337 - Evil God or Goddess
Novem thrust her family heirloom staff into the giant Agrissa.
She was naked, her trademark side-ponytail undone, her long hair fluttering in the wind. Her fox-colored hair seemed to glow. It was no mistake; her purple eyes appeared to be shining.
Agrissa, whose arm had been blown away and could not regenerate, was unable to say a word, its mouth sealed shut.
However, it continued to struggle—and Novem found it annoying. She twisted the staff.
"Be quiet. We are having an important conversation."
Agrissa's body jerked. Silver metal extended from the tip of the staff, collapsing Agrissa's body from the inside.
As Agrissa slowly descended, it was unable to move. Novem brushed her hair behind her ear and looked toward me.
"—Evil gods and goddesses were originally the same existence. Though, this one here is a fake."
Novem, dismissing Agrissa as a fake, was smiling.
I steadied my breathing and slowly descended the Porter in the same manner, then questioned Novem. I had to ask.
"Novem... what do you mean when you say that by defeating you, I will be completed?"
Novem was laughing while looking at me.
"As I thought, Lariel-sama suits that side better. I liked you after you grew up, but the original Lariel-sama has plenty of good points as well."
"Answer me!"
Novem looked down for a moment, then immediately looked up. Her expression was serious.
"Because that is Novem's will. What Novem sought was a strong human. And Lariel-sama is an existence worthy of that. Now that I have confirmed it—my role, and the role of my clan, has ended."
Novem's will likely referred to her will as an evil god. And the clan likely referred to the Foxus family.
"Are you dragging your whole clan down with you on your own whim?"
"Of course not. There are other ways to live for those other than me. However, I wish to complete Lariel-sama through my own death. To discard your obsession with me, and to cut me away—please show me the strength to achieve your goal even if it means cutting away those close to you."
I couldn't understand what Novem was saying. No, I understood the content.
She was telling me to kill her. And that by doing so, I would become stronger—.
Was that really true?
Aria, held in the Valkyries' arms, snapped at Novem.
"Do you enjoy hurting Lariel's heart like that! Enough already! Always, always... you act like you know everything, but you never say anything, which is why people hate you!"
Novem looked at Aria. But her expression was different from when she looked at me. She was almost indifferent.
"What disadvantage is there for me in being hated by you? The only one important to me is Lariel-sama, and you are merely existences meant to bear Lariel-sama's children. It was a struggle to find you, but I can find replacements even now."
Aria was speechless. These were words that were hard to imagine from the Novem she had known. After all, Aria and I had known her for a long time. I had seen her and Aria getting along many times. To such an Aria, Novem remained indifferent.
I spoke to Novem.
"Do you really think that way! Hey, Novem!"
"If you summarize my statements, I believe it wouldn't be strange to think so."
Novem directed a smile at me.
Eva spoke to Novem.
"Why... but you were so kind!"
"Because there was a benefit in doing so. Otherwise, I would not be kind. All of my kindness belongs to Lariel-sama. Please do not misunderstand."
Clara opened the door in the Porter's chest and poked her head out. Her hair was disheveled due to the strong wind.
"Novem-san, what you are trying to do is wrong! Do you want to place a burden on Lariel-san! You are so loved by Lariel-san—"
Novem placed a hand on her chest.
"Lariel-sama will overcome my death. There is no need for concern."
I almost wanted to ask why she evaluated me so highly. I didn't think I was that amazing myself. If I were mentally strong, I think I would have handled things better.
Monica, who was holding me, slowed the descent further as the ground came into view.
"I really do hate you."
Novem looked at Monica as well.
"I hate you too. You are a machine that corrupts people. However, you are also a necessary tool for Lariel-sama, who will become Emperor. That is why I kept you by his side."
The goddesses, starting with Nihil and ending with Novem. Novem seemed to lack human values.
She had inherited memories, inherited power, and watched over things for a long time. Perhaps it would be stranger if she hadn't gone mad.
Even so—.
"I refuse. I won't kill you!"
At that, Novem made a troubled face. As Novem touched her staff, Agrissa, who was lying slowly on the ground, was shredded by silver blades erupting from within. Agrissa vanished.
As Novem landed on the ground, a red light appeared from her body and covered her. It was like a dress—or armor—covered in such a form, Novem transformed her staff into a great scythe and looked toward me.
She extended her left hand to the side.
"It can't be helped. Lariel-sama is kind. But that kindness—will be your undoing."
Where the smiling Novem pointed her left hand, space tore open. Shannon's figure was reflected there.
"Shannon!"
"Eh!?"
The voice of Shannon, who had seen the rift in space, could be heard. Then, Novem grinned.
"According to the Walt family's house rules, Shannon is effectively a failure. Well, I'll kill this child first. ...Lariel-sama, if you don't kill me, they will die."
Magical light gathered from Novem's left hand, forming a high-density sphere. That was bad. I could tell just by looking. It was worse than Agrissa.
"S-stop—"
"See, because you hesitated, one person died."
