so, was it a mutated power? But Ray was an otherworlder. In the first place, he wasn't a member of the Vampio race. Then what was Ray's ability? There was the possibility of an ability unique to otherworlders. No matter how much she thought, not even a guess as to where Ray's power came from came to Kamiira's mind.
(It's no use. Well, it couldn't be understood that easily)
Kamiira gave up on investigating Ray's ability for now.
(Come to think of it, it's been a while since I entered this room)
Thinking so, she looked at the books lined up on the bookshelf again. That was the knowledge her ancestors had protected for generations. And it was Kamiira's responsibility to pass it on to the next generation. She had to pass it on to Rui, Kai, and Kara.
(There are still quite a few books I haven't memorized. Sigh, it's a bit depressing, but maybe I'll study)
The more knowledge Kamiira accumulated, the easier it would be for Rui and the others later. Opposite to reading Ray's memories through a kiss, Kamiira could do something else.
Memory Transfer. That was also one of the special abilities Kamiira possessed.