Episode 489: The Marquis of Discord (7)

'It will swarm like flies.'

Andromalius, the 'inferior second son'

'Boils will be rampant due to disease.'

Dantalian, 'A Thousand Faces'

'The herds of livestock and beasts will perish.'

Seere, 'King of the Corpses', Eight Times (八番尸)

'It will sweep away like a swarm of locusts.'

Seventh Poem 'The Wailing Wall' Dekaravia

'Lice will boil in your body and in your barns.'

Poem number 6: Belial, 'the worthless one'

'I will take away the lives of the first born that year.'

Amdusias, 'Unicorn of the Abyss'

'A swarm of reckless frogs will arise.'

Sabenshi (四番尸) 'Reckless Knight' Cimmeries

'There will be hail.'

Third Poem 'Ice Duke' Andrealphus

'I will turn the water into blood.'

This poem (二番尸) 'The Lying Leopard' Flauros

'Both worlds will become dark.'

… … And Andras, the 'Marquis of Discord'

The 10 disasters that were cast over the royal family and the ominous beings that caused them.

Now, after everyone has been annihilated, all that remains is Ibunchi Andras.

And Andras is a being with a strange body.

The two bodies that had been separated were now gathered in one place and facing each other.

The identities of the two were Jack, the 1st Crown Prince, who had been reigning as the heir to the throne, and Piggy, the 2nd Prince, who had only been rumored after his disappearance.

Vikir looked at Piggy's face, who was standing there with a stern expression.

In the past, why did Piggy ignore the Academy, or even his relationships with other people?

Was it simply a matter of group bullying, bullying, or alienation?

… … no.

Vikir had this thought in mind from the Maw Tree some time ago.

'Piggy is a much more upright and strong friend than I thought. 'I'm not the type of person who gets lost simply because of bullying or loneliness.'

Perhaps the reason Piggy left before returning was because he questioned his own lineage.

Bikir made his own guess based on what he had experienced in the past.

'Piggy. Is your blood naturally black?'

'huh? Ah, it was originally like this. omg!? Hey, I told you in advance, it's not like you're turning into a demon or something! It's been like this since I was really young! Doctors said it was because blood contains a lot of iron... … But it seems to have gotten a little darker since entering the Naraksu?'

It was a guess that was related to the phenomenon in which Piggy's blood distorted the causality law when he was trapped in the abyss.

Piggy died once in a previous fight with a demon.

And three days after his death, he opened the heavy coffin lid and opened his eyes inside.

The moment Piggy opened his eyes, this was the first thing he thought of.

'The reason you woke up first is because you had something to do first.'

The words Vikir had said when I left the world inside the Naraksu were still vivid in my ears.

And the weight and warmth felt on my shoulders.

'Never look back. From now on, go alone.'

In the cunning and malicious trap within the Maw Tree, where everything was trying to deceive and harm him, the only thing that pushed his back was the rough, scarred palm.

Eventually, Piggy raised his head and made eye contact with a gaze beyond the portal.

'… … Please go to a comfortable place.'

It's a severed neck. It was a head displayed on a high pole.

"… … "What I will do."

Piggy looked down and looked at his hands.

Black blood is flowing down.

The handle of the blade piercing Andras' heart came into sharp focus.

[Yes, you… … Wasn't it killed by Flauros? Afterwards, he was the most suspicious of all the candidates, so I told him to be especially careful... … ]

The reason Flauros used the water source this time to dig a trap was all to obtain another form of Andras.

Or, wake up and eliminate it before it becomes a threat.

[Why did you come here?! To close the 'door'!?]

Andras gritted his teeth and said.

At that moment, Bikir also had something to point out.

It was information about Andras that Decarabia had leaked in the past.

[Wow! It's the first hour. The body structure is heterogeneous. Ordinary living creatures tend to divide individuals based on their bodies, but that concept does not apply to him.]

'… … What does that mean?'

[therefore. Aren't you going to divide and determine human beings based on yourself? There is only one person called you. And if there is a human that satisfies the same criteria, two. Another three. four. five… … . But it is not the first hour. Two can be one, and one can be two. According to common sense, foundation is impossible because the standard for dividing self from non-self is outside the human concept.]

