Chapter 134 – Episode 134. Harbinger of Corruption
A concept that has existed in human society for so long that its origins are unclear.
As much as it is replaced every generation, there are quite a few people who have maintained the name for centuries.
Long-lived servants like Melia, who had belonged to the warrior party in the past.
And those who inherited the vision created over a long time…
“Bruckenstein… Are you sure he’s behind here?”
Brookenstein.
A vision of alchemists built upon by alchemists over the centuries.
The ‘Human Golem’, created by gathering those essences, has enhanced its majesty by taking the place of the 10 strongest with each generation.
The strength that transcends humans that is demonstrated through external remodeling is itself at the level of an ancient weapon that exists in mythology.
If the other 10 strong men have raised their reputation by focusing on ‘person-to-person warfare’, Brukenstein itself could be seen as a war weapon for a war with the Demon King’s Army.
And the way to manufacture and manage such human weapons has been secretly handed down from generation to generation in one family.
I, a man of the shadows, have heard rumors about him.
“… Baltanstein.”
The head of the oldest aristocratic family in the Argentine royal family.
He was a writer who did not have very good rumors.
It is known only in the sun as a family that has served mankind for a long time and contributed to the development of alchemy, but an organization that has been maintained for a long time is bound to fester from the inside out due to the shackles of pride and tradition.
Stein is also a family that cannot escape from such a curse.
The earnest desire to create weapons by transforming humans has been twisted into a distorted pervert of creating ‘the most ideal woman’ in Baltan, the current owner of the house.
“… I’m not a proper human being either, so I don’t intend to say anything about bad taste.”
For the sake of distorted aesthetic values, even destroying the mind is a disgusting thought that is considered a natural sacrifice.
“It was way too far for her to lay her hand on him.”
If it were known that such a pervert castle reached out to none other than the hero, it wouldn’t be strange if the family collapsed immediately.
No matter how many centuries the family has served humanity, it is extending its demonic hand against a person who is no different from the hope of humanity itself.
To play with your mind and try to satisfy my needs.
Wouldn’t anyone think it would be unforgivable?
“… So you have to get it right.”
Yeah, because I need to get it right.
That’s why I didn’t feel any hesitation in coming forward.
Realizing that I, too, cannot be free from such sins.
Even if some danger awaits her in front of her, because she was prepared to sacrifice her body for her sake.
“Who is there!? No entry here…”
-Fuck!
He subdued the spirits of the guards he met on the way one by one, and tried to take the lead while taking control of their spirits.
It was probably a more proper force than the S-class adventurers who were built as guards.
Even if they were veterans with a lot of experience, they only specialized in quests, and in the case of those who guarded the dwelling, they would have thoroughly carried out their work in the shadows.
“What, what is it? Why are you guys flocking around…”
-Fuck!
It was the first time that I was wary of entering.
In the case of the guards I met along the way, I lost my vigilance when I saw the guards I encountered, and such a gap provided an opportunity for me to infiltrate.
Unless the situation is very hostile to me, my power will suppress their spirits, put their consciousness to sleep, and turn them into my puppets.
“You guys are also hired, so I’m sorry. I will only borrow your bodies until the work is done.”
“… Yes, master.”
By the time I reached the end of the mansion, dozens of troops had gathered around me.
It’s not to the extent of being called an army, but the individual skills alone would be enough to be called elite.
Of course, it would be unreasonable to hope that this will work for Brukenstein, who is called a war weapon from the beginning, but my purpose in the first place is not to defeat Brookenstein or his owner.
Very little leeway.
All he had to do was turn his gaze to Brukenstein and use his leisure enough to save Celica.
In the first place, since the other party had committed something that could not be disclosed extensively, if only they could get out of here after saving Celica.
After that, it’s just a matter of joining the guard or the party.
“… Is this the room you guys went into?”
“Yes, it is.”
The highest point of the mansion.
The rooftop room connected to the stairs, in a sense, could be said to be the most appropriate place to do secret work.
Unlike underground, where it is difficult to hear news from the ground, you can easily detect any disturbance on the rooftop.
Of course, such a sense is limited to when there is a great uproar.
It succeeded in infiltrating secretly and taking over the enemies without fuss, but it would be unreasonable to hope that this kind of luck would be applied to the future.
Even though he was able to command dozens of troops with his strengthened abilities right away, he felt a lot of mental burden on him.
“Damn, it’s been strengthened, but it’s a burden after all.”
If you try to take control of the mind further than this with greed, there will be a risk of disabling the existing ability.
More than anything else, the opponent must be as resistant as the one who has harassed women with the power of demons, and the one who protects him is none other than the one who has risen to the position of the 10 strongest like Verdia.
Unless she had a crush on me from the beginning, like she did, it was obvious that he would immediately rush at me as soon as he faced that something was wrong with his mind.
