Chapter 291 (Self Edited) – Devil and Villagers
Hildegard sighed while looking at their appearance no matter how she looked at them. To begin with–…
“Why did you think you wouldn’t be noticed when they suppress the presence of the Devil that is drifting that much now?” (Soma)
“I might have thought that it would be nice that there were so many signs of Devil around us, but I don’t expect they have the strongest sign of Devil.” (Hildegard)
Were they so foolish, thinking that it wouldn’t be noticed? It might be that they were looking down on Soma and Hildegard.
And if they could hide the sign better, the result would have been the same. It was possible to predict that this would happen.
Well, it was only a while ago that Hildegard noticed the sign, so she couldn’t say anything too much.
“You were able to predict… really? Fools, I was at the bottom of her consciousness… a place where I could even escape the [Eyes] of the Saintess. You should understand that…” (Ingrid?)
“It is a prediction that you didn’t understand, right? Well, it was almost confirmed the moment I saw the information regarding the Devil earlier.” (Soma)
“It should have been written more than two years ago, but it was strangely new.” (Hildegard)
Obviously, it was fake. Besides, that bas.e.m.e.nt itself was also suspicious. Somehow, it seemed like it was a place that was added later.
Despite saying that, Hildegard noticed it backwards. Hildegard first noticed something was wrong when Soma was asking the villagers if something unusual had happened in the last two years.
Yes, Hildegard noticed something strange until then. It was something that got stuck in the corner of her mind, but she didn’t understand the specifics.
In addition, it was information that couldn’t be shared with Soma, but… Soma didn’t try to share what he thought probably because he was thinking that the Devil might be lurking here or in Ingrid from the beginning. If she thought about it again, she should have been able to estimate that.
It was when the earliest days when the Devils began to appear frequently. Although only one appeared in other places, two Devils appeared only in this place. From that fact, it wasn’t unreasonable to infer that what actually appeared here wasn’t a matter of two bodies.
And…
“In fact, it would be unnatural to think that all the villagers here are possessed by the Devil, but only Ingrid isn’t possessed.” (Soma)
“Ha-hahaha…! I see… even if you notice things, I don’t think you have noticed it that far. Does that include me as well? But well, there’s no problem. I’ve already fulfilled my purpose.” (Ingrid?)
“Hmm, you have fulfilled your purpose, is it? In other words, is your purpose to take over Ingrid’s body?” (Soma)
“I don’t think that’s it. Apparently, it is a complete a.s.similation.” (Hildegard)
The Devil was basically a high-dimensional being. Therefore, it wasn’t difficult to feel their sign. It floated in this world because of high-dimension.
Even though the Devil possessed people, about half of them avoided doing it. If the body of the possessed person was completely grasped and a.s.similated, the sign of the Devil could be hidden relatively easily if they didn’t use the power of the Devil.
Soma and Hildegard didn’t notice the villagers at all because the Devil possessed by the villagers had completely seized their bodies and concealed its existence. Normally, it could be grasped before the complete a.s.similation happened, but… it might have been possible because all the villagers here were possessed, which something that wouldn’t have been possible in the first place.
Moreover, it must have been done very carefully. Otherwise, Eleonora would have noticed it.
Hildegard knew very well Eleonora would have noticed. She was one of those who overlooked the world, or those that observe humankind. Stargazer.
Her eyes were the eyes of G.o.d, the eyes of the world, and were terminals of the world different from the Devil. It was a fragment of the existence that Hildegard, who once told Soma, could miss even if she looked seriously. Apparently, the role seemed to have changed somewhat, but if such an existence came out earnestly, there was almost no way to escape from the [Eyes].
However, it was a matter if it was observed seriously. As an existence that needed to do many things, they wouldn’t be versatile. So, if they did it carefully, they should be able to deceive the [Eyes]. The result was this.
However, if there was a Devil beside her, Eleonora would have noticed. Therefore, the Devil was likely to have lurked in the bottom of consciousness as said by the one that possessed Ingrid.
It should be a situation that couldn’t be said to be possessed practically. Far from manipulating her body, it couldn’t use most of the Devil abilities.
So, it didn’t make sense for the Devil to dare to do that, but… it was probably that it didn’t mean to take Ingrid over.