'I have no idea what you're talking about. So, I guess it means he has a unique body structure like you?'

[anyway. I don't know much either. Ilbunsi is a person with a lot of secrets. but… … I only heard that the roles of 'those who close the door' and 'those who open the door' are separate. This is all I know.]

Decarabia is also an object-type, inanimate-type demon, so it has a very special body shape.

However, even Decaravia evaluated the shape of Andras' body as strange.

One soul divided into two. One body.

This naturally led to rumors about the oracle that had spread throughout the world.

A civil war in the empire, an oracle that turned seven noble families against each other.

It said that both the 1st and 2nd princes, who were descended from the blood of the first founding emperor, had the power of prophets and that 'one of them is the one who will destroy the world, and the other is the one who will save the world.'

The justification for this civil war was to prevent the wrong crown prince from ascending to the throne.

And the truth lurking behind it was revealed through the mouth of Andras, who took over the body of the first prince.

[Hehehe - yes. I am a being with the ability to open doors, and you, the other me, have the ability to close doors. The end of this dark cloud will be decided depending on which of the two of us is destroyed first.]

Andras grabbed the blade that pierced his chest with his hand and crushed it.

… Gurgling!

Flames flying towards Piggy.

But it was blocked by Bikir.

Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwak!

Vikir gritted his teeth as Andras' magical power burned and melted the entire surroundings.

"Is it possible to emit this much firepower even with a body that is completely broken?"

If Andras had not been divided in two, had killed Piggy and completely absorbed his soul, and had even been able to use the demon sword Asmodeus, the result would have been unimaginable.

[Whether you open the door or close it, it's time to choose one! Do not disturb!]

Even at this moment, Andras was baring his sharp teeth and showering fireballs at Piggy.

Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwak! Grumble!

The entire imperial palace began to shake violently.

Andras' attitude was desperate and desperate.

My brother's words about wanting to find his younger brother and become one with him were true.

However, the only way to become one is through the logic of a survival game where everyone must kill each other.

In front of him, Bikir couldn't help but think about the past.

When Piggy died due to Grenouille's participation in the war, Bikir personally collected Piggy's body.

Just like before the regression.

'… … At that time, I personally took care of Piggy's body. I also guarded his deathbed.'

Bikir also has vague memories of exactly what the situation was like at that time.

Just when I think of that moment.

'… … 'He's a good person.'

This auditory hallucination, which I have heard over and over again at every moment of crisis, is the only thing that lingers in my ears.

After that, Bikir went through an amazing experience.

Even though it had been several days since returning from the battlefield, Piggy's body had not decayed.

Piggy's body smelled stronger as time passed.

At the same time, there is also a bad smell.

But it was of a completely different nature from the stench of corruption.

Awakening.

Upon his death, Piggy was reborn as something completely different from being human.

It was because of Andras's alter ego, which had been staying near Piggy's soul until now.

"… … "I thought it was somehow similar to Seere."

The devil's method is to hover around the host and target when the host's mind or body is at its weakest.

The moment he sensed a familiar yet unfamiliar smell coming from Piggy, Bikir reflected Piggy's face with the Mirror of Truth borrowed from Dolores.

And a surprising image appeared in the mirror.

The first emperor. The same face I had seen so many times through portraits.

Piggy's lineage was only then revealed to the world.

Andras's other variant spirit has been staying around the body of Piggy, who was born with the blood of the First Emperor, waiting for the moment of awakening.

"It was only then that I learned why your blood was able to close the abyss."

Piggy smiled faintly at the words of Bikir, who was blocking his path.

Piggy's soul, which was in suspended animation and not completely destroyed, was able to remain in the body with the help of Camus.

However, unlike Seere, Andras's ego, which had a completely different structure, merged with Piggy's soul, and as a result, Piggy was able to stand here now.

… … also.

An intangible string was connected to the hearts of Piggy and Vikir.

It was the string that Andras, who occupied the body of the first prince, paid attention to, the strand of a strong relationship that had been connected since the world before the return.

[I remembered. Bikir. How you and I from that world met. and… … .]

Piggy opened his mouth in a tone that was somewhat sad, but full of longing and joy.

[Why did I bring you back?]