In fact, I would have to rule out trying to take over the two with my own abilities.
“… I have to do it anyway.”
Still, I did not hesitate to move forward.
Because there are still many words left unsaid to her.
I’d have to take any risk to convey that word.
“Let’s go.”
It took a while to set foot on the stairs to the rooftop room with such determination.
-Kudangtang!!
A loud vibrating sound in your ears.
I felt my nerves bristle reflexively at the roar, as if something heavy had struck a wall.
“What…”
The vibration was felt at the top.
This is where Celica is presumed to be.
And right after that, the fishy scent that spreads all over the place…
“No way…”
Yes, I would definitely call it the smell of blood.
I don’t know what happened, but something happened up here that could cause bloodshed.
“Damn it!!”
Could that damned old woman have gone beyond mind control and even dabbled in body modification?
No, it’s not too late. If you’re just starting out, there shouldn’t be any problems.
So calm down and act calmly…
-Bang!
Even such a rational thought was swallowed up by impatience, and soon my body began to spur the roof exit and enter inside.
“Serica!!!”
Calling her name with a shout that came out of that mouth.
She reflexively entered her room with him, and her feet came to a halt with a soggy sensation that she felt there.
No, it wasn’t the touch she felt from him that stopped her.
It’s because what unfolded in the room was the exact opposite of what I expected.
“Seri, Ka… ?”
Yes, it is a bloody scene.
As if the smell of blood I smelled proves it was not an illusion, everywhere in the room was covered in blood.
And the shadow of the person who is presumed to have shed blood is now buried in the furniture in a corner of the room and collapsed.
The thick limbs visible through the fragments showed that the physique he possessed far exceeded that of an ordinary human.
Brookenstein.
It’s the first time I’ve seen it in person, but I’m sure the one with that name was lying helplessly in the corner of the room.
“Uh, how…”
I was not the only one who was shocked by the scene.
An old man slumped in a corner of the room, staring at the one standing in the center.
The wide eyes and trembling body told me that I was staring in horror at the woman holding the bloody knife in front of me.
“Uh, how could you…”
What comes out of that mouth is a direct indication of how this situation unfolded.
“Hey, this is nonsense! Yo, even though he’s a hero, he must have just awakened. … !!!”
Yes, the one there was a hero.
Celica walks through the center of the bloody scene, naked and holding only a sword.
But there was no strength in her body, no emotion in her face as she glared at the frightened old man.
Leaning the saggy sword on the floor, I just looked down at the tip of my sword with unfocused eyes.
“… Kill it.”
A quiet voice spewed out of his mouth.
It was clear enough to understand, but it took some time to notice the meaning behind it.
“Kill it, do it.”
It was too quiet and insensitive to be bloody…
However, the actions that followed after that were carried out without hesitation.
“More…”
I dragged the sword that had touched the floor.
“More, kill…”
Before that end, Celica headed towards the old man in front of me.
“Oh, don’t come. Don’t come!!”
Feeling threatened by him, the old man screamed and shook her hands in an ugly way, but Celica didn’t care and stepped up in front of him and raised her arms.
In that state, he swung his sword to mercilessly slaughter the body of the old man who was trying to make fun of him.
“Serica!”
It was at that moment that I approached her.
When I thought I had to move, my body had already tried to block her action by hugging her from behind before I thought.
“Serica, calm down…”
However, he did not regret such an ignorant act.
Because what she is doing right now is obviously strange.
No matter how evil she is, Celica, who has a weak heart, will not dare to do such a thing against a human like herself.
Even so, if this happened, it must have been written by something, or it must have been because his mind was broken.
“… Day, B?”
It was only at that time that Celica called my name.
The old man she wanted to cut down lost her consciousness while incontinent, but now it’s all good.
She is looking at me
Even though I didn’t see her face, she is trying to look back at me, recognizing my existence from my voice and my warmth.
“… Yes, it’s me, Dave.”
Facing Celica like that, I quietly smiled at her.
It was a smile born of pure relief. I don’t know what happened, but I made sure she was safe.
Even if the sword in her hand hadn’t fallen yet, she was prepared to accept whatever she did afterwards.
No matter what you’re waiting for, no matter what your heart is.
As she realizes that accepting what she does into this body is my karma.
“Where, where did you go?”
However, she recognized me, who had been prepared for even that, and eventually relaxed from the sword in her hand and stretched out her hand towards me.
“I…”
Grabbing my clothes with her empty hands.
As I buried my face in my chest.
“How long have I been looking for you…”
As she whispered in my arms, she soon let go of her body and began to put her weight on me.
The moment she lost consciousness after muttering incomprehensible.
But after that, silence came like a lie to the bloody scene.
The silence was so quiet that it was impossible to think of a scene where a slaughter had taken place before.
