The battle of strength against the devil had begun.
It dragged on for so long that I had no sense of how much time had passed.
[You’re holding out quite well.]
Swish—!! Boom!!
Dodge, block, slash.
Thud—! Crack!
Pierced, cut, broken.
Taking countless wounds that would have easily killed an ordinary person, I fought against the thorns and roots.
Before I knew it, I had grown accustomed to fighting in this space.
Fwoosh—!
As I reached out my hand, a shield materialized, fitting perfectly into my grip.
Boom!!
I blocked an incoming root with the shield.
Slash—!
With the sword I had also conjured, I sliced the flying thorns in half.
[You’re getting the hang of it now.]
I continued fighting as the devil’s irritatingly composed voice rang in my ears.
This place neither made me drowsy nor hungry.
The only rest I could get was—
Thud—!!
Moments like this when I was completely impaled and forced to retreat.
“Gah!”
A massive thorn pierced straight through my abdomen.
But—
“Hah, haha.”
By now, I had grasped a significant portion of the crimson power that could be wielded in this space.
The ability to conjure not just clothing, but also shields and even swords—
It even dulled the pain.
If I simply remained still while impaled—
Pluck!
The thorn would eventually pull itself out, and the next attack would come.
[Persistent, aren’t you?]
This devil had the power to grind me into dust if it really wanted to.
But it seemed uninterested in breaking my mind entirely, instead opting for attacks I could barely withstand.
It was waiting for me to tire out and surrender.
But—
“Come on, bring it on.”
If anything, this was the perfect training.
Where else could I get real combat experience with zero risk?
Sure, this place didn’t offer delicious meals or restful sleep.
But lately, I had been feeling the full weight of my lack of strength.
This much was worth enduring.
Swish—!! Boom!!
“Urgh!”
This time, I got sent flying after being struck by a root.
The only downside was that I couldn’t use Aura in this space.
Instead—
Fwoooosh—!
I could use that crimson energy, just like the noble had.
It felt a bit unsettling, but I had no reason to hold back.
Just like the noble had done, I formed thorns in my hands and launched them.
Though I could also create swords and shields.
Thorns were the most efficient option.
Clang—!
The enemy’s flying thorns clashed with mine, shattering in midair.
[You have quite the aptitude.]
“I hear that a lot.”
[And you’re quite the talker, too.]
Who knew how long I’d been trapped in this space?
With no one else to talk to, I had ended up chatting with the devil.
[How long do you plan to keep this up? If you become an Apostle, things would be much easier. Even if you can suppress the pain, it’s still there, isn’t it?]
“If I become an Apostle, I die.”
[But my loyal followers are here. You could entrust your body to them and grow stronger.]
“No thanks. How could I live alongside those lunatics?”
Devil worshippers were nothing but disgusting.
Humans who abandoned their own kind to serve devils—worthless scum.
[They simply made a wise investment.]
“Most of them end up dead, though.”
[What are you talking about? Death is only the beginning.]
“What…?”
[Become an Apostle, and I’ll tell you.]
A sinister chuckle echoed in my mind.
…So there was more waiting beyond death, huh?
Well, that had nothing to do with me.
And so, the battle continued.
Without night or day.
Only an endless, eerie atmosphere filling this space.
I had no idea how long I had fought.
“Guh…!”
[What’s wrong? Does it hurt?]
Having thorns pierce my shins was practically routine by now.
“Could you go easy on me?”
[You could leave immediately if you became an Apostle.]
Boom!!
“Urgh…!”
A massive root, thicker than my entire body, slammed into me, shattering my bones dozens of times over.
At this point, I had been fighting for what felt like months.
Even I was starting to feel the mental exhaustion creep in.
[…You’re really persistent.]
For the first time.
The devil let out a sigh.
“What?”
[I’ll ask one last time. Do you truly refuse to become an Apostle?]
“No.”
[I’ll make sure you don’t die, as best as I can. I’ll even guarantee you safety after death, in my name.]
So now that threats weren’t working, it was trying persuasion?
“Not interested.”
No matter how sweetly it tried to tempt me, no matter what kind of offer it dangled, I had not the slightest intention of accepting.
I had already endured pain that would have killed an ordinary person dozens—no, hundreds, maybe even thousands of times over.
Did it think I would give in now?
[Hah…]
And perhaps sensing my firm resolve.
The devil let out a sigh.
[There will come a time when you desperately need my power.]
It spoke as if it had finally given up.
Then, the trees around me slowly began to dissolve.
“…Is it over?”
Was it really ending just like that?
For a moment, I simply watched as everything melted, turning into streams of dark crimson liquid.
And then—
My vision was swallowed entirely by darkness.
**
When I opened my eyes again.
I was lying in a completely white infirmary.
“…Ah….”
A dry, cracked voice escaped my lips.
My body was utterly drained of strength.
And I was starving.
Right, this was what hunger felt like.
How long had I been lying here?
As I lifted my head, I saw my body—thin, wrapped in flimsy hospital garments, completely emaciated.
The amount of muscle loss must have been insane….
Haa, well, at least I finished growing before this happened.
If I had been stuck in bed this long during my teenage years, that would’ve been a real waste.
“…Hah….”
I forced myself to sit up.
I really had no strength left.
I would need to focus on recovery, eat well, and rebuild my muscle mass for a while.
“Let’s see….”
I checked my body’s condition.
My muscles were gone.
My flesh had wasted away.
But at least—
Fwoooosh—!
Aura was still there.
For a moment, I savored the fresh, invigorating sensation of my Aura.
Yeah, Aura was the best.
As I coated myself in it, scanning my body.
