Chapter 242.1
Chapter 242.1
Chapter 242.1
After our free time was over, I walked around the streets of Jiorhaze with the students of the Demon King Academy.
Apart from the sacred grounds of the Divine Dragon, there were other places where bonfires were lit, and choirs were singing songs dedicated to the gods there too.
Perhaps because this was the time of year when many pilgrims came from outside, but we weren’t met with suspicion despite clearly being outsiders. In fact, they gave us a warm welcome instead.
After going into a random restaurant for a meal, we returned to the dragon landing site.
I drew a magic circle and used <Creative Construction Ibis> to build a Demon Castle there.
Given that this was the season of the Festival of Sacred Song, despite getting permission from the bishop to use this area, I decided to keep most of the structure underground to avoid drawing too much attention. The only part visible above ground was the first floor, where the main gate was located.
“The lowest floor will be the teachers’ quarters. You can use the other rooms however you like after discussing it amongst yourselves.” (Anos)
Once the main gate was opened, the students entered the Demon King’s castle.
“The security in Jiorhaze seems decent, but there’ll be fewer people there at night. Don’t wander outside. I won’t come to your rescue. If you’re fine with that, then feel free to do as you wish.” (Anos)
After saying that, I went through the gate myself.
I stepped onto the magic circle set up on the first floor.
Following me were Shin, Eldmed, and Arcana.
I channeled my magic into the magic circle, teleporting us to the lowest floor.
“I’ll take the room at the back. You can use the other rooms as you please.” (Anos)
“Understood,” Shin replied briefly.
Without hesitation, he walked over and opened the door to the room right in front of mine.
From there, he could stop any enemy from entering my room in the event of an attack.
“Then I suppose I’ll take this room over there.” (Eldmed)
Eldmed entered the room furthest from mine.
“What about you?” I asked Arcana.
She silently pointed at the door to my room.
That door was made out of wood, which seemed out of place in this castle.
“Does that room have a special purpose?” (Arcana)
“I just made it for fun. I thought I might remember something if I built it. Let me show you.” (Anos)
I walked slowly to the back room and opened the door.
Inside was a wooden room, not very spacious.
The furnishings and furniture were not high-quality, just very ordinary.
I tried to recreate the house I saw in that dream, the one where I lived with my sister in the forest.
If that memory was truly mine, I probably used <Creative Construction Ibis> to build it back then too.
It just occurred to me, so I recreated it on a whim, but there was nothing about that memory that stood out in particular.
“Is this from the memory you dreamt of?” (Arcana)
“It seems to be the house where I lived with my sister.” (Anos)
Arcana looked around the house.
“I don’t know why, but it looks familiar to me somehow.” (Arcana)
She walked over and touched the door that led to another room.
“This is the bedroom?” (Arcana)
“Yes.” (Anos)
“There are two beds,” she noted as she opened the door.
She gazed curiously at the two beds lined up in there.
“Come to think of it, I never told you my sister’s name.” (Anos)
As I stood behind Arcana, she tilted her head back and looked up at me.
Her silver hair swayed gently.
“Her name was Arcana.” (Anos)
For a moment, Arcana went silent. Then, she spoke.
“…Why is it the same as mine?”
“Who knows. If you and I met two thousand years ago, then maybe you were my sister back then.” (Anos)
Arcana looked even more puzzled.
She turned back to face the bedroom and stepped inside.
After glancing at the beds, she looked back at me again.
“Before I became a nameless god?” (Arcana)
“That’s the only possibility I can think of. Still, I can understand why you have doubts. Even I have no idea how we ended up in such a situation.” (Anos)
As I said this, I walked towards the beds and sat down.
“Well, it’s not impossible that you’re just two different people sharing the same name. The sister in my dream had a very different personality from yours.” (Anos)
I turned my eyes to Arcana, who was deep in thought.
“Arcana. I need to confirm one thing. Do you wish to regain your memories?” (Anos)
“If it will bring you salvation.” (Arcana)
Hmm. An instant reply.
“You really are a god through and through.” (Anos)
I laid back on the bed and stared up at the ceiling.
“You willingly discarded your own name. Perhaps you wanted to discard your memories as well. But if you were to get them back, there’s no guarantee you could return to being a nameless god.” (Anos)
“…Abandoning my name was likely my sin. That’s why I ended up bringing despair to him.” (Arcana)
By “him,” she was probably referring to the man she could not save after becoming a nameless god.
“No matter what that past may be, I think I should never have forgotten it.” (Arcana)
“If you hadn’t abandoned your name, you wouldn’t have been able to gain a heart.” (Anos)
“That is correct. However, now that I have emotions, I feel differently. I want to reclaim the name and memories of the god I once was. Those are things I should not have forgotten.” (Arcana)
It was because she lacked emotions that she could abandon her name and memories.
And now that she had gained emotions in exchange, she desired to reclaim the name and memories she had lost.
How fickle.
“You told me yourself. That there must be a way to get back my divine name and memories without losing my emotions. And that continuing to save people would be my atonement.” (Arcana)
“If you’ve made up your mind, then everything is fine.” (Anos)
Arcana walked over to me and climbed onto the bed.
“Drifting memories, overlapping with dreams, rise to the surface.” (Arcana)
“What does that mean?” (Anos)
“If I was indeed your sister, then by overlapping my dreams with yours, it might help us recall our memories more strongly.” (Arcana)
Good point.
“But it will place a great burden on you.” (Arcana)
“That doesn’t matter. If that might bring back your memories, then let’s do it.” (Anos)
“Thank you.” (Arcana)
Arcana knelt on my body as if straddling me, and gently placed her hand on my chest.
Then, our foreheads touched.
A magic circle appeared on her body, and the clothes she wore began to shine faintly, gradually disappearing.
At that moment, the door burst open with a loud bang.