A magical bullet was fired into the rift in space. The high-density, highly compressed sphere of magic was launched and vanished into the rift.
I tried to use a skill in haste, but Novem raised her staff.
"The ability stolen from Septem is useful. Agrissa couldn't master it. Truly, it was a useless, incompetent thing."
I felt a powerful interference from the staff that had become a great scythe.
"My skills—"
—I couldn't use them. I imagined the worst scene, but a voice reached me. It was Mireia-san's voice.
"—I wonder what you are doing to my cute Shannon?
—Riding on the shoulder of the golem, a giant lion warrior, were Miranda, Shannon, and Mireia.
Below, cheers erupted as they saw Agrissa, who had fallen near the royal palace, vanish.
Furthermore, the sight of the golem trampling and sweeping away the skeleton soldiers encouraged the allies. Miranda was manipulating the golem, emitting threads from both hands.
"There are too many of them. Also, even though Agrissa vanished, these things aren't disappearing?"
Shannon raised her right fist.
"Go! Smash them allll!!"
She was in a good mood as the golem continued to sweep them away one after another. Mireia, watching the scene, shot a skeleton soldier that had climbed up the golem with her gun.
"You mustn't let your guard down. The opponent feels no pain. Dead soldiers who feel no fear are troublesome, aren't they?"
Taking pistols out of her sleeves one after another, Mireia shot through the enemies. Then, Lariel's voice suddenly came from the sky.
"Shannon!"
"Eh!?"
When Shannon looked up, there was a hole where space had torn open. Beyond the hole, Novem was wearing a dress and attempting to fire magic. And it was directed at Shannon.
Miranda immediately tried to make the golem evade, but the fired magic tracked them.
The magic flying toward Shannon—.
Mireia kicked that magic away. Kicking it while in her dress, she landed right back on the lion warrior.
The magic that fell to the ground exploded, blowing away the skeleton soldiers. A crater was formed.
"—I wonder what you are doing to my cute Shannon? Novem-chan, you're being far too naughty.
Novem's smiling face could be seen through the rift in space. She was smiling while looking at Mireia. As the space gradually closed, Novem looked at Mireia.
"Oh, I failed. But if you are there, it can't be helped. Let's aim for someone else. That way, Lariel-sama will wake up—"
Before she could finish, the space closed, leaving both Shannon and Miranda stunned.
"Why was Novem..."
"Wait, what's happening? Connection hasn't been useful for a while... there's noise on the line."
They should have been connected, but noise had mixed in, making communication impossible. Mireia looked up at the sky, gripped her gun, and shot a skeleton soldier that had climbed up.
"...You two, we're heading to Central. That girl needs a severe punishment. Well, it might be too heavy a burden for me alone... but everyone is here."
Shannon turned pale and trembled, seeing Mireia's angry face—.
—The First Generation and the others had also seen Novem attack Shannon.
The First and Second Generations could not hide their surprise at the sight. However, it was their wives who spurred them on. The First's wife smacked the First on the head.
"Don't just stand there surprised, let's do something about that girl!"
"N-no, but! Novem-chan is a daughter of the Foxus family! A descendant of the Old Man! And a devoted girl who sold off her dowry!"
In place of the First, whose explanation made no sense, the Second explained to the two.
"Wait. She's a good girl. Truly a good girl. But surely she has her reasons right now."
The Second's wife tilted her head.
"You're saying we should overlook her killing someone because she has reasons? Honestly, I don't care about her reasons. From our perspective, we can't accept Lariel being killed here, or the bride dying. Who do you think we worked so hard for?"
The First Generation and the others were surrounded by their own soldiers. Those around them were waiting for the First Generation's judgment. However, they began to mutter.
"...That girl is the Walt family's bride, right?"
"Yeah."
"It feels like when the Madam first married in."
Because they blurted that out, the First's wife glared sharply at those soldiers.
"Who are you calling a crazy woman! Look me in the eye and say it!"
Everyone took a step back and let out a "Hie!" The First muttered something like, "That's exactly how she is."
However, the Second spoke to the two.
"A-anyway! We acknowledge that girl!"
Then, the Fifth and Sixth Generations, who had arrived at the scene, approached the First Generation.
"Are we the first ones here? Also, Novem is running wild. Well, I thought it would turn out like this."
"Indeed. Well, there were various suspicious parts."
The First looked at the two and pointed his greatsword.
"What's with you two! Do you have a complaint about Novem-chan!"
The Fifth carried his whip-sword on his shoulder.
"I'm an Aria supporter, you know."
The First and Second Generations were surprised.
"Eh? Really? Why?"
"What happened while we were gone?"
The Sixth looked at Novem and Lariel's group.
"I support Miranda and Shannon, though."
Then, the Third joined them, holding a bladeless sword and having captured and brought the Banseime Royal Family behind him. He was looking at Lariel's group carefreely and laughing.
"Novem-chan standing before Lariel at the end, huh. Well, I expected it. Oh, I'm a Clara-chan supporter. By the way, has Marks not arrived yet?"
