Chapter 171 – Episode 170. Mixed
To say it’s over isn’t over yet.
It is said that the things that Astein had arranged collapsed before reaching the final stage, but there are still some things left.
“How did you not die?”
Astain’s eyes were the same.
Astrid, standing proudly and looking down at him—Asti to be exact, Astein was glaring at him with an unflinching look.
“I should have died, so it’s not like you wrote my name down in a notebook for nothing.”
“… Okay. The curse I placed on you had obviously been activated. Must be But why are you still alive?”
“Oh my. You even put a curse on me?”
It was only then that Astain realized that he had fallen for a very low-level induction interrogation.
It’s already too late to realize now, but falling for Asti’s induction interrogation left a pretty big scar on Astain’s pride.
And Astain’s face, Asti glared at her without blinking an eye.
“Keep your eyes open, Astain. Unless you want to learn more about the difference in position.”
At those words, Astain’s gaze gradually turned downward.
It is said that human will is really strong, but Astein’s will is also strong,
Nevertheless, the human will of violence that goes beyond that is easier to break than twisting the wrist of a three-year-old.
“Even with that curse you cast, I think I’m curious about how I didn’t die even though it was activated.”
Asti squatting in front of him.
In her appearance, the troubles she had been doing until now were not visible at all.
Thoughts about herself and concerns about her identity faded as if they were lies, and she was thinking only about how to treat Astain in front of her.
“Yes, I am dead. Exactly… “
No, you don’t have to tell me that much.
Thinking so, Asti shut her mouth.
“… What nonsense are you talking about?”
“That’s none of your business. Anyway, are you wondering why I didn’t die?”
Snake-like.
Astein was like a snake.
Here he is again a cunning one who may find a way out again.
Still, there was a harvest.
She didn’t answer Asti’s question, but judging by her reaction, she said she’d already had enough.
How Asti came to dwell in this body, no, whether it was right to dwell.
If it is true that she dwells in this body, the memories of her childhood that come to Asti are inexplicable.
She wondered if Astain knew, and she thought for a moment that he might have planned it, but—
Astain doesn’t know either.
Rather, it seemed that he didn’t even know why Asti wasn’t dead.
“Yes, the look on your face is enough for the answer. I don’t need more than that. Also you really… “
Asti squatted down, then she slowly stood up.
Her astein’s gaze moved after her.
“You are useless. Too bad.”
“Yeah two years—!”
Astain’s roar echoed.
Even so, no one paid any attention to Astain’s roaring voice.
That’s what a defeated dog is.
No matter how much a defeated dog barks, no one is afraid.
It’s noisy, and only a stick is flying.
*
“I think it’ll be quicker if I just take care of that.”
Berasien opened her mouth after watching the fierce battle between Asti and Astain—rather, one-sided beatings.
“How do you handle it?”
Astein’s confession was necessary.
Circumstantial evidence is already sufficient, but treason requires a confession, so it was necessary to find out the full story of the plan from Astain’s mouth.
“Well, there are ways. So what do I do?”
Well, with a low sigh, Leopold fell into thought.
Although not officially recognized by the Empire, there are plenty of ways to obtain a confession unofficially.
However, in order to do so, it takes time to seek ‘cooperation’ for the confession, and I don’t want to take such a useless gamble because I don’t know what tricks that snake-like Astein will do.
“Yes, please. Asti, can you step back for a second?”
Asti, who was holding Astain’s collar and shaking it, took a few steps back without saying a word at Leopold’s words, letting go of his hand.
And in the meantime, Berasian approached with light steps and stood in front of Astain.
“Astain, you look healthy.”
“… Are you blind betrayer.”
“If you stop doing something, you’re healthy. That’s enough for getting caught trying to rebel against this ’empire’.”
Well, it’s not that I don’t understand.
Vera Sien slowly raised her hand.
With her index finger erect, she approaches her astein. Everyone else knew what she was about to do, but only her astein did not anticipate what her actions meant. .
“Now, stay still. Asti, can you hold on to this guy so he doesn’t rebel?”
Asti nodded her head and went back to her Astain.
From behind, she steps on Astain’s arm, and she holds his head to keep her from struggling.
“Now… Stay still. It hurts if you stay still.”
“What, what are you trying to do… “
Astain’s words didn’t follow through to the end.
Vera Sien’s index finger dug into Astain’s temple, and at the same time, her Astain’s eyes turned over, leaving only the whites of her eyes visible.
It sounded like something was being turned over.
It wasn’t a particularly strange sound, except that it was a sound coming from Astain’s head.
“Uh, uh, uh… Kehik, that’s good… “
An incomprehensible sound came out of Astain’s mouth.
A hazy, twisted eyeball.
The saliva dripping from the corners of his mouth clearly revealed that his condition was no longer normal.
“… Dirty.”
It was Leopold’s impression.
*
“They cursed me to die in an accident or something when I turned 20. The goal is, of course, Asti, the protection that dwells with you. That protection, when you die, will bounce off and find a new owner, so he will take it… That was the purpose.”
“But you didn’t die.”
“I almost died.”
However, Asti still had questions.
Astrid really did come close to dying.
It would be better to say that he died, but Astrid couldn’t take the initiative even though she was in her own body.
It was only possible to have an hour a day, and in a way, Asti, a stranger, had the initiative unilaterally.
Then, how did Asti grow?
That was the biggest question, but—
“I have no memory of it. I don’t think Astain intended it.”
“Is it so… “
Veracien couldn’t say anything to Astrid, who showed deep disappointment.
She doesn’t even know as her.
How Asti came to be, she doesn’t know how she came to dwell with Astrid.
At least the knowledge she possesses—even in the human world as well as in the demon realm—it was unprecedented and impossible for only her soul to dimension shift like this.
It is impossible for a spirit without a physical body to move from dimension to dimension.
If that is possible, it means that it is even possible to overlay the souls of the dead onto other bodies.
It was an impossible power even for God, but it was also hard for Berathien to believe that it actually existed.
“… Wait a minute, Asti.”
“Huh?”
Vera Shien called to Asti, who was still kicking Astain who had collapsed with her eyes closed.
“Did you have two divine protections nested sequentially? Or at the same time?”
“It was nested at the same time… ? It didn’t stay apart.”
“… Are you Astrid? Or Astia?”
“I am Asti.”
To Asti, who stared blankly at her as if she was suddenly saying something, Vera Shien looked at her staring at her.
It was strange.
She thought it made no sense.
So maybe.
“Asti, you. Didn’t you say you were here when you came to your senses?”
“It did.”
“Tell me about that part in a bit more detail. From the moment you remember.”
“Why is that all of a sudden?”
“Anyway.”
Leopold came and stood beside Asti as if he felt that the conversation between Veracien and Asti was unusual.
“For what? Is something wrong?”
“No, it’s not a problem. Not that there is a problem. It’s just that there’s something I want to check.”
Vera Shien shook her head resolutely.
If what she’s thinking is right, maybe.
“If it’s the moment I remember… Uh, so… “
“You, when you fell into a dream in the past. You said you lived in the world you were originally in.”
“It did.”
It was.
The world Asti remembers, the world she lived and lived in.
A world where civilization has developed and science has developed.
In that world, Asti was alive and breathing.
“In that world, were you the one you remembered?”
“Uh… “
It wasn’t.
Her figure was Asti, and she was Astrid.
The way she is now.
She was living as she was, only the world had changed.
Then she met Leopold — though thanks to him she got back.
Berashien’s face became serious.
“… How do you have the memory of the moment when Astrid was blessed?”