“Goodness, I had a hard time. Even though I had prepared such a thing with much trouble, it’s not enough to take this body over while she was feeling shaken. But you looked surprised when it became the scene of you both getting attacked by the villagers.” (Ingrid?)
“That isn’t because of feeling shaken.” (Hildegard)
“Hmm, I see. That’s why the Devil’s sign suddenly overflowed at that time.” (Soma)
Ingrid, who appeared at that time, was definitely the person herself until that moment. However, the sign suddenly changed the next moment.
It seemed that was the time when she was taken over and completely a.s.similated.
“So, is that the purpose of all these Devils, including you?” This situation seems to have something to do with the Devil’s matter that has occurred frequently in the recent days, let alone the incident in the Holy City.” (Soma)
“Haa… you have seen through everything. That’s right… everything up to now is a plan to get here. Well… to be exact, there is one more purpose.” (Ingrid?)
As soon as it said that, the Devils, that were listening to the situation around them, started to close the distance little by little. It was a movement as if trying to shrink the siege. However, Hildegard let out a breath while watching it.
The Devils here, including the Devil that possessed Ingrid, weren’t a big existence. It would be as good as or even inferior to the one they saw in the Holy City.
It was probably because of that, it couldn’t take Ingrid over except when she was feeling shaken. Aside from the villagers who had no power, it meant that they were Devils, that had to use such a method to possess those who had power like Ingrid.
Even so, even a single of them was generally a sufficient threat, and above all, their number was large. If it came to all of them at once, Hildegard would be limited to dealing with five people. And no matter how she looked at it, it didn’t look like they were trying to do something peacefully.
Anyhow…
“Hmm… Is this a good feeling even if it is already over? There doesn’t seem to be anything more than that.” (Soma)
“I agree… Well, there shouldn’t be a problem. To begin with, you wouldn’t answer if I ask you anyway.” (Hildegard)
“That’s true.” (Soma)
“Haa… You have plenty of room to relax, but no matter how much you–…” (Ingrid?)
It was the moment when it tried to say something.
What it saw in Hildegard’s eyes was just light. Hildegard was able to recognize it as a ray of light that spread around her, and she sighed at that.
‘Goodness…’
“Am I feeling that sword swing has become sharper again?” (Hildegard)
“Is that so? I wonder if I have finally caught up with the heyday…” (Soma)
“It doesn’t contradict to my words earlier, you know.” (Hildegard)
What did he mean by catching up with the heyday? It seemed that he had started to train his body a bit compared to five years ago, but still, it should be nothing compared to those days.
Well, it should be around that much.
“…How can it be?!” (Ingrid?)
It was almost at the same time that it muttered surprisingly that the villagers collapsed on the spot all at once. Moreover, the signs of the Devils had completely disappeared from the bodies of the villagers.
Needless to say, Hildegard didn’t do anything. Soma had completely slashed only the Devils in the moment.
“Rather than saying ‘as always’, should I say your swing has been polished to the fullest?” (Hildegard)
“I don’t want to be told that by you.” (Soma)
“I think I can say that, yes?” (Hildegard)
Hildegard was only a bit stronger than a person after being reincarnated as a Dragonkin. If she fought Soma, she would lose without being able to do anything. What should she say other than calling him unreasonable?
And…
“Ku… hahaha…!” (Ingrid?)
Although it was one one knee, it seemed that it hadn’t disappeared yet. Hildegard squinted as she tried to find out what was interesting as it laughed loudly in the appearance of Ingrid.
“Surely, it was a bit further away, but… it wasn’t shallow, was it?” (Hildegard)
“I’m sure that swing was fatal, but… apparently, it was a bit more stubborn than the others.” (Soma)
Hildegard’s eyes did see that it was fatally injured. In that case, no matter how it dragged its feet, it would be inevitable to disappear.
But in that short amount of time, he could do something extra. In order to finish it off, Soma reached to the sword on the waist…
“To do this much… but well, as expected of the Demon King, isn’t it? You are the one recognized by the world as being enough to destroy itself directly. Well, you will die… no, you will be killed. By the hand of the beloved one.” (Ingrid?)
However, the moment Soma heard that word, his hand, which was supposed to be swung out, stopped.