Everyone's gaze gathered on the Third, who was looking around. The First seemed to want to ask various things, but regardless.
"Listen! Anyway, Novem-chan is important! There's no way this can be okay! Do something to stop her!"
When he shouted to everyone, the Third made a clearly displeased expression.
"I mean, isn't this a problem between the two of them? I think it would be awkward even if we lent a hand. Well, let's leave this to Lariel—"
"Slay!"
When Dewey's voice was heard, the Third dropped the bladeless sword from his hand. As the invisible blade of the bladeless sword pierced the ground, the Third looked toward it.
"Big... brother."
Even if he knew, the existence of an older brother was special to the Third. He couldn't maintain his usual aloof attitude.
"Let's help her. This is wrong. I'm small, so there are many things I don't understand... but even so, it looks wrong. I can't do anything. I can't do anything, but if it's Slay, maybe you can save her?"
At the words of his older brother, Dewey, the Third averted his gaze. Guilt, and the past the Third did not want to remember, was his brother himself.
The Fifth looked at Lariel and Novem.
"I think it's questionable to interfere in someone else's romance. If Lariel can't solve it, there's no meaning in us solving it temporarily. I think this is Lariel's problem."
Dewey looked down. Then, a resentful voice was heard from behind the Fifth. It was the Sixth's wife.
"That's how Father-in-law turned a blind eye to our relationship—I was hurt."
"Hie!"
The Sixth stepped back. Despite being a beautiful woman, the atmosphere she wore was truly dark. And she seemed to carry a strange aura.
The Fifth also had a strained face.
"That's why it has to be solved between the two of them—"
Then, the Fifth's wife and concubine showed their faces.
"No, you are wrong, husband. This is not a romance."
"Eh?"
"...This mother-in-law. Because you tolerate concubines, isn't that why Lariel became so indiscriminate? It's truly irritating."
The Sixth's wife glared with a sharp gaze at the Fifth's wife. The surrounding gazes gathered on the Sixth, but the Sixth silently averted his eyes.
The First's wife spoke.
"If it's not a romance, then what is it?"
The Fifth's wife stood with correct posture. Then, placing a hand on her chest, she spoke clearly.
"Are they not already family! They are a married couple who have kissed and fought together this far! Even if they haven't slept together, it's obvious their relationship is more than lovers! This is a domestic problem! Therefore, I will intervene."
The Fifth rushed in to stop his wife in a panic.
"Just leave them alone! Your intervention isn't funny! You should just believe in Lariel more!"
Leaving the noisy surroundings behind, Lariel and the others began to move—.
"The surroundings are noisy. Even so—is it Seventh? A good skill. A skill that summons past successive heads and the people who lived in those eras. You've become quite capable of utilizing the jewel, Lariel-sama."
Novem, who had continued to affirm me until now. Such a Novem was telling me to kill her. If I didn't, she would kill others.
I panicked when Shannon was targeted. But Mireia-san was by her side and saved her.
—Was that really the case?
"Novem, why are you—"
"Just leave them alone! Your intervention isn't funny! You should just believe in Lariel more!"
The Fifth's shout reached me. Having the outsiders be noisy for a while now made it impossible to maintain tension.
I looked at Novem, and Novem, seemingly thinking the same, nodded with her hand on her chin.
"Everyone, dead soldiers of the level Agrissa created are no match for you. Well, that's natural. Since you are a clan I acknowledged."
Looking happy, Novem thrust her staff into the ground. A magic circle appeared from there, and a dragon emerged.
A giant dragon with golden scales and magnificent red horns piercing the sky appeared behind Novem.
Novem touched the dragon's skin and closed her eyes.
"These are people worthy of being your opponents. Please deal with them. You may kill them. After all—they are merely memories."
At those words, I stepped forward. I slashed at Novem with my katana. However, Novem, holding her staff with one hand, was more powerful than I was with my two-handed katana.
"You're finally getting serious, Lariel-sama. But that level isn't enough. I know! Let's have a contest to see if this child—the [Legend Dragon] burns everything else away, or if Lariel-sama kills me first. This child is strong, after all."
Hearing Legend Dragon, I checked with Clara. The noise was severe, but if we were close, we could somehow communicate—.
"I don't know. Such a dragon—I've never heard of it."
Clara answered immediately. Novem nodded with a smile as if it were natural.
"It is a boss located on a floor that humanity has never reached. Guardian, Floor Master. Call it whatever you like. It is one of the strongest monsters guarding the innermost room beyond the hundredth floor of the underground labyrinth. Well, there are more troublesome monsters, though."
As the golden dragon roared toward the heavens, we were blown away by that alone. After nuzzling Novem, the Legend Dragon spread its large wings and soared into the sky.
Smiling, Novem held the great scythe with both hands.
"Now, let's go, Lariel-sama. No—my beloved child. Show your mother that power."
I gripped my katana and grit my teeth.
"My mother is Claire Walt! You're not my mother!"
Novem said.
"No, that's not right. —To me, all of humanity is like my own children."