I noticed something different about my left hand.
“…A tattoo?”
It hadn’t been there before.
A black and crimson pattern stretched from my palm up along my arm.
It looked ominous, like the roots or branches of a tree.
“…Ah.”
That damned devil.
Did it engrave something on me?
I quickly tried to cover it up—just as I had done countless times in that other space, by conjuring gloves with the crimson energy.
But nothing happened.
Oh, right.
I was back in the real world now.
I shouldn’t be able to use that power—
Fwoooosh—!
…Or so I thought.
Slowly, very slowly, that dark crimson energy coiled around my arm, forming a black glove.
“What the hell…?”
It was much weaker than in that space,
But the fact that I could use it at all made my heart jolt in alarm.
“I told you I wouldn’t become an Apostle! You bastard—”
Had it forcibly appointed me as one?
Just as I was about to lose my mind at the devil’s insane trickery—
[Watch your mouth, foolish beast.]
A voice rang in my head—the same smooth, refined tone I had heard countless times in that wretched space.
“…Oh, uh… You were listening?”
Despite everything,
I instinctively switched to polite speech.
After all, the being I was talking to was an insane devil that defied the heavens themselves.
[Of course, you foolish mutt. And Apostle? Don’t be ridiculous. Do you think my Apostles wield such feeble power?]
“…Then what is this…?”
[A remnant. Since you had the source within you, a mere trace remains.]
…Ah.
So, I wasn’t an Apostle.
But I had the “vessel” of one?
That explained the tattoo… and the lingering power.
This was bad.
To anyone else, I’d look like a heretic. A devil worshipper.
[A heretic? What do you take me for?]
“You know people call you a devil.”
[That’s just a label given by ignorant insects.]
“Then what should I call you?”
I had always just referred to it as a devil.
But now that it had left some of itself inside me, I figured I should have something to call it.
[Since I now dwell within you, call me Lord.]
“…Yeah, that’s not happening.”
I might not follow any religion.
But in a world where gods actually existed.
Calling a devil “Lord” was basically asking for divine retribution.
[Heh. Do you really think you’re going to heaven?]
“…Then where am I going?”
[Come now, after all the people you’ve killed?]
…So, no heaven for me, huh?
Now that I thought about it, it’d be weird if I did end up there.
“Doesn’t killing devil worshippers count as a positive balance or something?”
[If it’s those insidious bastards, it might just be considered an achievement.]
Wait, so that actually works?
Guess I’ll have to start hunting devil worshippers more diligently.
[How bold of you to entertain such thoughts right in front of me.]
“So, do you have a name or not?”
[Hmph. Then call me Silvanus.]
“So you do have a proper name.”
How stubborn.
Still, the voice itself was the most refined one I had ever heard. It was strangely pleasant to listen to.
Well, anyway.
Now that the naming issue was settled, I carefully climbed out of the bed.
The entire space was draped in white cloth, but judging by the lack of medical supplies and the flimsy setup, it didn’t seem like a proper infirmary.
I had assumed I would wake up in Count Reichen’s infirmary, so the unfamiliar surroundings threw me off for a moment.
But instead of dwelling on it, I walked over to the wooden door on one side and pushed it open.
Then—
“Hmm?”
I had thought I was in a treatment room,
But as I stepped outside, I saw wooden walls and a well-lived-in interior.
A cabin?
It looked like someone had merely draped white cloth over a part of the room to make it resemble a treatment area.
Why the hell was I in a place like this?
Pondering, I crossed the cabin and stepped through the front door.
And then—
A dense forest stretched out before me.
“…Oh.”
And right there, in front of the trees, stood a woman carrying firewood.
She had striking two-toned hair—black on the outside, green on the inside—and a dazzlingly beautiful face I knew all too well.
“Sienna?”
“H-Huh?”
Thunk—Clatter.
Sienna immediately dropped the firewood in shock upon seeing me.
“Your hair’s gotten longer.”
Her hair had once only reached her shoulders, but now it had grown long enough to be called long hair.
…Just how much time had passed?
“You… You’re awake? Is this real?”
Sienna’s eyes widened in disbelief, and she quickly walked up to me.
Then—
Stretch.
She pinched my cheek, which was now nothing more than skin over bone.
She poked my jaw, touched my shoulders—examining me all over.
“…How long has it been?”
“W-Wait, I… I just need a moment. This is too shocking.”
Why was she reacting like this?
And more importantly,
Where the hell was I?
I couldn’t even begin to estimate how much time had passed, so I simply waited for her answer.
Then—
Woof! Woof!!
A loud, deep bark echoed from the forest.
It was a thick, powerful voice—yet strangely familiar.
My eyes turned toward the trees just as the underbrush rustled.
Rustle—Shuffle—
And then, a large wolf leapt out.
Its pristine white fur gleamed with a healthy sheen, and its aura was anything but ordinary.
“…Whitey?”
Woof!!
Wait.
Was this really Whitey?
The beast instantly bolted toward me.
“H-Hey.”
“Whitey, no!”
Ignoring Sienna’s frantic warning, it lunged at me with a full-body tackle.
“Urgh!”
Having been bedridden for so long, my weakened body had no chance of resisting.
Thud!
Lick, lick—
Knocked to the ground, I found my face being thoroughly licked by a massive tongue.
“…What the…”
This was definitely Whitey.
But…
Why was it so big?
Hadn’t it been perfectly content living at the estate, refusing to grow any further?
Wait.
Uh…
“…Did the world end or something?”
“Um… The kingdom did. A little.”
…
Yeah.
I had definitely been asleep for much longer than I thought.
This wasn’t just a few months.
